DOMINIC
I rolled my shoulders, the tension in my muscles refusing to ease. The weight of everything pressing down. The bond, Lena's fear, and the fact that she was here but still looking for a way out settled heavy in my chest. With a sharp exhale, I ran a hand through my hair, then gripped the hem of my shirt and tugged it over my head. The fabric peeled away, and the cool air brushed against my skin, a small relief from the heat coiling inside me.
A sharp gasp made me pause.
I turned to see Lena sitting on the edge of the bed, her hands covering her face like she'd just witnessed something scandalous.
"Could you at least warn me before you start stripping?" she demanded, voice muffled behind her palms.
A slow smirk tugged at the corner of my lips. "You act like you've never seen a shirtless man before."
She peeked between her fingers, her gaze flickering over me before she slammed her hands back against her face. But not before I caught the deep pink creeping up her neck.
"Not like this. Not—" She cut herself off with a frustrated groan. "Just put something on."
"Not happening," I said, taking a deliberate step closer. "My room. My bed. You're the one invading my space, remember?"
She let out a breath, lowering her hands slowly. Her eyes flickered to my chest, over the scars marking my skin, proof of the battles I'd fought and won. She looked away just as quickly, but not before I saw her breath hitch.
"Not by choice," she reminded me. She cleared her throat as if trying to steady herself. "Evan called you Alpha earlier. What does that mean?"
I studied her, debating how much to tell her. Humans didn't always understand. And Lena? She was already on edge. Too much too soon, and she'd bolt the first chance she got.
"It means I lead them," I said finally. The simplest, easiest answer. "The people here. They follow me, and they trust me to protect them."
She frowned slightly, tilting her head. "Like a king?"
I huffed a quiet laugh. "Something like that. But I don't wear a crown, and I don't sit on a throne. My role is about strength and responsibility. Keeping my people safe."
She nodded slowly. "And they just listen to you? No questions asked?"
"It's not about obedience," I said, my voice low. At the clear skepticism in her eye, I continued. "It's about loyalty. They know I'd die for them. And they'd do the same for me."
Something flickered in her expression, something unreadable. Did she even know what loyalty like that felt like? Had anyone ever stood for her like that before?
She scoffed and rose one perfect brow. "Sounds cultish."
I chuckled, shaking my head. "It's not. It's a pack. A family. We protect each other, always."
Lena was quiet for a moment, tracing a finger along the edge of the blanket. "And you expect me to be part of this… family?" She visibly faltered for a moment over the word.
"Expect? No." I met her gaze, holding it. "But you are. Whether you believe it or not, Lena, you belong here."
Her throat bobbed, but she looked away. "I don't know what I believe."
"Then stay long enough to figure it out."
She sighed, rubbing at her temple. "This is too much. All of it. I don't belong anywhere, okay? I never have. So don't—" She exhaled sharply, cutting herself off before she said too much.
The exhaustion in her voice was impossible to miss. The weight she carried was even heavier. I could see it dragging her down, the fight to keep herself upright taking more effort than she wanted to admit.
I folded my arms. "You need sleep."
"I just woke up."
"Doesn't mean you're rested."
She gave me a flat look. "I'm fine."
But her body betrayed her, exhaustion weighing her down. I didn't give her a chance to argue. In one swift motion, I bent down, scooping her into my arms.
She yelped, her hands flying to my shoulders. "Put me down!"
"Not happening," I murmured, carrying her effortlessly to the bed. "You're running on empty. You need rest."
"I can rest sitting up!"
"You can rest properly in bed."
I placed her down gently, but before I could step back, her hands clung to my bare shoulders, fingers pressing into my skin.
A spark shot through me at the touch. My body tensed, the bond flaring to life between us, heat coiling where her skin met mine. Lena must have felt it, too, because her breath caught, her grip tightening before she jerked away like she'd been burned.
I didn't move, watching her carefully. "Tell me you don't feel that, Lena. Tell me you don't want more of it."
She wrapped her arms around herself. "I don't know what I feel."
"Liar." I could see it in her eyes. She felt it. The pull between us. The way my presence steadied her, just as hers soothed something raw inside me. But she was still fighting it.
I grabbed the blanket and draped it over her, tucking the edges without a word. She stiffened but didn't pull away, her gaze locked onto me.
"Why are you doing this?" she whispered.
I hesitated before answering. "Because whether you believe it or not, you belong here with me. And until you accept that, I'll keep doing it. Because you're mine to take care of, and I want to see you thrive."
She swallowed hard, her lips parting like she wanted to say something. But no words came. Instead, she sank deeper into the pillows, exhaustion finally winning.
I sat on the edge of the bed, watching her for a moment longer. "Sleep, Lena."
I slid into bed beside her, carefully keeping distance between us, praying that sleep would overtake me, too. I listened to her sleep and her body shifting restlessly under the covers. It was a fight to keep my hands from pulling her to me.
But then, something unexpected happened. In her sleep, her small hand reached out, settling over my chest, right above my heart.
The second she touched me, her breathing evened out. The tension in her body melted away.
Something inside me clenched, sharp and deep. She didn't even realize it, but she already knew where she belonged.
I let out a slow breath, my hand covering hers lightly, just for a moment. Just to feel her there.
She didn't wake. And for the first time in a long time, I allowed myself to close my eyes and rest, her warmth seeping into my chest.