12

Katarina’s POV
The silence between us stretched for hours, and I found myself battling against the intrusive thoughts my wolf kept pushing into my mind. The mate bond was making it difficult to think clearly, driving me toward feelings I wasn’t ready to face. How could it be that I had only just met this man last night, yet here I was, struggling to resist the urge to be close to him, to feel the warmth of his body next to mine? This wasn’t who I was, and something needed to change before I completely lost control.
I tried to shift my focus, forcing myself to think about anything but Alpha Dominic. My mind wandered to my friend Raven-what was her mate like, and what was she doing right now? I wondered about Gideon, too, and why he hadn’t found his mate at the ball. My thoughts kept me occupied for a while, so much so that I barely noticed when we took an exit off the highway.
“Are we here?” I asked quietly, my gaze fixed on my hands. I didn’t dare look at Alpha Dominic, fearing that his piercing silver eyes would only make my feelings harder to suppress.
A few moments of silence passed, and I began to wonder if he’d even heard me. Then, finally, his deep voice broke the quiet. “We’ll be staying at a hotel for the night. We’ll continue the journey in the morning.” The anxiety hit me like a wave-alone, in a hotel room, with Alpha Dominic. My heart raced, and I tried to calm myself, staring down at my hands as if they held the answer to my turmoil.
“This will be interesting,” Rose, my wolf, purred in my mind, clearly enjoying the idea of us being alone with Alpha Dominic, a soft bed just within reach.
“Rose, please,” I begged internally, feeling overwhelmed. “I’m already fighting myself; I can’t handle fighting you too.”
“Katarina, this is how it’s supposed to be. He’s our mate. We belong together,” Rose responded, her need to be near him mirroring my own.
“I know, but I need time,” I whispered back, tears threatening to spill over. “I’m not ready for this yet. You know what it would do to me if we… if we completed the bond now.”
Rose sighed in disappointment but relented. “Alright, just for tonight. But you need to work through these issues, Katarina.”
I pushed Rose’s comments aside, knowing she was right. But I wasn’t ready to break down that dam holding back all my emotions. If I let go now, I might never recover.
We drove in silence until we reached the hotel. It was a grand building, far nicer than any place I’d ever stayed. We usually traveled to other packs for the Moon Ball during the summer, but we’d never stayed anywhere as luxurious as this. As we parked, I finally noticed the black vehicles that had been trailing us. Men emerged from them, forming a silent escort. Alpha Dominic was already out of the hummer by the time my door opened for me.
I followed him inside, my anxiety spiking as we reached our room. When he opened the door and stepped in behind me, I felt a wave of relief seeing two beds in the room. Maybe I could get some sleep without being overwhelmed by the thoughts that constantly invaded my mind.
Alpha Dominic placed my luggage against the far wall, and I found myself hesitating before speaking. “Alpha Dominic?” My voice was soft, barely above a whisper. If I was going to live with this man, I needed to find my voice.
“Yes, little mate?” His stormy eyes met mine, and I had to fight the urge to throw myself into his arms.
“Are we both staying in this room?” I asked hesitantly, regretting it as soon as the words left my mouth. His expression darkened, and I felt the intense need to escape, to get some space.
“We are mates, are we not?” His voice was deep, and I knew he wasn’t really asking. The weight of the situation bore down on me, and I quickly grabbed my sleepwear from my suitcase-a grey tank top and black shorts-before heading toward the bathroom.
“Where are you going?” His voice stopped me in my tracks, sending a shiver down my spine. My instincts were screaming at me to give in, to let nature take its course, but I wasn’t ready.
“I’m taking a shower,” I replied, my voice still soft, but firm enough to indicate I wasn’t asking for permission. Without meeting his gaze, I retreated to the bathroom, feeling like a coward.
The bathroom was surprisingly luxurious, a stark contrast to my old home. I turned on the shower, letting the water drown out my thoughts for a moment. As I undressed, I caught my reflection in the mirror and wondered if I looked any different now that I’d found my mate. Shouldn’t I look older, more mature?
“We were always meant to be a Luna,” Rose murmured in my mind, but I found it hard to believe. How could I possibly lead a pack when I couldn’t even control my own emotions?
After a long, soothing shower, I dressed in my sleepwear and stepped back into the room. I avoided looking at Alpha Dominic, but when I finally did, my breath caught in my throat. He was lying on one of the beds, shirtless, in nothing but loose shorts. His flawless chest was mesmerizing, each muscle perfectly defined. I couldn’t help but notice the intricate tattoo that wrapped around his pectoral and up his neck. My fingers itched to trace the design, to feel the warmth of his skin.
But I forced myself to look away, knowing that giving in to these desires would only complicate things further. Recalling his words from earlier, I tried to push aside any thoughts of his muscular, imposing figure. Still, I couldn’t help but notice the way his stormy eyes darkened as they swept over my simple tank top and shorts. What was so tempting about that, I’d never understand.
I walked over to my suitcase, carefully placing my dirty clothes in one of the side pockets. I rummaged through the bag for a few minutes until I finally found what I was searching for.
“Is everything alright, little mate?” His deep voice sounded from behind me, startling me. I let out a small squeak as I jumped, then turned to find Alpha Dominic standing much closer than I had expected.
“You startled me,” I mumbled, frowning as my voice came out softer than I intended. The corners of his full lips twitched slightly, though I couldn’t tell if it was from amusement or something else.
“My apologies,” he replied, a small smirk playing on his lips. I attempted a glare in response before picking up the stuffed bear I had been searching for.
My grandfather had given me this bear when I was just nine years old, a month before he passed away. I couldn’t explain why I was so attached to it, but it was the last thing I had of him. He had been as close to me as Valen was, perhaps even closer. Growing up, it felt like he was the only one who truly understood me. He always said I inherited his strength, but now I questioned if that was true. If I were truly strong, I would have been able to escape that dreadful day last summer.
“What’s this?” Alpha Dominic’s deep voice interrupted my thoughts, drawing me back from the painful memories. His eyes had settled on the stuffed bear in my hands.
“This is Snuggles,” I replied, a small smile forming as I remembered naming the bear all those years ago.
“Snuggles?” he repeated, his voice laced with curiosity as he looked at the bear. I couldn’t quite read his expression, but at that moment, it didn’t matter.
“Yes, my grandpa gave him to me before he passed away,” I said, my smile fading slightly as I pushed away the sadness.
“And you named him Snuggles?” he asked, raising one dark eyebrow.
“It made sense at the time,” I answered, a slight pout forming on my face. Teasing me was one thing, but mocking Snuggles was entirely different. This bear had been a source of comfort, helping me sleep through some of my most difficult nights.
Alpha Dominic fell silent, his gaze lingering on me. I found myself wondering what thoughts were going through his mind.
“What are you thinking?” I asked, tilting my head slightly in an attempt to read his expression. As I did, I let out a yawn, the exhaustion from the day catching up to me.
“I’m thinking it’s time for bed, my little mate,” he finally replied after a long pause, though I knew that wasn’t the true answer to my question.
“That’s not what you were really thinking,” I countered, feeling a bit braver than before. Despite my lingering fear of him, I was determined to understand the man behind the title. A mate was supposed to be closer to you than anyone else, after all.
His smirk deepened as he walked over to the bed by the window and sat down, his eyes meeting mine with a teasing glint. Still pouting, I made my way to the other bed, climbed in with Snuggles, and pulled the covers over myself.
“Goodnight, Alpha Dominic,” I murmured sleepily, my eyes already beginning to close.
“Goodnight, my little mate,” I thought I heard him say, but I was already drifting off to sleep.