26

I was practically floating on air. Despite the uncomfortable feeling of so many curious eyes on me, I felt an overwhelming sense of belonging, a rare and precious feeling that had eluded me for so long.
But, as with any perfect moment, something had to come along and threaten to shatter it.
I drifted away from Dominic’s side for the first time since we had arrived at the party, seeking both a drink and the familiar faces of Seraphina and the others. I found the refreshments at a table about twenty feet away from where Dominic stood, although his features were obscured by the crowd of mingling guests.
I poured myself a Coke and took a contented sip, savoring the cold fizz. My moment of peace was abruptly interrupted when a stunningly beautiful blonde woman approached me. It was as though female werewolves were all born looking like supermodels. Each one, through rigorous training, boasted a fit physique and an aura of undeniable beauty.
This woman was no exception. With an hourglass figure, high cheekbones, and full lips, she radiated an almost effortless elegance. Her cherry-red dress, cut daringly low, accentuated her long legs and drew attention to her striking presence. The scowl on her face made it clear that our interaction was not going to be pleasant.
“Kate, isn’t it?” Her voice was shrill and grating, with a nasal quality that only added to the hostility in her tone.
I frowned in confusion, as I had never been one to provoke conflict.
“Katarina,” I corrected her, hoping to steer the conversation towards a more civil direction. I should have noticed the dirty looks from the unmated females around me, but my enjoyment of Dominic’s company had clouded my awareness.
“Right, Katarina,” she smirked, her tone dripping with sarcasm. “I see you’re Dominic’s latest fling.”
The insult made my blood boil. Rose, who had been by my side, bristled in anger. I could feel my own eyes darken with fury. If it weren’t for my own restraint, Rose would have lunged at the woman without hesitation.
“I’m his mate, actually,” I said through gritted teeth, trying to remain calm despite the surge of jealousy and anger that was coursing through me. Her words hit a nerve I hadn’t anticipated, provoking a strong, unbidden response.
“Yeah, sure. Don’t get all high and mighty. You’re not the first, and you won’t be the last,” she sneered, her ruby-red lips curling into a malevolent smirk.
My face grew red with rage, and I felt my hands clench into fists, struggling to control the primal urge to confront her physically.
“Sounds like someone’s jealous,” I snapped, feeling the intensity of Rose’s anger merge with my own.
“She’s not just disrespecting you; she’s disrespecting Dominic, our Alpha. Only we get to call him Dominic,” Rose growled, her voice filled with territorial aggression.
In the back of my mind, I wondered if my emotions were being amplified by the bond with an Alpha.
“Oh, please. Dominic was with me long before you were even in high school. You’re just another baby maker,” the blonde retorted, her voice filled with spite.
Everything seemed to blur as my vision turned red with fury. The next thing I remember, Rose had surged forward with a strength I hadn’t known she possessed. She broke through any restraint I had managed to maintain and collided with the blonde woman. I felt a hard impact, knocking something to the floor, and tasted a metallic tang in my mouth.
Moments later, I was being lifted, enveloped in a familiar scent of citrus and sandalwood. The comforting aroma began to soothe the intense anger that had been consuming me, and Rose retreated to the back of my mind with a satisfied swish of her tail.
“Dumb bitch,” Rose snarled.
“Dominic, she attacked me out of nowhere!” The blonde’s shrill voice pierced through the haze of my emotions.
As the red haze receded, I felt Dominic’s strong arms encircling me. I glanced down to see the blonde sprawled on the floor, her arm healing rapidly from the bite mark that Rose had left.
“I did not,” Rose and I retorted in unison, straining against Dominic’s firm hold.
“You will address me as Alpha. Now, shut up, Valeria,” Dominic’s voice was cold and commanding, carrying an authority that brooked no argument. His presence was a stark reminder of who was in charge, and his dominance was palpable.
A man I vaguely recognized from earlier approached Dominic and spoke to him in hushed tones. I was too engrossed in my simmering anger to pay attention. My eyes were fixed on Valeria, her presence a painful reminder of Dominic’s past.
“You have purposefully disrespected my mate and me, and then you proceeded to provoke her,” Dominic’s voice was laced with a cold anger. His dominance was unquestionable, a challenge to anyone who dared defy him.
“I-” Valeria stammered, her face paling under the weight of Dominic’s condemnation.
“You will be punished for your disrespect,” Dominic’s voice grew even colder, each word an ice-cold decree. The open taunting from Valeria had ignited a fierce anger in Dominic that I had never seen before.
“Luca, make sure she gets home and stays there,” Dominic snarled at his Beta, casting one last icy glare at Valeria.
“Now, let’s deal with you,” Dominic said, turning away from the gathering crowd. He began to lead me away from the canopy and toward a nearby house.
“Let me go,” I muttered, my jealousy and anger painting vivid, painful images of Dominic and Valeria together. I squirmed in his grasp, but his hold was unyielding.
“For someone as small as you, you certainly have a lot of rage,” Dominic’s voice carried an undertone of amusement that only heightened my irritation.
I released a warning growl at Dominic as he guided me into the house and into a room that resembled his office back in town.
“Tiny yet fierce,” Dominic mused, sounding as if he were speaking more to himself than to me.
“I’ll show you fierce,” I grumbled, shoving him away as he sat me down on a large desk. His deliberate retreat allowed me to push him, though I was far from strong enough to move him on my own.
“I do have one question for you,” Dominic said, his tone still tinged with amusement, which only fueled my irritation further.
His smirk widened as he approached me, pinning me on the desk with his legs. He ignored my feeble attempts to push him away a second time.
“What?” I snapped, crossing my arms and attempting to glare at him.
“What is it with you and biting people?” Dominic’s smirk deepened, and he began to laugh. The change in his expression was mesmerizing, the laughter transforming his face.
However, my moment of admiration was short-lived as Rose injected another unwelcome image into my mind, intensifying my jealousy.
Turning my head away from him, I sighed in defeat when his rough hand cupped my face. He gently lifted my chin, forcing me to meet his gaze.
“You’re angry with me,” Dominic observed, his full lips forming a frown that tugged at my heart.
“No, not angry. Just jealous,” I admitted quietly.
The frown on Dominic’s face slowly faded, though it didn’t quite shift into the smirk I had anticipated.
“It was something Valeria said,” he said, scowling when I nodded in agreement.
Jealousy heated my cheeks as I spoke, “She said you used to sleep with her, and with many other women.” My voice was barely a whisper, tinged with hurt.
I half-expected Dominic to gloss over the truth. Although his honesty was painful, I was grateful for it.
“That’s true,” Dominic said, his expression turning somber as he raked a hand through his already tousled hair. “After I turned eighteen, I lost hope of finding a mate. I sought companionship in various women, eventually finding one who could bear an heir. But I never gave my heart to any of them.”
His words lingered between us, heavy with unspoken implications. Were we on the cusp of something more profound, something beyond mere companionship?
“But not a single woman has captivated me the way you have, little mate,” Dominic’s voice softened, a rare tenderness reserved only for me.
His words sent Rose into a flurry of emotions, a love-struck frenzy that clawed at the edges of my consciousness.
Yielding to Rose’s pleas and my own desires, I stood from the desk and pressed myself gently against Dominic. My heart raced as his hand slid down my face, his eyes following every contour of mine.
Standing on my tiptoes, even in heels, I was still much shorter than him. Surprise flickered in his silver eyes as he realized my intention. He wrapped his arm around my waist and lifted me until we were eye level.
I sensed him pause, waiting for me to make the first move. My body was a bundle of nerves, but this was something I had longed to do since leaving his office.
I placed my hands against the rough stubble of his face and brushed my lips against his. Sparks tingled along my skin, and I could feel his hesitation as clearly as my own.
Feeling a surge of courage, I pressed my lips more firmly against his. I let him take control, our lips moving together in a tender dance, the taste of peppermint filling my senses.
My grip on Rose faltered slightly as I pressed myself against Dominic. “Mine,” I murmured against his lips, my legs instinctively wrapping around his waist.
A deep, guttural growl rumbled from Dominic’s chest, and I felt the force of his passion as my back collided with the wall. “Say it again,” he demanded, his black eyes locked onto mine while his lips traced a fiery path along my jawline.
“You are mine,” I echoed, repeating the very words he had spoken to me earlier. His response was a raw growl that resonated deep within him, and I could sense the wild, untamed desire that both his wolf and mine were struggling to control. They had been starved for so long, now clawing at the chance to unite.
A breathy moan escaped me as Dominic’s lips found a particularly sensitive spot on my neck. Waves of pleasure surged through me, igniting a sensation that spread down my thighs as his hands roamed around to my backside, holding me firmly against him.
The ache between my legs intensified, demanding relief. I pushed myself against the firm bulge in his pants, using every bit of movement I could muster to grind against him. “Dominic?” My voice was high and dazed, torn between the overwhelming desire and my reluctance to surrender completely.
His fingers trailed down my thigh, and he pulled away from my neck with a frustrated groan. “Sorry, I just… I’m not ready for that. I’ve never done anything like this before, and I’m not prepared to go all the way,” I confessed quickly, my cheeks flushed with embarrassment.
Dominic’s attention was immediately captured by my confession. His surprise, followed by excitement and a hint of pride, was palpable. “You’re a virgin?” he asked, his voice a mixture of astonishment and curiosity.
“Yes. I hadn’t even had my first kiss until I met you,” I admitted, feeling like a naive teenager speaking to a more experienced man.
Dominic’s silver eyes widened in astonishment as he processed my flushed confession. “I was your first kiss?” His husky voice carried a note of disbelief.
“Well, yes. My mother was always strict about saving ourselves for our mate, and I just never met anyone I felt strongly enough about until now,” I explained, my voice trailing off as Dominic’s lips suddenly crashed against mine, cutting off my stammering.
“When you’re ready, just say the word,” Dominic whispered against my lips, his smile reassuring and warm.
“You don’t mind that I’m inexperienced?” I asked, my voice small and uncertain.
Dominic’s hands tightened around my thighs, pulling me closer. His face hovered inches from mine. “Knowing that I’ll be your first in every sense is more than I could have ever imagined,” he breathed, his words tingling against the mark on my neck.
Giving in to the overwhelming sensations, I leaned in and let our lips meet once more, savoring the sweet rush of emotions that coursed through me. “Katarina?” Dominic’s voice was soft and inquisitive against my lips.
“Hm?” I responded, my senses overwhelmed by his scent and the electric sensations that danced across my skin.
Curiosity laced his voice as he asked, “Have you ever explored yourself before?” His rough, seductive tone only heightened the sensations building between my legs.
My cheeks flushed with embarrassment. “I’ve tried, but it didn’t really lead to much,” I admitted, feeling like an inexperienced novice.
“Would you be open to trying something different? You can stop me anytime if you’re not ready,” he suggested, his voice a tempting murmur against my neck. My core throbbed in response to his words.
“O-Okay,” I sighed in pleasure, trying to stay grounded amidst the swirling sensations.
His lips continued their journey across my neck as his fingers began a deliberate ascent up my thigh. Anticipation built within me as his touch reached the sensitive spot between my legs. His fingers pressed gently against the fabric of my panties, creating a delightful pressure that sent waves of bliss through me.
Dominic’s experienced touch teased me through my underwear, finally sliding them aside to reveal my bare skin. His fingers explored the length of me, feeling the wetness he had stirred.
“So, this is what I do to you,” he murmured against my lips, his voice a low growl that rumbled from deep within his chest.
“Patience, little mate,” he admonished with a hint of amusement as I whimpered in frustration. My desire for him was overwhelming, and the layers of clothing between us felt like a barrier I longed to remove.
“Please,” I begged breathlessly, my desperation fueled by the low growl that rumbled from him.
“What was that?” he teased, his lips grazing my collarbone.
“Please, Dominic,” I moaned, arching my head back in surrender.
His eyes, now completely black, revealed a primal intensity. Gently, he inserted a single finger into me, groaning against my neck as my body eagerly gripped him. I could barely contain my breathless gasps as his finger moved in and out, bringing an unprecedented pleasure that left me gasping for more.
Dominic’s thumb pressed firmly against my sensitive clit, and I rocked my hips in response, urging him to intensify the sensation. My fingers clutched at his shoulders and tangled in his tousled hair, desperate for more.
His lips lavished attention on me as his fingers drove me closer to the edge. “Don’t stop,” I moaned, my back pressed against the wall as Dominic continued to kiss his mark.
The strength of his self-control was astonishing, managing to balance his wolf’s desire with the need to pleasure his mate. My body trembled with each movement, a wave of pleasure crashing over me, leaving me breathless and disoriented.
“You are the most incredible thing I’ve ever seen,” Dominic murmured, each word punctuated by kisses along my neck. He gently set me on the floor and adjusted my dress, but my desire for him remained unmet.
“Come here,” he commanded with a husky voice, his gaze a blend of desire and admiration as he sat in the office chair.
I settled onto his lap, gazing into his silver eyes, feeling a mixture of emotions emanating from him-disbelief, amazement, desire, and a profound connection.
“I wanted to ask you,” I broke the silence. “Seraphina invited me to a club tonight. I’d love for you to come with me.”
Dominic’s reluctance was evident, but I knew his presence would mean everything to me. “Please,” I pouted, widening my eyes, “You’d be with me.”
He sighed, his eyes narrowing in contemplation. “No one should have this much power over me,” he said with a frown, shaking his finger at me playfully.
“Is that a yes?” I asked, my smile widening.
“On one condition,” he said, a smirk playing on his lips.
My curiosity piqued, I asked eagerly, “What’s that?”
“You have to stay in my room from now on,” he replied with a satisfied grin.
I agreed wholeheartedly, knowing that after experiencing this connection with him, I could never sleep alone again. The bond between us had solidified, leaving no room for doubt.
Now it was only a matter of time. When would we fully unite? When would I mark him as my own? And when would we fall completely in love?