<b>Chapter </b><b>38 </b>


    *I… I don’t know,” I stammered, hating how vulnerable I sounded.


    Dominic chuckled, the sound reverberating through his chest and into mine. “Tonight, you just need to sleep. That’s all.”


    Relief flooded through me so suddenly I felt dizzy with it. But it was quickly followed by confusion. If not tonight, then when? What game was he ying?


    Iy stiffly in his arms, acutely aware of every point where our bodies touched. His skin was unnaturally warm, a reminder of his non- human nature. His scent surrounded me, infiltrating my senses.


    “Rx,” hemanded softly. “I won’t bite. Not tonight, anyway.”


    The implied promise of “not tonight” sent a shiver down my spine that I couldn’t entirely attribute to fear.


    Gradually, as minutes stretched into hours and Dominic’s breathing became deep and even, I began to rx. The exhaustion of the day caught up with me, and my eyelids grew heavy. Just as I was drifting off, I decided to test my boundaries, shifting slightly away from Dominic’s embrace.


    Instantly, his arm tightened around me, pulling me back against him. Even in sleep, he was possessive, unwilling to let me create any


    distance between us<b>. </b>


    I sighed and surrendered to the inevitable, allowing sleep to finally im me.


    I woke to sunlight streaming through floor–to–ceiling windows and an empty space beside me in the massive bed. Disoriented, I sat up, the events of the previous day rushing back. The contract. The shower. Dominic’s unexpected restraint.


    The sheets still held his scent, woodsy and masculine, but he was nowhere to be seen. The bedroom door stood slightly ajar, and I could hear faint soundsing from elsewhere in the house.


    After changing and making a quick trip to the bathroom to freshen up, I ventured out of the bedroom. The hallway extended in both directions, lined with closed doors that made me curious about what other rooms this massive house contained. But the sounds from downstairs drew me forward, and I followed them to a grand staircase that curved elegantly to the main floor.


    As I descended, the clinking of dishes and muted conversation became clearer. I followed the sounds to a bright, open kitchen and dining area where Dominic sat at arge table, immactely dressed in a tailored charcoal suit, his attention fixed on a tablet in his hands. Across from him, a slender, elegant woman with silver–streaked dark hair moved efficiently around the kitchen, preparing what appeared to be a substantial breakfast.


    I hesitated in the doorway, suddenly feeling like an intruder, Dominic, without looking up, said, “Sit down.”


    His acute awareness of my presence, despite not visibly noticing me, was another reminder of his enhanced werewolf senses. I moved awkwardly to the table, taking the seat across from him.


    “This is Diana,” Dominic said, finally ncing up from his tablet. “My housekeeper. She’ll be attending to your needs as well from now


    on.”


    Diana turned toward me, offering a polite nod. Her face was lined with age but still held a striking beauty. Her eyes, a warm amber color,


    studied me with undisguised curiosity and something else–assessment.


    “Good morning, Miss Brown,” she said, her voice rich and cultured. “Would you prefer coffee or tea with your breakfast?”


    “Coffee, please,” I replied, my voice sounding small in the spacious room. “ck is fine.”


    :>))


    <b>64 </b>


    Diana nodded and turned back to the stove, where several pans sizzled with appetizing aromas. Within moments, she ced a steaming mug of coffee in front of me, followed by a teden with fluffy scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast.


    “Thank you,” I murmured, genuinely grateful for the food. My stomach growled.


    Dominic continued scrolling through something on his tablet<b>, </b>asionally taking bites of his own breakfast. The silence stretched between us, broken only by the sounds of cutlery against tes and Diana’s movements in the kitchen.


    I was halfway through my meal when the doorbell rang, the chime echoing through the house. Diana wiped her hands on a towel and moved to answer it. Dominic didn’t react, seemingly absorbed in whatever he was reading.


    Momentster, rapid footsteps approached, and a woman’s voice cut through the morning quiet.


    “Dominic, I’ve brought the preserves your mother prepared. She insisted I deliver them personally rather than sending them with a-*


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