Delay 45_Mated by contract to the alpha

Mated by Contract to the Alpha

 Chapter 45 

 Reba’s POV

 64

 He watched me silently, tension radiating from his powerful frame.

 “These things mean that much to you?” he finally asked, his deep voiceced with suspicion.

 I met his gaze, anger shing through my grief. “These are the only things I managed to save from William’s apartment. The only pieces of my design work that he didn’t burn.”

 Dominic’s expression darkened, his jaw clenching visibly. “So you’re upset because these things remind you of William? You still love

 him?”

 After everything I’d been through, how could he possibly think that?

 “This is my design work,” I said, my voice rising with indignation as I stood, clutching the broken brushes to my chest. “These are my dreams! William never supported them. He told me I could pursue design after we were married, but there was always some excuse.”

 I gestured to the scattered supplies with a trembling hand. “I bought these with money I saved from teaching. William actually hated that I spent money on them instead of clothes he thought were more ‘appropriate‘ for his image.”

 Dominic’s eyes narrowed slightly, his hands clenching and unclenching at his sides.

 *I admit I threw the box,” he said finally, his voice low and controlled. “I was angry. Your room reeked of another wolf.” He began to pace, movements fluid and predatory. “Do you understand what that does to me? To walk into my home and smell another male on you? On your things?” 

 His eyes shed gold momentarily. “Wolves are territorial, Reba. Especially when ites to their mates. Having another wolf’s scent in my bedroom…” He inhaled sharply, nostrils ring. “It’s more than just jealousy. It’s an instinctual response I can barely control.

 I hadn’t considered that perspective. In my desperation to salvage what remained of my designs, I hadn’t thought about how bringing items from William’s apartment might affect Dominic.

 ‘I didn’t think about that,” I admitted, my voice softening. I looked down at the broken brushes in my hand. “These have nothing to do with William. They represent the person I wanted to be before I let him convince me to put my dreams on hold.”

 Something in Dominic’s expression shifted–a subtle change I might have missed if I hadn’t been watching him so carefully. The tension in his shoulders eased slightly, and his eyes lost some of their hardness.

 Without a word, he turned and walked out of the room, leaving me standing there amid my scattered possessions.

 I sank back to the floor, carefully gathering each brush and pencil, examining them for damage. Some were beyond repair, the delicate bristles crushed or the wooden handles splintered. Each broken piece felt like a fragment of my dreams being crushed all over again.

 I was so absorbed in my task that I didn’t notice Dominic’s return until his shadow fell across me. I looked up, startled, to find him standing there with a determined expression.

 12:05 Mon, Sep 22 

 “Come with me,‘ he said, his voice leaving no room for argument. Before I could respond, he bent down and lifted me into his arms with effortless strength.

 “What are you doing?‘ I gasped, instinctively clutching his shoulders for bnce.

 “We need to wash his scent off you,” Dominic replied matter–of–factly, carrying me down the hallway toward the master suite.

 My heart began to race. “Put me down. I can walk.”

 He ignored my protest, pushing open the door to the master bathroom with his shoulder. The space was enormous, with gleaming marble floors, a ss–walled showerrge enough for several people, and a deep soaking tub beside it.

 Dominic set me down in the center of the bathroom, his hands lingering at my waist. “Take off your clothes,” he instructed, his voice deepening to a rough timbre that sent shivers down my spine.

 “Excuse me?” I crossed my arms protectively over my chest.

 “Your clothes smell like him too,” he exined, his expression serious. “They need to be washed. Or burned.”

 When I hesitated, Dominic stepped closer, his fingers going to the top button of my blouse. “Would you prefer I help you?” 

 Heat rushed to my face. “I can do it myself,” I said quickly, stepping back.

 He nodded but made no move to leave. Instead, he began unbuttoning his own shirt, revealing the sculpted nes of his chest inch by inch. I stood frozen, watching as he undressed with casual confidence, revealing a body that looked like it had been carved from marble- broad shoulders, defined abs, powerful thighs.

 When he finished, he raised an eyebrow at me expectantly. “Your turn.”

 With trembling fingers, I began to unbutton my blouse, hyperaware of his intense gaze tracking every movement. I’d never felt so self- conscious, even though we’d been intimate before. Those encounters had happened in darkness or the dim light of his car–not under the bright lights of this bathroom where there was nowhere to hide.

 I slipped off my blouse, then hesitated at the sp of my bra. Dominic’s eyes had darkened, his breathing slightly quickened. The intensity of his gaze made me feel both desired and vulnerable.

 ‘All of it,” he prompted, his voice deeper than before.

 I removed the rest of my clothes as quickly as possible, fighting the urge to cover myself. The cool air raised goosebumps on my skin–or perhaps it was the heat in Dominic’s eyes as he looked at me.

 He stepped forward, closing the distance between us. His hand came up to cup my cheek, his thumb brushing across my lower lip. “Beautiful,‘ he murmured, and despite everything, my heart fluttered at the sincerity in his voice.

 Dominic led me to the shower, turning on the water and adjusting the temperature before guiding me inside. The warm spray felt heavenly against my skin, washing away the tension of the day. I closed my eyes, letting the water cascade over my face and through my

 hair. 

 I felt rather than saw Dominic step in behind me. His hands settled on my waist, and I stiffened momentarily before rxing into his touch. This wasn’t like our previous encounters, fueled by desperation or anger. There was something almost tender in the way his fingers skimmed over my skin.

 “Let me,” he said softly.

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 Mated by Contract to the Alpha

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