Mated by Contract to the Alpha
<b>Chapter </b><b>68 </b>
<b>63 </b>
Reba’s POV
Dominic held me carefully, mindful of my stitches. His scent enveloped me, now mixed with antiseptic and the faint metallic trace of blood. The panic I’d felt at the thought of leaving began to subside, reced by a strange calm as he spoke. His chest was solid against my cheek, his heartbeat strong and steady under my ear.
“I’ve been dealing with a corporate crisis these past few days,” he exined, his voice low and urgent. The vibration of his words rumbled through his chest against my skin. “I haven’t seen Elizabeth at all. I haven’t had time to even call or exin.”
He closed his eyes briefly, his expression pained. His arms tightened around me fractionally, almost imperceptibly. “I should have told you what I was doing. I’m not… good at this. Not good at rtionships.”
The words seemed to cost him something to say. Dominic Sterling, powerful Alpha and CEO, admitting to a weakness. It made him seem suddenly more human, more essible. I found myself watching the movement of his lips as he spoke, remembering how they had felt against mine.
He looked down at my shoulder, at the neat row of stitches marring my skin. His eyes darkened, pupils expanding until only a thin ring of blue remained. Then, to my surprise, he lowered his head and gently licked the wound, his tongue tracing the edge of the injury.
I stiffened in shock, a jolt of electricity shooting from the point of contact throughout my body. My breath caught in my throat. “What are you doing?”
“Werewolf saliva has healing properties,” he murmured against my skin, his breath hot and damp. The sensation sent goosebumps racing across my skin. “It’s also… a way we show care. For pack members. For mates.”
The word ‘mates‘ hung in the air between us, charged with meaning. The sensation was strange but not unpleasant. Warmth spread from the point of contact, a tingling that seemed to ease the pain and simultaneously awaken every nerve ending. I gradually rxed against him, my trembling subsiding as he continued the gentle ministration. My hands found their way to his shoulders, fingers digging slightly into the hard muscle there.
“Is this… a werewolf thing?” I asked hesitantly. My voice sounded different to my own ears–lower, breathier.
He raised his head to look at me, and I saw something in his eyes I’d rarely glimpsed before–vulnerability, mixed with unmistakable hunger. His gaze dropped briefly to my lips before returning to my eyes. “Yes. It helps wounds heal faster. It’s also a way of showing concern.”
He met my eyes directly, his gaze intense. His pupils were still dted, his breathing slightly faster than normal. “You’re brave, Reba. So brave and hardworking. Don’t be afraid. I’ll protect you.”
I settled morefortably in his arms, my body fitting against his as if made to be there. My thigh pressed against
his, the heat of him palpable through the thin material of my hospital gown. The fear that had gripped me since Steve’s attack began to loosen its hold, reced by a different kind of tension.
“Steve… will hee after me again?” The question came out softer than I intended, almost a whisper.
A cold smile touched Dominic’s lips, transforming his face into something predatory and dangerous. I should have been frightened, but instead, a thrill ran through me. “No. That wolf will never appear in your world again… that I promise you.”
His words should have frightened me. There was death in them, a casual violence that reminded me just how different he was from any man I’d known. But all I felt was relief. Safety. Protection. And something else–a heat blooming low in my belly, spreading outward.
I reached up, my hands framing his face, feeling the slight rasp of stubble against my palms. His eyes widened slightly at the unexpected touch, his nostrils ring as he inhaled my scent. I pulled him down for a kiss.
His lips were warm against mine, firm but gentle. He responded carefully, letting me control the moment, aware of my injuries. But there was a restrained power in the way his mouth moved against mine, a hunger held carefully in check. His hand came up to cradle the back of my head, fingers threading through my hair. When I finally pulled away, I felt clearer, more grounded than I had all evening. My lips tingled, and I resisted the urge to touch them.
“Thank you,” I whispered, my voice husky. “Foring when I called. For saving me.”
He brushed a strand of hair from my face, his touch feather–light. His fingertips lingered at my temple, tracing a path down my cheek to the corner of my mouth. My lips parted involuntarily at his touch. “I will alwayse for you, little doe. Always.”
The way he said it–with such certainty, such conviction–made something tighten in my chest and lower. For the first time since Steve had attacked me, I felt truly safe. And more than that–I felt wanted.
Dominic’s confession about his absence had eased some of my fears, though Elizabeth’s words still troubled me. Was she lying? It seemed likely, given her obvious hatred of me. But why target me specifically?
These questions could wait. Right now, all I wanted was to stay in this moment, in the security of Dominic’s arms, his promise of protection wrapping around me like a shield. My body was responding to his proximity in ways that surprised me–heart racing, skin hypersensitive, breathing shallow.
“Will you stay?” I asked, suddenly afraid he would leave again. My fingers tightened on his arm, feeling the solid strength beneath his shirt.
His arms tightened slightly around me, his eyes darkening again. “I’m not going anywhere.”
He shifted us both, arranging the pillows so I could liefortably against his chest. The steady beat of his heart beneath my ear was soothing, hypnotic. My eyelids grew heavy, the day’s trauma and emotional exhaustion finally catching up with me. I nestled closer, my body molding to his side, my leg instinctively draping over his.
“Sleep,” Dominic murmured, his fingers gentlybing through my hair. The rhythmic movement was soothing, yet
:
each stroke sent small currents of pleasure across my scalp. “I’ll be here when you wake up.”
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