<b>Chapter </b><b>162 </b>
Dominic’s POV
“Then why didn’t you say anything?” <b>she </b>asked. Her fingers tightened around mine, her touch <b>warm </b><b>and </b>delicate against my skin.
I sighed, my thumb tracing circles on the back of her hand. I couldn’t meet her eyes for a moment, the weight of my confession heavy on my shoulders. “I wanted to <b>give </b>you time to heal from William’s betrayal. And… I hesitated, choosing my words carefully, “I was afraid <b>that </b>once you knew everything about me–about what I am–you would
run.”
“I’m still here,” <b>she </b>whispered. She reached up to touch my face, her fingers tracing the strong line of my jaw. Her touch sent electricity through me, the wolf inside me responding to her gentleness.
“Yes,” I said, <b>unable </b>to hide the wonder in my voice. I felt my eyes darken with emotion as 1 looked at her. “You are.”
I leaned forward then, drawn to her by an instinct deeper than thought. My lips <b>met </b>hers in a kiss unlike the others we’d shared–not demanding or possessive, but tender, filled with everything I couldn’t yet say. A promise of protection, of devotion. I could <b>taste </b>the salt of tears on her lips, though whether they were hers or mine, I wasn’t certain.
When we parted, I saw something in <b>her </b>eyes–a decision forming, words gathering that she seemed ready to share. But before she could speak, the door opened<b>, </b>and a doctor entered, clipboard <b>in </b><b>hand</b>.
“Ms. Brown, I’m just checking on your IV- She stopped, noticing me. “Oh, I’m sorry to interrupt.”
I straightened immediately, my body responding automatically to the intrusion. My shoulders squared, my chin lifted slightly. “I’m Dominic Sterling. How is she?”
The doctor nced at Reba, then back to me. I caught the slight hesitation in her eyes, a guardedness that my wolf noticed immediately. “Ms. Brown is suffering from exhaustion and emotional stress. Her body has had a significant physical reaction to recent trauma.”
“Will she recover fully?” I pressed, keeping my tone respectful but firm. I needed clear answers, not medical evasions.
“With proper rest and care, yes. She emphasized the words, looking pointedly at me. “She needsplete rest for at least 24 hours. No stress, no strong emotional stimuli.”
I nodded gravely, already making ns. “I’d like to move her to the private medical suite at Sterling Estate. My personal physician can-”
“No,” Reba interrupted, perhaps too quickly. Both the doctor and I looked at her in surprise. I saw her swallow hard, her pulse visible at her throat. “I mean, I’d prefer to stay here andplete the treatment. The doctors here know how to care for me.”
My brow furrowed, suspicion flickering through me. Why was she so resistant? But I didn’t argue–not now, not) when she was so fragile. Instead, I turned back to the doctor. Then I want the best care this hospital <b>can </b>provide. Whatever she needs.”
“Of course, Mr. Sterling. The doctor checked the IV <b>bag</b>. “She’s responding well to the treatment. The most important thing now is rest.”
After she left, I moved to stand by the window, feeling the moonlight on my face as I processed everything.
The sterile hospital room was filled with her scent, but there <b>was </b>something else now. Something different. A subtle change in her natural fragrance that tugged at my instincts, calling to the wolf within me.
My knuckles whitened as I gripped the windowsill. Something was wrong. Reba <b>was </b>hiding something, and whatever it was<b>, </b>it had changed her in some fundamental way that my wolf could sense even if my human mind couldn’t identify <b>it</b><b>. </b>
I turned slightly, watching her from the corner of my eye. Shey against the white hospital pillows, her skin too pale, dark circles under her eyes. She’d lost weight–how had I not noticed before? Her cor bones <b>stood </b>out sharply beneath her hospital gown, and her wrists seemed more delicate than ever where the IV needle entered her
skin.
<b>She’d </b>said she loved <b>me</b><b>. </b>The words reyed in my mind, warming something that had been cold for too long. And <b>I </b>had responded in kind, the truth <b>spilling </b>out before I could consider the consequences. I hadn’t nned to tell her yet–not <b>until </b>I was certain I could protect her from all the dangers my world would bring to her doorstep. But seeing her in that hospital bed, so fragile yet so strong, the words hade unbidden.
My phone vibrated in my pocket. Marcus.
[Found trail of intruders who broke into Brown apartment. Tracking now.]
Charter C
2