Chapter 8

Dominic’s POV I stood there, stunned, long after Samantha’s figure disappeared, leaving her words echoing in my head. “Do you still want to find your fated mate?” I had not been prepared for the sharp edge of that question or the way her voice had almost cracked when she said it, like she was keeping something inside, something she did not want me to see. My mind spun, grasping for answers, but none of it made sense. Samantha had never shown any sign of being my mate before. She had never had a wolf, and even when I had searched for my fated mate years ago, there was nothing about her that set off that primal connection. My wolf stirred restlessly, more agitated than I had felt in years. ‘She can’t be our mate,’ I told him, a denial that sounded weaker by the second. Yet the pull was there, so intense and undeniable, clawing at the edges of my control, wanting to be freed, to be fulfilled. There was something in me that ached to be satisfied, a longing for a mate that had been sitting deep in my chest. ‘Are you sure?’ my wolf questioned, a growl rumbling through my mind. His usual confidence was gone, replaced by uncertainty that put me even more on edge. ‘I felt something back there. I know you did too,’ he added, but he was not sure either. ‘She never had a wolf,’ I countered, pushing against his doubts, ‘It doesn’t add up.’ Samantha had always been wolfless. That was why I had justified treating her the way I did, why I told myself she could never be mine, she was never strong enough to stand by my side. She was not meant to be the Luna of the pack. She couldn’t. The responsibilities of a Luna were too much for her even though she wanted to carry them, even though she was trained by my mother, she was too weak— wolfless, so it would be impossible if she was my mate. I couldn’t be fated with someone without a wolf. The power imbalance would negatively affect the pack’s energy and morale. My wolf hesitated, his instincts warring with reason. ‘ There’s only one way to know for sure,’ he finally said, frustration seeping into his voice. ‘We need more time with her. We need to feel her again.’ I clenched my fists, irritation boiling over. Time was the last thing I had with Samantha. She was already slipping away, always a step ahead, hiding more than she revealed. Even when she had stood right in front of me, I had felt like she was miles away— so near yet so far to reach. “Damn it,” I muttered, raking a hand through my hair out of frustration. How could this be happening now, when everything was so close to falling apart? The alliance meeting, the rogue threat, the precarious peace I had fought to maintain— it was all hanging by a thread. And now, Samantha was back, ripping open old wounds and dragging emotions I had buried long ago. That day when she just suddenly vanished without a trace simply because I took some loads off her shoulders since I knew that she had been exhausting herself, burying herself to work while she had no wolf to help her and aid her for more strength. She always tried to appear strong, like impossible to crumble, but I had seen the vitamins and supplements, and several medications she kept hidden in her cabinet. And now, it was like she was hiding something far more than what I had known in the past years, and this confusion was about to drive me insane. I reached for my phone and dialed my Beta, Liam. The line barely rang twice before he answered. “Alpha,” Liam’s voice was collected, professional, the tone of a man who knew not to question me even when the situation was far from typical. “I found her,” I stated. The relief I had expected to feel at those words was drowned out by something else, a restless, gnawing sensation that left me uneasy. “Samantha,” I clarified. He was silent for a moment, perhaps figuring out what I wanted to be done, then, “Do you want me to bring her in?” he asked. “No,” I replied sharply, the thought of dragging her back against her will had sparked something possessive and dangerous inside me. She had already tried to run once, and forcing her would only push her further away. And… I don’t want that. “But I need you to find out everything you can about her. Where she’s been, who she’s been with. If there’s… anyone serious in her life.” My jaw tightened, hating the way the words tasted, and hating it more the thought that came with it— her, with another man. It can’t be. Liam hesitated, and I knew he was piecing together the strangeness of my request. However, he did not ask too much, he did not prod, and that was one thing I respect about him. He did not pry into my life, he knew his boundaries and his responsibilities. Even though we were friends, there were certain things that we could not openly discuss especially when personal interests overlapped with the duties and best interests of the pack. “Understood,” he said finally. “I’ll get on it right away.” “Good.” I hung up, the line going dead with a finality that felt too close to the tension that twisted inside me. If Samantha had moved on, if there was someone else in her life… No. The thought was like a blade twisting in my gut. But I had to know. I needed to understand why she was running away, and as to why she had this hold over me that made no damn sense. My wolf stirred and spoke in my head. ‘If she’s ours,’ he growled, ‘we can’t let her go.’ If she’s ours. The words haunted me, a hope I hadn’t even realized was still alive somewhere deep in the shadows of my heart. But I couldn’t let hope blind me. Not again. The pain of the past still throbbed like a fresh wound that refused to heal. Six years ago, I waited for her to return, thinking that she was just having the space she needed, cooling off, but then, days passed, and turned into weeks, and months. I believed, I hoped, because she said she loved me, wanted me, but then, she never came back. She was gone. She left, for good. I convinced myself that it was a good riddance, that she was a thorn in my side that needed to be plucked out, so I buried myself with work, alcohol, and pleasure, until I realized that I was just fooling myself because deep down inside, I still continued to wonder where she was, and if she was doing well with her life. I forced myself to move, shoving aside the thoughts that were in my head. The alliance meeting was about to start, and I couldn’t afford to show any weakness. As Alpha, I needed to lead with strength, with clarity, even if everything inside me felt like it was shattering. When I stepped into the conference hall, I scanned the room automatically, searching for that lovely familiar face, but Samantha was nowhere to be seen. The other Alphas and their entourages were settling in, yet my focus was divided, half of it was tethered to the empty chair that should have been Samantha’s. “Alpha Dominic,” a voice interrupted my thoughts, and I turned to see Killian. He acknowledged me with a nod before moving to his own place, his eyes lingering on the empty spot as well. ‘She’s not with him? Then where is she?’ I was about to sit down when one of the guards entered hastily with an urgent look. “We have a report,” he said. “There’s a rogue in the building, but… something’s not right about it. It’s unusual.”