Moonstruck ✔️

chapter 23

Dominic Sullivan

Words could not describe the sheer fear I felt when I found Shay out in the woods all by himself, covered in dirt and deep red handprints wrapping around his neck. I really thought I'd find him bloody, half-dead even. I was lucky to not find that.

After the fear came pure fucking rage and shame. I was livid. At myself. I couldn't help but let the anger boil, after all this was the second time where Shay has been attacked and could have been prevented had I been there.

I couldn't stop myself from thinking, had I been there, if I were at least awake or got attacked instead of him.

"Hey,"  Shay sat down beside me. "Don't blame yourself for this."

"How could I not?" I exclaimed angrily. "My one job is to ensure the safety of my mate and pack and somehow someone managed to sneak into our home and attack you."

"Yeah, but none of us could've known he was ever even in the house," He said in a reassuring tone. "His scent was not only unrecognisable but it was almost like he was never there. You couldn't smell him."

"Shay," I turned to him with a serious look. "This is the second time now where you've been attacked now. Under my watch too. This is serious shit. I mean, fuck, someone is targeting you and you're telling me to not worry?"

"Dom, you couldn't have prevented it," He pleaded. "It's over with now, you got to me in time and scared him off."

I shook my head. He didn't understand. How could he? He wasn't the one to find his mate in the middle of the woods with dark handprints over his neck that was sure to leave nasty bruises the next day.

I stood up and left the house, the front door clicking shut behind me. I took a deep breath to calm my nerves.

"Dominic! There you are!" Owen's voice exclaimed.

Panic took over my body and before I knew it Dallas has taken control. As far as we knew, Owen was the enemy and for him to show up unannounced hours after an attack in our own home was not something to be welcomed with open arms.

I observed as Dallas rushed over to my brother, landing a punch straight in his jaw. The punch took him off-balance, sending him onto the floor.

"Dude, what the hell?!" He yelled, getting back up onto his feet.

Dallas went in for another punch, his vision clouded by red as my fist hit his jaw for the second time.

"You weren't invited," Dallas hissed.

"Which is exactly why I came!" Owen exclaimed desperately. "I thought I'd at least get an invitation to see my little brother's mate. But to my fucking surprise I only find this out through Trinity."

"Everyone," Malcolm appeared. "Let's all head inside and talk."

I glanced over to Malcolm who was standing behind Elora and Shay, both of which had terror and shock over their faces. A pang of regret hit my heart as I saw the terror on Shay's face. But then I remembered the threat that was in front of us.

"He is not stepping a foot into my house," Dallas chuckled darkly. "Goddess knows what he's planning."

"What the hell are you on about?!"  Owen yelled in disbelief. "What could I possibly be planning?"

"I don't know," Dallas growled. "Which is exactly why I'm not trusting a single soul outside of this pack."

"Dom, take a walk," Malcolm demanded.

"Dad you-"

"I wasn't asking, son," Malcolm glared. "You're under a lot of stress, take a walk and come back in with a clear head. Until then, don't step a foot inside. We don't need any more mistrust within this pack."

I looked between my dad and brother and then finally glanced hesitantly towards Shay. He gave me a firm reassuring nod. The group ushered into the house while Dallas stormed off into the wooded area around our home. His thoughts conflicted, on one hand, he listened but on the other, he wanted to defy his father, our father and show him that we were perfectly capable of handling everything on our own.

But both Dallas and I knew that wasn't the truth.

I, too, wanted to show my father that I was capable of keeping everything under control but my father did have more experience of running a pack and overall dealing with members who may be a danger to those around them.

A rustling came from the bushes beside us and Dallas stood in a fighting stance while growling. Until my mother popped out from between two trees.

"Do not growl at your mother," she glared with a hand on her hip. "Now, let Dom take over, I need to talk to him while you calm down."

Dallas complied without another word. He had experienced first-hand what happens when you disobey our mother or speak out of terms towards her. I can assure you it is one hell of a terrifying sight. One that neither of us wanted to see nor witness ever again.

Dallas backed down, giving me full control over my body once again.

"Come," she outstretched her hand. "Let's go take a walk."

We walked in silence for a while until we reached a familiar open space in the woods.

"This is where I first met Shay," I smiled gently as we both sat down on separate boulders across from each other.

"This is where I met your father too," she smiled, looking over the horizon, lost in thought. "The way we met wasn't particularly all the special. I snuck out of our mating ceremony - before we knew we were even destined to be mated together. I was so overwhelmed with all the commotion, constantly greeting new men every minute and having to put on a fake, beaming smile. So I came out here."

"I'm guessing he snuck out too?"

"He sure did," she scoffed lightheartedly. "We spent all night out here while everyone was searching for us in a panic. But we stayed out until the early hours of the morning just talking."

She turned to me now with a serious look.

"I know you care him, Dom," she said. "I know the attacks have spooked you both and you're a little more over-protective than usual. I know, I get it. But for your sake, and his, you need to get yourself together."

"What about Owen?" I frowned.

"Dom," she spoke in a stern voice. "At the end of the day he is still your brother and what we have come up with are currently just accusations. We don't know for sure that he's the one out to harm Shay, if he is we will deal with it then but until we know for sure you have to calm down."

I sighed, hanging my head in my hands.

"I know why you're so worried and I get that you're cautious. But you won't be doing anyone any good if you start creating panic in our pack. The pack is in your hands now. You need to be more discrete and careful with your actions. They reflect on everyone else."

"You're right, I'm sorry." I nodded.

"We all make mistakes, your father and I have made plenty. You just need to calm down a little and act with a clearer mind, alright?"

I nodded again.

"Great," she exclaimed, getting up. "Now let's get back to the house and see what everyone is up to. You can apologise to your brother then."

* * * * *

The room went silent as I stepped through the doorframe, tension was now thick in the air. Everyone waiting for my next move. Was I going to kill him? Kick him out?

"I'm sorry, Owen," I said, peering over to my brother who held an ice pack to his swollen cheek.

"Better be," he chuckled.

And just like that, the tension died down. It was like everyone released a breath of air that they'd been holding in.

We spent some time catching up as I sat beside my brother. I was still cautious as we talked, not letting my guard down too much. But the longer we talked the less I believed that my brother could do something so horrible as sending out people to harm Shay. It just wasn't like him. There was nothing remotely off about him that would indicate a need to hurt any one of us.

So, now we were at square one again.