Fate Mate

Chapter 18

I was not mad. I was furious. 

Just when I thought that Nolan and I had finally taken a step forward, a step toward equality in our twisted relationship, he reminded me of the harsh reality of our situation-- of the situation of Lunas everywhere. Even the strongest female pack leader had to submit to her Alpha. In my eighteen years, I had never heard otherwise. And it was clear that Nolan expected me to follow suit. 

But Nolan forgot one thing. He was not my alpha. Not really. Not by blood nor mate bond. And it would stay that way so long as Nolan kept me an arms-length away. 

As I stormed out of the kitchen, in the opposite direction of Nolan, I found myself thanking the Moon Goddess and my damn lucky stars that he refused to mark me. If he did mark me, I'd immediately become a Black Lupis werewolf. I'd be subject to Nolan's every wish. I'd be physically incapable of disobeying his alpha-command. 

And I certainly wouldn't be marching out into the forest to meet Dominic right now. If Nolan knew I left the pack house, he certainly didn't make any move to stop me. 

My feet carried me straight into the mingling oaks and pines that fought for dominance in the dense biome. My steps did not slow when the chatter and white-noise of the pack house faded completely. A bird chirped in the branches above my head, my feet crunched on a combination of dead leaves and pine straw, and a cricket or two began to sing to the setting sun. 

When I could no longer calculate the distance between myself and the pack house, I stopped. 

"Dominic?" I spoke his name like I'd speak to someone across the dinner table. Somehow, I knew that he would still hear me. 

I crossed my arms defiantly against my chest, cocked one hip to the side, and waited. If he knows what is good for him, he'll expedite his arrival, I grumbled inwardly. Nolan left me in no mood to wait around for any male. 

Ten seconds passed, and I couldn't resist the urge to tap my foot against the forrest floor. I wanted to punch something-- someone. A certain someone with perfect dark hair, deep blue eyes, and the face of perfection. A single slap wouldn't hurt Nolan... If anything, it might teach him some critically needed humility! 

A rustling in the darkness interrupted my plotting. 

"Finally," I grumbled, turning toward the foliage. Dominic appeared a moment later. 

"You're early," Dominic remarked, slipping a grey t-shirt over tanned muscles as he stepped into the little clearing. "I didn't expect to see you... ever again?" 

"Ha ha." I rolled my eyes. "Nolan isn't the boss of me."

The dark-haired rogue huffed, a semblance of a laugh. "Maybe you should tell him that?" 

"I'm not speaking to him at the moment." 

Dominic narrowed his eyes, and the puffy skin around his scar crinkled with the movement. He folded his impressively toned arms against his chest, and I noticed the black ink that slithered like a snake on each forearm, disappearing beneath a grey sleeve. I'd never noticed the tattoos before. Moon Goddess, he's sexy. 

"You know, I was a bit worried you'd never be speaking to me again..." He finally ventured, and the weight of his words roused me from my childish thoughts. 

"Why?" I furrowed my brows. 

He let out a long breath, and I suddenly realized that something must have really been bothering him. "I just didn't know what Nolan would say about me... about what happened when we were kids. And then, with our father."