Chapter 34
She steps forward, chin up, eyes blazing. “Oh, shut up. You don’t get to judge anyone!”
“Watch you’re tone! I think I do-”
“Really?” she cuts in, voice sharp enough to gut me. “I couldn’t wait five minutes?! You could wait two seconds! What about your video, Dominic?”
I blink. “What video?”
“The one of you and Vivian,” she hisses. “The night of our ‘blessing.’ Dancing all over each other. Whispering in her ear like she’s-”
“So?! I never kissed her!” I blurt out. “Unlike someone! I didn’t- I don’t- I owed her a dance! That video isn’t
She scoffs loudly, like she can’t believe how idiotic I am. “God, I’m not doing this. You’re controlling, jealous, and overdramatic. Just admit it!”
“I am not jealous,” I say, which sounds incredibly unconvincing even to me.
Right then, because the universe enjoys torturing me, Vivian appears at my side like a perfectly timed marketing campaign.
“Dom? Is everything okay?” Her voice is soft and sweet as she hooks her fingers around my arm.
And I don’t know what devil possesses me, but I blurt out: “Yeah. You know what, Ellie. I couldn’t care less. Because we have a date. Tomorrow.”
Vivian lights up like a Christmas tree. Everyone else goes silent.
Ellie crosses her arms. “Good for you.”
I open my mouth, but before I can salvage anything, Marcus and Tyler insert themselves into the disaster.
“Oh look, Ellie’s doing the push-and-pull thing again,” Marcus snickers.
Tyler adds, “Begging him one day, rejecting him the next – man, she must enjoy the attention.”
Marcus laughs. “Maybe she’s doing it to make herself feel wanted. It’s not like anyone else-
“Shut up,” I snap, but they don’t listen.
Tyler continues, cruelty dripping: “Honestly, she should be grateful he even—’
Ellie cuts him off, her voice sharp and cold as a blade.
“Yo. Dominic. Maybe keep your Betas on leashes if they can’t control their tongues.”
Lucas lets out a low, satisfied hum as he steps beside her. “Let’s go.”
Ellie turns her back on all of us and walks away with him.
His smug grin follows.
My fury does, too.
Vivian squeezes my arm proudly. “Don’t listen to her, Dom. She’s just-”
1.3
+25 Bonus
Marcus cuts in, “She’s nothing like you, Vivian. You’re gentle. Ladylike.”
Tyler nods. “Ellie’s become so rude lately. Vulgar, even. You’d never speak to a future Alpha like that.”
Vivian gives me this doe-eyed look. “Oh, don’t say that. I’m sure she’s just… jealous.”
The words make something inside me snap.
“Enough.”
My voice cuts through the courtyard like a command – cold, sharp, instinctive.
Everyone goes silent instantly. Even Vivian.
I step forward, eyes locked on my Betas.
“You don’t speak about her like that,” I say, tone deadly calm. “This is between me and Ellie. Not you. You don’t comment. You don’t judge. And you don’t insult her. Ever.”
Marcus’s eyes widen. “Dom-”
“Ever,” I repeat.
Tyler swallows. “Sorry. We-we didn’t mean-
“Apologize and shut up,” I say.
They do. Immediately.
The silence that follows feels like a punch. Vivian releases my arm slowly, staring up at me like she doesn’t recognize me.
Neither do I.
Because I just defended Ellie.
Out loud. In public. With enough force to shock my entire pack.
Heat crawls up my neck, anger swirling with something I don’t even understand.
I take a step back. Then another.
“Dom?” Vivian whispers. “Where are you-?”
I don’t answer.
I just turn and walk away, no plan, no destination, just a storm of thoughts ripping through my head.
I don’t know why I said all that. I don’t know what’s happening to me.
But one thing is suddenly, horribly, painfully clear:
The bond isn’t the only thing I’m losing control of.
2/3
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