Chapter 255 VEILS OF DOMINANCE
Nixx
As I closed the door, he gave me a look, like a wolf assessing me for any danger. “Hey, what’s up?”
"Where's Daisy?" I moved around, trying to pick up on his vibe as it enveloped me.
His expression turned serious. "Gone. Took a walk with Doc." He slid a chair out at the kitchen table and plopped down, his eyes urging me to do the same.
Percival had changed a lot. It was tough dealing with his overwhelming dominance. Even though I had Alpha blood too, he was... unique.
He settled at the oak table, keeping a bit of distance from his usual spot. A hint of a smirk tugged at the corner of his lips, but his expression remained tough.
"How you doing?" My icebreaker flopped.
He leaned back with a sigh, our eyes locking. I had to look away.
"I'm doing better. Feeling stronger."
A laugh slipped out. "I get it. You're massive now. You've changed a lot—everything from the way you stand to your expressions. You don’t need to be on guard around me, Percival. I know we’re just a couple of months apart in age, but you’re the strong one, and you’re my brother. I’m not after the Alpha title. I’m no threat to you." I just wanted him to see that and get his wolf to chill out.
Percival let out a laugh, his sky-blue eyes locked onto mine, always on the lookout. “I get it. I really do. My wolf just can’t chill. After all the emotional stuff I’ve dealt with—therapy, training—I can’t help but always be on alert. It’s something you’ll have to roll with because Gaspar mentioned there’s no going back now. Not unless your sister comes back to me. That’s the only silver lining in all this.” He sighed, his brows furrowing. “How’s your training going?” He tried to change the subject; he wasn’t really into chatting about Edeline.
"I’m improving, but since I don’t really want it... I’m still a long way from being able to take on any Alpha wolf. It’s been over a month.” I looked into his eyes, my pleading, mossy gaze searching for answers. “Come on, tell me you’ve got a plan. You’re doing better than I am, right?”
His jaw twitched. “No worries. I’ve got this under control. I’ve been mulling something over since this morning... something that I know will push me to take William down. Just keep doing your thing. Everything’s going smoothly on my side.”
Letting out a sigh of relief, I still felt a twinge of anxiety. “Thanks, Percival. I get that you’ve got a lot going on. But this is yours, not mine. You were meant for this.” I held his strong gaze. He drummed his fingers on the table for a moment before leaning in.
“The Dark Moon Alpha is rolling in tonight... Alpha Maxim.” His voice deepened, and there was something in his tone that made me uneasy.
I looked away and nodded. “Yeah, I heard. There’s a barbecue for him tonight. Annabel’s throwing it since it’s not safe for William to be out until he steps down.”
He chuckled softly. “So, get this... I found out my mom was never actually forced to turn down her mate. Gaspar. That’s her mate. I just learned about it recently... but once my mom found out about my dad’s true mate passing away—her own cousin—she begged Maximus, the late Dark Moon Alpha, to pressure my dad into mating her... wild, right?” His eyes sparkled with anger.
I stood there, my mouth hanging open. “Wait, so Gaspar is really your mom’s true mate? And she turned him down on purpose!?” I must’ve looked like a fish, gaping with my mouth opening and closing. “Z, that’s... that’s awesome.” I shook my head in disbelief.
This got me thinking about how much Annabel was really involved with.
“Is Gaspar still into her? Does William have a clue?”
Percival took a moment to assess me. “Gaspar mentioned he still feels a bit drawn to her since he isn’t mated, even though she is. And Dad... he has no clue. I’m keeping this info to myself...” he said with a mischievous grin.
This wasn’t the Percival I used to know.
He squinted, biting his lip. “So Dad’s not coming to the barbecue tonight...” It was more of a statement than a question, and his mind was racing.
I just shook my head. “Nah. Just your mom.”
A sly grin tugged at the corner of his mouth, his muscles tensing up. I didn’t feel like sticking around for much longer; he was radiating an Alpha energy I had never seen before. He just couldn’t help the vibe he gave off.
We chatted a bit longer about Tatiana. My wolf had been so down without her, and I was really worried. Sometimes, when she let her guard down, I could sense her sadness. It stung. It didn’t take long for us to run out of things to talk about, and I knew I had to bounce from that place. The tension he radiated made my wolf uneasy. I was a tough fighter—top of the beta bloodline—but I understood I’d never beat Percival.
Glancing at my watch as I strolled down the dirt road, I noticed it was already 3. Mirabelle had an appointment, and I had offered to give her a ride.
The sun was shining bright, a nice breeze tossing colorful leaves along the dirt road. The air felt cooler and more humid, thanks to the lake nearby.
Then, a wave of unease washed over me. A heavy self-hate and heartache knocked me off my feet. I stood there in the middle of the road, hand on my chest, feeling like my heart was breaking.
But those feelings weren’t mine.
They were Tatiana's. I could feel them through the mate bond—the one-sided skin bond.
I had to see her. As soon as Mirabelle’s appointment wrapped up, I planned to swing by Tatiana’s place to check on her and see how she was doing.
I zipped over to Mirabelle's cabin, which wasn’t too far from Daisy’s. Walking in without knocking, I was instantly enveloped by warmth. After shutting the door, I scanned her quirky cabin, trying to spot Mirabelle. I could easily smell her familiar scent.