Chapter 23 Dominance
ARYA
The ride up from Alpha Cyrus’s pack was quiet. Helena had given me a tight hug and they both promised to be available if I ever needed anything.
“Your first shift was here. Your wolf will feel tethered to us so know that it is your home.” Cyrus had given me a hug.
I’d only known them for a day but they felt more like my family than the people I spent most of my life with.
Luca drove with one hand on the wheel, the other resting on his thigh, fingers tapping to a rhythm only he could hear. Every so often, his eyes flicked toward me. It was always quick, assessing glances that felt more like touches than looks. Each one sent sparks crawling over my skin, the bond humming like a live wire between us.
I hated how aware I was of him. The clean, sharp scent of cedar and storm that filled the enclosed car. The way his presence pressed against mine even without a word. It was suffocating and intoxicating all at once.
I felt every single move of his in parts of my body I wouldn’t even be able to name without blushing. I’ve never reacted so visceral to a man like this before.
Ryker sat in the back seat, arms folded, jaw set so tightly I could see the muscle jumping near his temple. He hadn’t said a single word since we left the border. Not to me and definitely not to Luca.
The tension between the three of us–as different as they were– was unbearable.
I kept my gaze fixed out the window, watching the forest blur past. Pines, stone, mist. Anything to keep from meeting Luca’s eyes again. Because when I did, the world seemed to shrink until it was just him and me, and that bond—this thing I didn’t ask for—coiled tighter around my chest.
He broke the silence first. His deep voice rolled through me like syrup. “You’ve been quiet.”
I swallowed hard, trying to find my voice. “So have you.”
A low sound came from his throat, something between a laugh and a growl. I forced my thighs to remain open even if the need to clench it was high. “If I speak, I’ll say something I shouldn’t.”
“Then don’t.” I rushed out.
His lips curved, and I caught the faintest glint of amusement. “You assume I listen to warnings.”
“I assume you like testing limits.”
That earned me a real laugh. Dark and low, curling through the space like smoke, making my insides clench. “You’re not wrong.”
In the rearview mirror, Ryker’s eyes met mine. His expression said enough: Don’t fall for it. I looked away quickly, pretending to be fascinated by the winding road ahead.
The air grew colder as we climbed higher. Mist licked at the windows, and the forest thickened, shadows swallowing the light. Luca didn’t seem bothered. He drove like he knew every turn, every sharp curve in the mountain road.
When the car jolted over a bump, his hand shot out instinctively, steadying me. Skin to skin.
The bond flared so violently I gasped.
He didn’t pull away. Neither did I. For a heartbeat, the rest of the world vanished. I could feel his pulse through his fingertips, steady, like it had been beating for centuries waiting for mine to sync with it.
Then Ryker cleared his throat, and reality came crashing back. I yanked my hand away, pressing it against my thigh as if to smother the heat there.
There seemed to be no more air in the car after that.
By the time the vehicle slowed, tension had solidified into something sharp and brittle. My heart thudded painfully as the trees parted and the manor came into view.
The estate was nothing like I expected.
When Luca had said “secure,” I’d imagined a fortress. Stone walls, guard towers, maybe a moat. Something cold and imposing that screamed “Lycan King’s property.”
Instead, we pulled up to what looked like an old manor house nestled in a valley between two mountains. Three stories of weathered stone covered in climbing ivy, with tall windows that caught the afternoon sun. Gardens sprawled around it, wild and beautiful, with a forest pressing close on all sides.
It was… peaceful.
“This is your secure estate?” I asked as Luca helped me out of the car. I tried to ignore the electric jolt that came from his touch.
“Disappointed?” His lips quirked. Those dark eyes glinting. “Were you expecting a dungeon?”
“Maybe a little.”
“I save the dungeons for enemies, not mates.” He kept hold of my hand, leading me up the stone steps. “This was my mother’s favorite place. Before she passed. I keep it maintained but rarely visit.”
There was something in his voice, a softness I hadn’t heard before. Grief, maybe, or nostalgia.
“I’m sorry,” I said. “About your mother.”
“It was six hundred years ago.” He pushed open the massive wooden door. “You’d think the loss would fade. It doesn’t.”
The interior was just as surprising as the exterior. Instead of the dark, oppressive décor I’d expected, it was filled with light. High ceilings with exposed beams, cream-colored walls, comfortable furniture that looked lived-in rather than formal. Books were everywhere, overflowing from shelves, stacked on tables, tucked into every corner.
“You read,” I said stupidly.
“Books are a good way to pass time.” He watched me take it all in. “The entire third floor is a library. You’re welcome to anything you find there.”
Behind us, Ryker entered carrying our bags, his expression carefully neutral. The tension was still suffocating.
“Beta Ryker.” Luca’s voice was polite but firm. “Your room is in the east wing, second floor. Opposite side from Arya’s chambers.”
“How convenient,” Ryker muttered.
“Quite.” Luca’s smile didn’t reach his eyes. “I’m sure you understand the need for… appropriate distance.”
“I understand you’re being possessive over a bond she hasn’t accepted.”
“Ryker—” I started.
“No, it’s fine.” Luca stepped closer to Ryker, and despite him being tall, Luca still somehow towered over him. “Let’s be clear about something. I respect that you care for her. I respect that you’ve protected her when others failed. But she is MY mate. And while I’m willing to tolerate your presence here because she wishes it, I will not tolerate you overstepping.”
“Overstepping?” Ryker’s hands clenched into fists. “Like touching her? Speaking to her? Existing near her?”
“Like forgetting your place.”
The temperature in the room dropped.
“ENOUGH!” My voice cracked like a whip, surprising even myself. Both men turned to stare. “I am not a prize to be fought over. Luca, Ryker is my friend. He stays because I NEED him here. If you have a problem with that, then this arrangement is over before it begins.”
Luca’s jaw tightened, but he inclined his head. “As you wish.”
“And Ryker—” I turned to my friend, “—I appreciate you defending me, but I can speak for myself. Please.”
Ryker looked like he wanted to argue, but finally nodded. “I’ll take my bags up.”
He left, his footsteps heavy on the stairs.