Chapter 73 73
Dominique POV
“Are you okay? Are you hurt?”
The question catches me off guard. Why was he worried about me? Wasn’t Mum supposed to be his rival?
I didn’t know everything grown-up pack politics weren’t exactly explained to four-year-olds but I’d learned what I could from listening when I wasn’t meant to. From quiet spying around Darkvale, I knew the Alpha King led grouped packs, the same way we did. And I knew Mum wanted out of that bond. Badly.
“I’m okay,” I say, giving him a small smile.
“You’re very brave.”
He straightens and pats the top of my head gently.
“I am?”
If the Alpha King said it, then it had to be true.
“Oh yes. Delphine’s been telling me how she could feel your strength through your bond.”
My eyes widen. “You’ve met Delphine?”
“Yes. She’s at my pack with your father.”
My father.
“You mean Uncle Fabrice?”
His brows knit together for a moment before a faint smile forms.
“Is Mum there too?” I ask quickly. She must have been so scared. I needed her to know I was safe.
“No. She’s outside.”
Relief floods my chest.
Another man enters the room Lucas, the Alpha King calls him. He seems focused, already scanning the place like he expects answers to be hiding in the walls. They talk about searching the pub, but I tell them we only arrived the night before. There hadn’t been time to hide anything here.
“What’s your name?” I ask as we start down the steps toward the back door.
“Damien,” he replies, steering me away from the front. The back door is splintered, wood kicked clean off its hinges.
He didn’t want me going out the front.
That must be where the short fat man was.
We circle around the building, cross the road, and head toward the graveyard.
“Dominique!”
Mum’s voice wild, shaking, real.
She runs toward me and scoops me up, crushing me against her chest.
“Oh, my baby,” she sobs, covering my face with kisses, promising she’ll never let me go again.
I think I might be in trouble. She sounded serious.
Théo is with her, along with another man I don’t know. But his aura tells me enough he’s an alpha too. His teeth are so white they almost hurt my eyes after all that darkness.
“Mum, I’m fine,” I mumble, cheeks burning as I squirm.
“Your mum’s had a terrible fright,” the Alpha King says lightly, giving me a wink. “Let her get her cuddles. We won’t tell anyone.”
I decide I don’t mind after all. I’d missed her. Missed Delphine. Being back in her arms feels like breathing again.
“What happened?” Mum asks Damien as she sets me down, still gripping my hand tightly.
“There were two men,” he answers. “One’s unconscious we’ll question him. The other is dead.”
“You didn’t need to kill him,” I blurt out again.
“He pointed a gun at you,” Damien snaps, anger flashing across his face. “Trust me, he was lucky his heart stayed where it was.”
He’s still tense, still angry but he softens instantly when Mum places a hand on his arm.
“Thank you,” she says quietly.
“Don’t make a habit of it,” he replies, arrogance lacing his tone.
It makes me smile.
Uncle Fabrice never teases Mum like that. I think I like the Alpha King.
“Do you want to head back to the pack while Lucas and I finish things here?” he asks.
“We can wait,” Mum says, glancing down at me.
I nod. I want to wait for him.
“Very well,” he agrees, a small smile appearing like Mum’s words pleased him.
He walks back toward the pub, Lucas waiting for him near the bus stop. Théo heads toward the church with the other alpha, leaving Mum and me standing together.
That’s when I hear it.
A twig snapping.
“Watch out!” Lucas shouts from across the road.
Panic slams into me. I turn and see him.
The short fat man.
He’s crawled out of the pub and is crouched behind a gravestone. There’s a gun in his hand.
It’s aimed at us.
“No!” Mum screams as she shoves me aside, stepping directly in front of me.
“Mum!” I cry as I’m pushed backward and hit the ground.
The gun fires.
I can’t move. I can’t breathe.
Please. Not Mum.
He’s fast—faster than any wolf I’ve ever seen.
Damien launches forward, slamming into her, knocking her to the ground as he covers her completely with his body.
The bullet hits him instead.
Right in the back.