Chapter 3

Mira

The wind picked up, cooling the sweat on the back on my neck.

I took a long look at his face: his sharp nose, chiseled jaw, lips slightly open, always in a frown.

“There have been rogue attacks in the area,” he said. “It’s not safe for you to go alone.”

The breeze lifted his chestnut hair off his forehead, hair that had been matted down with blood.

The sight of the blood brought me back to reality. I was a doctor and this man was a patient in need of my care. Even if that patient was paranoid and a bit of an asshole.

“You’re still bleeding,” I began, taking a step away from the heat of his body. “Lie down so I can do a full assessment.”

He just stared at me.

“Fine, if you don’t want my help I’ll just—“

“No,” he cut me off as I turned to leave. “I’ll do what you say.”

Looking slightly annoyed, the Alpha carefully lay down on the forest floor. He somehow seemed even larger lying prone than when he stood in front of me.

“This might sting,” I said mechanically.

“I can handle it,” he snarled. I thought the antiseptic would wipe that arrogance off his face, but he barely seemed to register its application.

“You really don’t want anything from me?” he asked while I cleaned and covered his wounds. “I’m about the become the Alpha, you know.”

“Yes,” I responded. “I know you’re an Alpha. And no— don’t want anything for you.”

“Alright then.”

“Well, there is one thing I’d like.” I added.

“Name it.”

“Your name.”

There was that smirk again.

“Dominic,” he said softly.

“Dominic,” I whispered back. “Nice to meet you Dominic, given the circumstances.”

“And you, Mira.”

My heart leapt in my ribcage at the sound of my name in his voice. His whole body tensed suddenly, and he let out a growl as his eyes focused behind me. Someone was coming towards us. Two people.

Before I knew what was happening he had lunged and stood in front of me, protecting me from whatever was coming. Then I heard him sigh, and a slight laugh fell from his lips.

“I figured you’d find me,” he said casually.

“Sir, thank god,” one of the two men said. He was tall, broad, with a dark beard that shone auburn in the moonlight. “You’d been gone too long so we thought we should come looking.”

“Did anyone else notice my absence, Lucas?” Dominic inquired.

“No, sir, we were discreet.”

“Good, good,” Dominic took a few steps and winced in pain.

“Sir!” the other man said. “You’re hurt— what happened out here?”

“And who,” Lucas added, “is this?”

They seemed to notice me for the first time.

“This is my doctor,” Dominic said quickly.

His men waited for more explanation, and receiving none simply nodded to their leader.

“Well, we’d better get you, both of you, back to the Pack,” sandy-hair said.

“Good idea, Wyatt,” said Dominic, smacking his Beta on the back as he began to walk away.

Lucas turned to me. “Doctor…”

“Mira,”

“Mira, sure. It should go without saying that this should be kept between us.” Lucas said sternly. “We don’t need the whole pack knowing that their future Alpha woke up bloody in the woods.”

It seemed a strange request given Dominic’s mysterious injuries, but I accepted.

“Doctor-patient confidentiality, of course,” I placated him.

“Yes, you understand,” Lucas said with a smile. “And it would be best if you stayed with him for a while, to be sure he heals properly. We don’t need more medical opinions and gossip right now, the Pack is overwhelmed as it is.”

“Understood,” I said, without really understanding what he was talking about.

I probably should’ve mentioned the Luna’s orders for me to join the traveling medical team, but figured that was future Mira’s problem.

We walked back in silence, two by two, and I almost wondered if Dominic forgot I was even there. They entered Dominic’s quarters through what appeared to be a back entrance into a dark hallway, and entered his bedroom through door that appeared to part of the wall on the other side.

Dominic went over to his desk and began rifling through documents, as if nothing out-of-ordinary had happened in the last hour.

“Dominic,” I spoke up, eliciting glares from the Beta bodyguards. “Um, sir?”

Dominic turned to face me, with a look of surprise. “Oh, right, Mira— Doctor,” he said slowly. “You may go.”

“But, sir, you need to rest.” I interjected, not willing to be ignored. “You’ve lost a lot of blood, I need to do a proper examination to be sure you get proper treatment.”

“I’m fine,” he growled at me like a petulant child. “An Alpha does not need to ‘rest’ like your weaker patients might need.”

“And yet even a weaker patient would be wiser than you!” I felt heat rising in my cheeks at his impertinence.

“Are you questioning my intelligence?” Dominic moved towards me with miraculous speed. “It isn’t wise of you do insult me in my own home.”

“Well when your actions defy common sense, it is my duty as a physician to—“

“It is your duty to obey me in my own home, I am a future Alpha!”

“If you want to see the day you become Alpha, then you need to listen to me— or else you could end up dead!”

We stood close enough that I could see his mouth twitch in frustration. I could feel his rage radiating heat of his muscular chest.

“Fine,” he snarled into my face. “I will heed your orders, despite this insubordination.”

“Thank you,” I exhaled as he walked away from me.

“Wyatt,” Dominic turned to his guards, “ready a car to take the doctor away.”

“Yes, sir.”

The young Alpha moved towards the separate part of his room where stood a giant bed frame carved of dark wood. Nothing ostentatious, bur still fit for a king. He began to unbutton his shirt, with slight reactions where the material stuck to his wounds.

I realized I was staring and forced myself to look away.

I weighed the option of going home, but I didn’t trust this stubborn patient to take care of himself.

“Actually,” my mouth started before I had the full thought formed. “It would be best for me to stay here, in the complex.”

Dominic froze in his movements when he heard my idea. A slight chuckle escaped his lips. “Your dedication to your patients would be admirable,” he began, “if it weren’t so annoying. Do as she says, prepare a guest room down the hall.”

Lucas and Wyatt exchanged a glance, shrugged, and showed me out the door. When the door had closed behind us, they stopped to look at me.

“I must say,” Lucas spoke softly, “no one has ever stood up to Dominic like that.”

“Seriously?” my shock was genuine. “Even when he’s acting like a complete brat like that?”

“The gods must be looking out for you” Wyatt snorted, “because if anyone else stood up to him like that, we’d be burying their body in the woods.”

I watched the bodyguards share a smirk and knowing nod, then turn and walk down the hallway. I didn’t have time to figure out if he was joking or not before I had to hurry to catch up with them.

They led to me a sparse but comfortable room around the corner from Dominic’s, and I hardly had time to wash up before I was falling heavy into the bed and into a deep sleep.

I woke early the next morning, taking a second to remember where I was and what had happened the day before. Tessa’s pregnancy, Ward’s betrayal, Dominic’s mystery… woof.

I dressed quickly, scowling as I noticed how filthy my clothing was from my escapade in the woods. I would check on Dominic first, then see about going home for clean clothes.

Poking my head into the hallway I didn’t see or hear anyone, so I carefully came out and closed the door behind me.

Just as I clicked the door shut, a familiar voice rang out from the down the hall. “What the hell are you doing here, you psycho bitch?”

Tessa. What?

“Did you follow me home so you could humiliate me some more? Are you really that desperate?!”

“Tessa, what do you mean ‘follow you home’ I am here for—“

“For my fiancé?” she wouldn’t listen to me. “Ward doesn’t want to see you ever again. Now get out of here, before I call security!”

I turned away from her, hoping I could find an easy exit before her screaming drew attention to ourselves. As I tried to flee I bumped head-on into Dominic’s solid chest. He caught me by the shoulders preventing me from falling down.

“Good morning, step-sister,” he said calmly to Tessa.

“Dominic, this woman—“

“Is my guest,” his voice rose with authority, and Tessa jumped when she felt the aura of the Alpha.

“No one touches my guest.”