Claim without a Bond

 Dominic's POV 

  “She hates me.” I announced, slamming the door to my office, where Sebastian and Zayden were arguing about whatever they found interesting, as I threw myself on the couch.

   "You really don't know why?” Kael hissed, "I can tell you at least seven things you did wrong the moment you stepped into the room.” He taunted, but didn't say anything.

   Sebastian and Zayden turned to look at me, probably waiting for me to continue. "What do you mean she hates you?” Zayden asked, his brow furrowed. "You've barely spent an hour with her.”

     "I blame your lack of practice." Sebastian added after a few minutes. “If you'd listened to me all this while, we wouldn't be having this conversation...”

   I shot him a glare, making him swallow the rest of whatever he had in mind to say.

    “And what did she mean by part of my plan?" I thought. Yes, I wanted her but the last thing I wanted was to hurt her. I couldn't even bring myself to think about it.

   “How did it go with the doctor?" I asked, and the smile on both their faces drained as if I said a forbidden word.

   After bringing her back, and seeing the state she was in, it made Kael feral, to the point where Sebastian and Orion had to use force to keep me from causing more damage than I already did, ripping apart the rogues who touched her.

  “Erm…” Sebastian cleared his throat, sitting upright. "You won't like this, Alpha.”

   I felt the tension before he even finished the sentence. It crawled up my spine like a warning.

“I don't care, say it,” I growled.

 Sebastian exchanged a look with Zayden. Wrong move. I sat up slowly.

 “Now.”

  "Judging from the whip marks on her back, the doctor thinks it was from some sort of punishment and not the rogues.” He started, avoiding eye contact. "He said she was suffering from heartbreak syndrome.”

  I paused, "what the fuck does that mean?” Kael asked, as if I was somehow expected to know what that meant.

   “…It means her body shut down from emotional shock,” Zayden said quietly. “Not just fear, deeper than that. Prolonged stress. Trauma. The kind that doesn’t come from one bad night but from something that’s been eating at her for a while.”

Silence settled in the room like smoke.

  Kael growled low in my head. “Who?" I was seething, someone dared to put hands on what is mine, they were going to deal with me.

   "Orion is looking into that…but Alpha, are you sure she's your mate? She–" 

  “She's mine." Kael growled, and both of them lowered their heads, muttering an apology.

   “I think she's my mate." I spoke after a few minutes and Kael had calmed down. “I can feel this strong pull towards her and I know she's mine but Kael can't reach her wolf." 

  Their eyes held pity, but I didn't need any of it. What I wanted to know was whoever put my girl in her present state.

  “Tell Orion to hurry the fuck up." I ordered. Zayden stood up immediately, excusing himself.

   Sebastian opened his mouth to say something but changed his mind. “She's just scared, she'll come around." He said. "And with everything she has gone through, it's obvious her wolf is suppressing herself." 

   I nodded, hoping to the goddess that it happens. Sebastian went on to talk about other things that I barely paid attention to, as my mind kept drifting back to my conversation with her…I can't believe I still didn't know her name.

  Two hours later, and I could barely sit still, so ignoring the small voice inside my head, I made my way to the room again.

   My heart was racing not knowing what her reaction was going to be. It felt like I was talking to a girl for the first time. I mean, I wasn't exactly a saint but with her, it's different and I wouldn't want it any other way.

   Kael scoffed when I pushed the door open, but I didn't want to disturb her if she was sleeping.

    “Do you believe that?" Kael asked, “your pussy ass is just scared of rejection." 

  I paused, “She's not going to do that right?" 

    “If you keep being a coward, I won't be surprise." Kael replied, not helping matter. “She can't, there's no mate bond yet." He added quietly.

   I wasn't sure whether to be relieved or alarmed but I put it at the back of my mind to talk to the Pack doctor later.

    My girl wasn't on the bed when I entered, sending a wave of panic and several questions through me. “Did she run away? Did she hate me that much?

    "There's a thin line between being creepy and whatever you're doing right now.” Her soft voice said, coming from the bathroom and a wave of relief wash over me. 

   I turned to face her and froze, she was in a white shirt that stopped mid-thigh, sleeves too long. It swallowed her shoulders, the collar sliding slightly to one side and exposing a faint bruise near her collarbone that made something ugly twist in my chest.

  For a second, neither of us spoke.

 Her fingers tightened around the fabric like she was deciding whether to run or stand her ground.

   "I thought you'd be sleeping.” I heard myself say, my voice coming out hoarse.

  "I decided to take a shower, is that okay, Alpha?” I frowned at my title, but couldn't bring myself to say anything. It felt like she was doing it in purpose.

  “Yes," 

  My gaze dropped before I could stop it– bare legs, damp hair clinging to her neck, water still tracing a slow line down her throat. Heat flashed through me, immediate and dangerous. I dragged my eyes back up, jaw tight.

  “Those are my clothes,” I said, then mentally cursed myself. Of all the stupid things to say.

 “I figured,” she replied. “Unless you keep a guest wardrobe of men’s shirts for all the girls you bring here.”

   I was beside her in an instant, "I don't…you're the only girl that I let inside my room.” I told him, immediately regretting it.

   “So, there are others? Way to make a girl feel special." 

  “One more word and you're going to ruin our chances with her." Kael said, glaring at me. I mean, it was my fault but I couldn't seem to say the right thing and I didn't want to come off too strong on her despite the urge to pin her against the wall and suck on her soft spot until she couldn't remember anything but who she belongs to.

   "You should put some clothes on.” I told her instead, not missing the way she rolled her eyes. “I'll find something for you." 

   Mindlinking Isla, Orion's mate, she arrived a few minutes later with clothes for her. They were new and would do until she was strong enough to go shopping.

   "I'll let you get ready, but if you need anything, I'll be in my…outside." 

    “Thank you." She murmured, collecting the clothes from me. Her fingers brushed mine, warm, careful and she looked up through her lashes like she hadn’t meant to, but didn’t look away either.

 “Thank you,” she repeated.

 “For the clothes?” I asked.

 A tiny pause. A shift in her expression, softer, bolder at the same time.

 “Yea,” she said quietly. “And… you.”

My heartbeat kicked hard.

“For me what?”

  She stepped back, a hint of a smile tugging at her lips now, almost teasing.

“You’ll figure it out, Alpha.”

  The door closed between us with a soft click and somehow it felt louder than a gunshot.