CHAPTER 4

DOMINIC

I WASN’T SURE WHAT TO ANTICIPATE WHEN I CROSSED THE THRESHOLD of the Carrillo Glass House after a grueling rotation at the arena. One of the players on the roster had been a complete nightmare to manage. They typically are once their jersey sales start to peak. Those once-humble rookies with stars in their eyes almost always transform into ego-driven divas the moment they get a taste of the spotlight. Usually, it’s a fleeting phase until a veteran checks them on the ice.

With Harper Keaton, the transition to a prima donna attitude occurred practically overnight. She had one highlight-reel goal, but in her headspace, she was already the face of the league. Since I run the Carrillo Music Group HQ, the hands-on babysitting of talent is normally reserved for the agents, but she had become such a catastrophe that her lead representative refused to spend another second in her presence.

“Hey, how did the training session go?” Aara asked, leaning his head around the corner of the kitchen.

“Harper Keaton,” I announced, and Aara winced in sympathy.

“So, Abigail finally hit her breaking point?” My mate was intimately familiar with my roster because he was my anchor—the one I confided in regarding every win and loss in the industry. He was my sanctuary, and there wasn’t a heartbeat where I doubted the security of our private conversations. Aara was a fortress. It was a relief to see him standing over the stove in our kitchen, preparing a meal. Lately, it had been a coin toss whether I’d walk into a warm house or receive a digital ping to order takeout.

“What’s on the menu?” I asked, leaning in to press a kiss against the side of his neck while I lifted a lid to peer at the contents of the pot.

“Meat and dumplings—wolf style.”

“You are a god among men.” It was my ultimate comfort food, and exactly what my inner wolf craved after the day I’d endured.

“What did Miss Keaton pull this time?”

“She actually had the audacity to ask if I could arrange a scandalous 'leak' with another athlete just to spike her social engagement.”

Aara let out a sharp, audible gasp, turning to face me with an expression of pure revulsion. “Why would anyone jeopardize their honor like that? Her career is just gaining momentum. A move like that could destroy her reputation, especially with the younger fans who look up to her.”

“That was precisely my counter-argument. You can’t pivot from a rising star to a tabloid scandal overnight while we’re still drafting your first major endorsement. It’s like she’s trying to shift into overdrive and skip every tactical step we mapped out.”

“I warned you she had a bit too much rogue energy for the traditional route.”

“You should be on my payroll, Aara. I mentioned your intuition to Cecilia in the beginning, but she was convinced she could tame the beast.”

“And now, she’s dumping the fallout on your desk.” Aara leaned in, rising on the balls of his feet to capture my mouth in a kiss. I slid my arms around his waist, hauling him flush against my chest.

“I missed you, Aara.”

“Missed you too, Dominic. It feels like our paths are only crossing in the shadows lately.”

“Yeah, why is that?” I asked, and I failed to mask the edge in my voice. Aara stiffened, pulling back from my embrace. Before he could shutter his expression, I caught the flash of pain in his mossy-blue eyes.

“I’ve been occupied with the logistics for that gala I mentioned.”

“Seems like a massive amount of energy for one social event. It’s just a birthday, right? It isn't a high-stakes charity summit with a thousand moving parts.”

“True, but the specific requirements are intricate. It demands a lot of field time and precise coordination.” Aara shrugged, though his gaze shifted away. “The final result will be worth the effort, so I’m focused on the finish line.”

“We don’t need the extra credits, Aara. It’s not like our stores are empty. We’re supposed to be prioritizing our future pack, but you’re either out of the den or too drained to focus on us this past month.”

“I’m sorry,” he whispered. I felt a pang of self-loathing then; my mate looked like a wounded wolf, and that hadn't been my goal.

“Just give me your word that this is the final project for a while.” He nodded as I pulled him back into my space. “I know you live for the thrill of organization, but this one is hollowing you out, and I never see you. If I didn't know your heart, I’d suspect you were prowling with another Alpha.”

His head snapped up, his pupils dilating as his gaze locked onto mine. “That could never happen. You are my world, Dominic. My soulmate. My fated match. No one else could ever hold a candle to what we have.”

I kissed the crown of his head, then the bridge of his nose, and finally his lips. “Good. Keep that in mind when you’re navigating the Manchester streets and making every other wolf out there envious of what’s mine.”

“Stop it.” He let out a soft huff and turned back to the stove to plate the dumplings. “I baked fresh crusty bread to go with this.”

“Honey marrow butter?”