INTO THE DOMINION

CHAPTER 5:

By Wednesday morning, the campus of Georgia State felt like an entirely different world.

Eleanor walked through the courtyard near Student Center West, holding a warm cup of coffee she didn't actually need. Her fever was gone, replaced by a deep, buzzing vitality that made every step feel effortless. But the mask of her old life had been ripped away, and she couldn't put it back on.

With her awakened senses, the invisible hierarchy of the university laid itself bare.

The two guys standing near the fountain weren't just fraternity brothers in matching jackets; their scent was sharp, aggressive, and marked with the clear boundary line of a lower-tier pack. The middle aged administrative assistant guarding the dean’s door moved with the quiet, watchful precision of a trained perimeter guard. Wolves were everywhere, integrated seamlessly into the human crowd, hiding behind backpacks, designer suits, and quiet campus jobs.

"Hey! Earth to El!"

Amaya jogged up beside her, linking her arm through Eleanor’s. "You vanished off the face of the earth on Sunday. I called you four times. Did you die and come back to life?"

Eleanor pulled her attention back to her friend, forcing a casual smile. "Sorry. My dad needed me home for family stuff. Total emergency."

Amaya narrowed her eyes, studying Eleanor’s face. "You look... different. Did you get a new skin routine or something? You look like you’re glowing. It’s obnoxious."

Eleanor’s pulse flicked upward, but she kept her composure. "Just got a full eight hours of sleep for once."

"Right," Amaya said, though her gaze lingered for a second longer before she held up a sleek, gold-embossed invitation card. "Anyway, look what I secured. Two passes to the private networking mixer at the commerce hall tonight. Every major regional firm is going to be there, including representatives from Blackthorne Global. If we want good summer internships, this is where we need to be."

Eleanor stared at the gold foil lettering on the card. Blackthorne.

Her father’s strict warning echoed in her head: Stay away from him. But running away wasn't an option anymore. If she disappeared now, she would look weak, and in the Dominion, weakness invited attack.

"I'll go," Eleanor said softly, her fingers brushing the edge of the card. "Let's do it."

The university commerce hall had been transformed into an elegant, high-ceilinged reception room. String quartets played softly near the floor-to-ceiling glass walls, while human professors, local politicians, and wealthy donors mingled over champagne.

Eleanor wore a simple dark green dress, her long hair pulled back. She stood near the perimeter, watching the room with a cold, analytical focus.

Now, she could smell the true power dynamics in the air.

Most of the human executives in the room were completely oblivious, talking business while surrounded by supernatural predators. The atmosphere shifted dramatically when the front doors opened.

Ethan Blackthorne walked in.

He wore a dark tailored suit, moving with a heavy, magnetic dominance that made nearby wolves quietly adjust their posture and lower their eyes. Beside him was Sienna Sterling, wearing a pale silver dress, her hand resting gracefully on his arm. A small retinue of young men and women his pack enforcers followed a few paces behind.

Ethan didn't look at the university dean who stepped forward to greet him. His head snapped toward the side of the room, his dark eyes locking onto Eleanor instantly.

A sharp, physical current snapped through the air between them, making Eleanor’s breath hitch. His scent reached her from thirty feet away cold rain, cedar, and raw, crushing alpha authority.

Sienna felt the sudden shift in Ethan’s posture. Her eyes tracked his line of sight, landing on Eleanor. Sienna’s lips curved into a thin, polite smile that didn't reach her bright blue eyes, her fingers tightening slightly around Ethan’s forearm in a silent, possessive claim.

Eleanor didn't look down. She held Ethan’s stare, her golden wolf humming right beneath her ribs, refusing to bow to his weight.

Ethan’s jaw set, his amber tinged eyes darkening with an intense, dangerous curiosity as he stepped deeper into the room.

The game had officially begun.