CHAPTER 04

The next day, it took my phone ringing to wake me up. The time was already past 2pm. I sat up and stared at the ringing phone for a while. There was anger at the device for waking me up. Whoever was calling couldn’t have waited a bit longer?

“I need sleep,” I groaned as I picked the phone off the side table.

The caller ID told me it was Marcus. I picked it.

“Hello, baby?” My voice told of the sleep I was still battling with.

#You were taking a nap?”# he asked me, picking on my voice.

“No, I just woke up, babe. Last night was tough.”

#It’s past two in the afternoon, Moani.#

“I know, babe. I just had a lot to process. In fact, the entire town had a lot to process last night.”

#I heard the new alpha is some dude who used to live in Hartvale before.#

How was I supposed to tell him this now?

#Babe?# he called me.

“Yeah, some dude that used to live here,” I confirmed.

#Anyone you know?#

That was the question I had been hoping to avoid.

“At least the town doesn’t need you back immediately, right?” I avoided his question.

#Yeah, Alex said he would help you all process it and that all was well so I had no reason to hurry back.#

“I am so glad to hear that.” I got out of bed now and walked to the bathroom.

#So all your customers must be missing you at the diner, huh?#

“I think this town can live one day without Big Bite, Marki.”

Moani and Marki were the pet-names we gave each other. Used by only us, except when Allen or his friends were being mischievous.

#So have you met this new alpha?# Why did he keep coming back to this alpha topic?! #I hear he’s a hunk, really tough. Don’t get me wrong, Alex was tough, but the way folks say this guy feels is just insane. I can’t wait to be in his presence.#

“Well, I don’t think he’ll be that good, whomever he may be,” I murmured.

#So you haven’t met him yet?#

Why did he keep directing these at me?!

“Babe, I wanna brush my teeth and have a shower so I can go to the Diner.”

#C’mon, Moani. Talk a little longer with me. I still got forty-five minutes for my break.#

“Well I’m gonna have to brush my teeth and I won’t be able to hear you well, baby. I’m sorry.”

#It’s alright, babe. You get ready and head to the diner. Later, Moani.#

“Love you.”

He ended the call. He hadn’t replied my ‘Love You’ line. Did he know the alpha was Dom and did he know who Dom was to me? I had told him about my fated mate, but he wasn’t fond of us talking about exes.

“So why didn’t he say love you back?”

I just held the phone and felt so bad now. He should have just replied. I wanted the call to end so the questions would end, but I didn’t want him ignoring my love you.

“Oh this whole thing is messing with my head!” I screamed.

****

I got to the diner and had to open alone. There had been missed calls from some of my staff, but I wasn’t in the presence of mind to be bothered about such things. I had half a mind to not open at all today, but sitting at home would just make me think more. Better to be distracted.

I walked in, looked around and lost the will to do anything more. How was I gonna open the restaurant alone and attend to customers alone? The clock over the front door said 3:25pm. I didn’t want to do anything.

“Why did you turn up again, Dom?” I sighed,

I left the sign showing CLOSED outside, grabbed my whiskey from behind the counter and took a seat at the counter. I poured myself a glass, downed it in one gulp and slammed the glass down so hard.

“Aaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh!!” I screamed so long that when I stopped I was out of breath.

I poured another glass and raised it to my moth, but a solid hand grabbed me by the wrist from behind. I was frozen with fright, but managed to look at my assailant.

“Dominic!”

He didn’t say anything, just took the glass from my hand and set it down on the counter.

I got off the stool and backed away from him.

“How did you get in here?”

He sat on the stool next to the one I’d been in.

“You were screaming so you didn’t hear me come in,” he finally spoke.

“You can’t be here!” I snapped at him.

“You kicked me out of your house this morning, but I’m gonna say my piece this time around.”

Was this man mad?

“You need to leave before people see us together. I have a man whom I love like crazy and I won’t let you ruin me again. So please just go, Dom.”

He kept a calm face, never showed pain, hurt, anger, jealousy or anything at what I said. He didn’t move either. This was getting on my nerve.

“Please leave me alone, Dom.”

“I left the country, but you never left my mind,” he spoke this time. “You have moved on, but I never did. I always planned to come back from the old country.”

The old country?” I asked him. “You went to the old country? You were in that war? You left me to fight in a stupid war?!”

“I was taken without much planning, Moans. My dad just whisked us away. I stayed the night with my parents and woke up the next day on a cargo plane to Europe.”

I was confused now. “You woke up in a cargo plane?”

He got to his feet.

“We were abducted and taken hostage because of my mom’s connections to the old country government. We were rescued and I joined the fight because I saw our people needed us. I became their champion, but I never didn’t think about you.”

“I waited years, Dom.” My voice was calmer now and the tears were flowing. I hated my overly emotional way. He wasn’t crying so why was I?

“Would it have been better if I’d contacted you to tell you I was part of the war? Put you through the stress and fear of my dying any day? I wanted you to move on in case I did die out there and didn’t get to come back.”

“And you think that made it easier for me?” I asked, rushing up to him and shoving him in the chest but he didn’t budge.

“I waited for years, not sure what had happened to you. We kissed goodnight and you were gone the next morning. I was going crazy, Dom! Why would you do that to me?!”

“I was in captivity for more than half a year, Moans. I couldn’t have even gotten to you if I’d wanted. Then imagine if I’d contacted you after a year to say I’m fine, but now I’m gonna join the war then maybe a few months or a few years later, you heard had died in battle or something? You’d have lost me twice and I couldn’t put you through that, Moans.”

“I hate you!” I screamed, but I was lying to myself. I had to get out of here.

I ran out of the diner and was halfway across the road before I noticed the SUV. I was going so fast that I couldn’t turn back fast enough or run cross the front of the car fast enough either.

This was it. This was how I went out, struck by a car cos I was running across the road without looking like a mad woman, but he didn’t let that happen. I felt his grip on my right shoulder then he pulled me back and my back slammed into the front of him as the car whizzed past, the tyres passing just inches from my foot.

I turned to face Dom and tried to push him away. I rained blows down on his chest, but he just held on to me.

“Let’s get inside before we make too much of a scene,” he whispered.

I allowed him lead me back into the diner; didn’t wanna draw a crowd and see myself on the internet wrapped in Dominic’s strong arms. Why did I care if he had strong arms? Everyone had arms.

I could feel my heart beating in sync with his. He was my mate, but he had hurt me terribly, but I think I still loved him. How stupid was I?

What was happening to me?