Chapter 6

Scarlett’s Pov

The arm around my waist did not loosen.

I could feel a rhythmic heartbeat against my back, like whoever this was had all the time in the world and no intention of letting go. For a second I just stood there, caught completely off guard, my brain trying to catch up with what had just happened.

Mate!!

I heard it clearly. That one word spoken right against my ear.

I had just buried a whole entire life trusting a man who smiled and called me his, I was not doing that again. Whoever this was could take his “mate” and mind his business because I was done with men, this could just be another Killian with a different voice and I was not about to stand here and let my instincts make a fool of me twice. I had prepared the entire speech in my head.

I pulled myself from his hold, fully prepared to tell him a piece of my mind. I stepped forward, turned around and looked at him and I immediately became speechless.

He was tall, dressed in all black, and had the kind of face that made you forget what you were about to say. He didn’t dress too much but he still managed to make every other man at this gathering look like they were wearing children's costumes.

This is the first time I’ve ever seen him, pale as a moonlight, sharp jaw and features, a dangerous smile promising a descent into pleasure. He’s the very embodiment of lupine charm, his eyes when they met mine were the darkest I had ever seen.

My pulse was starting to race, his raw breathtaking sex appeal is undeniable. I had seen handsome men before. Heck, I had been married to one as much as I hate to admit, but he was something else entirely.

I caught myself, took one step back to put proper distance between us and crossed my arms.

He was also familiar in a way I could not immediately place. Not his face, I would have remembered that face. Something else. The way he stood, maybe, I just couldn’t place it.

Mate. The word was still sitting somewhere in my head. I had lost everything once already chasing a bond I thought was real. I was not about to stand in a garden and let my own instincts make a fool of me again. Whatever this was, whoever he was, I wanted no part of it.

I was still trying to work it out when Killian appeared.

“Scarlett.” He stepped between us, his voice carrying a particular tone that somewhat sounded like jealousy. He looked at the man behind me with a frown that was working very hard to look unimpressed. “Who are you? This is between me and my wife, mind your business and stay out of it.”

The man did not move an inch, he looked at Killian the way you look at something mildly inconvenient and then, with what appeared to be very little effort, placed one hand on Killian’s chest and pushed him like he was trying to move a chair out of his path.

Killian stumbled back with two full steps, his eyes going wide. He looked down at his own chest like he was trying to understand what had just happened. I watched him recalibrate in real time, genuinely unable to process what had just happened to him. I pressed my lips together very hard trying to stop myself from laughing.

Tiffany, still soaking wet from the fountain and absolutely furious, wrapped her arms around herself and drew herself up to her full height.

“That is it,” she announced, her voice climbing. “I want the organizers here right now! Alpha Killian and I are invited guests at this gathering and we have been assaulted by this man. He needs to be removed immediately.”

She looked around the gathered crowd with her chin raised, waiting for someone to agree with her.

Alpha James came through the crowd at a light jog, took one look at the situation and walked directly past Tiffany like she had not said a single word and was part of the garden furniture.

“Mr. Dominic.” He stopped and bowed his head slightly. “What has happened here?”

The silence that followed was spectacular.

Tiffany froze in place. Killian’s face went through five different expressions in about two seconds.

Dominic. The Lycan King. The man who had caught me was Dominic??

Dominic glanced down at me briefly, then looked back at James slowly.

“Alpha Killian’s companion attempted to push his Luna into the fountain,” he said. “She lost her balance and went in herself. I happened to be nearby and stepped in.” He paused, just long enough. “What I found more interesting was that Alpha Killian watched the whole thing. It's surprising that he stood by watching his Luna being framed and bullied and he did nothing to protect her.

That is not the kind of conduct I would expect from someone currently in his probation period for council membership. I imagine his review period will need to be extended to allow for further assessment.”

James nodded slowly, then he turned to the guards without another word.

Killian’s face finally caught up with the situation.

“Wait.” He stepped forward, his voice losing its earlier confidence. “Mr. Dominic, please, if I could just explain…..”

The guards were already moving and they immediately stepped in front of him to avoid him touching Dominic.

Tiffany grabbed Killian’s arm as they were both escorted toward the exit, both of them talking at once, her heels dragging against the stone, still insisting loudly that she was the victim.

“This is outrageous, get your filthy hands off me, do you know who I am?” she snapped at the guards, twisting against their grip as they dragged her out.

Killian kept trying to look back over his shoulder at Dominic. Their voices faded as the guards walked them firmly toward the exit.

I watched until they were gone and the crowd quietly began to break apart, people drifting back inside with a lot to talk about.

Then I became very aware that Dominic was still standing directly behind me and had not moved.

I turned around slowly.

He was looking at me, one hand in his pocket, completely relaxed.

“Are you hurt?” he asked.

I looked at him for a moment.

“No,” I said.

He nodded once.