All Chapters of Not His Destiny : Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

All night Dante doesn’t leave me alone. And since we’ve already put the restaurant up for sale, I don’t have to be anywhere in the morning. So I let myself get pampered with kisses. Dante treats me well, constantly checking that I’m alright, pulling me close whenever I try to move away. Eventually he finally releases me well into the afternoon, falling asleep while I slip into the bathroom for a shower.When I return, warm steam still clinging to my skin, I stand there wrapped in a towel and stare at his sleeping face.His beard has grown fuller, like he’s forgotten to trim it the past few days. It makes him look rougher than usual.I can’t help myself.I pull on some clean clothes from the dresser, a pale blue wrap top and a baggy plaid trouser, before grabbing the shaving scissors from the bathroom. I set everything down on the nightstand, moving the clock and books out of the way to make room for a bowl of clean water. Carefully, I start trimming the thick beard until more of his

When I return home later, Dante is gone, even though he said he wouldn’t be going anywhere today.The first place my mind jumps to isn’t the shop. It isn’t work.It’s Luciana.Wherever she is. And the thought fills me with disgust.I don’t have time to sit around wondering where anyone is. I already have enough on my plate. I’ve never had to worry about Dante before, he’s always been trustworthy, loyal.Now all of that feels uncertain.I sit on the edge of the bed for a moment, staring at the worn wooden floor while I think about what Padre said. The Alpha of the Puremoon pack wanted me kicked out of the pack, but Dante refused.Even though it would have been easier on everyone if he’d just agreed. Which means he wants me here.But if everyone finds out about this, there’s going to be trouble in the pack. That is, if they don’t already know.Dante also seems to have a place in mind where he wants us to move, and he still hasn’t said a word about it. Will the others even allow him to t

That evening, I whip up food for everyone, use my own money to buy more groceries, and go out of my way to not exclude Celeste and Andre. I set the food on the dining table, grilled fish with roasted pepper and a steaming dish of lentil stew and chorizo, and call them to eat just as Dante walks in. He steps inside, smelling of engine oil and his usual intense pheromone, but thankfully, no whiff of anything else. It eases my heart, but when he grins at me, I keep my face blank and stride past him to the kitchen.He exchanges greetings and "how was work" banter with his parents who are just walking out from their bedroom, before following me into the kitchen. My back faces the door when he enters. He moves closer, his warmth pressing into my back. I jerk when his arms circle my waist. They're slightly smudged black with engine dirt. He kisses my neck, tracing a path up to the side of my face."Dinner is ready," I state, ignoring my body's immediate, intense response to him."Is it?

Dante gets up from the bed and grabs his trousers from the floor, jamming his leg through with enough force to make the fabric snap. He’s clearly getting ready to leave.“Where are you going?” I ask. My laughter dries up, my hair falling over my face again.“Out,” he answers tightly, “until you stop being crazy.” He tosses his shirt toward me in irritation. “How could you say that to me after what we just did?”“I don’t know what I said to you.” I turn my face away. “Other than what you’ve been dying to hear. You’ve chosen her, haven’t you?”Dante yanks on his shirt, grabs his jacket, and doesn’t even look at me again.“I am serious, Dante,” I say as he walks to the door.He doesn’t even slow down. He jerks the door open like he might rip it off its hinges and stalks out of the room without a backward glance. This is what he always does when we argue, which, honestly, is rare. Dante just walks away and refuses to acknowledge anything I say.I don’t even know why I said I wanted to br

“Where did you go?” Dante has the nerve to ask.I march up the stairs to meet him on the porch, glaring bitterly. The wooden boards creak under his steps as he shifts closer, trying to smell me.I move back and hold out my hand. “Stay away from me.”He grabs my outstretched hand and yanks me forward hard enough that I bump against his chest. Before I can stop him, he buries his nose in my hair, then drags it slowly down the side of my neck.I shove him away by the chest, noticing at the same time that he smells only like himself.“You have no right to ask me that after spending the entire night outside, God knows where,” I snap, turning away and folding my arms tightly across my chest.“You went to see Salvatore, didn’t you?” he growls behind me. “How many times do I have to tell you?”“My heat has faded, okay? And Salvatore isn’t going to pounce on me.” God, I hate when he gets like this.This fucking bastard has me tied up in knots all night, and now he’s actually accusing me of goi