Chapter 117

Dominic

The world was a blur around me as I walked through the house.

My body was taking me away from that room, away from Mira, and I was not going to fight it. It wasn’t until I reached the side door that I realized I had retraced my exact route from the night before.

Once outside, I let out the breath I had been holding. It came out more of a shout than I wanted, but luckily no one was around. I picked up my stride once more, trying not to dwell on the dramatic irony of storming out into the night twice in a row.

Lucian’s smug face loomed before me, and I fought the urge to turn right back around and go find him in his room and beat the shit out of him. But I knew that wouldn’t change anything that had happened. And I was already injured from last night’s brawl with Mira.

I cringed at the thought of it. My memory was still mostly just feelings and flashes of images that I had to piece together. Maybe someday I would get the rest of it from those who witnessed it.

But that was mostly Mira and Celeste, and I couldn’t stomach speaking to either of them. I needed to think about something else. I pulled out my phone to make a call, but looking at the time I sent a text instead.

“Hey Dad, I was hoping we could talk if you’re around. If not, we’ll try tomorrow.”

No response came which didn’t surprise me, though I had hoped by some higher power I could connect with my father over this issue.

And then it dawned on me, the place I needed to go in order to talk to someone.

There is a courtyard, an atrium, in the westernmost corner of the Alpha mansion. It is small and has retractable glass walls to make it enjoyable all year round.

It is a shrine to my mother, and that is where I ended up.

The air was thick with greenery and I felt myself starting to perspire soon after entering. I sat on a bench, gazing at the central fountain. I didn’t know what to do or say, but I didn’t feel uncomfortable.

“I’m no good at this, mom,” I said to the room, so empty and so alive. “I thought I was prepared, I thought I could lead with integrity. But I am fighting, constantly, just to stay afloat. I found a suitable mate, arranged a marriage that served both parties. Then did the foolish thing which was to fall in love with her.”

I hung my head, aching for Mira. Leaves rustled around me in an invisible breeze. They seem to be listening.

“You told me to follow my heart, and I rolled my eyes at you.”

An animal, somewhere, chirruped in a sarcastic response. I felt my mother’s presence everywhere in the room. I half expected her to be sitting on the bench opposite me.

An then I heard it, or imagined that I did.

The song.

It was the song that I had heard in the woods last night that helped to drag me back from the brink. I now recognized it as a song my mother had sung when I was very young. A song that her mother had sung to her, it had been passed down the line for generations.

But Celeste was singing at this time. A cold sweat broke out on my brow as the memory came back.

There was no way in hell that Celeste should’ve known that song.

Mira

After he was gone, I felt nothing for a long time.

I moved like a ghost through our home, taking stock of the damage and what would need replacing. In my worn out state it was almost like seeing through someone else’s eyes, wondering if these broken possessions really mattered anyway.

A buzzing phone on the table grabbed my attention.

It was Dominic’s phone, he’d left it behind. And on the screen a name was flashing as they attempted to reach the Alpha.

Celeste.

I watched the device vibrate around on the surface of the table, as if it were a poisonous reptile that might strike out at me at any moment. Finally it stopped, and I let go of the breath I was holding.

I went back to tasks until his phone was active again, this time receiving a text. Of course it was from Celeste, and I am not proud to admit that I immediately picked it up and read the message.

“D, please call me. I know we both have a lot to think about, and we need to talk about the future. I’m ready whenever you are. xo”

Many impulses came to mind, the first being to rip the phone in half and throw it out the window. I resisted.

My second impulse took over momentarily, and I started typing a response to the woman who was trying to steal my husband. Then I realized that I could make things a lot worse than better, and I put the phone down again.

Even after I walked away from it I still felt like my whole body was vibrating, receiving messages from higher powers that were trying to spur me to some action. I went into the kitchen and found one of the only bottles of alcohol we had in the house.

It was Scotch Whiskey, a very good bottle, and even though I didn’t really like the taste I poured myself a small dram over it. I rarely drink liquor, but this felt like an appropriate occasion to take the edge off.

The brown liquid burned as it went down my throat, then was replaced with an earthy warmth that spread quickly to my fingers and toes. I leaned against the kitchen counter, eyes closed, imagining I was floating away on a Scotch river.

The phone was ringing again.

“Can’t I have one minute of peace from this woman?!”

My voice echoed through the apartment as I went back to pick up Dominic’s phone. If it was Celeste again, I vowed I was going to pick it up and give her a piece of my mind.

But it wasn’t her, thankfully. The name Lucas appeared on the screen.

I thought about ignoring it, but then worried I could miss something important or that maybe Dominic was even in trouble again. Looking at the time, he’d been gone over an hour.

I missed the call in my indecision, then saw a text appear. That I could do.

“Sir, call me if you can. We may have more information from the medical truck attack, the victims want to speak with you.”

I paused, unsure if I should wait until Dominic returned to tell him or if that might be too late. The other alternative crossed my mind, and I quickly typed back in what I hoped seemed like Dominic’s no-nonsense tone.

“I’m sending Mira.”

Wasting no time, I packed a small bag and left.