Chapter 165: Chapter 165 Hidden Marks
Elara
I was terrified that Dominic would take advantage of Grandma being away to have sex with me more often.
It’s not like I didn’t want to have sex with him. The problem was that I’d hurt for days after.
Thank God, for two nights in a row, he was good. He’d just cuddle me and kiss me before going to sleep.
On Friday, Dominic handed me a wedding invitation. "My friend’s getting married. Remember Marcus from that card game? The one who lost big? Come with me tomorrow?"
I thought back to Marcus getting destroyed that night and couldn’t help but laugh. "Sure. Do we need to bring a gift?"
The man smiled. "Nope. I already wrote him a big check. That guy only cares about money."
When Dominic showed up at the wedding with his arm around my waist, everyone stared at us.
Marcus ran over and hit Dominic’s shoulder. "Dominic! You actually came! I thought you’d ditch me!"
"Elara,I heard your wedding’s next month. Cool to meet you early."
Dominic stepped closer, pulling me slightly behind him.
"Alright, go away now. You’re married. Act like it. Your wife’s watching from behind us." His voice turned cold.
Marcus rolled his eyes. "Chill out, Dominic. I’m just saying hi to your wife."
"Elara, let me tell you, Dominic’s only been settled down these past few years. Back in college, I’m not kidding when I say girls asking him out lined up all the way to the school entrance. Guy was like a magnet."
I looked at his handsome face. I could totally picture his popular look back then, making all the girls crazy.
Marcus kept going. "But he never dated anyone. Made everyone think he was—"
"Marcus, shut up." Dominic cut him off before he could finish.
"Yeah, yeah." Marcus knew he messed up. "Elara, don’t get the wrong idea. Dominic never hooked up with anyone at school. So people started saying our Dominic liked guys."
I gave the man a smart look. That was probably exactly what he wanted people to think.
I didn’t take it seriously, and after some small talk, I followed Dominic into the party room to sit down.
Author
When Dominic went to the bathroom, Elara played on her phone. Suddenly, she caught bits of conversation from two seats over.
"Logan, tell us what Dominic had you tattoo back then. What was it? I’m dying of curiosity."
"Shut up. If you’re so curious, go ask him yourself." Logan answered flatly. He glanced toward Elara’s direction, relaxing only when he saw she wasn’t looking their way.
[Good. She hadn’t heard.]
Logan still remembered three years ago when Alpha Dominic had shown up totally wasted, pointing at his chest and demanding a tattoo.
He’d thought he was dreaming when Alpha Dominic showed up.
Logan felt like Elara had glanced their way when they were talking, but she’d quickly looked away again. He couldn’t be sure, so he stood up and headed to the bathroom to find Dominic.
He bumped into Alpha Dominic just as he was coming out.
Dominic dried his hands, raising an eyebrow slightly. "What? Looking for me?"
Logan grinned awkwardly. "Dominic, Sam just asked about your tattoo, and I think Elara might have heard us."
"I was worried Elara might get the wrong idea, so I came to tell you."
Alpha Dominic smiled calmly. "Wrong idea about what?"
Logan stumbled over his words. "Well... you haven’t had that tattoo removed yet, have you?"
--
After graduating from Alpha Academy, Logan, being the youngest son in his family with no pressure placed upon him, had opened a small tattoo shop based on personal interest.
Most of his classmates had gone on to become high-ranking wolves in major packs or joined the border patrol hunting rogues. A few even landed positions in the Werewolf Council.
But Logan? He just wanted to draw on people’s skin.
His family thought he was wasting his Alpha Academy education, but Logan didn’t care.
He’d rather ink wolves’ pack symbols and mate marks than spend his life chasing criminals through the forest.
He’d been quite surprised when Alpha Dominic contacted him.
Logan and Alpha Dominic weren’t particularly close. Logan was preparing to close up shop when he received Dominic’s call. When Alpha Dominic arrived, he reeked of alcohol.
"Dominic, how much have you had to drink?"
Dominic slapped Logan’s shoulder. "I want a tattoo. Here. Can you do it?"
Alpha Dominic pointed at his chest.
Logan hesitated. That spot had enough skin, but he usually didn’t recommend it. Plus, most Alphas preferred tattoos on their arms or back-places that showed dominance.
He suggested, "Dominic, what about just below the collarbone instead? It’s close to your chest, hidden, and easy to show off when you want to."
Despite being completely drunk, Dominic went along with it. "Whatever you say."
"So what do you want tattooed?"
Alpha Dominic wrote down two letters. "D.E. Yeah, tattoo this."
Logan couldn’t tell if it was his imagination, but when Alpha Dominic wrote those letters, the pen seemed to shake in his hand. For such a powerful Alpha to be trembling like this...
His first thought was that Alpha Dominic had gotten his heart broken.
But as he thought about it, Logan couldn’t help wondering what kind of person could make an Alpha like this feel such pain.
Most wolves would never dare cross someone of Dominic’s status.
As a professional tattoo artist, though, he knew better than to ask personal questions.
Logan said nothing more and opened his equipment. "Dominic, this spot’s going to hurt some. Hang in there."
And what had Alpha Dominic said then? A quiet, bitter laugh. "Nothing could hurt more than today already has."
Logan didn’t ask.
When he finished, Dominic paid him despite Logan’s attempts to refuse.
The drunk man who’d entered left with steady steps, as if he’d sobered up completely.
Logan figured as long as Alpha Dominic didn’t give him trouble later, that was fine. Once tattooed, even laser removal would leave scars.
A few months later, tabloids were full of stories about Dominic’s late-night flings with young models.
Back in school, Logan had been pretty sure Dominic was gay-the guy never looked at women, only hung around male friends. But now seeing him with all these female models? Logan figured Dominic must swing both ways.
Guess when you’re that rich and powerful, you can have whoever you want.
