Chapter 192: Chapter 192 The Trial 1
Elara
Last night had wrecked me in the best possible way.
Dominic had been relentless, and I could still feel the ghost of his hands on my skin, the weight of his claim on every inch of me.
This morning, I’d barely surfaced from sleep when his voice pulled me back to the world, his mouth brushing my temple like a promise.
Now we were parked outside some high-end jewelry boutique, and I was still too sex-drunk to ask questions.
"We’re upgrading," Dominic said, cutting the engine. "Next time some asshole tries to jack your ring, we’ll make sure the felony charge actually sticks."
I shot him a look. "There won’t be a next time. This baby’s not leaving my finger. Happy?"
His mouth tilted into that cocky grin I’d fallen for. "Sweetheart, I’m not worried about you losing it. I’m worried about idiots thinking they can take what’s mine."
Mine. The word hit me right in the chest.
The moment we walked through the doors, security locked them behind us. The manager glided over like we were royalty.
"Mr. and Mrs. Wolfe, what an absolute pleasure. We’ve been expecting you."
I side-eyed Dominic. "You called ahead, didn’t you?"
He gave me that look—the one that said he’d been three steps ahead since before I’d even opened my eyes this morning. "Show us what you’ve got."
"Of course, sir."
The manager returned with a black velvet tray, handling it like it contained the Crown Jewels. "Mrs. Wolfe, our master jeweler finished these custom pieces just for you. Shall we?"
Dominic’s ring was matte black titanium with sapphires that caught the light like chips of midnight sky.
Mine was a showstopper—a teardrop sapphire surrounded by diamonds that looked like someone had captured actual starlight.
Our names were etched inside in flowing script.
His bold and commanding. Mine elegant and fierce. Complete opposites that somehow made perfect sense together.
These rings made our original wedding bands look like something from a Cracker Jack box.
"Well?" Dominic’s amber eyes searched my face.
My throat went tight. "They’re gorgeous."
That was all he needed. He took my left hand and slid the ring home himself, his touch careful, reverent. "Then they’re yours."
When I caught sight of the receipt, I nearly choked on my own spit.
"Holy shit. We just spent more on rings than most people make in a lifetime."
Dominic shrugged like he’d just bought coffee. "Let some punk try to steal these. I’ll personally make sure they get the full decade in federal prison."
I didn’t know whether to laugh or hyperventilate. Between the first ring and this one, I was never taking jewelry off again. Ever.
"Want to keep shopping?" he asked.
I shook my head so fast I probably looked like a bobblehead. "Nope. Office. Now."
Four days until our real wedding, and I still had a mountain of work to bulldoze through before I could walk down that aisle without my phone buzzing every five seconds.
Author
They barely made it to the parking garage when Elara spotted him.
Alpha Zack stood about ten feet from their BMW, pacing nervously. The moment he saw Dominic, something in his posture shifted. His shoulders tensed, and he took an unconscious step back.
Dominic’s presence filled the space like a storm front. "Get in the car, sweetheart."
Zack’s eyes darted between them, settling on Elara with desperate intensity. "Elara, please. Just five minutes."
He didn’t approach the car. Something primal was keeping him at a distance.
She slid into the passenger seat without acknowledging him.
"You want to say something to my mate?" Dominic’s voice was conversational, almost friendly. Which somehow made it ten times more terrifying.
Alpha Zack swallowed hard. "I just... Selina’s trial is tomorrow. This whole thing has gone too far."
"Has it?" Alpha Dominic tilted his head, studying Alpha Zack like he was a particularly interesting insect. "Your girlfriend committed multiple felonies. The justice system is working exactly as intended."
Zack’s hands clenched at his sides, but he didn’t dare step closer. "She’s facing serious time because of—"
"Because of her own choices." Alpha Dominic’s smile was sharp as a blade. "I’d be more worried about whether you’re next on the investigation list, Zack Blackwood."
The color drained from Zack’s face.
He wasn’t really defending Selina.
Elara could hear it in his voice. This was a trap. He wanted to make her angry. He wanted any reaction at all.
But Elara had stopped caring about Alpha Zack a long time ago.
She rolled up the window without saying anything.
Alpha Dominic got in the driver’s seat and hit the gas hard. The car shot forward.
Alpha Zack had been leaning on the window. He fell face first onto the concrete.
Elara watched him in the side mirror. He was on the ground looking angry.
"Her trial is really tomorrow?" she asked. She looked at Dominic’s face.
"Yeah." He looked at her. "Want to go watch?"
"Yes."
She wouldn’t miss this for anything.
