Chapter 204: Chapter 204 The Price of Choices
Elara
I regretted every single decision that led me to agree to this honeymoon with Dominic.
This wasn’t a honeymoon. This was torture.
"No more, Dominic," I breathed, melting into his arms.
He caught my earlobe between his teeth, his voice a low rumble. "How can we stop now?"
I didn’t have the strength to answer. He’d already taken everything.
He flipped me onto my stomach, his mouth trailing down my spine. When he bit down just above my ass, I gasped. Then he soothed it with his tongue, and I melted all over again.
"Dominic—" My voice broke as he sank into me from behind.
Slow. Deep. Deliberate. He pulled out almost all the way, then pushed back in just as slow, making me feel every second.
"That’s it," he growled. "Let me hear you."
And I did. I couldn’t help it. His hand wrapped around my throat—not squeezing, just holding. His other hand gripped my hip. I wanted him to leave marks. I wanted to feel him tomorrow.
I shattered around him with a cry that was half pleasure, half surrender. He followed moments later, burying his face in my shoulder, his breath hot against my skin.
For a long moment, neither of us moved. We just stayed there, connected, breathing each other in.
"You’re a lot more honest down there than that pretty mouth of yours, wife."
I was too exhausted to even curse him. "Husband," I whispered. "Please. Have mercy."
Dominic groaned. "Baby, are you trying to kill me?"
He kissed away my tears. "Alright. I hear you."
He pulled out slowly. I whimpered at the emptiness.
"I’ll try," he said. "Just give me one more hour."
One hour turned into two. Two turned into the entire night.
--
By the time we stumbled out of bed the next morning, my legs were shaking so badly I could barely stand. Dominic caught me before I could collapse, his grin infuriatingly smug.
"Easy there, Mrs. Wolfe."
I shot him a glare sharp enough to draw blood.
He just laughed, scooping me up like I weighed nothing. "I know, I know. Your husband will carry you."
The heat between us was relentless. Every touch ignited something I couldn’t control. The bond hummed beneath my skin, urging me closer, deeper, harder. It was maddening. It was addictive. It was everything I’d never known I wanted.
And Dominic knew exactly how to use it against me.
Ten days. Ten entire days. I’d almost forgotten we were supposed to be at the beach.
But at least Dominic had been responsible in one area. Every single time, without fail, he’d made sure we were protected.
All because I’d said I wasn’t ready for kids yet.
By the time we boarded the plane home, my legs were still trembling. I shot Dominic a withering look as he guided me up the steps.
He smirked, completely unbothered. "I’ve got you, wife."
The pilot glanced over, probably assuming I was just being dramatic.
If only he knew.
Author
The first day back in the States, Elara got the news.
Selina was sentenced to life in wolf prison. No parole. No appeals. No second chances.
Elara stared at her phone, her chest tight.
She wasn’t surprised. You bring a bomb to a mating ceremony, you don’t get to walk. If Selina had succeeded, innocent people would have died.
Pack members. Families. Kids. She let jealousy eat her alive until there was nothing left but bad decisions.
And for what? A man.
All of it, every lie, every scheme, every twisted choice, because of Zack Blackwood. A guy who didn’t even love her back.
A guy who used her as a political prop and tossed her aside when things got messy.
Elara still didn’t get it. What had she ever done to deserve that kind of hate?
They grew up in the same house. Shared a last name. Shared a dinner table.
And Selina still threw her whole life away trying to destroy her.
Over a man who was never hers to begin with.
"Stop looking at that."
Alpha Dominic grabbed the phone from her hands. His jaw was tight. "She made her choices. She gets what she deserves."
"Alpha Enzo is smarter than I gave him credit for," Elara muttered. "He shipped Anthony out of the country the second things went south."
Alpha Dominic’s eyes went cold. "He thinks distance will save him."
It wouldn’t. There were too many ways to make someone disappear. Quiet. Permanent. No trace. No questions.
Even if Anthony was her half brother, even if they shared blood, Alpha Dominic wouldn’t hesitate.
If someone threatened his mate’s life, he would end the threat before it had a chance to grow.
--
The news about Selina spread fast. Sophie heard it, and she fell apart.
She went straight to Tommy, sobbing, begging him to save her.
"Dad, please. You have to help me. Alpha King is going to kill me. I know it."
She wasn’t wrong to be scared. Selina was Nadia’s stepdaughter. She had connections, status, a family name that meant something in pack politics. And Alpha Dominic still crushed her like she was nothing. He didn’t blink. He didn’t hesitate.
Sophie had assault charges. A few months in county jail, at most. But she was convinced she wouldn’t make it out alive.
Tommy was at his wit’s end. "You brought this on yourself! What do you expect me to do? I will apologize to Alpha King again. But you need to keep your head down and behave in there. Understand?"
Sophie’s mother stood beside him. Her eyes were red. Her voice was soft. "Be careful, Sophie. Please."
But under the tears, there was something else in her face. Something cold. Something bitter.
Tommy didn’t see it. He was already moving, already on his way to find Alpha Dominic.
After a long and humiliating wait, he got his meeting.
Alpha Dominic wasn’t interested.
Within ten days, Tommy’s company bled out. Investors pulled their money. Contracts fell through. His reputation tanked so fast it was almost impressive.
"Alpha Dominic, please," Tommy begged. His voice cracked. "I am Elara’s uncle. We made mistakes. I know that. But please, have mercy on us."
Alpha Dominic’s eyes were ice. "Mercy?"
He let the word hang in the air.
"That depends on my mood."
He signaled his driver. The car pulled away. Tommy stayed on his knees on the pavement, alone.
