Chapter 216: Chapter 216 The Misunderstanding
Author
Elara hadn’t given Alpha Dominic a single decent look in days.
But the second they pulled up to the Wolfe estate, she slipped her hand into his like it was second nature.
Alpha Dominic raised an eyebrow. "Luna Wolfe. I thought you weren’t talking to me."
Elara stared straight ahead. Didn’t even blink.
He clicked his tongue. "Come on. What exactly are you mad about?"
The moment they walked through the front door, she dropped his hand like it was nothing. "Dad, we’re home."
Alpha Dominic stood there. Empty-handed. Dismissed.
Alpha Hunter looked up from his chair. His face lit up when he saw Elara. "There she is. Come sit down. Yardley is bringing his girlfriend over later. Thought they broke up, honestly. Haven’t seen Nancy around in a while."
"Glad they worked it out," Elara said. Polite. Distant. Perfect.
She didn’t look at Alpha Dominic once.
She said a few pleasant words to Nancy when she showed up. Kept it light. Kept it safe.
She thought she was hiding it well.
She wasn’t.
Alpha Hunter noticed. Yardley noticed. Hell, even the houseplants probably noticed.
"Did you do something to your mate?" Alpha Hunter asked Alpha Dominic later, genuinely confused.
Alpha Dominic crossed his arms. "She’s not pissed. We’re fine."
"She put exactly one piece of lettuce on your plate at dinner. And it was wilted."
"She’s watching her figure."
"That was a declaration of war, son."
Alpha Dominic shoved his hands in his pockets. "We’re fine.
--
Out in the garden, Nancy finally got a moment alone with Orion.
He was working on a puzzle, small hands moving pieces around with careful focus. "Nancy? You’re really nice to me. I wish you could be my mom."
The words hit her like a truck.
Her blood went loud in her ears. Her chest tightened.
She wanted to say it.[ I am your mom. ]
The words were right there, sitting on her tongue.
But she couldn’t.
Orion’s face fell. He must have realized he said too much. "Sorry. I didn’t mean anything by it. I was just saying."
Nancy swallowed hard. "Hey." Her voice came out softer than she expected. "How about this? For one hour today, I’ll be your mom. Would that be okay?"
Orion’s head snapped up. His eyes went wide. "What? Like... I can call you Mom?"
Even if it was just one hour. Even if it was pretend. He wanted to know what it felt like.
Nancy smiled. It wobbled at the edges. "Yeah. You can."
She wanted it just as much as he did. Maybe more.
Then it came. Clear. Bright. Loud enough to crack something open inside her.
"Mom!"
Nancy bit down on her lip. Hard. She forced the tears back. Not now. Not yet.
"Yeah, sweetheart," she whispered. "Good boy."
Orion threw his arms around her. His small body shook with excitement. "Mom! I have a mom today!"
Across the garden, Yardley stood in the shadows. His face gave nothing away. But his eyes never left the two figures holding each other in the moonlight.
"Well, well." Dominic’s voice cut through from behind him. "Big brother. You’re really out here sneaking around watching your girlfriend?"
Yardley didn’t turn around. His voice was cold. Flat. "Don’t you have anything better to do?"
Alpha Dominic shrugged. "Maybe you should focus on fixing things with your own woman before worrying about mine."
Yardley finally glanced at him. "Right. Because you’re doing such a great job with yours."
---
On the drive back, Alpha Dominic pressed his lips together, looking like a kicked puppy. "Luna. You still mad at me?"
"I’m not mad," Elara said.
Flat. Empty. The kind of tone that made Alpha Dominic want to punch a wall.
Charlie was still driving, so Alpha Dominic kept it together. Barely. But the second the car rolled into the garage of their house, his patience gave out.
"Out," he said.
Elara unbuckled and reached for the door handle.
She didn’t make it.
An arm hooked around her waist and pulled her clean out of her seat. She landed in his lap, hard. His teeth caught her earlobe, breath hot against her skin. "I didn’t say you could go anywhere. We’re not done."
Charlie was already gone. Smart man.
Elara twisted in his grip. "Let me go."
"Keep moving like that," he murmured, voice low, "and I won’t be responsible for what happens next. Right here. Right now."
She went still.
She looked up at him. Calm. Careful. "I want to get out."
"Then tell me." His amber eyes locked onto hers. "What’s been eating you alive for the past three days?"
She didn’t want to say it. At first, it hadn’t been that bad. But the more he dodged her questions about what happened overseas, the colder she got.
She had given him everything. Every wall down. Every secret out.
And he was still hiding from her.
And then there was Vanessa. That woman’s words had crawled under her skin like poison. No matter how hard she tried to shake them off, they stayed.
She turned her face away. "I said I’m not mad."
Alpha Dominic reached up and pinched both her cheeks between his fingers. "Not mad? You’re puffing up like a blowfish. Babe. I’m trying to fix this. Tell me what I did, and I’ll make it right. I swear."
He was trying. He was actually trying.
But Elara wasn’t ready.
Her face went red. The words came out before she could stop them. "Why bother fixing things with me? Why don’t you just go find Dr. Reed?"
Her chest was heaving. Her eyes were bright. "Tell me the truth. Did you marry me because I look like her?"
Alpha Dominic almost laughed.
That’s what this was about.
She was jealous. Jealous of a ghost from his past.
