Bound by Contract to the Alpha Chapter 10

Rebecca's POV

I froze, my stomach twisting into a knot as William's familiar scent reached me before I even turned around. Taking a shaky breath, I pivoted slowly to face him. He was striding toward us with purposeful steps, jaw clenched tight, eyes burning with barely contained rage. The sight made my heart hammer against my ribs.

"Keep walking," Sofia whispered urgently, her fingers digging into my arm. "Just ignore him."

But it was too late. William closed the distance between us in seconds, his hand shooting out to grip my upper arm. His fingers dug into my flesh as he yanked me around to face him. I could smell the expensive perfume he always wore, now mingled with anger and something wilder beneath.

"Running away again?" he snarled, his face inches from mine. "That seems to be your specialty lately."

"Let go of me," I said, struggling to keep my voice steady while adrenaline coursed through my veins. My skin crawled where he touched me.

"Not until we talk about what you've done," William said, his voice dropping to that dangerous whisper I'd learned to fear. "You've ruined everything. Because of you, I'll never become a true Delta now."

I jerked my arm free, anger flaring hot in my chest, drowning out the fear. "Go to hell."

The slap came before I could react, his palm connecting with my cheek with a crack that seemed to echo through the parking lot. My head snapped sideways, skin burning from the impact. I staggered back, more shocked that he'd actually hit me than hurt by the blow itself.

"You owe me," he growled, advancing toward me again. His eyes flickered between normal and something more feral. "For everything I've done for you, for the wedding I paid for that you ruined."

Sofia stepped between us, her small frame somehow looking fearless. "Back off, William. There are security cameras everywhere."

William's gaze shifted to her, his lips curling. "You're next, bitch. Don't think I've forgotten your role in all this."

"My role?" Sofia stood her ground despite being considerably shorter than William. "You mean supporting my friend after you betrayed her?"

William grabbed my arm again, his fingers bruising as he yanked me toward him. My shoulder wrenched painfully. "I betrayed her? She's the one who spread her legs for another wolf while we were still mated!"

The crude accusation made my face burn with humiliation and rage. "I did that after I discovered you've been lying to my face for years," I shot back, my voice cracking. "I just chose not to look at your lying, cheating face anymore."

"You're no better than me," William hissed, his breath hot against my face. "I felt your betrayal through our mate bond when you fucked him." His grip tightened until I had to bite my lip to keep from crying out. "You owe me for every penny I lost on that canceled wedding."

"But you cheated on me," I said, tears pricking behind my eyes. "You have a son."

Something dangerous flashed in William's eyes as they shifted, amber darkening to a more feral gold, pupils elongating slightly—not fully wolf, but no longer entirely human.

"You stupid, ungrateful bitch," he snarled, twisting my wrist until pain shot up my arm.

In one brutal movement, he shoved me backward. I stumbled, my spine slamming against a concrete pillar. Pain exploded across my shoulder blades, knocking the breath from my lungs. I slid down, legs buckling beneath me.

Sofia rushed forward. "Stop it, William! Have you lost your mind?"

William backhanded her with such force that she spun before catching herself against a parked car. Three bloody scratches appeared on her cheekbone where his nails—now slightly longer, sharper—had connected.

---

"Enough!"

The command cut through the parking lot like thunder. Deep, resonant, filled with primal authority that made something inside me instantly respond.

I looked up through strands of hair that had fallen across my face. Dominic Sterling stood ten feet away, his tall figure radiating power even in casual clothes. The navy henley he wore stretched across his broad shoulders, the sleeves pushed up to reveal muscular forearms. My pulse jumped at the sight of him.

"This is not the place or time to settle your personal disputes," Dominic continued, his voice low but carrying. His eyes briefly met mine, a flash of blue so intense I couldn't look away. "All of you, leave. Now."

William's demeanor changed instantly. The wildness in his eyes receded, and he straightened, smoothing his shirt with visibly trembling hands.

"Future Alpha," he said, his tone suddenly respectful, almost subservient. "I apologize for the disturbance. My mate betrayed me, and I lost my temper—"

"I don't care about your excuses," Dominic cut him off. "This is a public place with human witnesses. Control yourself, or the Council will hear about this."

William paled visibly. "Yes, of course. I'm leaving."

He shot me one last venomous look before turning and walking away, shoulders rigid with barely contained rage.

I remained slumped against the pillar, pain throbbing through my shoulder and wrist. Sofia crouched beside me, blood trickling from the scratches on her face.

"Thank you," I said softly to Dominic, meeting his eyes again. Something flickered in those deep blue depths—recognition, confusion, and something that made my skin warm despite the pain.

"Can you stand?" he asked, his voice carefully neutral, though his gaze lingered on me a moment too long.

I nodded, using the pillar to push myself upright, unable to suppress a wince.

Dominic's gaze shifted to Sofia, taking in her injuries. "Those need to be cleaned properly. Werewolf scratches can cause infection in humans."

"We'll go to the hospital," I began, but Dominic shook his head.

"Get in my car," he said, nodding toward a sleek black Maybach. "I'll take you to have those wounds treated."

"That's not necessary," I protested, my heart rate increasing at the thought of being alone with him again. My body remembered his touch all too vividly.

"And wait hours in the emergency room?" Dominic's tone left no room for argument. "My clinic is ten minutes away. Get in the car."

Sofia and I exchanged glances. She nodded slightly, and we followed Dominic to his car. He opened the rear door, his fingers brushing mine as he helped me in. That brief contact sent a jolt through me.

As he drove, I watched his profile from the back seat, studying the strong line of his jaw, the way his hands gripped the steering wheel. Memories of our night together surfaced unbidden—those same hands moving over my skin, his mouth hot against my neck. I shifted uncomfortably, my body betraying me with a flush of heat.

The clinic was in an upscale part of the city. Inside, Dominic arranged for a nurse to take Sofia to treat her scratches. Before I could follow, his hand touched my elbow, sending another ripple of awareness through me.

"You need to be examined too," he said, his voice lower than before. "That shoulder took a hard hit."

He led me to a private examination room, his palm resting lightly against my lower back. Each step seemed to heighten my awareness of him—his scent, his proximity, the subtle heat radiating from his body.

The click of the door closing behind us sounded final somehow. Dominic turned to face me, his eyes lingering on my face, then slowly traveling down my body in a way that made my breath catch. I felt exposed under his gaze, though fully clothed.

He seemed to be scenting the air, his nostrils flaring slightly. Did he remember how I smelled? How we smelled together?

"So," Dominic said finally, his lips curving slightly. "We meet again."