Bound by Contract to the Alpha Chapter 89

Dominic's POV

I dressed quickly and left the villa, heading for the private forest preserve nearby. The night air was cool against my skin, but I barely noticed it. My blood was on fire, my heart racing with a primal energy that demanded release.

The marking had changed everything. The bond that I had tried so hard to deny was now fully formed, irrevocable. I could feel her presence even now, a warm pulse at the edge of my consciousness.

As soon as I reached the dense cover of trees, I stripped off my clothes and surrendered to the change. It was faster than usual, almost painless, as if my body was eager for the transformation. One moment I was a man; the next, a massive wolf with deep gray fur that gleamed silver in the moonlight.

I ran through the forest, reveling in the surge of power that coursed through my veins. Every sense was heightened, every instinct sharper. I could smell prey animals a mile away, hear the rustle of leaves in the gentlest breeze, sense the presence of other predators long before they would detect me.

But most importantly, I could feel the bond with Rebecca—a golden thread that connected us across the distance, pulsing with life and energy. I lifted my head to the moon and howled, a sound of pure joy that echoed through the trees.

She had accepted the bond. My mate. My little doe.

I ran for hours, the exhilaration of the bond and the freedom of my wolf form a heady combination. It was only as dawn approached that I turned back toward the villa, shifting back to human form at the edge of the property.

As I dressed in the clothes I had left there, I realized the full implications of what had happened. Rebecca had marked me, forming a true mate bond—but she likely had no idea what she had done. She didn't know the significance of that instinctive bite, didn't understand that she had bound herself to me in a way that transcended human understanding.

I needed to explain it to her, to help her understand what it meant for both of us. But that conversation would have to wait. For now, I just wanted to hold her, to feel her beside me and know that she was truly mine.

---

When I returned to the bedroom, Rebecca was still asleep, her chestnut curls fanned across the cream-colored pillow like a halo. Her lips were slightly parted, eyelashes casting delicate shadows on her cheeks in the dawn light. I carefully slipped under the covers beside her, the mattress dipping slightly with my weight. Drawing her into my arms, I felt her unconsciously shift toward my warmth, one hand curling against my chest while her head found its place in the crook of my neck. She fit against me perfectly, her soft curves melding into the hard planes of my body, as if she had been designed specifically to complement me.

In sleep, she instinctively curled into me, seeking my warmth. I watched her breathe, marveling at how this small human woman had so completely upended my carefully ordered life.

I must have dozed off, because the next thing I knew, sunlight was streaming through the windows and Rebecca was stirring in my arms. Her eyes fluttered open, confusion momentarily clouding them before recognition set in.

"Morning," she murmured, her voice husky with sleep.

I pulled her closer, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Good morning, Becca."

She looked up at me, studying my face with curious intensity. "You seem... different."

I couldn't help the smile that tugged at my lips. I felt different—lighter, more complete, as if a piece of me that had been missing had finally clicked into place.

"Do I?" I asked, tracing the curve of her cheek with my thumb.

She nodded, her gaze dropping to my lips. "Less... broody."

I laughed at that—a genuine laugh that surprised even me. "I don't brood."

"You absolutely do," she countered, a smile spreading across her face. "You're the broodiest brooder who ever brooded."

Instead of responding with words, I captured her lips in a kiss that started gentle but quickly deepened. I could kiss her for hours and never tire of the taste of her, the feel of her soft lips against mine, the little sounds she made when I did something she particularly enjoyed.

We spent the morning in bed, alternating between passionate embraces and comfortable silence. It was a kind of peace I had rarely experienced—a stillness of the soul that I hadn't known I was missing.

Eventually, though, the real world intruded. My phone buzzed with messages from Marcus about pack business that couldn't be delayed. I reluctantly left the warmth of the bed to prepare for the day.

As I dressed, Rebecca watched me from beneath the covers, her eyes following my movements with undisguised appreciation. The possessiveness I felt when I caught her gaze was tempered now by something else—a certainty, a sense of rightness that hadn't been there before.

Before leaving, I returned to the bed and kissed her deeply, my hand cradling the back of her neck where my mark still showed, a purple-red bruise against her fair skin. My thumb brushed over it, a surge of satisfaction flowing through me at the visible sign of my claim.

"Tonight," I said, my voice low and serious, "we need to talk."

Rebecca frowned slightly, a flicker of worry crossing her features. "About what?"

My finger traced the line of her jaw, memorizing the feel of her skin. "You've changed me, little doe. More than you know."

Her confusion was evident in the furrow of her brow, but I didn't elaborate. This conversation needed time—time I didn't have at the moment.

As I turned to leave, she called after me: "Dominic? What happened? You look... you seem so different."

I paused at the door, considering how much to reveal. "We'll talk tonight," I promised, offering her a smile that felt unfamiliar on my face—open, genuine, without the usual guards and defenses.

With that, I left, already counting the hours until I could return to her.

---

Rebecca's POV

I watched the door close behind Dominic, my mind spinning with questions. Something had changed between us last night—something profound that I couldn't quite put my finger on. The way he looked at me this morning, the tenderness in his touch, the openness in his expression... it was as if a wall had come down, revealing a Dominic I'd only glimpsed in rare, unguarded moments.

I unconsciously licked my lips, remembering the impulsive urge to bite his neck when I lost control last night, and felt my face flush with heat. The memory of our night together sent a pleasant shiver through me, but it was overshadowed by the nagging feeling that I was missing something important.

We need to talk, he'd said. About what? The seriousness in his tone suggested something significant, but his demeanor had been so... content. Not at all like someone about to deliver bad news.

I sighed, pushing aside the covers and heading for the shower. There was no point in obsessing over it now—I'd find out tonight. In the meantime, I had the whole day ahead of me, and for once, I didn't feel like brooding over the complexities of my relationship with Dominic or the limitations of the contract.

For today, I would simply exist in the moment.

After my shower, I was toweling my hair dry when my phone rang. Seeing Sofia's name on the screen, I answered immediately.

"Hey, Sophia. What's up?"

Her voice came through strained. "Becca, I need to tell you something serious. Dylan... he's out. He came to see me yesterday..."

I froze, the towel slipping from my grasp. Dylan Hurst—the man who had threatened me in the hospital garden, the man Sofia had helped expose for blackmailing women.

"He threatened me at the hospital too," I said, my voice steady despite the sudden chill that ran through me. "In the garden."

Sofia's sharp intake of breath was audible through the phone. "Why didn't you tell me? Or Dominic?"

I sank onto the edge of the bed. "I didn't want to worry anyone. Dominic has enough on his plate with pack business, and you... you've already done so much to help me."

"Becca, this is serious," Sofia insisted. "If he's targeting both of us, he's planning something. We need to be careful."

"What did he say to you?" I asked, dreading the answer.

"Mostly that he was going to make us both regret crossing him. He was... different. Colder, more calculated than before." She paused. "I think we should meet and talk about this in person. Are you free for lunch?"