Chosen by the Beast Alpha

Chapter 26: Chapter 26

There were twenty-nine days left until Dominic Voss’s full-moon shift. That number hung over the Bloodmoon Pack like some giant countdown clock everyone could hear ticking in the back of their minds.

I could feel it too—the whole pack was wrapped in this heavy tension. The usual joking around on the training grounds had vanished, replaced by sharp commands and the clang of weapons smacking against each other. Patrol shifts had doubled, and everyone moved around with tight jaws and grim faces.

While I walked through the residential area, whispers drifted to my ears whether I liked it or not.

"Which time is this? Eighth?"

"Ninth. If it goes wrong again..."

"I heard the closer he gets to thirty, the harder that monster inside is to control. Last year he almost snapped the chains."

"That omega’s supposed to help him? Yeah right."

I sped up, hoping to leave the gossip behind—only to turn a corner and run straight into Ivy. She was in a sleek black bodysuit, blonde hair pulled back so tight it probably hurt, and she wore that smug little smile she’d basically patented.

"Oh, look who it is. Our glorious Luna," she drawled. "Ready to be the sacrifice?"

I stopped and met her eyes, keeping my tone calm. "Ivy, you said the exact same thing the first day I arrived. Funny thing is—I’m still standing here. And Dominic actually respects me now."

Her smile vanished in a heartbeat. "You think that makes you special? You’re just a stand-in. Temporary."

"Really?" I gave her a light, almost bored smile. "Then how come Dominic can’t even remember your name? What was it last time? Amy? Or Ella?"

Her face flushed bright red. She lifted her hand, ready to slap me, but I stepped back fast and knocked her arm away before she could touch me.

"Don’t lay a finger on me." My voice came out colder than I expected. "Figure out who you are, Ivy."

Her glare could’ve cut steel. "Don’t get cocky, omega. In less than a month, that monster will tear you apart. And when he does, I’ll make sure your body gets cleaned up."

With that, she stormed off, heels stabbing angrily against the pavement.

I took a long breath, then headed toward the training grounds. I needed to toughen up—at least enough so I wouldn’t be completely helpless on the full-moon night.

Daniel was in the middle of showing a group of young wolves some combat drills when he noticed me. He called for a break, then walked over.

"Lena? What are you doing out here?"

"Daniel, can you teach me some basic fighting skills?" I asked, straight to the point.

He froze for a second. "You want to learn fighting? What brought that on all of a sudden?"

"I need to be able to protect myself." I kept it simple. "I’ve never trained before. My father never let me touch anything like combat training. He thought an omega should just stay home and do chores. But now... I want to learn."

Daniel glanced around at the other wolves nearby, then nodded. "Alright. But I can only teach you basic self-defense. Real combat’s way too risky for an omega."

For the next hour, Daniel showed me some simple evasion moves and a handful of basic defensive techniques. I was clumsy as hell, but at least I didn’t feel completely helpless anymore.

When we wrapped up, the two of us sat on the bench by the training grounds to cool down.

"Daniel," I hesitated, but finally asked, "on the full moon... does Dominic really lose control that completely?"

Daniel’s expression tightened. "Every year on that night, Dominic goes fully feral. We chain him up in the basement, but even then, he’ll fight those chains like a wild animal."

He paused, voice dropping. "Last year he almost broke out. The chains were warped, and the walls were covered in claw marks. If we hadn’t reinforced the restraints..."

The image hit me hard—Dominic bound in cold chains, trapped in the dark, thrashing and roaring like something torn out of a nightmare, his mind completely gone. My chest clenched just thinking about it.

"Does... does it hurt him?" I whispered.

"A lot." Daniel’s tone softened. "The transformation feels like your soul is being ripped apart. And afterward, he remembers nothing. Waking up to all the destruction he caused... the guilt eats him alive."

I squeezed my eyes shut. No one should have to go through something like that—especially not alone.

When I got home, I made up my mind. I was going to cook Dominic a big dinner. Maybe I couldn’t ease the pain he’d face on the full moon, but I could at least give him something warm on the days before it.

I spent two hours in the kitchen, making his favorites—roasted lamb chops, garlic pasta, and a simple veggie salad. By the time Dominic returned from patrol, the entire place smelled amazing.

He stepped into the dining room and stopped when he saw the neatly set table and steaming dishes. Surprise flickered in his eyes.

"You made all this?" he asked.

I nodded, suddenly nervous. "I just thought... we should try to be more like real mates."

Dominic walked up to the table but didn’t sit. Instead, he fixed me with that sharp, guarded stare of his.

"Why bother?" His voice was ice-cold. "You didn’t poison it, did you? That’d be an easy way to avoid dealing with me when I lose control."

His words hit me like a punch, anger flaring under my skin. But I didn’t argue. I just grabbed a fork, took a big bite of the pasta, then sampled the lamb and the salad right in front of him.

"Satisfied now?" I stared at him, my eyes brimming with tears. "If you really can’t trust me, then just pretend I never did any of this."

Dominic froze for a second, something complicated flickering through his eyes. After a long moment, he finally sank into his chair and picked up the knife and fork.

"Tastes good," he said—short, clipped.

His tone was still cold, but at least he was eating the meal I made. That tiny bit of progress sent a faint warmth spreading through my chest.

Maybe... maybe we still had a chance.

I lifted my glass, hope shining in my eyes. "Cheers. Here’s to us moving forward."

Red wine scented the air, mixing with the soft glow of candlelight that made the quiet night feel almost romantic. I watched Dominic, his profile sharp and mesmerizing under the warm light.

My impulse won out over caution. I leaned in slowly, my fingers brushing his cheek, and pressed my lips to his. His lips were warm and soft, carrying the faintest hint of wine.

For the first few seconds, he just froze, stunned by my sudden boldness. I could feel the subtle shift in his body, even the unmistakable response from him. His breathing hitched, growing uneven, and a spark of hope flared inside me—bright and reckless.

But then, all at once, he pushed me away—harder than I expected. His gray eyes flickered with something like conflict before turning cold again.

"Lena." His voice came out rough. "The full moon is coming. After I get through this one, we’ll..."

He hesitated, searching for the right words. "We’ll fulfill the bond. Officially."

My heart thudded wildly, excitement and nerves tangling tight in my chest. "You mean...?"

"Yes." He nodded, though his expression stayed tense. "When that time comes, everything will be different."

The next two weeks crawled by, painfully dull. Dominic buried himself in work—leaving at dawn, sometimes not coming home at all. I figured the approaching full moon had him on edge, afraid he might lose control if he was around me too long.

We lived under the same roof, yet barely crossed paths. And whenever we did, silence settled between us like a wall neither of us knew how to break.

That weekend, a few coworkers—people I got along with decently—dragged me out to a bar. I wasn’t a fan of loud places, but I went anyway to keep the peace.

The private room was dim and hazy, music pounding hard enough to shake the floor. I slipped onto a corner couch, sipping my drink now and then, mostly scrolling through my phone or zoning out while everyone else partied.

Feeling stuffy, I finally stood and stepped outside for some air. The hallway was quieter, the air cooler. I had barely turned a corner when I bumped straight into a strikingly handsome man.

Who was he?

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