Chosen by the Beast Alpha

Chapter 46: Chapter 46

Lena’s POV

I watched Samuel leave, then turned around. Dominic was in the hallway, already fully dressed, slipping his watch onto his wrist.

"Good news," I said. "Daniel got Anna out. Her parents finally backed off."

Dominic didn’t even blink. "Daniel’s efficient."

"He’s basically a lifesaver. Thanks for letting me ask him." I meant that.

Then he dropped his reply in that usual tone of his—flat, calm, like nothing mattered. "You don’t need my permission."

The drive to the Voss estate was quiet. Dominic focused on the road while I stared out the window, running through everything I wanted to say to Sylvian, only to shoot each version down in my head.

Right before we arrived, Dominic’s phone rang through the car speakers. He answered.

"She agreed to leave," Samuel’s voice came through, crisp and businesslike.

Dominic flicked a glance at me. "Good," he said, and hung up immediately.

Silence again. I didn’t ask who that "she" was. I had no idea, and honestly, it wasn’t my place anyway.

When we turned into the estate’s driveway, I spotted my father’s car right away, parked near the entrance.

My whole body went cold.

I stepped out of the car, my expression locked in place, and Dominic followed behind me. As we walked toward the front door, the sounds from inside drifted out—laughter, small talk, that fake kind of politeness everyone wears like a mask.

My feet suddenly felt glued to the ground.

"If you didn’t want to see him, you shouldn’t have come," Dominic said behind me, voice calm as ever.

I inhaled slowly. "They shouldn’t be here."

He sold me off to the Bloodmoon Pack like I was cargo, cut me off from the Blueridge Pack, and now he thought he could just show up at the Bloodmoon estate like this was some cozy family reunion he had every right to join?

Just then, a beta butler spotted us in the doorway and greeted us. "Alpha Dominic. Luna."

His voice carried inside. The chatter stopped.

Every head turned our way.

Dominic saw me frozen in place and didn’t bother wasting a single word. He just grabbed my wrist and pulled me inside.

"You’re back!" Celeste practically lit up the second she saw us walk in hand-in-hand.

I scanned the living room. Sylvain was on the couch, his current wife Celia glued to his side, and Lily was there too.

Dominic didn’t even try to hide his irritation. His face was stone-cold as he led me to the far side of the room and sat down with me.

The moment Sylvain spotted me, he jumped to his feet, arms wide open, wearing this warm, fatherly smile I had literally never seen on him in my entire life.

"Lena! My precious girl!" His voice boomed, full of warmth and affection. "Look at you, you look wonderful. Come here, let me—"

"Alpha Sylvain." I cut him off. I didn’t stand. I didn’t smile. I just called him by name.

The warmth vanished from his face instantly. Celia’s expression twisted too—cold, sharp, the same look she used to give me at home, the kind that always came right before she scolded me for ‘being disrespectful.’

But she wasn’t in the Blueridge Pack anymore. This was Bloodmoon territory, where she had zero authority. She clearly remembered that, because she shut her mouth fast, swallowing whatever she wanted to say.

Maybe it was the way Dominic’s eyes had gone frostbite-cold, but Sylvain forced a stiff smile and sat back down. Whatever polite atmosphere existed before we walked in completely shattered.

Thank god Theodore came back in time for dinner. He started chatting with Sylvain about pack business, and Celeste exchanged a few polite sentences with Celia. The tension loosened—at least on the surface.

But I couldn’t eat. I knew I was supposed to be mature, gracious, all that stuff. But sitting across from Sylvain and Celia? Yeah, no. I just couldn’t do it.

Eventually, I set my fork down and stood.

"Sorry," I said. And that apology was for Theodore and Celeste—never for Sylvain.

No one stopped me. They didn’t say a word as I walked away from the table.

Outside, the weather had turned gloomy, rain tapping hard against the glass. I found a greenhouse—warm, humid, filled with orchids and ferns, shutting out all the winter chill.

"You know, I didn’t want to come either."

The sudden voice made me whip around.

Lily was leaning against the doorway, arms crossed, looking me over like I was some weird specimen under glass.

"Then why did you?" I asked.

"Lena, Father wanted to check whether you’re enjoying your little stay at the Bloodmoon Estate." Lily walked in, her heels clicking sharply against the tiles. She stopped a few steps away from me. "But honestly? I think we can both see exactly how you’re doing."

Her gaze slid down my clothes, swept over the greenhouse, then landed back on my face.

"Funny, isn’t it?" Lily said lightly, like she was joking about the weather. "Back in the Blueridge Pack, you were the Omega nobody wanted. And now look at you—Alpha Dominic’s Luna. My mom always said you must’ve hit the jackpot."

I clenched my jaw. "Lily, what are you actually here for? Or are you just here to hear yourself talk?"

"I’m here for the show," she whispered, like she was sharing a secret. "Everyone keeps talking about Dominic. A monster. Every she-wolf who gets close ends up dead. When Father sold you to the Bloodmoon Pack, we all thought that was it for you. No one expected you to survive. Yet here you are. And you haven’t even tried to run."

She tilted her head, studying me way too closely. "So tell me, Lena... is it because no one’s ever loved you? Is that why you settled for a monster? Just because he hasn’t killed you yet?"

The words cut straight into me, sharp and merciless. My hands trembled at my sides.

"Get out," I said.

"Oh? Did I hit a nerve?" Her smirk curved with something mean. "I’m only being honest."

"No one asked you." My voice came out low and steady, even surprising myself. "Since you’re being honest, let me return the favor."

I turned fully to face her. "Your mother Celia destroyed my family. She crawled into my father’s bed when my mother was still alive. You grew up in my house, wore my clothes, and lived the life that should’ve been mine. You’re nothing but a petty little thief."

The smirk vanished. Rage flickered across Lily’s face like she’d been slapped.

"You bitch! An Omega dares talk to me like—"

She lunged, hand flying toward my face.

I caught her wrist mid-air. Lily’s eyes snapped wide open, shock replacing her fury.

She never expected me to fight back. Back in the Blueridge Pack, I swallowed every insult, every slap, every filthy word they threw at me.

I twisted her wrist just enough to throw her off balance, then slapped her—hard. The sound cracked through the greenhouse.

Lily stumbled, clutching her cheek with her free hand. The red mark of my fingers stood out bright on her pale skin.

"If you see me again, we don’t need to exchange a single word," I said. My voice shook, but my hand was steady. "And stop using Dominic’s curse as your tea-time gossip. You don’t know him. And you sure as hell don’t know me."

She glared at me, mouth hanging open, eyes burning. For a second, I thought she’d attack again.

But she didn’t. She straightened, voice shrill with fury. "You’ll regret this, Lena! You think you’re safe here? You think these wolves will protect you forever? One day Dominic will die, and you’ll die right with him!"

She spun around and stormed off, the glass door slamming shut behind her with a sharp thud.

I stayed frozen where I was, jaw clenched so tight it almost hurt. I tried to fix my eyes on a white orchid in front of me, but everything had gone blurry, like my mind refused to focus.

Footsteps approached again. I whipped around, ready for round two, convinced that Lily had come back to pick another fight.

But it wasn’t Lily.

It was Dominic. He walked in with my coat draped over one arm.

"Smart move," he said, stepping closer and handing it to me. "You found the only warm spot in this whole place."

I exhaled slowly and took the coat. "Yeah. I figured."

"You’re different today." Dominic tugged a chair over, sat down, and stretched his legs out like he owned the room. His gaze swept over me, sharp but amused. "Usually you put on a whole show. Polite, perfect Lena. Today you didn’t even bother."

"Not everyone deserves the effort."

Dominic stared at me for a long moment. Then, the corner of his mouth lifted, slow and deliberate.

"I’m starting to think," he said, "that I might be the only one who actually gets where you’re coming from."

I blinked, my heartbeat skipping like it had tripped over itself.

The first time I met Dominic, he terrified me. One look from him felt like being pinned in place, like the air got sucked out of the room. He was the kind of Alpha who didn’t even need to speak to make you submit.

But somewhere along the way—between the bond, the curse, and those nights we were stuck dealing with each other—the fear faded. And now here he was, sitting in a greenhouse surrounded by orchids, using his awkward, barely-there version of comfort on me.

With him, I could joke around. Tease him. Make a complete fool of myself and not worry about it blowing up in my face. That realization warmed something deep in my chest.

"Dominic," I said, walking toward him. I stopped right in front of his chair, looking down at him. "Are you trying to comfort me?"

He let out a low snort, eyes drifting past me to an orchid behind my shoulder. "Why would I do that?"

"Because I’m your mate." I bent forward until we were eye level, letting a playful smile tug at my lips. "So you comforting me? Honestly, that’s the most normal thing in the world."

Dominic rested a hand on the armrest, his fingers tapping once against the wood. His dark eyes flicked back to my face, taking in every bit of my expression.

"Dominic," I leaned in even closer, grinning. "Do you think I’m pretty?"

His gaze flickered—just a tiny slip—before he looked away, jaw tightening.

"Don’t expect me to answer pointless questions," he muttered.

"I’d say I have the right to." I shifted, blocking his line of sight again. "You think I’m pretty too. Don’t you?"

His gaze slid to the right. I followed it.

Left, right, left. I moved with him like we were doing some awkward little dance. His jaw tightened, irritation flickering across his face—yet under that, he was clearly fighting the urge to crack a smile.

But I’d leaned in way too far. Suddenly my balance just... bailed on me, and I tipped to the side.

Dominic shot out a hand, grabbing my arm. The force yanked me forward, and I slammed into his chest, my cheek hitting the solid muscle beneath his shirt.

When I looked up, my lips brushed his. Soft. Warm. Accidental. He sucked in a sharp breath.

The chair gave out with a snap. We dropped straight to the floor. Dominic hit the ground hard, and I landed on top of him. Behind us, the flower rack toppled over, pots shattering, petals and dirt scattering across the tiles.

I buried my face against his chest, clutching his shoulders, startled by the sharp bits of broken ceramic around us. I felt myself sinking closer to him, like instinct was shoving me toward safety.

"Don’t move!" His voice was rough, vibrating through his chest and into my cheek, low and edged, like some kind of warning growl.

My face was pressed against him, my hands locked on his shoulders, our bodies tangled together. And then—

"Lena!"

It was the first time he’d ever said my name like that—deep, angry, and beneath both... something else he was desperately trying to hold back.

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