Chosen by the Beast Alpha

Chapter 72: Chapter 72

Lena’s POV

She wasn’t scared of being left behind. That wasn’t it. She just felt like everything Dominic had been doing lately was pointless. Picking her up, driving her around, acting all considerate like he was really trying. It all felt fake, like putting a pretty filter over a broken screen.

The phone rang for a while before he finally answered. “Hello.”

Lena was almost sure it was Eliza. Every time Dominic picked up Eliza’s calls, there was always that tiny pause first, like he had to think about it for a second before committing.

They’d already had lunch together. And now it was time for dinner too? Seriously, why didn’t they just move in together and save themselves the daily back-and-forth?

She rolled her eyes so hard it almost hurt.

“I’ve got something to deal with. I’m not going tonight,” he said shortly. “That’s it. Bye.”

Lena lifted a brow.

He turned her down?

She kept looking out the window, not letting him catch even a flicker of her reaction.

“At home or out?” he asked again.

She said nothing.

This time, he didn’t push.

The car didn’t head back to the house. Instead, Dominic drove them to the Voss family’s private restaurant, the one they used for special occasions, the same place they had gone to at Christmas. The restaurant usually hosted other important guests too, but Bloodmoon Pack always reserved the best private room.

The owner came out personally to greet them at the entrance, all warmth and respect.

“Alpha Dominic, Luna.” He smiled and gestured for them to come in. “Have you both been well lately?”

Luna.

Out of all the titles in the world, that was the only one that made Lena feel like she and Dominic truly belonged to the same place, the same life.

“We’ve been fine,” Dominic said, his tone flat.

The owner looked at him with open, genuine fondness. “Theodore said your recovery is going well. I already told the kitchen to prepare something light for you tonight.”

“Ask her what she wants,” Dominic said. He knew perfectly well there was no point asking Lena himself.

The owner turned to her with a practiced smile. “Luna, is there anything you’re especially in the mood for?”

“No,” Lena replied shortly.

"Then let me take the liberty of picking a few dishes for the two of you." His smile didn’t shift one bit.

"Sure. Thanks." Lena wasn’t mad at him. None of this was on him.

He led them into a private dining room, then quietly excused himself.

Inside, tall French windows stood open, letting in the cool breath of early evening.

Beyond them, a stone terrace overlooked a carefully kept garden, and the last light of sunset brushed the hedges in a warm amber glow.

A ring of wrought-iron railings lined the terrace. Past them, ancient oak trees stretched toward a sky that was slowly dimming. The place was seriously beautiful.

Lena stepped out onto the terrace, leaned against the railing, and drew in a long breath. Behind her, Dominic sat in his chair inside the room, watching her in silence.

He knew exactly why she was upset. But Dominic never explained himself, not to anyone. In his world, explaining meant you were basically admitting guilt, and he never believed he’d done anything wrong.

A knock came at the door. Lena turned, thinking the owner had returned, but instead she saw Eliza standing there.

Eliza wore a fitted white cocktail dress, delicate embroidery tracing the neckline and showing off her graceful figure. She was stunning in that effortless kind of way, the sort that made people look twice without even meaning to.

"I thought I saw you come in." Her eyes went straight to Dominic. "I wasn’t sure it was you, so I came to check."

Dominic’s first reaction was to look at Lena.

Only then did Eliza seem to register her. Her smile stiffened for a second. "Lena, you’re here too."

The way she said Lena’s name made it sound like an afterthought, like she’d walked into Dominic’s space and suddenly noticed some unexpected piece of furniture.

A sharp sting hit Lena right in the chest. But just as fast, that stubborn streak in her kicked back up.

"My partner is here." She turned fully and smiled at Eliza. "So obviously I’m here too. Is that a problem?"

The word "partner" landed like a slap.

Eliza barely managed to hold her expression together.

Dominic stayed where he was, silent, his gaze fixed on Lena. He caught the edge in her tone, and his brow tightened a little, but he didn’t interrupt.

Eliza steadied herself, then smiled again. "Of course not. I didn’t know Dominic had already made plans with you for lunch today. I’m sorry about that."

Same move. Same vibe. As if Dominic had picked Eliza for lunch first and only remembered Lena afterward.

"Don’t take it so hard," Lena said softly, her tone gentle on purpose. "You two are friends. Grabbing a meal together isn’t some huge deal. You’re not his partner, so obviously you can hang out whenever."

Eliza’s smile froze on her face in an instant.

"But," Lena went on, tilting her head a little, sounding almost casual, "if you keep asking him out this often, people who don’t know the full story might get the wrong idea. They might think you and Dominic are more than friends. That wouldn’t look great for your reputation, right?"

She held Eliza’s gaze without blinking. The calm smile on Eliza’s face started cracking bit by bit.

The pressure that had been sitting in Lena’s chest all day finally loosened. It was like she could breathe again.

Eliza’s chin trembled faintly. She fought to keep that smile in place. "A misunderstanding like that doesn’t really matter to me. Anyone who actually knows us knows the truth. We know Dominic and I are just friends, nothing more. As for people who always jump to the worst conclusion... well, that says more about them than it does about us."

Lena’s fingers curled tight around the railing.

She had to admit it—Eliza was good. She hadn’t said it outright, but she’d basically just called Lena dirty-minded without using the words.

Lena let go of the railing and turned to face her fully. Eliza met her eyes head-on, not backing down for even a second. The air between them felt so tense it almost seemed to crackle.

Then Lena smiled and turned to Dominic, her voice sweet enough to drip sugar. "Babe, is she calling me petty?"

Eliza’s eyes flickered. She clearly hadn’t expected Lena to drag the subtext right out into the open in front of him.

Dominic’s fingers brushed lightly along the rim of his teacup. His voice was calm, lazy, almost indifferent. "Yes."

Eliza’s mouth fell open. She stared at Dominic, shock written all over her face.

He had taken Lena’s side. No hesitation. Right there in front of Eliza.

The pride and smug little triumph in Eliza’s eyes shattered on the spot.

Lena smiled wider. "See? I am narrow-minded. So, Eliza, maybe you should invite Dominic out a little less."

She was being so blunt that Eliza couldn’t even keep up.

"...Dominic," Eliza said, her voice shaking, "does that mean I can’t see you anymore?"

Lena had never fought with another woman like this before. Back when she was with Reid, there had never been a rival. When she was with Ethan Thorne, the betrayal had been so obvious there was nothing to fight over.

But Eliza was completely different. She looked soft and fragile on the outside, but underneath that was something sharp and vicious. She wore vulnerability like a mask, yet somehow turned every single word into a blade.

She reminded Lena of Celia, her stepmother—the kind of she-wolf who could smile sweetly while quietly tearing another woman’s life apart.

If Lena’s mother had gone up against someone like Eliza, she wouldn’t have stood a chance. Her mother had been too honest, too trusting, too clean-hearted for that kind of game. And in the end, she lost everything.

But Lena was not her mother. Still, she was done with this whole mess. She had already made herself clear. The line was there, plain as day.

Dominic glanced at her, then turned to Eliza. "Don’t make it sound so harsh. Lena already said it—stop asking me out all the time."

He had corrected Eliza’s wording. Not "never come near me again," but "don’t make it sound so harsh." Precise. Fair. No extra drama.

Eliza bit her lip, her lashes trembling. "I’m sorry. I really didn’t mean to cause trouble. I’ll try to keep my distance."

The last few words came out shaky, thick with tears. Then she turned and walked out. As she crossed the doorway, Lena saw her lift a hand to cover her eyes.

She knew exactly how to cry in front of Dominic. She was good at that.

But Dominic didn’t chase after her. He stayed in his chair without moving, solid and still like a rock.

The door shut, and Lena let out a laugh. Not because she had won.

It was because the whole thing was just so ridiculous.

Two women throwing sharp words at each other over one man, while the man himself sat there the entire time, calmly drinking tea. Seriously, what even was this?

A knock came at the door, and the owner stepped in with several servers carrying trays behind him.

"Alpha, Luna, sorry to keep you waiting." He personally set the dishes on the table. "Please let me know if everything is to your liking."

Lena washed her hands, then walked back to the table and looked over the food in front of her. The plating was gorgeous, the aroma rich and inviting. Every dish looked like a tiny piece of art.

"This looks amazing," she said, and she meant it. It really did.

"You’re too kind, Luna," the owner said with a broad smile.

"I’ve been here before. I know how good your kitchen is."

He left with a warm smile still on his face. Lena sat down, looked at Dominic, then ladled out a bowl of soup and placed it in front of him.

At least he hadn’t embarrassed her in front of Eliza. When it mattered, he had stood on her side. That counted for something.

Her mood had eased a lot now, and she was willing to meet him halfway.

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