DOMINIC
The room was steeped in darkness, save for the slivers of moonlight spilling through the window, casting pale streaks across the bed. Lena was tucked against my side, her warmth sinking into me, her breathing soft and even. But I wasn't sleeping. I hadn't been able to since she'd moved closer, since she'd willingly—if only in sleep—pressed herself against me like she belonged there.
She'd hesitated at first, just a moment, before scooting close, tucking herself into my side and murmuring, "Do you mind?" in a voice so quiet it barely reached me.
I'd only managed a rough shake of my head, afraid my voice would betray me if I spoke. My whole body had gone taut at the contact, the casual brush of her hand over my stomach as she adjusted herself, settling in. My heart thundered against my ribs, loud enough, I was sure, to wake her if she weren't already drifting into sleep.
And then, sometime in the night, she'd shifted again, a soft little sigh escaping her lips as her leg slid over my hip, her arm tightening around my waist, her body pressing flush against mine. Every muscle in my body seized at once.
I'd never felt so utterly, helplessly on edge.
I tried to focus on my breathing, on the steady rise and fall of her chest against mine, but my senses were flooded with her—her scent, her warmth, the way her curves fit against me like she was meant to be there. The bond between us pulsed, raw and electric, tightening its hold with every second she remained wrapped around me.
I should've moved her away the moment she latched onto me. Should've put distance between us for both our sakes. But I couldn't muster the willpower.
Then she shifted again, nuzzling her face against my neck, her breath brushing my throat, her thigh pressing firmer against my hip. A low, strangled sound rumbled from my chest. She murmured my name, a breathless whisper that sent a wildfire racing under my skin.
I snapped.
My hand fisted in the sheets, every part of me straining toward her. I barely recognized my own voice when it finally tore out of me, low and rough and desperate. "Do you have any idea what you're doing to me, sweetheart?"
Lena tensed, her body stiffening against mine. A sharp inhale broke the quiet, and I felt the exact moment she woke fully. But she didn't pull away.
Her heartbeat hammered against her ribs, wild and uneven, and when she shifted—just slightly—her scent deepened, rich and heady.
She felt it too.
"I—" she breathed, then stopped herself, swallowing hard. Her fingers twitched against my side. "I was just... sleeping. I didn't mean to—"
"I know," I murmured, though my voice still came out strained, hoarse with restraint. "But that doesn't change what you do to me."
Silence stretched between us, thick and heavy and crackling with tension. My hand hovered, aching to touch her, to trace the curve of her waist, to anchor myself somehow. But I stayed still, forcing my muscles to obey.
Lena's breath shuddered out of her. Slowly, almost reluctantly, she shifted, putting a few precious inches between us. The loss of her heat was immediate, brutal.
"Dom..." she whispered, voice unsteady.
I turned onto my side, keeping my movements slow, measured. The moonlight caught her face, illuminating the uncertainty in her eyes, the conflict, the way her lips parted slightly, like she wasn't sure if she wanted to say something or if she wanted me to say something for her.
I reached up, brushing a loose strand of hair from her face, my knuckles barely skimming her cheek. "You don't have to fight it forever," I said quietly. "I can feel it, Lena. You can let go, have this, have me. It's yours. I'm yours."
Her throat bobbed as she swallowed, her fingers clenching the sheets. "It's too much. Too fast. I don't know how to handle this."
I exhaled slowly, nodding. "I know. And I won't rush you. I won't take anything you're not ready to give."
Her eyes flickered with something—relief, maybe. But also something else. Something deeper, like hesitant understanding. She held my gaze, her breathing evening out slightly.
"You make it sound so easy," she whispered.
"It's not," I admitted. "It's messy and complicated and terrifying. But it's real."
She gave a soft, almost humorless laugh, shifting onto her back to stare up at the ceiling. "Real is scary."
I propped myself up on an elbow, watching her. "Yeah, it is. But sometimes the scary stuff is worth it."
Lena turned her head slightly to look at me, her expression unreadable. "You really think so?"
"I know so."
For a moment, we just stared at each other, the bond humming in the space between us. She looked away first, exhaling slowly.
I forced myself to put more space between us, shifting back just enough to let her breathe, to give her the distance she needed. "I'll be patient, Lena. You don't have to come to me yet. But when you do—" I let my voice drop lower, making sure she understood exactly what I meant. "I'll be right here, waiting."
She sucked in a breath, her fingers twitching again, like she wanted to reach for me but didn't know if she should. Instead, she exhaled slowly and nodded, settling back onto her pillow, though I could still feel the heat between us, the way the bond thrummed like a living thing in the dark.
I let silence fall again, let her process. She still didn't move away entirely, and even though her body wasn't pressed against mine anymore, she still lingered close enough that I could hear every soft breath she took.
She wasn't ready. Not yet. But the way she looked at me, the way she responded, the way her body reacted even when she tried to deny it—she was getting there.
And I would wait as long as it took.
Just as the tension in the room finally began to settle, a soft knock sounded at the door.
I froze; my jaw tightened instantly, my body going rigid. Lena tensed beside me, barely suppressing a groan of frustration. "Seriously?" she muttered, her voice hushed but irritated.
I sighed, running a hand over my face before pushing myself up. "Stay here," I said, my voice firm.
She didn't argue, just burrowed slightly under the covers, watching me with wary eyes as I strode across the room. I cracked the door open, keeping my body angled in case they it was decided to make this a problem.
Adelaide stood there, arms crossed, her mouth set in a tight line. Her sharp blue eyes flicked over me, cool and assessing.
"We need to talk," she said, voice clipped.
Of course we did.
I clenched my jaw. "Not now," I growled.
Her gaze shifted over my shoulder, like she could sense Lena inside even if she couldn't see her. Her mouth thinned. "Fine. But soon."
I didn't reply. I just shut the door firmly and locked it. For a moment, I rested my forehead against the wood, trying to steady my breathing.
When I turned back, Lena was sitting up, the covers bunched around her waist. Her expression was carefully neutral, but I could see the questions burning in her eyes.
Lena was still watching me, but now, something unreadable lingered in her gaze. "She's important to you; she came the other night, too," she said, her tone carefully neutral.
I scrubbed a hand through my hair and crossed the room back to her. "She's pack," I said. The words tasted like ash. "That's all."
It wasn't entirely a lie. Adelaide was loyal, fierce, and strong. She would make an extraordinary Luna—just not mine. And she'd never forgive me for that.
Lena studied me for a long moment before she sighed, settling deeper into the pillows. "Pack," she repeated quietly, almost to herself.
She didn't protest when I climbed back in beside her, and this time, when she shifted, her leg brushed mine again—lightly, just barely, but enough that I knew it wasn't an accident.
"You don't have to worry about her," I said softly, not sure if she wanted to hear it but needing to say it anyway.
Lena didn't respond immediately. She just closed her eyes, her breathing steadying. "Good night, Dom."
A small smile tugged at my lips. "Good night, sweetheart."
For a moment, neither of us moved. Then Lena shifted, just slightly, her leg brushing against mine under the covers. The touch was so light it could have been accidental. But I knew it wasn't.
A small smile tugged at my mouth as I settled in. I didn't reach for her, didn't push. I just lay there, letting the silence wrap around us.
She was already coming to me, piece by piece, heartbeat by heartbeat.
And I would wait for her.
However long it took.