Bound To My Alpha’s Uncle

Three

~Marissa~

As I confessed, my space appeared to press in on me, and when his startled stare met mine, I thought he was going to turn down my offer. At last, Dominic broke the stillness with a measured voice that was tinged with urgency. He said, "Marissa, there's something you need to know," selecting his words carefully, as though he were considering each one before uttering them.

“My relationship with Tristan... it's complicated." I felt a wave of doubt rush through me at his revelation. Though I hadn't anticipated this degree of detail, I had expected him to be taken aback. "Complicated how?" My question was hardly audible beyond a whispered tone.

Dominic paused, looking away for a little while before looking back into my eyes. "I lead my own wolf pack abroad," he declared, regretting something in his voice. "And I have significant business interests and assets." I tried to take in this new information and blinked in amazement.

Dominic was no mere man; rather, he was an Alpha, boasting might and influence that exceeded my wildest expectations. Not only that, but he acted nothing like the monster Tristan painted him to be. Though there were still a lot of unsolved questions, the puzzle was beginning to fit together.

"Why did you come back?" I questioned, a little shaky in my voice from concern. With a groan of aggravation, Dominic ran a hand through his hair. "At my brother's request," he claimed in a somber tone. "Tristan's father."

I got a chill from what he said. I felt a sense of dread at the idea of Dominic being pulled back into Tristan's complex family drama. "For what?" I persisted because I was becoming more and more curious. Dominic paused, as though he wasn't sure how much to divulge. "To collaborate together," he eventually pointed out.

A collaboration? What could that possibly mean?

“And it’s worse that he hasn’t grown out of his childhood fear.” He added, dropping a hint to confirm the rumors.

"Tristan has feared you since childhood." I repeated it, acting like it was all new to me.

Dominic nodded, his expression grave. "Yes," he confirmed, his voice tinged with a flat tone. "He's always seen me as a threat, as someone who could potentially take over his title as the Alpha heir."

Tristan's paranoia, his constant need to assert his dominance—it all made sense now. And yet, despite his fears, Tristan had never once shown weakness in front of me. It was as if he were constantly fighting to maintain his position of power, even when faced with the looming specter of his uncle's influence.

As I kept thinking about it, he pulled me out of my thoughts with a joke or more of a question: “Aren’t you afraid that I might tell Tristan about us?”

I could care less, and it would be a huge favor if he did. At least that bastard would feel the pain that I went through on my birthday.

"If I am being honest with you, it might do me some good if he knew."

Dominic raised an eyebrow, his expression curious. "Oh? And why is that?"

A smirk tugged at the corners of my lips as I leaned in closer, my voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "Let's just say turnabout is fair play."

The hint of mischief in my tone seemed to catch Dominic off guard, but before he could respond, I forged ahead with my proposal.

"Speaking of which, I have a proposition for you," I began, straightening up and meeting his gaze head-on. "What do you say we enter into a contractual marriage?"

Dominic's eyes widened in surprise, and I could see the gears turning in his mind as he processed my suggestion. "A contractual marriage?" he echoed, clearly taken aback by the proposition. "What exactly do you mean by that?"

I leaned back in my seat, crossing my arms over my chest as I explained my plan. "I mean a marriage of convenience," I clarified. "We both have our own reasons for wanting to benefit from this arrangement. You need to appease your family and secure your position, and I... well, let's just say I have my own motives."

His expression remained guarded, his eyes searching mine for any hint of ulterior motives. "And what, pray tell, do you bring to the table in this arrangement?" He asked, his voice tinged with skepticism.

I met his gaze with a fierce one, ready to lay all my cards on the table. "I bring more than you might think," I replied cryptically, before deciding to reveal a part of myself that I had kept hidden for so long.

"I am a warrior wolf," I declared, my voice laced with pride. "I come from a long line of warriors, and I possess skills and abilities that could prove invaluable to you and your pack."

Dominic's eyes widened in surprise at my revelation, and I could see a flicker of respect in his gaze. "A warrior wolf," he repeated, his tone tinged with awe. "I had no idea."

It was good to know that I piqued his interest. "Yes, and that's not all," I continued, leaning in closer to emphasize my point. "Due to a delayed awakening caused by the wolf's bane, I have yet to fully unlock my potential. But once I do, it will be a game changer.”

As Dominic processed my proposal, his expression remained guarded, and I could sense his hesitation. He seemed to be weighing the pros and cons of such an arrangement. I held my breath, waiting for his response, but instead of accepting or rejecting my offer, he deflected.

“As much as we had a fun time and I’d love to make you mine, I have too much on my plate to even commit, and I doubt any woman would want to be in a loveless marriage.”

“Are you turning me down?”

“Yes, I am.”

“This won’t end well for us if we decide to go through with it.” He added.

I furrowed my brows and questioned further, “And what makes you think so?”

Before Dominic could respond, his phone rang, and with a muttered apology, he glanced at the caller ID before answering.

"Hey, James," Dominic greeted, his tone casual despite the weight of our conversation. "What's up?"

As Dominic listened to him on the other end of the line, his expression shifted, a flicker of realization crossing his features. "Right, my teaching commitment at Hallback University," he replied, a hint of urgency creeping into his voice. "I haven't forgotten."

As Dominic spoke on the phone, I couldn't help but overhear his conversation about leaving soon. My heart sank at the realization that our time together might be coming to an end sooner than I had hoped. Determined not to let him slip away without a trace, I sprang into action.

Quickly, I scrambled to get dressed, my movements frantic as I hastily threw on my clothes. Every second felt like an eternity as I fumbled with buttons and zippers, desperate to make it out the door before he did.

In my haste, I deliberately left my student ID lying on the bedside table, a silent message to Dominic that I hoped would not go unnoticed. It was a small gesture, but one that I hoped would leave the door open for future encounters.

With one last glance around the room to ensure I hadn't left anything behind, I took a deep breath and composed myself before slamming the door shut behind me. The sound echoed down the hallway, a final punctuation mark on our time together.

Still, I kept wondering if he would notice. Would he care? Only time will tell, but for now, all I could do was hope and pray that fate was on my side.