An Unwavering Promise--Completed

Chapter Twenty-Three

Eleanor’s POV

Dominic chuckled and leaned back in his chair. He gazed at me with an intensity that I had to look away from him for a moment and study the table we were sitting at. It was uncomfortable to be under the eyes of a wolf that knew so much more about the questions I wanted answered. It was obvious that he burned for me, and I did not need that nor want that from him.

“Obsession? Is that what you call it?” he questioned.

My eyes snapped back to his and I pounded a fist on the table. “You were going to take me against my will at the hotel. You planned to kidnap and sell my mate to some grimy, half-wit with a big wallet and lust in her eyes. How is that not an obsession? You hid your wolf from me. You’re so shrouded in shade that you can’t even see out anymore. So, yes, for your information; I would call it a f*****g obsession. There can be no other term for the disgusting behavior you’ve shown me.”

Dominic was taken aback. My words were spoken so vehemently towards him and filled with such venom that his smile faded and gripped the armrest of his chair until it looked like it would break. I continued to glare at him angrily.

“I’m sorry you feel this way. It was not my intention,” he responded.

“I don’t care if it was your intention or not. Your actions speak volumes, and honestly, I want nothing to do with you if that’s how you’re going to be.”

I watched Dominic take a few deep breaths in and then let them out. His mind seemed to be working a mile a minute, and he searched my face earnestly.

“How could he have taken all the memories of me from you?” Dominic then whispered.

Folding my arms across my chest, I said, “I thought I was the one asking the questions.”

“Yes, you are. My apologies,” he murmured.

“So, again. Why with the obsession for me to remember you? Why go to such lengths? I’ve made it pretty clear that I want nothing to do with you, and yet, you keep interrupting my life for this relationship that I don’t even know about. I don’t appreciate how dodgy you’re being with this question.”

Shaking his head, Dominic gave me an exasperated sigh, threw up his hands, and then shouted, “It’s because I’m in love with you! And I’ve been in love with you since we were pups!”

I clamped my mouth shut and just stared at him. This man, this wolf, whom I had never seen before a week ago, claimed to love me because of our past history as kids together. It was so unbelievable that I couldn’t help but find amusement in it. But it couldn’t be true. So many people had been lying to me. This was just another lie to keep me docile and easily managed.

He seems sincere.

He seems like a real prick. I don’t have time for assholes anymore. I want answers, Rae. No, I need them at this point. So much has been hidden from me, and I can’t stand it anymore.

What if the answers are harder to bear than the lies? What if it pushed us too far?

Then those are the consequences I’ll have to bear. I’m not going to let anyone mess with us again. You were almost taken from me. My own mate almost died. My freaking crazy uncle tried to turn us into his own personal army. I can’t do this without answers any longer, no matter what they are.

“You really think I’m going to believe that s**t?” I asked coldly.

“Yes,” he said quietly. “Because it is the truth. I’ll show you by answering everything truthfully. Ask me anything. I never meant to lose your trust, Eleanor. I just…got lost in the hope that I could hold you and call you mine. But, seeing as that will not happen anytime soon due to your mate, I’ll keep my distance, and I won’t make another attempt on his life. I have built an empire in order find you. Everything has been done with you in mind.”

Frowning, I replied, “But I’m already happy. Why is that so hard to believe and see?”

Dominic chuckled humorlessly, “Because I’m selfish. Because I’m not the one making you smile or laugh or helping your dreams come true. For so long, I’ve held onto this hope that if I could just see you again, I’d be able to make everything better. I also thought that I could be in your life again and pick up where we left off. We were best friends.”

I worried my lower lip and struggled to take in everything he said. He did sound sincere. Rae was right. His love for me appeared very genuine. I just couldn’t do this again. The entire situation with Chalres was far too traumatic and this situation felt far too similar.

“Then be my friend, Dominic. Cheer me on and help me live a better life. Don’t try to take the place of Alex. Just,” I shrugged. “Be my friend. That’s what I need right now. Not a lover or a knight in shining armor. I’m an alpha who knows how to take care of herself most of the time. I don’t need coddling or others worrying about me. I only need people surrounding me who will help me and work with me to achieve like-minded goals. And if you can't do that, then I think it’s best if we never see each other again. I’ve been through too much s**t to be jerked around once more. Surely, you must understand that.”

Dominic nodded, but remained silent for a few minutes before saying, “Alright. I’d rather be by your side than not at all. If you’ll have me, I’d like to be your ally and friend. My assets will be at your disposal.”

“Thank you for understanding,” I said. “Okay, now tell me what you know about Robert. How do you know about the darkness? Can you control it? Do you have a power also?”

Giving me a soft smile, Dominic smiled. Suddenly, the lights in the building beganto flickering, and the machines behind the counter all began to rattle, move, and function. I jolted in my seat.

“You’re doing that?” I asked, even though I already knew the answer.

Dominic nodded. “I can control electrical currents with my mind. It isn’t super interesting or helpful, but it’s something.”

“Why are all of our powers having to do with the mind?” I mused aloud.

“Because Nathan and Nicholas knew that all things stem from the brain. All answers can be unlocked through the mental mindset. It is truly the one thing in common that all races have–the ability to think coherently and create technology and advance society. They firmly believe in achieving all things through mental stimulation and that one day, we will live outside of ourselves.”

I raised my eyebrows. “That sounds like a cult.”

Dominic shrugged. “Probably. But they turned ordinary werewolves into beings that control the environments around them using only the brain. There are no limits to what we can achieve or create or discover.”

“The price is the darkness that now lives within us.”

“That lives within you,” Dominic correctly.

“What?” I frowned.

He cleared his throat. “Well, only you, Nathan, and Nicholas have ever mentioned the darkness being there. Alexander won’t have it. I don’t, and none of the other experiments do.”

“Why is it only us?”

“From what I’ve gathered, it has to do with your lineage and blood. Have you ever heard of the super alpha?”

I scoffed. “That sounds ridiculous. A super alpha? Like where all other werewolves come from? I’m not a part of a purebred lineage of super alphas. I’m not a savior or anyone special. I refuse to be.”

“We all came from somewhere. Whether you believe it or not, it is true. Nathan discovered the fact while researching his theory. It’s why the experiment is so potent with the three of you and if you have any pups. Your blood is pure, and it reacted powerfully to the treatments you were given as a young wolf. Female alphas are rarely born. Alpha blood is strong and fights against a weak body.”

“What about Alpha Lanie?” I questioned.

“I said rare, not impossible. She must also have ties to the purebred line. From what Nathan discovered, all female alphas stem from this line.”

“That’s…very interesting. Can you tell me more about the darkness? What did Nathan tell you about it?”

Dominic knit his eyebrows together, seemingly struggling to find the right words. “Well, he didn’t tell me a lot about it. He mentioned how it would fill his head and overtake his thoughts and actions. There were times that he talked about waking up in a completely different place, almost as if he had been sleep walking or something. But, don’t worry, that was only after he began heavily using his own powers. However, the one thing he did make sure to tell me about was–”

A loud ‘thunk’ hit one of the windows. We both abruptly stopped talking and looked around. I could see the anger and frustration on Dominic’s face, and he quickly told me to get down under the table. A few seconds later, the windows exploded, and glass flew everywhere. I heard shouting and smoke began filling the coffee shop.

“Dominic!” I shouted above the chaos, but I was only met with Alexander’s beautiful, green eyes.

The smell of smoky embers filled my nostrils, and I was immediately hit with the feeling of safety, relief, and anger.

“I’ve got you, now, my love,” he said with a smile. “You’re safe with me.”