Rejected Mate: Bought By Lycan

Chapter 5

Chapter 5: When Kings Collide

The moment snapped.

One second, the air was thick with tension.

The next—

It shattered.

Silas moved first.

A blur of speed and fury, his body shifting mid-stride, bones cracking, muscles expanding as his Alpha form surged forward. The growl that tore from his chest was raw, territorial, filled with a rage I had never heard before.

“Stay back!” someone shouted.

But it was too late.

Dominic didn’t move.

He stood there—calm, still, terrifyingly composed—as Silas lunged straight for him.

And then—

He smiled.

The impact shook the entire corridor.

Stone cracked beneath the force as Dominic caught Silas mid-attack, one hand gripping his throat, stopping him like he weighed nothing.

Nothing.

Silas struggled, his claws digging into Dominic’s arm, teeth bared as he snapped and snarled like a wild beast.

But Dominic didn’t even flinch.

“You should have stayed in your territory,” he said quietly.

Then he slammed Silas into the wall again.

Harder this time.

The sound echoed like thunder.

My breath caught in my throat.

This wasn’t a fight.

It wasn’t even close.

This was dominance.

Absolute.

Silas roared, twisting out of Dominic’s grip with brute force, landing back on his feet. His chest heaved, eyes glowing brighter, more unstable.

“You think strength alone makes you king?” he spat.

Dominic tilted his head slightly.

“No,” he replied.

Then he stepped forward.

Slow.

Deliberate.

“Power does.”

Silas attacked again.

Faster this time.

Smarter.

He circled, looking for an opening, his movements sharp and calculated. For a moment, it looked like he might actually land a hit—

Until Dominic disappeared.

Gone.

Just like that.

My heart jumped.

Where—

A blur of black moved behind Silas.

And then—

A sickening crack filled the air.

Silas dropped to one knee with a grunt, blood spilling from the corner of his mouth.

Dominic stood behind him, completely untouched.

“I warned you,” Dominic said coldly.

But Silas laughed.

Actually laughed.

Low. Unhinged.

“You don’t get it,” he said, lifting his head slowly. “This isn’t about winning.”

His gaze flickered to me.

Dark.

Possessive.

“You marked her,” he continued. “I can feel it.”

My stomach dropped.

Dominic went still.

Just for a second.

But I felt it.

Silas pushed himself up, wiping the blood from his mouth.

“And now,” he added, his voice lowering, “you’ve made her a target.”

The words hit harder than the fight.

“What does that mean?” I asked, my voice barely steady.

Neither of them answered immediately.

Which was worse.

Silas smirked.

“You really haven’t told her anything, have you?” he said, looking almost amused now.

“Typical.”

“Silas,” Dominic warned.

But he ignored him.

“The Council won’t just ‘watch’ anymore,” Silas said, his eyes locked on mine. “Not after this.”

A chill ran down my spine.

“You think they came here today for formality?” he continued. “No. They came to confirm something.”

My heart started racing again.

“What… what are you talking about?”

Silas’s smile widened.

Cruel.

Satisfied.

“They suspect what you are.”

The words echoed in my head.

What you are.

“And once they know for sure…” he added softly, “they won’t let you live long enough to become it.”

“Enough.”

Dominic’s voice cut through the tension like a blade.

In an instant, he was in front of me.

Shielding me.

Blocking Silas completely from view.

“You’ve said enough,” Dominic said, his tone final.

Silas chuckled.

“You can’t hide her forever.”

“I don’t need to,” Dominic replied.

Something in his voice shifted.

Darker.

More dangerous.

“Because if they come for her…” he continued slowly,

“they go through me.”

Silas’s expression hardened.

“Then they’ll kill you.”

Dominic smiled.

And it wasn’t human.

“They can try.”

Silence fell again.

Heavy.

Thick.

Then suddenly—

A sharp pulse shot through my body.

I gasped.

My knees buckled.

Pain.

Burning.

Spreading from my chest outward like fire under my skin.

“What—” I choked.

Both men turned instantly.

Dominic was at my side in a second.

“What’s happening?” he demanded.

I shook my head, clutching my chest as another wave hit me.

Stronger this time.

“I— I don’t know—” I gasped.

Silas’s expression changed.

Again.

But this time—

It wasn’t anger.

It was recognition.

“Oh…” he murmured.

Dominic’s eyes snapped to him.

“What is it?”

Silas let out a slow breath.

Then he smiled.

“That,” he said, pointing directly at me,

“is what you should be afraid of.”

Another wave tore through me.

This time, I screamed.

My body arched as something inside me snapped—

Not painfully.

But powerfully.

A sudden burst of energy exploded outward.

The guards were thrown back.

The walls trembled.

The air itself seemed to vibrate.

And then—

Silence.

I collapsed to my knees, breathing hard, my entire body shaking.

“What… was that…” I whispered.

Dominic stared at me.

Really stared.

Like he was seeing me for the first time.

And for the first time since I met him—

There was something in his eyes that hadn’t been there before.

Not control.

Not dominance.

Fear.

Silas laughed.

Loud.

Triumphant.

“Congratulations, King Volkov,” he said.

Dominic didn’t respond.

Didn’t move.

Didn’t even blink.

Because he already knew.

But I didn’t.

“Tell me,” I demanded weakly, my voice shaking. “What is happening to me?”

Silas stepped forward slightly, his gaze locked onto mine.

“You’re waking up,” he said.

My heart stopped.

“And when you do…” he continued, his smile turning dark,

“this entire world is going to burn because of you.”

My breath caught.

Dominic finally moved.

Stepping in front of me again.

Protective.

Dangerous.

“Leave,” he ordered.

Silas held his gaze for a long moment.

Then—

He smirked.

“This isn’t over,” he said.

Then he turned.

And walked away.

Just like that.

But the damage was already done.

The silence he left behind felt heavier than the fight.

Slowly…

Dominic turned to look at me.

“You should have told me,” I whispered.

A pause.

Then quie

tly—

“I was trying to protect you.”

I shook my head weakly.

“From what?”

His gaze darkened.

“From yourself.”

My breath hitched.

And suddenly…

I wasn’t sure who the real danger was anymore.