Forbidden Alpha : A Wolf's Secret.

Domino's

Domino’s hadn’t changed one bit.

The white tiles, though cracked in places, were still spotless. The long, bright counter gleamed under the ceiling lights, and the familiar blue booths lined the walls. Red chairs were scattered around the center tables. It was as if I’d never left.

We ordered four cheeseburgers to-go and decided to wait at the bar while the food was prepared.

“Well, well, well... look who we have here.”

Oh, come on. Twice in one day? Really?

“Derek,” I muttered flatly.

As always, he took my civility as an invitation.

“You know, Savanah,” he began, his voice slurred and soaked with cheap whiskey confidence, “you always looked good. But maybe it’s the years, or maybe I’ve just lost my mind... because damn, you look even better now.”

I didn’t even glance at him. “Lucky me. Unlucky for you—it’s none of your business.”

His expression twisted, and without warning, his hand clamped down on my shoulder.

“You b***h! Who the hell do you think you are talking to me like that?”

Before he could finish that breath, I grabbed his wrist, twisted it behind his back, and slammed him down against the counter.

Eliah leaned in beside him, voice calm but laced with warning. “You’re playing with fire, friend. If I were you, I’d gather what’s left of my pride... and leave.”

I released him and stepped back. Eliah now stood beside me—no longer smiling.

Derek stumbled upright, face red and foaming with rage. “Who the hell do you think you are? Giving me orders like that—”

“I’m Eliah Johnson,” he cut in smoothly. “Future Beta of the Cloufield Pack. I’m here on Council request. We’re not here to stir trouble—but...”

He yanked Derek closer with one hand. The drunk man squirmed like a worm on a hook.

“If needed, I have every right to put people like you in your place. So here’s what’s going to happen. You’re going to stop making our food taste like regret and leave Savanah alone. Got it?”

Eliah’s voice dropped into a growl.

Derek paled to the shade of chalk. Reality had finally reached his alcohol-soaked brain.

“This isn’t over,” he hissed, stumbling toward the door. “You and your b***h are going to pay for this!”

Eliah and I both burst out laughing.

“I don’t see why we should be scared of a wannabe warrior like you,” Eliah called after him, his voice laced with mockery.

I glanced around. The restaurant had gone quiet. A few people stared, others pretended not to notice. Typical.

“Your food’s ready,” the waitress said quietly.

Eliah had already paid. He grabbed the bag and nodded toward the door.

“Time to go.”

We walked back to the little house in silence. The cool night air brushed against my skin, while my thoughts kept replaying every single moment of what had happened. My chest still felt heavy, my mind scattered like shattered glass.

From the corner of my eye, I glanced at Elijah. His steps seemed steady, yet the tension in his shoulders betrayed the storm he was hiding inside. Under the soft glow of the moonlight, his sharp features looked even more striking, and I couldn’t help but wonder what secrets were running through his mind.

“Thank you,” I said.

“For what?” he asked.

“For not treating me like someone who needed your protection. That means more than you know.” I surprised even myself with how open I was being.

He smiled softly.

“We both know you didn’t need my help. I’ve seen how you fight, Savanah. If it came down to it—you could’ve handled every last person in that diner on your own.”

"Oh, finally! I’m starving," Niran groaned as he and Mira caught up with us, both carrying bags overflowing with groceries.

I pulled out the keys and let everyone inside, since I was the only one not carrying anything. As Elijah brushed past me, his arm grazing mine, I couldn’t help but smile at him in gratitude. The warmth of that tiny touch grounded me—something I desperately needed after today.

We set the bags on the table, and while Mira and I began unpacking, the guys struggled to clear enough space so we could actually sit down and eat.

"I know today has been a lot for you, but tomorrow will be better," Mira whispered, pulling me from my thoughts. Her eyes were soft, her voice gentle, almost motherly. "Don’t worry, we’ll figure it out, and soon enough everything will fall into place."

"Yes," I said loud enough for all of them to hear. "We need to decide what our next steps will be."

"Can we eat first?" Niran tried, eyeing the food with a puppy-like desperation.

I had to admit, those burgers looked divine. The meals at the academy had always been filling and nutritious, but never indulgent. No burgers, no pizza. The closest we ever got to comfort food was during holidays—Christmas, Thanksgiving, or the rare feast. Most days it was toast and oatmeal for breakfast, vegetable soup with steamed meat for lunch, and mountains of fruit and greens. Dinners, for some strange reason, were always egg-based: scrambled eggs, fried eggs with toast, omelets…

But now, with real food right in front of me, my mouth watered, and all I could do was nod, completely hypnotized by the sight of the plates.

"We even bought Coke!" Mira announced happily, sliding into her chair.

"I think we should have bought more," Elijah admitted.

Dinner disappeared faster than we expected. Years of discipline at the academy must have left us hungrier than we thought—not for food alone, but for something ordinary, something normal.

"We can order pizza and talk about tomorrow while we wait," I suggested, picking up a menu from the coffee table. Whoever had prepared this house knew what they were doing. A couple of takeout flyers were scattered around, as if they knew we’d arrive hungry. "Looks like Domino’s isn’t the only place in town anymore."

"It must feel strange," Niran muttered, almost to himself. "Being back and seeing how much has changed."

"Trust me," I sighed, my chest tightening, "restaurants aren’t the only thing that’s different."

We ordered two pizzas each. If we weren’t wolves, the amount would have seemed insane—but with our metabolism and the energy we burned, it was only natural.

Suddenly, someone knocked at the door. The sound sliced through the room like a blade. Mira rushed to open it, excitement glowing in her eyes, convinced it was the delivery.

"Where is she?" she asked eagerly.

"Excuse me, but where is my pizza?"

"Pizza?" the woman at the door blinked in confusion. Her voice trembled. "I’m not talking about pizza. I’m talking about my daughter. Where is Savannah?"

The world tilted. My heart stopped.

Mom.

For a second, I couldn’t breathe. The sight of her—the same familiar eyes, the same warm presence I had dreamed about a thousand times—ripped through me. It felt like I was little kid again, running into her arms after scraping my knee, only this time the pain was deeper, older, carved into my bones.

With a cry caught somewhere between laughter and a sob, I threw myself into her arms. Her scent, her warmth, the trembling in her shoulders as she held me—it was overwhelming. My chest ached as if years of emptiness were crashing down on me all at once.

"My baby girl. You’ve changed so much! Tell me, have you eaten? You’re so thin. I should have cooked dinner, but of course I didn’t know… When your father told me you were here, I nearly lost my mind! He saw you, spoke to you, and didn’t bring you home? And he didn’t even tell me? Honestly, that man will be the death of me one day—coming home from work and casually mentions that our only child is back!" she scolded, her eyes wet with tears, her voice cracking with every word.

All I could do was hold on tighter, smiling through my own tears like a fool, grinning from ear to ear while my heart shattered and healed at the same time.

But then her gaze shifted—and so did her wrath.

"And you! You’re no better than your father. You would’ve just stayed here, letting me stumble across you in the store by accident? Really, Savannah?"

Her words cut, but even in her anger, all I felt was love. A fierce, desperate love I had longed for every single day I had been gone.

"Mom, this is Mira, and over there are Elijah and Niran. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner, but none of us have a phone. And we only found out this morning, right after breakfast, that we were leaving," I explained quickly, guilt lacing my voice.

My mother nodded thoughtfully.

"I understand. Come to breakfast tomorrow, Savannah. Of course, all of you are invited. I’ll make sure you get phones, and your father and I are at your full disposal. Since you left, a lot has changed. I don’t know if you’ve already met the Alpha and Beta, but I doubt they’ll show much interest in solving this problem—or in helping you more actively."

We wished each other goodnight, and as she turned to leave, her hand brushed through my hair the same way she used to when I was little. My heart clenched at the familiar touch.

Behind me, the room fell into a heavy silence. Everyone was lost in their own thoughts until Elijah broke it with a wry smirk.

"Are your parents always this… energetic?"

"As far back as I can remember, yes," I said softly, though my lips curved into a faint smile. "But Mom is right. Something is wrong with the Alpha. He was always distant, but never disinterested in the pack."

"Alright," Niran spoke up, his tone practical. "How about this—Savannah goes to get the phones in the morning, while Elijah and I head to the pack house to see if we can arrange a meeting with the Alpha. At least then we’ll know where we stand."

"And what about me?" Mira chimed in, her eyes wide with curiosity.

"You can come with me to my parents’ house," I offered.

Her face lit up instantly, and she nodded with excitement.

With our plans for the next day settled, we wished each other goodnight. One by one, we disappeared into our rooms—almost instinctively, as if the academy’s discipline still guided our every step. Some habits, I realized, don’t change overnight.