POV: Dominic
The tension in the mansion had reached its peak, and I could feel it pressing on me, suffocating me. My skin burned with it. The full moon was close, and with it, the call of the wolf inside me. I had spent so many years keeping that part of me under control, but now, it felt like it was clawing to break free.
Every time I saw Isabella, it grew stronger—the pull. The need to claim her, to make her mine, to bind her to me in a way that went beyond this ritual. But I couldn't. I shouldn't. I had promised myself never again.
One night. That was all it was supposed to be. One night to calm the beast within me, to keep my pack safe, to keep everything in order. But now, with each passing day, I felt my control slipping, and I hated it.
I paced the length of my office, my fingers curling into fists, the anger and frustration building inside me. I had always been able to handle everything—my pack, my empire, my own nature. But Isabella? She had thrown everything off balance.
She was innocent. She didn't belong here, not in my world. She wasn't ready for the darkness that came with it. Yet, the more I tried to distance myself, the more I wanted her. She challenged me, pushed against the control I had built for myself.
And now, Elias. I could feel it every time I saw them together—the way he looked at her, the way she responded to him. It ate at me, like a poison slowly spreading through my veins.
I gritted my teeth, my nails digging into the wood of my desk as the feeling of helplessness washed over me. I wasn't jealous. I couldn't be. Elias was loyal. He was my enforcer, the one person I trusted with everything. But the idea of him growing closer to Isabella—it unsettled me in ways I couldn't explain.
The door to my office creaked open, and I looked up, my gaze narrowing when I saw Elias standing there, his posture rigid, his eyes cautious.
"You need to see this," Elias said, his voice low, his gaze shifting uncomfortably.
I stood and followed him out of the office, my mind still clouded with thoughts of Isabella. What was it about her that made me lose focus? That made me want to protect her more than I'd ever wanted anything?
As we moved through the mansion's corridors, Elias led me to the balcony. The night air was cool, a breeze rustling the trees outside. Below, I could see Isabella standing in the garden, her back to me. She was alone. The soft glow of the lights from the mansion reflected off the water in the fountain, casting her figure in a serene, almost ethereal light.
The sight of her should have calmed me. But instead, it stirred something darker.
"She's been spending more time with the pack," Elias said, his voice cutting through my thoughts. "She's getting too close. I'm not sure if it's wise to let her in like this."
I could hear the edge in his voice. He was trying to protect me, trying to keep me focused, but I didn't need protection from Isabella. What I needed was control.
"I know," I muttered, the words tasting bitter.
I didn't want to think about it. I didn't want to feel the jealousy that bubbled inside me. Elias had no right to look at Isabella the way he did. She was mine. And yet, there was something in the way they spoke, something in the way she looked at him that made my stomach twist.
"You need to decide," Elias said, his voice low. "Before it's too late. The pack can sense it. The shift is happening. They're waiting for you to take control, to lead. They need you to make a choice."
I felt my heart clench. He was right. The pack was my responsibility. The mafia was my responsibility. If I let my emotions, let her, get in the way, I would lose everything. The thought of losing my power, my control—it was unbearable.
But then I saw her again, standing in the garden, her head tilted as if she were listening for something. The wind caught her hair, and I saw how effortlessly beautiful she was. How much she didn't belong in this world, yet here she was, drawing me closer with every breath she took.
I couldn't let her go. I couldn't let this pull fade. But I knew it would destroy everything if I didn't stop it.
My mind was spinning, my instincts screaming at me to claim her, to make her mine. And yet, the fear—the deep-rooted fear—held me back. What would it mean to open myself to her? To let her into this life?
"I'll handle it," I said, turning to Elias, my voice firm, but inside, I felt anything but certain. "Make sure no one else gets too close."
Elias nodded, but I could see the doubt in his eyes. He didn't trust Isabella. And part of me didn't either. She was a puzzle, and I was too close to solving it.
I left him standing there, my mind still a storm of emotions. I had to see her. I had to know if what I felt was real, or if it was just the wolf trying to claim what it wanted.
I found Isabella in the garden, just as I knew I would. She was standing by the fountain, her fingers trailing through the water. She didn't hear me approach until I was close enough to reach out and touch her shoulder.
She stiffened at my touch, but then, slowly, she turned to face me, and in that moment, I saw something in her eyes that made my heart ache. Hope.
"I didn't expect you to come out here," she said, her voice soft, almost shy.
"I couldn't stay away," I replied, my voice barely above a whisper.
She looked up at me, her expression softening. "Dominic…" Her voice trailed off, as though she didn't know how to continue.
I reached for her, my hand brushing her cheek, and for the briefest moment, I felt everything shift. The pull between us was undeniable, stronger than any promise I had made to myself. But I couldn't ignore the consequences. If I let myself fall for her, if I let this bond deepen… there would be no going back.
"Isabella," I murmured, my voice thick with longing. "You don't know what you're doing to me."
Before she could answer, the sound of footsteps echoed from the path behind us. I turned sharply, my senses on high alert. In the distance, I saw a shadow approaching. A new threat. And I knew, in that moment, that no matter what happened with Isabella, the danger was far from over.