Samantha’s POV
Why did he do that? Dominic had kept Olivia by his side after all these years, for sure, there must be going between them. But, why did he push her away, ignore her? and the way he stared at me intensely as if he wanted me to hold him instead of Killian.
on
Though he never asked… I should stop being delusional and acknowledge the fact that he could not let go of Olivia. Because if he really wanted me instead of her, he would have left her long ago. But he did not.
Killian slumped in the passenger seat, groaning softly as I buckled him in. His head lolled against the window, and his eyes were barely open. I slid behind the wheel, and started the car, the engine purring to life. II gripped the steering wheel, trying to focus on getting Killian back safely, but my thoughts wouldn’t stop racing.
Dominic. The way he acted… did not fit the image I had of him. He had always kept me at a distance, cold and uninterested. But tonight, his behavior had been anything but detached. He had been jealous. Possessive. And something else was nagging at me.
I inhaled deeply as the memory of his scent flooded my senses. I had not noticed it before, but tonight, it struck me. Dominic smelled… unmated. There was no trace of a bond mark, no lingering scent of Olivia on his skin. How had I missed that? And where was Olivia’s mate mark? If they were really a couple, there should have been evidence, a sign of their connection. But there wasn’t.
But why can’t he let her go? I was frustrated in my mind.
“Get a grip, Sam,” I muttered to myself.
Outside, the rain had started to fall in a light, persistent drizzle, streaking the windshield. The wipers struggled to keep up as the downpour began to intensify, casting the streetlights in a hazy glow. The roads glistened with water, and every passing shadow seemed darker, more sinister, more threatening.
I drove through the quiet streets, the city lights fading as we neared the outskirts of town. Killian stirred beside me, mumbling incoherently, and I stole a glance at him.
“You better not throw up in here,” I warned, but he was too out of it to respond.
Then, out of nowhere, I felt it. A shift in the air. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up, and a chill swept through me. My grip on the wheel tightened, and I instinctively slowed down, scanning the road ahead. The shadows seemed to move, writhing and twisting, and my pulse spiked.
Something was not right.
I barely had time to react. A blur of movement shot out from the darkness, slamming into the front of the car. The Impact sent a brutal jolt through the vehicle, and I screamed as the car skidded, tires screeching against the slick, rain–soaked road while I continued stepping on the brakes. The downpour hammered against the windshield, reducing visibility to nearly nothing. I fought for control, gripping the steering wheel with trembling hands, but the car spun wildly before crashing into a muddy ditch with a sickening thud.
“Killian!” I shouted, my voice raw as I twisted to check on him. He was out cold, head lolling, completely unaware of the danger. Panic surged through me, but I shoved it down, unbuckling my seatbelt with shaking hands.
The shadows moved again, and I understood. Rogues. They surrounded the car with eyes gleaming with a predatory hunger that sought to be quenched.
Damn it. I glanced at Killian again and even though he was conscious, he seemed to be barely registering what was happening. I doubt if he could fight like this, heavily drunk
+25 BONUS
Chapter 12
The rain poured harder and steadily, without any sign of stopping soon. Cold droplets lashed against my face as I shoved open the driver’s door, stumbling out into the storm. My feet sank into the muddy ground, and my breath hitched as I caught movement from the corner of my eye. I squinted through the heavy rain, and it was then the first rogue lunged at me, its claws slashing through the downpour. I ducked just in time, rolling through the muddy ground and springing back to my feet. The rain was persistent, drenching me to the bone and making every movement heavier, and harder. My hair clung to my face as focused on my attackers.
“You picked the wrong night,” I spat, my voice steady despite the fear thrumming in my veins. The rogue snarled, circling me, but I held my ground.
Another rogue charged from the side, its snarls drowned by the pounding rain. I twisted, driving my elbow into its ribcage with all the force I could muster. The rogue staggered, but I had no time to recover as two more closed in, flanking me.
They came at me in perfect synchronization, their claws gleaming even through the haze of rain. I sidestepped one, managing to grab its arm and twist, the satisfying crack of bone breaking through the storm. But the second rogue was faster, its claws raking across my arm.
I whimpered as the pain erupted, white–hot and searing. Blood mixed with the rain, dripping down my arm as I stumbled back. The wound burned like fire, and I knew immediately poison.
–
1 hissed through gritted teeth, my breath coming in ragged gasps. My healing was not kicking in, and the realization sent a jolt of panic through me. The rogues were not just after bloody fight; they were here to kill.
“Killian!” I shouted again, my voice nearly drowned by the storm. But when I turned this time, the passenger seat was empty. My heart lurched, and I spun around, catching sight of him outside the car. He was on his feet, swaying slightly but awake, fists clenched as he squared off against a rogue that had broken away toward him.
His disheveled state was gone, replaced by his sober Alpha self as he threw a hard punch, knocking the rogue back Another came at him, and he sidestepped, delivering a blow that sent it sprawling into the mud. Rain streamed down his face as he kept fighting, another rogue lunged and he bared his claws and slashed the rogue’s face, sending droplets of blood into the air.
Relief mixed with worry surged through me, but I could not afford to get distracted. My own fight was not over. Another rogue lunged at me from behind, and I twisted just in time, delivering a kick that sent it staggering.
“Stay down!” I growled, but it was futile. The rogues were ruthless, their snarls mingled with the pounding rain. One of them circled me, feinting left before striking from the right. Its claws caught my arm, sending another searing pain slicing through me.
I lashed out, swinging an elbow into its face, but another rogue was already rushing at me. Mud splattered as I fell back into the slippery ground, barely managing to roll away before its claws struck where I had been a second ago.
Pain exploded in my chest as I hit the ground, gasping for air. The rogue pinned me down, its claws digging into my sides. I struggled, summoning the last of my strength to shove it off, but my limbs were growing weaker as the poison began taking its toll.
I struggled to get away, forcing myself to fight through the haze. My knuckles connected with the rogue’s jaw, and it fell back with a snarl. Gritting my teeth, I staggered to my feet and I felt the world tilting dangerously around
My vision swam, my eyes blurred by the rain, and another rogue struck, and I barely blocked it, The impact sent me stumbling backward, my legs giving out as the poison worked its way deeper into my system. I collapsed onto my knees, gasping for breath.
was
“Killian…” I whispered, forcing my head up. But when I looked toward where I had last seen him, he was not there anymore.
Chapter 12
My chest tightened in panie. “No!” I rasped, my voice cracking. Where was he?
I tried to push myself up again, but my body refused to cooperate. Darkness crept at the edges of my vision, and t cursed under my breath, clawing at the mud to stay upright. The rain poured harder, the icy droplets stinging my skin as I fought to stay conscious.
The rogues closed in, their snarls growing louder, but their movements blurred. I swung out weakly, hitting nothing but air. My strength was gone, my body betraying me as I crumpled to the ground.
“Killian…” I choked out one last time, my voice lost in the storm.
One of the rogues stepped forward, a twisted grin on his face.
“Goodnight princess,” he sneered, raising his claws for the final blow, and the darkness swirled, consuming me as I felt myself slipping under–and everything turning black.
Chapter 13
Dominic’s POV
