Dominic pov
I watched Ashen walk away, his shoulders tense, his scent still laced with frustration.
I had expected resistance.
But not this.
Not the way he looked at me,like I had taken something from him.
My wolf growled low inside me, restless and unsatisfied. He didn't understand why our mate refused what was inevitable. Mine, the beast rumbled. Ours.
I clenched my jaw, forcing my instincts back into place.
Ashen needed space. I could give him that,
for now.
But the pack?
They needed to understand that my claim wasn't just words.
I turned back toward the warriors still lingering near the meeting hall. Adam was among them, his posture stiff, his expression carefully blank. But I knew better. The defiance was still there, just beneath the surface.
I strode toward him, and the others instinctively parted. Adam straightened but didn't lower his gaze fast enough.
I grabbed him by the throat.
The gasps around us barely registered as I slammed him against the nearest wooden beam, the crack of impact echoing through the air.
"Alpha—" Thomas started, but one sharp look from me had him silencing himself.
Adam's hands gripped my wrist, his face going red, but he didn't struggle. He knew better.
"Do you think I don't see you?" I said, my voice calm, dangerous. "Do you think I don't hear every thought running through your head?"
Adam swallowed, his pulse hammering under my fingers.
"I will say this once," I continued, leaning in slightly. "Ashen is not your concern. You will respect him. You will acknowledge him as your superior. Or I will break you in ways you can't recover from."
His jaw tightened, but he gave the smallest nod.
It wasn't enough.
I let go of his throat only to drive my fist into his gut. He doubled over with a choked sound, collapsing to his knees.
I crouched beside him, gripping his hair, forcing his head up so he had no choice but to meet my eyes.
"Say it," I ordered.
Adam gritted his teeth. "I acknowledge him."
My grip tightened. "Say it like you mean it."
His nostrils flared, his pride warring with his survival instinct, but in the end, he lowered his gaze. "I acknowledge Ashen as my superior."
Satisfied, I let go, standing. Adam stayed on his knees, coughing, humiliation rolling off him in waves.
I turned to the rest of the warriors. "Anyone else?"
Silence.
Good.
I rolled my shoulders, exhaling slowly as I walked away. The message had been delivered.
Ashen thought my word alone wasn't enough to keep the pack in line.
He didn't realize—
I didn't just demand respect.
I enforced it.
The tension in the air lingered long after I walked away. I knew the pack was watching me, measuring my every move, testing the limits of my patience.
Let them.
They needed to understand,challenging Ashen meant challenging me. And I had never tolerated disobedience.
I took my time heading back to my quarters, my mind unsettled despite the order I had just established. Ashen's scent still clung to my senses, sharp with frustration, laced with something deeper. Something he was trying too damn hard to fight.
Mine.
He didn't want to believe it. Didn't want to accept that the bond between us wasn't something he could ignore.
But he would.
Eventually.
I pushed open the door to my room, running a hand through my hair before exhaling slowly. The room felt different now, like the space was too empty without him in it.
I shook my head, irritated with myself.
Get it together, Dominic.
A knock at my door pulled me from my thoughts. Ryker stepped inside, his sharp eyes already assessing me. "That was a bit much, don't you think?"
I arched a brow. "Do I look like I care?"
Ryker smirked. "Not even a little." He leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed. "Still, you're walking a fine line. The pack will fall in line, but Ashen? He's not the type to submit just because you tell him to."
I tensed. "I don't want his submission."
Ryker snorted. "Could've fooled me."
I shot him a sharp look, but he didn't back down. He never did.
"He's stubborn," Ryker continued. "And proud. He spent years proving himself, Dominic. He thinks you took that away from him today."
I clenched my jaw. "I didn't take anything. I secured his place."
Ryker sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah, well, you might need to convince him of that."
Silence stretched between us.
I knew he was right.
I had spent my life leading, ruling with an iron will. Respect came from strength. Loyalty came from dominance.
But Ashen was different.
He wasn't a warrior I could command into obedience.
And if I wasn't careful, I'd push him too far.
Ryker shrugged. "Anyway, just thought I'd offer some wisdom before you screw this up even more." He turned to leave but hesitated. "Oh, and Dominic?"
I glanced at him.
He smirked. "You might want to start thinking about what you actually want from him. Because if it's just about the bond, you're already losing."
With that, he walked out, leaving me alone with my thoughts.
And for the first time in a long time—
I wasn't sure if I had all the answers.
The next morning, I found Ashen in the training yard.
It shouldn't have surprised me. Even after everything, he wasn't the type to cower. If anything, I should've expected him to throw himself back into training just to prove a point.
But that didn't mean I liked what I saw.
He was sparring with Mark, one of my senior warriors, his movements sharp, precise but reckless. He was faster than Mark, dodging every strike, but there was a desperation in the way he moved, like he was fighting ghosts rather than an opponent.
Mark landed a hard kick to Ashen's ribs. He stumbled but didn't stop, using the momentum to roll back to his feet, wiping blood from his lip.
I growled low in my throat.
Mark stilled immediately, stepping back. Every warrior in the yard snapped to attention as I crossed the space between us.
Ashen tensed but didn't turn to face me.
"That's enough," I said.
Ashen scoffed. "I can still fight."
"You're not fighting. You're punishing yourself."
His shoulders locked. The others were still watching, but I didn't care.
I grabbed his wrist, pulling him away from the circle of warriors. He wrenched his arm back, but I didn't let go.
"Dominic," he warned.
"Walk." My voice left no room for argument.
He exhaled sharply but followed as I led him inside, into the privacy of my office. As soon as the door shut, he spun to face me, eyes blazing.
"You don't get to control me," he snapped.
I stepped closer, forcing him back until his spine hit the wall. "I will if you insist on acting like a damn fool."
He bared his teeth. "You humiliated me in front of the entire pack, and now you think you can just—what? Drag me away whenever you feel like it?"
I placed my hands on either side of him, caging him in. "I protected you."
Ashen let out a harsh laugh. "You claimed me. There's a difference."
I exhaled slowly, forcing down the heat rising between us. "You think this is just about dominance?"
He didn't answer.
"You think I forced that claim just to prove a point?"
His throat bobbed, but he kept his glare locked on me.
I leaned in slightly, letting my voice drop. "You've fought your entire life to prove you're more than your designation. Fine. But tell me something, Ashen did you ever feel safe before me?"
His breath hitched.
I saw it. The flicker of hesitation.
"You spent years hiding, taking suppressants, living in fear of being found out. And now?" I brushed my knuckles along his jaw, feeling the tension coiled beneath his skin. "Now no one will touch you. No one will challenge you. No one will dare."
His fingers curled into fists. "And that's supposed to make me grateful?"
I didn't answer.
Because this wasn't about gratitude.
It was about something deeper. Something neither of us was ready to name.
His chest rose and fell, the space between us charged with something dangerous. His scent was sharp,frustration, defiance, but underneath it… need.
I knew if I pushed, if I took just one more step, he'd break.
But I wanted him to come to me on his own.
So I did the hardest thing I'd ever done.
I pulled back.
His breath came out unsteady as I stepped away, my jaw tight.
"You want to hate me? Fine." My voice was lower now, rougher. "But don't pretend you don't feel this too."
He didn't answer.
Didn't deny it.
And that was enough. For now.