“Cece seems to be enjoying herself,” Donna sighs. “Is that what's truly bothering you?”
I frown at my sister, who continues to probe.
“Is that jealousy I can smell?” she teases, at which I straighten out my expression.
“I'm not jealous, Donna. But I really don't want any trouble.”
“Well, if you're gonna go there, you're just gonna embarrass her, Dom. And I think Cecelia has been hurt enough.”
I frown again, wondering what my sister means by that last statement.
“I don't plan on hurting her, Donna. I just want to—”
“Protect her?” Donna cuts in, tilting her head to one side.
Blinking fervently at my sister as she poses the question, I realize that’s exactly what I want to do, what my inner wolf requires to feel truly fulfilled. It’s like every time I think about keeping Cecelia safe, I hear the echo of her footsteps running across the field, and remember what I felt when I didn’t stand up for her.
Am I trying to make up for the past now?
Or do I really care about her more than I’m willing to admit?
There's no denying it any longer, and the moment a sharp crack cuts through the sound of the music in the hall, my senses are lit up, and I snap my head in Cecelia’s direction.
She's broken away from Simon, her fingers spread across one cheek as Amber looms over her. Immediately pulling away from Donna, I march across the floor, maintaining calmness in my stride to abide by my sister's words that serve as a reminder that I can't hurt Cecelia, and won't embarrass her in any way in front of the others.
I walk up to Cecelia, placing myself between her and Amber, and hooking a finger under her chin to lift her face gently.
“What happened?” I ask her in a distinctively clear tone that carries over to everyone who's stopped dancing to watch the scene unfold.
“Amber accused me of—”
“The half-breedmuttdidn't want to leave Simon!” Amber cuts in with her loud accusation.
Flinching from Amber's outburst, I keep my eyes focused on Cecelia, nodding for her to continue explaining what happened, keeping in mind that I need to remain as calm as I can, not to embarrass her, but also be firm enough to defend her.
“What happened, Cecelia?”
“That's exactly what she's accusing me of, but Simon was the one who didn't want to stop dancing with me.”
Nodding, I turn around with one arm behind me to protect Cecelia as I face Amber. “There has been a misunderstanding, it seems. Your partner refused to stop dancing with Cecelia. You're mistaken.”
Simon steps forward and sneers. “So, you're gonna believe the useless half-breed?” he asks with a pointed brow.
Knowing that this was all part of a plan to provoke me, I take a deep breath to calm myself. If Simon expected a fight to break out, he was wrong. For the sake of Cecelia's dignity, I remain calm and collected even though my blood is boiling and all I want to do is throw my fists in his face. But with the reminder that Cecelia shouldn't get hurt, I say instead, “The omega is my partner, and I will not listen to any words spoken against her. This is a warning, Simon, for you and Amber to stay away from her, or you will face my wrath.”
A chorus of gasps rings out in the hall, and Simon takes a step forward. He stares me square in the face, but I don't flinch, making him well aware that I mean business. I've already issued a warning.
“If you're done throwing a fit, everyone can go back to enjoying themselves,” I continue, turning to glance at the rest of the room. “If you want a real fight, we can arrange it and not disrupt the others.”
Simon glares at me furiously, slamming a palm against his chest. “Why don't you fight me now, Dominic?” he challenges. “Are you a pussy?”
I growl lowly as I glare back at him, but remember that we're in the presence of the council, and I won't lose my temper. If there's one way I can protect Cecelia, it's by becoming the alpha, and I won't allow this entitled brat to ruin my chances at that.
“Simon, I'm warning you…quit this now before it's too late,” I warn him in a measured tone. “You're gonna get us both kicked out of the trials, and it's time you get your priorities straight. This is bigger than both of us.”
Simon stares at me with rage in his eyes, subdued when Amber grabs his arm and whispers something in his ear that gets him walking backward.
“Be careful, Dominic,” he warns, just as he turns and shrugs away from Amber.
