OPS, I AM NOT SORRY!

**Dominic’s story**

The hours have passed with difficulty and just thinking about the way I marked Rebecca made my stomach turn. My reaction towards her was out of the ordinary. If only I could turn back time...
“Come on, man, the party’s starting. We have to go. You’re the guest of honor. You can’t miss it,” Declan told me, poking his head through the door.
“I’m hurrying as fast as I can. If you only knew how much I want this night to be over...” I said, running my hand through my hair, then looking at it, I felt my blood boil. The same hand that I marked Rebecca with.
“Look, I know you may not be in the mood any longer, but somehow you have to pull yourself together. I guarantee it’ll pass quickly and you’ll be home soon. You’ll have plenty of time to sort things out with Rebecca. By the way, she’s also invited, I presume.”
“Yes, she is, but I’m doubting she’ll even show up,” I replied with regret, gently kicking the mirror table. “Let’s go!” I urged as I rushed towards the exit.
I did the right thing by giving Declan an invitation, too. I knew he wouldn’t be able to come to the movie screening because he had patients to take care of. But now, at this point, I really needed a friend nearby.
I fixed my tux, then waved at Declan to get in the car. Although I was in no mood for the party, I was looking forward to it. Rebecca left in a hurry and I worried about her. Something told me she’d be there, though.
I got the same treatment as I did when screening the movie. Fans were waiting for me at the entrance. This time the invitations were just for the actors, all the crew members, directors and critics.
I walked in confidently, but from the second I stepped into the hotel’s enormous hall, I glared everywhere. I knew that everything I felt towards her would intensify after that mark. But I didn’t feel her here. She hadn’t come yet.
“I think it would be better if you somehow masked the turmoil you’re feeling, Dominic. I know you’re looking for her. If she comes, you’ll have to suppress your urges. I know it won’t be easy after what happened, but you have no choice. Try to enjoy the party. After all, it’s in your honor,” Declan attempted to cheer me up, but if I was honest with myself, I didn’t know how I’d react when I saw her, either. I’d never been through this before. I only had one Luna, and that was Rebecca.
“I’m trying to do just that, but it’s hard for me,” I admitted after walking through the crowd and stopping at the bar. Clearly, I needed a drink. “Double scotch on the rocks, please.”
“Coming right up, Mr. Stone.”
As soon as I got it, I shoved it down my throat.
“Oh, take it easy, man!” stepped in Declan, taking my glass and motioning to the bartender to stop serving me.
“I’m fine, don’t worry so much. Just needed a boost.” I sighed a long breath and turned to face the already noisy crowd. Did I still hope to see her in front of me?
Then, for my own peace and well-being, I ignored all the signs and blended into the crowd. Once I did that, the congratulations, comments and press interviews began. For a good few minutes, I was the center of attention.
“Mr. Stone, what are your plans for the future with the release of the movie?” a Channel 13 journalist asked me.
“Right now, I’m going to enjoy the glory and the attention, and then I’ll think about other projects.”
“Do you have any projects for the near future?”
“No, just...” But the chain of thoughts broke with the sight of her. She entered the auditorium alone, wandering her gaze over the curious faces that turned towards her. The press had recognized her and approached her.
She was doing an excellent job, answering all questions with a broad smile on her face. She probably gave some explanation why she had come alone and was not in my company.
“Mr. Stone?” insisted the journalist, interviewing me. Then she turned her gaze in the direction I was insistently looking. Only now did she understand my hesitation and continued. “I see your date came alone, much later than you did. Is there a storm in paradise?” I hated such impertinent questions coming from the tabloid press. But when I joined the industry, even as a surface job, I knew what to expect and that not once would I have to answer uncomfortable inquiries.
“I don’t think this is a discussion topic. My relationship with Miss Holland is my business.”
My words may have sounded more edgy and brooding than I intended, but it was my private life and I was going to keep it out of the spotlight.
With my last line, I not only ended the interview, but the journalist shrugged her shoulders and motioned the cameraman to follow her. They headed straight for Rebecca. I then wanted to step in, but Declan’s hand stopped me in my tracks.
“Don’t go there, Dominic! Rebecca’s doing well, I might say. Besides, even though the questions may be uncomfortable, she’ll come out of everything just fine. Trust her.”
“It’s not that I don’t trust her. These people can be like vultures.” I explained, but I was just as eager to go towards her.
“Here, let me order you a cocktail, non-alcoholic this time”
I wondered where was the charm of such a drink? But my composure didn’t last long. In the middle of all those people and very close to her, I spotted none other than that idiot Logan. My rage had gotten alarmingly out of control and without realizing it, I broke the glass in my hand.
“Dominic, what’s wrong?” Declan asked me, visibly worried. It was only when he realized it himself that he stepped in front of me. “Oh, no, you are not moving from this spot!” With all his strength, he placed his hands on my chest, preventing me from moving forward.
My eyes darkened, and I watched with hatred every move of that ridiculous cartoon. But I felt everything a hundred times more heightened.
The bond between me and Rebecca was speaking its mind, and I was making superhuman efforts not to go to him and knock him to the ground. My face was already changing, and my claws extended menacingly. “You don’t want to do this here, Dominic. Just stop!”
The problem was that’s exactly what I wanted to do and right here. I couldn’t stand his kiss-ass face anymore.
“I’m so pissed off that this time no one and nothing can stop me. Not even you,” I snorted in satisfaction as I took a step towards them. I couldn’t take my eyes off his hand as it nonchalantly and shamelessly roamed over her bare back. Anger had turned into a desire to kill. The wild wolf in me had no mercy.
“Think hard about what you’re doing, man. And watch out for the signs! They give you away. Look at your hands!” I realized I had them clenched into tight fists. The hair had grown, and the claws were sticking out more. They didn’t look like hands anymore.
“Do you think I care?” And in saying that, I didn’t wait for Declan’s next line. Instead, I suppressed my beast. It was neither the time nor the place to make it known.

As I got closer to them, my blood pressure increased and so did my heart rhythm. It became irregular and chaotic. Logan had his back on me. Wasting no time, I threateningly placed my hand on his shoulder, squeezing it hard.
He immediately flinched and turned to look at me. It was as if he had such hatred in his eyes and for a few seconds I forgot who he was and simply regarded him as a different kind of enemy. “Sorry to barge in like this... ops, I guess I am not that sorry!” My voice changed and Rebecca stared at me in fright. She sensed it was just a step from this to a total break.
“What the hell is your problem, actor?”
Logan’s reply triggered in me a lot of feelings, but all of them were deadly. I could hardly contain myself.
“Logan, please don’t provoke him” Rebecca was really worried about what could happen, especially since this idiot did not know what he had stirred up in me. In his ignorance, he was on the verge of not even making it to the party.
“Or what? Come on Rebecca, he can’t even kill a fly.” It was that moment when I towered over him with my body, leaving no room for escape.
“Don’t tempt me, you idiot!” I snapped, frowning. Then the spirits got even more heated and not even Rebecca’s intervention relaxed the situation.
“Dominic, stop it now! I didn’t come with him. I didn’t come with you either, so there’s no reason for you to act like this. More than that, come with me! We’ll have a serious talk about this and put an end once and for all!”