CHAPTER 28

MIA POV.
A couple of days go by without me seeing much of Dominic. When I did get a glimpse of him, he looked as though nothing had ever happened between us. He was as arrogant and controlling as ever, but this morning I woke up with a feeling of trepidation, wondering if Dominic's calm demeanor was just a ruse to make me drop my guard. Was he waiting for the perfect moment to strike, to punish me for my defiance?
A knock at the door pulls me from my thoughts and as I have grown accustomed to Elizabeth not knocking, she came inside and closed the door behind her. “Good morning, Mia.” Elizabeth says, smiling brightly and I couldn’t help but return her smile. “Good morning, Elizabeth.” I said and sat up in bed, stretching my arms above my head lazily. Elizabeth opened the curtains to my room before turning to face me. “Well, come on lazy bones. It’s time to get dressed. You have a busy day ahead.” She said cheerily and I frowned at her. “What do you mean?” I asked but I got out of my bed anyway. A sinking feeling grew in my stomach as my mind jumped to different reasons why I would be busy today and I couldn’t help but picture a certain someone in them.
" Mr. Dominic has arranged an outing for you today." She said and I feel a knot in my stomach as I try to ask her for more information. "W- what kind of outing?" I ask, trying to keep my voice steady and pretend to busy myself with brushing my hair.
Elizabeth hesitates, in thought for a moment before she shakes her head. “I’m afraid that was all that he said.” Elizabeth informed her and I nodded, putting a forced smile on my face. I'm not sure what to make of this, but a part of me screamed at me to be cautious.
After getting dressed and forcing some breakfast down my throat, I was escorted to a waiting car outside. I settled into the passenger seat of Dominic's car, trying to calm my racing thoughts. He doesn’t say a word as we pull away. We were heading back towards the city, I noticed.
I chanced a look in Dominic’s direction, but he was focused on the road. I looked back to the road too. I watch as the bustling streets of the city give way to quieter roads, and eventually, to a more remote area. The buildings, farther apart, and the landscape becomes increasingly rural and peaceful.
My nervousness grew with each passing mile as I still didn’t know where he was taking me, and I felt like an idiot for not demanding to know where we were going when we were still back at the manor. “Where are we going?” I finally asked. Dominic keeps his eyes on the road as he answers. “You’ll see when we get there.” Is all he says, but I wasn’t satisfied with that answer. "Can you at least give me a hint?" I press, trying to keep my voice light, but Dominic shakes his head, not a word further. I turn back to the window, watching as the landscape rolls by. Where are we going? And what will happen when we get there?
Eventually the car came to a stop at a large gate, I peered out the window, curiosity getting the better of me. A man and a woman stand with a group of children, all of whom seem to be staring at us with wide eyes. Who were they? I wondered why did we come here? When Dominic gets out of the car, I follow suit, my eyes fixed on the cute faces of the kids on the other side of the gate. The gate started to open and to my surprise the children seemed to light up in the presence of Dominic. It was like they were happy and excited to see him.
They smile and wave, and a couple of them even run forward, throwing their arms around Dominic's legs. "Alpha, Alpha, Alpha!” They exclaimed, happily and looked up at him with adoration. I was stunned. This is not the Dominic I know. The Dominic I know is cold, calculating, manipulative and intimidating. But these children seem to see a different side of him, a side that I've never witnessed before. Dominic greets them all enthusiastically and with full teethed smiles… a genuine smile and I was stunned to see genuine care for the kids in his eyes.
The man and woman approach us, smiling, and Dominic greets them warmly. "Mia, this is my Gamma, Nathan, and his wife, Cassie." he says, introducing us to each other. “Nathan is the head of the pack school and Cassy helps to look after them.” Dominic says. “Nathan, Cassie. I would like to introduce you to Mia.” Dominic said and I felt their curious eyes on me as they tried to assess my role beside Dominic. “It is a pleasure to meet you, Mia.” Gamma Nathan greets happily. “Same here.” I say with a smile and look at the happy faces of the children again.
“How have things been, Nathan?” Dominic asks and Nathan looks proudly at the kids around them. “Good.” He speaks. ”The new youngster are still adjusting, but we are doing our best to make sure that they are cared for.” Gamma Nathan says and his wife, Cassie nods supportively. She had a very kind face, and I could see that she really cared for these kids as her eyes were always watchful of where they were.
“We're so glad you can visit Alpha. We know you are very busy with pack business and apreciate this a lot." Cassie says looking at us before Nathan started to explain to me what this school was all about. “You see, due to gang and pack conflicts in the city, there are always some homeless orphans." Nathan says, his expression somber. "Alpha Dominic established this school to shelter these children and bring them under his protection." He explained in short, and I was taken aback by this revelation. I had no idea Dominic was involved in such generous work. The Dominic I knew was cold, calculating, and only looked out for himself.
But as I see the children laughing and playing, I realize that there's more to him than I thought. He's created a safe haven for these young wolves, providing them with food, shelter, and education. “Dominic's goal is to give them a sense of family and community." Cassie explains. "To help them control their shifts and learn to live in harmony with humans and their kin whilst still being able to do what kids do." Nathan spoke and looked at his wife lovingly. My heart melted as I saw the love they had for each other.
“Oh, yes… speaking of kids being kids…” Dominic said and walked back to the car and opening the trunk of his car. “I brought some things for them.” Dominic said and he had barely had time to put the box down when the children descended upon him.
Dominic laughed as the excited kids gathered around us. I couldn’t help but smile as they each picked out their toy and squealed with delight. Dominic's expression is one of unprecedented tenderness, a stark contrast to the cold, calculating gaze I'm used to. They thanked their alpha gratefully before running off to play with their new toy. He lifts a little boy onto his shoulders, playing a game of peek-a-boo, and I can hardly believe my eyes. This is the same person who is intimidating and controlling? The same person who has humiliated and aroused me.
Gamma Nathan and his wife, Cassie were very likable people, and I could see that they genuinely cared for these kids as though they were their own, so I was sad when the time came to leave. The children were sad too as they surrounded us, hugging and thanking both me and Dominic for their new toys.
As we drove away, I couldn’t hide the smile I had on my face. I turned to Dominic, seeing him a bit differently to what I did this morning. "Why did you bring me here?" I ask, genuinely curious. Dominic's expression turns thoughtful before he answered. "You've been very down lately, so I thought that this would cheer you up." I'm taken aback that he's noticed my mood. He's never seemed to notice before this and I wonder if this is a genuine attempt to connect with me or just another manipulation tactic.
But before I can ponder it further, he drops a bombshell: "Tonight, I've arranged for you to have dinner with your father." He says and my head snaps to the side to look at him. “What?” I asked stupidly. My heart skips a beat as a mix of emotions swirls inside me - anxiety, fear, uncertainty. I don't know if I'm ready to face him again so soon.
I feel my smile falter, my mind racing with questions. Why is Dominic doing this? What does he hope to achieve? I wondered as he continued to drive us to the manor.