CHAPTER 49

MIA POV.
Dominic grabbed my harm again and pulled it towards one of the corners of the table. Something cold snapped around my wrists with a click before I realised that he had just hand cuffed me to the table. “What are you doing!?” I demanded fearfully as I pulled at the cuffs but the cold metal dug painfully into my skin.
“Give me your other hand.” He demanded coldly but I shook my head. I hid my other arm behind my back in defiance even though an inner voice screamed at me to obey him, but I was too afraid to listen. "No!" I said on a whisper, my voice trembling but this only angered Dominic more. “Please don’t do this to me… let me go.” I begged. His eyes narrowed at me; his jaw clenched.
I should have known better than to beg. This was the real Dominic, his domineering nature shone through to the ruthless and cruel alpha that he was. I realised that no amount of submission or defiance from me would change the outcome of what was going to happen.
Dominic marched to the other side of the table, his movements swift and purposeful. I uttered a pained cry when he forcefully pulled my arm from behind me, his fingers closing around my wrist like a vice. I tried to pull away my arm back but once again I was painfully reminded of his overpowering strength. With a swift motion, he slipped the handcuff around my wrist and pinned my arm down onto the metal table.
I winced, feeling the metal of the cuff’s biting into my skin. I still tested them, pulling on them as discretely as possible, but I groaned in pain as the metal dug deeper into my skin.
Dominic's gaze roamed over my body before it came to rest on my handcuffed hands above my head. His eyes lingered there for a moment before his expression darkened. I flinched slightly when he suddenly reached out, his fingers closing around my hand and with a swift motion, he slid my engagement ring off my finger.
Feeling a bit of anger clawing its way through my fear at the way he was treating me, I seized the moment to taunt him. "Does it bother you?" I asked, my voice laced with defiance and I was proud of how steady my voice sounded. This was something that Elizabeth mentioned earlier today. "Wearing your deceased wife's ring on my finger?" I asked and Dominic’s shocked face snapped to mine. “Yes, I know it belonged to Clare.” I stated. Dominic's expression turned glacial, his eyes flashing with warning and I knew I'd struck a nerve. "Shut up, Amelia." he growled, his voice low and menacing. "I ask the questions here, not you."
I felt a surge of fear, but refused to show it. "You'd do well to remember your place." he warned, his voice dripping with malice.
Dominic's dark gaze never left mine as he produced the note again. "Explain this." He demanded. I swallowed hard, my mind racing. "It's from Vivienne." I said truthfully. "But there is nothing on it. I don't understand what its for." Dominic's eyes narrowed. "And yet, you kept it." His voice dripped with accusation. "Why didn't you give it to your father if it was blank?" He pressed, his words laced with suspicion. "It must have been worth something if you made the effort to hide it?” He said and I shook my head. "I... I don't know.” Dominic remained unconvinced, his jaw clenching in frustration.
"I don’t know why because I didn’t know whom to trust.” I admitted further when the silenced stretched between us. "I was still deciding." Dominic's face darkened, his eyes burning with displeasure. "After everything I've done for you, you still don't trust me?" His tone dripped with outrage, as if I had already betrayed him. I couldn't help but snort mirthlessly. "Oh, please." I spat. "You only see me as leverage against my father because that is all I am to you… a pawn in your game for power." Dominic's expression turned icy, his jaw clenching again.
“Your only doing this for yourself because I am set to inherit my father’s title of alpha to the Crescent Moon pack.” I accused. “By controlling me, you control his pack." I sneered. Something in me felt lighter to finally admit to him what I thought was happening.
My words hung in the air of silence between us. "If my father knew you were mistreating his future successor like this, he'd take action." Dominic's eyes blazed with fury. In an instant, his hand closed around my throat, pressing me into the table. I gasped, panic setting in as his grip tightened. His nails dug into my skin, but he controlled his strength, careful not to cut off my air completely. I felt trapped, helpless and claustrophobic. Dominic's hot breath washed over my face as he put his face close to mine.
"Th… this is exactly why I d- didn't give the note to my father or t- to you." I spat; my voice shaky with fear but defiant. "Because I knew you'd react exactly l- like this, proving yet a- again how cruel and controlling you really are.” I said through breaths and Dominic’s eyes widened slightly.
I stood my ground, refusing to back down. This was the only leverage I had against Dominic and it seemed to work. Dominic's grip on my throat relented before the let go of my throat. He backed away form me and turned away, his heavy silence filling the room. I braced myself for another attack, but instead he turned back to face me, his expression unreadable. I couldn’t help but flinch when he reached out towards me again.
I startled when he wrapped an arm around my waist and shoulders, pulling me against him. I held my breath in shock, unsure of what this meant or what he was going to do, but he merely held me. I briefly closed my eyes as the warmth of his body seeped into me and I felt a jolt of surprised when I felt the cold metal of the handcuffs slide off my one wrist. My eyes snapped open just as he inserted the key into the other cuff and it too sprang free.