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and coated my words with saccharin sweetness. "Sure, I'll come with you." I closed the front door and walked down the steps. "I need to see the doctor anyway."

When I reached his SUV, he surprised me again by opening the passenger door for me.

Impressed by his chivalry, I gave him another friendly smile. "Thank you."

Dominic looked at my bandaged arm and frowned. "Man, what a bitch," he said shaking

his head. "I can't believe Zoë did that to you."

I shrugged before I climbed into the Escalade. Similar to the truck's exterior, the interior

decor of butter cream leather and sable wood was luxurious and expensive. I wondered what

Dominic did for a living to afford such a gaudy SUV.

As he drove us into town, I decided to engage in small talk and hoped he would satisfy

my curiosity. "So Dominic, what do you do for a living?"

"I'm a bartender at a nightclub in Los Angeles."

My eyes widened. "You must get paid well."

He chuckled. "I do all right. It's a Gothic club, but we have a lot of rich clientele who are

into that scene. The patrons don't get freaked out by my eyes so it's easy for me to blend in." A few seconds of silence lingered between us. "Did you know Zoë was killed last night?"

I yelled out, "What?"

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I felt my heart sink into the pit of my stomach. I covered my mouth and stared at the

dashboard. The realization Riley left our bed last night and killed her hit me hard. I had no idea

his punishment was so extreme. I wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt, so I thought

maybe he just wanted to hurt her and things got out of control. Then I thought perhaps
Varulv

practice the 'eye for an eye' justice system. Zoë tried to kill me, so Riley killed her. I desperately needed to speak to him so I could find out the truth.

"They're burying her later today," he added.

I released a haggard breath and mumbled to myself, "Oh my God, Riley."

He laughed, "No way!
Riley
killed her?"

I whipped my head toward him. "It's not funny, Dominic!"

He stopped laughing, but humor was still evident in his voice. "I thought it was Quinn

because she usually disciplines the females when the Alpha Female isn't around." He chuckled

softly. Then he said, "Wait, didn't Zoë try to kill you?"

"Yeah, but..." I said quietly.

His voice turned serious. "If I was Beta Male and you were my mate, I would've done the

same thing." I gaped at him, but he kept his eyes on the road, a smirk playing on his lips. "You need to get used to pack life, sweetheart. When you're part of a pack, you're not free. You have to

follow the Alpha Male's laws and do what your superiors tell you or else there are consequences.

Aidan's a hard-ass and I see now his son is too."

"Then why do you want to rejoin the pack?" I challenged angrily.

"Being a lone wolf is a fate worse than death. I don’t have a mate so I'm as good as dead.

After Aidan banished me, I lived among humans but it's difficult to blend in. I don't have to deal

with the scrutiny at the club, but it's different once the sun comes up."

As Dominic continued to speak about living with humans, I suspected he didn’t miss it

because his smug humor had disappeared. "Don't let me get too angry because I growl and snarl,

and it freaks people out. Sometimes it's hard to control the wolf when I get pissed off. I wear

sunglasses whenever I'm not working because people stare at my eyes. I'm among my kind in

Black River, so I don't have to hide them. That's why most
Varulv
live in close communities. It's safer that way."

"Why didn't you join another pack?"

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"It's not that easy.
Varulv
who aren't born into a pack have to go through a series of tests so the Alpha Male can determine your strengths and weaknesses. It's like an initiation. Then he

has to figure out your position. It's easier when you're born into a pack."

Dominic's words caused me to feel nervous about having to prove myself to Riley's father.

I wondered if he'd hold a human to the same standards as a wolf.

"Will Aidan give me tests?"

He gave a short laugh. "He probably won’t because you're human." I released a breath.

"If you want me to be honest...Riley gave you a ‘Get in Free’ card." He glanced at me again. "If I was with a human who knew my secret, it wouldn't be so bad living among them." He quickly

gave me the once-over. "I'm not going to pretend you don't intrigue me. I'm curious whenever a

human joins a pack." He shifted his gaze back on the road. "And I'm not going to lie...it helps you're attractive," he said with a grin.

I had to put him straight before he got any ideas. "I love Riley and I'm going to be
his

mate."

He scoffed. "Riley is weak compared to other young males in the pack. You think he's so

strong because of his authority, but a lot of males can overpower him physically."

I felt a strong need to defend my boyfriend...and refresh Dominic's memory. "Riley had

the upper hand with
you
last night."

Dominic wasn't fazed. He shot back, "That was all for show." I rolled my eyes. "I didn't want to make him look bad in front of his pack, especially when I'm trying to get back in." I

watched his face and he seemed annoyed. "He's the only white wolf in the pack, so everyone

thinks he's special," he said bitterly.

"He
is
special," I said defensively. "And you sound jealous."

He chuckled humorlessly. "I'm not jealous, trust me. In a real fight...I'd kill him."

I gulped nervously and second-guessed my decision to get in the truck with him. He

could easily veer off-road, drag me into the woods and kill me. He'd probably eat me so he could

dispose of any evidence. I started to wonder how far Riley was and if he would hear my scream.

In a desperate attempt at survival, I changed the subject to cool Dominic's steadily rising

animosity toward Riley.

"Why did you challenge Aidan?"

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"The pack needed a younger leader because Aidan is stuck in the old ways. I felt we

needed change and everyone else was too afraid to challenge the big, bad, British wolf.

Unfortunately, I lost the fight, but at least I tried. I fought for change."

I looked out of the window and wore a wistful expression. "I think he
is
changing. He's

letting
me
join."

"So I see."

I felt his eyes on me. When I turned to look at him, he was grinning but it didn’t seem

genuine.

When we arrived at the sheriff's station, I was happy to get out of Dominic’s truck. I

wanted to walk to the doctor's office alone, but then remembered I said I'd give him support

when he confronted Aidan.

Dominic walked inside the station first while I followed behind. I saw Celia sitting at her

desk typing on the computer as usual. I wondered if she did anything else. I stopped at the front

desk, but he walked around it and approached her.

She looked up, and a shocked expression appeared on her face. Then she smiled and her

eyes welled with tears.

He stood next to her desk and smiled broadly. "Hi Mom."

Oh shit
.
I wonder if he's Xavier's son too
.

Celia stood and embraced him tightly. She started to cry, and I couldn't tell if they were

tears of joy or sadness.

When she released him, her voice trembled. "What are you doing here?"

"I want to come home, but I need to speak to Aidan. Is he here?"

At that moment, Riley and the sheriff walked into the room, and they both looked

astonished to see Dominic. I had an urge to duck behind the desk because I knew some major

drama would unfold. I even expected some wolf fur to fly.

Well, so much for my support. Sorry, Dom
.

The sheriff didn't disappoint because he growled and advanced aggressively toward

Dominic, his yellow eyes glowing wildly.

Celia moved in front of her son. "No Aidan! Please!" The sheriff pushed her aside

violently and she fell to the floor.

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Dominic knelt and whimpered as Aidan reached him. I thought the sheriff would attack

him, but he just stood towering over him.

Dominic looked up, his voice low and shaky. "I want to rejoin the pack. I submit to you

as my leader."

Aidan's face twisted in anger. He snarled, "I spared your life once, you don't get a second

chance."

Dominic didn't blink. "Then kill me right now."

Celia got to her feet, but didn't intervene again. Her face filled with horror. "Please,

Aidan! Don't kill him! He's my son!"

When the sheriff set his gaze on me, I gulped nervously. I froze on the spot, so I couldn't

run. Someone touched my shoulder, and I looked up to see Riley standing next to me. I never

saw him move.

Sheriff Gray turned his attention back on Dominic. "Why do you want to come back?"

"You were right. I can't survive without my pack and I don’t have a mate." He dropped

his head until he was kneeling at Aidan's feet. "Please, I'm begging you."

I expected him to receive a swift kick in the face, but the sheriff never lifted his foot.

Celia approached her husband and laid a gentle hand on his arm. "Please let him come

back. I think he's learned his lesson. He's young and full of bravado just like Riley. Remember

what you told me about yourself when you were his age." The sheriff looked down at her, the

golden fire in his eyes now flickering softly. "I want us to be a family. He's your stepson."

Dominic wasn't getting off so easily, because in the next second, Aidan slammed him

against the wall with brute force. He growled again and Dominic whimpered in submission. With

his voice low, he made sure his stepson knew who was in charge. "I
am
pack law. You disobey me just
once
, and I'll rip out your throat."

Dominic didn't look at him, but he nodded obediently. Aidan dropped him to the floor.

Then he looked up and spoke quietly. "Thank you."

The sheriff stood over him. "There's a full moon tonight, so you'll be inducted back in."

Riley moved with great speed and stood next to his father. "No, you can't let him back

in!"

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His father quickly entered his personal space. "I am pack law! Get used to it!" Riley

dropped his head. "I'm letting your little human girlfriend in, so don't question my judgment,

boy!"

I glanced at Dominic and his smirk told me he enjoyed watching Riley take some of the

abuse.

The sheriff stepped back and sighed heavily. Then he pinched the bridge of his nose. His

temper had cooled when he spoke to his son again, but he wasn't any nicer. "Why didn't you

come to me before you decided to kill Zoë?"

Riley crossed his arms over his chest. "I didn't think I had to. I had every right to punish

her. I want the pack to know if they threaten my mate...they will forfeit their fucking lives." His lip curled into a snarl.

Aidan shook his head and sighed in exasperation. "Don't come to the burial because

you'll only upset her parents."

"I wasn't planning to," Riley said in a hard voice. He walked away and approached me.

Fear consumed me because my new boyfriend just confessed to murder. He gave me a concerned

look. "Did you see the doctor yet?" He reached for my hand, but I shrank away from him.

"What's wrong with you?"

I searched his eyes, my voice above a whisper. "Why didn't you tell me you killed her?"

"Because I knew you'd be upset...like you are now," his voice clipped.

I stared at Riley as last night's events replayed in my mind. I thought about how he left

the bed while I slept, probably jumped out the window, and ran through the woods in search of

Zoë. He hunted her like an animal and when he found his prey...he delivered a fatal bite that

ended her life. Zoë probably didn't see it coming.

"How could you, Riley? I can't believe you would do something like that."

He stepped toward me and gave me an intense look. "Don't you understand? I would
kill

for you. I would
die
for you." Suddenly, he frowned. He reached out again to caress my cheek, but I jerked back. He spoke softly. "You said you would never reject me."

Dominic entered my line of vision. He had moved a few feet behind Riley and stared at

me. I broke our gazes to look into Riley's face. He still looked upset. In that moment, I realized

exactly what I had gotten myself into by agreeing to join a wolf pack. If I was going to survive, I