Free Web NovelChapter 60: Chapter 60 Red Cheek
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Alpha Dominic had another business dinner tonight. He texted Elara earlier to say he wouldn’t be home for dinner.
He sent the message at five. By six thirty, she still hadn’t replied.
He checked his phone again, frowning slightly. She always answered him back.
He walked into the restaurant’s private room and stopped.
His eyes got narrow when he saw Alpha Zack . He didn’t expect him to be here tonight.
The conversation in the room died instantly when he appeared.
The Alpha who brought Alpha Zack jumped up fast. His chair scraped loudly against the floor. He looked nervous. Sweat was already forming on his forehead. "Alpha King, I’m really sorry. I didn’t tell you I invited Alpha Zack. If you want, I can ask him to leave right now."
His voice shook as he spoke.
Alpha Dominic said nothing. He stood perfectly still in the doorway. His eyes looked at everyone in the room slowly. Like a predator studying his prey. The power coming off him was scary. The room felt colder.
Everyone held their breath.
The other Alphas looked down. Their shoulders hunched forward. They breathed quietly.
Alpha Zack’s face went white. His hands clenched into fists under the table.
Nobody talked for a whole minute. The silence was crushing.
Dominic’s jaw was tight. His eyes never left Alpha Zack’s face.
Then Alpha Dominic spoke. His voice was calm but strong. "He’s already here. He can stay."
Everyone looked up. Their shoulders relaxed. They felt better.
Some guests tried to make things less scary. They said nice things about Dominic. Their voices were too bright, too cheerful.
Some called their pack members. Others called women friends. Phone calls and text messages filled the air.
Alpha Dominic watched it all with cold amusement.He looked around. One eyebrow went up a little. "Isn’t Alpha Zack going to call someone? Or don’t you have anyone?"
Alpha Zack’s face got stiff. Then he smiled but it looked fake. "You must be joking, Alpha King. I don’t have an official mate yet."
Ten minutes later, the room was full of beautiful women.
Some looked sweet. Others were from good families. Some were really pretty and confident.
They laughed and talked, filling the room with noise and perfume.
Alpha Dominic leaned back in his chair, watching everything like it was a show.
Then he took out his phone. His movements were casual, relaxed. He acted like he was checking messages. Really he was recording everything. He pointed the camera at Alpha Zack. A pretty, innocent girl sat next to him. She was touching his arm and giggling.
Alpha Dominic saved the video. He smiled.
Alpha Zack didn’t like the woman next to him. He tried to move away but she followed. "You don’t have to sit with me."
He looked at Alpha Dominic nervously. His eyes darted back and forth. "If Alpha King wants her..."
Alpha Dominic heard him. He tilted his head slightly. He made a soft sound. "Tsk." "I don’t need company. I have a mate already."
The words carried a warning.
Alpha Zack let the girl stay. His shoulders sagged in defeat."Don’t worry about me. Just eat."
The girl pressed closer to him. Alpha Zack’s smile looked like it was carved from stone.
The dinner went okay after that. Alpha Zack kept trying to talk to Dominic. He asked about business, about the weather, about anything.
Everyone could see Alpha Dominic wasn’t really interested. He answered in short sentences. His attention kept drifting to his phone.
He was thinking about Elara. Why hadn’t she texted him back?
Alpha Dominic played with a lighter. He flicked it open and closed, open and closed.
Someone offered him a cigarette. He said no and smiled.
The first real smile of the evening.
"I quit smoking. My mate hates the smell. I just play with the lighter when I want a cigarette."
His voice got softer when he mentioned his mate.
Everyone laughed.
"Your mate must be very special," someone said carefully.
"She is," Alpha Dominic said simply.
Alpha Zack watched Alpha Dominic carefully. His eyes narrowed with suspicion.
In their world, Alphas don’t usually give up bad habits.
The Alpha King never talked about personal things. Never showed weakness. But tonight was different.
Alpha Zack’s mind raced.
Who was the Alpha King’s mate? She must be really powerful.
Or really loved.
--
Meanwhile, Alpha Dominic quietly touched buttons on his phone. Six miles away, a woman was awakened by the buzzing vibration.
Elara rubbed her eyes and reached for the phone on her pillow. She opened the screen and found a video sent by Dominic.
At first she couldn’t see what it was. frёewebnoѵel.ƈo๓
Then came his message: [Luna Wolfe, look how good I’m being. Everyone brought dates, but I’m sitting here all alone.]
Elara watched the video again and finally spotted a familiar figure in the crowd.
It was Alpha Zack. And just like Alpha Dominic said, a pretty, innocent-looking girl sat beside him.
Elara smiled with satisfaction. She knew Alpha Dominic had sent this on purposefor her to see.
Her bad mood from earlier got better. His silly behavior made her smile.
She typed a reply: [Good boy. Though if you’re bringing anyone, shouldn’t it be male dates?]
After sending it, Elara rolled over and went back to sleep.
Alpha Dominic read her response and laughed quietly.
He got up from his seat and headed straight to the parking lot.
The dinner was boring. His Luna was way more interesting.
But when Alpha Dominic drove home, he found Elara’s door shut tight.
Linda told him quietly: "Alpha, Luna Elara came home early today and went straight to bed."
"Luna Elara told me not to make dinner for her. But Alpha Dominic, I thinkLuna Elara was upset. Her eyes were red when she got home."
Dominic’s eyebrows furrowed. Had she been crying? Who made her cry?
He walked quickly toward Elara’s bedroom. "Elara, are you awake?"
No answer. frёewebnoѵēl.com
Alpha Dominic knocked harder. "Elara? I need to show you something. If you’re not sleeping, could you open the door?"
The woman, awakened again, got out of bed with messy hair and opened her bedroom door looking annoyed.
Her eyebrows were scrunched together. "What is it?"
Alpha Dominic stared at her red, swollen cheek, his voice turning ice cold. "Who hit you?"
