Ex-Mate's Regret: Now He Wants Me Back?

Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Clara's POV

When I returned to the table, it was awkwardly silent, save for the drone of the Elder. Dominic and Maxwell were in some sort of silent battle, the Alpha male energy crackling like static over their heads. It was a surprise that the famed 'Elder' didn't notice a thing.

Who puts the Alphas of two rival packs on the same table? The Elder must be either one hell of an oblivious werewolf or simply didn't care.

Morgana joined after a few minutes, settling into the chair but not before throwing me a very hostile glare. Glad to know she brought her wits alongside.

"Well...", the Elder stared at each of us dead in the eye. "I must leave now."

Maxwell, Dominic and Morgana stood, while I took my sweet time rising. The Elder walked off, somehow dragging his uncanny ability to keep Dominic and Maxwell from ripping each other's heads with him.

"We should go", I turned to Maxwell, hoping we'd be well away from here before Dominic or Morgana blurts out a single word that might just snap the already strained atmosphere.

"Yeah", Maxwell agreed, grabbing my small purse before placing his hand at the small of my back.

Before I turned to leave, my eyes collided with Dominic's striking blue ones and the intensity in them had me faltering.

His eyes held the same softness that he used to stare at me in the past, like the entire world could be burning and he wouldn't care as long as I was in his arms. It irked me just how one stare from him had my carefully locked emotions out in the open, bare for anyone to see and use.

In that moment, it was just him and I.

There was no Morgana to disrupt our carefully crafted bubble, no Maxwell, no pain or the urge to hurt him as much as he hurt me. Just us.

The first day we met, Dominic looked at me this way, so intensely that I hid my flaming face under a curtain of my hair and muttered a quick apology before rushing off.

Yet, my heart pounded erratically in my chest. I wasn't even social in college, in fact, I tried to avoid as many interactions as I possibly could.

After that single encounter, my body felt alert, alive and waiting to catch even the faintest glimpse of the guy that had my brain in shambles.

When I told Ruby, my best friend, that I was cool with reading in the open field, she stared at me like I'd grown a second pair of heads.

"You mean you want to read where actual people are? Not tucked at the deepest section of the library?"

"Yes", I answered, stuffing a few books into my tote bag. "Let's go."

Unfortunately, there was no mystery guy that day and the day after. Slowly, I began to believe the encounter was just a carefully crafted illusion my brain conjured.

"Clara?", Maxwell called out, causing me to snap back to reality.

I threw him a reassuring smile before letting him lead me out of the restaurant and to the car.

"I'm sorry", Maxwell apologised the moment I strapped in.

Although I had a very good idea what the apology was for, I feigned ignorance.

"What are you apologising for?", I raised a brow.

"Well...", he scratched his head. "Although you might not say it, I know you're not a fan of Dominic, even way more than me. I don't know what could've made you hate him so deeply, but it was my fault you had to sit through dinner with him opposite you."

"It's fine", I shrugged.

"No. It's not fine. I promised you a nice time and somehow, I ruined it. If I hadn't invited the Elder to our table, things wouldn't have turned out so..."

"I understand you, Maxwell. And I'm not upset."

I was lying. I am terribly upset, coupled with the throbbing headache, my mood is plummeting fast. But, I could see the remorse basically dripping out of Maxwell's demeanor.

"Really?"

"Yes", I mustered a smile.

"I'll make it up to you. I promise", he attempted to salvage the situation. "How about next week?"

I slowly shook my head in refusal. "From tomorrow, the office will get very busy. We have a new project, one bigger than any we've ever handled in the past. I need to pour my attention in there and that means longer office hours", I sighed. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be silly", Maxwell waved off. "I know how much you love your work. I'd never distract you from it."

Nico was already asleep when I reached home and after paying the nanny a bit more extra, I trudged up to my son's room. He was sleeping soundly, his lips partly open.

It didn't take a genius to see the galring resemblance with Dominic. Nico looked like a mini version of him with the same colour of eyes, curly brown hair and little habits that couldn't be more Dominic-like.

He'd soon grow old enough to ask questions about his father and I wasn't quite sure I was ready to answer those questions.

I placed a gentle kiss on his head, silently stepping out before trudging to my room. The headache had grown considerably deeper, way worse than before.

I uncapped a water bottle and two pills before gulping it down. My mind couldn't help but wonder where I'd go from here.

Dominic was now in my life, in my space more than I'd like. He was slowly getting more entangled, the little bumps in the office and restaurants.

Maybe this was the perfect opportunity to carry out my revenge. But, I wonder if this revenge was worth more to me than my son. Regardless, I knew the answer to that.

Dominic can never know Nico is his son, I'd make sure I protect my son at all cost even if that cost was fighting head-on with one of the most powerful Alpha male in the region.