CHAPTER
FORTY
CAROLINE
The next day, my body seemed to be correcting itself again. Though my body ached as if I had ran a marathon, I felt good enough to not only be with Dominic, but to go out to lunch with him, Andrew, and Alfie. All of whom reported that I wasn't as smelly and that it could be mostly covered up with some perfume and a fresh change of clothes.
It must have been a popular day to go to the diner though, as many people from Dom's pack were there. Mostly middle-aged couples, who greeted Dominic warmly and welcomed Andrew back, but didn't say a word to me. Instead, I received forced and polite smiles.
I tried to ignore the pang in my chest. It left a bad taste in my mouth, especially since the Challenge was just a day away.
Then again, it was easy to ignore since my best friend was here. Even if for the short time. They told us stories about the new pack and all of the beautiful places there. Alfie talked about his favorite restaurants and a couple museums he went to in his free time, promising we would go there when we visited them.
"I'm going to use the restroom," I told the boys when we started to pack up.
Dominic nodded to me, engrossed in a conversation with Andrew. Alfie gave me a thumbs up, leaning back in the booth leisurely.
Waddling to the bathroom thanks to my food baby, I hurriedly got into a stall and used did my business. A couple women came in and out, but one in particular was standing at the sink from the time I walked into the bathroom to the time I left the stall.
As I was washing my hands, she scoffed, turning to look at me. "Why?" she asked me.
I blinked in confusion, shaking my hands to rid them of the excess water. The woman was probably ten years older than me, in a pair of skinny jeans and a black blouse. She was one of the women that said hello to Dominic and all but ignored me. "Why what?" I responded.
"You have ruined everything. This pack has been torn apart because of your presence. No one has challenged the Alpha like this for generations. There have only been petty fights, but not one where it has split the pack in two. All because you showed up."
My anger flared, but I tried to keep in mind that Dominic wanted me to make an effort and that I should be more mature instead of wanting to fight everyone. "I'm sorry you feel that way, but if you'll remember, I was brought here against my will. Besides, I didn't ask for the Beta to challenge Dominic."
She shook her head. "It doesn't matter. All of this started when you came."
"I'm doing my best here," I snapped back. "I was a brat at first and yes, I messed things up. But I'm trying to do better. What is it with all of you and this grudge you hold against me? I didn't ask for this and right now I am just doing my best to be what's right for Dominic and yes, even the pack."
Suddenly, two burly men appeared from inside the two other stalls, sneaking towards me slowly. "Your best just isn't good enough." The woman turned to the men. "Break her."
My eyes bulged out of my head and I only had a split second to react before one was lunging at me while the other was swinging his fist at my head. First, I screamed. Then, I fought.
The men weren't trained, that's for sure. They left their groins uncovered and as soon as I shoved my heel into one, he fell into his pal. "Are you crazy?" I hissed. "The Alpha is literally twenty feet away from the bathrooms and you attack me? And why does no one suspect that I'll fight back?!"
I lodged my elbow into the slightly smaller ones throat before using my weight to throw him to the ground. As soon as he hit, I was nailing his face with my knuckles. Within three blows, his nose was broken and I had burst his lip.
The other guy had recovered and successfully pulled me off of his friend, throwing me off of him so hard and fast that I stumbled on my feet and fell back against the sink, the back of my skull hitting the edge.
It dazed me enough that I slumped to the ground with a groan, but not before I cursed the guy out.
By the way the three were looking at me, I wasn't actually supposed to crack my head open from their attacks. But that is exactly what was happening. Blood was seeping into my hair.
But my adrenaline kicked in and so did my rage. Hopping to my feet, my fists clenched at my sides, I stared them down. "That hurt, you idiots. If I have to shave the back of my head to get that stitched up, you will feel my wrath."
My fingers touched the blood that was running down the back of my neck, my whole hand almost instantly becoming covered.
"Should we just kill her?" the taller brute whispered.
I didn't give them time to answer that. I launched and tackled the woman, putting my hand around her throat once her head hit the floor. My other hand tangled into her hair. Her fingers were clawing at me, but I couldn't feel them through the pure fire I was feeling in my gut at having been ambushed in the bathroom. "Did you try your best?" I snarled at her. "Is this the best you could do? 'Cause all that's going to happen is my mate, Alpha Dominic, is going to tear you and your goons to shreds."
Just before the woman passed out, I let go of her and stood. Which is when the bathroom door burst open and Dominic and Andrew stood there. Their jaws dropped at the sight of me
"I can handle this," I told them. "Just give me a couple minutes."
"Whose blood is that?" Dominic asked.
From punching the one guy to touching where my head was now bleeding profusely, I had collected quite a bit of blood on my shirt and arms. "Um... mostly mine," I confirmed.
"I know you aren't my Beta, but could you-"
Andrew nodded. "No need to ask. Caroline, why don't you go to the hospital with Dominic and let me wrap this up?"
I looked down at my hands and over at the sink where I had hit my head, which had some blood on it. But the tile underneath the sink had a good-sized puddle where I had laid for a little bit. "No, it's okay. I'll clean it up."
Dominic called my name. "Sugar, let Andrew do it. Come on."
"They tried to 'break' me. I don't even know what that means," I stated, motioning towards the moaning woman and the two guys who were backed up against the nearest wall with their palms up. "How rude is that?"
"She's getting delirious from acute blood loss and shock. Get her to the infirmary," Andrew ordered.
I wagged my head. "I'm fine, really. I'm totally not seeing like three of everything right now. I don't want to get my head shaved."
Dominic stepped forward and grasped my elbow tightly. "Trouble just follows you wherever you go, doesn't it, sugar?"
I shrugged. "Maybe, but I don't want them to think I'm weak so if you'll just let me-"
"You shattered his nose, chipped his teeth, choked her out, and are still standing while blood pours down your back. All while still in heat. I think we have all established just how strong you are, sweetheart," Dominic murmured. "Let's get you to a doctor."
Dom grabbed a stack of paper towels from a countertop next to the sinks, using half of it to press into my head and saving the other half for later.
I let him pull me out of the bathroom, grumbling about how annoyed I was with those three jerks. Alfie was standing in shock just outside the bathroom, eyes wide. "Alf, I'm fine," I assured him. "I'm just gonna get my head shaved, throw up, and we'll be good to go by tonight."
~ ~ ~
Three hours later, I had a bald spot on the back of my head and a wound that was slowly but surely, healing. Like the adult that I am, I allowed Dominic to heal me. Mostly because I wanted to be conscious for the Challenge and to have to shave as little hair off as possible. This was the best option.
Dominic gave me just enough that I wouldn't have a concussion or stitches, but not enough to completely reverse the damage. It was our compromise.
"C'mon. You have to be impressed with me," I insisted as he sat in bed next to me.
Dominic had been grumpy since we had gotten back. The three who attacked me were locked away and would face punishment after the Challenge was over. "I was impressed, Cara. But I was more worried about my mate being covered in blood that wasn't someone else's."
"You're telling me you'd be less worried if the blood wasn't mine? That's crazy. Some of it was that one dude's. The one I beat up."
He groaned, covering his face with his hands. "Sugar, you shouldn't have had that happen to you. That is what I'm trying to say. I should have been there to protect you."
I laughed, pushing his shoulder. "Dom. It was the women's bathroom. What could we expect?"
"I don't know."
Just then, Alfie came inside. I hadn't seen him since I left the infirmary. Dominic watched him plop on the loveseat before he let out a sigh. "I'm going to go for a walk," Dom told me. "I need to cool off before we get in a real argument for no reason."
The alpha kissed my cheek and waved to my best friend before making his hasty exit, closing the door softly behind him. Once he was gone, Alfie turned to me. "How are you feeling? Emotionally, psychologically?"
I smiled softly. "I'm fine, Alf. A little annoyed with the situation though. I'm just tired of it all."
"What do you mean?"
"It's just... It gets old. You know, all of these attacks have been on me. Not Dominic. And I'm not saying that to blame him, because it isn't his fault nor do I want him to get hurt. But I didn't ask for this, you know? Dominic brought me here. This is his life that I was dragged into. Instead of them respecting his decision, they're trying to either kill or scare me off," I explained.
Alfie nodded. "I get it. It is different, being mated to an alpha. I didn't quite understand it until we were into the second week at our new pack."
"I just wish it was easier. Sometimes I think it would be better if he weren't an alpha."
I heard Alfie's sigh. I heard the settling of the house and the wind pressing against the walls outside. But what I didn't hear was the sound of Dominic's footsteps finally leaving the space just outside the door, lifting his weight off from where he was leaning against it.
And oh, how I wish I had.
"But obviously, that isn't going to happen. So I'm going to keep doing my best. Maybe tomorrow will help remind everyone that as long as Dominic is here, so am I. And maybe my fighting skills today will teach them how serious I am about staying too. So maybe this is the end of all this drama."
Nope.
*****A/N: Holy mother only like one or two official chapters left and then an epilogue. What the.****
P.S. there will not be a sequel.