Kristine’s POV
“I’m breaking up with you.”
I choke on my smoothie as those words coldly leave his lips. But just at the same time, I regain my composure and grin at his intense joke.
Dominic does not know how to make jokes. His overly serious and intense personality makes him come off as cold and indifferent a lot.
When I first met him at one of the Pack’s bonfire nights, he had the coldest glint in his aquamarine eyes.
He was a lover of dark places and had stayed in a dark spot all night, staring at me, causing goosebumps to crawl up my skin.
I spent that night avoiding his stare but at the same time, feeling weirdly intrigued by it.
When he finally stepped into the light, heading my way, I swear my breathing seized.
His arms were covered in tattoos. His long wavy hair cascaded to the side of his face, giving him a menacing look. He was tall to a fault, and buff too. He was a typical bad boy, with his squirting eyes accentuating the dangerous aura he emits.
He gave me a whiplash and a crazy excitement when we finally got to talk. His very deep baritone sent crazy tremors between my legs. The way his lips move when he speaks, the way they tilt up in a smile, his crazy punchlines, his emphasis on each syllable, everything had me enchanted.
At the end of that night, I knew I was gone. I never thought I would be like those fictional girls who fall head over heels for a bad boy, but here I was, trapped in that fantasy.
He looked every bit dangerous, but something about that had me stoked. Lured me in. Until I couldn’t stay away from him anymore.
The fact that I knew so little about him didn’t matter. As long as I knew his name, and that he was a packless wolf who desired to be a part of our Pack. It was more than enough information for me.
He didn't tell me what happened to his old pack. He hated discussing it, or even discussing his family. I didn’t know anything about him, what his life was like before we met. He was rather too secretive about it, and it was a huge red flag, I know.
My friends warned me to back off. Yelled in my ears on how he looked like a guy with a secret agenda. Our 10-year age gap was another thing they hated.
I was 19 and he was 29. To them, it was odd. But to me, it was beautiful. Having an older guy fall in love with you was one of the best things that can ever happen to anyone. Dominic proved that to be true.
So I didn’t listen to my friends. I couldn’t. Not when I had fallen head over heels in love. Not when we had gone to the mating ball and found out that we were mates. Not when he made me feel loved and worshiped me more than anyone ever has.
His intense love for me burnt whatever rational thought I had in me. And our bond made it impossible for me to stay away from him. Regardless.
It's been a year now. And he’s never given me a reason to doubt his love for me. So why did I feel affected by his mean joke of breaking up with me?
Maybe because I don’t like such jokes. If he does break up with me, I may not survive the pain. Because now, my world literally revolves around him.
“What did you say?” I ask with a hint of amusement, leaning back on my chair. We are in our favorite café, seated in our favorite spot.
He's wearing one of those black hoodies that gives him a more rugged look. And his jawline is twitching.
I find it odd that he cracked a joke but isn’t smiling as he usually does. Or backing it up with more witty lines that will crack me up.
Instead, he’s coldly quiet, staring at his cup of coffee without glancing at me. Dominic never stays a minute without undressing me with his eyes.
But we’ve been sitting here for longer than thirty minutes and I can make finger counts of how many times he’s looked at me. What’s wrong?
“I said, I’m breaking up with you,” he repeats those hurtful lines with no spike of amusement. No smiles. No jokes.
My smile vanishes. Shaky hands wrap around my smoothie as I bite down the urge to cry.
“Are…are you serious?”
“A hundred percent, yeah.”
Panic falls like a waterfall, crashing down the walls of my heart.
“Why? Why—” I’m spluttering so badly and spilling tears on the table. I wipe them off frantically, taking a deep breath as I try to articulate the words on my lips.
“Why are you breaking up with me?” I ask, and the desperation in my voice causes my heart to break even more.
“Because what we have is exhausting me. You’re fucking naïve and I thought I would be okay with that. But I’m not. I need more fun than your naïve ass can give me.”
What’s he saying? Yes, I may be naïve but it’s never been an issue. He always said he loved my innocence. That it was one of the things about me that greatly aroused him.
So why this? Where does this stem from?
“Dominic,” I reach for his broad hand on the table but he quickly retrieves his hand. “Please tell me this is a joke, Dominic.”
“Am I the type who makes jokes, Kristine?” he responds, finally looking at me. I shudder at the raw coldness in his eyes.
“With me, you make jokes…”
“My point exactly. Being with you is gradually turning me into something I’m not. A goddamn clown…”
“What?”
“It hurts, right? But it’s the truth. I can’t keep changing myself to fit into your little, fantasy world. I’m not THAT guy, Kristine. I’m not…”
“Yes, you are. You assured me that you are…”
“I lied. And I’m sorry for dragging this whole dating/mating thing for so long. I shouldn’t have let it begin, seeing how different we are.”
I take a second to look around, just to make sure no one in the café is witnessing this heartbreaking moment.
I’m sobbing a storm right now and I can’t seem to hold it down anymore.
He asks for the check and pays our bills. He stands to leave but I quickly jump to my feet, grabbing his hand.
“Please don’t do this Dominic. Whatever I did wrong, please forgive me. Huh?”
“Kristine,” he tries to take my hand off his but I stubbornly hold him tighter. “Don’t make this any harder…”
“I know you’re mad at me but breaking up with me is a bit too extreme. Let’s talk it out tomorrow…” or stay with me longer tonight. Please.
“This is the last time we’ll be seeing each other,” he cut in.
“What?”
“Take a good last look at me, Kristine. Because this is the last time you’ll ever see me.”
“No,” I shake my head in tears, clinging to his shirt. “Please don’t do this, Dominic. We’re mates…”
“I plan on ending that in twenty seconds,” he says, and it feels like a dagger has been plunged into the deepest part of my heart.
I go speechlessly pale and just let my tears roll. His mind seems made up. No amount of pleading will change his mind.
Dominic may be the sweetest guy but he’s equally just as stubborn. I’ve seen him show this stubborn side to others. But I never thought the day would come when he would show it to me.
And just to seal this painful meeting, he takes my hands off his shirt, pinning a scowl on me.
His voice is rigid as he says. “I, Dominic Gareth, reject you, Kristine Delvin, as my mate…”
The rest of the world goes blurry. All I hear is the deafening crashing of my heart.
Dominic walks away, leaving me to fight with my tears and pain.