Chapter 8
I told Dominic everything immediately.
He listened without interrupting, his expression growing darker with every word. When I finished, he stood and walked to the window, hands clasped behind his back.
"Reclamation rights," he murmured. "An archaic law. It allows an Alpha to claim any offspring conceived during an active bond — regardless of whether the bond still exists."
"Can he do that?"
"In theory." Dominic turned to face me. "In practice, he'd have to prove the child is his. And to do that, he'd need either a blood test — or a public tribunal."
My hand went to my stomach instinctively. "He can't—"
"He won't." Dominic's voice was iron. "But we need to act first. If we're married before he files the claim, the child becomes Ashford by law. No tribunal can override a standing marriage bond."
I felt the weight of what he was suggesting settle over me.
"You want to marry me. Now."
"I want to protect you now." He crossed the room, stopping just in front of me. "But I won't force this. If you need more time—"
"He could file any day."
"Yes."
I looked at Dominic — this man I'd known for barely a month. A man who'd given me more respect in weeks than Alaric had in five years.
A man whose bond I could feel humming in my chest, patient and warm, waiting for permission.
"Okay," I said.
His eyes searched mine. "Okay?"
"Let's get married. Tomorrow."
Something blazed in his gaze — not triumph. Relief. Like he'd been bracing for me to say no.
"Tomorrow," he agreed.
---
The ceremony was small. Private. No spectacle, no political display — just me, Dominic, a witness from his council, and the bond waiting to be sealed.
I wore white. He wore black. And when the officiant asked if I accepted the bond willingly, I looked into Dominic's grey eyes and said yes.
The moment the bond snapped into place, I felt it — a warmth flooding through me, nothing like the cold, sharp tether I'd had with Alaric. This was different. Deep. It settled into my bones like coming home.
Dominic felt it too. I saw it in the way his breath caught, the way his hand tightened around mine.
"There you are," he whispered. Just for me.
After, in the quiet of his study, he kissed my forehead — gentle, unhurried.
"No one touches you now," he said against my skin. "Not him. Not anyone. You're mine to protect, and I don't fail at that."
I believed him.
For the first time in my life, I believed the man standing in front of me.
---
The news reached Blackwood territory within hours.
I know because at midnight, my phone lit up with a single message from an unknown number.
From Alaric.
Five words.
*"What the hell did you do?"*
I read it once. Then I deleted it.
And I slept in my husband's home — my real husband — with the bond humming softly in my chest, and no fear in my heart.
But I should have been afraid.
Because three hours later, Dominic's head of security burst into the estate.
"Alpha — Blackwood filed the reclamation claim. It's going before the Continental Council at dawn."
Dominic's eyes went steel-hard.
"Then we meet them at dawn."
He listened without interrupting, his expression growing darker with every word. When I finished, he stood and walked to the window, hands clasped behind his back.
"Reclamation rights," he murmured. "An archaic law. It allows an Alpha to claim any offspring conceived during an active bond — regardless of whether the bond still exists."
"Can he do that?"
"In theory." Dominic turned to face me. "In practice, he'd have to prove the child is his. And to do that, he'd need either a blood test — or a public tribunal."
My hand went to my stomach instinctively. "He can't—"
"He won't." Dominic's voice was iron. "But we need to act first. If we're married before he files the claim, the child becomes Ashford by law. No tribunal can override a standing marriage bond."
I felt the weight of what he was suggesting settle over me.
"You want to marry me. Now."
"I want to protect you now." He crossed the room, stopping just in front of me. "But I won't force this. If you need more time—"
"He could file any day."
"Yes."
I looked at Dominic — this man I'd known for barely a month. A man who'd given me more respect in weeks than Alaric had in five years.
A man whose bond I could feel humming in my chest, patient and warm, waiting for permission.
"Okay," I said.
His eyes searched mine. "Okay?"
"Let's get married. Tomorrow."
Something blazed in his gaze — not triumph. Relief. Like he'd been bracing for me to say no.
"Tomorrow," he agreed.
---
The ceremony was small. Private. No spectacle, no political display — just me, Dominic, a witness from his council, and the bond waiting to be sealed.
I wore white. He wore black. And when the officiant asked if I accepted the bond willingly, I looked into Dominic's grey eyes and said yes.
The moment the bond snapped into place, I felt it — a warmth flooding through me, nothing like the cold, sharp tether I'd had with Alaric. This was different. Deep. It settled into my bones like coming home.
Dominic felt it too. I saw it in the way his breath caught, the way his hand tightened around mine.
"There you are," he whispered. Just for me.
After, in the quiet of his study, he kissed my forehead — gentle, unhurried.
"No one touches you now," he said against my skin. "Not him. Not anyone. You're mine to protect, and I don't fail at that."
I believed him.
For the first time in my life, I believed the man standing in front of me.
---
The news reached Blackwood territory within hours.
I know because at midnight, my phone lit up with a single message from an unknown number.
From Alaric.
Five words.
*"What the hell did you do?"*
I read it once. Then I deleted it.
And I slept in my husband's home — my real husband — with the bond humming softly in my chest, and no fear in my heart.
But I should have been afraid.
Because three hours later, Dominic's head of security burst into the estate.
"Alpha — Blackwood filed the reclamation claim. It's going before the Continental Council at dawn."
Dominic's eyes went steel-hard.
"Then we meet them at dawn."