Chapter 3 3

The apothecary door swung shut behind him, the soft chime of the bell a mockery of the storm he left behind. Rowan stood frozen, her fists clenched so tightly her nails dug into her palms. Her chest heaved, every nerve in her body on fire.

"Arrogant bastard," she muttered under her breath.

The room still carried the faint scent of him-pine, smoke, and power. It clung to her like an invisible shackle, refusing to let her go. She wanted to scream, to rage at the unfairness of it all. Of him.

Rowan dragged in a shaky breath, forcing herself to move. She needed to do something, anything, to regain control of her spinning thoughts. Her hands trembled as she reached for the jars of herbs on the counter, but her mind was elsewhere.

Why had he come here? What did he really want?

His words echoed in her mind: "You're mine."

"No," she said aloud, her voice sharp, as if saying it would make it true. "I don't belong to anyone."

But deep down, a small, traitorous part of her whispered that the bond didn't care about her defiance. The bond didn't care about her independence or her hatred for him. It only cared about what it was meant to do: tie her to Dominic Blackthorn in a way she couldn't escape.

The day dragged on, each hour heavier than the last. Rowan tried to focus on her work, but her mind remained in turmoil. By the time the sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in shades of crimson and gold, she was utterly exhausted-physically and emotionally.

She locked up the apothecary and made her way to her small cottage on the outskirts of town. The streets were quieter now, the bustling energy of the day replaced by the soft hum of evening life.

Rowan's cottage was modest but cozy, tucked away behind a cluster of trees. It was her sanctuary, a place where she could breathe without feeling the weight of expectations or danger pressing down on her.

As she stepped inside, she bolted the door behind her and leaned against it, closing her eyes. For a moment, she allowed herself to relax, to believe she was safe.

But the peace didn't last.

A knock echoed through the small space, sharp and commanding.

Her eyes flew open, and her heart sank. She didn't need to ask who it was. She already knew.

Rowan hesitated, her pulse racing. Maybe if she ignored him, he'd go away.

Another knock, louder this time.

"Rowan," Dominic's voice called through the door, low and firm. "Open the door."

She swore under her breath. "Go away, Blackthorn!"

"I'm not leaving," he replied, completely unfazed by her anger.

Rowan pushed off the door, pacing the small room like a caged animal. Why couldn't he just leave her alone?

The third knock was accompanied by a hint of amusement in his tone. "You can either let me in, or I'll let myself in."

Her head snapped toward the door, fury blazing in her eyes. "Don't you dare-"

The sound of the lock clicking cut her off.

Rowan's jaw dropped as the door swung open, revealing Dominic standing there, calm as ever, his amber eyes gleaming with challenge.

"You-" she sputtered, her voice rising. "You broke into my house?"

He stepped inside, closing the door behind him as if he owned the place. "Technically, I didn't break anything."

"Get. Out."

Dominic ignored her, his gaze sweeping over the small cottage. "This is where you've been hiding?"

Rowan stepped in front of him, her body taut with anger. "I'm serious. Get out."

He looked down at her, his expression unreadable. "Do you really think you can keep pushing me away, Rowan? The bond won't let you."

Her throat tightened, but she refused to back down. "The bond doesn't control me. You don't control me."

A flicker of frustration crossed his face. "You can't fight what's already been set in motion."

"I can damn well try," she shot back.

Dominic's jaw tightened, and for a moment, neither of them spoke. The air between them was thick with tension, the kind that made her skin prickle and her wolf stir restlessly within her.

"I didn't come here to argue," he said finally, his voice softer but no less firm.

"Then why are you here?"

"To warn you," he said, his eyes locking onto hers. "You're in danger."

Rowan blinked, caught off guard by the sudden shift in his tone. "Danger?"

"Malachi knows who you are," Dominic said. "He knows what you mean to me."

Her stomach dropped. "I don't mean anything to you."

He stepped closer, his amber eyes darkening. "You mean everything, Rowan. And that makes you a target."

She swallowed hard, trying to process his words. Malachi Darkfang. The traitorous beta who wanted Dominic's throne. If he knew about her...

"You're lying," she said, though her voice wavered.

"I wish I were," Dominic replied. "But he's already sent scouts into your territory. It's only a matter of time before he makes his move."

Rowan's mind raced. She didn't want to believe him, but something in his tone told her he wasn't exaggerating.

"What do you expect me to do?" she asked, her voice quieter now.

"Come with me," he said without hesitation. "Let me protect you."

Her eyes narrowed. "Protect me? Or keep me under your control?"

His lips curved into a faint smirk. "Does it matter, as long as you're safe?"

Rowan took a step back, her heart pounding. She hated him for putting her in this position, for forcing her to consider trusting him.

"I don't need your protection," she said, though the words felt hollow even to her own ears.

Dominic studied her for a long moment, then nodded. "Fine. But when the danger comes knocking, don't say I didn't warn you."

With that, he turned and left, the door clicking shut behind him.

Rowan sank onto the edge of her bed, her hands shaking. She didn't trust Dominic, but if what he said was true...

She didn't have long to decide what to do next.