Page 104 of Daughter of Garnet

"If you're bonded to me, as my scent match, they can't take you and put you in rotation." Rotation? Oh, that's fucking gross. "Scent matches are holy unions. They won't be able to break us up. Please. You don't know my father like I do. He's not who everyone thinks he is."

Zoe gently pushes me out of the way and stands abreast of me. Viv moves to her other side, protecting it.

"I know who he is. I know that his finding out what I am is a death sentence." Zoe is still crying; I can hear it in her voice, but I won't call attention to it. She can still get shit done while crying. It doesn't make her weak. "What I want to know is why you care about my fate all of a sudden?"

Dominic runs his fingers through his dark hair, leaving the strands sticking up at odd angles. "It's not all of a sudden. I never wanted my father to know about you. I had to keep you away once I knew what you are."

I roll my eyes. "Easy to say that now that you want her bond."

"It's the truth! I don't care if you believe me, Beta. This isn't about you."

A low growl rumbles in Zoe's throat. "Really bad idea to insult my bonded Beta when you're trying to convince me you deserve a bond, too."

He blanches and does a good impression of contrition. "I'm sorry. I didn't know."

Viv scoffs. "So you'll only treat him well now that you know he belongs to her?" She turns to Zoe. "Okay, I get it now."

Dominic ignores Viv. "I don't deserve your bond. I know that I'll never convince you that I do. I don't think it's possible at this point. But I need to save you, Zoe. If everyone knows we're scent-matched and that we've bonded, my father can't hurt you. He couldn't take you from me."

"I'm not yours to be stolen." The hard edge in her voice makes me want to bare my throat, even without a beast inside me.

"We don't have time to argue about this, Zoe. You can spend the rest of your life kicking me, spitting on me, whatever you need. As long as you have a life. Let me do this for you. Let me save you, please."

Viv turns her back to Dominic. "We can find Ray. I know you're still mad, but⁠—"

"Ray is the better option," I interrupt. "Let's go."

"Wait!" Dominic grabs Zoe's arm, and she spins, slapping him hard across the face.

"Don't touch me, Dominic Bradly. I let you break me too many times. I'm not allowing it to happen again."

"You're in so much danger, Zoe. You have to believe me." He's begging now, pleading with her to do as he asks, but my girl is smarter than that. She holds her chin high, not falling for his bullshit any more than I am.

"I do believe you. That's why I'm going to go find Ray to bond me."

He follows us through the classroom building. The crowds are thinning; most people are already at the chapel. We move in the opposite direction, heading to the Alpha dorm in hopes that Ray is there.

"My father will kill him." Zoe stops abruptly, but she doesn't turn and look at the Alpha. "I'm his son. His progeny. He won't kill me. It would be too suspicious. But some nobody Alpha? He wouldn't stand a chance."

Viv crowds the Alpha, poking him in the breastbone. "He's not a nobody. Our parents are commanders."

"Do you think that matters to him?"

As much as I hate to admit it, I believe Dominic. If I had to sign someone's death warrant, it'd be his, but I cannot allow her to bond herself to him. I don't trust him. This could be a ploy, could be exactly what his father wants.

As soon as I have the idea, it rings true to me. Dominic's father must have told him to bond Zoe by any means necessary so they can use her, which means he knows what she is.

"You're why he's here." Fury I have never felt before fills me. "You told him about her."

Dominic looks at Zoe and then at his feet. "Yeah, I did."

She may have told him she wouldn't let him break her again, but his words have shattered her. Zoe falls to her knees, clutching her chest. When she looks up, her eyes are slitted, and her teeth are elongated.

I haven't had the chance to see her in her full dragon form yet, but I can tell that the beast looking back at me now is fearsome.

My Omega tries to speak, but the words come out garbled through her terrifying teeth and partially shifted jaw. Scales are flickering on her neck despite the garnet pendant.

I kneel in front of her. "Zoe, you have to rein it in. Get control of your dragon now, so you can hold back the shift at the ceremony. I know you can do it."