"He wasn't looking at me for that long, Dominic." I said.

He glared at me, his whole body tense with his unleashed anger.

"Yes, yes he was. I will punish him for it, you are mine and he thought it was okay to look at you?" He growled darkly. I shifted Alex to my other hip and sighed.

"He was looking at me because I was holding Alex and his mate is expecting a baby soon so he was all loved up." When he growled, I hurried to explain. "Loved up with his pregnant mate, not me, dumbass."

"I don't care." He snarled.

"Dominic." I said calmly. He looked at me, waiting for me to continue, "calm down and shut up." With that said, I turned on my heel and walked back inside, leaving my fuming mate behind. I winced as I walked, my ass was still sore from his little punishment yesterday.

Little, my ass. I thought with a grimace.

After the party, he kept me up until the early hours of the morning. We were blessed with Alex being a quiet baby who always slept her way through the night. He liked to take full of advantage of that fact each and every night. I left the door open for him and soon enough, he followed me through the doorway.

I glanced past him at the trees. I sighed when I noticed one laying on the ground, broken to pieces. I looked up at him and my lips quirked slightly. He was glaring at the space in front of him as he walked, torn between going to the man who was looking at me and beating him and then leaving it be and having me happy.

Even though he was different towards me, there was still times where I would have to jump onto him to get him to stop doing his stupid mind control tricks on people he thought offended me on purpose. It was happening more and more lately, I noticed. A person would glance at me and hurriedly look away and for the first few times, I was uncomfortable with the looks but learned to deal with it.

Dominic would scowl at first but then suddenly the person would drop to their knees, clutching their head in their hands, screaming at him to stop. He wouldn't stop no matter how loud I yelled so I always resorted to kissing him or to putting my hand under his shirt and rubbing his bare skin.

I knew it had to do with Alex being born, not only did he feel like he had to protect me but also Alex. He didn't want to leave any possible threats even if they were ridiculous.

I was waiting for the moment when something life changing would happen and he would calm down with the hurting people. I was hoping it would come soon, I couldn't take much more.

I glanced down at Alex to find her sleeping. It worried me sometimes how much she slept, she slept for most of the day and for the whole night. The doctor told me that it was because of the Lycan and werewolf blood running through her veins. Her small body needed constant rest but that she would it was normal and that by the time she was going to school, she should be fine. If not, then we should worry.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you. Nate and Dimitri invited us to dinner tonight. I said we would go, I asked Belle to babysit for us. She wants to spend more time with her Goddaughter." I said to him.

"No."

"Dominic, come on. I haven't been able to talk to Nate lately. I was held up by everybody else yesterday at your surprise party . Please?" I pouted up at him and widened my eyes.

He growled. "Fine. But we aren't staying for long and I'm going to have constant access to Bella and Rose's mind so I can see that they are not mistreating our daughter." He said. I squealed and launched myself at him. He chuckled as he caught me and gently spun me around.

"Thank you!" I showered his face with kisses, earning another chuckle from him.

"What are you doing to me?" He asked me softly. His eyes held a tender look in them and he gently stroked my cheek. I smiled at him and leaned my cheek against his hand. I was again baffled as to how this man could be so cold and ruthless to people.

"Changing you for the better I hope." I admitted quietly.

"There is no changing me, sweetheart." He said seriously. "I know you want to find the lightness in me, find the good that will set my demons free and stop me from hurting other people but it's not there. The only glimmer of light I have is for you and our daughter. Nobody else."

He kissed me then, a slow kiss that was filled with everything else he wanted to say but couldn't. I kissed him back, letting him know that I understood. It would take time before he was able to fully open up to me about anything and everything. I was happy that he felt comfortable talking to me the way he did. It was a huge jump from how he talked to other people and even though I knew he was cruel to others, I was secretly happy that he felt he could talk to me at all.

We pulled apart and I called Bella to pick Alex up when she could. Ten minutes later, there was a knock on the door.

Dominic opened it as usual, his eyes were narrowed and alert.

"Hello, Dominic." Rose said. I grinned and hurried to the door, pulling it open before Dominic could stop me. He growled his disapproval and pulled me to his chest before I could do anything else.

I rolled my eyes and nodded at Rose and Bella.

"Dominic, I need to get them the stuff that they need for minding Alex. You need to let go in order for me to do that." I said. He growled once more but let me go all the while keeping a close eye on Bella and Rose. I returned quickly with Alex's baby bag and handed it to them as well as the buggy in which Alex slept in. "You know everything that you need to know, you've babysat her before. Try not to let her even get a scratch or Dominic will lose his shit. Again."

"Aye, aye Captain." Bella saluted me before taking the buggy off of me and wheeling Alex away. She cooed at the sleeping baby as if she was awake and talking to her.

"Thank you. Have a good night." Rose chirped and followed Bella.

Dominic watched them walk away and closed the door, his jaw was clenched and I knew he was already listening in on their thoughts. I sighed and wrapped my arms around. I rested my head on his back and stayed silent.

Eventually, his body released some its tension and he turned around so he could wrap his arms around me. I smiled.

"I have to go get ready." I mumbled against his chest. His chest hummed underneath me. I sighed and pulled away, planting a brief kiss on his lips when he growled at the departure.

An hour later and I was showered and ready. I wore a simple baby blue dress with my hair curled and my make up on. I frowned and looked at the dress in the mirror. It washed me out, I had gotten paler from being inside so much, if I got any paler, I would look like I was dying.

Too late for that, I thought.

I was healthy, I just didn't look it.

Dominic was in the kitchen when I finally came down stairs. He was dressed smart casual.

He pulled me to him as soon as I was within arms reach and kissed me.

"You look beautiful, Niamh." He whispered in my ear.

"And you look devilishly handsome, Dominic." I said. He chuckled and kissed my cheek.

"Come on." He held my hand as we walked to the door. We opened the door just as someone had their hand raised as if to knock.

Their face paled and took a quick step back. One look at Dominic's face and I could see why.

He was around my age with bright red hair that was a wild mass of curls and reached his shoulders. He had dark eyes, so dark they looked almost black and pale skin that had not one blemish on it. He was tall, nearly as tall as Dominic and scrawny. I watched him in amusement as he rambled on about he didn't mean to disturb us and that it was urgent and to please not kill him.

Dominic remained calm the entire time while listening to the boy spurt out everything he could think of so that Dominic wouldn't harm him. I nudged him and gave him a look when he still didn't move.

"We were on our way to dinner. It can wait." He said coldly. The boy flinched and paled even more, if that was even possible.

"But, sir, you don't understand-"

"I don't understand?" He interrupted him. "I have gone through your mind and you don't even know why you are here which tells me that whoever sent you expects me to show up whenever I want to and that they also think that I'm going to kill you. They don't seem to care for you too much from what I've seen as the person who wants me to meet with them knows of my plans and is exactly where I am headed now. I am feeling awfully generous tonight as my mate is happy and is standing right next to me. If I do anything to you, I know it will put a damper on things and she will not talk to me for the rest of the night."

I blinked at him and squinted at the boy. Why would Dimitri want Dominic to kill this boy?

"Do you know Nate?" I blurted out. It was his turn to blink at me and blush.

Oh.

I rolled my eyes and made a mental note to kill Dimitri when I saw him. Dominic, sensing my anger, dismissed the boy and turned to face me.

"Is he for real?" I fumed. He smirked at me, obviously enjoying the slight slip in language. "Shut up." I growled at him. I was not in the mood to listen to him tease me for my Irish accent.

"He wanted that boy to be killed by you all because he has a crush on Nate." I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms.

"I know, love. You are not to say anything to him, I will be the one having a word with him. I do not like what he did and will tell him this."

He kissed my hand and led us out the door to the car. I was quiet during the car ride, plotting ways to hit Dimitri over the head before Dominic could stop me.

Nate would never cheat on Dimitri or do anything to hurt Dimitri even if he had trained him.

The thought still left a bitter taste in my mouth.

We arrived at their house and I stepped out before Dominic could open the door. He growled at me and gripped my hip tightly in warning. I rolled my eyes at him and slipped out of his hold to walk to the door. I had barely put my foot down before his arm was wrapped tightly around my waist again.

My mouth tugged up into a smile before I could help myself. Dominic walked in without knocking and went straight to the dining room.

Nate and Dimitri were in an intimate position, a position I would rather not see my brother in.

I jolted and whipped around. Cursing could be heard and the unmistakeable sound of a fist hitting a face. I winced when I realised that it was Dominic hitting my brothers mate.

"Well, seeing as that is out of the way and now you are both fully clothed, shall we eat?" He asked casually and turned on his heel. "There's no way in hell I am letting my mate eat at that table."

We went to a different room with yet another kitchen table and sat there to eat our meal. Dimitri and Dominic grumbled at each other occasionally. Obviously they weren't happy with each other but I didn't care.

I talked with Nate, not letting a single moment of silence come between us. He was more subdued lately, not as energetic or talkative as he used to be.

It used to be him guiding the way for the both of us but now it seemed as if he couldn't. I refrained from throwing a dirty look at his mate and created conversation with him instead.

Slowly, he began to loosen up and was returning back to his old self. I grinned at him when he made a joke and he chuckled to himself.

Dominic tensed next to me when I slapped Nates' hand for stealing a piece of my vegetarian bacon.

"Hey, if you like veggie foods, admit it" I said sternly, pointing my fork at him. He rolled his eyes and stole another piece. I smiled slightly and continued to eat my food, this time letting the silence stretch between us comfortably.

Dominic and Dimitri eventually stopped angrily growling at each other and instead started a quiet conversation about something that I cared nothing for. Nate, growing up around the male conversations while I was shunned from them, perked up and listened in.

I frowned as they all talked about something I didn't understand but even though I was kind of annoyed, I was still happy. I didn't notice how much I actually missed my brother until now. I was happy that we came and even happier when Nate suggested we watch a movie after dessert.

His mate frowned at him but didn't say anything.

Dominic looked at me and his expression softened from its cold exterior. I snuggled into his side with Nate on my other side and relaxed. The move was just coming to an end when I was jostled awake by my mate lifting me into his arms and carrying me to the room.

"You're so romantic, Dom." I murmured sleepily. His chuckled rumbled his chest under my cheek and I smiled. "I love you." 

He gently placed me on the bed but stopped and crouched next to me.

"I love you too, Niamh." His rough thumb caressed my cheek and he was suddenly so serious that I was wide awake in an instant. "Niamh, you and our child are the only people I truly love and care for in this world. My heart thinks of no one else but you two. I would die for you, I would do anything for you. You are mine, you always have been and you always will be."

My heart pounded in my chest as I stood up and moved in front of him. He frowned and moved to sit on the bed.

"Dominic, I love you with all of my heart. I know you love me too in that fierce, strange way of yours." I smiled and picked up his hands. "I love you so much it hurts. I would do anything for you, anything at all. I belong to you, my body, my soul and my heart. You own it all. I know we said that it was all meaningless to us but I've realised that it isn't to me. Dominic." I stopped,voice shaking too much for me to continue.

"Dominic, I want both the human world and our world to know that we belong together. That we love each other so deeply we can never be separated." I got onto my knees and looked up at him as I pulled out the small box from under the bed. "I measured your finger size in your sleep." I murmured sheepishly.

His mouth twitched but that was all that he did. He didn't say anything or change facial expressions. Just watched.

"Dominic, will you marry me?" I asked as I opened the box. Again, he remained silent and stood up. He walked past me as I sat on the floor, confused and hurt. He went into the closet and came back a second later. He got onto his knees as well in front of me and pulled out his own small little box. 

"Niamh, you ruined my plan that I've been planning for the past month." He smiled. I stared at the small box in shock. He opened it up, showing deep green velvet that held a small ring with a silver band and a clear diamond. It was sweet and simple, I loved it. He carefully pulled it out of the box, picked up my shakey left hand and slid the ring smoothly on. "I measured your finger in your sleep."

I choked out a laugh and stared at him. I shook my head and took the ring out of the box and slid it onto his ring finger. My fingers wrapped around his and he stood up. He led me to the bed and we laid down, just looking at each other in a quiet silence. 

"I love you."

"And I love you."