Dominick’s face was a mask of cold fury as he held Serejo by the collar, the man’s feet barely touching the floor. "You were doing all this after the Alpha King made you the governor of Gridlock?!" he roared. "What we have banned for so long, you kept running in the shadows. How many ogas’ lives did you destroy with this trade?"
"Your Highness, please... forgive this once," Serejo stamred with sweat even when it was cold. He had resorted to pleading, realizing that his authority had evaporated the mont the Prince stepped into the light.
"Shut up! You’ll pay for every single one of your cris, Serejo!" Dominick spat, shoving him away with such force that the man hit the wall. The sentinels moved in instantly, shackling Serejo and dragging him toward the door to face the cold reality of the district prison.
Theodore, the District Sentinel Head, stepped forward and bowed deeply, his expression one of grim relief.
"Your Highness, the officers who were found aiding Serejo have already been taken into custody. It was incredibly difficult to track them; this place is small and has been neglected by the higher-ups for years. Honest n were pushed to the edge or silenced. I’ve been trying to dismantle this network for so long, but I could never get close. Now I realize why Serejo was the one protecting the web," Theodore explained, his fists clenching at his sides.
"Give imdiate freedom to the ogas who were traded as slaves," Dominick commanded. "And mark this, the punishnt will also be bestowed upon those who bought them. So, you better make their arrests too. No one escapes justice in this."
"Your Highness, those families are already being taken into custody. By tomorrow, we will have finished most of our work," Theodore assured him with a firm nod.
"Great. Since it is already late, you can leave. We will conclude the rest of the discussion tomorrow," Dominick dismissed him.
Theodore bowed and exited, leaving a heavy silence in the room. Evan and Jeniva remained, their eyes fixed on the Prince. Despite the victory, Dominick’s features were still firm with lingering anger.
"We still couldn’t grab the one who wanted Jeniva as his slave," Evan noted, his tone frustrated. "It turns out he left the country already. He must have had a backup plan the mont things looked suspicious."
"But the main network is busted," Jeniva added with relief and excitent. "I can’t believe it happened so smoothly. I thought I would be trapped forever."
Dominick looked up, his gaze softening only slightly as he looked at her. "You can stay the night here. Evan, you should go to bed too," he said, dismissing them both.
Evan glanced at Jeniva, gesturing toward the hallway. "I’ll show you to a guest room. Follow ," he said. Jeniva followed him, leaving Dominick alone in the dimly lit study.
Left to his own thoughts, Dominick slumped into the heavy leather chair. Since sleep had completely evaded him, he reached for a file on the desk and flipped it open.
Dominick was ticulously cross-referencing the details in Serejo’s file with the intelligence Evan had gathered earlier. When the door creaked open, he didn’t even bother to lift his gaze.
"Why did you co back?" he asked.
"Your Highness, I brought you so tea," Jeniva stated softly. She set the tray down. "Don’t you want to have dinner? You haven’t eaten since the ambush."
"No," Dominick replied, still not looking at her. His eyes remained fixed on a list of nas that shouldn’t have been there. "You can leave the tea on the table and go."
Jeniva didn’t move. Instead, she stepped closer, stopping just beside his chair. She leaned in slightly, her eyes catching the bold red ink on the docunts in his hand. "Your Highness, do you need help?" she asked. "I know these nas. I know how they operate in the shadows of this district."
"No," Dominick repeated, his tone sharpening. "If you are going to bother , then you can go back to your house."
"Why do you get so angry whenever I say sothing? I genuinely want to help you," Jeniva stated, her voice trembling but determined. "I am a diligent worker. My leaders always praise my efforts."
"What do you want? A promotion?" Dominick slamd the file shut. He rose to his feet, his tall, powerful fra looming over her instantly. Jeniva took a panicked step back, but he was faster.
He grasped her wrist, his grip firm as he shoved her back against the desk, trapping her between the hard wood and his own body. He leaned in close. "I don’t understand why you’re so desperate to help . Your work here was finished, yet you returned, knowing full well that I am alone at night. What is your ga?"
"Your Highness, you’re getting wrong. I don’t need anything from you," Jeniva affird, her breath hitching as she looked up into his dark, furious eyes.
Dominick’s gaze dropped to her lips for a split second before returning to her eyes, his suspicion battling with a sudden, unwanted tension. "Then leave," he growled, though he didn’t let go of her wrist. "Go to your room before I decide that your ’help’ is actually a distraction I can’t afford."
Dominick stepped back, releasing her wrist and clearing a path. Jeniva didn’t wait for another word; she bolted from the study, the sound of her hurried footsteps echoing down the hallway until she reached the guest room.
She slamd the door shut and leaned against it, her chest heaving as her heart hamred against her ribs. It wasn’t just adrenaline, it was fear mixed with a stinging sense of rejection.
"I didn’t know he was that kind of man," she whispered to the empty room, her voice trembling. "I truly wanted to help him... I wanted to thank him for saving my life." She bit her bottom lip, and scrambled toward the bed, burying herself under the covers as if the fabric could shield her from the Alpha Prince’s intense aura.
Back in the study, Dominick stared at the closed door. He was unable to focus anymore.
His wolf, usually a disciplined and silent companion, was pacing behind his ribs, growling with a strange restlessness. It wasn’t the ti of his rut, then why was he getting such a strange feeling?
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