Chapter 217
Dominic’s POV
Rain battered the manor from morning until dusk, drumming steadily against the windows of my office. Thick gray clouds hung low over the forest, and every passing hour promised even heavier flooding before the storm finally broke.
The weather suited my mood.
Oddly enough, I hadn't seen Ellie once all day.
Not that I had gone looking very hard.
After everything that had happened lately, every conversation between us seemed destined to end in another argument. Her determination to avoid me—and sabotage every responsibility tied to being Luna—was wearing down what little patience I had left.
I didn't want to resent her.
I understood why she misunderstood the contract. I knew the vows had been worded poorly enough to feed every fear she already carried.
But why wouldn't she simply let me explain?
Why wouldn't she listen?
And why, after promising to help me, had she forced me to rely on Vivian to organize the festival?
The questions circled endlessly through my head while I stared blankly at the paperwork spread across my desk. I hadn't absorbed a single word on the page in several minutes.
A soft knock interrupted my thoughts.
Not Marcus.
His knocks were always sharper, more confident.
My pulse lifted despite myself.
Ellie?
"Come in."
The door eased open.
Hope lasted exactly one second.
Vivian stepped inside instead.
I masked my disappointment before she could notice.
"Dominic," she greeted him with a warm smile. "I was wondering if you'd had time to review the banquet seating charts."
"Right."
I opened my desk drawer and retrieved the lavender folder she'd assembled. Glittery handwriting across the front read:
Festival Seating Arrangements.
I handed it over.
She immediately flipped through the pages, carefully studying every note I'd written in the margins.
Hosting a festival wasn't simply about decorations and food.
Politics mattered.
Our pack might not be the largest, but visiting Alphas, Lunas, ambassadors, and council members all carried complicated histories.
Rivals needed distance. Close allies couldn't appear too close, or accusations of favoritism would follow.
Neutral guests had to be strategically placed to encourage new alliances.
Every seat served a purpose.
Vivian paused.
"You moved our chief physician to Table B?"
I nodded while continuing to sign another report.
"A respected university professor is sitting there. They're discussing a partnership to establish a medical training program sponsored by the pack."
"I didn't know that."
For a split second, the words almost escaped me.
Because Ellie was supposed to know.
She was supposed to be beside me for these conversations.
She was supposed to help make these decisions.
Instead...
I swallowed the thought.
"You know now," I replied evenly. "Hopefully the introduction goes well."
"It will."
Vivian smiled politely and closed the folder.
She turned toward the door.
I picked up my pen again, expecting her to leave.
Instead...
Silence lingered.
When I looked up, she still stood there, one hand resting on the doorknob, hesitating.
"Something else?"
She smiled shyly.
"I wanted to tell you..."
"I finished planning tonight's tasting dinner."
My brow lifted.
"I included all of your favorite dishes."
"We'll test everything before the festival banquet. If any recipes need adjusting, we'll have time."
I blinked.
"My favorite dishes?"
I couldn't remember ever telling Vivian what they were.
It wasn't exactly something I discussed with people.
Nor had I requested a personalized menu.
Still...
The gesture itself was thoughtful.
"Thank you," I said sincerely.
"That was considerate."
Her smile brightened.
"I'm glad."
She gave a graceful curtsy before quietly leaving the office.
The door clicked shut behind her.
Silence returned.
I leaned back in my chair, staring at the closed door long after she'd gone.
Instead of gratitude...
A hollow ache settled in my chest.
Vivian's effort had been kind.
But she shouldn't have been the one doing these things.
That place belonged to Ellie.
Ellie was my wife.
My Luna.
My mate.
The woman I loved.
And somehow...
Every thoughtful thing Vivian did only reminded me of the growing distance between the person standing beside me...
...and the one I truly wanted there.