4. Dominic

Chapter 4

Dominic

I had assumed I wouldn’t ever have a One. Then everything seemed to go to hell and suddenly there he was. Only, he didn’t want me. How was life so utterly unfair? I had spent the past hour trying to figure out what my plan was going to be, and had finally decided that I was going to leave Amherst. It wasn’t that I didn’t like it here. I did. But I didn’t think I would be able to remain here.

No doubt it would get out that Frederick was my One, and had rejected me. Quite verbally. I wasn’t willing to live amongst those who knew. It was bad enough with the occasional stares and whispers. I had no doubt that there were some that truly thought my coven members and myself had actually done what had been mentioned.

Not caring that not only the council but Master Arthur would know what I was about to do, I sat up and reached for my tablet. I opened the browser and started searching for places to relocate to. I would of course let everyone know I was moving. But I had decided that Amherst just wasn’t the best fit for me.

Should I return to Europe? I had no family left, but that didn’t stop me from missing it, as well as the much more moderate temperatures. Could I return to Italy though? I thought about it a moment before coming to the conclusion that no, I shouldn’t return to Italy. It would only look suspicious, and that was the last thing I wanted. I’d done nothing wrong, and I wanted to keep with little good standing I had with the council. Or perhaps that was all moot since they believed I could be responsible for what they thought.

I desperately wanted to search Specter Logistics, but that I could refrain from doing. Until the investigation was complete, I would avoid any and everything to do with Specter Logistics until this all has passed. Until then, I would go the safer route and simply search out places to relocate to.

Thinking about home, I tried to come up with somewhere that would be acceptable. I started looking at Spain, specifically Barcelona when my phone vibrated on the coffee table. Not wanting to lean forward again, I used magic to bring it to me. I saw I had a message from Master Arthur, and if it had been anyone other than him, I would ignore it.

Master Arthur: Could you please come to my office at your earliest convenience? There are a few things I need to discuss with you. Thank you.

I sighed. He said at my earliest convenience, but I knew that meant come to his office. I groaned, tossed the tablet aside, and then stood to go to Master Arthur’s office. It took no time to arrive; only a few minutes. When I did, before I even entered his office, I knew he wasn’t alone and it wasn’t Patrick with him.

I knocked on the open door before I stepped into the doorway. “You wished to see me?”

“Yes, Dominic. Please come in and have a seat.” Master Arthur indicated the chair in front of his desk. When I took a step inside, the sofa that Patrick often sat on came into view and I saw none other than Frederick sitting there. I hesitated for a moment before I continued into the room.

“Are there more questions he needs to ask me?” I questioned as I sat.

“I believe so, yes.”

I probably shouldn’t have closed the door on him a bit ago. The last thing I needed was to be in trouble with the council.

“I still don’t know anything about Specter Logistics,” I said. “Like I told the other enforcer, I haven’t ever heard of it until it was mentioned to me today.” I glanced between Master Arthur and Frederick.

“The questions I have are more of a personal nature,” Frederick said. “I wanted to know if we could discuss things. Specifically, our connection.”

So that was it. He’d had the door shut in his face, and now he was asking Master Arthur to help. He knew if Master Arthur was the one to ask me to come to his office, I couldn’t say no. But if Frederick had been the one to ask outside of a professional capacity, he would have received the same treatment as I’d given him earlier.

“I don’t know what there is to discuss,” I said and left it at that. As far as I was concerned, Frederick had said more than enough for both of us earlier.

“If I may,” Master Arthur said. I pulled my gaze from Frederick and focused on the coven master. “Do you recognize the connection between the two of you?” He asked.

I looked back to Frederick and narrowed my eyes. “I do, but I don’t see what that has to do with anything.”

“You recognize that we’re fated?” Frederick asked.

“I’m a warlock. Of course I recognize that we’re fated. My body’s aura reacts to yours just as any other warlocks does to their fated One,” I said in response. “But again, what does that have to do with anything?” I looked back to Master Arthur, hoping he would answer.

“Perhaps the two of you should go to the dining hall and discuss this,” Master Arthur suggested. “Unless you are comfortable with me hearing this conversation.”

Frederick nodded, but I shook my head. “There is nothing to discuss,” I said. “Was there anything you needed to talk to me about regarding the investigation?” I asked. “I was under the impression that was why I was here, once I saw you were in the office.”

Master Arthur stood. “I’ll give the two of you a moment. I’m going to pick up Edric from classes and take him back to our quarters. I’ll be back shortly.”

I wanted to tell him he didn’t have to leave, that I would rather not be alone with the man that fate decided was perfect for me yet had denied wanting to be mine. I wasn’t sure I would ever recover from what I had heard in here earlier, but I wasn’t going to dwell on it. At least not at the moment.

Master Arthur was gone before I could truly protest; leaving me alone with Frederick. I closed my eyes, and tried to calm my frustration. That would get me nowhere, and at the moment, I needed to keep myself as collected as possible.

“Is there a reason why you closed the door on me earlier?”

I partially opened my eyes; keeping them narrowed at Frederick. “What is it you wished to discuss with me?” I asked since there was no way I was going to get out of having this conversation with him.

“Why did you shut the door in my face? What did I do to you that pissed you off? Or are you always rude?”

I blinked at Frederick a few times before shaking my head. “I’m not rude. In fact, I’m usually incredibly nice. Just ask Warwick. You work with him, right?”

Frederick’s gaze was piercing. “I do. What of it? Are you implying something?”

“Not that it is any of your business, but no. Only that I’m nice and not rude. Ask Warwick. I helped him while he was in Venice. Not that it matters too much at this point since the council believes I’m the owner of some logistics company that I have never heard of. What is it that you wanted to talk about?” It was true, I was usually quite nice. But I was irritated, and at this point, I figured if I just talked to the man, I could go on my way and return to my search of places to live in Barcelona.

“Do you not want a One?” Frederick asked.

It took quite a bit of effort to not react to what he’d just asked me. For so many decades I’d wanted nothing but. I’d searched for my One as much as I could, but when your coven master had a tendency to not allow the coven’s members to go on holiday often, that left you with having to hope that your One found you somehow.

“At this point, I’m indifferent,” I told him. “I desperately wanted a One and family when I was younger, but that was a long time ago. I’m old now, and more than ready to finally settle down in one final place and just exist. I don’t need a One or children in order to do that. Just somewhere that I can call home and feel safe and welcome. I had thought this might be the place, but I’m beginning to believe that somewhere else would be more fitting.”

Frederick leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “You don’t feel safe here?” He asked. “Master Arthur is an amazing coven master. I cannot believe you wouldn’t feel safe or welcome here.”

I shrugged. “He isn’t a bad coven master. I just find myself missing Europe. I would also like to be able to put all of the mess with my birth coven behind me. I don’t believe I will be able to completely do that here.”

“You said you don’t need a One or children. So are you saying you do not wish to discuss our future together?”

I narrowed my eyes at Frederick. “There truly is no us, Frederick. I could accept you not acknowledging me when we first met because you were working. But I cannot accept my One thinking so little of me that he would believe I was capable of doing whatever it is that I’ve done. Owning a logistics company? Seriously? That’s why the council came all the way here? To ask me if I owned a certain company?”

“That’s not the only thing, no, but I do understand why you would be frustrated with regards to that. The questions needed to be asked in person, so we could see your reaction as well as your aura when they were asked.”

I nodded. That wasn’t difficult to assume. We were warlocks, and as such, we spent a good deal of our time checking out the auras of others around us.

“Good. I’m glad we understand one another,” I said as I stood to leave the room. Frederick was quick though, and in a blink, he was in front of me, keeping me from reaching the door.

“We don’t understand each other,” Frederick said. “In fact, I’m probably even more confused at the moment than I was an hour ago. Tell me what I’ve done to warrant your frustration and irritation toward me. I’ve only just met you today, and although I know it has happened in the past, I didn’t believe I would have to deal with a One that seemed to detest me before I even got to know him.”

I blinked several times before I shook my head. “Yes, well, I never thought I would be gifted a One who quite vocally told the coven master that he did not wish to claim me because I was of questionable character,” I spat out. Immediately I wished I had kept my poise because Frederick’s eyes widened while his face paled. “I do not believe we have anything further to discuss. Good luck with your assignment, Frederick. I wish you a happy life.”

I was able to maneuver around Frederick now and once I reached the door, I left without a backwards glance. I didn’t expect to see Master Arthur standing against the hallway opposite his door, just out of eyesight of it though. He held out his arm, gesturing for me to continue on, and when I did, he fell into step beside me. I stumbled for a step, but quickly caught myself. Of course I wasn’t going to get away from it all that easily. I took a deep breath, resigning myself to having to discuss this with Master Arthur.

I was a bit surprised when he started for the stairs. I was close in height, and it was easy enough for me to keep up with the coven master, but when he turned left at the top of the stairway, I stopped. Was I to follow? Or was he simply going to his quarters to be with his family?

“I feel we should talk about things,” Master Arthur said, answering my questions.

I sighed out loud, but followed. He had been nothing but kind to me, and had opened his coven to us, offering a place to call home.

I had never been to Master Arthur’s private quarters, and I knew that him inviting me into them was a privilege. I also realized that Master Arthur was by far a more powerful warlock than I ever dreamed of being, and he knew I was no real threat to him or his family.

“I feel it would be best if I explained a few things to you about Frederick and his family,” Master Arthur said just outside the door to his suite of rooms. “Once you hear what I have to say, then I feel you will be in a better position to make a decision about whether or not you accept his claim.”

I nodded, but inside I had already made up my mind. I knew that I would never forget what Frederick had said. Those words already lived in my memories, and were still playing on repeat. They were fresh, and like older wounds, they would eventually fade. I wasn’t at that point yet though.

“Would you like something to drink?” Master Arthur asked as we entered his suite.

“Thank you, no. I appreciate the offer though,” I said as I quickly looked around the entryway. His suite, as expected, was much different than the one I had been given. I had been told that a few years ago the manor house had undergone massive renovations and the suites were expanded to become two room suites for the unmated members and small apartments for the mated ones. But Master Arthur’s was like a house within the manor house.

“We’re going to go in here and talk,” he said, indicating a room to the left. I entered, quickly discovering it appeared to be a home office. This one though, had a small, simple desk and chair unlike the office downstairs. I would say it was used only for quick things, as the laptop on the desk didn’t appear to be any more substantial than the desk itself. But he didn’t go toward the desk. Master Arthur indicated the two oversized, overstuffed leather chairs. I went to the one closest to me, and after I sat, Master Arthur did the same.

I sat there, waiting for him to start the conversation, because he’d invited me and had mentioned how he wanted to tell me about Frederick. Not that I felt it was going to change my feelings toward my One.

“I’m going to start this conversation saying that I hope you will keep an open mind about everything.”

I nodded after Master Arthur stopped, and seemed to be waiting for some sort of response from me.

“Good. I went to first tell you that I have known Frederick for a very long time. He is a wonderful man, and you could not ask for a more loving and loyal One.” Arthur paused for a moment before continuing. “That being said, I know that what he spoke out loud earlier he deeply regrets. He wasn’t thinking clearly, and I know that despite what his words indicated, he truly does want a his One and family.”

“You say that, but there is no way I will ever be able to unhear what he said about me and the possibility, and thought of being mated by someone such as me. Unfortunately, for me, just like everyone else in this room, I cannot change the coven I was born into. That was completely my parents doing.”

“Very true. Just as Frederick cannot change the fact that he is the grandchild of one of my father’s original eight. Throughout his life, he has had to fight the stigma that comes from such a family. Just as I have. There is an expectation whether wanted or not. I am the son of the created warlock. My father is simply that. My father. But growing up, I was always looked at differently. Sure Frederick did not experience that to the same level that my brothers and I did. There was still always some greater expectation from him though and after so many centuries of always having that, one begins to think a different way.”

“So what you are saying is that Frederick wants me but yet his family wouldn’t necessarily approve of me because I am beneath them.”

Master Arthur side. “That is not what I said at all, nor had I been thinking it. I was only trying to get you to understand that Frederick said what he did without fully thinking about the entire situation. This is all said without even touching the fact that you overheard a private conversation.”

I narrowed my eyes because I was completely over everything having to do with Frederick and Master Arthur at the moment. “If it was a private conversation, then the door should have been shut. I overheard, just as anyone else would have, because I happen to be walking by the door after Carrington and Dante had finished questioning me. It wasn’t that I was purposely trying to eavesdrop, I simply happen to be there at the perfectly wrong time.” I shrugged. “Or perhaps it was, exactly when I should have been there. At least now I know how Frederick truly feels about me.”

Master Arthur shook his head. “I see that you are doing exactly the opposite of what I asked you to do. I asked that you keep an open mind about the situation, but yet you seem to have already made up your mind about Frederick and what he said.”

“There is only ever one moment, a single chance to make a first impression. Unfortunately, for me, I never was given that opportunity. Frederick’s first impression of me had already been decided from a file. He knew nothing of me personally, knew nothing of who I was, and what I had ever truly done. No, I had already been judged as someone who could never be truly trusted or was worthy of him. So no. I don’t see how it’s possible to keep an open mind about him.”

“I understand what you are saying. Everything you have said is completely valid. But if you do not give Frederick a chance to apologize for what he said, without fully thinking about the entire situation, the two of you will only suffer. Despite the fact that warlock no longer will experience immense pain if they aren’t claimed by their One within days of first meeting, you will still suffer. Your mental health, for both of you, will eventually decline. Once that starts, your physical health will deteriorate. Is that something that you want for the two of you?”

Was it? No. But I wasn’t sure I would ever be able to get past what Frederick had said about me.

“One last thing, and then I will leave you to your thoughts. Think about everything. Yes, Frederick was rash and did not think about, his words and how they would impact you. Was it wrong? You of all people know what it is like to be judged. And unfortunately, Frederick has done that before he ever got the opportunity to meet you and get to know who you were as a person. Can you be the bigger person and look past it? Everyone makes mistakes, Dominic. You have, I have, even my father has. You and Frederick will both continue to make mistakes throughout the rest of your life. Are you going to let one completely derail what the two of you could have and build together?”

I thought about that a moment before nodding slowly. “Thank you for the words of wisdom. I’ll take them into consideration.”

“That’s all I ask. I hope you can look past this eventually. He truly is a good man and would cherish you and any family the two of you were to have. Frederick comes from a large family that is equally loving, and I know you would feel welcome among them in no time.”

That was unexpected. I was an only child of only children. I grew up without any sort of family beyond the coven. I didn’t know what to expect when it came to siblings, cousins, and the like.

“Thank you again,” I said. “I’ll consider everything you’ve told me and try to keep an open mind about everything.”

Master Arthur nodded before he got up. I knew that the conversation was over, and stood as well. I followed him out of the room, contemplating what had just been shared with me. Would I be able to forgive Frederick? I wasn’t sure. But I did at least owe it him, to myself, to hear him out. Would he be able to win my forgiveness?