"Don't choose survival over sentiments. Choose right over wrong," Casaio answered. He gave the wine in his glass another slow swirl before taking a long sip.

"You chose to step away from a relationship that lasted seven years, Nick. That's what makes your feelings so questionable, even to yourself. It was a bond you didn't fight to keep safe. But yes, it started with me. I ruined your day and Juniper's. It's not about taking the blame, but I refuse to ignore the fact that I stole the happiness a woman is entitled to on her wedding day."

Dominick shook his head. "Discussing a past that is so badly cracked is no longer useful," he affirmed. He chugged the remaining wine in his glass and set it down hard on the table with a definitive click.

"I felt Juniper wouldn't change if I stayed by her side. And in a way, I'm glad I walked away from her, because that was the only way to turn things for the better," he explained.

"I admit it looks like seven years of feelings vanished in an instant, as June and everyone else seems to think. But it's not true," Dominick countered. "I chose to go to Gridlock because staying here was eating me alive. Everyone around me was with their mates, flourishing, while I was reeling from betrayal. I never even wanted to be with Jeniva at first because of everything I'd undergone."

He looked at his empty glass. "When the bond refused to break, I realized I needed to see what was beyond the pain. At least with Jeniva, there are no games. She doesn't lie to me. If she's upset, she says it. I think that's the kind of honesty I never truly received with June."

Dominick then rose to his feet. "Good night, Brother." With that, he turned and walked out of Casaio's sight.

Upon reaching his private chambers, he stripped away the day and prepared for bed. But sleep refused to come. After tossing and turning for more than thirty minutes, the walls of the room began to feel like a cage.

He finally sat up, threw on some light gear, and left the palace.

It had been far too long since he last shifted, since he had let the instinct take over the intellect. Once he reached the edge of the royal grounds, he transformed.

Black tore through the large stretch of forest, paws thumping against the damp earth. The rush of the wind against his fur and the sharp scents of the night brought a sense of clarity.

'We shall do this occasionally,' Black said in Dominick's mind, reveling in the freedom of the run.

'You are right,' Dominick agreed, pushing his muscles harder.

An hour later, he returned. Instead of heading back to bed, he teleported to Jeniva's place.

His feet landed softly on the carpet of her bedroom. He scanned the room, expecting to see her asleep in bed, but he was surprised to find her curled up on the floor with a thick duvet wrapped tightly around her like a cocoon.

A low chuckle escaped his mouth at the sight. Moving with silence, he leaned down and gathered her into his arms.

She shifted slightly, murmuring in her sleep, but he held her steady, ensuring she didn't wake. He laid her gently onto the mattress and adjusted the duvet to cover her properly.

After brushing a stray lock of hair away from her face, his gaze swept the room until he spotted a chair near the desk. Without making a sound, he brought it to the bedside and sat down.

His hands clasped in his lap as he watched the steady rise and fall of her chest.

'I felt my thoughts would cease in front of you. And they have,' he contemplated, finally finding the quiet he had been searching for all night.

~~~~~

Jeniva felt the warmth of the morning sun filtering through the curtains, the light dancing across her eyelids.

She shifted, turning away from the glare as her wolf stirred restlessly within her.

"Dominick?" she murmured.

She squeezed her eyes shut again, a small smile tugging at her lips. She was certain it was just a dream, a trick of her subconscious after another night of missing him.

However, the next second, she snapped her eyes open. The weight of a presence in the room was too real to be a dream.

There, sitting in the chair she usually kept by her desk, was the prince.

His head was hung low as he remained lost in a heavy slumber. He looked exhausted, the sharp lines of his face softened by sleep.

Jeniva sat up slowly, careful not to let the mattress creak. She watched him for a long moment.

"Why is he here?" she murmured to herself. Swinging her legs over the side of the bed, Jeniva moved to wake him, but the slight shift in the room's energy was enough to rouse him.

Dominick jolted slightly, his head snapping up as his eyes met hers. He blinked, momentarily disoriented, before letting out a tired yawn. "It's already morning!?" he asked, squinting as he realized the room was flooded with golden light.

"Yeah. When did you get here?" Jeniva asked, watching him reach up to press a hand against the back of his neck, clearly feeling the stiff aftermath of sleeping in a chair.

"I couldn't sleep last night," Dominick replied, his voice still raspy from slumber. "I just... I thought I'd come here."

"Well, now that you're here, you aren't leaving without having breakfast with me," Jeniva stated firmly.

She stood up, smoothing out her clothes and offering him a small smile. "Give me a few minutes to freshen up, and then you can tell me what kept you up all night over a hot meal."

As Jeniva turned to head toward the washroom, Dominick's hand shot out, his fingers firmly but gently grasping her wrist. The sudden movement startled her, but before she could speak, he pulled her toward him.

He didn't stand up; instead, he remained on the chair and wrapped his arms tightly around her waist. He leaned forward, resting his head against her belly and closing his eyes.

"Can we stay like this for some time?" he asked.