Chapter 628
Dominick woke from his nap as the evening approached. He pulled back the heavy curtains, noting that the snow was still falling steadily, blanketing the grounds in a white shroud.
’I could never find the Alpha who wanted Jeniva,’ he mused darkly, his mind wandering as he smoothed his clothes. ’I wonder which country he’s disappeared to p>
As he descended the grand staircase, the delicate, floral scent of Jeniva reached him. He found her tucked into the corner of a large couch in the living room, cradling a steaming cup of tea. He swallowed hard, a lump forming in his throat at the sight of her sitting so peacefully in the firelight.
’Is she not feeling anything?’ he wondered, his feet moving toward her of their own accord.
Sensing a looming presence, Jeniva turned her head. “Your Highness!” she exclaimed, startled. she stood up promptly, nearly sloshing her tea before quickly setting the cup on the table. Lowering her head in a respectful gesture, she asked, “Do you want something p>
“No. But what are you doing here? You could have had this tea in your room,” Dominick said. He brushed past her to take a seat on the opposite end of the sofa.
As he passed, his arm grazed hers. The brief contact sent a jolt through Jeniva, followed by a wave of his intoxicating scent. ’What kind of cologne is he wearing?’ she thought. A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. ’And who wears something that potent when they’re just staying home?’ She chuckled lowly to herself.
“Why did you chuckle?” Dominick asked, his sharp eyes narrowing as they settled on her.
“I didn’t,” Jeniva replied instantly. She lied to his face with a straight expression before lowering herself back onto her seat.
Dominick stared at her for a long moment. “I hate lies,” he muttered.
Jeniva didn’t offer an excuse. She simply lowered her gaze to the floor, her heart drumming against her ribs.
“Where’s the butler? I want something to drink,” Dominick said, looking around the empty, quiet hall.
“Oh, he and Evan had to leave urgently earlier today, just as the snowfall started,” Jeniva explained. “They called a while ago to say they won’t be back tonight. They’re stuck in the storm.” She looked at him tentatively. “What would you like? I can make you black tea or coffee p>
“I wanted a drink,” Dominick replied, his tone suggesting something much stronger than tea. He instinctively reached for his pocket, only to realize he’d left his phone upstairs in his room.
Dominick watched her as she glanced toward the window, where the blizzard was now howling with a fierce, rattling intensity against the palace glass.
“I’ll look for the beer then. It must be somewhere in the kitchen,” Jeniva stated. She hurried away before he could offer a word of protest or a command to stay. His eyes fell onto her muffler, a soft knit fabric forgotten on the sofa where she had been sitting moments before.
Dominick leaned back against the plush upholstery and shut his eyes. The silence in this place was what he desired for a while. But after a few minutes, that silence broke with Jeniva’s arrival.
She wasn’t carrying beer. Instead, she held a bottle of Scotch Whiskey in one hand and two glasses in the other.
“I couldn’t find any beer. But whiskey is better for this weather, I think,” Jeniva remarked, her voice a bit more confident than before. She set the items on the table, uncorked the bottle, and poured two generous measures.
Jeniva was taking long sips of the whiskey, her eyes widening as the liquid warmth hit the back of her throat. “Woah! It’s good,” she muttered, taking a brief pause to catch her breath.
Dominick, however, had taken only two small sips. He watched her over the rim of his glass.
“Hmm. It is,” he replied. “You don’t get drunk easily, do you p>
“No. I have a very high capacity for liquor, Your Highness,” Jeniva answered, a playful smile dancing on her lips before she returned to her glass.
As she finished the first serving, she reached for the bottle and poured another. Dominick opened his mouth to stop her, but the words died in his throat as she moved with unexpected speed. Instead of staying on the sofa, she slid down onto the floor, settling onto the plush rug where the radiant heat from the fireplace reached her perfectly.
“Why are you sitting on the floor?” Dominick asked, tilting his head as he looked down at her from his seat.
“I don’t know,” Jeniva replied. “But it’s better here. We should stay close to the ground sometimes p>
Dominick rolled his eyes, a small, skeptical huff escaping him. He wondered if her “high capacity” was perhaps not as strong as she claimed.
“Why do you hate me, Your Highness?” Jeniva’s questioned unexpectedly. “I know you hate me. You should have asked my superior to withdraw me from your service p>
She let out a bitter chuckle, her eyes glazed but searching his. “I don’t want to work for someone who doesn’t value me. You see me as a burden, don’t you? You think because I’m an omega, I won’t be able to give you results as good as the others p>
Dominick remained silent, his jaw tightening as he watched her. Suddenly, she stood up, staggering as the floor seemed to tilt beneath her.
“You’re drunk. Go to your room,” Dominick commanded.
“You didn’t answer me!” Jeniva said in a bit louder voice. She stumbled toward him, stopping right in front of his knees. “And why… Why have you worn such a sharp-scented cologne when we are just at home? Is this how princes live?” she murmured, her curiosity getting the better of her.
“I haven’t worn any cologne,” Dominick said, his pulse quickening because her own pheromones scent had sharpened.
“Don’t lie. You have,” Jeniva insisted. She drained her glass in one final gulp and sank onto the sofa right next to him. She leaned in dangerously close, her face inches from his. “Don’t hate me. I may be an omega, but… I She pressed a hand to her heart. “I am diligent p>
Suddenly, she winced, her expression twisting in discomfort. “Agh… You need to remove this coat, Your Highness! The scent is getting so strong it’s making my head spin p>
Jeniva clipped her nose shut with her fingers, making a face of pure distress, before she suddenly reached out and grabbed his shoulders, her fingers fumbling with the fabric of his coat when he grasped her both hands.
“Stop it or else, I’m going to throw you out in the snow,” Dominick warned her.