Chapter 4

LAYLA's POV

Her face was a cold mask of open dislike. The first thing she said was, "You're Layla, I don't like you." Her voice was icy and menacing.

I was already saddened by Alpha Derrick's anger, there was no space in my heart at the moment to be scared or intimidated by her cruel words.

"I'm sorry you feel that way towards me." I said, bowing my head to her.

She scoffed, "Are you trying to be fucking humble?" She asked and poked my shoulder with a sharp finger. "Hey, you pauper, answer me."

"No, I wasn't…I didn't have anything to say." I said and wiped off the tear that dropped and ran down my cheeks.

She smiled, seeing how depressed I looked, she was obviously regaling in the moment.

"I want to talk to you, I see my boyfriend is already breaking your poor little heart, that's what happens to scumbags who think they can fit into a world they don't belong in." She said scornfully.

I won't deny that my heart was frail, her words only made the situation worse, just what she wanted to do.

"I'm sorry I can't talk," I sniffled. "I have to get Alpha Derrick's drugs for him right now." I replied, still staring down without meeting her eyes.

"I remember that, you've seen what a day without those drugs does to him, you stupid, ignorant thrash. Meet me at the garden outside the moment you've given him those drugs." She said and walked away.

I clenched my fists so tightly until my knuckles turned white, she was a complete bitch and I got to find out more about that when I met her in the garden later.

"I heard your pathetic story, you know, of how you landed here and became Derrick's special maid." She put a hand on my shoulders that slowly crawled up my neck, then she yanked my hair violently.

I let out a loud cry as a pang of pain shot through my body, then she let go and I dropped to my knees in pain.

"There you go, on your knees, where you're supposed to be when you're talking to me." She snarled. "I don't have much to say but you claim to be Derrick's mate?" She asked and spat down, her saliva almost pouring on me completely. I didn't move. "Why do you dream big when there's no hope? Huh?"

She nudged my head with her hand repeatedly and it took everything in me to prevent myself from lashing out at her, that would have proved fatal for me.

"Look bitch, I'll give you one piece of advice and you had better take it and live by it, or you might end up in a bloody wooden box, you hear me? Now, you stand as much chance as a snowball in hell with Derrick, you're no good for him and you can never, not even in your wildest dreams, get him. Do not even think about it, because wherever you turn, whatever move you make, just know that Freya is watching you. And if your stupid ass makes a wrong turn, I'll cut you open." She said huskily and a genteel smile crossed her face. "I won't say it twice, Layla, stay away from Derrick."

She turned and walked away, leaving me there in a whirlwind of my emotions. My head still hurt from where she had dragged my hair nastily. She was someone I abhorred immediately, I had to find a way to keep away from her and still be close to Alpha Derrick, my dreams of living happily with him as his mate were still alive.

She had certainly put me in my place, but I wasn't completely scared off my goal. Of course, I was intimidated by her, she had the advantage over me because she was already his girlfriend and I was nothing but his personal maid. But there was still a fire burning in me, it was charring, but at least it was still burning.

The next day, Alpha Derrick had a meeting to attend with his beta away from the pack, so I practically had nothing to do after he left.

"Get my briefcase from my bedroom, it's on my desk. Move cautiously so you do not wake up Freya." He said when I met him downstairs as he was about to leave.

I bowed and ran up the stairs to his bedroom. I creaked open the door and tiptoed in, Freya was on the bed, her eyes were closed. I found the briefcase and grabbed it, when I turned to leave, Freya was sitting at the edge of the bed with a stern look on her face.

"You're stealing." She accused.

"Oh no!" I exclaimed with horror. "Alpha Derrick asked me to get this for him. He's downstairs."

She regarded me for a long uncomfortable moment, "He'll be away for the rest of the day, that means you have nothing to do here, right?" She asked.

"Right, ma." I replied.

"Good, I don't want your filthy presence around this house. Do you fucking hear me? I don't want to set my eyes on you, okay? Now get out." She said harshly.

"Fucking bitch, she thinks she's something now, doesn't she?" I said to myself angrily as I walked down the stairs.

"You're fucking incompetent, Liam! How could you pull out now? Damn your stupid immune system…whatever, I'll handle it on my own, you get sick at the worst of times." Alpha Derrick said angrily as he spoke on the phone.

Liam was the Beta of the pack, I had seen him a couple of times.

"Is there anything else, Alpha Derrick?" I asked politely as I handed the briefcase to him.

"No, just clean up my study before I get back." He said and left abruptly.

Watching him leave, my hopes of someday finding love in his eyes further diminished.

I rested in the garden for a while, everywhere seemed peaceful and that was just what I wanted, peace. When I had rested enough, I decided to clean up Alpha Derrick's study then begin my long, frustrating walk back to the maid quarters.

It took about thirty minutes to clean everything up and when I was done, I was sweating profusely. Then I heard it, a shrill cry rang throughout the silent house and it sent goosebumps all over my skin.

"What the fuck was that?" I thought.

It definitely came from upstairs and the only one upstairs was Freya. Maybe she was in danger, but who cared? I carried on with my business but decided to find out what was going on when she screamed again.

I ran up the stairs as silently as I could, the bedroom door was already ajar but I stopped immediately as my eyes beheld the scene in front of me.

"No way!" I thought with disbelief.