Layla’s POV Nadia had taken her sweet time to explain how everything had played out, from how she’d frantically tried to wake me up to how Hera had suddenly appeared and voluntarily checked my vitals a while before I suddenly woke up. She made sure to add dramatics and extreme visuals as she recounted the experience and ultimately I just felt genuinely apologetic that I’d unintentionally caused her to worry so much. “I thought I’d lose my mind trying to wake you up, I was this close,” She held up her index finger and thumb so close that they were almost touching to demonstrate what she meant. “....to wailing and calling on all the sorcerers and spell casters to come and help wake you up” She picked up my hand and rubbed my wrist affectionately. After a while, I noticed that she’d been carefully studying my wrist instead of just harmlessly rubbing it like she was doing earlier, and I knew exactly why she was doing so. “Nads, are you trying to check my pulse right now?” I asked her
Layla’s POV They were doing it stealthily, but I was convinced that they’d been referring to me with the cause comments they kept making. I was well aware of that fact because they made it a point to glance in my direction every now and then while they referred to a whore whose only desire was to sleep her way to the top of the palace. I couldn't wrap my head around how most of the workers in the palace seemed to hate me without knowing anything about me, why did they prefer to conceive ill thoughts about me and my intentions in the palace when I was probably the least harmless person they’d ever come across? It absolutely baffled me. “Who knows? Maybe she also got here by seducing you know who” A maid said and the others nodded in agreement, and we probably all knew that they’d been referring to Alpha Arnold. At this point, since the ground had refused to swallow me, I just wanted to get away from them badly but I couldn't will my legs to carry me away for some odd reason. My anxi
ARNOLDA peace that surpassed human comprehension was what I felt whenever I was inches near Layla, and even in the horrific mess I was entangled in figuring out at the moment, being in her presence still managed to bring me an unimaginable amount of peace and quiet.Even my wolf was incredibly at peace with her, and it was the best feeling ever because he was so tough to tame when he was uneasy but her presence did it in the snap of fingers.She might've thought that I was exaggerating by saying that her presence had calmed me, but I sincerely wasn't. Even when I wasn't in turmoil as I was a few moments ago, her company was the most refreshing thing ever, and now that I was in a fix, her presence served as a form of revitalizing therapy.Yet, the one thing that still weighed on me was the fact that the family that’d died by the hands of the monster was that of the child and mother that she’d so beautifully bonded with when we went on the last charity run.I didn't think that I could e
Layla’s POVForty-eight hours and counting, and I still couldn't think of anything other than the evening of unmatched ecstasy that I’d enjoyed with Alpha Arnold. It was almost as though his hands were magical the second they hit my skin, I thought I’d be antsy but he found a way to relax me and give me a mind-blowing experience.Ugh, his magical fingers.I had no idea that a person’s fingers could leave me in such a pleasurable daze as he did, and I loved how affectionate and adoring he was the entire time. Before the experience I’d shared with him, I had no idea how arousal felt like but he’d managed to stir up parts of me that I didn't think existed.Yet, it bothered me a tad bit that I hadn't been able to get a hold of him since that evening, but I was fully aware of the fact that he’d been busy with affairs of the court because he never failed to send Castle with news of his tight schedules to me. It was really beautiful how he remained so mindful of my feelings and intentional wi
Layla’s POVChills broke out on my body as I landed on the floor and I felt goosebumps as my eyes widened in shock from what I just saw.That wasn't...That couldn't...But it was... I was still staring right at the mirror and the demon I didn't understand was staring back at me, in my shape, in my position, as me.But that wasn't me. That couldn't be me. A loud shriek escaped from my mouth again.“Oh, my God! Layla?!” Nadia’s scream resounded in the entire room.The very second I fell to the ground, I also heard Nadia’s rushed footsteps as she dropped everything she’d been doing and ran over to my side quickly. She sat beside me on the floor and she began to fan my face with a piece of paper frantically.Nadia ran her hands around my body as she checked my pulse, checked if I had a high temperature, and checked if my heartbeat was stable. But none of that had caused me to collapse, yet I could barely move as she examined me with worry evident in her eyes.I could barely even function
Arnold’s POV The elders and members of the court were all finally seated in the throne room for an emergency meeting and it was time to kick off the discourse that’d led to it being organized; the rogue killings that’d spread all over town for the last few days. Everyone was wearing sour and concerned expressions as though it’d been the theme of the day, but it was understandable because some persons in attendance had families that’d been affected by the killings and it was a sore topic for everyone. The gravity of the matter was huge enough to have brought my ailing father out of his chambers just so that he could also be in attendance, and usually, his presence didn't constitute much help because of how our opinions always clashed, but at this point, it didn't matter much to me because I desperately needed all the support I could get to finally mark the rogue killings as a thing of the past. The meeting finally kicked off when the royal court’s report was brought in on a scroll b
Arnold’s POV My walk back to my chambers was infuriating and unsettling because of how torn I’d been on how to feel. Was I supposed to be pissed at how my father had spoken to me like a fucking child? Or was I supposed to be uneasy because of the weight of uncovering the rogue killers that’d been placed on my shoulders? With how incredibly enraged I felt, I’d been alternating between both of their heavy emotions and there was no possible outlet in sight. As soon as I reached the doors of my chambers, I threw them open so angrily that they slammed as though they’d shake the foundation beneath them. I wanted to take out my frustration one way or the other before it ruined me, I felt an overwhelming urge to lash out at someone or punch something but I knew that it’d only increase my frustration instead of relax me so I thought against succumbing to either of those urges. Instead, I took a couple of uneven breaths and took a seat on my bed in a bid to calm myself before my anger and un
Hera’s POV The shivers I felt running through my bloodstream were triggered by a feeling of rage and fear that’d piled up after my embarrassing attempt to arouse Alpha Arnold. It was deathly frustrating that the rare opportunity had opened up for me to comfort him without Layla’s nauseating presence putting a dent in my plans and I’d fumbled it completely. All of the fear and rage that now ravaged me mercilessly stemmed from the fact that the bond I’d built with him seemed to be crumbling and there was nothing I could do about it. What’d set me apart from Layla despite his disgusting obsession with her was the fact that I had an unbreakable sexual bond with him, or so I thought, and now I couldn't even manage to get him in the mood. I was well aware of the fact that if Layla somehow took hold of him sexually like I had alongside how smitten he was with her, I’d completely lose him to her. I knew when to tune into my delusional beliefs that I’d have him no matter what, but if he beca