~ LAYLA ~ I hate this fucking silence. Waves of jealousy thrum through my veins time and time again as I fight to steady my breathing. My heart hammers in my chest, threatening to break free as I helplessly watch Kira stare at my mate in both defiance and something else I know all too well. Desire. Raelin is glaring at her, his jaw clenched and he appears angry. But Kira? That fucking shewolf is busy trailing her seductive eyes down his body, moving agonizingly slow and shamelessly lingering on his muscular arms and chiseled abdomen. I squeeze my free hand into a tight fist, the urge to rip her apart almost overwhelming me. I am somehow grateful that Aunt Gaia strangely seems to be quietly holding me back right now. But nevertheless, someone should keep that rabid shewolf in a leash, or else, I will be forced to do it myself and stop her from eye-fucking my mate. I swear I won't mind— “You want a photo?” Raelin’s voice cuts through the tension in the air as he throws the taunt
~ LAYLA ~ He brought me to an office. His office. “Are you just going to stand out there?” He throws the question at me, still keeping the door open and impatiently waiting for me to get back to my senses. Well, I already have. I step into his office, and he slams the door shut behind us, the loud sound making me flinch. Is he angry? One glance at him as he walks past me towards his desk is all I need to have my answer. He looks so tensed with that clenched jaw and those tempting lips that are pressed into a thin line as he yanks open his desk drawer and retrieves something from inside. A black file. I remain silent as I watch him dump the file on top his desk. His broad back muscles flex with every single movement he makes. No no no… I can't get distracted now. I should be focusing on trying to figure out the right thing to say, what could happen next, and— “I'm sorry for the way Kira treated you back there.” His calm voice trails into my thoughts, his words sounding both
~ LAYLA ~I swallow down a lump stuck inside my throat. My heart keeps slamming beat after beat inside my chest. He can't be serious right now. No, he… he can't be.At some point in the future, he is going to come back to his senses. I may be his mate now, but I…. I am a rogue. A fugitive just bidding her time in this pack.And one day, that time is going to be up. Expired.And then, Raelin here will realize that he does not want to have anything to do with me, a mere rogue. That him and his pack deserve someone they accept better to rule by his side.Someone who is more fitting for them and…. and worthy.Relying on blind hope is not going to save me. It never did before. And it never will.Raelin sighs and steps away from me, finally releasing me from his hold. My heart is still pounding furiously inside my chest with so many confounding emotions making me feel fuzzy and torn apart.But despite my emotions clouding inside my head, one thought stands out. Bitter.A thought so ugly t
~ LAYLA ~I move quickly down the quiet hallway as I head towards my destination.My heart is still pounding inside my chest even as I take a corner by my right. With my eyes fixed on my path ahead, I am still struggling internally to fully concentrate regardless of the tension of my exchange with Raelin that is still raging everywhere inside my mind.'We made a deal, Layla Kavros, and you promised to stick to it.'Like hell....I want to scoff at the memory of those words. However, the memory is burning into the depths of my very soul.It is indeed true that I made a deal with him and promised to stick to it. Nevertheless, the raw desire I witnessed in his eyes as he spoke those words, the deep possessiveness I felt in his voice.....They all wrap around me like twisted vines immune to any destruction, and the more I fight to shake them off, the more they dig deeper, branding themselves into the core of my being.It is clear that Raelin is hellbent on never letting me go. I should ha
~ RAELIN ~ “You’ve kept a rogue alive, Alpha Raelin. A rogue who trespassed on our territory. A rogue who defied the kill order.” Elder Theron has always been a man of rational thinking. I don't really like him, but he is the only elder among the five Elders of my pack that I can tolerate more than the other elders. Especially that old snake, Markin. I am seated on my leather chair as I listen to Elder Theron speak. Wes is nestled on the wall by my side, his arms crossed as his sharp eyes flit between me and Theron. He is listening too. Frankly, my mind is already made up irrespective of whatever Elder Theron will keep saying. I am the Alpha of this pack, and my decision to keep Layla here won't be changed. It is fucking final. “I've seen the rogue, Alpha Raelin. She's such a beautiful little trick. Definitely a threat to this pack—” “She’s not a threat to my pack,” I cut him off. “Layla is staying in this pack under my protection.” “But that doesn’t change the fact that she’s
~ LAYLA ~I will not die today.The shackles of the cold metal biting into my wrists are cruel and unforgiving. A dull ache is throbbing mercilessly deep inside the base of my skull.I still do not want to believe the truth I currently feel deep down inside my very being, but that harsh truth keeps hitting me like a painful blow to the gut.I am chained. I am a fucking prisoner once again, despite everything I did to ensure that I will never be in this dirty, worthless position again.But…. something is different now.I do not fully know where I am.All I know and feel is that I am not in Kaliq's cage again like some rabid animal he locked up and almost turned me into.But, I am a new prisoner in another cage nonetheless. Another cage much bigger and colder than Kaliq's.I am in a fucking dark and stale prison cell.Pain shoots through my wrists as I yank at the chain restraints binding my hands upwards to the wall, the clinking of the chains echoing in the small, dimly lit space. I w
~ LAYLA ~I yank at my restraints again.“I see you’re awake.”The haunting tease in the voice of the male still approaching me is evident, followed by a dark chuckle that sounds like a deep rumble from his throat.I stay still and say nothing.For now, it will be better and safer for me not to speak rashly.The approaching footsteps get closer and closer, and then, they finally deliver my new company, or should I say my new captor, into the light puddle right there at the center of my cell floor.When the light illuminates his face, I gasp.Raelin Michaelson. The infamous Midnight alpha.I feel it. I know it. I can't be mistaken.The pack crest.The alpha aura around me and almost choking me.Even the ‘M’ engraving on the signet ring I now see around his left index finger all point to the realization that I am indeed in the presence of the alpha who loathes and despises the likes of me.The alpha who I just discovered seconds ago…. is my mate.Silence descends down on us once more. C
~ LAYLA ~His question hangs in the air between us, waiting to be answered.“Yes,” I finally speak, my voice barely above a whisper. “You have to believe me. I would never just wander into your pack territory despite knowing how cruel you are to the likes of me.”“Is that so?” He asks, still giving me the deathly stare.For a moment, I pray inwardly for him to believe me and stop asking me more questions.I don't know if I can keep talking any longer with the intense pain I am feeling deep inside my throat.Unfortunately for me, I watch his teal eyes as they instantly switch to a fierce red, burning into mine. I feel the unleashed power of his alpha aura wrapping around me and pressing down on me, suffocating my mind at the same time. Dear Selene.He does not believe me. I am a rogue. Of course he will never believe whatever comes out of my lips.I have never felt so small and so dejected in my entire life, but now is not the time for me to drown in my helplessness.I need to stay a
~ RAELIN ~ “You’ve kept a rogue alive, Alpha Raelin. A rogue who trespassed on our territory. A rogue who defied the kill order.” Elder Theron has always been a man of rational thinking. I don't really like him, but he is the only elder among the five Elders of my pack that I can tolerate more than the other elders. Especially that old snake, Markin. I am seated on my leather chair as I listen to Elder Theron speak. Wes is nestled on the wall by my side, his arms crossed as his sharp eyes flit between me and Theron. He is listening too. Frankly, my mind is already made up irrespective of whatever Elder Theron will keep saying. I am the Alpha of this pack, and my decision to keep Layla here won't be changed. It is fucking final. “I've seen the rogue, Alpha Raelin. She's such a beautiful little trick. Definitely a threat to this pack—” “She’s not a threat to my pack,” I cut him off. “Layla is staying in this pack under my protection.” “But that doesn’t change the fact that she’s
~ LAYLA ~I move quickly down the quiet hallway as I head towards my destination.My heart is still pounding inside my chest even as I take a corner by my right. With my eyes fixed on my path ahead, I am still struggling internally to fully concentrate regardless of the tension of my exchange with Raelin that is still raging everywhere inside my mind.'We made a deal, Layla Kavros, and you promised to stick to it.'Like hell....I want to scoff at the memory of those words. However, the memory is burning into the depths of my very soul.It is indeed true that I made a deal with him and promised to stick to it. Nevertheless, the raw desire I witnessed in his eyes as he spoke those words, the deep possessiveness I felt in his voice.....They all wrap around me like twisted vines immune to any destruction, and the more I fight to shake them off, the more they dig deeper, branding themselves into the core of my being.It is clear that Raelin is hellbent on never letting me go. I should ha
~ LAYLA ~I swallow down a lump stuck inside my throat. My heart keeps slamming beat after beat inside my chest. He can't be serious right now. No, he… he can't be.At some point in the future, he is going to come back to his senses. I may be his mate now, but I…. I am a rogue. A fugitive just bidding her time in this pack.And one day, that time is going to be up. Expired.And then, Raelin here will realize that he does not want to have anything to do with me, a mere rogue. That him and his pack deserve someone they accept better to rule by his side.Someone who is more fitting for them and…. and worthy.Relying on blind hope is not going to save me. It never did before. And it never will.Raelin sighs and steps away from me, finally releasing me from his hold. My heart is still pounding furiously inside my chest with so many confounding emotions making me feel fuzzy and torn apart.But despite my emotions clouding inside my head, one thought stands out. Bitter.A thought so ugly t
~ LAYLA ~ He brought me to an office. His office. “Are you just going to stand out there?” He throws the question at me, still keeping the door open and impatiently waiting for me to get back to my senses. Well, I already have. I step into his office, and he slams the door shut behind us, the loud sound making me flinch. Is he angry? One glance at him as he walks past me towards his desk is all I need to have my answer. He looks so tensed with that clenched jaw and those tempting lips that are pressed into a thin line as he yanks open his desk drawer and retrieves something from inside. A black file. I remain silent as I watch him dump the file on top his desk. His broad back muscles flex with every single movement he makes. No no no… I can't get distracted now. I should be focusing on trying to figure out the right thing to say, what could happen next, and— “I'm sorry for the way Kira treated you back there.” His calm voice trails into my thoughts, his words sounding both
~ LAYLA ~ I hate this fucking silence. Waves of jealousy thrum through my veins time and time again as I fight to steady my breathing. My heart hammers in my chest, threatening to break free as I helplessly watch Kira stare at my mate in both defiance and something else I know all too well. Desire. Raelin is glaring at her, his jaw clenched and he appears angry. But Kira? That fucking shewolf is busy trailing her seductive eyes down his body, moving agonizingly slow and shamelessly lingering on his muscular arms and chiseled abdomen. I squeeze my free hand into a tight fist, the urge to rip her apart almost overwhelming me. I am somehow grateful that Aunt Gaia strangely seems to be quietly holding me back right now. But nevertheless, someone should keep that rabid shewolf in a leash, or else, I will be forced to do it myself and stop her from eye-fucking my mate. I swear I won't mind— “You want a photo?” Raelin’s voice cuts through the tension in the air as he throws the taunt
~ LAYLA ~There is this strange satisfaction I am currently deriving from watching Cupcake dig into her breakfast right in front of me, time and time again.Breakfast has been served, and everyone I have met so far: Cupcake, Aunt Gaia, Brie, Mrs Chen, and Zuby, are all seated here with me, each person busy with the food served right in front of them.Our breakfast includes the pancakes that Cupcake was raving about, also bacon, eggs, cheese sandwiches, and finally lots of sliced red apples and blueberries.I love red apples, but I guess it is no one's business now.So far, I have only had just a couple bites of my own breakfast, which is looking just the same like everyone else’s.They didn’t reduce my portion, neither did they serve me anything lowly different when they dished out my food to me earlier. The act alone made me wonder; why treat me the same, like I am one of them?My fingers toy with an apple slice on my plate, its red smooth surface cold against my fingertips. Around m
~ LAYLA ~After dressing my bed and taking a few minutes to quickly freshen up in the bathroom, I get dressed in a sleeveless black halter-neck top and pale white joggers.As for my footwear, I found two separate pairs of black and brown sandals, with some flip-flops neatly wrapped underneath the clothes in the hamper basket. Talk about lifeless things creeping out on me.I chose to go with the flip-flops. I want to be comfortable around this foreign place as much as I can.Done getting ready, I leave my room and close the door behind me, not bothering to lock it up.Aside from the locket necklace that I am currently wearing around my neck, there is nothing else I have inside that room that is worth stealing.Also, this packhouse looks too luxurious and coordinated to condone theft.I quickly descend down the stairs, hating that there seems to be too many of them. I don’t want to be late for my first breakfast here.Besides, first impressions matter. And I don’t want to give off a bad
~ LAYLA ~MORNING A couple of knocks on my door wake me up. I groan, stirring on my bed.Whoever it is should go away for a tweeny tiny bit. I haven't slept like a normal being in months.I need more sleep.Still remaining on my bed, I try to drown myself back into dreamland, but another round of impatient knocks rain on my door again.This time, the knocks are harder, followed by a low chuckle and a muffled voice I can't quite hear clearly.Damnit!I stir on my bed again and groan into my pillow. At this rate, whoever that person is clearly wants to see me.After unburying my face from my pillow, I sit up and drag myself out of bed. Barefooted, I slowly and grudgingly trudge towards the door to open it.This disturbance should better be worth it.Reaching the door, I open it, and instantly, I am greeted with a toothy wide smile from the little rascal I met back then in my cell.Also, a girl my height and nearly the same body size as mine is standing right next to Cupcake, holding a
~ LAYLA ~ I follow Gaia—sorry Aunt Gaia—as she leads me down a quiet corridor. The vintage clock I see nestled on the wall by my left shows me that it is already 11pm, so very late into the night. If I had successfully escaped, what would have been my fate out there? What would have happened to me? I shake out the thoughts as I look away from the wall clock. Whether I escaped or not does not matter now. What matters now is that I have a roof over my head. I have also found my mate, even though he isn’t the sunshine prince I dreamt of. At least, he is here. He is not abandoning me, or killing me like I thought he would. I still don't know what the hell we are going to do about this bond between us. However, first things first. I need to survive this place. Just tread one step at a time Layla. I rub my hands down my arms as I continue following Aunt Gaia silently. The walls by my sides are colored oak brown, and has various exquisite art paintings hanged on them. They are beau