~ LAYLA ~The late afternoon sun that is dipping lower in the sky outside keeps reminding me time and time again that I have been inside this room past afternoon already.Also, I didn't step out of this room after coming back from my encounter with Kira this morning. I didn't step out not even for once.The faint sound of the wind rustling the trees outside filters in through my windows and curtains. I have been lying here on my bed for what feels like hours and trying to distract myself with the silence and all, but the thoughts inside my mind is so jagged unlike the room ceiling that is currently right above me now. Looking so white and nothing more than a blank pale canvas that stretches out up there.My back is pressed against the mattress with my arms folded loosely over my stomach that keeps growling occasionally from time to time. Well, I skipped my lunch a few hours earlier. Suddenly at the thought of food, my stomach growls again, and the feeling is so annoying and fucking p
~ LAYLA ~“Kira doesn't have, and will never have the right to make you leave. That choice is up to Raelin. But most importantly, it is up to you too.”A part of me can't help but believe that she is kind of right.“I just…." I pause and breathe out for a moment. Instantly, what happened between Kira and me in the morning right after I helped Aunt Gaia and Mrs Chen with the dishes all flashes inside my mind.I remember what they did to Nora, and I decide to tell Brie and Zuby everything.“This morning right after I helped Aunt Gaia and Mrs Chen clean up the dishes, I saw Kira's friends bullying a girl named Nora." I adjust my ass on the mattress and brace myself to say more.“Nora?" Brie asks curiously while turning her attention to Zuby and then right back at me, "Nora is one of the Omegas that live and work here in the packhouse. Her work shift wasn't supposed to start until this afternoon."“Wait, did you just say that Kira's friends were bullying Nora this morning?" Zuby cuts in s
~ KIRA ~I fucking hate that bitch who thinks she can take Raelin away from me. Just because she is staying at the packhouse doesn't mean she now has the fucking temerity to feel entitled and insult me.That filthy rag doll!I am trying to control my temper, but I just can't. My hands are curled into fists, and watching Dad from where I am standing in the doorway of his study office isn't helping me calm down either.Elder Markin Gandall, my dearest Dad, is the Head Elder of the Bloodhounds Pack.My father.He is the legacy I admire. The only man I wholeheartedly emulate. Ever since mum passed years ago, he became the only one who shaped me into the bold, daring woman I am today and the fierce Luna I know I will become very soon.He is power personified, and I am born from that power. If I want something, I don't fucking beg for it.I take it.Being the Luna of this pack is my fucking birthright, and if someone else tries to take that birthright away from me, I swear they will be fuck
~ KIRA ~As I digest his words, I look up at him, meeting the same mismatched eyes I inherited from him.In those eyes, I see no compassion. No sympathy. Dad is no softball for anyone. Well, no one except for me. His precious pumpkin.He is willing to do anything in his power to make sure I become the Luna of this pack. To make sure that we take our rightful places in the helm of this pack's affairs.“Dad, we need to force Raelin's hand. And we need to do it fast.”“Easy. Let's not be reckless now.” He smiles as he takes another drag from his tobacco pipe. That smile was slow and so fucking predatory.He blows the thick white smoke out from his nostrils and parted lips. A happy shiver dances down my spine. He is already thinking of something. Something definitely nasty.“Spill it dad.” I narrow my eyes at him, my mind already spinning with excitement. “What are you suggesting?”“First of all, a council tribunal." He reveals in a dark serious tone, “We send out letters to officially su
~ 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
~ LAYLA ~Fucking little rascal.Raelin smiles. “Come on, Cupcake. I don't have all day. Your secret is safe with me.”His tone softens when he speaks to the girl, and despite the subtle tension hovering in the air, he is still fucking smiling at her.The expression tugs at something deep within me. Even the way he looks at her is heartwarming. A huge difference contrasting to the cold glares he has been unleashing on me since the moment he stepped in here.Anyway, he may be a two-faced asshole, but I can't deny that maybe, just maybe, he is not really that heartless like I thought.At least, he is giving me water. Maybe I am not going to die so soon.I watch the girl closely as she finally releases the water to Raelin. She is probably no more than eight or nine, with ash grey white hair curls tumbling down her small back.Ash grey white curls just like mine.But hers are shorter. Mine are longer, and now that I stare at my locks lazily draping over one of my shoulders, I can see that
~ KIRA ~As I digest his words, I look up at him, meeting the same mismatched eyes I inherited from him.In those eyes, I see no compassion. No sympathy. Dad is no softball for anyone. Well, no one except for me. His precious pumpkin.He is willing to do anything in his power to make sure I become the Luna of this pack. To make sure that we take our rightful places in the helm of this pack's affairs.“Dad, we need to force Raelin's hand. And we need to do it fast.”“Easy. Let's not be reckless now.” He smiles as he takes another drag from his tobacco pipe. That smile was slow and so fucking predatory.He blows the thick white smoke out from his nostrils and parted lips. A happy shiver dances down my spine. He is already thinking of something. Something definitely nasty.“Spill it dad.” I narrow my eyes at him, my mind already spinning with excitement. “What are you suggesting?”“First of all, a council tribunal." He reveals in a dark serious tone, “We send out letters to officially su
~ KIRA ~I fucking hate that bitch who thinks she can take Raelin away from me. Just because she is staying at the packhouse doesn't mean she now has the fucking temerity to feel entitled and insult me.That filthy rag doll!I am trying to control my temper, but I just can't. My hands are curled into fists, and watching Dad from where I am standing in the doorway of his study office isn't helping me calm down either.Elder Markin Gandall, my dearest Dad, is the Head Elder of the Bloodhounds Pack.My father.He is the legacy I admire. The only man I wholeheartedly emulate. Ever since mum passed years ago, he became the only one who shaped me into the bold, daring woman I am today and the fierce Luna I know I will become very soon.He is power personified, and I am born from that power. If I want something, I don't fucking beg for it.I take it.Being the Luna of this pack is my fucking birthright, and if someone else tries to take that birthright away from me, I swear they will be fuck
~ LAYLA ~“Kira doesn't have, and will never have the right to make you leave. That choice is up to Raelin. But most importantly, it is up to you too.”A part of me can't help but believe that she is kind of right.“I just…." I pause and breathe out for a moment. Instantly, what happened between Kira and me in the morning right after I helped Aunt Gaia and Mrs Chen with the dishes all flashes inside my mind.I remember what they did to Nora, and I decide to tell Brie and Zuby everything.“This morning right after I helped Aunt Gaia and Mrs Chen clean up the dishes, I saw Kira's friends bullying a girl named Nora." I adjust my ass on the mattress and brace myself to say more.“Nora?" Brie asks curiously while turning her attention to Zuby and then right back at me, "Nora is one of the Omegas that live and work here in the packhouse. Her work shift wasn't supposed to start until this afternoon."“Wait, did you just say that Kira's friends were bullying Nora this morning?" Zuby cuts in s
~ LAYLA ~The late afternoon sun that is dipping lower in the sky outside keeps reminding me time and time again that I have been inside this room past afternoon already.Also, I didn't step out of this room after coming back from my encounter with Kira this morning. I didn't step out not even for once.The faint sound of the wind rustling the trees outside filters in through my windows and curtains. I have been lying here on my bed for what feels like hours and trying to distract myself with the silence and all, but the thoughts inside my mind is so jagged unlike the room ceiling that is currently right above me now. Looking so white and nothing more than a blank pale canvas that stretches out up there.My back is pressed against the mattress with my arms folded loosely over my stomach that keeps growling occasionally from time to time. Well, I skipped my lunch a few hours earlier. Suddenly at the thought of food, my stomach growls again, and the feeling is so annoying and fucking p
~RAELIN~Shit.“Fuck you Cal." I grit. "I didn’t give you permission to drink that.”"Come on Ray," He whines, "I'm just going to have a tiny little sip...."Before I can protest any further, he is already grabbing a few shot glasses from the shelf and handing some out to Wes and Derek.He dumps one onto my desk, making me growl as he pushes the glass cup towards me, “Come on, just a tiny sip won't hurt...” He has that stupid smirky grin still plastered all over his face.This shithead has got to be kidding me.Despite my hesitation, I take up the glass he dumped in front of me and resign any further protest. It is useless refusing Cal after all.I am pissed watching him as he proceeds to pop the bottle open and pour himself a glass.Wait, he is pouring himself a full glass. Why is he pouring himself a fucking full glass?!I am such a fool to believe that he, of all people, will take just a tiny little sip.With a satisfied grin, he pours the rest of us half glasses. Fucking cheater.
~RAELIN~I open the door of my study office and step inside, also feeling a little bit more at ease now that I have freshened up and had a quick breakfast.After shutting the door, I stride over to my desk and settle onto my seat. Now, I can focus more on getting to finish all the paperwork regarding our pack trade routes and so many others that need my attention.This is the perfect distraction I need to bury myself into in order to forget everything that happened this morning, even though it is going to be a temporary relief.As the alpha of this pack, I know I have a lot of duties and responsibilities that I must fulfill. But a happy Alpha is a happy pack.The night my parents died, I lost a huge part of me that I knew I would never get back. For years, I have been trying to fill up that void by performing my alpha duties and making sure that my pack is protected and safe.To ensure that the legacy of my Alpha parents continues through me.However, despite having Wes and the others
~ LAYLA ~ I won't back down. Not now. Not ever. All of a sudden, I feel Nora's hands leaving my body. She is trying to back away from behind me. However, Kira’s eyes sharply catches her just before I turn around. "Nora," Kira drawls in her sickeningly sweet voice, causing Nora to pause, "Why don’t you thank Layla here for saving you from scary monsters like me?" Nora keeps mute. She looks so terrified with her eyes darting from Kira to me and then right back at Kira. When I turn back to the evil bitch, I see a twisted smile curling her lips. "I—I,” Nora stammers. “I—I didn’t ask her to—" "Shut up!" Kira snaps at her. "You’re really clumsy and so stupid that you don't even know questions that don't demand your filthy answers." Nora’s mouth clamps shut. She steals a glance at me before she looks down at her fingers, shrinking deeper into herself. She is trying so hard to make herself small, to make herself disappear. However, her fear and timidity only encourages Kira to conti
~ LAYLA ~ "Girls, what is going on here?” Kira's voice stops Millie just in time, saving me the stress of having to do it myself and saving Millie from receiving the delivery of my own brain resetting slap to her wretched face. Bitchy Millie Blonde is so damn lucky. However, I wasn't really prepared to see Kira so soon again this morning. Her loud heels clicking against the ground heralds her approach, and there is a heaviness in the silence between me and these bitches. I watch Samie and Millie as they step back while Kira strides to stand between them, her precious pets. She faces me squarely. Kira is really beautiful, but her nasty character dampens it and dirties everything about her and seems to get worse every time we are together. I thought she was gone already. What the hell is she still doing hovering around the premises? When she glances down at the petite girl behind me, a sadistic smile appears on her face. I feel the girl flinch behind me, and I use my hand gently
~ LAYLA ~ During the rest of our breakfast, I had managed to convince Cupcake to stay in her room and rest. She wanted to play and share her dolls with me, but I felt so bad that I would not be fully in the moment to give her all my attention. Or maybe..... in fact, the truth is that I am scared of getting too attached emotionally to her. She is already weaving her witty charm and innocence around my heart, and I am afraid of what that will do to me. Especially now that I am still not certain about my fate in this pack. After breakfast, I also helped Aunt Gaia and Mrs Chen clean up the dishes, despite them telling me not to bother. I insisted, not wanting to feel guilty about letting them do all the work while I just languish upstairs in my room. It did not sound fair and kind to me, even though I am the one stuck in this pack for now. Also, boredom would have killed me already. Now, I am done helping them out and heading back to my room upstairs. Earlier when I was helping Aun