LAYLATHE THICK DARK woods that had me petrified an hour ago was shockingly the most comfortable place I had ever been. There was something unusually comfortable about the darkness, the monstrous trees, and the whispering of the wind, coupled with the chirping sounds of insects. My wolf did not want to leave. It was like she found a new home in the absence of light and the territory of trees. I would forever be grateful to Alpha Hermes for the insight he gave me to connect with my wolf. I felt so conscious of everything around me, and my senses were heightened.It was not in the least way difficult locating my way out of the forest. All I needed to do was allow my wolf process every smell she came across today, which was done in less than five seconds. The scent of heat, alcohol and Alpha Hermes was the dominant smell the vehicle carried. We did not run out of the woods like we ran in. Instead, we walked, spoke and laughed."Are you sure you can find your out of here," Alpha Hermes in
HERMES"I Am NOT a mole, we have been through this before," Layla professed, her eyes running from one face to another."No one said anything about being a mole Layla," Gregory said, his head tilting below.They were expecting Layla's ability to detect moles as a true blood to be made manifest, but I doubt if she was fully aware of her abilities as a true blood except for the ones that had been made manifest earlier."You are a true blood, do your thing," a gruffy voice belonging to Rosa said.Layla's face scrunched-up in confusion. She kept the confused gaze fixed on me until I spoke."Everyone relax. She is not at that stage yet. She can't do what you want her to.""What do they want me to do?" Layla's whisper rung out involuntarily."So much for a true blood," Rosa scoffed, and the pack house was filled with laughter. Layla felt more anger than humiliation."Keep it cool," I whispered to her while the rest of the pack kept snickering and giggling except for James."Why can't I do i
LAYLAEVERYONE HAD LEFT the pack house except Alpha Hermes and one pack member who fell into my group. Their conversation seemed to be a privately heated one so I had no plan of interfering until I heard my name. I was outside the pack house, leaning on the closed front door of the vehicle we had drove. I did not hear the rest of the things they said until my name was mentioned. I began eavesdropping on their conversation."Whatever you find out, make sure you let me know immediately! Now go! Get away!" That was all I heard from Alpha Hermes, followed by footsteps. The pack member who was in my group stepped out of the pack house. Our eyes met, and he stared at me disgustingly before going his way. Alpha Hermes came out of the pack house looking uneasy. He kept looking at the path which the pack member had followed as he approached the vehicle."Get into the car," he ordered me without looking. Silently, I obeyed and stepped into the vehicle. He opened the door of the vehicle slowly,
HERMESGREGORY FOUND AN abandoned wooden shack that was roughly built, probably to pass the night in the thick of the woods, a path that led to Palmdale river. I inspected the sorry state of the shack. The woods used to create the shack were roughly chopped, It looked like it would collapse anytime soon. I inhaled deeply, trying to catch a familiar scent of any werewolf from the Crystal Crescent pack, I wasn't disappointed."They were here," I voiced out, furthering into the dilapidating shack that had no door. Roughly chopped woods were nailed together to form the letter n. A sofa was the only thing the wooden hut could contain. Partly burnt woods and ashes laid in front of the shack with smoke evaporating from the sticks in the absence of visible fire. There was definitely a little lighting causing smoke. The smell of ashes on grasses and smoke accompanied with the morning dew was satisfying to perceive. The Crystal Crescent pack had passed the night here. It would not be the first n
LAYLAALPHA HERMES'S DEPARTURE made me realize I have gotten so used to being around him or feeling his presence. He was out for less than an hour and his absence was strongly felt. It dawned on me that I had not gotten a cellphone. A heavy sigh escaped my lips as I realized how useless I was without the Alpha. All these weeks, it never occurred to me I was without a phone. I scanned the room before setting my eyes on the exit door of the house. A thought hovered through my mind. I dashed upstairs and changed my clothes to joggers and sweatshirt with sneakers. If my group wanted to communicate with me, they couldn't or so I thought. It was during this thought I heard Rosa speaking to me using the wolf mind link. How relieving!"Let's meet at the pack house and strategize," I heard Rosa clearly as I came down the stairs."Okay, I'm on my way," I answered her. My use of the mind link had greatly improved.I parked my vehicle close to the pack house not the regular parking spot since I w
HERMES "DAMN IT! SHE doesn't have a cell phone." I cried out, disappointed at how dumb I was to have forgotten to get Layla a cell phone. I sank into the leather seat of the vehicle, my guts telling me how wrong I was for letting Jacob escape. As if he could read my thoughts, Gregory spoke. "I don't think we should have let the Crystal Crescent pack get away easily. We already had them and could have finished it once and for all." Gregory spoke with his eyes fixed on the road as he drove. Recently, he seemed to only speak when he wanted to counter me. The thought of it made me furious. "Shut up and drive Greg," I answered rudely. "They lost a member of the pack and you think it was an easy escape." I was done with Gregory always acting intellectual around me, like he was trying to be a counselor when I needed him to be a friend and be real. It was not intentional to reply him but shut him up. My heart was too heavy to hold the words he said, I had to let off my chest. "No, that's n
LAYLAWE HAD HUNT under the tip of our fingers, harmless and unguarded, but Alpha Hermes chose for him to slip away. I was unusually comfortable with the awkward silence that lingered in the vehicle as I drove. What could possibly be wrong with him? There was something bothering him, I did not need scents to discern that. He sat next to me on the front seat, his arms folded and his eyes peering through the window on his right side. I condoned the silence in the vehicle until we were out of it."When is James returning?" I questioned, hoping to kick off a conversation with him as I alighted the vehicle after ensuring it was rightfully parked in the driveway. Before Alpha Hermes could answer my question, a loud honk resonated behind us. It was Gregory, driving Alpha Hermes's vehicle. We made way for him to carefully park the car beside the Jeep."That was a very long drive," Gregory stated, slamming the door of the vehicle before stretching his arms to the air. "I feel so tired and it i
HERMES"WHAT DID YOU see?" I asked uneasily, stealing a glance at Layla amidst being behind the car wheel, driving wildly. Even when I drove leisurely, my eyes never came off the road. The tensity weighing on me was greatly immeasurable and I made my inquiries pensively.Layla seemed to be mad at me for letting James go, her anger had filled the whole space that I couldn't breath proper air."You really let James go on his own Knowing how hurt he was?" Layla broke out a pain stricken voice accompanied with quivering lips just when I thought she wasn't going to reply me. I couldn't bear to look at her more than I already did, she seemed so dejected like the boy was her child. What a good mother she would be. My conscience would not let me watch a good woman with tears in her eyes caused by me. There was really nothing I could do even if. James was really angry and he was a werewolf not human, the upbringing varies. Layla would not understand all of this. I answered in a calm but author
HERMESTHE SMILE plastered on my face from watching couples of the pack dance, most especially Hathor and Michael disappeared when I heard Layla's troubled voice. She was struggling to breathe. I stood from the couch and strained to listen but there was nothing. I called using the mind link, still no response."Turn this music down!" I growled, throwing my cup of beer on the floor. It shattered to pieces and garnered everyone's attention along with my growl. The music was turned off and Gregory ran out of the kitchen."Layla is gone," he said."You were with her just now.""Yes. She said she was going to be back but she's not anywhere around.""No, no, no. Who do you think is behind this?" I was evidently worried. If I had danced with her all of these wouldn't be happening."Let's not jump into conclusions. Maybe she went to get something few blocks away and..""I heard her whispering my name through the mind link, Gregory. From her voice I could tell she is in danger.""Oh crap! What
LAYLA "WHAT ELSE DO I do?" I asked rhetorically. "I turned on my family, he made me swear by the moon goddess after you left. Then late at night, he became cold. He thinks he can't trust me." "Can he?" Gregory asked with raised eyebrows. "What do you mean can he? Haven't you been listening? I've literally sacrificed every other thing just to be here." Gregory nodded. "I get you. But you need to give him time, he is scared that's just it. He knows your family is out there and it bothers him that you can return to them anytime." "No, I can't. What are you saying Gregory?" "I'm telling you the Alpha's mind. He doesn't trust you anymore." "There's no way I can return to my family. They won't accept me after the stunt I pulled with them. Not like they were genuinely interested in me from the start. If not for what Alpha Hermes and this pack made me become, I wouldn't be revered by them in the first place." "Hmm," Gregory adjusted his position on his seat, leaning forward and placi
JACOBWITH EVERYTHING I had done for Layla, I wouldn't allow a local Alpha to brainwash her. She was definitely under a sort of spell. I've known her all my life, shielded her from every threat and stood by her when no one else did. Why would she want to choose someone she met less than a year ago over me? He was below standards, a local Alpha to a true blood. I grabbed a small glass vase placed on the table on my room and sent it crashing to the floor, leaving the flowers with no place of residence. I paced crazily around the room, thinking of what else I could do to win Layla over. There was no way I was letting her go. We were meant to rule the Silver Crescent pack as mates before that stupid Alpha came into the picture. He had to die, he and his whole pack. They all needed to be extinct. The support of the current Alpha was crucial. There was no way they could deny the extinction of the desert wolves wouldn't be the best thing to happen at this point. The chief council of werewolv
HERMES I DIDN'T KNOW what to think. I least expected Layla to abandon her family for me. It was confusing. What should I have expected if she warned me of her family's plan beforehand? Maybe she was being deceitful, and this was a plot to get vital information from me pertaining to the chief council of wolves. I needed to be careful. It was necessary to admit, I felt relieved seeing her. It did not occur to me that she was in the vehicle taken down by Gregory. If I knew beforehand, I would have told him to use another vehicle for distraction. The way she stood up for my pack in front of her own was commendable, regardless of whatever harm that befell her as a result of our sudden attack. Still, it could be a ploy. My feelings remained for her but not an iota of trust was left. To build a solid relationship, trust is needed. I pulled over at the driveway of the house and heaved a sigh. Today was a huge relief even if I didn't act like it. No member of the pack was lost and Layla is b
LAYLAI WAS PACING around my room ruminating on why Alpha Hermes didn't pick up his phone when I called. He refused to respond to any of my text either. Was he that mad at me? Or Hunt had gotten to him. Perhaps, Jacob went to Westwoods secretly with another pack unit to end the Alpha. Several thoughts kept running through my mind. I was trying to stay sane. I should probably return to Westwoods no matter the cost.As the hours passed, my fear and anxiety increased. I couldn't sleep or eat. I was really worried. I felt very foolish for telling my family about the conversation between I and Hermes. Now I was going to send everyone to an early grave including James and the man I loved. I was almost in tears. Night had taken over the day and there was little or nothing I could do to stop the coming massacre.I decided to speak to Jacob and Derek at the same time. I should be able to talk them out of it. I communicated with them using the wolf link and we agreed to meet at the living room.
HERMES"GIVE ME A goddamn reason to trust you after what you did to me last night, huh?" the sheriff barked."Because we could have taken down your whole team this morning, but we chose not to and decided to come along as your friends. Can't believe you show your hospitality to friends by shooting them and locking them in a cage," I responded in a guttural whisper, leaning towards the prison bars."Alright, let me handle this, Alpha." Gregory stepped forward, pulling me backwards. We had been locked up for two hours while the sheriff was doing his duties. He didn't look a bit comfortable; he was probably finding it hard to comprehend the changes in his system."Listen, Sheriff. You are putting us all at a big risk, including yourself," Gregory stated."How? You bastards are to be blamed for whatever crap I'm feeling now and you expect me to let you get away with it?" The sheriff interrupted harshly."Relax, your voice is a bit loud. I know how you feel, I know everything is loud and i
LAYLAHEARING THE ALPHA rage frightened me so much. I couldn't bear to listen anymore. I dropped the phone with shaky hands. I was not sure if my choice was right. I know my heart was with Hermes, and nothing could be done to change that. But with the anger filled voice I just heard, it was hard to tell which feeling was greater, the fear or love I had for him. He just threatened I and my family. Honestly, I was scared to my marrow. Not because of the threat, but because I had no idea which side to be on if things escalated into a war between the packs.My phone rung. I had no effrontery to pick knowing it was him. Right now, all I needed was space to think. Behind the anger he showed were broken pieces he was trying to hide, that I could understand. Though, I wanted to be with Hermes, I had to play it cool with my family and Jacob. Things appeared to be under control since I agreed to stay. I know it could go out of control if they knew my mind was changed.Instead of sleeping in the
HERMESMY EYES OPENED at the sound of my ringing phone. What was so important that couldn't wait till dawn. This was the middle of the night and I was trying to sleep off my worries. I reached for my phone and contemplated picking it or not since it was an unknown number. I opted for the former and to my delight, it was the voice I yearned to hear."Layla?" I inquired, amid jumping off my bed in a mixture of surprise and excitement."Yes," she responded."I miss you. Where have you been?"There was silence. "Hello." I walked towards the window anxiously. Probably, she was outside, calling on me to open the door."I'm with my family," she responded finally. I almost wish she didn't. My fear was confirmed. Still, I refused to believe.I chuckled. "Nice joke. But your family is right here. Are you outside? Do you need me to get the door for you?" There was no response again. "Hello."She sniffed. "No, I'm not. I mean I'm with my real family, the Silver Crescent pack."My heart was so hea
LAYLAGLASS CUPS PRODUCED a clank as they touched each other. Everyone had a smile on their face. "Cheers!" We all said amid gently ramming our cups into each other while an orchestra performed in the hall-like living room. Our mission to take out an important pack member in the hierarchy of the North claw was successful. Thanks to my plan.While the North claws were too busy celebrating their new affiliations with members of various packs including ours, I, Jacob, and Derek were waiting in one of their rooms for a beta or two of the pack to walk in then we strike.We were shocked when the Alpha of the North claw pack walked into the ambushed room. It turned out we were in the wrong room, but it was for the best. We targeted betas of the pack, but the moon goddess walked the Alpha into our trap. Who were we to back down out of fear?The fight with the Alpha was tough. He matched the energy of three betas. He was indeed a strong Alpha. Eventually, we won, breaking off an arm before sli