A feeling of unease had begun to stir in my stomach when Hector finally straightened to his full height, gently shrugging my arm off his. His eyes locked on Malcolm’s, and in one smooth, deliberate movement, he rested his hand on the small of my back.“I’ll protect her.”Something in the uncompromis
Layla’s POV“So,” Malcolm finished, “What do you say?”Hector hadn’t moved once, but he seemed to know the exact moment I came to my decision because his grip around my waist tightened once more, not enough to be painful, but enough that I felt him beside me.Then his presence flooded my consciousne
“Layla.”The sound of my name spoken in that low, clear tone stopped me dead short, and I felt Hector tense beside me. For the first time, my mate’s arms fell from my waist, and I got the sensation that he was preparing for something.Malcolm—smile slowly fading now—only spared him a glance before t
Layla’s POVAs soon as my grandfather’s voice registered in my consciousness and I became aware of his presence, I jumped (quite literally) several feet in the air, almost losing my balance and falling out of the couch I had been sleeping on as a result.Only the fact that I managed to grab the back
“The only reason you are separated from them is because I needed you alone, to talk. When this conversation is over and done with, you will be reunited with your mate and your friend. Is that fair?”I blinked and then (after a brief moment’s consideration) nodded.“Good.” Malcolm smiled, “Good, I’m
Layla’s POV“Before I get into any of that, I must first tell you why I say I have been actively dying for the past two decades now,” Malcolm began, tone brisk as he readjusted in his chair using his walking stick while I struggled to keep up with the abrupt shift in conversation.“In your time here
In it, the man was said to be a great healer of himself and others, and after many years of this, figuring that what could give life would also be able to take it, he made a deal with ‘the devil.’”At this, my mouth twisted with scepticism, and my grandfather noticing this gave a dismissive wave.“O
I listened to all of this like I was in a trance, with a looming sense of growing horror that made me want to throw the windows at the far corner of the room and scream into the trees just so I would see the birds scatter.Anything in that moment would’ve been better, I thought to myself, as Malcolm