“I would be glad if she isn’t,” Tatum replies nonchalantly with no sort of hostility much to Leila’s surprise. The way she cocks her head and looks at Tatum with wide eyes shows ample evidence of her shock and Tatum cups her face and plugs a soft wet kiss on her lips. “Don’t look so surprised. I love you baby girl and I hate that I have to divide my attention between you and her. I know you hate it but she’s a stick up my throat, I can’t get rid of her but there’s no way her mark is fake or anything like that, Alina confirmed it years ago. “Carmi is my mate but my wolf doesn’t feel anything for her right now, so you don’t have to worry, I’m all yours,” Tatum replies, playfully pinching her nose at the end of his sentence. A tight smile forms on Leila’s lips and her heart becomes weary, remembering the mutilated corpse of Alina. “What about the recording? You heard it, she—” “Leila….my sweet pea, listen to me. You and I are all that matters. Just know, no matter what, I will alway
“You stand accused of the murder of Alina Whitehart, Leila. How do you plead?”The head of the elder council asks Leila curtly in the pack house chamber.The twelve elders of the pack are present including Trent, Carmela’s father.The chamber is a building built adjoining but separated from the main pack house with an open roof. Despite the modern times, the elders have kept to the old ways and sat on the bare floor with their legs crossed.They sit in a huge circle with Leila sitting in the middle earning glares from all of them and Tatum sits behind the circle, indicating his position as the Alpha.“Innocent,” Leila replies in a calm tone, her eyes fixed on no else but Trent, Carmela’s father who is also the current head of the elders council.It was he who rushed the summon against her and Leila knows it is not random, she feels weary about it but she keeps a straight face, determined to prove her innocence.Normally, a murder case like this should be charged to court under the new
“Luna?” Trent’s voice brings Leila’s mind back to the room.Perhaps as her child grows older, he revitalises her body faster but does it have any negative effect on him?She hopes not.“I was going to say when I visited her earlier, she held my arm too tight and her fingers dug in but the wounds are completely healed,” Leila stretches her arm forward and she sees the shock in Trent’s eyes that he tries to hide but fails.Why is he so surprised? Was it all part of their plan? Did they also kill the witch to frame her?The wound was of a violent nature and they know she has no wolf, if it had remained on her, it would have been hard to defend herself that it wasn’t from a struggle.Leila’s heart thuds gently as realisation slowly begins to dawn on her.“Forgive me Luna but that sounds like a lie, we have all visited the witch at one point or another, she doesn’t have physical contact with anyone so why would she hold you and so firm as to inflict injuries?”“I don’t know!” Leila replies
Tatum sighs defeatedly, looking at Leila with disappointment and disbelief as the words leave her mouth. He was hoping she would be shrewd and not say it, at least not so directly. Doesn’t she understand? Even if she speaks the truth, saying such a thing without concrete proof will be considered blasphemous as the people will turn on her. There is a limit to which he can defend her before they turn on him too and it could lead to an all out riot from the pack members. “That is a serious allegation Leila, do you have any proof?” Trent asks Leila coldly, his eyes narrowed dangerously at her. “I think she only cut from your cloth,” Tatum cuts in sharply before Leila can reply. “You accuse her of murder without proof as well. This case is ludicrous, I will have the warriors do a thorough investigation and get back to me. We are dismissed. Tatum stands to his feet and so does everyone else. He walks over to Leila and turns her away from the men as they also begin to huddle in group
Leila watches from the corner as Carmela steps in with another woman and she frowns. The woman has sharp green eyes and her long white hair cascades down, all the way to her back, dressed in a black leather gown and red shawl on her neck. “Alpha this is Lithoha, the great witch of the silver moon pack,” Trent announces, “she is a direct descendant of the witch who helped Selene create the first werewolf and she is the solution to our common problem.” “Alpha,” Lithoha bows, her green eyes peering deep into Tatum’s eyes before she suddenly turns her head and looks at Leila sharply. Their eyes meet and Leila feels a creepy odd sensation coming over her, she tries to look away but finds she cannot, it is like an invisible force from Lithoha rendered all the muscles of her neck useless. She suddenly feels a sharp pain on her wrist and she winces, pulling her hand up to see the beads of the amulet her mother gave her vibrating at an incredible speed. She may not be versed in such thin
“This blood ritual, how does it work?” Tatum glances at Leila as he asks the question.Leila’s heart thud with worry, her feet getting restless, a sick feeling in her stomach.Tatum seems to be hanging on to every word that leaves Lithoha’s lips, eager to know more.Does he not even suspect this a little bit? She just accused Trent of being the only one that knew about the mark before his daughter mysteriously got it, the witch who could have proven that as truth is dead and Carmela just shows up with a random witch to perform a random ritual that no one has ever heard about.It is quite clear to see it is no coincidence. She immediately wants to point it out but she clenched her fist against her dress, pursing her lips together.Tatum will only probably scold her or ask her to leave. He is so grounded in his sense of duty and logic that basic instincts fail him.How can she get him to see the truth? Whatever these people have planned will do more harm than good.“It is better if I s
Leila makes her way home without Tatum, Clayton offers to escort her but she declines, saying she needs to be alone. Clayton on the other hand is unable to shake the feeling in his heart, something about the ritual was awkward, it all seems fishy. He waits by the door as the elders congratulate Carmela and Tatum and leave one after the other. Trent is the last one to leave and as Tatum and Carmela approach him, hand in hand, he steps up to them. “With your permission Alpha, I need to have a word with Carmela, it is regarding the assassination attempt,” he says, bowing slightly to Tatum. Tatum’s brows furrow and his eyes narrow at Clayton. “You really need to work on your timing,” Tatum replies, annoyance clear in his tone and he pulls Carmela away from Clayton. “Alpha, the Luna’s life and honour is at stake and I am under sworn oath to protect her. This is an emergency and I will only take a short while,” Clayton replies firmly. A deep rumbling growl sounds from Tatum’s throat
“Luna welcome, the—”“Not now,” Leila cuts the omega off, runs up the stairs and slams the door to her room shut before she yells in frustration, slapping her palm against her face.How did this happen?This wasn’t the plan.She was supposed to expose Carmela, Carmela was supposed to leave.What does she do now?It was one thing to try and prove that Carmela is evil and not Tatum’s mate when Tatum wasn’t sure of it but now that this ritual or whatever sorcery they did has confirmed it, will Tatum even listen to her?He kissed Carmela outrightly in front of her, he didn’t even bat an eye when she left, he didn’t even look at her.She doesn’t blame him, she’s not mad at him, he has been deceived to believe Carmela is his mate and she always knew it would be hard for him to fight.She stares at herself at the mirror, glancing down at her baby bump.What will become of her child if Tatum decides to go back on his word?Will it grow up without a father, or perhaps without its mother?Can