Leila stares sullenly at Amara’s sleeping body, sitting beside Amara on the bed. Whatever Tatiana did seems to be working, the colour is gradually returning to Amara’s body and her breathing is not as silent and shallow as before.Tatiana only touched Amara, she didn’t utter a word or use any items for a spell and yet she did something a pack witch could not do. For someone who claims she only just discovered she has witch blood, she seems to be very strong.“Uncle Alpha, why doesn’t mama like you?” Amara mutters in her sleep.It is the first time she is saying anything since she came down with the curse.“Amara, baby,” Leila says, her eyes coating with tears, her heart flooding with relief.She leans closer and holds Amara’s hand but then the strangest thing happens. Immediately Leila touches Amara, she is pulled in by a strong magical force, she sucks in a sharp breath, throwing her head up and her eyes change from their natural blue colour covered by a glowing golden hue and she i
Celina hands Amara to Liana. “Go with your grandma and have something to eat, you and I will catch up later.” Liana and Celina share a knowing look and Liana takes Amara away, leaving the two other women the space to talk. “There is no easy way to say this, so I will say it the only way it can be said. Your child is not supposed to exist. She goes against the very laws of nature, an abomination most would consider her to be, an anomaly they would call her but what she is special, rare and divine,” Celina says as she sits on the floor, crossing her legs in front of her and she gestures with her head for Leila to join her on the floor. Leila looks at her, completely confused, a bit upset and a little surprised. Why call her daughter an abomination and then call her divine? “I don’t understand what you mean, I know she is different, I’ve seen the signs but you make it sound like—” “I make it sound like the truth. Since the beginning of time, the gods have been in charge of the worl
Lelia watches with curiosity and close attention as Celina dips Amara’s unconscious body into the half filled bathtub that contains water and some special herbs Celina got herself from the nearby woods.“Your hand,” Celina says, taking Leila’s hand, holds it over the tub and she slices it with a curved dagger allowing the blood to flow into the water.She waves her hand over Leila’s wound and it immediately seals up and then, she slices her own hand over the water.“With your werewolf blood and my witch blood, her magic will be suppressed for a time,” Celina says and she begins to chant.Leila watches with bated breath and a racing heart as the water in the tub slowly becomes red, like the drops of blood in it and Amara’s eyes fly open, still in her unconscious state. The water begins to steam and dry up and Amara yells in pain when Leila hears something snap.She grits her teeth, purses her lips, clenches her fist her side and tears pour down her eyes in pain for her daughter’s sake.
“Take that fucking page and rip it to shreds Carmela, I want the fuck out of here, nothing else,” Tristan replies, backing away from the prison bars and going back to lay on his bed.He lies face up, staring at the flickering bulb above with his hands behind his head.“Tristan,” Carmela calls, “do we have an agreement? I promise, this time, I’ll be able to get you out. I need you to be a witness in court, I have everything figured out. You just need to stick to your original story, we’ll let them sentence you and her to death but I’ll get you out before you get to the guillotine and you can go anywhere you want.”Tristan slowly turns his head to look at her with rage and disgust in his eyes before he shifts his gaze back to the flickering bulb, a sullen look in his eyes.“Go away Carmela, I don’t want to see you unless you’re here to get me out.”He closes his eyes and heaves a deep sigh.He shouldn’t be in this mess, he didn’t even kill the fucking witch. When he got there, she was a
Leila paces back and forth outside the courthouse, worry etched in her face, anxiety staunch in her heart. “Any news?” She hurries toward the man with a phone to his ear walking towards her, the second defence counsel on her mother’s case, Bass Grant. “No one can reach him,” Bass replies, putting his hands akimbo. “And you say you haven’t seen him in days?” Leila nods and looks away, staring into the distance with a grim look. Today is the most important day of the case so far, the day they get to put her mother in the stands and prove her innocence. Ever since the day Amara shifted, Kelvin had not shown up to the house nor did he call. She thought it odd at first but she assumed he was preparing for the big day and so she did not bother to check in but now no one can reach him. Bass glances at his watch and grunts. “C’mon, we gotta be seated before the judge comes in, maybe he’s running late and don’t worry, I’ve studied the files in depth too, I can handle it.” “Hmm,” Leila no
After Trent is dragged out of the court, Judge Bruce clears his throat, leaning closer to his mic. “After listening to all relevant testimonies and taking into account useful evidence, the court has reached a verdict. Liana Rogers,” Judge Bruce pauses and Liana, Bass and Leila all stand up to hear the verdict of the judge. “On the charge of murder, the court finds the accused…not guilty and on the charge of conspiracy to commit murder, the court also finds the accused not guilty. The accused is hereby acquitted of any charges against her and is free to roam and live as a bonafide member of the blood oak pack within all her rights. This Court case is adjourned,” Judge Bruce continues and slams his gavel. Leila heaves a deep sigh of relief as Liana rushes her in a hug and Leila smiles but the smile barely reaches her eyes. Kelvin’s absence still worries and upsets her. This is his victory, none of this would have been possible without him. He should be here, where the hell could h
“What do you mean by 'I have to be searched?' Have you forgotten who you are talking to?” Carmela eyes the guard at the holding prison her father is being kept in with contempt. The man remains stoic in front of her, eyes curt and gaze ahead, legs shoulder width apart with his hands crossed behind his back. “You are the daughter of a man accused of murder and if you want to go in to see him, we must make sure you have nothing of consequence on you,” he replies sternly. She glares at him. “You scum, so you want to put your hands on the Alpha’s fiancée? Do you have a death wish?” “I’ll be the one searching you.” A familiar female voice reaches Carmela’s ear before Tracy steps out, eyes cold as frost. Carmela is taken back to see her, evident from the look of surprise in Carmela’s eyes. “What is the meaning of this Tracy? You should know better, I’m your friend.” “May the goddess take your tongue for calling me that,” Tracy snaps. “You don’t know the meaning of that word.” “That
After signing the necessary papers for her mother’s release with Bass and her mother, Leila tries to mindlink Kelvin again for the umpteenth time but she cannot reach him still. Did he have an emergency that took him far away from the pack? He would have said something if that was the case, he wouldn’t just leave her in the blind and worried.“Leila, are you okay?” Liana asks, seeing the gloom in Leila’s eyes.Leila sighs deeply, rubbing the side of Liana’s arm with a wry smile on her lips. “I’m fine. Bass, do you think any one in the office might know his whereabouts?”“I cannot say for sure but you can always go ask, he might have left a note or something, we both majorly worked on the case from his apartment and I know for sure he’s not there, so office might be the best bet.“Mom, I’ll call Amanda to come take you home with Amara. I’ll go with Bass to the office to figure out Kev’s absence, something about it is off, it's just so unlike him.”“Thank you sweetheart but do not trou
“No he’s not,” Leila snarls at him, her heart burning with rage, her eyes clothed with vengeance, “whatever you have done to him, undo it, now!”“Done to him? I said Tatum’s dead woman, nothing can be done to a dead man. This one here is just my faithful loyal guard dog,” Leo snaps his fingers twice and the man walks over to his side, silent and submissive.Leila’s heart boils with a fervent anger. She knows deep down in her heart that this is her husband, the man she has loved for years.Is he now completely under Leo’s control? Why is everything about him transformed with the exception of his face and voice and if he really is completely under Leo’s influence, then why did he save her, not once but twice.“Tatum, you’re not his dog,” tears stream out of Leila’s eyes, her heart clenching with unimaginable pain. “You’re the most powerful Alpha in the realm, Alpha of the Blood Oak pack, my Alpha, my husband…do you really not recognize your sweet pea anymore?”The man’s eyes snap to her
When she gets outside the tent, a few eyes are on her and she knows she cannot move freely about without raising suspicions.The other large tent where she thinks Amara might be held is just right beside her but she dares not step in, not with her being in full glare of the warriors.She immediately hatches a plan and walks towards a group of them sitting by a bonfire where a deer is hanging and roasting with most of their attention on her.“I’ve never had roasted deer before, does it taste good?” She asks with a polite smile on her face. The men look at her with a grim expression and one of them pulls out his knife, slices a bit of the deer off and puts in on a plate then he stretches towards her.Leila takes it, the smile still plastered on her face. she needs a way for the men to drop their guards. One of them men offers her his stool.“I don’t know why the Alpha asked us to be kind to you but since you’re taking the initiative, we as well might,” he says.“Thank you,” Leila replie
“Welcome to my humble and temporary abode Angel,” Leo smiles at Leila, opening his arms for a hug. Leila keeps her face grim, her feet rooted to the spot, barely any amusement in her eyes as she stares at Leo blankly. “My bad,” he chuckles and drops his hands, “we’re not friends yet, according to you. I’m glad you took up my offer. Come, I’ll introduce you to everyone.” Leila narrows her eyes at him as she walks in behind him. His men do not bow or show any sign of respect or anything like that as Leo walks past them. Everyone is just going about their normal duty and activities as if they cannot even see him. Even Tatum who doesn’t force anyone to respect him will not have his men just lazing about when he walks in with a guest. Is Leo really this jovial with his men or is this all an act for her to drop her guard? Make her feel like he is a warm and homely person? She only has one mission here today and that is to find her daughter. Whatever theatrics and schemes Leo has up hi
“I think you should go Leila,” Jenny says later that evening after Leila tells her of her encounter with Leo and how he both directly and indirectly gave her an invitation to his camp. Leila looks at Jenny with shock, not expecting her to say that, “can you even hear yourself? It’s an obvious trap. He already has Amara, if he kidnaps me too, then what happens?” Jenny frowns, “you’re both invitees of the king and I know where you’re going, he can’t actually kidnap you if you walk in there with your feet. This may be our only chance to confirm if he really has Amara in there or not.” Leila sighs, a sad and conflicted look on her face. Jenny has a point but it is also risky too. The Leo she met is a far cry from what she thought him to be but of course, that too might just be pretense. “I have an idea,” Jenny’s face lights up as Leila raises her head to face her, “to ensure Leo cannot do anything silly when you get to the camp, we just have to make the king aware of your visit to Leo’
What does he want with her? Is he going to— “I thought I told you boys to back off, are you trying to scare the lady?” Leo’s voice breaks into her thoughts and she looks at him with eyes agape in shock, then squinted in suspicion. “Alpha, we’re only doing our duty, it’s not safe for you to roam these streets alone, considering our current standing with the king,”one of his men replies. “The angel here knows a thing or two about standings with the king and she’s roaming, is she not? Unless you boys think a woman can handle what your Alpha can’t.” “Of course not Alpha,” the guy immediately goes on one knee and bows to Leo. Leo rolls his eyes and frowns, “you’re always too serious Dexter, I meant that as a joke but if you thought so, you wouldn’t be wrong, this lady here is a special one.” The discomfort in Leila’s heart grows and a tinge of fear rises in her from the words of Leo. He was somehow able to find out that Amara is Tatum’s daughter, what else does he know? Does he know h
“This mysterious savior of yours seems to be one of a kind,” Jenny says after Leila recounts her ordeal at Leo’s camp to her. “I guess he is,” Leila replies, her eyes holding a conflicted look, her thoughts still unsettled about the probable identity of the man and his proximity when her life is in danger. “Jenny.” “Yeah.” “Is it possible for one’s wolf to change, maybe by magic or a spell?” “Why do you ask?” Jenny squints, her face becoming doused with scrutiny and a hint of sudden realisation, “wait. You don’t think it’s Tatum, do you?” “I don’t know…” Leila replies, her voice sullen and dry, her heart soaked in grief, “if such a spell was possible, I suppose I would think so. I mean, who else would come to my rescue like that but him and his choice to stay mute too. Plus Tatum has a habit of doing things and keeping me in the dark. I’m just so confused.” Jenny heaves a deep sigh, pity covering her eyes. She sits beside Leila on the mattress and drapes her hand around her. “D
Leila immediately takes off in the direction through which she came, the guard at the post takes a swing at her with the silver spear clutched in his arms but she ducks underneath it, her heart pounding hard and fast as more guards join in the chase. She reaches the fence and in one swift move, she leaps over it but the barbed wire tears into her back and the side of her arm as she lands but the pain doesn’t deter or slow her down. Leo already has Amara, no doubt to have an edge over Tatum, if she gets caughts too, it will only make things worse and judging from what she has heard about Leo, he could do much worse than just capture her. The sound of the dogs barking and men yelling gets louder as she takes off into the deep of the woods. She almost shifts so she can gain more ground on the dogs who she can see closing in on her from her peripheral vision when she remembers the dangerous spell cast on the capital, way before Antonio even became king. It is a tale every child growing
“If your mind's made up, give me a few hours, I’ll do a cloaking spell to keep you hidden when you get there, go get our little warrior and bring her back,” Jenny replies, giving Leila a hug. Leila feels a bit of relief hearing that. With a cloaking spell, she can easily move in and out of the camp undetected and hopefully, she can get Amara out. Armed with Jenny’s cloaking spell which Jenny channeled into a bracelet around Leila’s wrist, Leila heads to Leo’s camp. As long as she keeps the bracelet around her wrist and avoids water getting on it, the ordinary eyes of men will not be able to see her. Her eyes scan the camp’s walls—high wooden fences reinforced with barbed wire and guarded by sentries, their sharp eyes scanning the darkness for any movement. She can see their figures in the distance, shifting in and out of view as they pace. She holds her breath, listening for any noise that might betray her presence. Even with the cloaking spell, she still has to be very careful, o
The next day, Leila makes her way to the palace to officially answer Antonio’s summon. She would rather be looking for Amara or Tatum right now but it’s important that she sees Antonio too. The last thing she wants to do is give him an excuse to legally place any kind of punishment on her or pack using her disobedience as an excuse. “State your business,” a rough looking guard, a guy as tall as a mountain, confronts her at the gate. “I’m here to see the king by his summon. I’m Leila Cromwell, Luna of the blood oak pack,” she replies, staring at the gates that stand tall and imposing. The guard grunts and they his eyes change colours, showing he is mindlinking, possibly confirming if she was truly summoned by the king. “Wait here,” the guard frowns, before walking through the gates and into the gate house. Leila’s heart thuds nervously as she waits aside. A lot depends on the outcome of her meeting with Antonio but what would she even say to him when she sees him? The man singl