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“You fucking listen to me Leila, I don’t care if you hate me to the core, I am not accepting the rejection if it means you get to be with that monster,” Tatum says in a cold voice, frustration clear in his eyes. It’s been a few days since the party and before Tatum left that day, right before her eyes, he threw the divorce papers into the barbecue fire and she had to use Amara as an excuse to get to him because he just refuses to see her and finalise things. “You don’t get to make that choice for me,” Leila replies coldly, seething with anger. “I’m going to be with him, that is my decision.” Everyone knows of Antonio’s horrors or rumours of it anyway, she is not ignorant to them but the devil she doesn't know may be better than the angel she knew that crushed her heart and almost destroyed her life. Tatum groans in frustration, running his hands over his face before he stands up from his side of his desk and sits in one of the two chairs opposite him, facing Leila squarely. He tak
Why is he being so stubborn?Why won’t he just let her go?She understands that he wants to fulfil the prophecy but she doesn’t, she doesn’t care.The prophecy may be important to him but not to her. She doesn’t want to be used as a tool in his hands again. In his own words he said it was selfish of him to ever marry her because he had feelings for her but all he did was use her as a placeholder Luna for the years that Carmela was absent and now that he knows they are mates and she is the real phoenix Luna, he wants to use her to fulfil the prophecy, selfishly again.If he really cares about her as he claims, he will consider her feelings in all of this, her decision and choices would matter to him but he is just the same person that he was in the past, putting everything first before her feelings and desires.Who is she even flattering? He doesn’t care one bit for her feelings and desires, only his and his pack, that’s all he ever cares about.Days pass and Leila finds her frustrat
Amara turns and faces Leila, putting a soft kiss on her forehead. When Mama is feeling happy, she is happy, when mama is feeling sad, she is sad and she doesn’t want mama to be sad. The aura around her grows even stronger as Leila squeezes her tighter. The presence of the aura means Amara’s magic, Leila knows that much but what she doesn’t know is that Amara’s magic is just like Antonio’s, exactly like Antonio’s, they deal with feelings and emotions of the mind, contorting it to their good and bad use at will. Antonio uses fear as an emotion to gain control of the minds of people, using that fear to torment his enemies and punish his offenders but Amara feels her mother’s sadness and without knowing it, because her wish is for her mother to be happy, she is sapping away the cause of her mother’s sadness, one bad memory at a time. Leila plants a kiss of her own on Amara’s head, feeling grateful that in times like this, she has her child to find comfort in. Amara may be young but s
The following day, Leila makes up her mind to go and see Tatum about the subpoena and she mindlinks him. ‘I need to see you.’ ‘I’m busy.’ ‘It's not about the divorce, I promise,’ she says, frowning, knowing he is just avoiding her as usual. Tatum says silent for a while. ‘Fine, I’m at home, the one opposite you.’ When Leila steps into Tatum’s house, the one as big with as many rooms as hers, it is scarcely furnished, just a single couch in the living room, no TV, no rugs, no portraits, nothing but a pleasant smell hangs in the air. It is quite obvious he only comes here because of her. “Tatum!” She yells and her voice echoes through the empty space. “Kitchen,” comes his reply. He’s cooking? Since when did he learn how to cook? That day with Amara, he thought he was just messing around for Amara’s sake. Well, five years is a long time to learn anything. Tatum doesn’t turn back or stop his stirring when she steps in, he is shirtless and the ridges and contours of his muscular
Tatum says he’s not the one who sued Carmela in her name but why does she find that hard to believe? Since he found out the truth about the matebond, it seems he wants to punish Carmela but why does he want to do it by the books? Carmela is guilty of lying to and deceiving the pack, their original mate bond is proof enough of that and he is the Alpha, he can punish her outrightly. Or does he really mean it, that he wants her to get her justice against Carmela and her family? Perhaps he cannot outrightly punish Carmela and wants to use her because of his precious image as the perfect Alpha to his people that he has to uphold. It would not look so perfect if they learnt how easily deceived their Alpha was but if Carmela is exposed for other crimes, that is an umbrella he can hide under to give her the punishment she deserves. Leila frowns, violently pushing the door to her house open after leaving Tatum’s. Sometimes she wants to believe he genuinely cares about her and is really so
“How does the defence plead?” Judge Ruth Lycus, the judge presiding over the case asks Carmela’s lawyer, Donald Rex, a lawyer that Carmela hired from a neighbouring pack.“Not guilty,” Donald replies, glancing at Carmela who has a smug look on her face.Judge Ruth slowly looks from Kelvin and Leila to Donald and Carmela before turning to her clerk.“Enter a plea of not guilty for the accused, we will adjourn until 12 pm, a fortnight from today, at which time this court will reconvene. The accused will also be placed under mandatory house arrest for the period that this case will–”“What?!” Carmela yells, her eyes going wide and full of surprise, “you can’t possibly mean that. I had nothing to do with the death of the witch and I’m not a threat to anyone.”Leila smirks at her and Judge Ruth frowns, pushing her glasses down the bridge of her nose to stare Carmela in the eyes.“Until that is proven, you are a suspect and have been charged with the crime, the nature of the crime is grues
Leila did not expect Tatum to not only defend her but also reprimand his precious pack members for her sake, even going as far as promising them a consequence for their action and as much as she does not show her shock, it intrigues her but openly calling off his enagagement with Carmela, she did not see that one coming. It seems Tatum really also wants to make Carmela pay but why won’t he just do it the proper way, expose her as the fraud she is? But even if he does that, it hardly matters, she’s not taking him back, she’s not going to be the phoenix Luna for a pack who are always quick to turn on her, not once, not twice. They already missed the blessings of the prophecy and that is too bad for them. Tatum glances at her after making his statement, as if to see if his decision would have any effects on her but she keeps her face cold and stoic, not showing any sort of emotion that may give her shock away. “You can’t possibly be serious,” Carmela says with a sneer on her face. “O
Tatum hears Leila’s grunt just as he feels the bond completely sever on his end and the constant pain he has been feeling leaves him, he realises he made a mistake by accepting Carmela’s rejection. He may have mentioned Carmela’s name but his wolf does not know who Carmela Eston is, his wolf only knows that they have accepted the rejection from their mate and the bond became severed. “Fuck,” Tatum mutters, turning to look at Leila to see her cradled in Kelvin’s arms, her hands on her chest, her face full of pain, her eyes red and teary, bulging veins lining her temples. His heart breaks because he knows exactly what level of immense pain she must be going through, it was what he was avoiding, he didn’t want her to experience it. As an Alpha himself, he could barely cope with it in the early days. He rushes over to kelvin and Leila as the guards take Carmela away from the courthouse too her house arrest and the crowd begins to disperse but Leila shoves him away from her. “Don’t tou
“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