Carmela is standing at the door, wearing a long sleeved blue gown that is cinched at the waist, highlighting her curves as it hugs her body downward.
Her makeup is regal and her wrists and neck are adorned with heavy pearls, matching the white purse clutches in her arms and the white one on her feet.Two omegas step into the house with her and one of them is holding a basket while the other one just stands with heads bowed, ready to run any errands for Carmela.As the door closes, Leila catches the glimpse of the official Luna car, her car, that Carmela had come in and she almost smiles bitterly.If Tatum is already giving Carmela the things and benefits that come with the Luna position like the official car and her own personal omega servers, why won’t he just give her the only thing she has asked from him in years?Why won’t he just sign the divorce papers and let her go? It’s pretty obvious that Carmela fits right into being Luna so whThe moment Tatum sees Leila stepping out of the car, he blanks, finding his tongue tied. His heart has been racing at the anticipation of seeing her after this time apart, he misses her, he can’t deny it.“What did you say to Carmela?”The words hurriedly force their way out of his mouth for lack of a better opening but the moment Leila’s calm expression shifts, he regrets it.“What did she say I said to her? Did she say I tried to gouge her eyes out? Are you here to take my own eyes?” Leila fires at him coldly, leaving him at a loss of words with his mouth agape.Gouge her eyes out? Even if she did gouge Carmela’s eyes out, he couldn’t bring himself to do anything to those beautiful ocean orbs of hers.The most pretty eyes he has ever seen, on the most pretty woman he has ever seen.“Leila, calm down,” He tries to hold her but she flinches away, her cold eyes boring holes into his heart. “Don’t touch me! You
“You made the right decision by asking for a divorce. If a man doesn’t value you, you have to let him go,” Liana, Leila’s mom says to her after Leila bares it all.Leila heaves a deep sigh, a sad smile adorning her lips as she looks at her mother, an older carbon copy of her.Despite being 20 years older than her daughter, they could both pass for sisters. Even after losing her mate over a decade ago, getting wounded badly by a burning log in the fire that razed their home years ago, Liana still keeps fit and works out with one good leg.Liana pulls Leila closer to her and rests Leila’s head on her bosom, stroking her daughter’s hair slowly.“You are the daughter of Roger Carter, the strongest Beta warrior in the history of this pack. You are above ridicule and humiliation from anyone, Alpha and Phoenix Luna alike. It’s not going to be easy, especially with the baby but you can do it. You’re strong, just like your father.”Leila heaves an
“She did?” Leila raises a brow.“Well, she said you guys had a fight and you’re upset with her but she’s only trying to make things better between you. Personally, I think you should keep your distance for now at least until the divorce is finalised. I’ll go get it.”Leila frowns, her brows creasing in deep thought. Why is Carmela suddenly giving her gifts? She’s never been the overly generous kind.“You can keep it, I don’t think I have any need for it.”“You don’t have to be enemies but you don’t have to remain friends either, but it’s ultimately up to you,” Liana replies, limping with her cane for support to the kitchen.Since her leg was badly damaged by a burning log in the fire that night, she can’t balance her weight without the help of a walking cane.Leila grabs the remote and Liana’s head pops back out of the kitchen.“It won’t be easy Leila but I promise, all your sacrifices now, they will be worth it,” Liana
A jolt of anger dances in Tatum’s stomach when he sees Kelvin’s arm around Leila’s shoulder as they approach him and he clenches his fists by his side.“Alpha,” Kelvin greets him but he is met with a cold stare and a deep rumbling growl, growing in Tatum’s chest.Why does he feel so much rage whenever he sees Kelvin around her? They’re friends, so she says but he also knows any man with a good eye would want more than friendship with a woman like Leila.Is that what is happening to him too? Does he want more than what he already has with her?Even if somehow he does, he cannot have that, his fate is decided, he has a duty to his people before anything his heart may remotely want.“Good afternoon Alpha Tatum,” Leila greets him, curtseying slightly.“I came to pay my respects,” Tatum replies coldly, glancing between the both of them, feeling a pang in his heart, hiding the pain from his eyes.If Kelvin is who truly makes Leila happy, then he will not stand in the way of her happiness. Th
[Blackwater Restaurant, 7pm. Let’s talk about it.]Tatum frowns, hitting the send button and sending the text to Leila. He drops his phone and sighs. The pressure from the council of elders is getting worse since everyone now knows Leila no longer lives with him and she has completely neglected her duties as Luna.He seems to be the only one holding back, he should go ahead and marry Carmela, it’s the right thing to do, the pack approves of her, she has the phoenix mark, but his wolf does not sense her.Everyone else may not see that as an issue because she bears the mark but the prophecy did not just say she was going to bear the mark, it also said she was going to be his fated mate, which she currently isn’t.[8pm.]Leila replies to his text and Tatum thinks even her reply is cold.The beautiful afternoon sun finally sets at dusk and Tatum makes his way to Black water restaurant.He’s almost at the entrance when Carmela’s orange and mint smell wafts into his nose and he frowns.She
Tatum squints his eyes at Leila, surprised by what she just did. “You did that on purpose! Tatum can you see? Did you see what she just did? She hates me,” Carmela cries out, tugging on Tatum’s sleeve. “Calm down Carmi, I’m sure it was just a mistake,” Tatum replies, even if he knows the truth. Leila dropped the cake on purpose and she wasn’t really trying to hide it, even though she’s acting like she’s shocked. What has gotten into her? He has never seen her this….he doesn’t want to call her crafty but that is exactly how she is right now. “I swear….it was a mistake,” Leila pouts, her eyes flushing with pity. “Why would I drop the cake you baked for me out of your pure love? I’m sure you put so much effort into it.” Leila puts her hands to her chest. “I’m really sorry Carmi….I know I was mean to you but I was just bitter, you are right, let’s put it all behind us. Let’s bake another cake, we can even bake it together.” Carmela instantly looks puzzled by Leila’s reaction, her
“What is she doing here? Doesn’t she have any shame?” “A truly despicable woman, I’m sure she’s just here to make trouble.” “I heard the Alpha even had to chase her out of the house for the phoenix Luna.” “Serves her right, she was never meant to be Luna anyway.” The negative whispers and cold stares hit Leila the moment they drop from her car but she ignores all of it despite the bitterness in her heart. After tonight, everything will be over. She may not be the phoenix Luna but like a phoenix, she will rise from the ashes and reinvent herself. She will learn to live again, to make her happiness something only she can determine. It won’t be because of the way a man treats her, never again. She will never give anyone that much power over her again. The red carpet is teeming with pack members looking their very best like tonight is the blood moon festival, smiles on all their faces. The lights are glittering, the design ethereal, the colour scheme and mix for the decorations a
Leila gasps, dropping the glass in her hand, her heart pounding hard against her rib cage. Carmela turns around, staring at the video that is on a loop, playing over and over again. “Who did this?! Who is trying to sabotage the Luna of this pack? Turn it off, somebody turn it off,” Carmela shrieks. “You don’t have a wolf?” Someone beside Leila says to her . “A wolfless mutt has been our Luna? Outrageous,” another one adds. “Whoever released that video must be targeting the Luna with such lies, there’s no way she rules this pack without a wolf, it is a lie, that video has to be fake,” Carmela continues. Leila stays frozen to the spot, unable to figure what to do, what to say, how to say it. Her only wish is that the ground should give way and swallow her. Carmela knows she has no wolf but she just said it is a lie. If it were before, Leila would trust that her friend was defending her but after recent events, she’s not so sure of Carmela’s intention anymore. Suddenly, everyone’s