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
“I, Alpha Tatum Cromwell, under the all seeing eye of Selene, witnessed by the elders of the Council, renounce my position as the Alpha of the Blood Oak Pack.”He feels the rage of his wolf blending with his as he locks eyes with Trent who has a smug look on his face. Trent steps forward, joining Tatum in the middle of the circle. “Representing the elders, we witness your renouncement. Who do you name as your successor,” Trent’s face is flushed with a look of mockery that makes Zane boil even further.He should have had Trent sentenced to death instead but then he thought it would be quick mercy, he wanted him to suffer imprisonment for the rest of his life as a lesson for all his evil deeds but it seems that decision has come back to bite him in the ass.Zane frowns. “Not as my successor but as an interim ruler, I name—” he extends the claws of his left hand and slashes the wrist of his right hand. He looks slowly from the thick red liquid dripping from his wrist, making patters on
“Alpha Tatum,” a tall bulky man dressed in a grey suit bows slightly to Tatum with two much smaller men dressed in similar styled suits walking behind him. They are at the annual werewolf trade fair. An event organized amongst allied packs to foster unity and commerce. Attending the event is the perfect cover for Leila to get away with Amara just in case Antonio still has any men watching them. Tatum gives his hand a firm handshake. “It’s been ages, Curtis. The years have been kind to you.” “As they have been with you. Our Alpha sends his greetings. The North Star pack will forever be grateful to you for saving our Alpha’s life.” “He would have done the same for me,” Tatum pats the side of Curtis’ arm with a small grin that barely lasts a second before he pulls the big man to the side. Curtis is the Beta of Alpha Caden Miles, the Alpha of the North Star pack. Many years ago, during his Alpha training, that was when he met Caden and saved him from being lynched by a pack of rogues
“That bastard!” Tatum yells, punching a hole through the wall of his office, his heart beating fast, his entire aura swirling in visible rage. “Calm down,” Leila says, not feeling any sort of calmness herself and Tatum can sense it, which only pisses him off more. It’s like they can’t get a fucking break, things just keep going from one crisis to the next and it’s all because of one man who wields too much power, it’s beginning to get to his head. It is completely unheard of for an Alpha to name another person as an acting Alpha when he is still alive and more so, even if that was to happen, Theo, his beta would have been in a better position to receive that honor, not fucking Trent. He hisses, tapping frantically on his table, staring at the warning message they had received concerning Amara. This whole thing has Carmela written all over it and Antonio in his vileness would be more than willing to oblige her. Whoever sent them this warning must have found out something. He nee
“Leila! I can’t find the vegetables, are you sure we got everything down from the car?” Liana says from inside the pantry as she puts stuff they bought from the market away. “I’ll check,” Leila replies, ruffling Amara’s hair. “Nice Drawing baby,” she smiles at the drawing of a face that is half completed which makes it hard for her to know exactly who the child is drawing. With Antonio no longer in the pack, Selina has returned back to her coven with the promise to come back periodically for Amara’s training and with the uncertainty of unforeseen events, they also decided it was best to suspend the active training for now. It’s almost been a full month since Tatiana went missing and no one has heard a word from her. Tatum even risked a bold step, sending word to Antonio of her disappearance before he found out and has an excuse to do something sinister but he never got any response, as if Antonio is completely done with them and the pack for good. Sometimes it feels like a relief t
“Brother please,” Tatiana pleads with Antonio after the party as he heads to his car with Carmela beside him. They are getting ready to leave. Antonio looks at his sister, tears streaming down her eyes, he can see how broken and torn she is but all he does is give her his signature wicked smirk before he opens the car door and then he pauses. “This is for your own good, Tatiana, you need a capable man beside you,” Antonio replies in a calm and patronizing tone. “But he’s not even a warrior, why do you even need a personal bodyguard, you’re untouchable, you’re the freaking Lycan king,” Tatiana replies in despair, sobbing hard. Antonio doesn’t reply, he holds the door wide open for Carmela to enter the car but she stands in front of the door, looking at Tatiana with a sort of disdain in her eyes. “You should have chosen your brother’s side, he is your only family but you chose others over him.” “Shut up you bitch,” Tatiana snaps at her, “what do you know about family? Your father
“Good morning my angel,” Kelvin plants a kiss on Tatiana’s cheek and he drops a tray of breakfast beside her on the bed. Tatiana makes a face, giving him puppy eyes before staring at the plate, her heart thudding slowly with joy and she wraps her hand around Kelvin’s neck, stealing his lips in a deep sensual kiss. “I’ve missed this,” Tatiana says, breaking the kiss and glancing at the plate of eggs, sausages, peas, bread, a glass of orange juice and milk. “And I’ve missed cooking for you,” Kelvin replies with a smile, planting a kiss on her forehead. “Don’t worry hubby, I’ve been learning how to cook, so I’ll be cooking for you too,” Tatiana says in a shy manner, setting the tray in front of her. “Hubby?” Kelvin says, the words rolling off his tongue with a huge smile on his face, his heart beating with excitement. “You’re going to marry me, aren’t you?” “Of course my angel,” Kelvin replies but then the smile on his face falters, his tone dropping lower, “I fear your brother w
Antonio’s eyes bulge in shock as Leila utters the words of rejection. “I, Leila Rogers, under the all seeing eye of Selene, reject you, Lycan king Antonio Darkside as my second chance mate.” ‘How?’ He ponders in his head, blinking to remove the shock from his eyes before anyone notices and he keeps a cheerful smile on his face like a parent proud of their child for making the right decision. When Leila utters the last word, she gasps and her knees buckle making her stagger backwards but Tatum’s hands are safely behind her to stop her from falling. She shrugs Tatum’s hands off her roughly, glaring at him and at the same time mindlinking him. ‘Thank you my knight in shining armor.’ Tatum also steps back, keeping a cold face as he replies. ‘You did it.’ Antonio’s rage continues to fester inside him, making him restless as he stares at Leila regaining her composure. She should not have been able to do that. Not even Alpha’s can break free from his Alpha command with their own wil
Antonio scoffs, looking at the woman in front of him with utter disgust and contempt in his eyes. What does she think she’s doing? She finally got a glimpse of what it’s like to be the king’s woman? She’s seen the power at Carmela’s disposal since belonging to him and she suddenly remembers that they are mates? There was a time when he wanted her, wanted to taste and ravish her but now he almost finds her repulsive, he sees her for what she really is, nothing but Tatum’s second hand cargo. He smirks at her in a cold manner, a soft yet deadly scoff escaping him and he takes his hand from Carmela and points to Leila. “What in the world makes you think you’re anything compared to this goddess?” His eyes shift with admiration to Carmela who is beaming with a smile, enjoying every bit of his adulation. “Tell me Leila, why would I give up a gift from the goddess herself and pick the trash that nobody wants?” His harsh words cut through the air and murmurs fill the open space from the
“What?” Tatum asks, his voice fleeting from shock to what sounds like joy. “That’s right,” Carmela steps out from behind Theo and locks arms beside Antonio with a coy smile on her face, “my king and I are leaving your miserable pack,” her voice is haughty and snobbish. Antonio removes his hands from hers and curls it around her waist, pulling her close to him and he pecks her on the lip with a smile on his face. “How can you call this pack miserable when it gave you to me, my queen?” “You’re right but I’m the only thing not miserable in this pack.” Carmela rolls her eyes at Tatum and the rest of the group who have just stepped out of the car, wondering what the public display of affection is for before she looks back at Antonio. “I can’t argue with that one,” says Antonio, his eyes looking directly at Leila and without breaking eye contact, he rubs his palm across Carmela’s stomach. “You and our child are definitely not miserable.” Leila’s eyes widen in visible shock, unwilli