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82. A Dead Heart
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2024-10-29 19:42:56Related chapters
The Alpha King's Curse 83. Aftermath
It had been two weeks since Jackson had locked her in a room and disappeared.And she knew he had disappeared because Faith, the only person she had seen in those two weeks, had told her so.It was funny how nothing else seemed to matter just because her worry had taken her over. Her stronger hearing, eyesight, her messed up head... None of it.It didn’t matter that she was somehow able to sit by her window listening in to all the conversations outside just because she wanted to hear any information about Jackson.It didn’t matter that she had become so violent that she’d beat Amber up as if it was nothing. It didn’t matter that she could now see all the way to the gate and the guardhouse when she had seen nothing when she first arrived. It didn’t matter that she was living among murderers.It didn’t matter that when she sat by the window at night, she saw the glowing eyes in the woods. She heard the snarls. The growls. And she was becoming just like them just because she was living
The Alpha King's Curse 84. Her Fault
Layla opened the window and leaned out to figure out what was happening. There was something in the air pressing down on her. Fear and desperation. She recognised it only because she had felt it too much in the months she had been there.All around her, she heard the sounds of fighting. Growls. Snarls. Yelps and whines. She heard the clinking of weapons and shouting. She heard children crying. The gates had been open when Jackson’s people gathered at the front of the house, but they were firmly shut now. The fighting seemed to be beyond the gates, maybe in town. She didn’t know why she could hear that far, but the sounds brought her out of the depression she had sunk into the past two weeks. People were dying. She could hear their gurgling as they took their last breaths, terrifying her, breaking her. She heard a girl scream and then nothing. As if her life had just been ripped from her. Shock forced her to step back from the window and clutch her chest. These were Jackson’s peopl
The Alpha King's Curse 85. The Smell Of Death
Dawn was breaking when Layla stood at the windows and watched the activity outside as she towel-dried her hair. There had been tents put up all over the front grounds, and she was guessing they were all over the rest of the grounds as well. It looked like the whole town had moved to the packhouse. Maybe because of the wards, whatever those were.When Jackson ordered her to attend the dinner, she assumed the whole town had been invited, but she could see how wrong she had been. So many people walked in and out of the house and spilt out of the tents in large groups. A line of them walked through the gates carrying the injured into the house. And they carried their dead into the biggest tent next to the house.Her heart broke as she saw how many there were. Were any of them the young woman who’d left her children in her care? She must have had more family in the fight to leave her babies like that. If Jackson had been there, would any of them have died? Would his beast have ripped th
The Alpha King's Curse 86. Like A Ghost
Jackson realised his mistake the moment he reconnected with his pack after letting Cain roam and lick his wounds. So many bonds had been severed as his pack was slaughtered, and he’d felt them all at once. The pain had been crippling.All of that had happened because he had allowed the bond with Layla to get the better of him. He’d let her break him. He’d allowed her to trample on his heart and play him for a fool, and his pack had paid the price. He would never trust the half-blood again.How could she stand there looking as if nothing had happened? How could she still have that look in her eyes as if she was happy to see him? How could she still... feel all of that? She’d tried to leave! The bond obviously didn’t affect them the same way.He looked over her head to meet Dylan’s gaze. His former friend lowered his eyes.“Lock her up in the basement,” he said. The cells in the basement were nothing like the dungeon in the woods. They had the basics and that was it. Nothing luxurious
The Alpha King's Curse 87. Her New Room
Layla walked quietly beside Dylan as he led her to the basement. She didn’t know what she had expected to feel once she saw Jackson again but it wasn’t the pain that filled every part of her body. She was the one who had tried to leave, and she thought she had been ready to do that, but the reality was hitting her differently. Jackson had rejected her, and her heart was broken.And that was the most ridiculous thing she had felt to date. How was she supposed to live with all the contrasting feelings inside her on top of all her guilt? It was crushing down on her like a weight she would never be able to shed. Dylan walked down the steps into the basement and she followed. Only when he reached the middle of the room he stopped and turned to her.“I haven’t put the light on,” he stated with a frown. She could see his face as clear as day, just as she had seen clearly during the attack. Now that Jackson had cast her aside, she had many questions to ask Dylan about what to expect if sh
The Alpha King's Curse 88. Never Again
Dawn was breaking when the soft cry of a baby drifted to the balcony, thankfully taking Jackson’s attention away from everything in his head. But the reality wasn’t much better. Every time that the baby cried reminded him of what he had lost, what he wouldn’t get to enjoy because he’d fucked up and Fate was punishing him. He looked over at the tents on the ground below him and felt the guilt again. Though the number of those they had lost was less than he had first imagined, it was still one too many. He didn’t want them to return to their homes because they would be unprotected, so he had to deal with the witch first. And the Circle.The Circle had a lot to answer for. He shouldn’t have trusted them. Their wards had been breached initially, but they had still been somewhat intact. They shouldn’t have fallen entirely the way they had done. Having them had made his pack more relaxed after their troubles and had made them vulnerable. After he found the witch, he would find those three
The Alpha King's Curse 89. Goodbye, Layla
Layla felt Jackson coming before she heard the first metal door opening. Her heart started to pound. The voice in her head that had kept her up all night grew louder.‘Kiss him!’‘Beg!’‘You need him—’’“Enough,” she hissed. It had never been this bad before. Why would this happen now when she needed to think clearly around Jackson? She’d assumed he would let her stew in her uncertainty a little longer before he spoke to her again.She got off the uncomfortable cot when his footsteps drew nearer. She took a deep breath and the scent of the forest filled her lungs. She had always assumed it was his cologne, but now that she knew being around wolves was changing her, she knew it was his natural scent. They all smelled differently, so it was easy for her to believe that Jackson would have found her easily if she had escaped. The light came on and blinded her briefly. Anticipation filled her body at the thought of seeing Jackson again, and that was still a ridiculous thing to want. She
The Alpha King's Curse 90. Inexplicable
Jackson stood in front of the basement door with his fists balled up. Everything in him ached to go back and tell her he hadn’t meant anything he’d said. Not seeing her again? The very thought of it was breaking him, even though it was what had to happen in the end. But Layla didn't give a shit about him, so he was the one who would suffer being so close to her. He should have sent her away. ‘No, it’s me! I’m the one who will suffer the most!’ Cain cried dramatically. He could imagine the beast swooning to the ground. ‘If you just listen to me and mark her, she won’t be able to leave.’ ‘Oh, believe me, I’m tempted right now. There’s something satisfying about imagining her dying the moment I do.’ But, of course, that was a lie, and Cain knew it. Despite everything, he still didn’t want her to die. He still wanted to protect her. How fucked up was that? “I’ve been waiting for you.” He looked up at the man who interrupted his thoughts and his mood soured further. Dylan lowered his
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The Alpha King's Curse 164. Grateful
Jackson grinned when Dylan rolled his eyes at him as Hope led him by the finger to the tea party she had set up in the garden. “Enjoy your party,” he called to them before he turned and walked toward the packhouse. The trainees had the day off today, but he was pleased that most of them took their training seriously and were sparring in the fields. All the kids had to grow up quickly after the last war. In a few days, they would all hold a memorial honouring all the people they had lost. Gavin walked up to him before he reached the door. “Everything is all set, Alpha,” he said. Gavin was the most prominent reminder of what the war had cost him. He’d had to fill Micah’s big shoes. Though it wasn’t his fault, his heart cracked whenever he saw Micah’s replacement as the Gamma. “Thank you. We’ll be ready in time,” he said with a nod. The packhouse was spotless as usual, awaiting all the guests he had invited. As he walked toward the stairs, Faith’s mother walked in, a huge sm
The Alpha King's Curse 163. My Queen
Layla clutched her heart and fell to her knees. Hope started to cry behind her, as if her poor child could sense her pain, too. Faith tried to soothe her, but there was too much fear in the air, too much pain. “Jackson is hurt,” she whispered, looking at her mother. She had held out long enough. The house was full of all the vulnerable people in the pack, and their fear and anxiety weighed down on her. She couldn’t wait any longer. Rebecca walked over to Faith and took Hope from her. And her little girl instantly quietened in her grandmother’s arms. Rebecca met her gaze and nodded. “I will look after Hope. And I will protect everyone in this house,” Rebecca said, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. Her mother knew what she had to do. She couldn’t leave Jackson to fight alone, but if anything happened to one of them, it would happen to the other. “Can I trust you, Mum?” she whispered. She hadn’t called her mum since the day she had abandoned them. “Always,” Rebecca whis
The Alpha King's Curse 162. Brothers
The dark clouds completely covered the sun. Jax stood at his lookout rock and looked over the forest. Even the witch was closing in from that direction when it was supposed to be their safest. He could sense her magic filling up in it even though he couldn’t sense any individual wolves. It was like when she’d sent the rogues who had hidden in the shadows right under their noses. His warriors wouldn’t sense them until it was too late. ‘The women and children are in the packhouse,’ Dylan said in the mind link. He didn’t know if that would make a difference. The strength he could sense in the magic around him was something he had never experienced from the witch before. He could feel it in the clouds above him, in the air they were all breathing. He could feel it rippling over his skin, yet they had not reached their boundary. Cain was silent in his head, already in hunting mode. But he couldn’t hunt everywhere at once. They were surrounded by armies bigger than any that had ever
The Alpha King's Curse 161. Dark Clouds
The air was knocked out of her lungs as Layla landed in a heap in the field. Everything hurt. Jackson had been pounding into her for hours. ‘And not in a good way. How the hell are you getting worse at this instead of better?’ the voice in her head said. Since Jackson had marked her, that voice had become a more permanent feature in her head. She’d been able to shut it off before, but now it was impossible. She was constantly arguing with it and losing focus, and her ability to control her emotions was also on the fritz. Her moods were yo-yo-ing worse than when she’d been pregnant. “You’re distracted.” She lifted her head with the bit of energy she had left and looked at Jackson, who was glaring at her from the other side of their makeshift ring. “I’m tired,” she corrected. “Let’s take a break.” “We can’t, Layla,” Jackson growled. He marched across to her and helped her to her feet. “You pissed off the Circle, and I pissed off the Wicked Witch. It was fine when our sins were
The Alpha King's Curse 160. Angelic Singing
Angelic singing. It drifted in and out of his ears and tried to force him from his peaceful slumber. It was beautiful but it was pissing him off. Why did anyone have to sing so much when people were trying to fucking sleep? His eyes shot open. His heart slammed in his chest. Could it be? He turned and saw the face he had fallen asleep next to because it was the last face he wanted to see before he died. Layla’s mouth was slightly open and she was snoring softly. He sat up with a jolt and listened to the singing. Those weren’t angels. That should have been his first clue. His soul had been damned long ago; there were no angels in his afterlife. “What are you doing? Come back to sleep,” Layla mumbled. It took her a few more seconds, but Layla jolted awake and her eyes widened as she looked at him. She sucked in a breath, her heart hammering to match his. Maybe he was dreaming. Perhaps he wanted this so much that he was dreaming about it just before the curse snatched his l
The Alpha King's Curse 159. Happy Birthday, Jackson King
Jackson watched the sleeping baby in his arms and blinked back his tears. He was leaving his precious little girl in chaos. All his efforts to find the witch had failed. She’d disappeared after Amber and Miss Roberts had failed. He assumed the witch knew there was no point now. She’d already achieved her goal of making the rest of his life miserable. “I’m sorry, Hope,” he whispered. “I know you’ll become a better person than I was, even in any adversity. Do you know why? Because you also have your mother in you. You are going to be magnificent.” The more he said it, the more he would believe it. But it was hard to see any such future in a helpless three-month-old. “What the fuck was I thinking?” His chest squeezed as it had done all day. “It’s not your fault.” He looked up to see his mate in the bathroom doorway, a vision in a green, body-hugging dress. It had thin straps, so his mark was on show. For a second, he felt pride in it. But he remembered it was nothing but a death s
The Alpha King's Curse 158. We Effed Up
Jackson wasn’t too worried about Hugo’s threat. Since Diedre had started feeling better, she had been working hard to remove all the traces of dark magic around their territory. Her well of magic seemed to run deeper, even though it was not yet fully replenished. Warding the whole territory had been beyond her before Layla had healed her. But all the entry points had been fortified. Her magic wasn’t as it used to be but strong. Nobody would enter through his gates without his permission. Even if Diedre’s magic didn’t work on him and Layla, it had to work for the rest of the pack. Right? He was more worried about what the hell Layla was doing there. She should have been home with Hope and the others. Especially since he’d already warned her that the Circle was worse than any Hunter she would ever meet. Layla seemed intent on breaking all his rules. He was about to tell Hugo they had wasted their time when he sensed the rage rising in his mate. It was so dark it felt like Cain’s
The Alpha King's Curse 157. Something's Changed
Layla opened her eyes and stretched. And then she remembered what she had done. She sat up and looked at the other side of the bed. Jackson hadn’t come back, though she could sense he was close. And he was angry. Rightfully so. She lay back and pulled the covers over her naked body. Her hand went to her neck, and she felt the grooves left by his teeth. She’d assumed his bite would heal like all her other injuries. Maybe that was why they called it marking. Would everyone be able to see it? It tingled when she ran her fingers on it, and though the way she had got it made her cheeks heat up with shame, she didn’t regret it. She had known he would react like that. She would have been livid in his shoes. If he never spoke to her again, then she would understand. But she would never have forgiven himself if he died and she could have saved him. She’d had no choice. She sighed as she pushed the covers off again and slid off the bed. She started walking toward the bathroom, but her st
The Alpha King's Curse 156. Different
Everything felt different. The longer he lay on the rock, the more he sensed the differences. Everything was sharper, as if there had been a veil on his vision before. The stars were so clear he felt like he could touch them. The air was sweeter. The chirping of the birds as they woke up to get the worm... Beautiful. Fucking beautiful. And the rage in his heart eclipsed it all. He’d told her. He’d said no over and over again, even before she had known what his bite would do. And she’d gone ahead and violated his trust. Violated him. ‘She was never going to give us up without a fight,’ Cain stated. ‘Stop talking like you knew it was going to happen. This isn’t Romeo and Juliet. We don’t have to die together!’ ‘What would you have done in her shoes?’ That question cooled some of his anger. He knew what he would have done for his love. He’d have moved heaven and earth to save her. He’d have crossed any ocean, climbed any mountain. But this wasn’t about him! “I’ve killed her,”
