LAYLA
It was a painfully quiet night. I sat on the edge of my bed staring out the window and down at the moonlit pack grounds.
Del Morino and the strange visit to the other packhouse were circling in my head leaving me confused about thoughts
He had presented me to Adrian as his mate in a way that seemed purposeful even to make Adrian jealous or something like that.
He was trying to arouse the other side of Adrian.
To make him stay away from me?
It had to be that. I balled my fists rage brewing beneath me.
DRAKEI ignored the sunlight that poured in through my large windows.I lay sprawled on my velvet chaise and gazed at the ceiling's elaborate carvings letting my thoughts wander to things I'd prefer to forget.Layla.Her name evoked feelings I didn't want to confront like a whisper in my mind.I hate that I had seen her with Del Morino.Not that it mattered but the way she was, carrying herself with so much confidence and pride broke me in two.Not that I was hoping she had been a slave or something, but I had wished I was the one who had given her that luxury she w
I sighedThese Elders don't know me.They had spoken like I should be scared or something.Then I should run to Del Morino's pack and beg Layla to come back, kissing her feet and shedding tears.Nah.Just because I'm in danger, even little pups are constantly in danger.To look intimidating or at least that's what I hoped, I twirled a dagger between my fingers while lounging on the meeting room's enormous fur chair.As though their breakfast had been stolen the elders sat in front of me with their typical sullen expressions.
It was just a few hours to dinner and my thoughts were racing against each other.At first, I thought it was just a joke but as I kept thinking about it, I felt so uneasy.At the moment all I had was stress and a pounding headache but being an alpha was supposed to bring dignity and power, isn't it?I kept thinking of the elder's warning: no Seal of the Moon, no pack security. And guess what? Layla had the key to that damned Seal.I guess so.Layla who most likely hated me now.Layla had sacrificed everything for me to pay he
DEL MORINOAlong the path to the Temple of the Moon Goddess, the branches of tall trees made it difficult to see the silver crescent moon that hung high in the sky.The smell of flowers that were blooming at night filled the air and the sound of gentle footsteps echoed through the silence. With the murmurs of our entourage behind us, my mother sat beside as she held my hand warmly.Although the temple has long been a quiet location for prayer and tranquility I felt uneasy tonight. My six year old mind was restless.Something or someone hiding in the shadows seemed to be observing us as the cart went through the hard route to the temple.Mother had said that the rocks along the paths
DEL MORINO. I was having trouble breathing. The dream clung to me like thick oppressive smoke. Mother's voice, pleading with me to live, sacrificing herself for me, the screams of those who tried to protect us had filled my ears all these years and my mother's face was still etched in my memory.It's been years ago but since that day I could still feel the anger of having that scar on my left eye. It hurt me that I had lost the only person who cared for me.My shaky fingers automatically reached for my face and found the cool leather of the mask I wore, a barrier separating my shame and anger from the outside world. My memory was etched with the assassin's imageâa man with an arrow and a crescent moon tattooed on his neck. After years of searching packs and questioning mercenaries I had never found him but he had disappeared like a ghost. His name was unknown and no one had ever seen him.Sometimes I wondered if I had imagined things that night.He was now like a shadow I couldn
LAYLAUsing my apron to wipe my hands, I observed the dough rising in the stone oven. I smiled as the aroma of roasted meat and baked bread filled the kitchen. While the other maids were kneading dough, chopping vegetables and stirring pots I noticed that some of them were giggling at something.I shook my head and gave a small smile .I felt at home here even though I was the Luna. Perhaps it was because I enjoyed its normalcy, the sensation of accomplishing a straightforward simple task. But as soon as I looked out the window, my peaceful moment was destroyed and my heart sank immediatelyAt first I wasn't really sure of what I was seeing and I blinked rapidly. Young women in a long line were dragged into the courtyard. Their faces were bruised, their wrists were bound and their clothing was ripped. A few of them hobbled, while others were hardly conscious, their heads drooping like ragged dolls. I felt uneasy and I swallowed hard.I knew what I was seeing, I knew what this i
ELIASI paced the length of my office while running a hand through my hair. Anger was tearing at me like a ferocious beast and my mind was a jumbled mess.When i had so desperately wanted to enjoy my reign and the Seal Of The Moon just popped up and now having the relaxation I wanted was impossible.I gritted my teeth as I looked at the papers strewn all over my desk, none of which had the solution I needed. With his arms crossed and his back to the wall, Maurice my Gemma remarked ."You look like you're about to break something. "Despite his calm tone I could tell he was observing me and trying to know the cause of my annoyance because I knew him too well. "Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown, Maurice." I said and he looked away. I let out a deep breath. "I gave Layla's aunt and uncle a call, I asked some servant to do that."He narrowed his eyes slightly but Maurice remained motionless. "And? He asked. My hands clenched into fists as I turned to face him." I informed t
DRAKE The humid night air stuck to my skin like an unwanted guest. The moon merely made an appearance through the shifting clouds in the deep unending black sky above. The night was perfect for what I was going to do. I paused at the wooden door, its gleaming surface which I was just noticing was smudged and cracked.I bet they had been surprised to see me here again. I let out a breath and made a loose fist with my fingers before knocking The slow deliberate rhythm of the sound echoed in the silence. It was not long before the door creaked open. Layla's uncle stood in the doorway his face drawn cautiously his eyes sunken and surprise swept through his face.His eyes lingered on me for an excessive amount of time flickering with hesitation and confusion."Drake" he finally said his voice was hoarse from age." You came back ?" I smiled slowly and comfortingly at him." I hope I'm not bothering you at this hour Uncle."His mouth formed a thin line. Layla's aunt shifted uneasily
DRAKEIt felt like ages since dinner. The sound of cutlery clinking on dishes,Sophia's chuckles and her kind smile. The storm raging inside of me was cruelly contrasted with everything else. Tonight was supposed to be normal for me. I had shamefully returned from Corbin's pack into the waiting arms of Sophia, as I stared at her from across the table I remembered that my role was to pretend to be the man she believed me to be. But I couldn't maintain the persona for very long. It felt like an insurmountable burden was pressing down on my chest every minute I spent with her smiling and acting as though nothing was wrong. She talked about the delicious food but I could hardly hear her because I was seated across from her at the dinner table and my mind was elsewhere. Her tone was gentle, almost reassuring. I should have felt better after that. Rather it merely served to remind me of what I had just done. I told her a lie. I explained to her that I had been going about some business a
DEL MORINO I rushed into my chambers feeling the weight of the world pressing down on me. I couldn't release the rage and sadness that were boiling inside of me. Even clenching my hands into fists didn't help. Terese was gone, just like my mother, the one person who had been by my side since I was a young child. When my father had pushed me off like trash, like I wasn't his son, when my mother was too sick to look after me, Terese was there.I slammed the door so hard that it shook violently. I ran my fingers through my hair as pain exploded in my chest.Piece by piece I could feel my heart breaking. I had the feeling that I was choking and was unable to breathe. She was more than just a nanny. How could she be gone? How could I have lost the one person who had always supported me? She served as a protector, a steady presence in my life during a time of instability. And she is gone now. Only the moon goddess knows what she had wanted to tell me I slammed my fist into the wooden d
DRAKEAs I arrived at Corbin pack gates, I felt the burden of the journey pressing down on me. The pulse of my rage echoed through my veins, and the roaring beats of my heart were too loud for me to ignore. They had taken Terese, my only hope of finding the Seal.I know Corbin more than anybody, and I was sure that the idiot was going to lie that he didn't take her away, but he didn't know that I had gotten first-hand information that she had been abducted by his men and held captive for reasons I didn't know, and I didn't care to know.I wasn't here to socialize or have a peaceful discussion. No matter the cost my only objective was to bring her back and get the damn Seal. I slammed the car door with a loud bang that reverberated through the silent forestWithout exchanging words, my guards silently followed me while their eyes scanned the area. Each of us was aware of our purpose. âRemain vigilant,â I yelled, my tone steady but tense. âCorbin won't make things simple.âBefore we
DEL MORINO It was unbelievable to me. The words swirled around in my mind like a nightmare until I lost all sense of reality. Terese is dead?Although the guard had said it in such a casual manner, I felt as though the earth had been torn out from under me. My heart stopped and I felt cold. I needed him to say it again. It couldn't possibly be true. No Terese. No, not her. She was irreplaceable. âWhat are you saying?. Dead?â I said my voice was hardly audible above a murmur. I wasn't even sure if I was saying anything. Everything seemed muffled and far away as if the world had closed me out. The guard's eyes were wide as he gazed at me bewildered. However I could only hear that one sentence repeated over and over.Terese is dead. My mind raced. I didn't want to believe it. It isn't possible.Not Terese though. She never stopped being strong, present and alive. I forced myself to pay attention and make sense of what was happening by demanding again.âWhat do you mean by she's dead
DEL MORINO A tiny smirk played at the corner of my lips as I watched Layla my Luna sitting across from me. She was looking at me with a soft inquisitive expression in her eyes as if she were trying to reveal layers I had hidden deep within. Since she was my mate, I couldn't hold it against her. Still there were some things I wasn't sure she needed to know and wasn't ready to share just yet. I had already surprised her earlier. I didn't expect her reaction when she realized I couldn't read because on the way she looked at me. It was utter surprise not sympathy or shock as if she had discovered a part of me that didn't match the image she had in mind. I should have dismissed it and offered an explanation but for some reason I didn't. I could see her thoughts at work during the long period of silence between us. I knew she wanted to ask more questions but she didn't press. And I loved that.More than I would ever tell herz I loved Layla's ability to respect my boundaries. It didn't
DEL MORINO The weight of the moment weighed heavily on my shoulders as I entered the room. There were four of my brothers standing around all of them wearing an expression of anticipation. It's been a long time since I last saw these four, except for Adrian, who was always following me like a shadow.Although we were always close in the way that only siblings can be, there were now things that I felt but was unable to express. I also knew that everything would change today. With the customary teasing and catching up, the conversation started off innocently enough, but I could feel the tension rising. It was constantly present hiding beneath the surface and waiting for the ideal opportunity to rise. I was supposed to discuss the breeders with them, and I didn't feel they should know about Terese yet. â I've bought them,â I said in a firm yet low voice.My brother's eyes flickered with curiosity as they turned to face me. â Don't look at me like that.â I almost snapped. â We discu
DEL MORINO I felt as if the situation was weighing heavily on me and the evening flew by in a daze. As I gazed out my window at the moon shining down at the pack, Terese's description of the diseaseâMoonblightâhaunted my thoughts. I couldn't stand by and do nothing and I didn't understand what kind of curse could make a werewolf so vulnerable. However, I was unable to ignore the more pressing issue even as I mentally made those commitments. I had to get a doctor for her. She was very close to my late mother and always seemed like family.Her younger brother. Luca. Terese had mentioned him earlier and I had asked the guards to present him. He has been captured with other young men too.I had never met him before I thought I would meet a young boy maybe ten or eleven years old but instead, I saw a man who appeared older than his years. The weight of a life he hadn't requested was causing Luca's shoulders to slump and his eyes to grow weary. His eyes were filled with pain, the sam
DEL MORINO I had my knuckles balled into a fist as I stood in front of the door. The hallway air seemed to get heavier by the second and I could feel my chest tightening, the stench and sight made me want to throw up.With a million ideas racing through my head, I had demanded to be taken to the dungeon where she was being held. But the sight of the cell doors and the dim dark hallway made me realize how far things had deteriorated.She doesn't belong here. I didn't think it would hurt this much. I felt guilty when I saw her and realized she was stuck there. After faithfully serving my mother, she was now in the same place as the enemies I had vowed to keep away from the people I cared about. I was startled out of my thoughts by the guard at my side clearing his throat. "Alpha Del Morino," he said cautiously in a respectful but hesitating tone. "She was brought in a while ago."As I moved forward, my gaze sweeping the line of cells I could hardly hear him. The atmosphere felt oppr
DRAKE Blood, smoke and a bad odorâfearâwere all in the air. It was suffocating and heavy clinging to the ruins like an omen. The Eastwoods Pack was nothing more than a cemetery of destroyed houses and wolves, a smoldering wreckage. I stood motionless at its edge observing. The pack was burned to the ground in half. With broken walls, bodies ripped apart and limbs strewn about like trash what was left was scarcely better. I didn't know the Alpha who had done this but I knew it could not be Del Morino. He had his way of doing things but not this way.The assault had been ruthless. It had nothing to do with territory or dominance. No, this had been destruction done for its own sake. Wasteful and for a moment it felt like something rogues could have done or maybe Pack Claimers.I didn't care about Eastwoods at all. To me, it didn't matter that they survived or not.I didn't care if they were wiped off the face of the earth. I was here because of Terese and that old man better be right