Escape

Layla Lightborn's POV

Magnus spoke harshly. 

"I reject you as my mate, Layla Lightborn." 

Each word hit me hard. It felt like a giant rock was on my chest, making me lose circulation. My wolf inside me howled, a sad sound that echoed my pain. It hurt us badly, like something inside was physically breaking.

I was a mess. Tears just kept coming, endless like a waterfall. When I looked around, everyone was quiet as though they couldn't believe what they just witnessed. 

My eyes went to Luna Seraphina and Alpha Thor. They were coming towards the stage. For a moment, I thought maybe they could help.

"Layla, I'm sorry. There's nothing we can do," said Luna Seraphina words didn't feel sincere. 

I turned to Alpha Thor, hoping for some comfort like when he first let me into the pack. But no, there was no sympathy from him too as he said, "Accept it, Layla. Say the words and move on."

I couldn't believe it. "But why? What did I do wrong?"

Seraphina sighed. "It's not about you, Layla. Sometimes things just don't work out the way we want them to."

I couldn't take it. "But I love Magnus! How can you all just throw me away like this?"

Alpha Thor spoke firmly, "Layla, sometimes love isn't enough. You'll heal, and you'll find someone who deserves you. But you have to say the words, accept the rejection, and let go."

I shook my head. "I can't. It hurts too much."

Seraphina put a hand on my shoulder, making me flinch. "It'll hurt for a while, but you're strong. You'll get through this."

I looked at both of them, feeling all alone. "I… I don't know if I can. Luna, Alpha, please."

Alpha Thor shook his head. "You can do this, Layla. There is no other way. Say the words and let’s be done with it. You have made too much of a scene already."

Me? Did I make a scene? I did not do anything. It was their son who made all this mess, and I was the one who got to live with it. I roamed my eyes one last time through the crowd, and I could see the guests staring.

With that, I knew that there was no choice left for me. They left me standing there, lost in the pain of rejection. The crowd was still silent, and I took a shaky breath. It was time to say the words, even if they felt like swallowing glass. "I, Layla Lightborn, accept your rejection, Magnus Blackwood."

As the words left my lips, it felt like the last threads of the mate bond snapped. I crumbled inside, my wolf whimpering alongside me. The pain, grief, and loss hit us like a heavy storm. I tried to stand, but my knees were wobbly. Still, I made myself stay put.

I forced my eyes to Magnus, hoping for a last glance from the man I thought loved me. But he wasn't looking at me. Meredith was there, still naked and sneering like a snake. It hurt so much to see them together. I hate her so much. I hate them. All of them!

With all the dignity I had left, I bolted from the stage, desperate to escape the prying eyes. My new destiny was like a long, dark tunnel, but I pushed through, one step at a time. Tears blurred my vision, but I didn't stop until I reached the safety of my room.

----

The room echoed with the sound of my tears. Each item I placed into my bag felt like a piece of my shattered heart, and the room seemed to grow colder as the reality of leaving settled in.

Mathilde's presence was a bittersweet solace. Her worried eyes followed my every move, and the air was thick with unspoken emotions. "Layla, where will you go? You have nowhere," she implored.

I tried to offer a brave smile, my lips trembling. "I have no place here, Mathilde. It's not the same anymore."

The photographs on the wall seemed to stare back at me, frozen memories of a time when everything felt right. Mathilde's persistence mirrored the reluctance within me, a tug-of-war between the familiarity of the past and the uncertainty of the future.

"But you're part of the pack. We care about you," she insisted.

I shook my head. "I appreciate it, but it's not enough. I need to go."

As I folded my clothes, the room became a canvas of memories. Mathilde's questions lingered in the air like echoes of what once was.

"Why, Layla? This is your home."

"No, it's not. Not anymore. I can't stay where I'm not wanted."

"But where will you go? You're so young."

"I'm 21, Mathilde. I can manage," I replied, the words trying to convince both of us.

"I hate to see you go, Layla. I'm sorry this happened."

A shared sadness hung in the air, and I nodded in acknowledgment, my heart heavy. Tears glistened in her eyes too, a silent witness of the bond we shared. It hurt, but this departure was a necessary step.

"Please don't tell them that I left," I pleaded with Mathilde. "But I'm sure they will not even notice,"

She looked ashen but nodded in understanding. "I won't say anything, Layla. It's your choice."

Mathilde pulled me into a tight hug. The room seemed to hold our shared sorrow as we clung to each other for a moment longer.

Before we parted ways, Mathilde handed me a pendant. It was a delicate gold one, a small statue of the Moon Goddess hanging from it. "To protect you. Be safe out there, Layla," she whispered.

I sniffled, nodding, unable to find words to express my gratitude. With a final embrace, we said our goodbyes, and I left the room, carrying the weight of her warmth and the pendant against my chest.

---

Sneaking out of the pack compound felt like a betrayal, but the distant music from the lawn told me that my absence barely mattered to the Blackwoods. In the shadows, I moved swiftly, a small burlap sack holding my meager belongings clutched in my hand.

I ran into the woods, each step a desperate escape from the pain of rejection.

The woods seemed to close in around me as I walked through the silent labyrinth of trees. Unsettling movements rustled in the foliage, and I couldn't shake the feeling that I was not alone. Nervousness crept over me, but there was no turning back. I quickened my strides, hoping to outpace the unseen presence that lingered in the shadows.

Suddenly, the stillness of the night shattered with howls that pierced the air. My heart raced as I scanned the surroundings.

"Who's there?" I asked, my lips trembling.

As if on cue, five werewolves came out of hiding.

Fear clenched my chest as they approached, low growls vibrating through the night. 

"What do you want? Stay away from me!"

Of course, they did not answer. Instead, they lunged at me, teeth bared. Panic surged as their snarls echoed in the night.

"NO! Please!" I cried. "Somebody, help me!" I pleaded and pleaded, hoping that maybe Magnus would save me, but no one came.

I wanted to shift, but I was helpless. My wolf was still weak from the rejection. I felt the impact of their attack. Sharp fangs sank into my flesh, and pain seared through my body. Bitten and weakened, I stumbled, the forest floor cold and unforgiving beneath my knees. They kept on biting and clawing at me until I could not feel anything anymore. 

I fell to the ground, bloodied and dying. Darkness surrounded me as the wolves walked away.

And as they did, I closed my eyes forever. Good bye, cruel world.