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~ LAYLA ~I scan the trees and bushes that line the tall brick wall that lines the bottom of the garden, feeling certain I saw movement in the far corner. But when I squint, wishing I was wearing my glasses, I don’t see anything. I walk backwards to the bedside table and grab my glasses. The feeling of being watched only intensifies.Frowning, I move to the glass door that is on the other side of the window, my eyes stuck outside. I hesitate before I unlock it and step outside.“Who’s there?” I call, a small frown on my face as I scan the garden again. I look around when I catch something moving from the corner of my eye. I turn sharply, certain something moved behind the trees.I see the shadowed outline of a person.There!“Hey!” I call as I break into a run. The person moves fast, as if not wanting to be caught. My eyes blaze as I speed up, my bare feet silent on the stone paths. I jump over the low wall and look around.Where have they gone? Fuck!I should call Quade.I turn, ready
~ QUADE ~“There’s no sign of her, Alpha. She may have left town,” Eddie says, massaging his temples. “What was with that website?”“That’s none of your concern. Focus on Nikita. We’re talking about a psychotic maniac. She doesn’t just show her face for no obvious reason. There’s a reason she came back.”“Well, you did say she took something of yours. Maybe that’s what she wanted? And since she got it, she’s bailed.”I shake my head. “No. She could have done that without me noticing if she really wanted to. She made herself known for a reason. I just don’t know why. Keep searching for her. I find it hard to believe that she’s actually gone.”He nods and I frown. After enjoying Layla earlier, I want nothing to ruin my mood tonight.“Well, we won’t stop looking.”Maybe I could ask Julian… I don’t know… “Alright, just stay on alert, I’m going-”I pull out my earpiece. I’m sure I heard something. I pause for a second, listening carefully, a frown creasing my brow.“All ok, Alpha?” Eddie as
~ LAYLA ~“Ah, you’re awake.”My heart races as I look up, realising that I’m tied to a chair in a room that is lit with a sickly red light. One that is only making my already aching head spin. I don’t have my glasses either, which doesn’t help.“Who are you, and what do you want with me?” I ask. My throat feels rough.“What do I want? Relax. Be grateful you're alive,” comes the voice. It’s the man from the garden, the one I got into a scuffle with.My eyes flash, but although he’s not wearing his mask, with the dim red lighting casting shadows on his face and the fact I can’t see properly, I’m unable to make out his features from where he sits. But what I do know is he is watching me.“Who sent you? My uncle? The Dartmouths?”“The who? Your uncle? I never knew you had an uncle.” He chuckles grimly.“Logan then?”“You really are becoming more and more disappointing by the second.” He stands up and leaves the room.I take a deep breath, trying to focus on my surroundings. Where am I and
~ JULIAN ~“Layla’s been kidnapped.”Those were the words Quade spoke on the phone as I lost my shit. How? How the fuck could he let this happen to her!? I had left instantly, only taking a little time to grab some weapons.This was my worst fucking nightmare.Every word that leaves Quade’s mouth isn’t only making me fucking insane with worry, but it’s also making my gut twist with dread.And the final nail in the coffin is when he says the name of the man who has taken her. A name that makes panic settle into the pit of my stomach, mixed with shock and worry.Reagon.He should be dead.He was dead.How is he here?“You fucked up by taking her somewhere you had shit security-” I snarl, watching the speed hit max on the car as I zoom through the highway.“I had fifteen men posted!” he cuts in. “I wasn’t predicting anyone but Logan or Drew to do something! My men are fucking dead!”“Who Reagon fucking killed! Shows what we’re fucking dealing with!”“Yeah, but he wasn’t working alone. I k
~ QUADE ~Tyres screech, headlights blare and the sound of a horn screaming in warning fills the car as I am thrown into my window.I knew it all along, knew that he died saving Layla, but that was a secret I took with me, knowing I couldn’t tell anyone. He asked me to take care of her, and although I went in to get him; it was too late, and he was gone. Leaving behind the woman fated to be his.I grab the steering wheel, swerving to the right as we narrowly miss the oncoming lorry.“Get a fucking control of yourself!” I snarl as he blinks, his heart thundering and his face the colour of ash.“That’s not possible. Layla wasn’t there…”“I got her away from there,” I spit, not wanting to continue this conversation.“You lied.” There’s anger in his voice.“Don’t we all?”“WE had a right to know – wait, did Reagon know?”“No, he fucking didn’t. But it doesn’t matter. You three were so fucking devastated when he died, I didn’t want Layla to become the target of that hate,” I spit. “He would
~ QUADE ~I push open the doors to my home and step inside, leading the way to the lounge. My men swarm around me, but I’m not interested.I need to see her. I slow down when I spot Layla sitting on the sofa, a blanket around her shoulders as she clutches a mug of coffee in her hands. The smell of the coffee beans is strong in the room, a sign she’s been holding it for a while. Even now, she looks as stunning and gorgeous as I remember her.The reminder of her naked body beneath me returns, and I look away.“Layla.”I am by her side in seconds as I go down on one knee, taking the heel of her foot and look at her bandaged ankle. Anger flares through me.He hurt her.“How did you get hurt?”“I’m fine,” she answers, smiling gracefully. But even as she says that she still looks distraught.Julian walks over to us, placing a hand on Layla’s shoulder. She gives him a small smile before looking at the hearth.“How did you get injured?” I repeat, trying to calm the bubbling rage within me.“I
~ LAYLA ~The day of Logan’s trial couldn’t have come sooner. The last two days have felt ominous, and it was like I was moving through a dream – drugged. Everything that I saw as reality was a fabricated lie. Everyone around me who pretended to care were lying. Playing me for a fool.It hurt and stung painfully. Julian, Nadia, Quade… everyone around me are liars.I’ve barely seen Quade since that night. In ways it’s good. It’s suffocating to be around him without wanting to ask why. I wonder if he knows. The way he observed me, the way he was watching me when they entered that night, as if trying to deduce if anyone had told me anything.I lied. Even when Julian came the following day, I acted pretty normal. He’s worried as well, and just like Quade, he was trying to figure out if I knew anything.The fact that they both knew one another and didn’t bother to tell me stings. They didn’t even need to tell me the truth, just a simple ‘Yeah we’ve run into one another in the past.’ Some s
~ LAYLA ~He doesn’t say a word as he takes the seat beside me and looks ahead.“You’re here.”“Obviously, I’m not like him.”I give him a sarcastic smile at his mockery of Quade whilst wondering how long he’s going to keep lying.You’re hurting me, Julian.He stretches his arm around the back of my seat just as he always did, but I’m unable to ignore the betrayal, refusing to relax in my seat.Ten minutes later the alleged crimes have been stated, and the proof that I had gathered is also presented before the audience and jury. It isn’t much considering Quade had given his verdict, but there were people who saw him with Sadie, the CCTV footage, also him drugging me at the restaurant amongst a few others. Together, they were enough for many to start murmuring in the courtroom.The council members look at me through shrewd eyes as each allegation is mentioned.Logan is in good condition; it seems Quade kept him in shape enough that he would not be able to delay the match because we all
~ QUADE ~Her glittering eyes widen, and I can’t help but smile.“I love you, Layla. I fucking love you. You make me feel what I never knew I could.”She closes her eyes, tears trickling down her cheeks and I cup her face, leaning in to kiss her. “Wait!” she whispers, and I cock a brow, removing her glasses.“I did brush my teeth and shower in the hospital wing before I came to see you,” I murmur, making her laugh. “No! Not that, I want to tell you something first.” She pouts, “I love you, too.” I smirk. “I knew that, but I do want to hear that every single day.”This time I don’t wait for a response and press my lips against hers, claiming them in a deep hungry kiss. She whimpers against my lips as she cups my face, pulling herself even closer. I wrap my arms around her and lift her up as I place her on the drawer she was standing beside when I had snuck into our bedroom.I kiss her hungrily, my hands running up her thighs, enjoying the feel of her skin beneath my fingertips. She’
One Month Later…~ LAYLA ~It’s been a month since everything went down and it’s oddly… peaceful. To feel safe and relaxed is something I haven’t experienced for ages. My memories returned, so many where I spent moments with Quade, where I was crushing on him. He was my first crush, and that crush remained until my memories were erased. Through those memories I noticed how he became distant after a while. Cross-checking those memories with Julian, he confirmed that was when Tray told them I was his mate.Sickening.And right now, that’s all I have, these memories of him.The shot Reagon took was aimed to kill, containing the same poison as the blade I was given. But somehow Quade didn’t die. I felt his heart slow in my arms, and then it began pumping again. Julian thinks it was my gift, but if it was, then why is Quade still asleep? He didn’t wake up, and it’s killing me not knowing if he ever will.Nikita is healed; it took her two weeks of complete bed rest before she was able to g
~ LAYLA ~I have to trust Julian not to hurt Quade, or Quade to not kill Julian because I need to find Tray.They’ve been protecting me for so many years. It’s my turn to protect them. They are all that’s left of their brotherhood. Their bond is the only legitimate one.I need to think!It’s hard to, with the growls and snarls of the two men I care for fighting one another. I need to look past the illusion. But how do you do that when they are so powerful?Think! My heart is thudding, my ears ringing as I try to look beyond the storm within my mind.I need to shift! I’ll be able to mind-link Quade too!I shift, bones cracking and reforming before I look around me with keener eyes. The scent of my mate is intense in my nose.‘Quade…’ I trail off when something else fills my nose. The metallic stench of blood.I sniff the air, sensing Tray and Axel’s blood. I might be able to find him to put an end to this. I have to act fast before Tray realises and disguises the scent. He is able to ma
~ LAYLA ~“Exactly. We all know Quade took good care of his little sister. He had a soft spot for her, so I wanted him to kill her. Sucks though, but he turned out weaker than I hoped. And he held out, even when I made it look like she was the one that killed your little baby brother!” He laughs again and Quade snarls, the sound ringing through the room as his rage surges forward.“You!”“Nikita didn’t kill him,” I whisper, Tray’s words sinking in and my heart leaps. I feel relief that I didn’t let Quade kill her, because he would have only felt worse.“No, she didn’t. Shame, she had it in her. And she decided to become a disobedient little bitch. Even after I made her think Quade had killed her mate, she still wasn’t able to harm Layla. Pathetic whore,” Tray spits at me.“Fuck…” Julian murmurs as he glances at me before he turns and walks over to Nikita and begins cutting her ropes. There’s going to be a lot of guilt there… I just hope both men can forgive themselves for how she was t
~ LAYLA ~“Tray,” Julian breathes.“Why? If you’ve been alive all this time, then why did you pretend to be dead back then?” Quade is the first to ask the question on all our minds. His voice is low but strained with emotions, he’s good at hiding his emotions, but for him to let them slip, shows how much this is affecting him.“Oh, you mean that entire pond fiasco? Well, I had to plant the seed of doubt somewhere in the boys.” Tray smirks and I’m disgusted. This man is meant to be my mate? I feel nothing for him. There’s nothing, not even a pull. All I feel is anger.“But why, for what?” Julian asks. His anger is clear, and unlike Quade, he’s not trying to act in control of it. It makes Tray chuckle.“Look at the three of you, working together yet still. So. Fucking. Dumb! Why do you fucking think!?” he snarls. “You, Steele! You were the mother fucker I wanted to take down.” His eyes are fixed on Quade and I glance at him, feeling a pang of hurt for him. Quade’s eyes flicker. Is that c
~ LAYLA ~My heart is still hammering, even though it’s been ten minutes since I used the poisonous gas. But I still can’t wrap my head around it as I look at Nadia, who is tied up in the same place where I found Nikita.Her leg is bleeding profusely where Quade had shot her. Axel is tied to another chair, but he’s badly wounded. If he doesn’t get medical attention, he may die, not that either of the boys would care.“We should go take a look around her quarters and see what we can find. She must have a phone. We might be able to find out who she’s been talking to.” Julian moves forward, checking her pockets before he pulls out a phone.“Password lock,” he says, passing it to Quade.“I’ll have Eddie look into this. You and Layla go see if you can find anything else in her quarters or anything regarding her true identity.” Quade frowns as he looks at the unconscious woman, then back at the device.I cast a final glance at Nadia, feeling sick. This was the woman I trusted…“Come on, Layl
~ QUADE ~“Something isn’t right… they are on castle ground,” I mutter, as we park a good 100 yards from the entrance gates. Something isn’t right. Why is Axel here?“We need a plan before we just go in there,” Layla says quietly. I glance at her, trying to squash the jealousy that I feel and still feel knowing she kissed Julian. I’m acting irrationally, but there is nothing I can do to rid myself of this burning rage from inside of me, no matter how pathetic it is.I frown, “I think the only thing we can do right now is to get inside, find Axel and put an end to this.”“We need some kind of plan, Quade. If Axel’s there, then they have friends on the inside, and also it means he’s here to meet someone. I don’t think you should tell Eddie we’re here either,” Julian says.“A reasonable point. Let’s arm up.” I walk to the trunk and take out a few weapons. I’ll shift if I need to, but there is one thing I have to do before we enter.I need to tell Layla about what happened with Tray, even
~ LAYLA ~“All, ok?” Julian asks as I step out of the bedroom feeling horrible.“Yes,” I say with a small smile, before heading to the kitchen area to start cleaning up.“Lay?”I turn and give him a small smile. “What is it?”“Don’t do that. What happened?”“Nothing. Now please let’s drop it,” I say, sighing softly.He glances at the door, then at me. “You told him that quickly?” he asks quietly, now coming over as he tosses the rubbish into the bin.“No, he knew.”“Because you’re not a good liar.”I sigh and look up at him. “It wasn’t because of you. I did something because I wanted to, because I realised something last night,” I whisper.His green eyes soften. There’s something there, a longing mixed with acceptance. “That you love him.” It’s a statement.I nod. “Yeah, exactly that. And I have no idea how to process that. I don’t even know when my feelings became more.”“Then when he’s cooled down, you should tell him.”I look up at him and nod slowly, when I have the courage becaus
~ QUADE ~Leaving Layla with Julian somehow made me uneasy. The gnawing feeling in my stomach kept growing, and although I told myself it's because of what I’m about to do, I couldn’t shake it off.I ended up parking halfway there and travelled the rest of the way in my lycan form. Keeping to the shadows of the night.The grave wasn’t hard to find, even if I haven’t visited it in ages, the memory of it isn’t one that will ever fade. Entering these forgotten lands where the Sapphire Pack once stood is harder than I thought it would be.I remain in lycan form, holding my bag in my hand as I pay attention to every sound around me.This was once a place I loved to spend my summers.If he’s alive and this is all his game, then those memories were all a lie, and proof that trust is usually misplaced.I look around the fields, it’s overgrown, covered in grass and brambles. No one visited, and neither did I. After the massacre, this was a place I didn’t want to come to, remembering the death o