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I tense as my core throbs at those words.Oh fuck, not now, please. I don’t need him to know he’s turning me on!I remain still as he releases me, but he still stands incredibly close. I can feel his body brush against my ass.“You got your phone… you should go,” I whisper breathlessly.But rather than just walk away, he leans dangerously close.“If you need a little help, ask for it,” he whispers. “This time I’ll let it slide.”My heart is thumping as I feel his fingers brush my back as he unhooks my bra for me. I gasp as I hold my bra over my breasts to keep what little modesty I have left.“Hmm… maybe I do need to see you fully naked… those breasts look extremely enticing…” he murmurs seductively into my ear.“Thanks… for helping…” I whisper, making the mistake of looking up at him over my shoulder.His eyes are filled with a carnal hunger, and for a second I don’t know how to react. Suddenly he steps back, his eyes becoming cold once more and I quickly back away, too.“I better go
~ LAYLA ~I shiver at the memory of last night and look around shaking off the unease.Quade is out at the moment; he usually is at this time and that only makes the itch to do something I shouldn't, grow.I pace my room, the sound of my padding footsteps loud in the room. How much do I actually know about him?He didn’t even let me speak to Julian, although he said he has passed the message on. I feel uneasy not being able to talk to him.Julian and I go way back. There was a time I even crushed on him, but he never had eyes for me. I just remember we went to school together and lived next door and he would always ignore me, although I was the alpha’s daughter. He was the one boy who never gave me attention, and it was his attention I always wanted.But despite growing up as a rebellious teen, with a temper and creating a bad reputation for himself, he never did anything to me.In fact, often we’d walk back from school and he’d always hang behind, and even when I tried to match his sp
QUADEWhat is she doing in my room? My face is emotionless as I watch her for any signs of panic, but her eyes simply run over me, and I decide to simply observe her without showing her that I might not just trust her…“Are you in that much of a rush to get back into my room that you enter uninvited?” I ask arrogantly as I walk over and take out a towel from the shelf above her head in the wardrobe, invading her personal space as my eyes flick over my shelves. Trying to see if anything was out of place.She instantly moves back, trying to put distance between us.“Not at all. I was a little cold. I thought I’d come steal a hoodie. You don’t mind, do you?” she asks, cocking a brow.I tilt my head; I don’t believe you…“Not at all. Help yourself,” I answer, my attention falling to the picture frame I have in there.Did she see it?I glance at her, catching her eyes on me again, but she doesn’t seem nervous… she’s far too distracted by me.I smirk as I move back. Maybe I am being overly p
~ LAYLA ~“And that pretty much sums it up but you cannot tell anyone this.” I finish, crossing my legs as I lean back on the sofa looking at Julian, who is as angry as he was the day I told him about my decision to marry Logan.His jaw is ticking, his fists clench, his veins popping as he tries not to lose control.I filled him in on what the plan is but left out the fact that Quade was on my side and would be working with me on this plan. That was something Quade had made me swear I wouldn’t share, and he had made me take a Blood Oath.I glance at my right ring finger. The slight mark that remained from the Blood Oath is still there.Even if I wanted to I couldn’t tell Julian, even though I trust him.“I have a few questions, so I’ll start with the one that is fucking with my head the most. So let me get this straight. You will pretend to be ok with the man who fucking tried to rape you?” he snarls, glaring at me. My eyes widen, my heart skipping a beat at his visible display of rage
~ LAYLA ~Julian drives me to the office building, and I make my way up to Logan’s office. I pass through security with no issue. After all, I have every right to be here, and no security guard tries to stop me.Julian is a few steps behind me. When the lift opens on Logan’s floor, I head straight for his office, walking straight past Sadie’s desk.“Excuse me!”I turn, frowning as I realise it’s not Sadie. The woman quickly gets up, rushing to block my path. “Y-you can’t go in there, Ma’am!”I stop in my tracks, narrowing my eyes.“Before you forget your place, remember, in this office I have every right to do as I wish. Now step aside.” I command in a low, menacing snarl. She gulps, hugging the file she’s holding, and steps to the side.“Wait here,” I say to Julian. “Please.”He looks away, his jaw ticking again, but I know he’ll listen.I push open the door to see Sadie standing extremely close to Logan as she plays with his tie. His hands are resting on her waist and they are far to
~ QUADE ~“So, is it good enough?” her voice comes down the phone. I glance out of the hotel window where I’m staying, looking in the direction of her home.This hotel teeters on her pack borders. One that gives me access to her pack without having to pass the guards. With her guidance, of course, or so she thinks. I already knew about the entryway she had disclosed to me from long ago.“It’ll do, Miss Blackwell. Although I hoped I’d get an invitation into your home, or a late-night offer if you get my gist,” I reply.She laughs slightly. “Well, at least it’ll do. As for any kind of invitation, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Besides, I can’t magically invite you here. People wouldn’t trust that. Look, tomorrow at the dinner meeting with Logan, just make sure our stories correlate or-”“Relax, deception is an art I’ve mastered a long time ago. I’m more concerned that you might blow our cover.”I can just picture her expression of irritation. I’ve learned that about her. Her patience
~ LAYLA ~“Luna? I have brought you some turmeric milk. It’ll help you.” Nadia’s voice comes from outside the door.I pale as I scan the room. He’s closed the window too!He’s clearly finding this funny, which only annoys me further. I push my glasses up my nose as I try to push him back. “Hide!” I hiss.“Are you really telling me to hide?” he scoffs arrogantly. “You do know who I am, right?”An arrogant asshole, that’s who.“We can’t blow our cover, remember?” I reply with mock politeness, shoving him back.“It’s just a member of staff. Who cares?” he winks at me suggestively.I get to my feet, continuing to force him around to the other side of the bed and shove him to the ground with my full strength.I flinch as he hits the ground with a thud. I scramble to my feet as I hear the door handle turn, but my legs tangle with his and I tumble face forward onto him.“Luna! Are you alright!”I jerk upright, realising I’m straddling him, and I’m about to get up when I realise my shorts have
~ LAYLA ~“Julian…” I say tensely.Both men simply stand there staring at one another. Something about the exchange makes me feel uneasy. I can practically smell the hostility between the two. I have half a mind to jump out of the window, but I doubt my landing will be anywhere near as smoothly as Quade’s was.“Julian, is it? Nice name,” Quade says almost mockingly.“The Lycan King? Not very king-like, jumping out of a window, now is it?” Julian counters icily.“Maybe if you were a better bodyguard, I wouldn’t have even been able to get to her. If I wanted, she could have been dead by now.” Quade’s voice is equally hostile.“I’d like to see you try. Hurt her and I won’t care who you are.”Quade’s aura suddenly bleeds through the air, getting heavier. I can feel it from up here.“Julian, please-”“You’re no threat to me. Kind of disappointing, actually.”“Don’t underestimate me. That’s how a person falls,” Julian answers. I try to glare at him warningly, but he doesn’t even glance my wa
~ LAYLA ~We reach home and my arm is beginning to feel numb, although I don’t tell Julian that. Nothing an antidote and rest won’t fix, but he still follows me back to my room, scoffing when I open the door.“So, you guys going to share a room once you tie the knot?” he asks with distaste.“Well, maybe, I mean we are going to marry,” I reply, although I don’t know yet… I have plans. I could try to get close to Quade, make him fall for me, show him I love him and then get all the answers I need… I’m not sure yet.I glance at Julian, wondering what he’s thinking. He’s not happy with my response, yet he’s ok to share secrets with Quade himself.“So, do you have a medical kit?” he asks.“I do have one. Nadia always makes sure it’s packed, but I think it’s not with my stuff that’s here yet.”“You wouldn’t have an antidote for Elksall, though. Quade would.”“You seem to be sure of that,” I reply, almost like you know him.“Well, he’d be an idiot not to.”“Well, I can go look in his room. He
~ JULIAN ~The match is over, and she was fucking incredible. She’s always been resilient and skilled. Despite parts of her past being missing from her mind, her body has not forgotten anything.She now goes to speak to the elders and I wait, my eyes fixed on her, making sure no harm comes to her. I spare a glance up at the full moon for a split second.Even though the world might not know Quade’s secret, I do. We all did. We used to help him when the full moon came. He was dangerous, and stronger than us all on those nights. His thirst for blood was extreme, and he was never able to tell friends from foe. A lycan’s greatest weakness is on the full moon, when they lose all sanity.Staying away from Layla at this time was for the best.Watching her now, I can’t help but check her out. There’s something super-hot about a woman fighting. Watching her was a treat, and I can tell it’s not only the women happy to see her lead, but plenty of men who suddenly see her as more than the ever-grac
~ LAYLA ~Logan is already here. He’s only in a pair of sweatpants, some sweatbands on his wrists, a band to keep his hair back and trainers.Christopher stands, and the crowd becomes silent as he begins speaking.I’m unable to focus looking at the smug expression on Logan’s face, is he up to something? Just then, Sadie hurries forward dressed in a skimpy dress and flings her arms around Logan’s neck and kisses him before she looks over at me, and casts me a dirty glare. I smirk coldly, if she thinks that would upset me, she’s sorely mistaken.“He might try something… so stay alert. He’s got more strength, you got speed. Use it,” Julian says quietly.“I have strength too,” I answer as I step forward, and Julian pats my shoulder before he walks off to the bench, the closest spot anyone is allowed to be.All the lies… yet somehow, he seems to really care…Not now, Layla. You have to win this.Right.The signal to begin goes off and Logan is the first to run at me. I move out of his way a
~ 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
~ 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
~ 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
~ 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
~ 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
~ 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