LailaAs the captain announced we were about to land, I let out an inward sigh of relief. My backside was numb, and my back ached after such a long flight. I could already picture myself standing up, stretching, and walking—just walking ten thousand steps until I felt like a human again.I shifted my gaze from the movie I was watching on the tiny screen to the view outside the window. There it was—the city I would call home for the next six months. The thrill of it all stirred inside me. I had never been here before, and there was so much to explore. Traveling was my passion, and this city—unknown and full of potential—was a new adventure.As the plane touched down, I waited until most passengers had exited before gathering my things. I always stayed at the back. There was no rush. The whole airport process was inevitably slow: endless walking through the maze of terminals, waiting in long queues at border patrol, then more waiting at luggage claim. It always took time. I chuckled to m
LailaI spent most of Sunday sleeping, my internal clock still adjusting. I woke up only to cook and eat, then crawled back into bed to sleep some more. Monday morning came quickly. The alarm blared "Wake Me Up" by Avicii, and I was up and getting ready—showered, dressed, and having a light breakfast.I packed my portfolio and laptop for a client meeting. Today, I would go over the renovation project and see if there were any changes or additions.As I drove to the client’s place, I felt an odd sense of anxiety. Normally, I’d be nervous meeting new clients, but this felt different—like my stomach was buzzing and my palms were sweaty. I tried to shake it off. It’s just another client. I know the drill. But still, my intuition kept nagging at me, wondering if they might cancel the project. Could they? I wasn’t sure, but if so, I’d deal with it.When I arrived, I was surprised to see a security checkpoint. I had assumed the clients were wealthy, but the neighborhood turned out to be a mix
JamesI jogged down the stairs, my mind carefree, as I remembered the fiery redhead from last night. She had been a wild ride, and man, that mouth of hers was something else. I couldn’t help but chuckle to myself. Sweet memories.Suddenly, an incredible scent caught my attention, and my wolf stirred restlessly in my mind. I froze in my tracks, instinctively closing my eyes and taking a deep breath of the most intoxicating smell I’d ever encountered. It was fresh, like... grass? No, it was more like grass warmed by the sun, quickly turning into hay. I could almost see, feel, and taste that perfect summer day in the outdoors.I opened my eyes, and they locked onto a magical creature standing at the entrance. My wolf whispered that one magical word that I had been dreaming, hoping, and waiting - and waiting - and waiting to hear for days, weeks, months, and years.“Mate”.My mind went on a high drive. No way!! My mate was right in front of me! MY MATE was in my house! I had a mate! After
Chapter 4Laila I entered the living room and spotted a woman who looked to be in her forties, maybe? She seemed younger, but if that guy was her son, she must have been older. She was strikingly beautiful, with piercing green eyes and flowing blonde hair. The blurry pixels during our video calls did nothing to do justice to her natural beauty, but now, standing before her in person, she looked absolutely stunning.I quickly approached and extended my hand."Hello, Mrs. Montgomery, I’m sorry I’m a bit late."She smiled warmly at me, her expression lighting up the room."Oh, don’t worry, dear! Welcome! Come in and sit down, Miss Apine! I hope I pronounced that correctly."She didn’t quite get my surname right, but I kept my smile in place."Can I call you Laila?"She smiled back, perhaps sensing the slight confusion in my face over the mispronunciation."Of course!" I replied, my tone friendly and reassuring."I was just sipping my tea. It’s my day off, so I’m not in any rush at all."
JamesWhen I entered the living room and tried to join their conversation, I noticed my mother giving me a longer-than-usual look. Normally, I was always starving in the mornings, and food was the first thing on my mind before even exchanging “good mornings” with anyone in the family. But today, I bet she could tell something was off with me. It wasn’t easy to hide it, especially when the reason for my distraction was sitting right in front of me.My mate.She was at my house. Just sitting there, completely unaware of what she was to me. She didn’t know what a mate was, she didn’t know I was a werewolf, and worst of all, she had no idea that I was already feeling the bond pulling me toward her. I thought the waiting part had been the hardest, but I was starting to realize there was still a long road ahead.So, it turned out that she was the redecorator we had hired. That was good. She would be around the house a lot more now. No need for me to call her over, she’d just be here, making
Laila As I sat in the back of the cab, I let out a slow breath, feeling a wave of relief wash over me. I was glad to be away from that place. The encounter had been intense—though not with Mrs. Montgomery. No, it was with Mr. Playboy. Or, more precisely, James.Things with him had been… awkward. Very awkward. Why had he wanted to know where I lived? Maybe he had noticed my accent, or my odd surname. What were those intense stares all about? And what was with all the cheesy lines? Was he flirting with me? God, that’s the last thing I need right now—a playboy hitting on me. A shiver ran down my spine as I recalled his face. I tried to push it out of my mind. My intuition was rarely wrong, and it was warning me. I should stay away from him.Still, there was a small part of me that couldn’t help but feel flattered. He was rich, handsome—everything women supposedly want. The fact that he was showing interest made me wonder if I was just imagining things. Was I being arrogant, thinking he m
LailaMy week passed in a blur. I met with Mrs. Montgomery on Wednesday. Thankfully, Mr. Playboy wasn’t there. That can only mean one thing—he’s already forgotten about me. And honestly, that’s a relief. But then again, I couldn’t help but feel a pang of disappointment when he didn’t show. He had said he’d be there, and part of me had been scanning the room, hoping he’d walk in at any moment. But he didn’t. And I quickly pushed the thought aside. I didn’t need that kind of distraction. I was here to focus on my work. Besides, I had been right all along—he would forget about me by the next day. Still, a small flutter in my chest lingered, almost like a warning. My instincts told me to stay as far away from him as possible, so maybe it was for the best that he didn’t appear.The meeting went smoothly, and by the end of it, Mrs. Montgomery had invited me to her charity ball on Saturday. She explained that she usually hosts it in December, but this year, she wanted to get it done before he
LailaI’m smiling inwardly, wondering why James has been so persistent in trying to chat with me. Many girls keep glancing at him now and then. He could easily go to any of them. I keep hinting that I’m not interested, that I’d rather not have this conversation, but he doesn’t take the hint. It’s not easy, though. He’s persistent, and his presence has a way of making me feel… funky?He looks incredibly appealing in that dark blue tuxedo, his hair styled just right, the gel giving it that effortless "I’m too cool to care" look. Something tugs at my heart. Maybe I wish circumstances were different. Maybe I could have a fling with him. But, no—what am I thinking? That doesn't matter… right?I usually pride myself on being kind and open to conversation, but this guy… this hot, rich stranger is making me feel… uneasy. I can’t even put a name to the feeling. Maybe edgy? Yes, something like that. But I can’t decide if it’s a good or bad kind of edginess. So, I try to keep my distance, remain
JamesI was frantic in my emotions and my heart was beating so fast. How did my mate manage to get herself in such a big sh*t I will never know. But somewhere subconsciously I knew that her big mouth and brutal truthfulness would get her in trouble sooner or later, I guess today was the day.When Alpha boomed down the link "Your mate is in trouble. Packhouse. Now", I ran like never before in my life across the field from the training ground. I just dropped a message through the mindlink for another warrior to continue the training and shot further with all the speed that my wolf supplied for me as he was equally worried about our mate.When Laila stepped out and started to walk towards Klaid, who was seething, I saw his fists were tight, and he angrily clenched his jaw until, at one moment, he shifted to his wolf, who growled equally angry. On pure instinct I wanted to follow, but Alpha put a hand on my chest.- Wait. If he truly attacks her, we will both step in.Alpha said lowly. I
LailaI woke up slightly disorientated as I took in my surroundings. Right, I'm at the pack house of werewolves. Though it will soon be a month since I was here, it still felt strange to say it. I stretched like a cat and lazily looked around the room. It was empty as usual, as James should be at training now, or maybe he was sent to another mission; I'll find out soon. I looked at the ceiling mindlessly and remembered the walk in the forest with James and later with his wolf yesterday. I loved his wolf's fur, he had such a soft coat, I just wrapped myself around him and buried my nose into his wool. He had the animalistic smell, but it wasn't that bad. I softly smiled at the memory.I sighed, it was still strange, even weird and partly unbelievable that he was a werewolf, that I now lived in a werewolve community. As most of the time I spoke with their human parts, it felt like I was surrounded by humans, it felt normal, but every time I saw a wolf or someone shifting, it still felt
- I could say something nice to most of the people in this room.She retorted back at him equally dissatisfied but still defiant.- Go ahead then!Lucas encouraged her with a hand gesture but slight mockery in his tone. There was a moment of silence from Laila while everyone looked expectantly at her. I was wondering will she back out of the challenge. Then she twisted her body over mine to see Alpha.- I think it is very nice of you to try to be more approachable to your pack members as you join the meals now and hang out with us here. I've heard many good things about that in the halls and the kitchen, wolves are truly happy about it.Laila said very sincerely to Alpha who nodded at her after the compliment. Then she turned to Fay and Lucas.- Fay, thank you for trying so hard to look after me when James is not in the house. I see you as my sweet little sister. I feel that your personality is still a bud, so I hope you will allow yourself to bloom into a beautiful flower and be who
JamesI entered the packhouse and my nose steered me towards the lounge area where my mate's scent came the strongest. As I approached I could already feel her through the bond and my heart squeezed in longing. I pushed through the doors and my focus was only on her. I was genuinely happy to see her as a bright smile shone on my face on its own accord, and my joy increased as Laila's features softened and a bright smile bloomed on her face, meaning she was happy to see me too. I plopped next to her not very satisfied that she was sitting on the same sofa as our unmated Alpha but I didn't make a fuss about it now. Instead, I pulled my mate closer and inhaled her fresh smell deeply until I felt dizzy. I sighed happily and pecked her lips, seeing her eyes shining at me.- Speaking of the devil...I heard Lucas mumble under his breath.- Am I the devil?I asked him back to which he grinned.- Are you gossiping about me?I asked the obvious.- He was prying into our relationship.Laila poin
Laila - Do you like it here? Kate interrupted my train of questions as I studied Fay. - “Here” as in this living room with your group, as in your werewolf community, or as in this city or country? I asked back for clarification. - As in our pack, in this packhouse. She specified. - Well, it feels like I am back in the dorms. It’s okay. I said as I saw that Kate still had questions on her face. - I guess I prefer to live in my place that is separated from everyone. It helps me to recharge and rest better. But it’s ok. I understand the reasons why James chose to put us here, so… What can I do? I’m just a guest here. I explained. - Is that how you feel? Kate asked surprised. - Yes? Was it a different reply than you expected? I chuckled nervously. I can say it again, I hate being fake but seems that people here can't take my honest replies sometimes. - Well, I guess I hoped you would say that you feel great here. Kate said sadly. - Sorry to disappoint. I said quietly. -
LailaSo this was my new life's routine. I ate meals together with the pack members, worked till evening, and then tagged along with Fay, as she came to collect me on days when James was not coming home early, which was almost every day. Most of the time I was silent and just observed and listened to others talking about pack life, their training, and some news as to who improved in sparring or who met his or her mate. Lucas and Kate usually tried to pull me into the conversations but depending on the topic it flowed or it died down.I wasn't used to being nonstop crowded and interacting with so many people all the time, and I could feel it started to strain me. The more tired I got from social interactions, the less I talked, and my answers became more clipped.As we entered the lounge room I rushed to sit in the corner next to Lucas. I was tired of always sitting next to the brooding Ayden. Fay followed me and sat next to me, pressing against my thigh as she didn't want to touch Luc
Laila - So, Laila, what do you do in your free time? Lucas changed the subject drastically, and I was grateful to him for it. I looked at Fay as we smiled, knowing we had this conversation before. On weird but perfect synchronicity, I and Fay said: - Picks fungus. - Play piano. That made Lucas turn to Fay with a frown: - Picks fungus? While at the exact same moment, Ayden turned to me and asked with a frown: - Play piano? And at the end, Fay turned her face away from Lucas to me with a surprised face: - You play piano? The perfect timing of talking made most of the people, sorry, werewolves chuckle, including me. - Wait, start with the fungus. Lucas demanded with a nod of his chin towards me. - It's nothing. In my country, we have a lot of forests, so when late summer slash autumn comes many people go and pick mushrooms. I grew up in the middle of the forest, and as mom still lives there, we do it every year. I said with a shrug. - We know all the best spots for the ch
Laila It was Wednesday evening and I was still typing on my laptop trying to finish the last things so I could wrap up for the day in half an hour or so. I knew James would be gone till late at night on another secret mission of his. I didn't know what I would do later but I didn't want to work extra just because I didn't have a plan for the evening yet. A soft knock surprised me as I looked at the doors. Who was visiting me? Did someone need something from me? It wasn't dinner time yet for Kate to come... - Come in! I shouted from the sofa hoping I left the door open. I saw the door handler bend but the doors didn't open. - Shoo! I cursed and put the laptop on the sofa while hurrying to the door. As I opened it I was surprised to see Fay standing there. - Hey! What a surprise! I said as she waved at me with a soft "Hi!". - Sorry about that! I was working and too lazy to open the door, so I hoped I left them open, but no. Sorry. I rushed to explain to her as she smiled at me
After some time, I felt his fingers opening my folds and his tongue slipped in my v*gina, making me inwardly frown. I felt his tongue coming in and out several times until I propped my body on my elbows and pulled my hips slightly sideways so he couldn't get access. - What are you doing? I asked confused but curious. - I'm tongue f*cking you! What? I saw his white teeth grinning at me as the light from the window hit him. I frowned again. - That's gross. Why would you do that? I asked, concerned. - Gross? No. You are sweet as honey, and I want to pleasure you in any way possible. He replied smiling while brushing his fingers over the erogenous zones on my thighs, making tingling sensations and distracting me. - Well, your tongue is too small and short for me to feel any proper sensation, and as I don't feel comfortable when you just did it, so can you not? When you lick my cl.it is all amazing, I love it. I tried to convince him there was no need for strange experiments. Good