Layla’s POVEthan immediately broke into a huge grin, one I’d never seen before to show just how happy he was that he’d turned out to be my fated mate after all. I’d never seen him that happy since we met and it was so intense that I could feel his excitement through the mate bond as well, it felt like nothing short of pure undiluted joy.Even his hand clutched his chest in relief as he stared at me with eyes full of love and longing, and I was certain that my eyes equally mirrored those emotions of his as he ran toward me with leaps of joy and gathered me in his arms and lifted me off the floor.Before I could even express my happiness in words, he’d placed me down and covered my lips in a passionate kiss, like he was emptying fragments of his soul into mine as he moved against my lips and this time I didn't hold back, I kissed him back with the burning desire within me that had been awakened the second I confirmed that he was my mate.Without breaking the kiss, he carried me into hi

Layla’s POVI woke up with a huge yawn and my arms stretched out by my sides like a baby, I felt refreshed and satisfied like a person that went through a renewing moment the night before. It was odd that my body felt that good especially because I was sore in certain areas because of what I and Ethan had been up to the night before.By simply reminiscing the events of last night, I felt a blush rise to my cheeks and I was certain that my ears had turned red as well because of how incredibly shy I felt. Everything was fresh in my memory and as the details came together I felt like burying myself under the sheets and never resurfacing.While I was overcome with lust and only focused on going all the way with Ethan I wasn't this embarrassed, but it seemed like that lust fog had cleared and I was inclined to hide away elsewhere as I recalled how I’d been much more forward than him the entire night. I practically initiated most of what happened and now I wondered where I found the confide

Layla's POVA splitting headache hit me as my eyes opened slowly, I could barely remember the past events that’d caused such a wicked headache but as my eyes fully opened I realized that the headache was the least of my problems.I was in a cave!?Instantly, the memories of my last conversation with Arnold and how I’d been knocked out before I could contact Ethan for help came flooding in and fear gripped me in its wicked claws like never before. I immediately tried to stand up in an attempt to run out of the cave but an unfamiliar and prickly laughter made me halt my attempts.The mocking and dark laughter I’d heard was Arnold’s and he was now hovering over me on the floor with a vicious smile on his face.“Oh, do you think Ethan us coming to save you from me again?” His smile quickly morphed into a dark expression that I never thought he was capable of conjuring.Weak and in shock, I stared at him blankly without knowing what would serve as a suitable response.“I gave you a home wh

Ethan’s POVLayla was standing on a mountain when I found her, bent over a lone flower growing in between the rocks and gently touching its petals in amazement.Meanwhile, I remained transfixed in a spot starting at Layla’s back while my thoughts overwhelmed me, all the things I’d planned to tell her when I saw her were stuck in my throat and my entire body felt numb.I’d planned to tell her how much I’d missed her, how I would have spent a lifetime searching for her, how every second of the past few days she was the most prominent thought in my mind, how I regretted letting her out of my sight to fall prey to Arnold’s wiles and how my heart beat only for her.But I couldn't.And just then she seemed to have felt my presence and she turned around to face me, her eyes brightened with relief and she ran over to me without wasting another second and pulled me into a tight embrace, one where she could've easily squished our bodies into one and all I could do was weakly hug her back even t

Layla’s POVNo matter how hard I tried to, I couldn't accept the reality that Ethan was dead and worst of all he’d died right before me and I couldn't do anything to stop it. The pain that surged through my body was inexplicable and it ate away bits of my heart, the parts that were sworn off to Ethan from the day I admitted my love for him.Even days after, I was still inconsolable and I felt like I was slowly losing my mind.So I screamed, louder than I ever had and with everything within me and all the strength I could possibly muster. Once I started screaming, I couldn't stop, I screamed like I wanted my guts to pop out and soon enough the entire forest felt the weight of my scream.The birds ran off into an opposite direction in their swarms like they were migrating because of how lethal my screams were and how they echoed throughout the entire wilderness. My hands were in my hair and I pulled it as I continued to scream, all while watching the trees sway like they were about to b