All Chapters of My Ex's Uncle Claims Me as His Luna: Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

(Layla’s POV)The alarm clock’s shrill beeping jolted me from sleep, dreams of Frank’s threats still clinging to my consciousness.I opened my eyes to a room still in disarray from Frank’s break-in—drawers half-emptied, belongings scattered across surfaces.I’d been too exhausted last night to continue cleaning up.After a quick shower and breakfast with Mom, I gathered my things for Annie’s session, mind still roiling over Frank’s ultimatum.Ten thousand might as well be a million—impossible to produce on my current income. Even with the Chairman election pending, Samuel would notice such a large sum missing from pack accounts. And Mason…No. I wouldn’t involve either of them in this mess. Frank was my problem to solve.As I opened the front door, a metallic clink caught my attention. I looked down to find a set of car keys lying on the welcome mat, a small silver wolf charm dangling from the keyring.“What the…?” I murmured, bending to pick them up.I stepped outside, scanning the p

(Layla’s POV)Annie’s bedroom looked like it had been hit by a small, controlled tornado. Books and papers littered her desk, colored pencils rolled across the floor, and her tablet balanced precariously on the edge of her bed.She’d been in the middle of several projects before my arrival, and then Barbara’s, had distracted her.“Let me guess,” I said, surveying the chaos as I maneuvered her wheelchair to the desk. “You started homework, got bored, switched to drawing, got bored again, and moved on to your tablet?”Annie grinned sheepishly. “I was waiting for you. Math is more fun when you explain it.”“Nice save,” I chuckled, gathering up the scattered papers. “But flattery won’t get you out of fractions today.”I found her math workbook beneath a pile of sketches—surprisingly good drawings of wolves running through forests. Annie had talent beyond her years, capturing movement and emotion in just a few pencil strokes.“These are really good,” I told her, setting aside the artwork ca

(Layla’s POV)Annie stared at me suspiciously, her small nose wrinkling. “Why is your face all red?”“Is it?” I touched my cheek self-consciously. “I just walked quickly, that’s all.”“You look mad,” Annie observed, closing her math workbook. “Did Auntie Barbara say something mean? She can be mean sometimes.”“Everything’s fine,” I assured her, pulling out her spelling list. “Let’s focus on these words for your test tomorrow.”Annie wasn’t fooled. “I heard Auntie Barbara and Dad yelling. Were they fighting about you?”I sighed, deciding a partial truth might satisfy her curiosity. “Your aunt is protective of you and your dad. That’s natural for a family.”“She doesn’t like other women around Dad,” Annie confided, taking a sip of her water. “She got mad at the grocery store lady once just for helping him find pasta sauce.”Despite everything, I couldn’t help but laugh at this image. “That’s a bit extreme.”“Auntie Barbara says she and Dad belong together because Mom’s gone,” Annie conti

(Layla’s POV)I’d never eaten somewhere that required three different forks before. The table looked ready for a magazine photoshoot, not actual humans eating food. Barbara had clearly pulled out all the stops, arranging fresh flowers in a low centerpiece and lighting tapered candles at each end of the table.“Sit here,” Barbara directed, pointing to a chair across from Annie’s specialized seat. “Samuel always takes the head of the table.”I followed her instruction, watching as she bustled around, straightening already-perfect place settings. She moved like she belonged here, like this was a routine she performed regularly. Her territorial behavior couldn’t have been more obvious if she’d peed on the furniture to mark it.Samuel wheeled Annie in, helping her transfer to her adapted chair. The little girl’s eyes went wide at the elaborate table setting.“Wow! It looks like Christmas!” she exclaimed, running her fingers along the edge of her fancy plate.Barbara beamed at the praise, ta

(Layla’s POV)As we ate the dessert, Barbara dabbed her lips with a napkin and rose from her chair, smoothing her dress.“I think I’ll retire to my room now,” she announced, directing a meaningful look at Samuel. “It’s been such a long day of travel. Annie, darling, don’t stay up too late. Samuel…” Her gaze lingered on him, and she blinked slowly. “I’ll see you later this evening, perhaps?”She glanced at me briefly, a small, triumphant smile playing at the corners of her mouth before she turned away. “Goodnight, everyone. Enjoy the rest of your cake.”As Barbara’s footsteps faded down the hallway, Annie rolled her eyes dramatically. “She always does that. Acts like she and Dad have secret plans.”“Annie,” Samuel warned, though he looked more tired than angry.I took another bite of strawberry cake, savoring the sweet-tart flavor, but as I swallowed, a strange sensation swept through me—a light-headedness that seemed to come from nowhere. I blinked rapidly, trying to clear my suddenly