Chapter five: Broken soul

Layla's POV 

“Didn’t you stop to think why I would even date you in the first place. You are nothing but an orphan whose parents abandoned. You are the weakest wolf in this Pack. You can’t even defend yourself!” Bastian barked, his words cutting sharply like a razor. 

He was about done though. “Tell me, what exactly do you have to offer besides being a burden? What I expected from you isn’t manifesting. All these years, I was having a little bit of patience, hoping that you would reveal your true form to me but you just kept giving me flimsy excuses!”

Bastian scoffed, then ran his fingers in his hair in frustration. “Read my lips Layla Lawson, I have never loved you. I have just been using you all these years. You are nothing but an embarrassment to me. Rachel is the one I am truly engaged to, and she is pregnant with my child. She is the one I am going to marry today, not you.” 

I ran blindly with no sense of direction as I remembered those words, and even his mannerisms when he said them to me to the last bit. They echoed in my head nonstop. I couldn't get the feeling of embarrassment, humiliation and shame out of my mind. The mocking looks. The scornful eyes of disgust Bastian threw my way. How he threatened me so openly, and no one even bothered to come to my aid. 

The hot flashes I was getting in my head of what just happened was really making me dizzy. Hot tears ran down my cheeks. I had to be dreaming. There is no way the man that I was in love with for so many years could betray me to the point of being engaged to my cousin, and getting her pregnant. Maybe the moon goddess was playing some sort of trick on me. This definitely had to be a joke. It couldn't be real. My mind couldn’t make sense of it, let alone accept it.

"I thought I told you I will give you a head start, but you are quite slow. Running fast is the only thing that can save you this night. You know, this is quite a memorable day to kill you, especially under this full moon. So, I suggest you run faster than you are now," Bastian called out, his tone mocking.

I got rid of the heels I had worn earlier immediately, removing the veil from my head as well. Picking up my pace, I had no idea where I was going that would be safe for me. This was his Pack, and Bastian knew everywhere. I'm sure no one would even want to hide me in their house. But I was not going to give up. I was not going to die so easily.

Transforming into a wolf was not an option. I knew that Bastian would outrun me immediately. I lost count of how many times I fell. I even had bruises all over my body, and also scraped my knees but that didn't stop me.

Everywhere was quiet as if I was in a graveyard. My last resort was running into an abandoned building that was still under construction. I knew it was risky since everywhere was dark, but I was willing to take such a risk as no one was out here. Everyone who worked there seemed to be gone. 

I tried to control my breathing but it was hard to do so. Stifling my cries, I hid behind the crates on the rooftop, hoping that Bastian wouldn't see me. I looked up as the full moon shone on me, then took a deep breath, begging the moon goddess in my mind not to let me die. My birthmark was beginning to burn a little. 

My eyes widened when the door to the roof slammed opened, and my ex-fiance let out a loud laugh.

"Seriously, did you think that I wouldn't find you? I have always told you my love, you have quite a unique scent. Everywhere you go, I will always track you down. I just like playing a little bit of cat and mouse game first. It is my favorite.”

Hearing his voice chilled something in me. He sounded smug, like my agony was his pleasure. 

“I like to give my prey a little head start, just to give them hope that they are going to survive, then I strike. You are quite stupid, Layla. For so many years, you thought that I was in love with you. I just needed you for one thing. Yet you were only just a disappointment every single day of your miserable life. Do you know how hard it was to pretend to like you? How hard it was to even kiss you? To be in the same bed as you? My gosh, I always felt like throwing up. I can't believe I stooped so low to touch someone like you!” Bastian raged, seeming like a mad man now. He must have lost his damn mind at this point.

“You are nothing but a plague to me. You better come out while I am still asking nicely or I swear, I'm going to give you a very slow and painful death. Why don't you be a little courageous even for your last moments,” he growled, his tone hate-filled.

I dared not make a sound, only crouched down more trying to hide from him. If it was possible to melt into my surroundings, I would have done so already. 

Bastian threw a brick against the crates I was hiding behind. The suddenness of it made me shriek so loudly, I came out shaking in fear. He flashed his red eyes at me. 

I gulped in nervousness. "I'm not going to ask you to spare my life because that would be a waste of time since it's obvious you are already hellbent on killing me. I just want to understand why. What happened? Why are you doing this? I never cheated on you. I never spoke against you, not once. Even when you make the most drastic decisions, I am always by your side. Why would you treat me this way? Why would you want to kill me? I can leave the Pack, and you never have to see me again. I won't even disrupt the wedding of you and Rachel. Why won’t you just leave me alone?" 

Trying to appeal to his conscience was the last straw. At this point, I didn't even know if he still had any.

Bastian let out an animalistic growl. His frown deepening. He took a threatening step towards me, and I moved back. Then noticed that I was already at the edge of the rooftop. My fear increased a hundredfold.

"Are you kidding me? You have the nerve to say you were with me all this while?!” Bastian roared. 

Almost like he caught himself, he toned down his voice before he spoke his next words. “You don't need to know why I am killing you. The only thing you should know is that an abomination like yourself should have never been born into this world. That is the worst mistake your parents ever made. You are nothing but an unfortunate wolf. You are cursed.”

I thought he was finished, but that didn’t seem to be the case. Bastian was on a roll. 

“I don't even know what the moon goddess was thinking, allowing a wolf like you to be born by your parents. But don't worry, I am going to end the prophecy tonight. Maybe in the afterlife, you can actually thank me for getting rid of your miserable life. You don't have to worry, no one will miss you. I'm sure no one will be even interested in giving you a proper burial either. You were born as a nobody, Layla, and you will die as a nobody. Think of dying in your wedding dress as a gift, a luxury. I am quite generous, aren't I?" He taunted.

"That is what you always wanted, right? No need to thank me, I know I am quite the kindhearted fiancé." 

Bastian rushed at me and held me, but I stomped his feet. I tried to kick between his legs but he was faster. He held my thighs roughly.

"I am the one who trained you, so your every move, I have already anticipated. But I have to say, I never knew you had a little fight in you,” Bastian mocked.

I struggled as I screamed, tears rolling down my cheeks. "How the hell am I an abomination? Tell me, you sick bastard!"

Bastian didn't reply. He only looked at the full moon, then suddenly pushed me off the rooftop. His smirking face was the last thing I saw before I hit the floor with a loud thud.