Chapter two: Solid ground

Layla's POV 

I was still shaken up by Bastian's aggressiveness earlier. He has never had manhandled me before, not once ever since I knew him. Not even when I spilled coffee all over his presentation papers for one of his clients. Not once had he gotten angry at me. Why was he so worked up over Rachel’s constant defeat me? He wasn't the one whose ego was bruised, rather, it was me. He was always asking about my dreams too. I don't understand why he was so interested in my abilities as a wolf. I was no fool. I knew he was hiding something from me. I just don’t know what it was.

He used to always be honest with me, but I am starting to question his sincerity towards me. He has been making some shady moves lately, always pressuring me to take up his offer about the laboratory experiment. Even his sayings that I am a different kind of breed. I need to understand the hidden meaning behind his words. 

The only problem was, I had no one to ask about that. He wouldn't tell me what he meant. Bastian was scaring me. It wasn’t that I was having second thoughts about the wedding. I most definitely wasn’t. I truly loved him. Marrying him has been one of my biggest dreams. It’s just that everyone has been planting seeds of doubt in my heart but I knew I was making the right decision. No matter what, I knew that I was going to be happy with Bastian and I was willing to spend an eternity with him. I have never loved someone the way I did with him. He makes me feel so complete. But I don't think talking about my dreams anymore with Sebastian is a good thing if it was going to result in constant conflicts. I would have to bottle it up and keep it all to myself until I can find answers to what is going on with me.

"What is Layla Lawson doing at a big clothing store? I never knew a lowly peasant like you can even afford to be in this kind of building. They are not giving out free samples, so why don't you go somewhere a little bit less pricey for you?" 

I closed my eyes, letting out a sigh as soon as I heard Rachel's high pitched voice. 

Glancing at her, I expected to see her clique surrounding her, but she was all alone, holding different shopping bags from different designer brands.

"If I didn't know better, Rachel, I would think that you are stalking me. Don't you have anything better to do with your time than to always flap your mouth? Don't tell me you are still bitter that I am getting married to Alpha Bastian but you can't even keep a single relationship,” I said, raising a brow. I crossed my arms over my chest.

“Face it dear cousin, you lost this time. Trying to seduce my fiancé months ago was really low for you. I never knew you were that desperate," I threw the words in her face, truly annoyed.

Rachel growled, her eyes turning yellow as she took a threatening step towards me. 

I moved back. The last thing I needed was for her to beat me up here. I have always been scared of her, and she knew it all too well, always counting on my weakness. Lately though, she has been getting very bold in her assaults, even in front of Bastian. What even irritates me the most is that he just sits back and watches it happen. Whenever I call him out on that, he only tells me that I need to defend myself more.

"Don't be naive Layla, you are just a wannabe Luna. Do you really think Bastian is going to marry you? Do you think you are going to be happy in that marriage?” Rachel scoffed, an all knowing smirk on her lips as she raised her chin haughtily.

“You are just a puppet, a pawn in a game. Very soon, you are going to be tossed away, and the real queen will take over the position of Luna. Someone whom the moon goddess has already written would rule alongside Alpha Bastian, and trust me, at this fund raising event, I am going to be the one everyone is staring at, not some lowly orphan whom my father took in because her parents abandoned her.”

As I stood still staring at her, the mockery in her eyes couldn’t be hidden. It was like she knew something I didn’t.

“Face it Layla, you have always been a disappointment. Not even your parents wanted you. They should have left you in the middle of the road so that you'll be run over by a car, or maybe even a truck. An abomination like yourself shouldn't have been born, and it is only a matter of time before I show you what I have installed for you. But all the same, I wish you a happy married life. Too bad I wouldn't be there. Now if you would excuse me, I still have a lot of shopping to get done. I have to look dazzling for the event tomorrow. Make sure you keep Alpha Bastian very close to you because he is mine; and trust me, if I can't have him, neither can you." 

I watched her walk away, frozen in place. I have been used to the hurtful words that Rachel always threw in my direction but I don't think I can ever get used to the fact that my parents abandoned me and left me to die. I just didn't understand why. My uncle and his family always called me an abomination, something that never should have been born. I had no memories of my childhood. My uncle didn't even have a single picture of my parents. I don’t even know where I came from. 

I thought I was meant to be all alone in this world until I met Bastian. He was the first person who ever showed me love. No matter how many times Rachel tried to bring me down, I am not going to back down from marrying the love of my life. I know she is just saying all this out of jealousy but her words won’t sway me. Bastian and I are meant to be together and no one is going to ruin that or come in between us. Not Rachel nor my uncle, not even the moon goddess herself. I am going to make sure that I am the one who would be the center of attention at the fundraising event. I am the next Luna. Rachel is not going to bring me down, not this time.