Hi guys, what do you think will happen to Layla now that is living in the Bloodhounds Pack? Is this the calm before the mighty storm? Kira is one spiteful b!tch, and we will be seeing more of her as the story progresses. Also, what are your thoughts about Alpha Raelin? I would love to find out in the comments! ;) Newsflash: You can also check out my new book 'The Tribute Queen of the Dragon King' published here on Goodnovel if you're interested in dragon romance with spice, marriage of convenience, strong FL, and heavy sprinkles of nasty court manipulations, politics, revenge, and of course a happily ever after!
~ LAYLA ~MORNING A couple of knocks on my door wake me up. I groan, stirring on my bed.Whoever it is should go away for a tweeny tiny bit. I haven't slept like a normal being in months.I need more sleep.Still remaining on my bed, I try to drown myself back into dreamland, but another round of impatient knocks rain on my door again.This time, the knocks are harder, followed by a low chuckle and a muffled voice I can't quite hear clearly.Damnit!I stir on my bed again and groan into my pillow. At this rate, whoever that person is clearly wants to see me.After unburying my face from my pillow, I sit up and drag myself out of bed. Barefooted, I slowly and grudgingly trudge towards the door to open it.This disturbance should better be worth it.Reaching the door, I open it, and instantly, I am greeted with a toothy wide smile from the little rascal I met back then in my cell.Also, a girl my height and nearly the same body size as mine is standing right next to Cupcake, holding a
~ LAYLA ~After dressing my bed and taking a few minutes to quickly freshen up in the bathroom, I get dressed in a sleeveless black halter-neck top and pale white joggers.As for my footwear, I found two separate pairs of black and brown sandals, with some flip-flops neatly wrapped underneath the clothes in the hamper basket. Talk about lifeless things creeping out on me.I chose to go with the flip-flops. I want to be comfortable around this foreign place as much as I can.Done getting ready, I leave my room and close the door behind me, not bothering to lock it up.Aside from the locket necklace that I am currently wearing around my neck, there is nothing else I have inside that room that is worth stealing.Also, this packhouse looks too luxurious and coordinated to condone theft.I quickly descend down the stairs, hating that there seems to be too many of them. I don’t want to be late for my first breakfast here.Besides, first impressions matter. And I don’t want to give off a bad
~ LAYLA ~There is this strange satisfaction I am currently deriving from watching Cupcake dig into her breakfast right in front of me, time and time again.Breakfast has been served, and everyone I have met so far: Cupcake, Aunt Gaia, Brie, Mrs Chen, and Zuby, are all seated here with me, each person busy with the food served right in front of them.Our breakfast includes the pancakes that Cupcake was raving about, also bacon, eggs, cheese sandwiches, and finally lots of sliced red apples and blueberries.I love red apples, but I guess it is no one's business now.So far, I have only had just a couple bites of my own breakfast, which is looking just the same like everyone else’s.They didn’t reduce my portion, neither did they serve me anything lowly different when they dished out my food to me earlier. The act alone made me wonder; why treat me the same, like I am one of them?My fingers toy with an apple slice on my plate, its red smooth surface cold against my fingertips. Around m
~ LAYLA ~ I hate this fucking silence. Waves of jealousy thrum through my veins time and time again as I fight to steady my breathing. My heart hammers in my chest, threatening to break free as I helplessly watch Kira stare at my mate in both defiance and something else I know all too well. Desire. Raelin is glaring at her, his jaw clenched and he appears angry. But Kira? That fucking shewolf is busy trailing her seductive eyes down his body, moving agonizingly slow and shamelessly lingering on his muscular arms and chiseled abdomen. I squeeze my free hand into a tight fist, the urge to rip her apart almost overwhelming me. I am somehow grateful that Aunt Gaia strangely seems to be quietly holding me back right now. But nevertheless, someone should keep that rabid shewolf in a leash, or else, I will be forced to do it myself and stop her from eye-fucking my mate. I swear I won't mind— “You want a photo?” Raelin’s voice cuts through the tension in the air as he throws the taunt
~ LAYLA ~ He brought me to an office. His office. “Are you just going to stand out there?” He throws the question at me, still keeping the door open and impatiently waiting for me to get back to my senses. Well, I already have. I step into his office, and he slams the door shut behind us, the loud sound making me flinch. Is he angry? One glance at him as he walks past me towards his desk is all I need to have my answer. He looks so tensed with that clenched jaw and those tempting lips that are pressed into a thin line as he yanks open his desk drawer and retrieves something from inside. A black file. I remain silent as I watch him dump the file on top his desk. His broad back muscles flex with every single movement he makes. No no no… I can't get distracted now. I should be focusing on trying to figure out the right thing to say, what could happen next, and— “I'm sorry for the way Kira treated you back there.” His calm voice trails into my thoughts, his words sounding both
~ LAYLA ~I swallow down a lump stuck inside my throat. My heart keeps slamming beat after beat inside my chest. He can't be serious right now. No, he… he can't be.At some point in the future, he is going to come back to his senses. I may be his mate now, but I…. I am a rogue. A fugitive just bidding her time in this pack.And one day, that time is going to be up. Expired.And then, Raelin here will realize that he does not want to have anything to do with me, a mere rogue. That him and his pack deserve someone they accept better to rule by his side.Someone who is more fitting for them and…. and worthy.Relying on blind hope is not going to save me. It never did before. And it never will.Raelin sighs and steps away from me, finally releasing me from his hold. My heart is still pounding furiously inside my chest with so many confounding emotions making me feel fuzzy and torn apart.But despite my emotions clouding inside my head, one thought stands out. Bitter.A thought so ugly t
~ LAYLA ~I move quickly down the quiet hallway as I head towards my destination.My heart is still pounding inside my chest even as I take a corner by my right. With my eyes fixed on my path ahead, I am still struggling internally to fully concentrate regardless of the tension of my exchange with Raelin that is still raging everywhere inside my mind.'We made a deal, Layla Kavros, and you promised to stick to it.'Like hell....I want to scoff at the memory of those words. However, the memory is burning into the depths of my very soul.It is indeed true that I made a deal with him and promised to stick to it. Nevertheless, the raw desire I witnessed in his eyes as he spoke those words, the deep possessiveness I felt in his voice.....They all wrap around me like twisted vines immune to any destruction, and the more I fight to shake them off, the more they dig deeper, branding themselves into the core of my being.It is clear that Raelin is hellbent on never letting me go. I should ha
~ RAELIN ~ “You’ve kept a rogue alive, Alpha Raelin. A rogue who trespassed on our territory. A rogue who defied the kill order.” Elder Theron has always been a man of rational thinking. I don't really like him, but he is the only elder among the five Elders of my pack that I can tolerate more than the other elders. Especially that old snake, Markin. I am seated on my leather chair as I listen to Elder Theron speak. Wes is nestled on the wall by my side, his arms crossed as his sharp eyes flit between me and Theron. He is listening too. Frankly, my mind is already made up irrespective of whatever Elder Theron will keep saying. I am the Alpha of this pack, and my decision to keep Layla here won't be changed. It is fucking final. “I've seen the rogue, Alpha Raelin. She's such a beautiful little trick. Definitely a threat to this pack—” “She’s not a threat to my pack,” I cut him off. “Layla is staying in this pack under my protection.” “But that doesn’t change the fact that she’s
~ RAELIN ~"Fuck Fuck Fuck…"I quickly climb up the stairs heading for Layla's room in this wing section of the packhouse. Every hurried step seems to be worsening the thumping inside my chest and the ringing in my ears. My weight and speed makes the stairs creak, but I don't stop.To be honest, I want to ignore the symptoms of anxiety that I am currently feeling, but my body can't. The thought of Layla being dragged into this tribunal still fills me with so much annoyance but there is no way in fucking hell I am letting Markin win this. I am the Alpha. I will be there. Layla will be there. And I am not going to let that tribunal end the way Markin thinks it will.Finally reaching her room, I pause in front of the door for a moment to brace and prepare myself and my mind. I hate that I am hesitating, but fuck me if I lie to myself. I have already held back enough.I think of everything that could go wrong if I decide to turn around and leave now.The tribunal. The elders. Markin. Kira
~ RAELIN ~I think I fucked up…A couple days have gone by since Theron came to complain about my mate. Something else happened, and today, this morning, I woke up feeling like total shit.Having my morning exercise drills here in the gym has always been daily, and even now, the thuds of my fists hitting my training bag that is dangling before me is almost the same as my heavy breathing that I am trying to control right now.It is another new day. Yet, I feel drained, but despite my muscles needing a break this early morning, I just can't stop. I need to let off the heat.My knuckles sting from the last punch I just landed against the bag, and my mind is elsewhere and far removed from this gym and everything within it.Protecting Layla by hiding the truth, is it the right thing? I can't believe I am the one that is even chickening out on—“Hey,” Wes calls out to me as he turns up his face towards my direction."What?"“You’re distracted," he grunts as he throws a weak unfocused jab at
~ KIRA ~As I digest his words, I look up at him, meeting the same mismatched eyes I inherited from him.In those eyes, I see no compassion. No sympathy. Dad is no softball for anyone. Well, no one except for me. His precious pumpkin.He is willing to do anything in his power to make sure I become the Luna of this pack. To make sure that we take our rightful places in the helm of this pack's affairs.“Dad, we need to force Raelin's hand. And we need to do it fast.”“Easy. Let's not be reckless now.” He smiles as he takes another drag from his tobacco pipe. That smile was slow and so fucking predatory.He blows the thick white smoke out from his nostrils and parted lips. A happy shiver dances down my spine. He is already thinking of something. Something definitely nasty.“Spill it dad.” I narrow my eyes at him, my mind already spinning with excitement. “What are you suggesting?”“First of all, a council tribunal." He reveals in a dark serious tone, “We send out letters to officially su
~ KIRA ~I fucking hate that bitch who thinks she can take Raelin away from me. Just because she is staying at the packhouse doesn't mean she now has the fucking temerity to feel entitled and insult me.That filthy rag doll!I am trying to control my temper, but I just can't. My hands are curled into fists, and watching Dad from where I am standing in the doorway of his study office isn't helping me calm down either.Elder Markin Gandall, my dearest Dad, is the Head Elder of the Bloodhounds Pack.My father.He is the legacy I admire. The only man I wholeheartedly emulate. Ever since mum passed years ago, he became the only one who shaped me into the bold, daring woman I am today and the fierce Luna I know I will become very soon.He is power personified, and I am born from that power. If I want something, I don't fucking beg for it.I take it.Being the Luna of this pack is my fucking birthright, and if someone else tries to take that birthright away from me, I swear they will be fuck
~ LAYLA ~“Kira doesn't have, and will never have the right to make you leave. That choice is up to Raelin. But most importantly, it is up to you too.”A part of me can't help but believe that she is kind of right.“I just…." I pause and breathe out for a moment. Instantly, what happened between Kira and me in the morning right after I helped Aunt Gaia and Mrs Chen with the dishes all flashes inside my mind.I remember what they did to Nora, and I decide to tell Brie and Zuby everything.“This morning right after I helped Aunt Gaia and Mrs Chen clean up the dishes, I saw Kira's friends bullying a girl named Nora." I adjust my ass on the mattress and brace myself to say more.“Nora?" Brie asks curiously while turning her attention to Zuby and then right back at me, "Nora is one of the Omegas that live and work here in the packhouse. Her work shift wasn't supposed to start until this afternoon."“Wait, did you just say that Kira's friends were bullying Nora this morning?" Zuby cuts in s
~ LAYLA ~The late afternoon sun that is dipping lower in the sky outside keeps reminding me time and time again that I have been inside this room past afternoon already.Also, I didn't step out of this room after coming back from my encounter with Kira this morning. I didn't step out not even for once.The faint sound of the wind rustling the trees outside filters in through my windows and curtains. I have been lying here on my bed for what feels like hours and trying to distract myself with the silence and all, but the thoughts inside my mind is so jagged unlike the room ceiling that is currently right above me now. Looking so white and nothing more than a blank pale canvas that stretches out up there.My back is pressed against the mattress with my arms folded loosely over my stomach that keeps growling occasionally from time to time. Well, I skipped my lunch a few hours earlier. Suddenly at the thought of food, my stomach growls again, and the feeling is so annoying and fucking p
~RAELIN~Shit.“Fuck you Cal." I grit. "I didn’t give you permission to drink that.”"Come on Ray," He whines, "I'm just going to have a tiny little sip...."Before I can protest any further, he is already grabbing a few shot glasses from the shelf and handing some out to Wes and Derek.He dumps one onto my desk, making me growl as he pushes the glass cup towards me, “Come on, just a tiny sip won't hurt...” He has that stupid smirky grin still plastered all over his face.This shithead has got to be kidding me.Despite my hesitation, I take up the glass he dumped in front of me and resign any further protest. It is useless refusing Cal after all.I am pissed watching him as he proceeds to pop the bottle open and pour himself a glass.Wait, he is pouring himself a full glass. Why is he pouring himself a fucking full glass?!I am such a fool to believe that he, of all people, will take just a tiny little sip.With a satisfied grin, he pours the rest of us half glasses. Fucking cheater.
~RAELIN~I open the door of my study office and step inside, also feeling a little bit more at ease now that I have freshened up and had a quick breakfast.After shutting the door, I stride over to my desk and settle onto my seat. Now, I can focus more on getting to finish all the paperwork regarding our pack trade routes and so many others that need my attention.This is the perfect distraction I need to bury myself into in order to forget everything that happened this morning, even though it is going to be a temporary relief.As the alpha of this pack, I know I have a lot of duties and responsibilities that I must fulfill. But a happy Alpha is a happy pack.The night my parents died, I lost a huge part of me that I knew I would never get back. For years, I have been trying to fill up that void by performing my alpha duties and making sure that my pack is protected and safe.To ensure that the legacy of my Alpha parents continues through me.However, despite having Wes and the others
~ LAYLA ~ I won't back down. Not now. Not ever. All of a sudden, I feel Nora's hands leaving my body. She is trying to back away from behind me. However, Kira’s eyes sharply catches her just before I turn around. "Nora," Kira drawls in her sickeningly sweet voice, causing Nora to pause, "Why don’t you thank Layla here for saving you from scary monsters like me?" Nora keeps mute. She looks so terrified with her eyes darting from Kira to me and then right back at Kira. When I turn back to the evil bitch, I see a twisted smile curling her lips. "I—I,” Nora stammers. “I—I didn’t ask her to—" "Shut up!" Kira snaps at her. "You’re really clumsy and so stupid that you don't even know questions that don't demand your filthy answers." Nora’s mouth clamps shut. She steals a glance at me before she looks down at her fingers, shrinking deeper into herself. She is trying so hard to make herself small, to make herself disappear. However, her fear and timidity only encourages Kira to conti