Hi guys, Welcome to Fated to the Midnight Alpha! I'm excited to start this journey with you all. Actually, this story has been sitting with me since last year in my drafts, but it's finally here, and I can't be more excited especially when I have you guys to dive right into it, so I am not alone. As usual, your love and massive support will help this book reach other beautiful readers that would love to join us in this new amazing journey, so don't hesitate to share your thoughts and spread the word. Thank you for opening this book and reaching this far. There will be tears, pain, and all, but a HEA is guaranteed. I love you guys, and of course, you guys are always the real MVPs ;)
~ LAYLA ~Twigs and branches scratch against my skin as I run through the trees, my lungs burning from the lack of enough oxygen. My breathing comes out in short ragged pants as I keep running.I don't know where to go, because I don't have anywhere to go. I have no family left. No place I can run to for refuge.But I keep running. This is what I have been doing since the night I lost my family. Running.And doing everything I can to stay alive.I push harder, my legs burning as I pick up more speed.“Aaahh!”I hiss loudly in pain as I fall to the ground, my toes burning from the sharp agony inflicted by some evil huge rock I hadn't realize on time was in my path.Fuck.I wince in more pain as I crawl towards a nearby tree, trying to reach it and use it as a support to help myself stand up. The night wind blows around me, rattling through the leaves.And then, for a fleeting mere moment, the wind ceases, and I hear low growls far behind me.My blood instantly chills to ice.Panic grip
~ RAELIN ~I am so going to fucking kill Wes after this.His offer, our supposed offer, still awaits Layla's response. Silence hovers above all three of us. Five of us to be exact.My Gamma Cal and his friend Derek are still waiting impatiently by the tree near us, their paws furiously scratching through the brown dirt on the forest floor.I feel their annoyance, because I understand it myself too. My mate here is so fucking stubborn, a trait I both love and hate at the same time.I can't deny that I don't love it more though. Back in the past when I was still desperate to find my mate, I had specifically told Selene that if she were to ever bless me with my mate, she shouldn't give me a liability.Babysitting a dumb Luna is much worse than fighting off a thousand mad rogues, and if I am to ever have my Luna, she must be willing to stand by my side and be fearless to point out my faults if any.I need a strong worthy Luna who won’t just cling to my every word and decisions like I am s
~ LAYLA ~Our journey back is short and quiet. I don't know if I made the right decision by agreeing to stay with them.But it seemed like the right choice at that time. Raelin was right about one thing; I can't keep running forever. Out there, I don't have anyone to protect me, or even give me shelter. Both my parents and baby brother are all gone. I don't have anyone to call my own or that will even treat me like a living being. I hate to say this, but since Raelin is my mate now, he is all I have left by my side, apart from this locket necklace around my neck. He is quite an asshole that hates the likes of me with reasons I believe are quite justifiable, but he is the only one right now that I can trust, despite how fragile that trust is between us.On his own part, I know he doesn't even trust me at all.Out there, while trying to survive on my own, I don't know what will happen to me again if I ever get caught by another bounty hunter.Packless rogues are always easy targets fo
~ LAYLA ~ I follow Gaia—sorry Aunt Gaia—as she leads me down a quiet corridor. The vintage clock I see nestled on the wall by my left shows me that it is already 11pm, so very late into the night. If I had successfully escaped, what would have been my fate out there? What would have happened to me? I shake out the thoughts as I look away from the wall clock. Whether I escaped or not does not matter now. What matters now is that I have a roof over my head. I have also found my mate, even though he isn’t the sunshine prince I dreamt of. At least, he is here. He is not abandoning me, or killing me like I thought he would. I still don't know what the hell we are going to do about this bond between us. However, first things first. I need to survive this place. Just tread one step at a time Layla. I rub my hands down my arms as I continue following Aunt Gaia silently. The walls by my sides are colored oak brown, and has various exquisite art paintings hanged on them. They are beau
~ 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
~ 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
~ LAYLA ~ "Girls, what is going on here?” Kira's voice stops Millie just in time, saving me the stress of having to do it myself and saving Millie from receiving the delivery of my own brain resetting slap to her wretched face. Bitchy Millie Blonde is so damn lucky. However, I wasn't really prepared to see Kira so soon again this morning. Her loud heels clicking against the ground heralds her approach, and there is a heaviness in the silence between me and these bitches. I watch Samie and Millie as they step back while Kira strides to stand between them, her precious pets. She faces me squarely. Kira is really beautiful, but her nasty character dampens it and dirties everything about her and seems to get worse every time we are together. I thought she was gone already. What the hell is she still doing hovering around the premises? When she glances down at the petite girl behind me, a sadistic smile appears on her face. I feel the girl flinch behind me, and I use my hand gently