Chapter 5 : Investigation

After the short kiss, Layla became completely defrosted. She couldn't judge the reason for the kiss.

While Layla and Alpha remained close, inhaling each other's breath, Layla abruptly turned, attempting to leave, but Alpha gripped her and gave her another kiss.

The short kiss ended, and he said,” Isn't this what you have ever desired, to seduce me?" His questions shook Layla to death.

She pushed away from him, puzzled. How did he know that she was here to seduce him? She was the reincarnation of Mia, his sister. Did he find out she wasn't Mia?

Lost and breathing unnoticeably fast, she clenched her sweaty hands in her gown. “ I never wanted to seduce you. You're my brother. I mean, how can I possibly do that?” She tried to defend herself, but her voice diminished, making Alpha's claims about her, right.

“ You're on a mission. Who sent you here?" Alpha asked without looking at her.

" Mission? “ Layla asked, dumbfounded. How Alpha bombarded her with questions made her flutter.

How did he discover she came on a mission? Who told him?  Layla pondered In her heart while she continued shivering like a drenched hen in the rain.

Strategically, Layla tried to cover up knowing she had been caught at the time she least expected.

“ I am not here on any mission. I am your sister. What has come over you?" She tried acting boldly to defend herself.

Layla's boldness did not work this time around. Alpha gripped her by the hands, and his eyes transformed to blood red.

" Who sent you to seduce me, young lady? Speak now, or I have you destroyed forever,” he barked at her for the first time.

“ Stop this, Alpha. I am Mia. What has come over you?!" Layla insisted while struggling in Alpha's grip.

" You don't want to die right? Who sent you because you are not Mia? This body of yours is just a reincarnation of her. So speak up.  Now!” The authority in his voice caused Layla to tremble.

Right now, Layla is helpless. Alpha Tyrrell just found out about her mission. This may be the end of her too.

Instantly, she fell on her knees and began to sob.

“Please forgive me, my lord. I was sent by Lord Duncan, the lord of the vampires," she revealed while sobbing.

Now Layla knows better. Now she sees why the vampires cannot harm Alpha even if they had the means.

" Lord Duncan sent you?” Alpha Tyrrell replied, his tone firm but soft.

He was surprised about the shocking revelation. Lord Duncan had been a terror to the WolfHaven Pack for years. He sends his men to wipe away all the old Werewolves and drink their blood for survival.

“ I'm sorry. Please don't kill me. I. Promise to leave your pack In peace" Layla's voice cracked.

Taking a walk forward, Alpha stood and turned to Layla. “ What is your name?" His deep voice was soft.

“ Layla… Layla Mark," She repeated, shivering altogether.

“ Layla Mark," Alpha nods his head with a smile. “ So this is you and Lord Duncan’s strategy to bring me down, huh? That's unwise of you two” Alpha mocked up and shrugged his shoulders.

At this point, Layla Is doomed. She has found herself between two powerful men: the Alpha of the werewolves and the Lord of the Vampires. What does she do?

Lord Duncan will kill her for not delivering the task given to her. On the contrary, Alpha will not spare her for wanting to seduce him.

To soften Alpha's heart, Layla stood up and walked up to him.  She held the hem of his shirt and knelt before him to plead.

“ Please my lord, don't kill me. I can be your maid. I mean, you can punish me. Yes, punish me instead" She stammered, fear consuming her.

Glancing at Layla, Alpha's heart softens. This is unlike him. The real him won't hesitate to chop off his enemy’s head but here he was asking her name instead.

“ Please" Layla continued pleading, pulling Alpha's shirt.

He shrugged and turned from facing Layla. “ What made you feel I’d kill? You're just a vulnerable, poor human who does not possess any special powers. You changed to my sister, so I wouldn't know, but from the first day you stepped foot into this building, I’d already known you as a spy, but I wanted to see what you’re capable of doing.  You seem poor and never have eaten well, too, so I left you to enjoy the taste of quality food from my cook,” Alpha replied, backing Layla.

He wanted to pronounce his judgment on her to be punished, but something inside of him wouldn't let him carry out his vendetta against her.

Unbelievable . Layla's hands reflexively fell off Alpha's shirt.

Alpha knew about her mission since the first day she entered the pack. How?

“ My lord, how did you know I wasn't Mia?" She asked, seeking clarity.

“ Didn't your master educate you about the person he was sending you to? Do I look like a piece of cake to him? “ He asked Layla and her eyes dropped in shame.

How shameless she and her master were. They can't even make a strategic plan on how to get Alpha. No wonder the vampire feared him. His wisdom Is beyond what any could predict.

Layla kicked her dried lips and raised her gaze to Alpha. “ I'm sorry for agreeing with the plans of Lord Duncan. I was their prey for their feast but when he saw my courage, he decided to send me to seduce you. I didn't come here deliberately. He gave me thirty days for this mission too, with  a death consequence for failing to deliver the task." Layla narrates her ordeal with Lord Duncan to Alpha.

Somehow after the story, Alpha began to feel the need to protect Layla from the hands of Lord Duncan.

“ I can see you're innocent" he replied short, looking uninterruptedly into Layla’s eyes.

“ I'm just a poor orphan in the care of a cruel aunt. I have no one except myself" A drop of tears trickled down Layla’s face.

Hope was finally restored to Layla. She was beginning to see Alpha’s softness towards her. He could even let her stay in the pack but there is a problem.

Layla had no powers to transform into her true self. She was Mia and now that her mission has failed, she should transform into herself.

Alpha Tyrrell took a longer time before speaking. A lot of things have been happening to him that he couldn't give an answer to and this made him begin to develop cold feet toward Layla.

“ I’ll let you go back to Lord Duncan. Let him do what he wishes to do with you. Leave my presence immediately,” he said softly with a face sharpened in rue as if he was sending his lover away.

" No, my lord. Please don't let me go back to the lord of the vampires. You can punish me, yourself. I’d prefer dying by your sword instead” Layla said in a firm tone.

Alpha agreed. “ In punishing you, you’d have to remain a slave in my care all the days of your life, is that clear?" he asked commandingly.

In approval, she nodded. “ Yes, I can be your maid forever." A mixture of joy and sadness overwhelmed her. She was happy because she would be living in a secure environment where there's love and oneness but unhappy because she was going to live as Mia forever.

“ Good" Alpha said “ Then we must do something to you immediately"

Puzzled, Layla answered. “ What thing is that, my lord?" Tension settled in the air as Alpha remained mute and his thoughts unpredictable.

“ We must visit the woods with one of my men, Nat. Leave immediately and tell him to see me in a moment, and remember, you are now my slave,”  Alpha finished and then walked up to the bed.

Like a jackrabbit, Layla dashed off to find Nat and deliver the message. She wondered why Alpha was sending her to the woods.

Ten minutes later, Nat walked out of Alpha's chambers and commanded Layla to come with him.

Soon, they left the mansion and walked on a cold, lonely, ditched road and found themselves in front of an older female wolf In the woods.

Nat whispered something discreetly into the woman's ears, and for the rest of the conversation, they spoke in a hushed voice.

Alpha sent her to the old wolf, a witch doctor. Although the woman seemed unharmful Layla still feared her life. She could see the skulls of wolves heaped at the back of the woods where a small house was built.

Immediately after Nat and the woman finished their conversation, the woman tightened her face, frightening Layla.

“ Young lady, move closer," She said to Layla,  making gestures too.

Layla was sacred.  She looked at Nat first before lifting a foot. Once he permitted her to go, she walked nervously to the old woman.

Suddenly, the woman gave Layla a resounding slap in the eyes.

Light Twinked from Layla's eyes and she fainted on the spot.