0002: Shadows Of The Past

I had tried to forget the past .

But as I stood there ,numb from seeing my mate with another woman, memories of that fateful day flooded my mind , dragging me back to the darkest moment of my life .

We were just teenagers when it all happened.

The day I lost everything

FLASHBACK

"Layla! Run! Don't look back!"

My mother's voice rang out ,her usual calmness shattered by fear.

The trees around us blurred as I stumbled through the underbrush, my heart racing,my wolf clawing at me, begging to be let out. But I couldn't. My parents had told me not to shift . Not yet.

I turned back ,the scent of blood ,the sound of snarls filling the air. Rogue wolves. Dozens of them.

My father's howl echoed through the forest ,a warning and a plea.

He and my mother were the Guardians Of The Moon ,a title given to those who were responsible for the protection of the Alpha and his family and sworn to protect even the future Alpha with their lives .

But I know that they couldn't hold off that many attackers .

"Go, Layla! " My mother screamed, her eyes wild as she fought off one rogue after another.

I hesitated,my heart breaking at the sight. How could I just leave them?

And then, I saw him . Drake.

He was barely seventeen,still growing into the role of Alpha, he wasn't so strong but even though,he tried to fight off the figure wolves, there was power in his every movement.

His wolves were fierce, golden eyes blazing as he fought against the rogues. But there were too many . Far too many.

My breath caught as one of the wolves lunged at him from behind.He didn't see it . He was surrounded.

My legs moved before I could think.

No. Not him . I won't let them take him too.

I darted forward , ignoring my mother's scream behind me . She wanted me to hide ,but I couldn't. Not when I saw him, about to be killed.

I grabbed a fallen branch , wielding it like a weapon ,as I charged forward into the circle , striking the rogue, just as it's jaws closed around Drake's neck.

The wolf yelped, stumbling back ,and for a split second, Drake's eyes met mine.

"Layla, what are you doing here ?" His voice was strained ,his wolf barely contained as he fought for control.

I didn't have time to answer.

Another rogue lunged at me , knocking the branch from my hands . I hit the ground,the breath knocked out of me ,but I refused to stay down. My wolf growled inside me , but I still couldn't shift. Not yet.

Drake was beside me in an instant , his claws out as he tore at the rogue. His eyes were wild with fury but I could see the fear beneath.

"Get out of her , Layla! Go!"

But I wasn't going anywhere. Not without him.

I pushed myself to my feet, my limbs trembling. "I'm not leaving you!"

More rogues closed in , and for a moment,I thought it was over.

There were too many of them. We were surrounded

That's when my father's howl pierced the air again. It was a sound I would never forget. A sound of pure , agonizing grief.

I turned,my blood running cold as I saw him fall

"Dad!" My scream tore through the forest, but he didn't hear me.

My mother was next ,her wolf went down under the weight of three rogue wolves ,her silver fur stained with blood.

I felt something shatter inside me

"Layla,no!" Drake's voice was distant, drowned out by the rush of panic and grief that flooded my mind.

I ran towards my parents, but my legs buckled. The world spun around me as everything slowed down. All I could see was blood. All I could feel was the loss.

And then, out of the corner of my eyes ,I saw the rogue leader charging at Drake. Drake was distracted, fighting off another wolf, completely unaware of the danger behind him.

I couldn't let him die too.

Without thinking, I threw myself in front of him, just as the rogue's claws slashed through the air .

Pain exploded through my body as the claws raked across my sides , the force of the attack sending me backward. My vision blurred, and I felt the ground fall away beneath me.

I was falling, the cliff's edge was closer than I had realised.

My fingers clawed at the duet , desperate for something to hold on to , but it was too late.

The last thing ,I saw before I tumbled over the edge was Drake's face — his brown eyes wide with horror, his mouth open in a scream I couldn't hear.

I fell into darkness.

_________

I don't remember how long I was unconscious. When I woke up , I was lying at the bottom of the ravine, my body broken ,my clothes soaked with blood . Every inch of me screamed in pain.

I tried to move but my limbs couldn't respond. I tried to call out for help ,but my voice was gone. All I could do was lay there ,gasping for breath ,as the world slowly fade in and out of focus.

Eventually someone found me. I don't know how long it had been — hours maybe days, but when I woke up again ,I was in a strange bed , bandage wrapped around my torso and the air heavy with the scent of herbs.

But something was wrong .

I couldn't feel her . My wolf .

She was...gone.

I tried to shift to call her forward , but there was nothing. Just a cold empty void where she used to be.

Panic surged through me, but before I could scream ,the door opened ,and Drake stepped into the room . His face was pale,his eyes haunted. He didn't say anything at first, just stood there staring at me like he didn't know what to do.

When he finally spoke,his voice was hollow . "They are gone , Layla... Your parents."

FLASHBACK ENDS

I felt my world collapse .

Tears blurred my vision as the reality of it all hit me. My parents were dead .I had lost my wolf due to how deep the injury was .

And for what ? For a mate who didn't even choose me.

I looked up at Drake , pain and silent anger bubbling up inside of me.

"What is this ,Drake ?" My voice trembled as I raised a shaky finger towards them . " You chose ...her ? The Beta's daughter? Over me? After everything we have been through?

His face twisted with hatred and disgust, but he didn’t answer. He didn’t have to. I knew the truth. Then with slow steps he approached me

I thank the Moon Goddess everyday that you are not blind, Layla" he sneered , pulling Sophia close. She wrapped her arm around his , like she owned him ,and he gazed at her with a tenderness that stabbed at my heart . " This is Sophia — the woman I love . The only one my heart truly beats for ."

"But I'm your mate,choosen—" I stuttered but he couldn't let me finish.

"Enough!" He said.

"Drake , please," I gasped,my heart pounding my chest . " You can't do this!" I've given you three years of my life! Three years Drake ! I gave you everything —"

Again he cut me off. " You gave me nothing!"

My eyes opened wide with shock, tears falling down. It felt like a dream to me.

"I gave you my body ,my soul, everything! I almost died for you ,Drake. I lost my wolf ! Because I tried to save you . And this is how you repay me ?"

He scoffed, his eyes cold and mocking. " Really, Layla? What do you expect me to do ,throw myself off a cliff in guilt ? You think your scars and your pitiful sacrifice mean anything to me?" He smirked. " You are ugly and wolfless."

My breath hitched in my throat, and I almost passed out from the shock.

"I had the scar on my face.... because of you." I stuttered

There was amusement in his eyes. " So ,is that the reason why you tried poisoning me ?"

I couldn't utter a single word,this was all too much for me to bear , before I could blink , guards came to my sides, holding me up ,leading me away .

I struggled. I cried. I begged .

Nothing.

"Stop!"

Finally the moon goddess had heard me.

He looked at me and said those words that shattered me.

"I, Alpha Drake Collins Thaddeus, reject you, Layla Diana Montez, as my mate.You are nothing to me now— banished from this pack . Forever." He turned his back on me , only pausing to throw a final glance over his shoulder. " Oh,and don't even think of taking anything with you. Not a pin."