6. Clash

~ LAYLA ~

“Just have the locks changed please,” I say to Julian. It’s the following day, and I have moved back into my parents’ old home.

“Understood.” He lowers his head before he leaves, and I sigh heavily as I look at the boxes that are piled to the side. I really had persuaded myself to accept Logan as my alpha and husband, but after this no way.

I had packed everything and taken it into what I thought was our home, only for everything to go down the drain.

“Here, dear.” Nadia hands me a mug of green tea and I accept it, thanking her. I take a sip just as the doorbell rings.

“It’s your uncle,” Julian says from the hallway.

I nod, placing my mug down, “Let him in.” It’s time I asked Uncle Drew exactly why he pushed for me to make Logan my mate and why Dad thought it was the perfect decision. Did neither of them see that he wasn’t worth it?

“Layla!” Uncle’s voice is as jovial as ever as he hurries into the room, worry etched on his face. “Goddess, I was so scared! What is all this?”

He hugs me before looking around at the boxes.

“I’m unpacking,” I state the obvious, picking my mug up again.

His face falls, his shiny dark brown hair is combed to the side to cover his balding patch, and he is rather portly and short. He really is the opposite of what Dad was. But he is dressed pristine in a suit and a striped shirt, whereas Dad was usually in sweats and t-shirts.

“Now, Layla, don’t make hasty decisions. Please stop this nonsense and return home. We have a wedding to prepare for. We can’t have you doing things like this. Logan is going out of his mind.”

I snort. “Is he now? Well, he made his bed. This marriage is not happening,” I say firmly.

“Oh dear, I wish you understood the importance of this union. You two are already Alpha and Luna. Once you marry, it will become completely solid.”

I purse my lips. “Actually, Uncle, I had a question regarding my marriage. You said to me that this marriage would make Dad proud, that this was what he would have wanted. Is that true? Did my father really want me to marry someone?” I ask, observing him.

I’m not sure if it is my disdain for Logan or something else, but it doesn’t really make sense. Not after how Dad raised me…

Uncle nods slowly. “Yes, he always liked Logan and his family, but no, he never thought to arrange your marriage. I myself would have preferred you to choose a good man, date and then decide.” He admits as he takes out his handkerchief and wipes his brow.

I don’t get it; I was pushed into someone. Everyone said I had to as soon as possible.

“But we had no other option, Layla.” He looks at me, a small frown on his face.

“Why not?” I ask.

He hesitates, as if not sure he should share the answer with me. “Well… the pack had too much debt, I… Look, you’re old enough to understand, but your father- he had- never mind.”

“Uncle, tell me whatever it is that you’re keeping from me. I’m not a child!” I push.

Sighing heavily, he looks at me. “Your father had an extreme gambling addiction, one that saw us lose everything we had, and well, the pack ended up accumulating a lot of debt. To save this pack I sought out this proposal. Logan’s family, the Dartmouth’s, have a lot of money and your father… he- he also used pack funds and the money of the pack members. Not only did he set his own family up for ruin, but everyone who thought he was protecting their money. This was the only solution I saw.”

He appears to be telling the truth, but perhaps it was the undying love and respect I had for my father. But I can’t bring myself to accept this. How can a man who spoke of values and honesty be a gambling addict?

“I want to check the pack and family accounts,” I say suddenly. Until I see proof of this, I won’t believe it. I’m certain we had plenty of money. If Dad was such a spender, then how did he manage never to use even a cent from the account he had set up for me?

“Of course, you have every right to do so, you are welcome to go to the packhouse and check them at any time you wish. You are the Luna, dear. I just wish I didn’t have to expose that truth to you,” he admits with a regretful smile. “I best be off. There’s work I need to attend to.”

I nod before he gives me a hug and leaves.

“I never knew your father to be a man with bad habits,” Nadia remarks quietly.

I nod. “Neither did I,” I reply, taking out Beta Eddie’s card that he had given to me before I had entered the hotel the night of the ball. I think I’ll ask for some help; he did say if I needed anything to give him a call.

Dialling the number, I wait as it rings. After a few rings it’s answered by Beta Eddie.

“Hello?”

“Hello, this is Luna Layla… I was wondering if I could leave a message to be passed to your Alpha?”

“No need.” My heart sinks until he continues. “He’s right here. I am passing him the phone.”

“Oh! Ok, thank you.” I let out a silent sigh of relief and waited until the deep velvety voice of the Lycan King could be heard.

“I wasn’t expecting a call so soon. Usually, a woman wouldn’t dare call me so brazenly.”

I smile at the mocking tone and roll my eyes. “Well, I’m not one of your conquests, now am I? But I am calling to ask for some help.” I admit.

“I’m listening.”

“Well, I’ve known my father to be an incredibly honourable man. However, I was told today that he had an extremely bad gambling habit and that we were in a lot of debt. I don’t know how true this is because I’m certain our pack has money, and I can’t see my father like that, but your family knew him. Did you ever hear that he was a gambler?

There’s silence before I hear a sigh.

“No, it’s the first. Who told you that?”

“My uncle and he definitely wouldn’t make it up. I know your family was good friends with my father…’’ I frown as I sit down on one of the boxes.

“I could look into it, but I wouldn’t suggest discussing matters on the phone. I’ll pick you up tonight.”

I open my mouth, not expecting that. “W-where will we go?”

“Like I say, let’s not talk about such matters on the phone. I’ll see you outside your place at 8pm.”

“That’s late-”

“I never realised you were such a good girl and went to bed on time,” he mocks, but something about the way those words are said makes my stomach flutter.

“Of course not, I actually sleep quite late! Eight is fine,” I retort. “Goodbye, Alpha Quade.”

Goodbye, Alpha Layla.” He imitates my tone mockingly before the line goes dead.

I stare at the phone, my heart thumping at what he called me.

Alpha Layla.

It has a nice ring to it.

I smile and somehow, I’m looking forward to tonight.

~~~

Eight o’clock arrives and I am ready, not wanting to keep them waiting, and step outside into the cold. I have barely shut the door when a sleek black Lamborghini pulls up. Before the doors even slide up, I know it’s not Beta Eddie. Quade’s face comes into view, and I bend down.

“I thought you said it would be dangerous to get into a car with you?”

“It is, but the choice is yours,” he says looking at me intently, and I wonder if my plain clothes and make-up-free face has surprised him.

“Yes, I’m not the Layla of the ball right now,” I say, getting in.

“You look as beautiful as you did last night… I never knew you wore glasses.”

Self-conscious, I push them up my nose, pouting. “Well, I do.”

He smirks. “It’s not often I see a werewolf wearing glasses. Were you exposed to Elksall?”

“The poison? No, I have worn glasses for years.”

“Well, regardless… you look sexy.”

The moment the door shuts he zooms off, leaving me feeling a little confused. Sexy? This guy finds everything sexy, or he’s simply very good with words.

A few minutes later, he breaks the silence. “I did a little background check on your father; however, I haven’t currently found anything…” He trails off, turning to look out of his window. “Fuck.”

I look out of the window, my eyes widening when I see several black cars gaining on us.

“What on earth?”

“I told you there’s many people who want me dead. Buckle up.” The words are barely out of his mouth when he hits the gas, throwing me back into my seat as he zooms down the road at an extremely dangerous speed. “Maybe this was a bad idea.”

He grunts as a car slams into his side of our car, and I look up to see they’ve all caught up!

“Duck!” he shouts before the sound of gunshots fills the air.

“Goddess!” I exclaim as we swerve to the right and I’m thrown into him. He pulls out a gun, lowering the window a little, my own heart skipping a beat as shot after shot is exchanged.

Quade is dealing with them, but that’s when I see the car that’s pulling up from our right. Everything moves in slow motion as I see the masked man from within the car to the right raise his gun.

For a split second my eyes meet his cold ones, and I realise what he’s about to do. Turning, I fling my arm around Quade, hearing a shot ring out, hunching forward just as the bullet shatters through the windshield and hits its target.

I gasp as pain shoots through my arm, an animalistic growl ripping through the Lycan King’s teeth as the car careens out of control and I drop back in my seat, blood gushing down my upper arm.

“Layla!”