Layla tumbled down the stairs and landed at the bottom with a loud thud. Her body ached terribly and her head felt like it would split in two.
It turned worse as the door to the study was yanked open and Madame Parker marched out. She took one look at Layla and knew instantly what she had been up to."You worthless girl! What have you been doing? Eavesdropping on us? Spying?", she snapped angrily.Layla struggled to her feet and shook her head in fear as Madam Parker lifted her dress and marched down the stairs towards her. She fell to her knees, tears spilling down her eyes. She had been caught and there was no escaping it."You stupid girl. You have such guts to listen in on my conversation when you should be doing your chores!",Madam Parker spat angrily and raised her hand high up, delivering a harsh slap on Layla's face.Layla fell, blinded momentarily by the pain on her face. She tried to crawl away from the wrath of the furious woman and was dragged back viciously."Where do you think you're going? I'll teach you a lesson you'll never forget",Madam Parker snapped and was about to kick Layla on the head when a hard voice ordered her to stop."Don't touch the girl",Rufus' voice rang out from the top of the stairs.Madam Parker turned to glare at him, angry at the interruption. She was filled with so much hatred for Layla and wanted every opportunity to make her suffer."Rufus...""No Maria",Rufus cut her short and began to descend the stairs while Uncle Parker remained at the top, uncaring as usual. Rufus' eyes were intent on the girl who was whimpering on the ground, trembling violently. He stopped and squatted in front of her."What's your name?",he asked softly.But Layla only cowered further away from him, hiding her reddened face underneath her hair. She flinched as Madam Parker's voice came out sharply."She's mute Rufus. She can't speak",Madame Parker said behind him in an angry voice."And I wonder why",Rufus remarked drily and turned towards her. "What is her name?",he asked again."She is called Layla",Madame Parker said grudgingly. Her eyes were filled with venom as she glared at Layla and they snapped up when Rufus began speaking. "I don't think Lord Brandon will take it lightly if he sees a fresh scar on her. He is paying for her after all"."Of course Rufus. I was only going to teach her a lesson for eavesdropping",Madame Parker said, properly chastised."I understand. But since she's already aware, I'm sure there's no need to hide it from her. I will be back at dusk to take her",Rufus said and turned towards the door. He placed a hand on the knob and turned around."And Maria",he said to Madame Parker. "Don't make Lord Brandon regret doing business with you. Clean her up and make sure she's available when I return". And with that he walked out, slamming the door behind him."That's his way of saying he won't hear any excuses if she suddenly goes missing",Uncle Parker said from the top of the stairs."She wouldn't dare run. Where does she have to go?",Madame Parker said with assurance.She yanked Layla by the hair with force and pulled her towards the basement. "I'll lock her up if that's what I have to do", she muttered and Layla could do nothing but follow along.Down in the basement, Madame Parker shoved Layla into the room and stood at the door, glaring at her with a frightening expression."Since you've grown so bold to spy on the visitors I bring, I'll tell you why he was here",she said and smiled viciously at her."You're to be sold to the highest bidder. You hear that? You're going to be his sex slave and he will use you the way he wants. You will never be free from him. He will make you feel so much pain that you will wish for death".Layla's breaths bust out of her mouth in harsh pants, her entire body trembling violently from terror. She believed what Madame Parker told her and she dreaded the pain she would go through in the hands of her buyer. She watched with terrified eyes as Madame Parker moved closer to her with glittering eyes."You're terrified right? You should be. Because what you went through in my hands is nothing compared to what you will experience in the hands of your buyer. And when he has broken you entirely, he will throw your lifeless body away and that will be the end of your worthless life".Having successfully instilled fear in Layla's mind, she turned around and slammed the door behind her. The sound of the lock turning told Layla that she had been locked inside. A cry escaped her lips and she curled into a ball, shivering and terrified.It was all over for her. She had hopes that maybe one day when she was older, Madame Parker would come to love her. Now that hope had been dashed on the ground. She was going to be sold to to a stranger like some used good. Fresh tears poured down her eyes and she cursed the day she was brought into the world. She cursed her father for raping her mother. She cursed death for claiming her mother's life prematurely. She cursed Madame Parker and her husband for all the abuse she had been subjected to.But not once did she curse her mother. Her mother had been a victim, just like she was. She lay on the cold ground for hours. Hungry and thirsty. Tired and fed up with life. She resigned herself to fate, waiting for the time she would be sold.And then she suddenly sat up. She got off the ground and moved towards a broken mirror in the corner of the basement. Her reflection stared back at her. Midnight dark hair looking disheveled on her head. Grey eyes that looked so anguished. Pale chaffed lips. Reddened cheek from the slap she received from Madame Parker. She looked down at the dress she wore. A sack of materials that was supposed to be worn by slaves. The dress covered her arms and stopped around her ankles so the scars on her body was hidden. She looked down at her bare feet, the toes discoloured with recent wounds.Her heart sank further. She wasn't even fit to be sold to a stranger. What was the point of living when all she would ever get was pain and anguish? There was no point living. It was better to end it all. It was better to be free from the sorrows of life. Maybe when she was dead, her soul would reunite with her mother. And she would be free.Layla turned away from the mirror with a deadpan expression. Her eyes were determined as she looked towards the door. She wouldn't give Madame Parker the satisfaction of seeing her dead body.She needed to escape from the basement....The day dragged on and Madame Parker returned from her little trip to the local dress shop. She had purchased some cheap clothes and shoes for Layla and a new brush to tame her wild hair.It irked her so much to do all these for the girl but the payment she was promised from Lord Brandon made up for it. The bag of gold she would receive was for the stress she had gone through to raise the girl and she couldn't be more happier to be rid of her.She rushed into the house just as a heavy downpour began. She was lucky to be back in time before the rain drenched her. Her husband was in the living room reading the evening paper when she dropped on the couch beside him."Took you long enough",he said as a way of welcoming her back."The clothes were just too costly. I had to find a cheaper dress shop". Madame Parker complained and fanned her face with her palm."Rufus will be here soon. Prepare the girl before he arrives",her husband said and turned back to reading his papers.Madame Parker grabbed the bag she brought and headed to the basement. She only had to stand by and watch Layla wash up and put on one of the new dresses. She would have to comb her hair herself. She sighed as she got closer to the door.And then she froze.All the colour seemed to drain from her face as she saw the basement door opened a crack. She moved slowly towards the door and pushed it open.The bag she held dropped from her hand. The basement was empty. Layla was nowhere to be found. She looked back at the door and lodged in the keyhole were two black pins. It slowly dawned on her.The lock on the door had been picked."Gary!",Madame Parker screamed as she rushed out of the basement. Her husband met her halfway."What is...?""She's gone. She's fucking gone!",Madame Parker screamed into his face."What do you mean she's gone?",he roared and rushed into the basement to confirm. He came back out immediately."What do we do?",Madame Parker's voice was shrill with fear and panic."Find her. Now!"Layla tore through the busy road, moving swiftly through the moving vehicles. Drivers honked as she dashed past the front of their cars and a few cursed at her.She didn't stop though. She kept running through the downpour, the rain obscuring her view. Pedestrians stared at her as she ran past them, taking in her drenched dress that was plastered to her body, her hair that was matted to her face with the rain. And a few wondered why she was in such a hurry. No one stopped her though. They all went about their businesses, trying to get to their various homes before it turned completely dark.Layla kept running without glancing behind her. She was terrified that if she so much as slowed down to look back, she would see Madame Parker coming after her like a furious maddened woman. So she kept running. Even when she left the busy roads and entered a deserted street, she kept running. Even when she got tired and out of breath, she kept running. She didn't know where she was going. She hadn
On the roof of one of the tall mansions in the the Qinn's territory, surrounded by the ocean of the hidden island, was a man.Not just any man.Supreme Alpha Riven Qinn. Alpha King of Dark Creek Pack, Supreme Alpha of all other packs. Strongest and most powerful lycan ever. His domain stretched forth over the entire island that was hidden by the Fae. The Qinn legacy was known to be the wealthiest and strongest bloodline through out the entire realm of the supernatural creatures. Riven Qinn had everything. Wealth. Power. Dominance. Immortality.But one thing remained absent in his entire life. A mate. Mates were what completed the life of the shifters. It didn't matter how long you've lived. If you didn't have your mate beside you, it was all for nothing.After living for centuries, Riven had begun giving up hope of ever finding his one true mate. As the years went passed, so did his hope. And he wondered what crime he had committed to make the moon goddess Selene punish him that way.
Riven's mansion was a chaos of movement. All shifters, both young and ancient, werewolf and lycan, all moved around the pack house, running different errands. Everyone got orders from the Alpha that hadn't left his room since the previous night.Ever since Caleb ran through the entire rooms of the mansion like a mad beast, informing everyone of the arrival of the Alpha's mate, the entire household had gone into a state of restlessness. No one slept a wink through out the night. They all gathered at the entrance of Riven's chamber, wanting to have a look at the long awaited Alpha's mate.But Riven was having none of that. The only person allowed into his room was Henrietta, the ancient witch. Not even Cade, his beta was allowed. He was in a state of protectiveness and he didn't want his mate to be disturbed. After Henrietta checked on Layla and recited a spell to know what Layla's ailment was, she reported her findings to Riven and told him of the herbs she would need in healing Layla
For many days, Layla drifted in and out of consciousness. She was plaged with nightmares of Madame Parker capturing her and selling her off to some brutal men. She would wake up trashing, her legs tangled in the bedsheets, sweating profusely and crying out in fear.And each time she had those dreams, Riven was always there to soothe her. He was there to whisper safe words to her, calming her with his voice and the tingles that danced each time their bodies touched. Layla found a safe haven in his arms and she stopped fighting him off. She knew as long as he was there with her, she was safe.The healing ritual was done and the potion applied to Layla's body. Soon the sickly paleness disappeared and colour gradually returned to her skin. Her cheeks retained its rosy colour and her eyes lost its dark circles. Her veins that had been visible receded and her wild looking eyes became calm. She was still not totally free with Riven and certainly not to the crowd of shifters that waited anxi
"So this is Riven's mate? What a shame!",Cara said scornfully and folded her arms before her, staring icily at Layla.When the news reached her father's pack about Riven finding his mate, jealousy had begun to eat deep into her. A part of her had been happy that Riven didn't find his mate. As a matter of fact, her father, the Alpha of Silver Moon Pack had been trying to establish a relationship between her and Riven. Being connected to the great Qinn dynasty was an opportunity of a life time and she had been trying to do her part by getting closer to Riven. There had been a series of hot passion in between the bedsheets between them but apart from that, Riven never made any attempt to go further with their relationship. Even when she knew he only wanted her to release his sexual desires, she still clung to him with the blind hope that he would mark her one day and make her his Luna.Now that hope was dashed brutally as she stared at the scrawny girl before her, dressed in a gray sac a
Riven gripped the first shifter be could find around the neck, lifted him up and roared into his face."WHERE IS SHE?"."Alpha...",the shifter choked out over the tight grip around his neck. He couldn't breathe and he could feel the muscles of his throat tearing up as Riven's claws emerged and pierced into his skin. If Riven didn't stop, he would die."WHERE IS SHE?",Riven roared again, his fury mounting when he didn't get the response he needed."Alpha you will kill him!",Cade said as he arrived with Caleb, shifting back into his human form. The shifter Riven held was already choking, blood spilling down the sides of his throat and wetting Riven's claws.With the way Riven had raced out of the Ancient Temple in blinding speed, he knew something was wrong. And a minute later, the mind linked had reached him about the Luna's disappearance. He and Caleb had shifted instantly, taking off after the Alpha.Riven didn't bother to acknowledge the words of his beta. He flung the shifter he he
"Cade!",Riven barked out the minute he emerged from his room.Cade had been standing close by, waiting for him to come out."Yes Alpha", he responded instantly and moved his body away from the wall he had been leaning on."Get me Alex. And let the rest of the shifters gather at the meeting room. Immediately!"."On it Alpha",Cade said and his eyes turned blurry as he mind linked the entire shifters. Caleb joined him and they both followed Riven to the meeting room, a large open room where Riven always held impromptu meetings concerning the pack.Caleb moved further and opened the door quickly, holding his breath as Riven walked through. The aura surrounding Riven was so dangerous and scary and this only proved how furious he was.Riven settled on one of the chairs in the room. It was a large golden throne seat with a similar one beside it. The other was for his mate and she would sit beside him someday as the Luna of his pack.Cade and Caleb stood on either side of him and watched as t
Layla lowered her eyes slowly, feeling uncomfortable with the intense look Riven gave her. Not that she didn't like it. The look gave her butterflies and made her body tingle deliciously. She was new to these alien feelings she felt and didn't know how to react to it. She watched from under her eyes as Riven walked closer and the bed dipped when he sat beside her."The potions are right there Riven",Henrietta said and pointed towards the table beside the large mirror."Thank you Henrietta. I will tend to her wounds myself",Riven said and nodded at her."Of course. If you need anything else, let me know. The potions will be enough to heal the wound though".After instructing Riven on how to apply each of them, Henrietta exited the room, leaving Riven and his mate to themselves.Layla suddenly wished Henrietta never left. The silence that followed after the door shut behind her was a bit awkward. She wasn't scared of Riven. She knew he wouldn't hurt her. She was just nervous. Apart from