[Layla’s POV] I had been locked up in a cage by the guards and had been left all alone. It was as if my predicament kept getting worse as the days went by. I should have just kept quiet. Why did I have such a big mouth? My body ached terribly and I was weak and drained from all my cries and pleas for help. The sooner I got to accept my fate as the Alpha’s slave forever, the better for me. Nothing would get better with time, and hoping that things would get better was a mere wish that was never going to come through. The cold breeze began to blow, scattering everything that was in sight, and I began to shiver terribly. My skin was already badly bruised, and as if that was not enough, I was feeling really cold. Soon, it began to drizzle and I tried to crouch into another corner of the cage, but as it had bars all over, it was opened and made it easy for the breeze to pass through, and I felt even colder as seconds rolled into minutes and what was a short drizzle turned into a never-e
[Xavier’s POV] A general meeting of all the elders in the Pack had been scheduled as one hadn’t been held since the passing of my father. My aunt, Lady Millicent had spoken so much about how I needed to address the elders as their new Alpha, and even though I would rather be doing something fun right now, I agreed to meet them, and so far, it wasn’t going well. “Is it that you do not respect the elders anymore? If you don’t have the balls to punish a werecoyote, how are we sure you can lead the Pack well?” an elder asked, expressing distaste on his face. Of course, I didn’t respond. I was busy drumming my fingers on the edge of my seat, waiting for them to stop blabbing. “This is the second time he would be doing this. The first time, he let that Omega girl live, and now, not only did he let the werecoyote go scot free, he also provided him with a job. What a disgrace!” another elder contributed. “Is that all? Are you done?” I asked, several moments later. They looked away, not s
[Layla’s POV] I was shivering terribly, and my temperature was very high. I had been lying on my stomach for five... no, six hours and had not been able to sit up due to the severe pains the guards had inflicted on my buttocks with their strong whips. For practically no reason at all, I had been dragged out and beaten. I didn’t even know what my offence was, but I was thankful that I was ill. Finally, I would get to die and be with my mother. It was so much easier, so much better to die than to live this way. Bile formed in my throat and I felt nauseous, but I held it in. If I created a mess, no one would clean it up and I wouldn’t even be given a chance to clean it up by myself. I couldn’t afford to stink up the prison with vomit which already reeked of my sweat; a consequence of going several days without having my bath. I wasn’t half-human anymore; I was a complete animal. Hell, even animals had their bath. The sound of footsteps jolted me from my thoughts. Someone was coming,
[Xavier’s POV] She had been sleeping for about five hours now and once in a while, she stirred in her sleep and muttered just a single word: “Mum". In more ways than one, she reminded me of myself as that was how I used to think about my mum while growing up, believing in my heart that things would have been better for me if she was around. I never even got to know my mother, but at least, she did, but unlike me, she had had to suffer for this long simply because she was formed out of adultery. Hearing the sound of footsteps, I stood up, eager to hear the news from the Pack’s doctor, George Harvey who was Jeffrey’s dad as well. “Are you done with conducting the tests? Is she going to be all right?” I inquired. “Yes, she will be. Her blood and sugar level are just low, and she has been experiencing several levels of pain and fatigue in the last few days. She will be fine once she takes the potion I made and it would be good if she eats and rests well for the next one week, so as to
[Layla’s POV] I walked behind Jeffrey, Xavier’s friend, who had brought me back to the Palace from the clinic. A lot of things had been happening around me, but I paid no attention to anything other than the fact that I was indeed mated to Xavier. “What kind of trickery is this?” I muttered. “Are you okay?” Jeffrey asked, jarring me from my thoughts. I gave a nervous chuckle. “Of course, I am. I was just thinking about something,” I responded. “May I ask what it is that you are thinking of?” he inquired. “It’s nothing,” I replied. He knocked on the gate and upon confirming his identity, the gate was opened and we both went inside. “Can’t believe I have to return back to the prison,” I said, heaving a sigh. “Trust me, things will get better. Just hang in there,” he said. I smiled. “Thanks. You’re not a bad person,” I noted. “You got that right. Before I take you back to your cell, I wanted to ask if you feel much better now,” he said. I nodded my head in the affirmative. “I
[Xavier’s POV] The atmosphere felt awkward. I had sent for Jeffrey and although he had shown up, neither of us had the humility to speak to the other first. We just sat separately in the living room, each on different sofas without saying a word. I knew he was mad at me and he had every reason to, but I had so much ego and I couldn’t just swallow my pride and tell him how sorry I was. “Your lunch is here,” a guard announced, finally breaking the silence. I nodded my head, gesturing for the food to be brought in. Two young Palace maids served the food on the dining table, and the Royal taster tasted the food before they finally left. I stood up and went to the dining table, then drew out my chair after which I sat down. “Aren’t you going to eat?” I asked, speaking to him for the first time since that day. He flashed me a cold glance. “I’m not hungry,” he retorted, but his stomach rumbled just in that moment. I chuckled. “Nature sure has a way of exposing you. I know you’re mad a
[Layla’s POV] I knew when he had come in, and it had surprised me to see him in a cell as filthy as this one. Before, I would have been excited to see him, but the memories of what happened yesterday evening kept flashing through my mind, which kept making me angry and overshadowed the other emotions I felt for him. He had been standing and looking over the cell with a disgusted look on his face for a while. If he hated it so much, why then had he come? I was so angry today and I couldn’t hold it in for much longer. “What are you doing here?” I asked, after standing up and staying right behind him with my arms crossed. He turned around to look at me, and I could see a look of surprise written on his face as he observed me for a while. “Why do you seem so annoyed? Who did something to offend you?” he asked, after several seconds of silence. I scoffed. “Funny that you’d ask a question like that when you know very well that the person who offended me is standing right in front of me
[Xavier’s POV] I was mad at myself for showing even the littlest affection for Layla even though two days had already passed. She had made me feel stupid and I was glad that I had made the right decision about what to do with her at the end of it all, but was it really her fault though? Only one person was to be blamed for all these, and that was no other person than the Moon Goddess, who for some reason, had thought it wise to mate me with a family member of the same people who had murdered my father in cold blood. Because of that sudden realisation, I had felt weak for a while and had let myself show care for someone I should hate. Everyday since I found out about Layla being the mate I hadn’t found for two years, seeing as I had turned eighteen two years ago, I always muttered curses at the goddess for being so selfish, manipulative and unreasonable. It was as though she just did whatever she pleased sometimes because she had control over our lives, not minding whether it would a