Layla refused to move from her son's side the entire four days he spent sleeping. She did not sleep nor did she eat. The waiting was excruciating. She felt as if she could not breathe, as if an elephant was sitting on her chest. Her heart was in her knees. Her mind was frantic. Her only comfort was the steady stream of healers who were constantly monitoring Cassias. It took a total of twenty-four hours for Alistar to make an appearance by Cassias' side. Layla could not bring herself to look or speak to him. They sat in awkward silence. It was the hardest thing she had ever done. Every fiber of her being wanted to tear into him, rip him piece by piece, but she held back. To distract herself, she counted the number of times Cassias' chest rose and fell from breathing. He looked so peaceful and beautiful, it was a surreal sight. She knew that he was fighting for his life. His right arm was broken. There were still no answers but Layla knew that he was too young to shift. His body cou

The day of the banquet was finally here. Layla kissed Cassias goodbye and told him that she would return the next day. It was a half a day's ride by horse to get to the Moonbane fort. But Layla knew that it was only a couple of hours when in wolf form. She could cut through the woods as a wolf that she could not by horse or by carriage. But her father did not shift and she did not want to worry about having a change of clothes so they went together with an extremely reluctant Tabitha. She was very nervous. It had been so long since she was face to face with the Riverwalkers and after she met Solomon's little brother Simon, she wasn't optimistic that it would go well. She was anxious to see what Saraiah wanted with her. She wished that her body hadn't changed as much as it had after being pregnant with Cassias but she couldn't go back in time and her new dress was very flattering and fashionable. She kept rubbing her hands against her thighs, pushing the fibers of the velvet up and do

Saraiah sat back into her chair. Layla couldn't read her face but knew that Saraiah had heard her. Saraiah scanned her up and down slowly. Layla sat back in her chair as well. She was suddenly overcome with a sudden crippling sense of insecurity. She didn't want to let it on to Saraiah so she mimicked her behavior. Saraiah smirked ever so slightly to herself and then snapped. A female servant appeared with a chalice of wine and set it to the right of her. Saraiah took a long sip while still maintaining her intense eye contact with Layla. "How do you propose to do that?" Saraiah's thick accent purred in Layla's ears like a cat. She sounded amused. "I would prefer to speak with your husband." Layla slowly crossed her left leg over her right knee. Saraiah held her chalice in both of her hands propping her elbows on the table. She leaned forward into them, "he is not here, I am. I will not waste the time of my Alpha and husband with nonsense and I am afraid you might just be full

Layla propped herself onto her elbows. His head was lost between her thighs and his mouth was slowly inching closer and closer to her clit. His hot breath tickled against her skin but she was too busy memorizing the way the lines of his muscular shoulders melted into his back. Her whole body yearned for his tongue to meet her, it was as painful as it was pleasurable. Finally he did, softly at first, but soon building a steady rhythm. Layla felt as if all the air was knocked out of her. The only thing she could focus on was the sensation of his tongue. She fell onto her back as he began to apply more force with precision and expertise. He grabbed her waist from underneath her and pulled her closer to him intensifying the sensation. Layla gasped for air as she firmly grabbed the back of his head, she twisted his hair through her fingers. The closer she was, the more she pulled on his hair. Her heart was racing as the sensation was building, she let out a loud moan. She had only one tho

Solomon stood motionless before Layla, he was shaking from betrayal. "I never break my promises, Layla. I swore to you and to the Goddess. I don't think we are thinking clearly." Layla shook her head, "this isn't a question of loyalty to our fathers anymore. This is in regards to my son and I will not abandon him for you. One day when you have children you will understand the sacrifices that all parents must make." His entire body tensed up, "I am not telling you to abandon your child, Layla. I would never ask you to.""But you are, you said that you couldn't be a step-parent," she snapped. "That's not what I meant. I was trying to be honest and vulnerable with you. Did you want me to lie? As his mother, wouldn't you want to know and talk it out before everything happens and we are at a point where I resent you and you resent me?"His voice was gravelly and thick with anger. "Yes! Of course I would prefer to talk this out before anything happens but what is there to talk about