Jarod smiled at Annabelle, who had his full attention. He ignored Freya, who gave him a disbelieving look. She knew he wanted to be alone with Annabelle, but she wasn't going to make it that easy for him, so she stood her ground. Jarod looked in Freya's direction and shook his head at her for being childish.Annabelle watched the two of them, thinking she should use this as an opportunity since she was in front of the prince. "I could use a little food," she said.Two pairs of eyes turned to her, one curious, the other angry. She shrugged at them. "I'm hungry right now and can't function well without food. You have proof of that," she said, focusing on Jarod.His curiosity turned into a smile. "Noted, Freya, make yourself useful and get the two of us something to eat. Now that she mentioned it, I need proper food," he said."What... I should be a slave for her?" Freya snapped angrily."I'm the one who gave the order," Jarod said, his voice changing and sounding dangerous. "GO," he gro

When Layla woke up the next morning, she found herself alone in bed. Looking around the room, she realized she must have overslept. Demetrius hadn't returned the previous night. Was he avoiding her? She wasn't in the right state of mind to see him yet, perhaps it was for the best. Her head was pounding, and her face probably red from the crying last night. She suspected she'd missed her morning training once again.Elijah hadn't come to wake her. He likely let her rest considering her condition. After washing her face, she heard a knock on the door, and her heart skipped a beat. Was it Demetrius? But instead, Elijah entered, nodding approvingly at her presentable appearance."Good morning, Luna. Did you sleep well?" he inquired.Layla gave him a look, and Elijah suppressed a smile behind a fake cough. He soon turned serious."You still have training this morning," he stated."What? But... the time has passed," Layla protested. "I knew it was almost two hours late already.""The Alpha

Layla remained silent as Elena addressed the pack. She struggled to believe that Elena would stand up for her. She believed the woman disliked her, never showing any real interest in her aside from aiding her when Annabelle attacked. Layla assumed Elena was just fulfilling her duties. She couldn't fathom why Demetrius sat there, seemingly unconcerned by the seriousness of the issue.Even if the people's accusations held truth, Demetrius should have stood by her, preventing them from speaking in the first place. Though Elena attempted to dissuade her from being present, Layla's stubbornness arose, partly a desire to disobey Demetrius's orders. He had taken her friend Red away and avoided her, refusing to share a bed. It felt unreasonable; was being held in a cell justification for such treatment?Accustomed to being disregarded, she sensed Demetrius was having second thoughts about their mating. With her tumultuous past, who in their right mind would settle for less? When Elena returne

LAYLA’S POVAs I embarked on my daily responsibilities as the Luna of our pack, the sun hung high in the sky, casting its warm rays over the territory. I had resumed my early morning training with Elena, and I was glad to see our relationship improving. It was one of those rare days when I felt a sense of contentment and inner peace. Elijah, my capable assistant, was helping me through the duties that came with my leadership role. We moved through the rowdy pack house, addressing pack matters and ensuring the well-being of the members.There were still talks, but they were dying down. Some were attempting small talk with me while others kept their distance.Elijah was not only efficient but also understanding and respectful, and I valued his unwavering support. He stood by me, even though his mate was still giving me the cold shoulder. It was evident that our partnership was harmonious, thanks to the respect and trust we had for each other. I never expected him to respect me as his l

LAYLA'S POVAs I worked in the kitchen alongside Grace, the atmosphere became busier with the arrival of other pack members, including Lisa. This was an opportunity for me to engage with Lisa, who had previously expressed hesitation about fully accepting me as the Luna. All these were Annabelle's closest friend.I greeted Lisa warmly, hoping to initiate a conversation and bridge the gap that seemed to exist between us. "Lisa, it's great to see you. How's your day been so far?"She looked at me. "The day just started," she said."Sorry," I apologized, feeling stupid. I asked her some other questions, which she gave me the silent treatment too.Lisa's response was similar to what I had experienced with Grace—a silence filled with a sense of reservation. It was clear that my role as Luna was still something she was adjusting to, and I had to respect her pace.I continued with my efforts, refusing to be deterred by the challenge of breaking through her barriers too. But Lisa, however, rema