~Kade~
Justin looked around. He locked eyes with Danielle, who came up and put her arm around his shoulders.
“Now what?” she asked.
“Stay,” Layla instantaneously said. She sounded almost scared.
“Here?” Justin said and glanced my way.
“You can’t leave, Justin. You… you’re my friend. You have to stay.” She sounded desperate.
I never asked him what he did for her at the Emberclaw pack. They seemed much closer than I knew.
“And Danielle?” he asked.
I saw Layla’s eye twitch.
“You’re, of course, welcome to stay too if you want,” Layla said.
I knew she only said it to make Justin feel more comfortable with staying.
“I appreciate that. At least until we find somewhere else to go,” she said and smiled.
Layla and Danielle shook hands amicably. It wasn’t warm or friendly, but it was a start. If one day Layla woke up and decided she didn’t want Danielle here anymore, I would show her out of the pack myself. Never in my life will I jeopardize my relationship again.
She was my Luna, my life, and all I needed. Well, almost. Layla and my baby girl, who had yet to be named.
“How are you feeling?” Tracey asked, holding Layla’s hands in hers. She looked at her sister like only an older sibling could do—with deep worry and infinite love.
“I’m tired,” she said and shrugged a shoulder. “But happy.”
Tracey smiled and pulled Layla in for a soft hug.
She was careful when pulling away. We’d all be extra gentle with her the coming few days until we were sure she had healed completely.
I turned my head and saw my mother’s hand on my shoulder.
“Here,” she said softly and stretched her arms.
I handed her my daughter and pulled Layla to my side. “Thank you,” I said and locked eyes with Tarisa. “Let’s get you back to bed.” I pressed a kiss on Layla’s head and saw the tired smile that grew on her face.
We walked out of the dining room, saying quick goodbyes on the way and headed upstairs.
“I wonder how Tarisa knew Analise,” I spoke aloud, not expecting an answer. It was just a question that suddenly came when my mind calmed from having Layla so close.
“Analise stayed with a coven of witched many years back. That’s where she met Tarisa.”
I stopped as we reached the top and turned to Layla.
“How do you know this?”
She smiled. “Analise told me in limbo when she came to say goodbye. It was right before I woke up.”
I opened the door and turned on the lamp by the bed to brighten the room as little as possible.
Layla got undressed. The silk robe fell to her feet, and her eyes intensively gazed into mine.
I drew a sharp breath. Calm down. Nothing’s going to happen tonight. She needs to rest, I reminded myself.
“Do you wanna take a shower?”
Layla nodded and stretched her neck. “I think I will.” She walked into the bathroom and got in the shower without turning on the lights.
While she washed off, I removed all the sheets and put on new ones. I cracked open the window to let in some fresh air and looked for the pillow she liked. It was the big one that fluffed perfectly under her head. I remembered she said once that I felt like her head was on a cloud.
It was all done and clean when she came out. The towel hung from her body as she dried herself off.
It took me a moment to realize that this was actually happening. Layla was here. It still hadn’t sunk in. She walked around the room like she had been there all along. She put her hair in a braid like always, but midway through tying it, she stopped. She took the braid apart and stared at the floor.
I released the bedding and walked over to her. Her mind seemed distracted, like she was somewhere else entirely.
“Hey.” I gently reached over and raised her head. I cupped her face in my hands and tried to see past the shadows in her eyes.
As I said, we all would be haunted by the memories of the war, but perhaps Layla’s ghosts were something else.
“What’s wrong?” I heard the thick worry in my voice.
It hurt me to see her sad, and even more so when I held back from everything I wanted to do and say. I wanted to be gentle, and I feared ever hurting her again.
“It’s nothing,” she said and shook her head.
She tried to walk past me. However, I pulled her back and steadied her against my body when her legs couldn’t hold her.
“Don’t do that. Don’t hide from me,” I said.
She tilted her head to the side and narrowed her eyes.
“Did you see those beautiful girls on the field? The ones in matching lace and braids?”
I nodded. They were hard to forget. They were beautiful, yes, but I remember the empty look in their eyes.
“They belonged to Nathaniel.”
I felt my brows furrowing in confusion.
“Belonged?” I asked.
Layla nodded and sighed.
“They were born to serve him. The girls would bring him food, do his laundry, clean, and cook. They were also in charge of fulfilling his needs.” She shook her head in disbelief. “And they loved it. Their parents before them, and their parents before them and so on, they had all been bred for that single purpose,” she said.
“And they didn’t oppose it?” I asked.
Layla scoffed. “Not once, not at all. They were so blindly infatuated with him and their calling. To them, serving their king was all there was to life. I think he could’ve asked them to do basically anything, and they would’ve obliged.”
“You lived with them?” I asked.
Layla’s eyes fell to my chest.
“I did.”
I saw the ghosts in her eyes. There was nothing I could do to erase that time of her life. However, I could ensure she didn’t suffer for it moving forward. I reached around her head and grabbed her hair.
Slowly, I started putting one strand over the other. I had a daughter now, so I might as well learn.
When the pieces got smaller to where I couldn’t fold them anymore, I grabbed her hair tie and locked it down.
Layla grinned. She reached back and felt the braid. Her lips pinched together to smother the laugh.
“It feels beautiful,” she said.
I rolled my eyes and grabbed her chin. Her head fell against mine, and our lips locked. Just as I was about to pull back, Layla grabbed the back of my head and pressed her body against mine.
“Stop,” I said and backed away. “You need to rest.”
Her eyes were devious, a dark lust swirling where the ghost had now been pushed aside. Layla’s hand slid down my chest until she reached the hem of my shirt. She pulled it over my head.
“Oh, but Alpha Kade, won’t I rest better if my body is relaxed?” she asked, flicking her tongue as she leaned on her toes.
“And how will we ensure that it is?” I asked. My voice grew darker, and the lust for my mate was taking over.
“I think you can find a way.” The tip of her tongue slid across my lips, and I parted them.
“Fuck I’ve missed you,” I breathed and grabbed her back.
Her legs locked around my back, and I guided her over to the bed.
“Show me how much,” she moaned and fisted her hand in my hair.
I put her on her back and leaned up. Layla’s eyes were dark and begging. Her lips parted in excitement, and her legs spread beneath me.
“What’s wrong?” I asked. A smug smirk pulled at my lips. The groan of annoyance I expected never came.
Her eyes continued to beg. Her hands touched against every surface of my neck before circling the back of my head.
“Fuck me, Alpha.”
My grin disappeared. I reached my hand down her thigh and spread her legs further apart. I took my time, slowly and carefully, making sure to feel every inch of her skin. The impatience was growing on her face.
Layla reached down to grab my hand and move to where she wanted me to touch. My other hand shot out and grabbed her wrist, pinning it over her head.
When she tried to free it, I looked down at the other one. She was now spread out, all mine, ready for whatever I chose to give.
Her chest rose, and her nipples hardened.
I moved my hand up her inner thigh and touched right by her folds. Her back arched from the bed. My thumb started moving circles over her clit.
Layla was wet before I even started. I played with my finger by her opening, and Layla dug her nails into my back.
“Please,” she begged and raised her back from the bed. Her lips were parted, and heavy breaths drew out.
I leaned down and placed soft kisses on the side of her mouth, slowly kissing my way down her neck to her chest. I slid my tongue over her nipple, and with my other hand, I pressed her back down against the bed.
“I’m going to take my time with you.” My hand went back down between her legs, and I pushed one finger in.
Layla moaned, her head pushed back into the pillow, and she bit down on her lip.
I positioned myself on top of her and pressed at her chin with my thumb to release that lip.
With one soft thrust, I entered her and watched as her eyes rolled into the back of her head.
“Yes!” she moaned and pressed her nails into my back.
Each thrust got rougher, and I pressed my hand under her head. I lifted her head and pulled it to the side. Just as I felt her walls tightening around me and her nails penetrating my skin, drawing blood, I extended my canines and sunk them into her neck.
