He moves like a panther. Targeted. Confident. Precise. His gaze never leaves mine. As he comes closer, the heady scent of wood, pine and earth, fills my nostrils. Intoxicating. I breathe him in greedily as I instinctively lean closer. Who the hell is this guy? Is there some sort of rogue model agency in the forest I'm unaware of? "You're a rogue?" When Layla becomes bound to Aurthor, the heir of Crystal blood pack, a ruthless and heartless man, she thinks her life is over. Little does she know her life will change the moment she gets lost in the woods. Faced with werwolf-rogues and on the verge of death, a series of events leads her to question if the myth she's heard all her life about them, is true. She's faced with a difficult decision to make. Will she claim Roman as her mate and damn the consequences that follow, or will she lead a life of horror?
The art of oral pleasure.
I stare dumbly at the words for almost ten seconds straight. May be more but I'm not counting. When I went in search of Alexander and found this book - face down - on his bed, I didn't think. I just grabbed it, desperate to entertain myself with something.
A grin breaks out on my face as I read the words once more. He's definitely not gonna live this down, that's for sure. I inhale smoke from the dying embers of the cigarette dangling from my mouth before tossing it away. It tumbles and disappears over the roof. As it does, all the emotions I've deliberately been keeping at bay, come flooding back.
Get ready for Arthur, Layla.
My right leg bounces sporadically. Soon, my left leg joins in, and they both make tap-tap noises, momentarily distracting me from the situation at hand. I grip my hair and pull, relishing the delicious pain which rips through my skull.
Whether you or anyone likes it or not, it's gonna happen.
I jump up, startling a bird which had been inching toward me. I watch as it takes flight, cawing away. "Sorry, buddy, but I'm not in the mood to make new friends."
I walk to the edge of the roof - as close as I can get without falling - and glance down. Twilight has just set in. A few guards walk around the premises. Soon, some of them will leave for their night patrol along the territory borders, including Father.
I can't wait.
I've made up my mind to sneak out to the woods and enjoy some alone time. I roll my eyes and let out a soft laugh. Sure, I'm alone right now but still surrounded by pack members dotted around the house. It's either Alexander, Father's beta, Father once again. People are always crowding around, taking orders from Father, or dishing out ideas on how to make the pack stronger.
I'm over it.
You can't get out of this one, Layla.
A tear slides down my cheek and I wipe it away forcefully. I won't do it. I won't please Father, the pack, or anyone else at that. I get to make my own decisions. A certain calm washes over me as I stare at the woods. Ominous as well as inviting. A juxtaposition of sorts. I've always had a love-hate relationship with the woods. Hate, because of all the stories I've heard about rogues who live deep inside it. I need an escape from my present predicament so right now, that hatred is leaning toward love.
I slide down the roof and slip, unnoticed, through my window and into my bedroom. The smell of food wafts into my nostrils the moment I step inside. A covered plate of food is on my bedside table. My stomach growls loudly, reminding me I haven't fed it since breakfast. What a shame all of it will got to waste because even if it smells heavenly, my appetite is doing a no-show.
A knock sounds off on the door, making me tense up. I know what's coming but I can't bring myself to answer. Another knock, this one more persistent, sees me releasing a sigh and walking forward to open it. I take in the person standing at the entrance. "Yes, Alvin." My tone is curt. Clipped.
He looks at me wide eyed. "Y. . your father requests your presence."
I nod and wait for him to leave but he just stares at me like I've grown a second head. "What?"
He shakes his head and his gaze falls to the ground. "I'll just go."
"Oh, you don't have to. Keep standing and staring." My words are coated with a false sweetness that has him staring at me with furrowed brows.
Without another word, he backs away and walks off. My eyes bounce around the room looking for a distraction. Knowing I can't put off the inevitable for long, I square my shoulders, paste a smirk on my face, and walk out of my room. Father is eating when I step into the dining room. From the set of his shoulders, I know whatever he has to tell me isn't going to be to my liking.
"Sit." He says, without looking up.
At first, I want to object, but one look at his curled fist sees me walking to the chair beside his and slumping into it. Hopefully, someone will interrupt us and end this situation for me. Even as the thought flashes, like a neon sign in my head, I know it won't happen for two reasons. No one interrupts the Alpha and lives to see the other day. Secondly, our quarters are cordoned off from the main pack. With a heavy sigh, my eyes make their way back to him.
He stops eating, puts his cutlery on his empty plate before dabbing at a corner of his mouth with the napkin and looking up at me. "From now on, Alvin is going to be your shadow. Wherever he goes, you go." My mouth falls open as I stare in horror at him. "Do I make myself clear?"
"You have got to be kidding me." I vault up, my whole body vibrating with anger. "This isn't the year fifteen hundred, plus I'm not a child, who-"
"Silence!" His voice cuts through my ramblings but I'm not done yet.
"No, Father, that won't happen. Why do you always have to have the last say?"
My words seem to amuse him as a smirk appears on his face. I stifle the urge to roll my eyes.
"I can give you a number of reasons but I'll settle for two. I'm the Alpha of this pack and you are under my command." The smirk slides off his face in an instant. "Now. . ." He stands to his full height, reminding me I only get to his shoulder even on my tippy toes. "I hope they are enough reasons because whether you like it or not. It's settled."
Not this time.
Bang.
My right hand throbs from where I've just hit the table with it but I'm too riled up, too angered, and too fueled with adrenaline to care. I know I'm going to regret it later on, but it's satisfying to see the shocked look tattooed all over his face. I savor the feeling, even though it's only temporarily.
This feud between Father and I runs deep. It's more of a clash of wills at this point. Who will bend first.
So help me goddess, it won't to be me.
"That won't happen." I'm a bit taken aback at the vehemence in my voice but I can't stop now. "I'm done. I'm not some. . . some thing to be auctioned off. I will not, Father."
We both know I'm not talking about Alvin being my shadow. I watch as a storm brews in his eyes, as they slowly turn red. Oh, no. Not his wolf rearing it's ugly head. Judging by his ticking jaw and the rigid way he's holding himself, I know I'm not going to like what he's about to say. He raises a clawed finger and points in a direction behind me. "Go to your room. Do not come out until I tell you to."
"But, Fath-"
"Do as I say, or else. . ."
A sharp pain makes my head rock back. Had it not been for me holding onto the table with a death grip, I would most definitely have fallen. I've seen grown men falling to their knees in submission to him and I don't need to be told twice to do as he says. My shoulders slump and I nod timidly. Tears cloud my vision as I make my way to my room.
"Oh, and Layla. . ." My steps halt immediately as I turn round to look at him. "Don't ever take my cigarettes again."
It's his turn to walk off, leaving me staring holes in his back.
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
Welcome my lovely readers š
How are you all doing?
Like the first chapter?
Then you're about to like it even more when you keep reading.
Layla is special.
𤫠don't tell anyone I told you. You're about to find out. ā¤ļøš
Kara Martin was known as Miss Perfect. She was a beauty with good personality and successful career. Unfortunately, her life changed at one night. She was accused of adultery, losing her job, and abandoned by her fiance. The arrogant man who slept with her did not want to take responsibility. He even threatened to kill her if they met again. What's worse, Kara was pregnant with twins and she chose to give birth to them. Four and a half years later, Kara returned to work at a large company. As the secretary, she would frequently face their notorious CEO. Kara thought it wouldn't be a problem, but as it turned out ... the CEO was the father of the twins!
Two years ago, Ricky found himself coerced into marrying Emma to protect the woman he cherished. From Ricky's perspective, Emma was despicable, resorting to underhanded schemes to ensure their marriage. He maintained a distant and cold attitude toward her, reserving his warmth for another. Yet, Emma remained wholeheartedly dedicated to Ricky for more than ten years. As she grew weary and considered relinquishing her efforts, Ricky was seized by a sudden fear. Only when Emma's life teetered on the edge, pregnant with Ricky's child, did he recognize-the love of his life had always been Emma.
On the day of their wedding anniversary, Joshua's mistress drugged Alicia, and she ended up in a stranger's bed. In one night, Alicia lost her innocence, while Joshua's mistress carried his child in her womb. Heartbroken and humiliated, Alicia demanded a divorce, but Joshua saw it as yet another tantrum. When they finally parted ways, she went on to become a renowned artist, sought out and admired by everyone. Consumed by regret, Joshua darkened her doorstep in hopes of reconciliation, only to find her in the arms of a powerful tycoon. "Say hello to your sister-in-law."
Season 1: Vanessa Saxon was once married to Luca Kensington, the cold and distant CEO of K Group. But when she was seven months pregnant, her adopted sister, Beatriz Langley, falsely accused her of having an affair with her best friend, Daxton Radcliffe, and carrying his child. The worst part? Luca believed Beatriz. In a fit of rage, Luca demanded their baby be removed prematurely, leading to a tragic event where Vanessa nearly died from the ordeal. Saved by Daxton, Vanessa disappeared. Now, five years later, she returns-stronger and determined-alongside her daughter, Isla Saxon, to exact her revenge on those who wronged her. SEASON 2: Framed for a crime she didn't commit, Senna Thorne lost everything-her family, her freedom, and the man she once loved. Betrayed and abandoned, she was sentenced to a fate worse than death. Magnus Voss, the ruthless billionaire who once held her heart, now sees her as nothing more than a murderer, a woman unworthy of mercy. But when fate grants her a second chance, she returns under a new name, Zara Skye-no longer the broken woman he cast aside. Yet Magnus refuses to let go. He sees her, he feels her, and deep down, he knows-she is the ghost that haunts him, the love he once destroyed. But this time, Senna isn't here for love. She's here for vengeance. When their paths collide once more, will he uncover the truth before it's too late? Or will her revenge burn them both to ashes?
"Mr. Evans, please maintain some dignity. Don't forget I'm your brother's wife!" Having caught her husband and best friend together in the bed, Elena wanted nothing more than to exact revenge on the people she once called family. She refused to be a pitiful divorcee and vowed to make everyone who had once looked down on her beg for forgiveness. And to start with her newfound freedom, Elena indulges in a one-night stand with a stranger. However, what was meant to be a fleeting escape turns into a nightmare when she learns that the stranger is none other than her husband's older brother! Would Elena be free from the shackles of her marriage? Or would the mysterious stranger make her life a living hell since he seemed to have a personal vendetta against his family? [The story is 18+ and involves mature content.]
Yelena discovered that she wasn't her parents' biological child. After seeing through their ploy to trade her as a pawn in a business deal, she was sent away to her barren birthplace. There, she stumbled upon her true originsāa lineage of historic opulence. Her real family showered her with love and adoration. In the face of her so-called sister's envy, Yelena conquered every adversity and took her revenge, all while showcasing her talents. She soon caught the attention of the city's most eligible bachelor. He cornered Yelena and pinned her against the wall. āIt's time to reveal your true identity, darling.ā