All Novel XO
Chapter 5
Chapter 5
Chapter 5 LAYLA 3 Years Later – “Williams Benjamin is still looking for you, Layla. “Alpha Marcus sighs. I am sitting in his office in front of him. He is a kind man who seems to be in his 30s even when he celebrated his 45th birthday a few days ago. His bright blue eyes and black hair make him appear younger than his age. I release a heavy breath and take my eyes off him. There is nothing I can say to him anymore. Three years ago, I fled Alpha Benjamin with my unborn baby girl. I thought they will return Alpha Alexander’s money and stop looking for me after some time but they are still searching for me. It is starting to worry Alpha Marcus who was kind enough to offer me shelter and a job in his pack despite knowing I am a wolfless young girl with nothing to offer him. His kindness has gotten him in trouble now. Alpha Benjamin keeps calling him to inquire about me now and then. Alpha Marcus fears that if he found out about my stay here, a war will break out and he will lose because this pack is not made for wars. They are peaceful people who like to lead a calm life. You don’t need to worry. Layla. We will protect you until we can but you must be aware that if he arrives here someday, you have to hide and if things escalate, you must run, “His soft voice sounds in my ears. I pick up my head and give him a weak smile. He is like a father who worries about me without demanding anything in return. I will hate to put him or anyone else here in danger. Thank you. Alpha Marcus, for always protecting me. If it was not for you, I don’t know what I would have done. “I whisper. You are a strong girl. You would have figured something out. “He smiles at me gently. He never takes credit for his help. It’s something that got me attached to him in the first place. – Thank you. “I mumble, getting up from the chair. “Off to the diner?” He asks, lifting his brow. Property of Nô)(velDr(a)ma.Org.
I nod. It’s time for my shift.” How is Ayla doing? It’s been days since you brought her to meet me. “Alpha Marcus complains. A smile lights my lips at the mention of her. My sweet daughter who is the reincarnation of a devil for sure. “You should be happy I didn’t bring her. “I chuckle. Why? Did she learn something new again?” He joins my laughter. “I got her a water gun. Now she goes around the place shooting water at everyone she sees. The whole cottage becomes a pool by the time I get home from the diner. “I shake my head. “That’s brutal but I am sure she will grow out of this phase soon. “Alpha Marcus grins. “She gets bored easily. “I sigh happily My heart feels a tug every time I mention her. It’s like I can feel a surge of delight and peace inside me at the mere thought of her. She is my world and my light. She brought me out of the darkness when I needed it the most. If it was not for her, I wouldn’t have made it our of that d a m n d pock. 1/4 – 15:41 Thu, 16 May G Chapter 5 Bring her to meet me sometime. He tells me “I will, Alpha, “I promise him before leaving his office. After that, I go straight to Burger and Shakes. It’s a diner run by Mr. and Mrs. Harrison. They are the Ga m m a couple of this. pack and like the rest of the pack members, they are caring and loving. Just as I enter the diner, I walk to the counter. Mrs. Harrison is standing behind it. She smiles when she sees me coming. “No one yet?” I look around the empty place. “There is some party at the school so most of the hight schoolers are there.” She shrugs and gestures at me to get behind the counter High school, education, career–all of these seem so foreign to me now. I remember how I loved to
learn new things and then my parents is died. Alpha Benjamin made me drop out of school because he believed my future was dark anyway and he didn’t need to waste money on me. I didn’t know his true face back then so I argued that I could pay with the money my parents left behind for me, but it turned out, he had taken everything as his own. He was not going to give me a dime from my parents money. Why the sad face?” Mrs. Harrison asks as I pull the apron out from the drawer. “It’s nothing. “My smile weakens. She stares at me with her brown eyes but doesn’t say anything. She is used to my sudden mood changes. One moment I am happy and the next. I remember something from my past which makes me go silent and sad. I have not healed because there is too much that was taken from me and even then, I am the one who has to feel bad and hide from them. This feels wrong. The day goes on as usual. A few people come and leave the diner after having their meals or shakes. Mrs. Harrison works with me and tries to distract me from the negative thoughts in my head. When my shift ends, she turns to me and engulfs me in her arms. I have spent the whole day thinking about my past once again. She knows it, and that’s what she does whenever I am sad. I chuckle, hugging her back. If I had a kid, she would have been like you.” She murmurs in my ear. My heart fills up with a sense of calmness like never before. I blink so the tears don’t well in my eyes. – Don’t be sad. It will affect Ayla. You need to be happy for her. Do you understand?” She tells me before separating body from mine. her Inod and look down at the printed design floor. She pats my cheek before she faces the man on the other side of the counter.
I remove the apron and make my way out of the diner. It’s time I get home to my Ayla. It’s a twenty-minute walk from the diner to the cottage Alpha Marcus gave me. It’s close to the pack border and out of sight for most of the pack members. He gave it to me because he thought that if I was away from the pack compound and close to the border, I could easily make a run if the need arises. I am grateful to him for everything he has done for me. I can’t repay him in this life. When I cover the distance to my house, I find the cottage in the woods staring back at me. It’s not too big, just a small place with one room, one sitting area, a kitchen, and a bathroom. – Chapter 5 The outside lights are on and so are the lights in. I look up at the sky which has darkened before shaking my head and climbing the three front stairs. The sound of laughter drifts to my ears from inside. It’s a male sound that makes me smile. I open the door to find my daughter shooting water at the man running around. He dodges the attack of water and it lands on the wall Ayla, baby, “I grin. Mommy!” She snickers, dropping her gun right away. She sprints to me the next moment and wraps her tiny arms around my legs. I bend down and pick her up in my arms. Her small hands go behind my nape as she boops her nose with mine. – Why sho late?” Her pink lips pucker out. I brush her black hair away from her forehead and look into her silver eyes. Sometimes, I find them so familiar and it scares me. Mommy.” She whines. I smile and kiss both her cheeks. – Where is Amara?” I ask her.
She lefsht. Sho. Theo tame.” She tells me with the same pout on her lips. “There was some event in her school so she had to leave early. She called me to inform me about it. So, I came to look after Ayla until you came back. “Theodore’s deep voice tells me as he approaches us She should have told me. “I glance at the man in front of me. He is the definition of masculinity. His broad shoulders and built body is hard to ignore. My eyes rise to his face which has a chiseled jaw, soft thick lips, and a pair of bright blue eyes. He is Alpha Marcus’ son and the man who forced me to become his friend just when I arrived in this pack. “She knows you were busy in the diner. “He smiles at me, and the shine in his eyes intensifies meaningfully. I swallow my saliva and look back at Ayla who is glancing between me and Theo. She likes to think of him as her chosen Daddy and wants me to accept it as well. You are busy too. You can’t continue to drop your work and come here, Theo. “I sigh. * 1 missed Ayla. I had to come to see her anyway.” He makes an excuse instantly. “You mished me? That’s not what you shaid before. You shaid you mished Mommy. “Ayla chimes. Theo’s eyes widen. His cheeks flush and so do the tips of his ears. Laughter bubbles in my throat. He always gets caught. “Little Ayla, you always give me away.” He places his hand on the back of her head, ruffling her hair. “Did you have dinner? “I get over the playful atmosphere and ask Ayla. *Theo. Burgers.” She informs me in two little words.” Now I want to shweep.” Okay, baby. “I kiss her plump cheeks again before leading ber to the bedroom 1 stop in the doorway and glance over my shoulder at Theo who is standing there in his wet brown T-shirt and black jeans. Chapter 3 “Uhm. You can take off your shirt and leave it to dry, Theo. “I tell him as my checks burn. He licks his lower lips before nodding softly. I enter the bedroom and close the door behind me. He ish Daddy. “Ayla hums, pressing her face into my neck. I pat her body to see if she is wet but sigh in relief when I find she is not. She only likes to drench
other people. Placing her down on the bed, I lay down beside her. She rolls over me and refuses to get down after that. He is not Daddy, baby. “1 press a soft kiss to the top of her head. Who ish Daddy?” She yawns. 제 77% She asks me the same question every night and I don’t know how to answer that. How do you tell your kid you don’t know who their Daddy is and why she doesn’t have a big family like the rest of the kids she knows! My eyes burn as I softly pat her back. This always puts her to sleep quickly. She is an intelligent kid. She never wanted to hear stories or lullabies. She said it makes her feel awake more than helping her sleep. She wants to just lay down on top of me and have me pat her back to put her to sleep. That’s a strange demand from a kid but it still makes my heart swell every time. Sometimes, I wonder if it’s something her Daddy likes to do. Maybe, she inherited his habit. This always leads to thinking about a man I don’t know anything about What kind of a man is he Would I have felt less lonely if he was around? Would he have loved Ayla and made her happy! “I mish Daddy.”Ayla mumbles. A tear slides down my eye as my hand pauses in the air. How do you miss someone you don’t even know! – He will come for us, baby. “I whisper. I can only give her false hope. I feel horrible for this but I don’t want her to become hopeless and sad at such a young age. She doesn’t reply. Her soft snores fill the small room shortly after. I keep her on top of me until I am sure she is in deep sleep. Then, I slowly put her down on the bed and plant a gentle kiss on her forehead. My heart fills with the same unexplainable emotions when I look at my innocent daughter—the light of my eyes and the pride of my heart.
After admiring her for some time, I decide to walk out and face Theo, He must be waiting. I should see him to the door. When I come out of the bedroom and close the door behind me, I find the sitting area empty. Noises come from the kitchen on the right. I walk to the door, and peek inside. As expected, he is there, standing in front of the oven and heating some pasta I left in the fridge this morning. He is shirtless and his smooth body is on display. My cheeks heat up again. I cough and take my eyes off him. “I am sure you didn’t have dinner. You never take care of yourself.” He sighs. “When are you going to stop treating me like a child? “I grin, focusing on his face instead of his strong body.