Royal Lycan Court

Gideon Book 1
Nicole Riddley
 Copyright © 2022 by Nicole Riddley

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means,
including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the publisher, except for the use of brief quotations in
a book review.

All characters appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

This book is published by Galatea by Inkitt — Join now to read and discover more bestsellers!
 Visit GALATEA
and get more free and exclusive content from
Nicole Riddley
 GIDEON

200-year-old Gideon, adviser to the lycan royal family, has been searching for his erasthai for longer
than most humans live. He long ago gave up, but tonight he smells something heavenly…He follows it
to his bed, and finds someone is already there…

22-year-old Layla, a human in a family of werewolves, has been trying to be independent her whole
life. But after taking a shift from a sick coworker, she ends up in a house that smells good enough to
make her crawl into the owner’s bed...naked...
 Contents

1. Different Worlds
2. Double Date
3. His Perfect Smell
4. Donut Cream Pie
5. Deep Trouble
6. Up in Flames
7. Superhero Panties
8. Not A Date Date
9. Choices, Choices
10. Royal Family
11. My Family
12. Lover
13. My Job
14. Golden Eyes
15. Locked In
16. Caveman
17. Marking a Sexy Troll
18. The Awakening
19. Lady Archer
20. A Surprise
21. The Serpent
22. The Broken One
23. Retribution
24. Nowhere Important
25. Jailbreak
26. Jitters
27. A Royal Objection
28. Groveling
29. My Future
30. Closing A Chapter

Thank you!
Chapter 1
Different Worlds
POV: GIDEON ARCHER
“L ord Alistair
Archer!“ I turned at the sound of my name.
Pembroke faced me, looking flushed and probably a little drunk.
“Fancy meeting you here,” he said, like he was trying to be cute. Or maybe just a prick.
Alistair was a social climber and a billionaire. He wanted desperately to be my friend to get
closer to the royal family. He’d shit his pants if he knew the crown prince was here in California.
He takes my hand and pounds me on the back while we shake, like we’re old pals. I can’t stand
guys like him.
“Ms Helen Aristophanes,” he says to my date, “the pleasure is mine.”
The Fucked-up part is I know he’s had sex with her. More than once. While she was mine.
“Mr Pembroke.” Helen gives him one of her sultry and seductive smiles, offering him her hand.
He scans her body and lifts her hand to his lips.
“So what brings the legendary Lord Archer here tonight?” he asks, holding her hand for way too
long. “I never expected to see you among humans.” He finally lets her go.
I dig my hands into my pockets and glance around at the party. Let him wait for my response. The
gala is in full swing; champagne, live music, men in thousand-dollar suits and women in designer
dresses. The place is crawling with humans.
I’ve counted two other lycans here tonight. Pembroke probably brought them himself, part of his
security detail. Possibly friends of his.
“I’m here the same reason we all are,” I say, “to support the charity.”
“Of course,” he says, sounding a little disappointed.
“There you are!” A woman sidles up next to Pembroke. “Alistair, honey, aren’t you going to
introduce us?” She plants her eyes squarely on mine.
“Lord Archer, let me introduce you to my beautiful date, Ms Juana Vega. Juana, this is Lord
Archer and his stunning date, Ms Helen Aristophanes.”
“His stunning partner,” Helen corrects him. She curls her fingers around my arm.
“Oh my, ~you’re~ Lord Archer,” Juana breaths. Her eyes brighten. She looks to Alistair. “You
never told me you knew Lord Archer.”
“A pleasure to meet you, Ms Vega.” I shake her hand.
She looks starstruck. She gushes, “The pleasure is ~all~ mine!”
Helen’s hand tightens around my biceps. I have to resist the urge to shake her off. Helen and I
need to have a talk soon.
“You must come sit with us.” Pembroke gestures to the VIP section at the front.
“I’m afraid we won’t be staying,” I tell him.
“Oh, do stay, please. The dance floor will be cleared soon for dancing.”
Pembroke must have a hard-on right now, he thinks he’s so close to getting an introduction to the
royal family.
“I wish I could, but I have work to do.” I say. I’m such a cock-tease.
“Darling, you’re always working,” Helen says. “The party looks like fun.” She’s making that
pouty face I’ve grown to despise. Pembroke probably finds it a turn on.
“You know very well we have a reservation,” I tell her. Conversation over, I excuse us.
In the restaurant, while we wait for our food, Helen pouts. I made her my companion nearly five years
ago, no promises about the future. She was entertaining back then. But even then I made it very clear
that, if I ever found my erasthai, our relationship would be over. No bad feelings.
It’s not like we’ve even been all that close these last five years. She’s often away for months.
Once, for nearly a year! She says she likes to spend time in Mykonos where her parents live. I doubt
that but I don’t ask her where she goes and she doesn’t ask me where I go. That part of the
relationship has always worked well.
She’s so irritating now. I can’t remember when exactly she stopped being entertaining but it was a
long time ago.
But the last straw came recently, when she started getting flirty with the crown prince. I take my
job very seriously. Messing with my job is the one thing I won’t tolerate. The crown prince is happily
paired and that’s not going to end on my account.
I may have given up hope of ever finding my erashtai, but I do need to find someone I can trust.
Someone I genuinely like. For a lycan, an erasthai is more than your other half. She is the one your
instinct calls for. She is your match, mentally, emotionally, physically. Even if it’s not love at first
sight, you feel the pull deep inside and you know she is the one you will develop a love for, so deep,
it’s a life bond. Your obsession. Your life. Your everything.
“I heard there will be a mating ceremony at Banehallow,” Helen interrupts my thoughts. “And the
crown prince is flying his pack back to Russia. I’m sure we’re invited. It’s going to be a ball to die
for.”
“I don’t think we’ll be going,” I say.
She pouts again. “You’re such a workaholic.”
I sip my wine and try to pick up my thoughts from where I left them but she interrupts me again.
“It’s just as well. I also heard he’s going to reject her. Qunicy’s not pretty enough to be a queen.
Don’t you think?”
The thought is laughable. Helen knows Quincy St. Martin is stunning. In fact, she was the only
woman I found intriguing enough to consider as a mate. Too bad she’s the crown prince’s erasthai. My
future queen.
“I’m bored,” Helen whinges. “We’re in LA; I want to go out.”
“Very well,” I say. “When we’re done, take the car. I’ll get a ride to the house.” I have no doubt
she’ll go to Alistair. I’m relieved to be rid of her. I could use some time alone. I consider telling her
to not bother coming back. But that would create a scene. Helen is not someone who will take getting
dumped well. I have to find a way to do it without her going crazy.
Maybe I can sweeten her up with an expensive gift first. She loves expensive gifts.

Home is a 5,000 square foot penthouse with fifteen-foot ceilings and a perfect view of the Pacific. I
never stay in one place for long, so this is just a temporary residence.
I’m basically a message delivery boy. The king’s most trusted message delivery boy. I travel all
over the world. Sometimes I’m a negotiator, sometimes I’m just a given command.
I take off my jacket and pour myself a lowball. I get out my laptop and my phone buzzes in my
pocket.
It’s my friend, Louis.
“Gideon!” he says. “Where are you man?”
“I’m out in LA,” I tell him. He sounds drunk. “Where are you?”
“Ibiza, but I’m done working.”
I check my pocket watch. It’s almost midnight. Nine in the morning in Ibiza.
“The party never ends, does it?”
He chuckles. “Some of us like to do a little living. You should try it.”
“I enjoy my work.”
“Yeah, so you keep saying. LA sounds like fun. I’ll come visit you.”
“Don’t bother. I’ll be leaving for Lisbon in a couple days. You want to meet there?”
“Sounds great. Let me know when you land. It’s a short flight for me,” he says before he hangs up.
POV: LAYLA
“Is that what you’re wearing for dinner?” asks Mom, inspecting my ripped jeans and a big green
sweater.
The sweater has the face of a smiling cow with big googly eyes and the word ‘Got Milk?’ on it.
There are some evil looking ducks and chickens too.
“What? It’s adorable!” I say defensively.
Okay, it’s ugly…but she doesn’t need to know what I really think of it.
Her eyes bulge. “No. I want you to get changed now, Layla.”
“Ugh, Mom!” I stomp to my closet. I’m twenty-two, but my mom still treats me like a little kid. It’s
sad, really.
“Nope! Not another ugly sweater,” she says when my hand lands on a grey hoodie that used to be
my brother’s.
“Here, wear this,” she instructs, taking matters into her own hands. She hands me a light pink
dress that I have worn only once before.
Reluctantly I take it and she leaves my room. Gah! I can’t win.
I moved out of the house to live among humans a year ago. It’s about half an hour away from the
pack territory, but almost every weekend my parents would guilt-trip me into coming back to have
family dinner with them.
Maybe I should have moved further away.
I do love my family, but their meddling in my life is getting out of hand.
Right after I’m done changing, she barges back into my bedroom.
~God, what I put up with...~
“Now, sit down, Layla.” She pulls out a chair facing the vanity for me. I try not to roll my eyes as
I take my seat.
“You’re a beautiful girl, sweetie. Why do you have to hide it?”
We both stare at our reflections in the mirror. I don’t look much like my mom. My mom is a human
and my dad is a werewolf.
“You’re lucky to have the beautiful were-gene,” she says.
I want to tell her that I don’t have a werewolf gene. I’m a human…just like her. The only
difference is she has a mate who loves her. I don’t.
Her light hazel eyes, the only feature that I inherited from her, stare back at me, but I don’t say a
word.
She scrunches my wild brown, curly hair and shakes her head. Then she works on piling it up into
a loose bun on top of my head. She only lets me go after she’s satisfied with my appearance.

“Grandma, your seat is right there.” I try to ‘gently’ push my grandma to sit at her usual chair.
Now she’s sitting in my chair, which means I have to sit in the only available chair next to the guy
they’re setting me up with, Kofi—the reason I’d been working extra hard to look ugly.
 She refuses to budge. “Ouch, my hip. I don’t think I can get up now. I swear, I might need a new
hip soon. Now, what was that, Layla dear?”
I’m trying not to murder my eighty-seven-year-old grandma—my mom’s mom. She’s been living
with us since my grandpa died ten years ago.
She’s also a crafty old lady who is as fit as a fiddle but shamelessly pretends to suffer every
ailment known to man to get her way.
Sitting at the dinner table tonight is my dad, my mom, my grandma, my younger sister, Maya and
her newly found mate Abraham, my older brother Kaleb, his mate Carmen, and Kofi.
I sigh and admit defeat.
I walk to the other side of the table and sit next to Kofi. Kofi is my older brother’s friend who lost
his mate ten years ago.
He’s almost a permanent fixture in this house every weekend because everyone thinks he’s perfect
for me.
“You look beautiful tonight, Layla,” says Carmen. “Don’t you think she looks beautiful, Kofi?”
“She always looks beautiful,” replies Kofi with a big smile.
I suppress a groan. Oh God help me.
Chapter 2
Double Date
POV: LAYLA

T here’s nothing really wrong with Kofi. I guess he could be very sweet, but I’m just not feeling
it.
I was born without a wolf, unlike my two siblings. Not having a wolf means there is a big
chance that I don’t have a mate like they do.
Ever since my younger sister Maya found her mate seven months ago, they’ve doubled their effort
to set me up with some guys, especially Kofi. The torture is real.
“Oh, how sweet,” coos Grandma. I send her a glare, but she continues, “You two would make
beautiful babies together.”
~Shoot me! Just shoot me now!~
“Didn’t I tell you that I want at least ten grandkids?”
I know they all pity me, but I think Grandma is joining in the fun just to torture me.
Even my grandma has a boyfriend. Yep, that’s right, my grandma’s getting more action than I do. I,
a twenty-two-year-old woman, am getting less action than her eighty-seven-year-old grandmother.
~How sad is that?~
My sister is holding hands with Abraham, talking softly and giggling. This reminds me of why I
chose to move out.
Pretty soon, my mom and my dad will be whispering to each other, Kaleb and Carmen will be
acting all cute.
It’s PDA central.
The only thing that could make this better is grandma bringing around her boyfriend for dinner
next time and starting to act the same way.
~Arrghhh!!!~
The image of that sears my brain.
“Layla,” says Kofi, taking my hand in his. “You really do look pretty. I appreciate the effort you
made to look extra pretty for me tonight.”
~Oh, no…~

I feel cool fingers sliding over the back of my hand and swat them away. Kofi’s hand retreats, for
now, but Carmen peeks around my brother to give me the look.
That look.
It’s the look that would land me in trouble later if she reported me to my mom.
We’re in a darkened theater now, and I’m trying to concentrate on what’s happening on the screen.
~Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald~ is playing.
When I promised my mom that I would give Kofi a chance, that didn’t include groping or romantic
hand-holding.
We’re having a double date with my brother Kaleb and his mate Carmen, of all people.
Carmen’s been in my family for over ten years now, so she is more or less like my own sister.
 An annoying one most of the time.
She means well, but she’s as meddlesome as everybody else in my family.
Kofi places his arm around my shoulder and I smack it away again.
Carmen shoots me another warning glance and I huff. I don’t want to be here anyway, but since I
caved, once again, the least they could do is let me enjoy the movie.
~But noooo… Mr. Grabby-hands decided that he wants to be touchy-feely.~
I still regret what happened this morning when I told my family that right after lunch I would be
leaving to go back to the city.
I should have run right after breakfast…or snuck out before breakfast.
I saw Mom slide a glance at Carmen before Carmen casually ‘suggested’ that I should go with
Kofi on a double date with her and Kaleb.
I should have known that they would join forces to get me to agree. I blame it all on my tummy.
I had stood my ground and refused to partake in their crazy match-making plan in the beginning,
but then they brought out the big guns: my dad.
My dad raved about how lucky I was that a gamma like Kofi was interested in me when so many
other un-mated werewolf women were interested in him…according to Kofi himself.
My dad tried to make me feel guilty for moving out to live so far away from the pack (only half an
hour away).
He recounted how his friends’ kids my age are all mated with babies, and how the babies of their
babies are having babies soon
~Eeekkk!! Not true!~
He went on and on about how his heart and lungs and kidneys or whatever organ he could think of
were going to collapse due to the stress I put him under for not being mated and taken care of.
~Drama queen much?~
Finally, I agreed to the date. What can I say? He’s a bit extra…and I’m a pushover.
I heard Grandma snickering in the background when I gave in. I swear, that octogenarian lives for
my pain.
I slump in my seat as the movie comes to an end. After countless hand slapping and endless glares
from Carmen, I give in. I let Kofi hold my limp hand. He seems happy.
I give up. I don’t even know if the movie was any good.
Everybody looks happy by the time we all walk out of the movie theater. Well, everybody except
me.
Kofi places a hand on the small of my back, smiling triumphantly at my brother and Carmen.
I roll my eyes. Whatever.
I let him hold my hand when we reach the concession stand. It’s not like I’m going to be mated to
him tomorrow.
~Right?~
“Hey, Carmen!” somebody yells from the crowd of people lining up to buy the tickets and snacks.
“Oh, my gosh! You guys. What are you doing here?” Carmen yells back excitedly, running to hug
her friends. I resist the temptation to roll my eyes…again. They’re here to watch a movie, obviously.
Duh! I bet the last time they saw each other was this morning.
This movie theater is in a small town, a neutral zone, just outside the pack’s territory. There are
many humans and younger werewolves, both from our pack and the neighboring pack, who come here
to hang out for dinner, movies, or clubbing.
“Hi, Kofi!” says one of the women there.
 “Hey, Kofi!” says another.
~Wow, he really is popular with the ladies.~
He’s looking at them with a big smile on his face, but when he notices me watching, his smile
turns sheepish with a hint of guilt. He awkwardly scratches the back of his close-shaven head.
Well, he is very attractive with his smooth, dark brown skin, tall build, charming personality, thin
mustache and goatee, and that big smile. As I said, there’s nothing wrong with him.
He just doesn’t do it for me.
No spark at all on my part. Maybe I’m the one who’s broken.
“Kofi’s on a date with Layla tonight,” says Carmen proudly as if I’ve achieved something. The
smile on one lady’s face dims considerably.
“I need to go home now,” I remind them. “I have a class tomorrow.” I do have a class tomorrow
but not until noon.
They don’t need to know that, though.
“Yeah, err…I’d better take Layla home,” Kofi says. “See you later, Kaleb, girls.”
“You drive my sister home safely, Kofi.” Kaleb flashes him a warning look.
“Yeah, for sure, man,” Kofi replies while I give Carmen and Kaleb a goodbye hug.
“I really had a great time tonight, Layla,” says Kofi after he stops the car in front of my house.
~Oh, I’m sure he did.~
He had been talking non-stop in the car, mostly about himself. I didn’t really mind it, actually. It
gave me time to think of all the things I have to do tomorrow and plan the day after that.
All I had to do was just say the proper response while he was talking, like: “uh-huh,” “oh, really,”
“wow,” “ok,” “interesting.”
“You are such a great listener, Layla.” His teeth glow white in the dark. I wonder what teeth
whitener he uses.
“Uh-huh.”
“The other girls sure don’t measure up to you,” he says
“Oh, really?” I reply, still only half listening.
“I like someone who’s not easy. Someone classy but shy, and plays hard to get, ya know?” He’s
looking at me meaningfully. “I know, beneath all that ice queen act, you do like me.”
~Wait. What?~
“You can just quit the act now. You’ve got my attention, girl. I know you’re attracted to me as
much as I’m attracted to you. You’re the one for me.”
~Say what? Oh God, that sounds like a super bad, cheesy song.~
I want to tell him off, but then again, I can’t, for fear of my mom’s wrath. So I end up staring at
him worriedly while chewing on my bottom lip, thinking of what to say.
I have to handle this delicately. If I do it wrong, I’ll be getting phone calls from my mom all night
tonight. She’s relentless.
Delicately, right.
“Uh, Kofi… I’m not shy, and I’m not playing hard to get,” I tell him. “I do like you.”
His smile widens.
“What I mean to say is, I don’t dislike you. But I don’t like you like…like, like you, you know. I
—”
Suddenly, he swoops in.
~Eeekkk!~
I turn my face just in time so that his lips smash on my cheek. His hand comes up to grip my chin
and turn my face his way, but I smack his forehead, his chest, and everywhere else that my hands can
reach.
“Ow—Layla. Ow! Ow!” he yelps.
“Behave yourself, Kofi!” I scold him. I wipe my cheek and scramble out of the car very quickly,
like my ass was on fire.
“Oh, come on, Layla. Don’t be like that,” he says.
“Don’t you ‘come on, Layla’ me!” I yell at the window before I stomp into the tiny driveway.
“Sheesh! What has the world come to?”
I continue to grumble as I push the key forcefully into the lock.
Now I’m pissed. So pissed!
Chapter 3
His Perfect Smell
POV: LAYLA

T hat’s it, I’ll be getting the dreaded phone calls from my mom tonight.
I open the door to a dark, quiet house. There’s light under Lana’s door. I don’t talk much to
Lana but at least someone’s home.
It used to be five of us living here: Lana, Isaac, Jonah—who is also the owner of the house—his
cousin Quincy, and me.
I turn on the light in my bedroom and drop my overnight bag on my bed. My anger turns to sadness
as I stare at the empty bed on the other side of the room. That used to be Quincy’s. My roommate
moved out after she’d gotten mated.
Everything on that side of the room is now bare. Even a small old, broken mirror and a silver-
framed picture of her beloved Nana is gone from the wall.
I wish she were here. She used to make me forget about my own problems by entertaining me with
her boy problem. Singular. Just the one boy—to whom she is now mated.
She landed herself a handsome lycan.
~Lucky bitch!~
I’m very happy for her and think she deserves all the happiness, but I do miss her. I even miss her
swear jar and her grubby teddy bear, Oliver.
I should have opened up more to her when she was here.
To be honest, I actually freaked out a bit when she moved out last week.
I might have to pay the full rent again now that I’m not sharing the room. I don’t think I can afford
it. I still need to pay my tuition this month.
I don’t want to ask my father for the money. I might have to get a better-paying job or something
soon.
I take out my camera and my laptop and place them on my little study table. I bring my camera
everywhere I go, but I haven’t had much time to take pictures these last few days.
I’m taking a two-year photography course at a small college, a short bus ride away from where
I’m living at now. I’ve been told that I’m pretty good at it.
My father grudgingly helped at the beginning, but now I’m trying to survive on my own. I would
never admit to my family about how much I’m struggling to pay the bills.
Strangely enough, it was my grandma who gave me the money to buy my first equipment for the
course, including the camera.
Of course, it came with a warning that if I told anybody about it, she just might have to kill me. I
understand. She has to maintain her street cred after all. I haven’t told anyone, obviously.
That’s why I’m still alive.
My mom and dad have been trying to persuade me to come home and forget everything. In our
pack, very few girls attend colleges. They’re usually mated and too busy popping out babies as soon
as they find their mates.
I think that’s what my family wants.
Even though I want a mate of my own, I dream of being independent too. I dream of opening up my
own studio or traveling the world, taking photos.
I want to be free, but I want that all-consuming love.
 It’s such a contradiction, I know. But I think there are more things to see, experience, and explore
outside our pack’s territory.
Maybe it’s just a pipe dream. The scary part is, I can see myself giving in to my family in the end.

“Marnie’s sick, so I’m hoping you’d be able to do a couple extra houses for her, Layla,” Beth says.
Beth is a werewolf, and the owner of the Elly Maid’s Cleaning Service. “I’m giving the rest to Jess
and Sarah.” She hands me a few pieces of paper.
I open my mouth to say something…
~Something along the lines of “NO!”~
But she talks over me.
“Listen, Layla, if you want to go further in this company, you’re going to have to sacrifice a little
bit of your social time.”
I want to say, “What social time?” or “What future in this company?”
I wasn’t planning on working for this company for long.
I know Marnie’s her favorite and she gets to pick and choose which places she gets to work at,
but I do have a lot on my plate already.
I go to school and I clean offices and houses to pay the bills. Between school and work on
weekdays, and my family drama on weekends, I don’t have ‘social time’.
I’m not planning on cleaning the houses of others for the rest of my life either. Not that there’s
anything wrong with the job. It’s an honest job, and there is no shame in hard work, but it’s not my
dream.
I clean offices some nights from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. Sometimes I clean houses too.
“Both places are required to be cleaned twice a week,” Beth continues, pointing at the papers.
The two extra places that I have to clean are an apartment and a penthouse.
I guess I can sacrifice some luxury…like sleep.
“Oh, and the owner of the penthouse prefers you to be in and out of their home on the dot. The
schedule is all there.”
In other words, they want their home to be magically cleaned but prefer not to see the cleaners.
Well, that’s just fine with me—in fact, that’s what I prefer too.
It feels awkward for me to be working when the owners are around…watching.

“I heard Marnie’s caught the kissing disease,” whispers Jess gleefully when I see the two other
workers later on.
“Oh, mono? She won’t be back for weeks!” replies Sarah. “I wonder who she’s been kissing.”
“Who hasn’t she kissed?” says Jess.
Both women giggle and I walk out of the small office without saying a word. I understand that
Marnie’s a bitch and nobody likes her, but I don’t like gossiping.
For the first time since I started cleaning, I feel like stealing something.
This pillow. I run my fingers and rub my cheek over the smooth silky pillowcase. I’m tempted to
take this one. Just this one so I could put it on my bed and sleep on it…every night.
Maybe daytime too. I’ll just stay in bed forever.
The whole penthouse has this amazing smell, but it’s faint. The moment I enter the master bedroom
though, my heart jerks in my chest and my breath speeds up.
It’s that good. I’m a hopeless case.
The smell is the strongest here, especially on this bed.
It’s like a drug.
I feel high as a kite the moment I lay down on the cool sheet and bury my nose in the pillow. I rub
my cheek against it again and imagine the man who put his head on this pillow last night.
No one who smells this good could look ugly. No way.
I know the room belongs to a man because I saw his shirts, suits, shoes, belts, and neckties in the
closet earlier. By the size of his suit, he’s not a small guy.
Everything is organized so perfectly.
A pair of his shoes probably cost more than what I make in a year.
The penthouse itself is impressive. It’s a wide open space with a soaring ceiling. The two walls
are floor to ceiling glass windows overlooking the ocean, the sky, and some of the buildings.
The floor is made of smooth dark hardwood.
The sunken living room has two curved white sofas with furry grey pillows and a thick luxurious
carpet. There’s a bar with a gleaming white marble countertop near the wall at the back.
There is a wide, curved staircase leading upstairs…to this bedroom.
There’s extravagance, yet simple elegance everywhere I look. Everything takes my breath away,
but the smell.
The smell…
My ringtone blares out of my phone and I jump out of the bed. It’s my mom calling…again.
That reminds me that I have less than thirty minutes left to clean this place.
~What the hell, Layla! Argghh…my boss would surely fire my ass if she knew what I’ve been
doing and thinking. I have no time to daydream over a smell.~
~What is wrong with me?~
I let the call go unanswered as I sing along to the song while I work stripping the bedsheet off the
bed to be sent out to the dry cleaners.
The song stops. Mom’s probably going to call me again soon. Oh God! My mom is going to kill
me.
I work on making the bed with a fresh bedsheet next.
~There, done!~
Impulsively, I lie back down on the perfectly made bed and rest my head on his pillow. I can’t
help it. The smell is still there, though not as strong, and his bed is so comfortable. The sheet is so
soft.
I imagine tonight that he’ll be lying right here.
~Creeper Layla. What has got into me?~
I jump up quickly and smooth the bed down again.
There’s an envelope addressed to the cleaner on the counter. I stare at the handwriting—a sure,
confident scrawl on the envelope.
There’s a very generous tip tucked inside.
 No wonder Marnie chooses to clean apartments and penthouses instead of offices like most of us.
I wish there was a picture of him. There are no pictures or personal items except for his clothes in
the closet. It’s weird.
The room at the end with a balcony definitely belongs to a female. I can smell her perfume and
see all her personal items.
Wait! What if they’re married? I don’t do married men or engaged men or men with girlfriends…
even just to daydream about.
That just feels wrong.
~Gah!~
I need to go out on dates more often….just not with Kofi.
Chapter 4
Donut Cream Pie
POV: GIDEON ARCHER
“G ideon, where are you? I’m about done. I need the car here now,” says Helen as soon as I
answer the phone. I can hear the soft music playing in the background.
“I’m almost home. I’ll send the car over as soon as Bradshaw drops me off,” I inform her.
“No, you know how I hate waiting. I’m at Jean-Georges. Come get me now!” she demands.
Helen’s been out shopping all morning and now she’s having lunch with a friend at Jean-Georges.
The car has been at her disposal and idly waiting for her all morning. I just had it pick me up thirty-
five minutes ago to take me back to the penthouse.
I’m less than five minutes away from our building. Waldorf Astoria, where she’s having lunch at,
is almost forty minutes away on a good day. An hour’s drive if the traffic is bad…and the traffic is
bad. It’s rush hour.
“Then take a cab or an Uber…”
“Cab? Uber?” she scoffs. “Are you serious right now? I never…”
I don’t feel like dealing with one of Helen’s hysterical fits right now. I just spent the last seven
hours in a meeting with nine headstrong alphas from around Orange County. I have to meet up with
them again tomorrow.
My team and I have been working hard as mediators for them to settle their differences as
amicably as possible.
Their packs might not be too big but alphas are known to be stubborn, short-tempered, and, a lot
of the time, unreasonable.
I pinch the bridge of my nose and lower the phone facedown on my knee. She’s still talking on the
other end of the line. I press ‘end call’.
“Bradshaw, pick Ms. Aristophanes up after you drop me off at the traffic light here,” I instruct my
driver.
I’m a few blocks away from my building but I can walk. Besides, the traffic is in gridlock, it’s
faster for me to walk.
Bradshaw slowly eases the car into the right lane and I get out of the car as soon as he stops at the
traffic light.
The phone rings in my hand. Helen is calling again. She must be fuming that I ended the call while
she’s still talking. I turn off the phone and stroll among the humans on the sidewalk.
I’m taller than most and draw attention. Always drawing attention.
I’m aware of the flirtatious smiles and the come hither looks thrown my way mostly by women.
They have no idea what they’re looking at.
The brief walk already makes me feel better. It’s been a while. I need to go for a run, just not in
this concrete jungle. The beast in me craves nature.

My lycan emerges the moment I open the door to the penthouse.

Fierce.
 Uncontrollable.
Ravenous.
I hungrily draw in a sharp, deep breath, pulling the scent into my nose and lungs like an addict
snorting in crack cocaine.
Inhaling.
Inhaling.
That scent.
My heart rate doubles. Fire runs up my spine. My vision changes, indicating my eyes are turning
black. My teeth and canines lengthen, sharpen.
The fancy burnished gold doorknob twists and bends in my grip. My eyes wildly search the
perimeter even though I know there’s nobody here.
I fight for control over my lycan, willing the animal side of me to back down, then I go prowling,
hunting for the source of the smell.
It brings me to my bedroom. The smell is the strongest on my bed—on my bedsheet, on my pillow.
I bring the pillow to my nose. Whatever it is, it smells unbelievable. It smells like nothing I’ve
ever smelled before.
It’s driving me wild.
I grip the pillow tighter as my lycan fights to come out again. It’s like a reaction to a kick in the
gut. I have no control over it.
My lycan has never reacted so strongly without provocation before. Even when it’s faint, my
lycan takes notice and reacts very strongly to it.
I can’t get enough of it.
I bury my nose in the pillow again.
The scent is definitely addictive. The more I smell it, the more I crave it. It makes me yearn for
the source of the smell even more. I need to find out what the smell is. It’s driving my lycan crazy.
It’s driving me crazy.
I’m not going to be able to rest until I find out what it is.
I place the pillow back on the bed and fight the urge to lie down on it. Soon, I return downstairs,
take off my jacket and sit on the sofa, trying to make sense of it.
~So, how did the smell get in here?~
I remember the cleaning lady. She must have been in here this morning. The envelope containing
the tips I had left on the counter is gone.
I’ve only been here just over a week, but I know her routine already. She did a passable job, but I
leave tips every time.
It’s different today; for whatever reason, she’s more thorough. The floor has more shine to it. The
counter and the tables are thoroughly wiped.
I know she usually neglected the counter because even though it probably seems spotless to
humans, I can spot a thin layer of dust when it’s not wiped.
The smell of the citrusy cleaning product mingles with that scent that drives my lycan wild and
makes my mouth water.
I don’t know what the smell is, but it’s definitely feminine.
Probably some new air freshener. Maybe I’m allergic to it. Maybe I need to find out what it is so
that I can buy it by the truckload.
I mentally shake my head.
A lycan named William Smythe who manages the upkeep of the property answers my call on the
second ring. I ask him to contact the cleaning company that he hired to clean the place.
Helen comes strolling in a couple of hours later, while I’m nursing my drink. I’m still trying to
figure out why the scent is affecting me so much. I’m contemplating my next step in trying to find the
source.
I will certainly meet with the cleaner first thing tomorrow.
I was expecting Helen to still be furious after I hung up on her and refused to take her calls
afterward, but she’s looking happy. Bradshaw walks in after her, carrying the load of her purchases.
“Just leave those bags there,” she tells Bradshaw airily while taking a seat next to me.
“Thanks, Bradshaw. We won’t be needing you again tonight,” I inform Bradshaw.
“Have a good night, sir,” he says before he pulls the door closed.
“Darling,” Helen purrs, leaning her body against mine. “Want me to give you a peep show of my
shopping spree today?”
She drops a glossy lingerie bag on my lap before she runs a manicured finger over my chest.
“I’m not in the mood right now, Helen.” I catch her wrists and draw her hands away when she
tries to unbutton my shirt.
Her eyes narrow and her lips purse. She harrumphs and flounces onto the sofa.
She plucks the bag from my lap, getting up and says, “I’ll be in my room when you’re in the
mood.”
I know she’s fuming from my rejection, and I’m sure she still hasn’t forgotten the way I ignored
her calls earlier, but for some reason, Helen is trying to play nice tonight.
“Something is wrong with the doorknob,” she announces as she tromps up the stairs, her high
heels clicking on the wooden steps.
POV: LAYLA
I’ve been yawning non-stop since the class started.
Keeping my eyes open as Mr. Duong talks about portfolio building and the outline of our next
project is a real struggle.
It’s not that I’m bored or the subject matter doesn’t interest me, but I just can’t help myself.
Mr. Duong is one of my favorite instructors, but today even his sense of humor isn’t helping. So
many times I keep nodding off, falling face down on my laptop in front of me.
Finally, I fold my arm on the table and rest my cheek on it. Just for one minute.
I cleaned offices with Sarah till 3 a.m. It was almost 5 a.m. by the time I crawled into bed.
I had to get up again three hours later to do another one of Marnie’s jobs.
Then I came here to this class.
Oh well, sleep is so overrated. So’s food.
I didn’t even get the chance to get a donut or a coffee this morning, so my stomach’s rumbling.
Good thing the apartment that I cleaned isn’t too far from campus.
~Yeah…good thing…if I could just rest my eyelids…just one minute…mmm…~
~Donut.~
~Cream pie.~
~Coconut cream pie…yumm…that penthouse smells yummy…~
~Better than a dozen donuts…~
~Hey, I want that donut!~
~Cream pie…mmm…donut…~
“Ms. Emanuel!” A faint voice far, far away.
~Yes, cream pie…~
“Ms. Emanuel!”
~Whoa! That’s loud! Did anyone offer a donut? I raise my hand up in the air.~
“Yeah! Donut cream pie!” I yell loudly as I jump to my feet. There’s a lot of banging sounds
around me, silence, then laughing voices.
A lot of laughing voices.
I look around to see my classmates howling with laughter. Some start to double over from
laughing so hard.
My books, notepad, and pen are scattered on the floor. Thank God my laptop is still intact on the
table.
Mr. Duong is standing just five feet away from where I am. His mouth is closed tight and his face
is bright red. I’m not sure whether that look means he wants to kill me or kick me out of the
classroom.
Maybe he’s deciding.
I get my answer a few seconds later when he bursts out laughing, prompting my classmates to start
laughing all over again.
~Oh, great! Just great!~
My cheeks are burning from embarrassment.
“Ms. Emanuel…” Mr. Duong is shaking his head. “Why are you sleeping in my class? Is my
lesson that boring to you?”
“No, sir,” I answer. “It’s…uh, enlightening. Very entertaining.” I wipe my chin just in case there’s
any drool. “Your voice is too soothing.”
By the end of the class, I’ve gained a new nickname—Donut Cream Pie.
~Yeah, that sounds just wrong. So very wrong.~
Chapter 5
Deep Trouble
POV: LAYLA
“N o,momI’masnotI struggle
coming home this weekend. Mom, don’t send Kaleb over to pick me up,” I tell my
to push open the office door of Elly Maid’s Cleaning Service with the phone
wedged between my ear and my shoulder and my hands full of books and a large cup of coffee.
“I told you…Mom! Mom! I’m not coming home… Bye, Mom! Mom! I have to go now. Bye!” I
hang up.
~Gosh! She is persistent.~
She wants me home again this weekend and, of course, Kofi’s going to be there again.
He’s there all the time now—so much that I think they should charge him rent. I keep telling her
no, but I know she’s going to call me up again soon to try to change my mind.
I’m trying hard not to be a pushover. What happened last weekend with Kofi just goes to show
what a big pushover I am. I’ve been one all my life.
I know this, but I keep giving in—especially to my family. Sarah keeps telling me that I need to
grow a backbone.
I’m actually thinking of going on a date this weekend. Derek, one of the guys from my class this
morning, asked me out today. We made plans to go out a couple of times before, but I kept canceling
on him because my mom managed to nag me enough to go home for the weekend.
I’m surprised he asked me again after the whole ~donut cream pie~ debacle. I need to stay strong
and not give in to my mom this time. My stupid reaction to the smell at the penthouse convinced me
enough that I need to go out on a date ASAP.
“You look rough,” Jess comments when she sees me.
“Hi, to you too, Jess, and thank you! You look nice too,” I tell her as I place all my books, my
camera bag, and my messenger bag on a table.
I’m still sleepy even after the gallon of coffee I had after class. I’m so tired, I feel like a zombie.
“Good afternoon, Layla,” says Sarah. “Didn’t you get any sleep when you got home this
morning?”
“Good afternoon, Sarah. Layla is not here right now. She’s dead. This is a gallon of coffee
speaking,” I tell her.
I look at Sarah almost enviously. She’s looking fresh—like she just had a good night’s sleep.
“I got about three hours of sleep this morning before I had to work again.” Plus, I haven’t had a
good night’s sleep since I cleaned the penthouse.
The scent is haunting me.
Sarah smiles and shakes her head. “Maybe we should consider applying for the job waitressing at
that club across the building we were cleaning up last night. I bet the pay is better.”
“I bet the uniform is skimpier,” I tell her.
“I bet the tips are better,” counters Sarah.
“Hey, did you hear?” says Jess, whispering.
Oh, it’s gossip time. I move away but Sarah leans in.
“This is nothing juicy,” Jess says, glancing at me. She knows my aversion to gossip. “Marnie was
called in yesterday to meet with the resident of the penthouse she’s been cleaning.”
My ears perk up. My heart jumps in my chest suddenly and I feel my stomach bottom out at the
mention of the penthouse.
“If it’s nothing juicy, why are we whispering?” asks Sarah.
“Marnie’s in there with Beth right now,” replies Jess, tipping her head toward Beth’s office door.
“So, what happened?” asks Sarah. “Did she pawn their silverware? Did she scratch their
furniture?”
“The guy just wanted to thank her for doing a great job,” informs Jess. “I heard there’s a large tip
involved.”
“Wait, isn’t that the place that you cleaned up for her the other day, Layla?” asks Sarah. “If there’s
a tip, why aren’t you getting any of it?”
Wow, a large tip on top of an already big tip left after every cleaning day? I shrug my shoulders.
“Maybe because I just cleaned it one time. She’s been doing it for over a week now.”
“That’s just once or twice more than you did. Besides, if you screwed things up, just that one time,
I bet you’d be getting into trouble. Not her. So why not share the credit?” Sarah doesn’t look too
happy. “Come on, Layla, you have to demand what’s yours.”
I don’t know about that. I don’t feel like I have the right to demand anything, especially when I
already got my tip the other day.
“You know how Beth is. Marnie’s her favorite employee,” says Jess when she sees how
uncomfortable I look.
The door to Beth’s office swings open and Marnie walks out, followed by Beth.
“Watch, she’s going to rub it in our faces,” whispers Jess.
“Hey, girls,” says Marnie. She looks more cheerful than usual today despite her runny red nose
and funny sounding voice.
“Girls, yesterday one of our clients expressed his appreciation to our Marnie for her hard work
and dedication. I expect you to emulate her work ethic,” says Beth. “I’m proud of you. Good job,
Marnie.”
Sarah kicks my foot from behind. I know what she’s meaning to tell me but I shake my head.
Last night, she was making fun of how Beth talks about our job as if we’re climbing up the
corporate ladder. I was defending Beth last night.
Now I’m not feeling like defending Beth at all. I’m feeling a bit pissed off. First off, I want to
meet the resident of the penthouse.
~So badly.~
That scent is calling to me.
Secondly, Marnie gets to choose where she’d like to work. I bet Sarah and Jess could’ve done
just as well, if not better, if they were given the chance. Both of them could use the money, especially
Sarah, who is a single mother.
“So, you’re back to work now?” I ask Marnie.
“She would love to but not yet,” answers Beth. “Not until she’s fully recovered. I don’t want her
to be spreading germs around our client’s home.”
As if to prove the point, Marnie lets out a big sneeze. Then she blows her nose into the Kleenex. It
sounds like a mighty elephant blowing its trunk, only wetter…and slobberier.
Jess scrunches her face and looks at Sarah.
Okay. I don’t need to hear her say that out loud to know what it means.
“Well, you’re still going to be cleaning the penthouse today, Layla. I have a few things to do first.
I’ll be out in a minute, girls,” says Beth, already walking back to her office.
She’s dropping us off at the places we’re cleaning today. “Go home and get plenty of rest, Marnie.
I’ll see you later.”
“Later, Beth,” replies Marnie.
“I heard you had mono,” I blurt out.
She swivels her head to look at me. Her cheerful face turns ugly and her red face turns redder at
my remark.
She reminds me of that girl in ~The Exorcist~. I catch Jess trying not to smile too wide and Sarah
smirking behind her.
~See? This is why I hate listening to gossip.~
“I don’t have mono.” She glares at me. “Anyway, I met the penthouse’s resident yesterday.”
She turns to Jess and Sarah, smiling again now. Usually, she doesn’t smile or talk much to us
unless to say something bitchy.
“You should’ve seen him…he’s so hot. Like off the charts hot. Like, oh my God he’s hot! He must
be very rich too…like a millionaire or something.” She stops to sneeze again, before continuing..
“I think he’s a foreigner. He has this sexy accent…but then again, with a face and a body like that,
he could sound like Kermit the frog and I’d still find him sexy. Unfortunately, he’s living with his
girlfriend or a fiancée or something like that.”
“Are you sure? You sure it’s not his sister?” I ask her suddenly. I didn’t mean to say that out loud.
Marnie gives me a funny look.
“Of course I’m sure. She came home while we were talking and she’s gorgeous. A sister wouldn’t
be calling him ‘darling’ and kissing him like that.”
My heart sinks in my chest and my stomach feels hollow. For some reason, I felt like he was mine.
I was hoping that the other room was occupied by his sister or his cousin.
How stupid of me.
Even if he’s single, there’s no way a man like that would give a woman like me a second glance.
No way!
“Oh well…even if he’s not single, I’d still climb him like a tree if I had the chance,” she
continues.

No, my memory didn’t exaggerate the amazing scent that I smelled yesterday.
If anything, it actually smells better than I remember.
I cleaned up the whole place, except for this room. I’ve decided to clean his bedroom last
because that amazing scent is the strongest here. I still have a lot to do. I have to clean the bathroom,
dust, change the bedding, vacuum the floor…
I step in, dragging the vacuum cleaner with me. The deeper I walk in, the more affected I am by
the scent. My breathing is labored, my heart is pounding fast, and my stomach is doing somersaults.
My body thrums like a live wire.
I’ve never felt so excited yet so at peace all at once. I crave this feeling when I’m not here. My
heart is longing for…something or someone. I don’t know anymore.
My brain is telling me that this is crazy but my body isn’t listening.
I lie down on the bed. I press my nose into the pillow and take a deep breath. Oh God…that scent.
I want to swim in it. I want to immerse my whole being in that scent.
Breathing in. Breathing in.
 Just a minute longer…so calming, so soft…
My eyelids feel so heavy. Just one more minute…
Something is touching my face, my neck…so light and soft, just a whisper of a touch. My whole
body hums in pleasure.
My eyelids flutter open to look into a pair of bright golden-yellow eyes. So beautiful. So
mesmerizing. So unusual. So intense. So focused on me.
I’m horrified as realization and reality break through my dream-like haze.
~I’m in deep trouble.~
I had fallen asleep in a client’s bed! Now I’m still lying on it while having a staring contest with
the hot owner of said bed.
~I’m going to lose my job! No—Beth is going to kill me!~
I quickly roll away from him, but as soon as I move away, I hear him growl.
He growls!
Dangerous and sexy. It’s a raw, animalistic rumble that makes me freeze.
It’s a warning, and something in me listens.
He crawls onto the bed after me with his intense golden eyes locked on mine. He looks
mesmerizing, like a predator slowly cornering its prey, and I’m that stupid prey who dares not move a
muscle. My instinct is telling me that running away would be bad for me.
Besides, he’s really hot and smells awesome.
~Wait, what? Stupid instinct.~
He crawls on top of me. I gulp loudly as his weight presses down on me. I’m enveloped in his
addictive, amazing, masculine smell. I can almost hear my own erratic heartbeat in my ears.
My stomach hollows out as if I were on a roller coaster, dipping down from a great height.
My breathing is fast and ragged.
It’s part fear and part excitement.
I take in his features. His high cheekbones. His chiseled angular jaw.
His plump sensual pink lips.
His straight nose with strong, thick eyebrows, and his straight, bronze-colored hair has streaks of
highlights from the sun.
But most of all, those unusual golden-yellow eyes framed by thick, dark eyelashes.
Staring down at me like I’m the most delicious thing he’s ever seen.
Chapter 6
Up in Flames
POV: LAYLA
~I ’m inThat’s
deep trouble.~
what my brain registers in that brief moment before everything else disappears
around us. His masculine scent is weaving its magic on my senses. Those extraordinary eyes hold me
captive.
The air around us is thick, buzzing and sizzling with the current of electricity.
I’m so lost in him that I fail to register anything else around us.
Seconds, minutes, hours? I don’t know how long I lie there staring up at him.
When he finally moves, I feel like I’m waking up from a trance. Oh my God! What have I done?
With that terrifying thought,
Somehow it just registered in my brain that he’s not a human. This man is not a werewolf either.
~Oh my God! He’s a lycan!~
I recognize the smell from Caspian, Quincy’s mate, and their friends.
~Why didn’t I notice that before?~
I’m only half werewolf, and I can’t shift like my siblings, but one thing that I have from my father
apart from looks is my strong sense of smell.
It’s stronger than some werewolves even.
Sometimes I swear I can smell when someone is lying. Their sweat glands work overtime.
He’s a lycan!
My heart rate triples with the realization. I also realize that he’s studying me with the most intense
expression on his face.
He’s staring at me like he’s in awe, almost like he can’t believe that I was real. Like he’s staring
at an apparition.
He leans in close to my neck and inhales, breathing me in. My heart stutters. His nostrils flare, and
he closes his eyes like he’s savoring the best scent in the world.
That makes me feel self-conscious. It makes me want to take a whiff of myself. I’ve been working
since early this morning. I must stink!
~Okay, this is weird.~
The weirdest and the most intense encounter I’ve ever had in my whole life, and I have to remind
myself that lycans are dangerous.
Very dangerous.
“Uh…Hi,” I say finally.
He lifts his head up like he’s startled and looks at me.
Those eyes.
“Hello,” he says.
Oh my God, that voice.
“Hi,” I say again.
“Hello,” he says again and this time his lips slowly curl up into an amused smile. He has such a
beautiful smile.
“Yeah, hello,” I say.
“Hi.” His smile widens.
 “Hi.”
~Wait, how many times are we saying this? Oh, Layla, you’re an idiot!~
He looks like he’s struggling not to laugh. I just met the hottest guy on the planet and now he must
think I’m ridiculous…and he’s still on top of me.
In bed! In his bed!
I scramble to get up, but his weight is pressing down on me, so all I’m really doing is squirming
underneath him and rubbing myself all over him.
My breasts are scraping against his chest and my hips are grinding against his groin. His body is
hard.
All over.
~Oh!~
I stop moving and see his eyes widen. They slide down to look at where our bodies are meshing
together before he stares back into my eyes. My own eyes must be very big in my face.
The air around us is thick again. Electric. I see his Adam’s apple moving as he swallows, and all
I want to do is put my mouth on his throat and lick it…
“Don’t move,” he says. I notice that he’s breathing fast. Before I can even comprehend what he’s
saying, he rolls off me. I feel a sense of loss right away. I want to feel his weight back on me.
I want to feel his warm body, all of him, pressing hard against mine.
The air feels cold as it touches my skin.
I gasp when I realize that the skirt of my uniform has risen up to the top of my thighs and my
Superman panties are showing. I’m pretty sure he saw before his eyes flickered up to my face.
I pull my skirt down while my face is burning. My light brown skin is fair enough to show the
blush on my cheeks.
~This is so embarrassing!~
He offers me his hand to help me up and I take it. The heat and energy from his hand sends tingles
through mine.
It travels all the way up my arm and down my spine. It makes my heart race even faster in my
chest.
It feels good. It feels too good.
Maybe it’s just my imagination, but I feel his hand tightened briefly around mine as if he’s
unwilling to let go before he releases it.
Now that we’re standing, I realize just how tall he is. I mean, I’m 5’9”, and a lot of times I can’t
wear heels when I go out on dates with shorter men.
But standing next to him now, he towers over me. He must be around 6’5” or something.
“What’s your name?” he asks me. His voice is deep and sexy. That posh British accent, mixed
with some other accents, is seriously melting my panties.
Not my Superman panties, though.
~Wait a minute! He just asked me my name. Am I in trouble? I did fall asleep on my job. In his
bed! And he’s a deadly lycan. Am I going to lose my job? My life?~
“Why?” I ask him.
He raises an eyebrow at the wary tone in my voice. “I just want to know the name of the beautiful
woman I’m talking to.”
~Beautiful?~
I know I’m not a troll, but he can’t be flirting with me. I mean, this guy is so good looking, it’s
insane!
 He’s a lycan for goodness sake! Definitely way out of my league, like we’re on different planets
kinda different league.
So, no…I don’t think he’s flirting with me.
“Layla,” I tell him finally.
“Layla,” he repeats. Somehow listening to his voice saying my name, the way that it rolls off his
tongue, makes my stomach dip again. A delicious chill runs down my spine.
“Well…okay, I’d better get back to work.” I take a step back from him. “Lots to do, you know.
“Bathroom to clean, bed to make…errr, yeah…about that. Sleeping in your bed thing? I’m so
sorry. I won’t do it again. I promise.”
He takes a step toward me and I take another step back. “I’ve never done that before, you know. I
don’t make a habit of sleeping on strange men’s beds.”
“That’s good to know,” he says.
“Not that I think you’re strange or anything,” I quickly amend. Yeah, just a lycan. I should stop
talking. “It’s just that I was so tired, you know. I’ve been cleaning since this morning and I cleaned
last night…”
His eyebrows swoop down and looks like he’s angry about something so I stop talking.
“Well… I’ll just, uh, get to it then.” I quickly whirl around to escape. I have to get away from this
strange magnetic pull that I’m feeling for this stranger.
“You’re not cleaning my room…or any other room. You’re not cleaning ever again,” he growls
suddenly.
~What?~
I quickly turn around to look at him.
“Well, it’s kinda hard not to since it’s my job and everything, you know…unless you’re reporting
me to my boss. Wait! Are you? Are you going to get me fired?”
Oh my God! That’s it! “Look, I’m so sorry, okay? I promise I’ll never, ever, ever do that again.
Like ever!”
I can barely afford my rent this month and I’m ready to beg.
His eyes narrow as he stares at me. “Will you go out with me, Layla?”
~Huh?~ “What?”
“Go out with me. Is tomorrow night good for you?”
~What?~
“Uh… I… I, er… I work Friday nights,” I tell him while my brain is reeling.
~Is he really asking me out? Me?~
He frowns as if what I just said is offensive to him. “What about Saturday evening, then? I’ll pick
you up at seven.”
Oh no, Saturday. My mom is pressuring me to go home and have the usual family dinner with
Kofi.
Not only that, I said yes to that date with Derek. Actually, now I don’t feel like going out with
Derek anymore, and I feel even less like going back and seeing Kofi across the dinner table.
But I’ve canceled on Derek three times already, and that is so not cool.
Besides, isn’t this man, like, living with someone? A fiancée or a girlfriend as Marnie said earlier
today? That thought hurts.
No, it pisses me off.
“No, thanks. That can’t happen,” I tell him.
“Why? Do you already have a date? Are you seeing somebody else?” His eyes grow hard. His
whole expression becomes cold and formidable.
He must have seen something in my expression because his face becomes even more threatening.
His jaw clenches and his nostrils flare.
He grips my arms and suddenly I find myself pressed back against the wall next to the bed. He
leans down and his nose and lips brush against my neck.
“Layla…,” he breathes. His voice is low and guttural. The air is thick and charged. I feel the
energy swirling around us. My heart thunders in my chest and my breasts graze his chest with each
ragged breath that I take.
“My Layla…,” he says before he runs his nose and lips further down my neck and my collar bone.
“Say you’re mine. Say there’s no one else.”
Oh, dear Lord, my skin tingles from his touch. Tiny sparks travel through my body. They’re
pulsing through my veins and swimming in my blood.
When I feel his warm, wet, silky tongue touching my skin, tasting me, I moan out loud and wrap
my arms around his neck to pull him closer. I feel like a live wire.
He opens his mouth and closes it around the curve where my neck meets my shoulder, sucking. My
body goes up in flames.
Nothing ever felt this good.
Chapter 7
Superhero Panties
POV: LAYLA

A fter he sucked my neck and gave me the hickey…several hickeys…he let me go.
Now he has that smug, amused look on his face while I’m standing here, feeling all
confused. Darn it! What had just happened? Something feels different. I’m not sure what it is
yet.
“Okay, just so we clear,” I tell him. “I don’t let strange men do those things to me. I should have
slapped you.”
I’m not really a confrontational kind of person. Yeah, look at how my own family keeps bullying
me into doing things that I don’t want to do.
I know he’s dangerous and I can’t really pretend that I didn’t like what happened earlier, but I’m
pissed.
I’m pissed that he’s not available even though he asked me out.
I’m pissed that he’s already engaged or has a girlfriend even though he’s marked me with hickeys.
I’m pissed that he’s making me feel jealous of a woman I haven’t met before.
I’m pissed that I’m hurt.
I’m pissed at the way he’s looking at me like he owns me, at the intense look in his eyes like he’s
seeing too much—like he’s seeing too deep into my soul.
Most of all, I’m pissed that he’s making me feel this way…
Yeah, I’m ready to fight him.
“I know you don’t let strange men do that to you. Only me.”
~Wait! Is he smirking? He’s looking way too amused. Is my defiance amusing to him?~
He must have seen something in my eyes or the way I’m holding my body because he suddenly
changes his stance and something flashes in his eyes.
“So, you want to finish cleaning up, isn’t that right?” he says.
~What?~ He goes to one of the fancy chairs in a corner of the room, undoes a button of his jacket
and sits back.
~What is he doing now?~
I was expecting him to argue or something. He crosses his feet at the ankles and rests his elbows
on the armrest. “You may proceed.” He moves a hand as a signal for me to go on.
~Seriously? What am I? A maid? Wait, I am a maid…sorta, but still…~
Now I’m not sure whether to keep arguing or get on with my work.
He raises an eyebrow when I keep standing there, staring at him warily, not quite sure of what to
do. He’s throwing me off my game.
~Does he have to sit there and watch me?~
I look at him warily, then hesitantly, I start to work. I am very confused. Every now and then I
glance at him, trying to figure out his angle.
I keep stealing a look at him while trying to be sly about it, but I don’t think it’s working.
I mean how could you be surreptitious about sneaking a glance at a guy when he’s sitting right
there, watching your every movement.
He seems to be very amused and highly entertained by it too. At one point, he places an index
finger along the line of his lips. It looks suspiciously like he’s hiding his smile.
 ~Why does that look so damn sexy? Darn it!~
His bed is bigger than a regular king size. I guess it’s necessary to accommodate his tall stature,
but I have to stretch when I’m changing the sheet.
I’m fighting with my skirt, tugging it down when it keeps riding up.
Now I’m hating Beth for making us wear this uniform.
He seems very alert. That hungry, predatory look crosses his face again. I’m worried that he’s
going to try something, but he stays put.
I try not to look again, but I feel the heat of his gaze traveling all over my body.
~How could I feel his gaze?~
It’s like he’s touching me. The air around us is heavy again. It’s not that I find it creepy or
anything, more like I’m liking it too much. I’m liking his attention on me way too much.
~Remember, Layla, he’s taken. He’s taken~ and ~he’s a lycan.~
I feel one part relieved and one part disappointed when it’s time for me to clean the en suite
bathroom. He doesn’t follow me in.
At this moment, I don’t even know what I’m feeling anymore. A part of me is mad at him, while
another part of me wants to impress him so badly.
He scares me, yet he excites me.
A part of me craves everything about him and yearns for his touch, and there’s a sane part of me
that wants to run and hide from him.
~God! I’m so confused and a mess right now and I don’t even know his name! Why do I need to
know his name? He’s taken! See? I’m such a mess.~
He’s a very clean and organized person. The bathroom looks impeccable, but I wipe and clean
everything anyway.
I stand in front of a mirror that I just wiped and tilt my head to look at the various red marks that
he made on my neck.
There are a couple particularly big and red ones that I don’t think even a concealer could cover
up.
~Now, how am I going to go out like this?~
Derek will definitely notice that. If I went home for family dinner, ~everybody~ would see it.
Even Grandma who sometimes claims to be blind when it suits her will be able to see ~those~.
Our first time meeting and the guy, a lycan, gives me hickeys. He’s even seen my panties, for
goodness’ sake!
~Darn it!~
I wish I was wearing different panties. I have a boxful of panties. Panties are my weakness.
Normal people collect stamps, I sorta collect panties.
Well, I can never resist buying panties, especially if they’re different. I have cute panties with
bunnies and unicorns. I have superhero panties, like the one I’m wearing now.
~Ugh! Superhero panties.~
I have sexy lacy panties and G-strings.
~Why couldn’t I be wearing one of any of those today? Why?~
~A more important question is, why does it matter?~
When I’m done cleaning the bathroom, I walk out to find him in blue jeans and a black T-shirt. He’s
looking as hot in jeans and a T-shirt as he is in a suit and tie.
The designer jeans show off his long, muscular legs and tight, shapely butt.
The T-shirt is glued to his cut pecs and flat abs like a second skin. The short sleeves are molded
to his muscular arms.
His skin is smooth and golden like he’s been sunbathing on a warm sunny beach or tropical island
somewhere.
The sight of him makes my mouth suddenly feels dry.
“I’m uh…it’s all done. I’ll be going now,” I tell him. “Have a good day, sir.”
~Wow! That sounds ridiculous somehow.~
He’s suddenly tense. Those intense golden-yellow eyes narrow, and his nostrils flare as if I’ve
just said something that pisses him off.
~See? Maybe he doesn’t like “Have a good day.” Maybe I should have said “Good evening”
instead? Have a good day, sir? Ugh! Layla, you suck!~
“Okay, bye!”
“Don’t,” he growls. One hand comes up to circle my upper arm and another to grip my waist. His
hold is hard and possessive.
Sizzling heat scorches every inch of my skin that he touches.
It doesn’t hurt, but it’s like being zapped by a delicious jolt of electricity that travels all the way
down to my center.
My toes curl in my shoes and my heart gallops in my chest. The air around us thickens.
He closes his eyes, leans in until his nose is almost touching my neck and takes a sharp deep
breath.
It’s like he’s breathing me in, and that’s not helping me with my racing heart problem at all. This
is all so confusing.
He releases his breath along the back of my neck, teasing tendrils of my hair. He’s so close.
We’re breathing the same air. If I just lean in and tilt my face up an inch or two, our lips would
touch. His lips look so tempting.
“Gideon. Call me Gideon.” His warm breath fans over my cheek and I almost moan. He slowly
uncurls his fingers from my arm without really letting me go. They’re caressing my skin now.
I look down to see his long elegant fingers stroking my upper arm as if he can’t stop. Goosebumps
flare across my skin.
He’s wearing a few rings, including one on his pinky finger that looks like a signet ring.
A crest or insignia of some sort. It reminds me of the one Caspian, Quincy’s mate, had on his little
finger as well.
I wonder if it means something.
~Do all lycan men wear them?~
He clears his throat and drops his hand away. “Are you going home now? Or do you have
anywhere else to go?” he asks me while stepping back.
“Ummm…home?” I answer breathily before I gulp and clear my throat. “I usually work tonight but
then Beth changed the schedule,” I tell him without being asked.
I hastily add, “But that’s okay. I’m not complaining or anything. In fact, I’m relieved. I could use
the time to do my assignment or watch a movie or finish reading, or sleep.”
~Oh God, I’m rambling and I can’t seem to stop.~
“I haven’t had time off yet this week, so it’s great. Usually, I work on Monday, Wednesday,
Thursday, and Friday nights. This week, I’m working Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday
nights.”
~Oh, please, somebody smack me on the head already and stop me from talking.~
Surprisingly, he looks like he’s listening intently to my stupid rambling as if whatever I’m
spewing right now is very interesting.
“So, tonight, Thursday…no work for me. So, yay!” I raise a fist up, punching the air weakly.
~Oh God! Seriously, shut up, Layla!~
I look away and concentrate on gathering all the rags, the mop, and the cleaning products.
~Yeah, Layla, you suck! Big time.~
He nods and says, “How are you getting home? Do you drive?” He helps me carry the mop and
pull the vacuum cleaner out.
I’m feeling bad about having the client doing the job for me but I get the feeling that we’d be
fighting over the mop and the vacuum cleaner if I try to stop him.
“No, I’m taking a bus,” I reply while putting all the cleaning supplies back on shelves in the utility
closet.
“I’m driving you home,” he says. It’s not a question or an offer. He’s so bossy even when he’s
helping out.
“You don’t have to. I can go home by myself.” I’m looking at the wall behind him. I start to act
stupid whenever I look directly at him.
No, it’s not intentional. Nope. It’s just that when I stare into his eyes, my brain takes a vacation.
As long as I’m not looking at him, I’m fine. I think I’m burning a hole on the wall with how
intently I’m staring at it.
“I always take a bus.”
“Layla?”
“Yeah?” I answer but he doesn’t say a thing until my eyes slide up to gaze into his golden-yellow
ones.
“I’m driving you home.” His voice is firm.
“Yeah…okay,” I respond. He ushers me along the hall to the stairs before I can think of anything
else to say.
His big warm hand settles on my back, pressing on the spot between my shoulder blades. My skin
tingles from the warmth of his palm through the cotton fabric.
~I did just say okay, didn’t I? See? I get stupid whenever I look into his stupidly beautiful
eyes.~
~Ughh! Do lycans have some kind of mojo or superpowers to render your brain useless or
something?~
I need some of those to use on my family and friends…and on him. Well, basically on everybody I
come in contact with.
I grab my bag and sweater from the console table in the foyer and he presses an envelope with my
tip for the day into my hand.
I shake my head. “It’s very generous of you, but I don’t deserve it.”
“You did a very good job, so I think that you do deserve it.”
“But I fell asleep on my job. In your bed.” I hate to bring that up again. That was bad. Really bad.
I’m lucky if he doesn’t report me to Beth.
“You were in my bed,” he agrees with a wolfish smile. I feel my face burning hot from the
embarrassment. He stares at my reddened cheeks, but he seems to be weighing something in his mind
before he says, “Okay, let’s make a deal, Layla.”
I stare up at him warily.
~Why do I get a mental picture of a wolf…or rather, a lycan just about ready to pounce?~
But since we’ve established that staring into his eyes makes me prone to stupidity, I open my
mouth and say, “What kind of deal?”
And those, everybody, are Layla Emanuel’s last words.
Chapter 8
Not A Date Date
POV: LAYLA
“Y ouhis keep this money as a reward for a job well done,” Gideon says casually before he brings
hand up to his chin. One long graceful finger taps his full bottom lip as if he’s thinking hard.
~Tap. Tap. Tap.~
My eyes follow the movement of his finger. “But sleeping on the job is pretty bad, isn’t it?” His
beautiful face pulls up into a grimace.
I feel even guiltier but I keep staring at him without saying anything. “So, I propose that you make
it up to me.”
My wariness level goes up again, but not enough for me to keep my mouth shut. “Make it up to you
how?”
“You see, Layla, I haven’t had my dinner yet. I’m quite famished, but I really hate dining alone,”
he says smoothly. “I’d say we forget the whole thing about you falling asleep during work if you’d
accompany me so that I wouldn’t be forced to dine alone.”
I frown. There’s something not quite right here, but I can’t seem to put a finger on it, especially
when he’s looking at me with those eyes.
“That’s all? Just accompany you to dinner and all is forgotten?”
“Yep, that’s it,” he answers with a tiny smile. He looks so relaxed saying it, he’s even leaning
back against the wall behind him with his thumbs hooked in the front pockets of his jeans now.
Somehow I’ve got a mental picture of a hunter just sitting back, waiting for his prey to walk right
into the trap he just properly set.
“What about your fiancée or girlfriend or whatever?” There’s a pinch in my heart when I say
those words, but I keep going. “Why aren’t you having dinner with her?”
“Layla,” he says. “I don’t have a fiancée or a girlfriend.”

We step outside the lobby of his penthouse building and a valet jumps out of a sleek red sports car. I
don’t know what type of car this is, but I know it must have cost a fortune.
The valet, a man about my age, hands him the key and opens the car door for me. Gideon waves
the man away and holds the door open himself.
“This is your car?” I ask him, even though it shouldn’t have surprised me. I knew he was rich.
“Lykan Hypersport,” he says.
“Huh?”
~Did he just tell me that he’s a lycan? And, oh, are there many types of lycans?~
“The car, it’s a Lykan Hypersport,” he explains when I raise my confused eyes to look at him. Oh,
he meant the car. How appropriate. “Do you like it?” he asks.
I don’t want to be rude, but I can’t find it in me to lie either, so I wrinkle my nose.
Instead of being offended, he laughs. It’s a wonderful sound. It makes my insides twist worse than
a pretzel.
“This is the first time I’ve seen someone turn her nose up at a rare, 3.4 million dollar sports car,”
he says after his laughter subsides. “Good thing it’s not mine.”
I think my eyebrows have disappeared into my hairline as I lower myself into the car.
~Whoa…3.4 million for a car?~
I don’t think I’ve been in anything worth close to 3.4 million dollars before…well, except maybe
his penthouse.
The leather seat molds to my body. The smell of leather and shit tons of money fill my nose. It is
very nice inside.
“If it’s not yours, then whose is it?”
“It belongs to a friend,” he answers before he closes the door for me.
I smooth down my charcoal grey sweater after I buckle up.
I’ve changed out of my uniform into a pair of black high rise jean leggings, a sweater, and a pair
of black ankle boots after I agreed to accompany him to dinner.
This was what I wore to class this morning.
As soon as he sits behind the wheel, I ask him, “Your friend let you use his car?”
“He owes me a favor.” He pushes a button and the engine purrs into life.
“But, 3.4 million…? Must be some friend.”
“He owes me big.” He smiles, showing me his straight white teeth with those slightly prominent
canines.
“Oh, okay.” Must be some favor. I’m pretty sure Sarah wouldn’t let me borrow Tootsie, her beat-
up 1998 Toyota Corolla.
“I drove it only once before. I usually have my chauffeur drive me to where I need to go.”
“Why? Don’t you love having to deal with the traffic?” It feels too intimate inside the confinement
of the car.
His masculine scent, which I’m addicted to, overpowers other smells in here.
He chuckles. ~Oh, Lord…even his chuckle sounds classy. That’s it, I’m doomed~.
“Not so much about the traffic, even though that’s a bonus,” he says. “It’s more so that I can
continue to work before I reach my next destination.”
“You’re a workaholic,” I announce.
“I suppose,” he admits as he maneuvers the car into the traffic.
POV: GIDEON ARCHER
I watch her fidgeting with the silverware before she puts it back down again. A second later she picks
up a steak knife, so I cover her hand with mine before she hurts herself with it.
A zing of electricity travels up my arm, sending a wave of energy and heat down my spine and
everywhere else at the contact.
Her hand feels small, fragile, warm, and soft beneath mine.
Her striking, big, light hazel eyes flicker up to mine, causing my heart to jolt. Something strange
happens to my whole body like a punch to the gut.
She takes my breath away. It happens every time she brings her eyes to look into mine. “I’m not
dressed for a place like this,” she whispers urgently. This is the third time she’s said this.
“You look just fine, sweetheart,” I tell her with a lazy smile. Her eyes narrow in irritation and I
reluctantly let her hand go.
I know she doesn’t believe me but it’s the truth. She has to be the most beautiful woman in this
restaurant tonight.
She might not be dressed in the most expensive clothes and her body might be covered beneath
that bulky sweater, but nobody can ignore those shapely long legs and that beautiful face.
I almost growled aloud several times at some jerks who seemed to have to forgotten their own
dates to ogle my woman when we arrived at the restaurant.
It doesn’t matter since nobody else is around right now.
I slipped the maître d’ some money and asked to be seated in a very private section where nobody
can see or hear us. He brought us up here to the second level.
We are waiting for the appetizer to arrive and she is not happy with me for ordering food for her.
She wanted to just sit there and watch me eat, but I know she’s hungry.
I saw her inhale the aroma of the food, and the way she was looking at the food on tables that we
passed earlier.
I study her as she pointedly ignores me by looking at anything and everything but me. It’s cute how
she thinks that she can ignore me. She’s totally fascinating and absolutely amusing.
I’ve found myself laughing or trying to contain my laughter so many times since I met her, and I
hardly ever laugh.
Her curly brown hair is pulled up into a bun, but it’s too wild and too glorious to be fully tamed.
A few curly tendrils fall seductively around her face and neck.
Her oval face seems delicate, with high cheekbones and a cute, pert nose above those lips that are
thicker at the top than the cushy bottom. It gives her a permanent sexy pout.
Her flawless, smooth skin is the color of caramel, and she tastes even better.
I was struck speechless by her beauty the first time saw her. Physically, she’s my dream girl come
to life. I can’t wait to get to know her heart and soul.
I had long given up the hope of ever finding my erasthai.
~Who would have thought that I would find her conveniently lying in my bed today?~
Our food arrives, and her eyes narrow at the friendly waitress. I’ve been here a few times
because the food is very good. The waitress might remember me from my generous tip.
“Well, if there’s anything else, Mr. Archer, don’t hesitate to let me know.” The woman sounds
breathless.
“Thank you, Mindy,” I tell her as I keep my eyes on my erasthai, who still refuses to look at me.
“I’ll be sure to let you know if I need anything.” I grace the woman with a brief smile and she blushes
prettily.
Layla’s lips thin in irritation. She picks up a fork and looks like she’s considering jabbing me in
the eye with it. I love it when she’s all riled up…almost as much as I love watching her smile.
The thought that I might be the cause of her being jealous of the waitress makes me happy instead
of feeling claustrophobic like the way I feel when Helen acts as if she had a claim on me.
“So, why exactly did you trick me into coming here tonight?” she asks as she stabs the shrimp on
top of the assortment of vegetables on her plate. Ah, so she’s figured out that I tricked her into having
dinner with me. “By the way, this is not a date.”
That’s cute. “Not a date, huh?” I can’t keep the smile from lips. “Layla, look at me.”
I know she’s trying hard to avoid looking at me. She frowns at the shrimp as if it has personally
offended her and she’s not sure how it ended up at the end of her fork.
“Layla, sweetheart,” I say, and that gets her attention very quickly. Her eyes find mine and she
draws in a quick, sharp breath before she lets it out slowly.
I can feel a little bit of the tension easing out of her body as she continues to gaze into my eyes.
I know how she feels. I feel the same way, if not more. I could stare into her eyes forever and
never get tired of them.
“We need to talk. That’s why I want you here,” I tell her. “Don’t tell me you didn’t feel the pull
between us the moment we set our eyes on each other.”
My hand finds hers underneath the table and she gasps. That hum of electricity in the air around us
is suddenly pulsating between our skin.
The surge of electricity that radiates from the contact causes our hearts to race—our bodies in
danger of combusting into flames.
I continued. “Don’t tell me you don’t feel that—because I can feel it.”
Chapter 9
Choices, Choices
POV: GIDEON ARCHER

W e sit staring at each other, breathing hard as if we’ve both just finished running a marathon.
This is just from touching hands. What will it be like when we finally mate? Bare skin
touching bare skin from head to toe?
“Tell me you feel it too, Layla.”
She attempts to look away. To deny what she’s feeling, but I’m not about to let her do that.
I grip her chin between my fingers and bring her face up until her mesmerizing light hazel eyes
lock onto mine again. “Tell me I’m not the only one who’s feeling this.”
“You’re not the only one,” she breathes. I let her chin go and she looks down. Instantly I can see
the wheels turning in her head.
I see question after question forming in her mind. “Why though?” she asks me.
The truth is, I haven’t thought of the proper way to explain it to her without scaring her away.
I brought her here this evening because I couldn’t bear to part with her when I just found her.
“Do you believe in having someone out there who is made just for you? Maybe you’re the one for
me,” I answer her lightly while watching her reaction closely.
Her whole body suddenly grows still, her muscles tightening, then she pulls her hand out of mine.
“Please don’t joke about that,” she says. She stares at me with wide eyes before she blurts out, “I
know what you are.”
I feel my own muscles grow tense. Of all the things that I expected her to say, that was the last
thing that I thought would come out of her mouth.
“What do you think I am, Layla?” My voice sounds harsher than I intended.
She seems reluctant to answer. Her eyes flicker around the empty room before she leans in and
whispers, “I know you’re a lycan.”
~How? Humans mostly aren’t aware of our existence. Even some werewolves in some parts of
the world thought that we’re just a legend or a myth because they never see us.~
Sometimes when werewolves see us and sense our dominant power, they mistake us for very
powerful pureblood alphas.
“My father is a werewolf, and I grew up in a werewolf pack,” she answers my unvoiced question.
“And let’s just say I’ve encountered some lycans before.”
She sounds more guarded this time, as if she doesn’t want to reveal too much.
“I see.” I watch her carefully.
“So you see, I know about werewolves and their mates and lycans and your erasthais,” she
announces.
She narrows her eyes as if she’s reprimanding me for my remarks earlier. She even folds her arms
over her chest and raises her chin up for the effect.
She’s adorable. She even looks smug that she’s ahead of the game. I have to press a finger along
my lips, trying not to smile in amusement.
She can look triumphant all she wants. I can only see this as my advantage. “So you know lycans
don’t joke about their mates and erasthais then,” I throw in casually.
Our eyes lock and her proud smile wavers. “I guess you know by now that when a lycan finally
finds his erasthai, he’ll never let her go—no matter what?”
 “Yea…,” she huffs with a scowl even though she sounds less confident and looks less smug now.
“So don’t joke about it.”
She’s still trying to sound stern. Very adorable.
“I told you we lycans don’t joke about our erasthais,” I remind her. “When we find them, we want
to make sure that they understand that they belong to us right away, even if we had to trick them into
having dinner with us.”
“Oh,” she says as the meaning of what I just said dawns on her.
I hear footsteps and the smell of our food wafting up from the stairs.
“Your pan-roasted sea trout and spaghetti rustichella are here. Are you still working on your
salad?” our server asks pleasantly.
My erasthai is still looking dazed.

“Do you have a boyfriend?” My grip on the steering wheel tightens as I wait for her reply.
The pressure of my foot on the gas pedal increases. The car soars way past the speed limit on the
highway.
The thought of her with another man makes my blood boil and my lycan threatens to come to the
surface. It doesn’t matter if she’s engaged or married.
She’s still going to be mine…is already mine.
“No. No boyfriend,” she says.
My body relaxes until I ask her, “Who are you going out with this weekend?”
She doesn’t answer me right away. She’s silent for a while until she asks me, “So that woman
who’s living with you, she’s not your mate?”
“No,” I tell her.
“Is she your sister then?”
“No,” I answer.
“She’s your…uh, friend?”
“No,” I say. “Look, Layla…she’s… Helen and I had an arrangement. I thought it was necessary at
the time. My work requires a lot of traveling.
“Being on the road for decades by yourself can get lonely. Very lonely. I’m not the type to go for
casual hookups. I don’t have time for that.
“She agreed to be my companion until one of us found our erasthai.”
I can see the hurt in her eyes, but there’s nothing I can do to change the past. “I’m sorry. It’s been
so long. I never thought I’d find you.”
“What now?” she asks me.
“Now my arrangement with her is over,” I tell her.

It’s been three hours since I left Layla at the doorstep of her house. I’m lying in bed, where a faint
scent of her lingers.
Forget working. Forget sleeping. I’m fighting the urge to drive back there.
I promised myself that I’d give her time to think and adjust to the idea of us, but this is killing me.
 The light from the hallway streams into my bedroom as the door opens. A silhouette appears at the
door. A moment later, the mattress dips and Helen’s weight is pressing on me.
“No. Get off me, Helen.” I sit up as I push her off. She feels and smells all wrong.
“What is the matter with you, Gideon?” she snaps angrily.
She’s in a see-through, lacy lingerie that hides nothing. “You haven’t visited me in my room for
weeks and now you’re pushing me away?”
I was planning to talk to her in the morning, but now it doesn’t seem like I have a choice. “Helen,
we need to talk.” I get up and slip on the robe from the foot of the bed.
A look of dread passes quickly over her face, which means she has an idea where this talk is
going. She’s probably been expecting it for the past few months or longer.
I sit on a chair at the corner of my room while she takes the loveseat facing me.
I see no benefit from prolonging this any longer so I get straight to the point. “Do you remember
the conditions in accordance with our agreement?” I ask her.
“Yes…we would be each other’s companions.”
“Until we found our erasthais. Well, I’ve found mine.”
She opens her mouth, but nothing comes out. I’ve caught her by surprise. I can see that.
“So you’re ending this. Ending us,” she finally says. Her jaw is clenched and her eyebrows
furrow. “Who is she?”
“Does it matter?”
She goes silent for a beat. “I guess not,” she answers.
Her voice wavers, and her lower lip quivers so that for a second I was worried I would have to
deal with a crying woman.
I’ve seen Helen going hysterical over more trivial matters.
“I guess that’s it then?” Her expression clears up and she gives me an overly bright smile.
She gets up from her seat, sashays over, and lowers herself on my lap.
She presses her body to mine, slips her hand inside my robe to rub my abs.
“What are you doing?” I ask.
“One more time. What do you say? We do it just one more time, darling. For old time’s sake?” she
whispers before she bites my earlobe.
POV: LAYLA
It’s 2 a.m. Well, almost 2 a.m. I drop my phone on the mattress beside me. The last time I checked the
time was twenty minutes ago.
I’m still lying in bed, unable to sleep. My one night off work in days and I can’t sleep. What a
crazy night.
It’s true that I always wanted a mate…like my brother and sister, like my parents. But since
Gideon told me that I’m his erasthai, I don’t know what to think.
Maybe I’m still shocked.
My mood swings are extreme; going from thrilled to nervous, scared to happy, wanting to run
away screaming to wanting to swing from the chandelier…if I had a chandelier.
From wanting to push him away, to fantasizing about kissing his perfect lips and climbing his
chiseled, hot, God-like body like a tree and never letting go.
He asked me to accept him tonight.
~Oh God…do I even have a choice?~
I mean, I’m not stupid. Lycans are dangerous, and they are not known to ever let their erasthais go.
There's no place I could run to, nowhere I could hide. The thought thrills me and scares me at the
same time.
He told me that he works with the palace, and that his job requires him to travel a lot. Isn’t that
what I always wanted? It sounds great when it’s just in your head, tucked away in your dreams, but
am I ready to just pack up and go?
This is too crazy. I’m going to wake up any minute and find out that it’s all a dream. That he
doesn’t exist.
That thought isn’t too pleasant. In fact, that thought is too depressing. I don’t know if I’d recover if
he turned out to be just a dream.
There. Right there. I have my answer.

I brush my teeth, wash my face, and pull my hair up into a messy bun before I make my way into the
kitchen.
My housemate, Isaac is rinsing his bowl at the sink while Lana is at the table munching her cereal.
Both of them are werewolves and, technically, they both belong to my pack, but they choose to
live here for now.
I don’t know how often they go back to visit the pack, but once in a while, I see them there.
“Wow! You’re up late today. Had a wild party last night?” asks Isaac with a grin.
He knows I’m not into wild parties…well, I don't have time for wild parties, and I’m usually a
morning person.
“Yeah, really wild, Isaac,” I tell him. “I was dancing on the table and I had pennies and nickels
thrown at me from all directions. Fun night.”
Isaac chuckles. “If only you agreed to go out with me, Layla. I can show you a fun night.” He even
gives me a cheesy wink. Isaac is a flirt. He’s harmless, but he can’t help himself when he sees a
woman.
Lana rolls her eyes. “Boneheads,” she mumbles to herself as she scoops more cornflakes to shove
into her mouth.
Lana is pretty harmless too, but she’s our resident bitch. I gotta love my housemates.
“Why are you still home? Don’t you have a house to sell or puppies to kick?” I ask Isaac as I pull
out a carton of eggs from the fridge.
Isaac is also a real estate agent. Yeah, hard to believe.
For months, Quincy was convinced that Isaac was a male stripper.
“Nope. No house showing today. No puppies to kick either,” answers Isaac before he lifts his face
up to look at the front door expectantly.
A few seconds later, there’s a knock on the door. Damn werewolf hearing! I wish I could do that.
Lana grumbles moodily, but Isaac says, “I’ll get that.”
He answers the door and soon he walks back in with a big assortment of flowers. It’s enormous
and beautiful and must have cost a fortune.
Even Lana perks up when she sees the bouquet.
“Flower delivery for Ms. Layla Emanuel,” announces Isaac as he places the flowers on the
kitchen counter. Lana scowls and goes back to eating her cereal.
“Isaac!” I yell when he snatches the card before I can. Now I remember why I have the urge to kill
Isaac sometimes.
“Thinking of you. Thank you for last night—G,” Isaac reads loudly. His eyes grow big, then he
stares at me. “Wait! What did you do? Were you really dancing on a table last night?”

I text Gideon and thank him for the flowers while I’m in class. He messages me, but mentions that he’s
in a meeting.
Once in a while throughout the day, he drops me random messages. His messages make me smile.
Some make me laugh. All of them make me giddy. My heart beats faster every time I hear the ding
of my phone indicating an incoming message.
I reply to almost all of them, hoping that my messages don’t sound too silly.
~Hmm…choices, choices, a donut or a bagel for lunch?~
I text him.
“Hey, sweet donut cream pie!” says Derek, taking a seat across from me.
“Hi, Derek.” I smile at him, putting my phone back on the table. “Can you please not call me
that?”
“Why not? You look sweet enough to eat,” he says, grinning. His ginger hair is cropped short.
New haircut.
Derek and I have been friends since the very first semester of our first year. I’ve been aware of
his feelings for me since the start of this semester when he asked me out on a date.
I don’t feel anything for him beyond friendship, but he’s been persistent and I figured he’s better
than Kofi.
I guess that’s why I agreed to go out with him…and not because I’m a loser who can’t say no to
people.
 “We’re still going out this Saturday, right?” he asks. I don’t blame him for asking. I’ve canceled
on him twice already. I’m surprised that he still hasn’t given up.
“Uh…err…” I don’t know what to say. Right on cue, the phone dings again. A new message.
My fingers itch to grab the phone and read the message. “My mom, uh…”
“Oh, come on, Layla. You’re not canceling on me again, are you? Don’t tell me your mom is
forcing you to go home again this weekend.”
I have a feeling that if I cancel on Derek again this time, it’s going to cost me his friendship.
My mom is, in fact, forcing me to go home again. Now I’m feeling like I’m being pulled into
several different directions.
Have family dinner as usual with Kofi grinning at me from across the dining table or going out
with Derek, which could be leading him on.
Or spending time with Gideon, a dangerous lycan who has also claimed me to be his.
~What are you going to do, Layla? What are you going to do?~
Chapter 10
Royal Family
POV: LAYLA

I ’m still chewing my lip when my phone notifies me of another new message.

My eyes travel from Derek, who is still waiting for my reply, to my phone, then back to
Derek…and back to the phone.
I’m dying to read that message that I’m sure is from Gideon.
Instead of reaching for the phone, I direct my hand to fidget with the edge of the scarf that I wound
around my neck to hide the multiple marks left by Gideon’s mouth last night.
“You’re the only twenty-two-year-old adult who cancels on her date to go home every weekend to
her mommy. You do this all the time,” he says. “You don’t even have a life outside…”
“Hey! That’s out of line,” I snap. How dare he judge me like that. “You don’t understand.”
“Yes, you’re right. I don’t understand,” he says, lifting both hands up. “I’m sorry. That was out of
line.”
He grabs his messenger bag and gathers his books. “I have a class. Text me if you still want to go
out. Otherwise, I’ll see you…whenever.”
He has another fifteen minutes before his next class starts. I should know because I’m in the same
class. Plenty of time still. He’s just too pissed to deal with me right now.
But he was out of line. We’ve been good friends for over a year now.
He’s not my boyfriend, but since he told me that he liked me he’s been acting as if he knew me
better than anyone.
Of course, he doesn’t know me. Not at all. I’m very tight-lipped about myself and my family.
When you grow up in a pack and more than half of your family members are werewolves, you
learn not to run your mouth.
Still, I can’t help but feel guilty as I watch him walk away. I don’t feel anything for him, yet I
agreed to go out on a date with him every time he asked only to cancel it a day or two later.
I’m the worst. I shouldn’t be leading him on.
The thing is, I honestly thought I would like him back if I gave it a chance. He’s a good guy and a
good friend—I could do much worse. But now that I’ve met Gideon, I know what it feels like to want
someone.
Sure, Derek doesn’t have Gideon’s gorgeous, sexy look, but who does? The thing is, it’s not just
his looks. Everything about Gideon is like a magnet to me.
The way he smells, the way he moves, the touch of his skin on mine, even the air around us feels
electric when he’s around.
He makes my heart beat faster, my skin tingle, and my brain turn to mush whenever he’s near.
I can’t get him out of my head. I crave him. I don’t think anyone could ever come close to giving
me those feelings.
I remember the two texts I haven’t read from him and my hand reaches for my phone like an addict
looking for the next fix.

Gideon: Both. Bagel and donut. Main course and dessert.

Layla: Sounds like a plan.
Gideon: I’m about done here. Have dinner with me this evening?
 My body sings with excitement. My heart races and my stomach clenches.
I’m very tempted. I want to see him again.
It feels like forever since he dropped me off last night instead of just fifteen hours and twenty-
three minutes ago.
~But hey, who’s counting, right?~

Layla: I can’t. I’m working tonight.

I sling the straps of my laptop and camera bags over my shoulder. I slip the phone into my pocket
as I walk across the campus to my next class.
Derek and I usually sit together in this class but today he’s sitting way at the back. As soon as the
class is over, he gathers his stuff together very quickly.
“Trouble in paradise?” Jasmin cranes her neck to look at Derek, who’s walking out the door
without sparing me a glance.
I knew she’d been dying to ask that question since the beginning of the class. “A lovers’ tiff?”
“A lovers’ tiff?” I look at her with a frown. “We’re not a couple.”
“Did Derek get that memo?” Lisa chimes in. Both are standing by my table—Lisa was clearly
eavesdropping.
“We’re just friends.” I hear my phone ding, but I’m not going to read it while my two nosy
classmates are staring down at me.
“Sure, if you insist,” Jasmin says, smiling slyly.
“What does that mean?” I ask them, feeling miffed. My hand closes around the phone in my
pocket, then I let it go and make myself busy gathering all the stuff into my bag.
“I’m pretty sure everyone in this class thought that you two were an item,” explains Lisa in a
kinder tone.
“Nope, just friends,” I answer as I get up from my seat. I’m not close to Jasmin or Lisa. I’m pretty
sure they stopped to talk to me today just to get something juicy to talk about.
They both look at each other before Jasmin says, “Well, it sure seems like he’s mad at you for
something.”
“He probably just has something on his mind,” I tell them, slinging my bags over my shoulder.
They take the hint and walk away, probably disappointed with my answer.
I walk slowly, trying to keep a good distance just in case they decide to interrogate me further.
These two need a new hobby.
I should suggest panty collecting.
I sigh with relief when we get outside. I didn’t realize how trapped I was feeling inside the
classroom.
“Oh my God…look at that man candy,” whispers Jasmin, stopping right in the middle of the
hallway. I almost crash into her.
“Oh, wow!” says Lisa.
All of a sudden, something stirs inside of me. I walk around Jasmin and my gaze lands right on a
tall figure leaning against a shiny, silver Alfa Romeo.
My heart goes into a frenzy in my chest.
There are a lot of students rushing about and he’s drawing attention.
I don’t miss how some people, especially women, are giving him a second and a third glance, or
how some even stop just to stare at him.
He doesn’t even look real. He looks like a model coming to life out of the pages of a magazine.
He’s wearing a black suit with a red silk tie this time. His bronze hair looks perfect despite the
gathering wind.
His unusual eyes are covered by a pair of dark sunglasses, but somehow I know the exact moment
his eyes lock on me.
“He’s looking this way,” I vaguely hear Jasmin say.
I take a few hesitant steps toward him and he straightens up, lifting his sunglasses off. His golden-
yellow eyes are intense on me. God, he’s so beautiful—it hurts just to look at him.
I keep going, getting closer to him, and the air around us thickens, swirling with electricity like a
moment before the storm. His eyes are now fixed on the scarf around my neck.
“What are you doing here?” I ask him when I get close enough.
“I’m coming to take you out for dinner,” he answers, taking a step closer as if he can’t bear the
space between us.
“But I told you I’m working tonight.”
“You don’t start until nine and you still need to eat. I’ll drive you to work after.”
He takes another step and now our toes are almost touching. “Besides, we still need to talk, and I
don’t want you to be out walking and waiting for the bus alone at night.
“One other thing,” he says, and my breath falters when his hand reaches out to grip the scarf
around my neck. “Why are you covering my mark, Layla?”
Suddenly, he pulls the scarf off and his fingers curl around the base of my throat. I can feel his
thumb pressing on my pulse.
“You’re drawing attention,” I tell him, my pulse quickening.
He leans in and my eyelids flutter closed when I feel his warm breath on my cheek. “They don’t
matter. They can look all they want. But this…”
His thumb slides over my skin to rub gently over one of the marks he gave me last night. “I mark
you for a reason. My lycan doesn’t like it when you’re covering my mark.”
I open my eyes and swallow nervously before I say, “Maybe I should mark you too. How would
you feel about me doing that to your neck?”
He backs away from me suddenly. I imagine I hear a low feral growl coming from him before he
opens the passenger-side door for me.
He ushers me inside before he rounds the car and slides into the driver’s seat in record time.
Once he closes the door, he turns to me. I gasp. His eyes are dark. His white teeth look sharper,
and his canines look more prominent when he flashes me a wild, wolfish smile.
“It’s dangerous to tease me like that, Layla,” he warns. His voice is much deeper than usual. “And
yes, I’d like that very much. I’m yours. Mark me anytime you want.”
A shiver runs down my spine…and it’s not from fear.

“I thought you said you only had that one car with you. The Lykan Hypersport?” I ask him.
We’re having dinner at Joey’s Seafood Shack. It’s close to the beach. The walls are a garish
yellow stucco, the art is tacky, and the seats are white, hard plastic chairs.
It’s certainly not glamorous—a far cry from the restaurant we went to last night—but the food is
good.
He’s looking comfortable but very out of place here, even without his jacket and tie.
A few top buttons of his snowy-white dress shirt are undone, and the sleeves are rolled up to his
elbows.
“My friend has several cars. Since you didn’t fancy the one last night, I thought you might like this
one a little better,” he answers.
“You really don’t have to do that,” I tell him.
“I know,” he says. “Let’s go for a walk.” Suddenly he’s on his feet, holding the back of my chair.
I get up, and he pays the bill at the counter before he takes my hand in his and leads me to the
beach. We walk in silence, just listening to the waves crashing on the shore.
The sun has gone down. There’s just a hint of an orange glow low in the sky.
The streetlights are bright enough for me to see the stretch of sandy beach before us. My hand is
still wrapped in his.
“Layla,” he says. “I might have to leave soon.”
My heart sinks.
~Is he leaving me?~
“Where are you going?” I’m glad my voice sounds steady.
He’s silent for a while before he says, “I don’t know if you’ve heard about what’s going on at the
palace right now.”
I just shake my head. My family sometimes talks about the royal family. The rumors and the
gossip.
I heard about the crown prince, who refused to take a mate and take over the throne, but I haven’t
heard anything lately.
“I told you that I’m working with the palace. There’s a fight for the throne between the crown
prince and his half-brother tomorrow,” he says.
“Half-brother? I never knew there’s a half-prince before,” I tell him.
“Neither did I. Or the rest of the lycans and the werewolf population…until yesterday,” he
explains, looking grim.
He stares down at his feet as he continues. “Anyway, the crown prince has accepted his brother’s
challenge for the throne. I might be summoned back to Banehallow Palace at any time.”
“I thought the crown prince didn’t want to be crowned king.”
“Prince Caspian didn’t want the crown before he met his erasthai Quincy, but now…”
~Wait! What?~
Chapter 11
My Family
POV: LAYLA
“T his is the best doro wat I’ve ever had,” says Kofi. He’s sitting right across from me at the
dinner table.
“Layla cooked it. She’s a very good cook, isn’t she?” Mom is beaming beside me.
So, here I am at my parents’ house again.
My mom insisted that I come home earlier today so that I could cook for the whole family because
she was ‘not feeling very well.’ Now I know that she just wanted me to cook to impress Kofi with my
cooking skills.
So far I haven’t heard a sniffle coming out of her or any complaint of a headache or anything. If
anything, she’s looking rather giddy.
I am such a sucker. She’s my grandma’s daughter after all. She might have learned a trick or two
from the crafty old lady.
“Any man would be lucky to come home to such good food every day,” announces Dad.
~Oh my God!~
“Yes, I have to agree,” Kofi says with that big smile of his.
~Ughh! What’s with the smile?~
My brother Kaleb starts talking about our new alpha and I zone out. I wish that I’d stayed in the
city and spent my weekend with Gideon instead.
Last night plays on repeat in my brain. I’d told him that I know Caspian and Quincy. I never
suspected that he was ~that~ Prince Caspian…and my roommate Quincy. What a small world.
Now I’m worried about them. I’m worried about Gideon too.
What will happen when he leaves me for Russia? I’m missing him already.
My skin still tingles from the brush of his fingers down my cheek last night. “I would like to take
you with me, but I don’t know how safe it’s going to be. No matter what, you’re already mine, but I
want you to accept me, Layla. Accept me as your mate.”
“Layla?”
“Huh?” I stare at Mom, who’s staring at me. Well, everybody is now staring at me.
“Where’d you go, Layla?” Mom says. There's a warning look in her eyes. “I said why don’t you
go get the bread pudding?”
“Oh, yeah…okay.” I get up from my chair.
“I told Layla how much you like Injera bread pudding, Kofi,” says Mom.
~No, she did not.~
“So she made it especially for you.”
~No, I did not.~
I grab the bread pudding that I had made earlier. The urge to pour a whole bottle of salt all over
the pudding is overwhelming, but I bring it back to the table without giving in.
“Regardless, the crown prince is the rightful heir,” says my brother, Kaleb. Okay, so now they’re
talking about the royal family.
“I think it’s fair that they both fight for it,” argues Kofi. “We need a strong king.”
“I heard the crown prince’s new mate was a human,” adds my sister in law, Carmen. “I wonder
how strong she is.”
 “I heard she’s beautiful,” says my sister Maya to Mom.
“Lycans are all beautiful, honey,” replies Mom. I place the pudding on the table in front of her.
Yeah, the men are talking about the battle and the women are talking about how beautiful the royal
family looks. They’re probably going to talk about the dresses soon. I can’t do this.
“Where are you going, Layla?” asks mom.
“I’m just going to my bedroom. I have a bit of a headache,” I tell her and leave before she can say
anything.
I sit on my bed with my head in my hands. Something in my heart feels heavy and my stomach
clenches as I think of what Quincy might be going through at this moment.
The last time I heard from her was a few days ago when she messaged me that she’s fine, but she
might not be able to call me for a while.
She did promise to get in touch later, but I haven’t heard from her since.
“Layla! Mom wants you back downstairs,” my sister Maya calls out from the other side of the
door. Then she opens the door and sticks her head in. “They want to have a talk with you. Just get
ready,” she says quietly.
“Get ready for what?” I ask her. Maya and I used to be very close…until she found her mate seven
months ago.
She glances outside the door then turns to look at me again with a strange look on her face. “Just
get ready, okay?”
The feeling of dread settles over me.
~Why do I have a feeling that everybody knows something that I don’t?~
“I hope you already took something for your headache,” says Mom after I take the only available
chair in the living room. It’s conveniently right next to Kofi.
~Headache? What headache? Oh,~ that ~headache.~
I’m such a bad liar. I should try to remember my lies.
“Uh…yea…” I shift uncomfortably in my seat.
I look around the room to avoid Mom’s knowing gaze. She can always tell when I’m lying.
Everybody is here except for Grandma—my parents, Kofi, Kaleb and Carmen, Maya and
Abraham. My grandmother is on a date with her seventy-nine-year-old boyfriend.
Yeah, my grandma is seeing a much younger man. She’s such a cradle snatcher. What a rebel.
Both of my parents look happy.
“Since Layla is here, I think we should get right to it,” begins my dad. “Kofi, why don’t you tell
her?”
~Tell me what?~
“Layla,” he says, taking my hand in his.
I don’t want him to be touching me. It feels wrong and my skin crawls.
“You’re a beautiful woman and you know I care about you very much. Even though you’re a
human, I can’t imagine taking anyone else as my mate.”
~Ugh! No, no, no…~
I try to tug my hand free, but he holds on tight.
“I’ve talked to our alpha about taking you as my mate and he has approved. So have your mom
and dad.”
“No, no, no… I don’t approve!” I jump up and try to yank my hand away, but his grip on my hand
feels like a steel clamp, binding. Suffocating. “I don’t approve at all. In fact, I object! Oh, I sooo
object.”
 I sound a bit hysterical even to my own ears.
“Layla!” dad growls warningly. I stiffen immediately.
I can never ignore my dad when he growls like that. “There will be a group mating ceremony next
weekend. There are two other couples who’ve met their mates this week. You and Kofi will be in that
ceremony with them.”
~Next weekend? No!~
“But I don’t want to be mated to Kofi!” I yell defiantly. This causes my mom, Maya, and Carmen
to gasp. Nobody in this family ever defies my dad using that tone of voice, especially me.
“Layla! What has got into you?” wails Mom.
~What has got into me? Didn’t they get how much I never want to be mated to Kofi?~
“Layla! Don’t you dare disgrace our family,” my dad growls again. “Your mating to Kofi has
already been announced.”
“Please, Dad. I can’t be mated to him,” I plead. “What about my degree? I still have…”
“I will not stand here to be insulted by you,” Kofi says suddenly through clenched teeth.
His hand is curled around my arm now. His grip is punishing. “I will not be embarrassed in front
of the whole pack. You will quit school and be my mate—”
“But I don’t want to be mated to you, and I can’t be mated to you!” I tell him, pulling my arm out
of his painful grip. “You asked for everyone’s approval, but not mine.”
“I chose you. It’s already done,” announces Kofi coldly. “You are going to be mated to me and
bear my mark by the end of this week!”
I’ve never seen him this mad, but I’m not about to back down this time.
No, it’s not done. I’m not going to let all my dreams crumble to dust. Besides, I need to tell them
about Gideon.
A lycan is not known to ever let their erasthai go. “I’ve already been claimed by a lycan. I’m his
erasthai. He won’t let you mark me. It’ll never happen.”
The whole room goes quiet all of a sudden.
“A lycan?” says Mom after a long silence.
“Yes, a lycan has claimed me,” I tell her. “And I know the crown prince, Prince Caspian and his
mate, Quincy. She’s my friend. She used to be my roommate.”
Everybody is now staring at me with wide eyes and even wider mouths.
Suddenly Carmen laughs. “Oh, that’s a good one, Layla. I never knew you were such a joker, but
you know just how to lighten things up.”
Her eyes are imploring me to go with it but I can’t. I’m telling the truth and she’s ruining it.
“I’m not joking!” I almost stomp my feet. “I really am an erasthai to a lycan, so you can’t claim
me.”
I see a look of pity flashing in Maya’s gaze just as my parents’ shock turns to anger. They stare at
me.
“A lycan claimed you, and you’re friends with the future king and queen of the lycans and
werewolves?” asks Kofi calmly. “Do you think I’m stupid?” he suddenly roars. “Emanuel,” he turns
to my dad. “Teach your daughter how to be respectful to her mate! She’d better not embarrass us both
next weekend.”
With that, he storms out of my parents’ house.
We all watch the door bouncing off the wall with a loud bang with Kofi’s exit.
Everyone is quiet until my mom says, “I know you’re desperate, Layla, but I didn’t think you
would stoop to lying to that extent. You’ve offended Kofi.”
 “Kofi is a gamma. A respected member of this pack,” says dad. “He could have a choice of any
other she-wolf who’d lost their mates. Instead, he chose you, the one without a wolf. You should be
grateful instead of acting like a crazy brat.”
“Then why didn’t he pick any of them? Just leave me alone.” As if I didn’t know that the pickings
were slim. Most of the she-wolves who had lost their mates in this pack are older women.
I know one who is about Kofi’s age. She was known to be the ‘pack slut,’ which is such a double
standard.
If it were a man behaving like that, everybody would be cheering him on. But since she’s a
woman, they call her a slut.
That’s why I hate listening to gossip. Self-righteous people sicken me.
“You will mate with Kofi by the end of this week,” says Mom with finality.
“I will not,” I say, defying her.
“You know what will happen if you’re not mated and marked by Kofi by this mating celebration?
“We will be the talk of the community. Kofi will be embarrassed and so will we. Nobody else
will want to make you their mate, Layla,” says dad through gritted teeth.
His patience with me was stretched very thin. “You will be mated to Kofi next weekend.” There
was a finality to his tone that I decided to ignore.
~Did they ever listen to me?~
“I’m going back to the city tonight. Kaleb, please take me back.”
“You’re not going anywhere,” says Mom.
“Yes, I will!”
“Let her go, Ruby,” says my dad, surprising me. “But she’s going to do it by herself. Kaleb, you’re
not driving her anywhere.”
Whether he likes it or not, Kaleb isn’t going to go against our dad’s wishes.
~Fine! I’ll walk home. Just watch me.~

I can’t believe they’re really making me walk home at this time of the night. No bus comes to this part
of town after six in the evening, and it’s already after nine.
No cars on the road either.
Even though it’s only thirty minutes or so away from the city, Nech’i Tekula Pack territory is quite
isolated. The road is narrow, surrounded by forest.
Street lights are so far apart that I imagine all sorts of monsters waiting for me in every dark
stretch of the road.
It’s been forty minutes. I pull my jacket closer and hitch my bag higher on my shoulder.
It’s getting chilly. I wish I could call Sarah…or even Gideon…to help me out, but my phone died
on me earlier. I forgot to bring the charger with me. Stupid!
I look around again. Usually, I’m quite fond of the sound of the forest, but tonight, not so much.
My eyes keep wandering, imagining wild animals or rabid rogue werewolves coming out from
behind the tall trees or the bushes to attack me.
~Wait! Are there rabid werewolves?~
I’ve never seen one, but then again I’ve never seen a rogue werewolf either…but that’s because
I’ve never walked around on deserted streets at night like this before.
 They make movies about stupid people like that, you know?
Well…stupid people like me right now.
Oh my God! If I didn’t die from the attack, I could catch rabies, and I’m not even a dog or a
werewolf! They would have to put me down. That would suck. Big time.
Now I’m imagining all sorts of scenarios that could happen to me tonight. In all of those
scenarios, I die. My wild imagination is my worst enemy.
A few times I consider going back to the safety of my parents’ house and admit that I was wrong…
but I can’t.
Oh God, I’m in such a mess. I know they’re not going to let me out of this stupid mating thing with
Kofi. Gideon is going to be livid.
Ahh…Gideon. I wish I was back with him, feeling safe and giddy, standing at the beach, talking
with my hand in his.
Thinking of Gideon helps.
Then I hear it. It sounds like a growl. Low and feral. It’s brief, but the hair on the back of my neck
stands on end.
Chapter 12
Lover
POV: LAYLA

I stare at the spot where I thought the sound came from, but I can’t see anything beyond the trees and
darkness. I quicken my steps.
My parents always told me not to run from a werewolf because it would trigger their hunting
instinct, but the smell that reaches my nose is ominous.
It smells like a wet dog or stinky feet…or something like that…and I’m not sticking around to find
out whether it wants to eat me or be my friend.
My heart is beating fast. The smell grows stronger and I force my shaky legs to go faster.
Whatever it is, it’s not hiding its presence anymore as I hear twigs breaking and heavy footsteps
on the forest floor.
There are echoes of footsteps on the asphalt behind me. I turn around and my stomach bottoms out.
My legs almost give out from underneath me.
I wish this were just my imagination but it’s not.
The lamp from a few feet away provides enough light for me to see a big hulking figure on all
fours moving like it’s stalking its prey.
Two bright, glowing eyes are watching me.
Its sharp teeth and canines are bared to me.
~Oh, crap! It’s a werewolf, and I know what it intends to do to me.~
It starts moving faster and I take off running.
~Oh my God!~
I see headlights coming from a distance as I force my feet to keep going. My lungs are burning. My
breathing is labored. I blink away the tears that are blurring my eyes.
The pounding feet behind me are coming faster, getting closer.
A part of my brain realizes that there is no way the car is going to reach me on time even if they
are going to help me, but another part of me still hopes, so I keep running.
I feel its hot, putrid breath on the back of my neck, the menacing growl rumbling in my ear. I trip
and fall headlong, sprawling on the cold, hard asphalt.
I scream and turn around to face the beast.
This is it. Never thought I’d end up going out this way.
~Huh? Where did it go?~
The smell lingers, but there’s nothing but a forbidding, empty stretch of the poorly lighted road
behind me.
All I can hear is my thundering heartbeat and the wheezing of my own breathing.
~Where did it go? Oh God, where did it go? Is it coming back? My body starts shaking.~
A car comes screeching to a stop, and for a second, I’m blinded by the brilliant headlights. I
vaguely register the sound of the door opening and closing.
“Layla?” A familiar voice seems to come from far away. “Layla? What happened? Who did this
to you? Are you hurt?”
A warm arm wraps around me. A gentle hand touches my face. A calming, wonderful scent
envelopes me, but my body is still shaking and I can’t seem to stop.
“Gideon?”
 “Sweetheart…” He pulls me closer into his arms but then his nostrils flare as he sniffs the air. He
lifts his face up, and suddenly a deep vicious growl rumbles in his chest.
~Oh, no, no, no…he’s going to leave me here.~
I’m gripping his arm, his shoulder…anywhere I can reach.
“Don’t leave me. Please don’t leave me.” I bury my face into his broad, strong shoulder.
“Breathe me in, Layla. Breathe me in,” he says.
“I’m cold,” I tell him. My teeth are chattering. I’m so tired, I think I’m going to pass out.

His arms are wrapped around me. His hand is moving soothingly up and down my back.
I tighten my arms around him and draw my body closer into him. I breath his scent deeply into me.
He makes me feel safe.
We’re in my room now. I can barely remember our ride home.
My mind was muddy and I moved like a robot, but I remember him carrying me inside, cleaning
my wounds and dressing them.
My jeans were torn at the knees and my knees were bleeding. Both my palms were also bleeding.
I must have used my hands to break my fall.
He helped me change out of my dirty, bloody clothes, and after that, he pushed Quincy’s old bed to
mine to make them into one bed so that we both can lie comfortably on them.
Once in a while, he nuzzles my neck or buries his face in my hair and takes a deep breath as if
he’s calming himself.
His arms around me tighten like he’s assuring himself that I’m safe.
He’s reassuring himself as much as he’s reassuring me. There’s something about him that tells me
that he’s still on edge.
The house is very quiet. It must be close to midnight now. Isaac and Lana must be back on the
pack’s territory tonight.
“Are you going to tell me what happened, baby?” he asks quietly, breaking the silence.
“A werewolf was after me. I don’t know why. It smelled bad.” My voice sounds shaky.
“It’s a werewolf, yeah. Not a good one,” he replies. “But what were you doing there, at night in
the middle of nowhere?”
I don’t know what his reaction would be if I told him about Kofi and the mating ceremony now.
It’s been a long night and, judging from his action, his lycan is still raging, fighting to be let loose.
As much as I’m angry and hurt by what my parents did tonight, I don’t want Gideon to hurt or kill
them.
So, I ask him instead, “How’d you find me? What were you doing there?”
“My texts to you went unread and unanswered since five this evening and I was starting to get
worried,” he explains. “I called but you didn’t answer my call either, so I went looking for you.”
I was cooking for my family at five this evening. I never thought my day would end this way.
“I’m sorry, my battery died,” I tell him. “But how did you know where to look for me?”
“You said you were going to your parents’, and you did mention they’re from the Nech’i Tekula
Pack yesterday.”
“You remember,” I say. I did mention that in the passing yesterday, but I didn’t know that he was
paying attention.
 “I remember everything you tell me, Layla. You’re very important to me. I want to know
everything there is to know about you.”
He places a finger under my chin and lifts my face up. His golden-yellow eyes are intense, yet
also tender. “Now, are you going to tell me what you were doing there alone?”
I sigh and say, “I had a big fight with my family tonight. I couldn’t stay there so decided to come
home.”
He blinks. Once. Twice. “You were planning to ~walk~ home?”
“That was the plan,” I say lightly, burying my face in his chest so that I’m not looking into his
beautiful eyes when I’m lying.
We both know that I’m full of shit, but he decides not to press the issue…at least for tonight.
We’re both silent for a long time before he finally says, “Will you tell me what really happened
one day…soon?”
I nod my head. I will have to tell him soon. It’s not something I can hide from him for long. I just
don’t want to talk about it tonight. “Will you stay with me tonight?”
“I’ll stay with you every night if you’ll let me, my Layla.”

I power up my laptop and wait for it to start. I’m in a classroom with ten other people. A group of us
booked this small classroom all last semester to work and study together.
It went so well that we decided to do the same this semester as well.
My mind drifts off to last night and this morning as I wait. Gideon stayed the night. It felt great to
be waking up in his arms.
We had breakfast together this morning before he drove me to campus.
I’m missing him now. The more I spend time with him, the harder it is to be away from him.
I glance at my phone. It’s been almost two hours since I responded to the last text from him. He
did tell me he’d be in a meeting again today.
My eyes wander and I watch Derek talking briefly to our friend Sean before he goes back to
staring at his laptop.
I’ve been trying to apologize, but Derek has been avoiding me and when we’re in the same room,
he pretends I don’t exist.
Honestly, I don’t know if we’ll be able to go back to the way we were.
“Are you Layla Emanuel?” A woman about my age asks me. I have never shared a class with her,
but I remember seeing her around.
“Yes, I’m Layla Emanuel,” I reply. Derek glances at me before he quickly looks away.
“There's somebody outside wanting to see you,” she says.
“Oh, okay.” I get up to follow her out.
~Is it Gideon? No, he would have called me first, wouldn’t he? Is it my family?~
We reach the hallway when she waves her hand to the side as a signal before she flounces away.
A beautiful, curvy brunette in a tight, blue, wrap silk dress is standing about fifteen feet away.
Her eyes are assessing me from head to toe. Measuring and judging me.
They narrow unpleasantly for a second before she makes her way toward me.
Her hips sway sexily. Her breasts are almost spilling over the very low neckline of her dress. The
woman oozes confidence and sensuality.
“You’re Layla Emanuel?” Her voice has that sexy, husky tone.
I nod. “Yes, that’s me, and you are?”
“I’m Helen Aristophanes. Gideon Archer’s lover.”
Chapter 13
My Job
POV: LAYLA

I watch her warily and ask, “What do you want from me?”
“Stay away from Gideon,” she says.
“What if I don’t?”
Her dark blue eyes narrow in displeasure for a second before she smiles slyly and asks me, “Tell
me, how much did you enjoy your evening run last night?”
A tiny shiver runs down my back as I remember the werewolf hunting me down last night.
I whisper, “Were you the one who sent that rabid werewolf after me? How did you know where I
was? How did you find me today?”
She ignores my questions. Instead, she says, “That was just a friendly little warning, puny human.
Your next run might be your last if you don’t stay away from my man.”
~Her man?~
“He’s not your man. He never was.”
“That’s where you’re wrong. Did he tell you that we’re still living together?” She laughs at the
look on my face.
“You’re so naive. You don’t really know him, do you?
“Oh, I don’t totally blame you. Gideon is a brilliant negotiator. A skilled manipulator. He never
loses control. Not for anybody. That’s why he is very good at what he does.
“After he was done stringing you along last night and every night before that, he came home to me.
He’ll always come home to me. I know how to satisfy a man like Gideon,” she brags.
“See this?” She holds her hand up. A beautiful diamond bracelet is glittering around her wrist.
I’m sure it cost more than everything that I have to my name. “Gideon gifted it to me just yesterday
night, right after I pleasured him.”
She smirks as she studies my face.
“He’s a very important man, my Gideon. He needs a woman like me,” she continues. “Consider
this my last warning, human. Stay away, or else…”
With that, she walks away. The slit of her dress opens up to reveal her creamy upper thigh with
every step she takes.
College boys openly gape as she walks past. A chauffeur in a black suit and tie and a driver’s cap
is waiting for her next to a shiny black Bentley.
I’ve never hated anyone before, but right now I hate her. For the most part, I don’t know what to
think.
The cold, calculating man that she painted Gideon to be doesn’t match the man who saved me and
soothed me all night long last night.
A part of me refuses to believe her, but her words are poison.
I was walking on a cloud this morning after spending last night in his strong, loving arms.
Nothing felt so good.
So right.
Now, I feel like my world is crumbling.
I have to go to work, but first, I need to call Gideon.
I need to hear his voice. I need him to tell me that everything is okay between us and that she was
lying.
I need to feel better because right now, I don’t feel too good. I need him like I need air and right
now I can’t breathe.
I walk to the bus stop while dialing Gideon’s number.
The call connects but it keeps ringing, and eventually it goes to his voicemail. I hang up without
leaving a message. After a while, I text him.

Layla: Hi, can we talk?

He doesn’t reply, so I try calling him again several more times, but my calls go to his voicemail
every time.
How did Helen know where I was last night and how did she find me this morning?
Did Gideon tell her, or is she watching me?
I don’t know anything right now, but this makes me paranoid. I might be losing my mind, but now I
feel like I’m being watched.
I look around warily. It feels like I’ve been waiting forever for the bus to finally arrive.
My phone rings not long after I board the bus. My heart hammers in my chest as I fumble to
answer it.
It has to be Gideon returning my call.
I pull the phone out of my pocket and my heart plummets. It’s Sarah. “Babe, where are you? Beth
has been waiting to talk to you.”
“Hi, Sarah. I’m on my way,” I tell her, checking the time. I’m not even late. I’m not due until 4
p.m. and it’s only 3:39 p.m.
“Okay, I hope you make it soon.” Sarah lowers her voice to a whisper. “Listen, Layla, Beth is in a
foul mood. I thought I should warn you.”
“Thanks, Sarah. I’ll be there in…ten minutes,” I say, after checking outside the window to see
where I’m at.

“Sit down,” says Beth as soon as I enter her office.

Beth isn’t the warmest person, but the icy chill she’s giving out today is worse than usual. “Do
you know why I called you in here today, Layla?”
“No,” I answer.
“Oh, I think you do,” she insists. The stormy glare she aims at me is full of fury.
“Think, Layla,” she snaps at my blank look. “Or maybe you never thought that you’d ever get
caught.” Her voice is rising.
“I don’t understand,” I tell her. The feeling of dread stumbles upon the sick feeling already
residing in the pit of my stomach.
I had sensed it from the moment I arrived.
The other workers at the outer office stopped talking and gave me a strange look as soon as I
came in. After that, they started whispering.
Sarah was looking apprehensive when someone told me to get into Beth’s small office.
~But what did I do wrong?~
 Beth’s lips thin into a straight line as she keeps staring at me.
~Why is she looking at me like that?~
She looks like she’s waiting for my confession.
“Never got caught doing what?” I ask her.
“Cut the innocent act!” She thumps her hands forcefully on the table, making me jump. “How long
have you been stealing from my clients, Layla?”
~What?~
“I never steal from clients.” I’ve never stolen anything in my life. Ever. Well…maybe that one
time when I stole my sister’s muffin while she was asleep and I blamed it on Kaleb.
“A lot of office supplies went missing from the building you and Sarah were cleaning.
“Then our penthouse clients complained about missing jewelry and money. It all makes sense
now. You’re the common denominator,” she says.
“I didn’t do it,” I tell her. “Why would I steal office supplies? I have never stolen money or
anything from clients.”
“I don’t know why and I don’t care, but you are fired,” she yells. “I don’t employ liars and
thieves!”
“But that’s not fair! You have no proof that I stole anything!”
“It’s your word against my client. He’s a very important man. Mr. Archer made the complaint
himself.”
~Gideon made the complaint? Is that why he isn’t answering my calls?~
“You’re lucky he didn’t want to press charges and put you in jail. You’re lucky I didn’t put you in
jail. You could’ve destroyed my business. Now, get out before I throw you out!”
There’s only so much I can take in one day. I literally feel my blood boiling. There’s a rage
trapped deep inside of me desperate to come out.
I’ve been keeping a tight lid on it. My chest is hurting from the control that I’m exerting on myself.
“Well, fuck you,” I say quietly through gritted teeth, sticking my middle finger up.
Beth reaches for her phone, probably to call security or somebody to throw me out. I’m sure
everybody in this building heard us.
The office door swings open, and Sarah suddenly appears by my side.
“Come with me.” She’s tugging my elbow toward the door. I’m shaking from the need to lash out,
but I follow her lead.
We walk out of Beth’s office, passing the silent co-workers in the reception area, and out the door
toward the parking lot.
Sarah unlocks her car and motions me to get in. We sit, looking out the window at the office
building in front of us for a long time. I concentrate on breathing in and out.
Sarah finally sighs and says, “Layla, we’ve been working together for nearly a year, and I know
you didn’t steal anything. I know you’re upset but this is not the end of the world.”
I wish I could agree, but it feels like the world is ending for me today as the reality of what has
happened crashes into my mind.
I’ve lost my job and, unless I can find a new job by tomorrow, I have no money to put food in my
stomach or keep the roof over my head beyond the next week.
This is the only job I’ve ever had, and I doubt Beth would give me a glowing reference. I’ve been
branded a thief, so I’d be lucky to get a job at all after this.
It’s between sleeping on the street and dumpster diving for food, and crawling back to my parents’
house to be mated to Kofi.
 But that’s nothing compared to what Gideon did to me. He hasn’t returned my call or answered my
text. It’s obvious that he wants nothing to do with me.
On top of that, he caused me to lose my job, and he’s still playing house with that woman—that
feels like the biggest betrayal of all.
I was planning to tell him about my family and Kofi tonight. I thought he was my savior.
Nothing seems to really matter right now.
I’m too numb to feel, but I know my heart is breaking and my dream is crumbling to dust. It’s hard
to breathe. I’m too shocked to cry right now, but I know it will happen soon.
Chapter 14
Golden Eyes
POV: LAYLA

I don’t say anything to Sarah. I just nod my head numbly as she continues.
“Anyway, I’m quitting. Do you remember the other night when I mentioned something about
applying for a job at that club across the street from the office we were cleaning?”
I vaguely remember us joking about the waitressing job and the skimpy outfit, so I nod again.
“Well, I wasn’t totally joking about it.” When I don’t respond, she adds, “It’s a burlesque club…
well…sorta…burlesque-ish…striptease-ish.”
At another nod of my head, she bursts out, “Fine! Stop judging me. So I’ve been in there…once. I
wanted to apply for a job but I chickened out, okay?”
She stops to take a deep breath; her shoulders are slumped in defeat. “But I need the money,
Layla.
“I’m a single mother. The money I’m making as a cleaner isn’t nearly enough to cover everything.
Life sucks when you let a dickface knock you up.”
Sarah had her son, Charlie, right after high school graduation. Now Charlie is five. Sarah also
takes part-time classes while working full time as a cleaning lady.
“My mom has been living with us, and when I’m out working or going to classes, my mom would
look after Charlie. She helped with the bills and she paid half the rent.
“But she’s been sick. Lately, she’s been sick more days than she’s been fine, even her kind
employer had to let her go.
“She can’t even look after Charlie some days now. It’s hard to get by with just my salary. It’s only
a matter of time before…”
She sighs and leans her head back against the headrest. “The hospital bills, rent, food, car,
Charlie… I’m drowning, Layla.”
“Well, I’m drowning too,” I tell her.
“Let’s not drown together. Let’s apply for the job. I have a friend who used to work there. She
said they’re always looking for new girls, and the pay is good, the tips are incredible.
“She told me that if you’re good, you could make up to five grand a night.”
I want to ask her, “Are you sure you don’t have to do more than just waitressing to earn that five
grand a night?
“And if it’s so great, why isn’t your friend working there anymore?” but I don’t.
~Why bother?~
So instead I say, “Okay.”

There’s a big bouncer at the door. His name is Tony.

Sarah does all of the talking while I barely register anything that is going on around us. Pretty
soon, we’re led inside by a skimpily clad hostess named Angelica.
By the time we’re sitting in a dimly lit lounge area, I’m burning with anger, confusion, and
sadness…but mostly, I’m consumed with rage.
 I’ve never been to a place like this in my life, but now I’m considering working here.
~How did I get here?~
I just want to lie down in my devastation and confusion over Gideon and everything else in my
life.
I want to shout in anger.
Screw my family, screw Kofi, screw that bitch Helen, screw Beth, screw Gideon…screw
everybody!
There’s a burning heat in my chest.
Sarah covers my hand with hers. “It’s going to be okay, Layla. We’ve got this.”
I blink back the tears, then swallow my anger and the bile that rises in my throat. I stroke my chest
to ease the heat.
I press my lips together and nod my head for the hundredth time today.
Sarah squeezes my hand before she lets go.
“Hello,” says a woman in a tight leopard-print dress. The dress goes all the way down to her
ankles, and the neckline shows off her ample cleavage.
Her dark brown hair has a sprinkle of grey, and her dark grey eyes are warm and surprisingly kind
as she greets us.
She’s probably close to my mom’s age.
“I’m Wynona, but the girls call me Mama Winn. I was told that you girls are here looking for a
job?”
“Yes,” says Sarah, and they proceed to talk while I retreat into my own mind.
Today is too much for me. I just want to lie down and hide from the rest of the world…or give in
to my fury and destroy everybody and everything around me.
Gideon. I both yearn for him and hate him in equal measure.
Sarah touches my shoulder, pulling me out of my thoughts. Both of them are standing up and
staring at me.
~Huh?~
I guess I missed what’s being discussed between them. “Stand up, dear,” I hear Mama Winn tell
me.
~Oh.~
I stand up.
She sizes me up from head to toe. “My, but aren’t you gorgeous? Absolutely stunning.”
Yeah, I’m glad she thinks so. I doubt my winning personality could land me a job right now.
She’s about my height in her nude-colored high heels. She puts her fingers under my chin and lifts
my face up to look at me closely. “You have such a beautiful face. Those high cheekbones.”
She seems enraptured. “Look at those killer eyes…you’ll drive men crazy. Are you sure you don’t
want to dance? You could make a fortune.”
“I don’t know how to dance,” I tell her. Besides, I don’t think I can take my clothes off in front of
strange men.
“We could train you. But I understand…maybe later when you’ve grown more comfortable,” she
says, smiling a little. “Dancers make more money than waitresses.”
“I don’t know about this, Sarah,” I tell her, nervously trying to pull the tight black skirt I was given
down to cover my ass.
I stare at myself in the full-length mirror. The skirt is so small, it barely covers my butt. I can see
my black panties when I bend down at my waist.
I make a mental note to bend at the knees.
The top is a tight, lacy black corset that pushes my breasts up, and I have a black bow tie-like
choker around my neck.
I’m showing too much skin; I feel naked.
The five-inch heels on my feet aren’t helping either. They’re going to kill me by the end of tonight.
“You look great,” she says. “I feel like such a mom. I’m so fat.”
Not true. She’s bigger than most girls here, but she has curves in all the right places.
They don’t have a corset her size, so she’s given a sequined black vest along with the bow tie
choker. I consider that a win.
“I hate you, skinny bitches,” she gripes.
Her gaze then slides past me to the other side of the room, which is dominated by a few dancers
getting dressed and doing their makeup. My outfit is almost as skimpy as theirs.
I shake my head. “Firstly, you are a mom, and secondly, you are beautiful. You look like what a
woman should look like. I wouldn’t mind trading this super tight corset with your vest.”
The club opens at six.
Earlier, Mama Winn brought us up into her office to fill out the paperwork.
After that, she asked one of her girls to show us around right away since we both agreed to start
tonight. I can’t believe she didn’t even ask for references.
“You have such amazing hair. I wouldn’t put it up in a tight bun like that if I were you,” says
Bianca, coming to stand behind me to tug my hair loose from its bun.
Bianca was the girl who’d shown us around earlier. She seems friendly, and Sarah is going to be
trained by her this evening.
I’m not so lucky. The woman who’s supposed to train me, Raven, isn’t very friendly.
Bianca combs and teases my hair before she tucks in a few pins to keep it off my face. After that,
she helps Sarah with her makeup.
Mama Winn comes in next.
“Perfect! Thank you, Bianca.” She claps her hands. “Now, don’t forget to smile and be friendly.
The more they like you, the more tips you get.
“You can flirt and make them feel good, but they’re not allowed to touch you. If they give you any
trouble, Tony, Russ, or any of the guys will keep them in check.”
I follow Raven around for a bit before she ditches me. The place isn’t very busy on a Monday
night so I’m fine. I still hate my outfit.
The place isn’t brightly lit, and patrons are respectful for the most part. That sorta helps. Maybe.
They’re too busy with the attraction on the stage to pay much attention to me anyway.
There are a few leering eyes that make me want to cover myself up or stick a fork in their eye
sockets, but so far I manage to ignore them.
Besides, my brain is busy enough just thinking about how hard it is to breathe...on top of
everything else in my life right now.
I see Sarah flitting here and there. I don’t know if she’s feeling as uncomfortable as I am, but I
know she’s friendlier than I am with her customers.
The place gets busier after a while, and I have a few customers asking me for a private dance. I
decline but some of them are persistent.
A naked dancer is gyrating on the stage and I’m standing at the bar, waiting to get my orders in
when Mama Winn approaches me.
“A group of gentlemen over there are requesting a private dance from you. They’re offering two
grand,” she says. “They’re wealthy out-of-town bankers.”
The group of four young men reminds me of Gideon. They’re not nearly as good looking, but
they’re dressed very well and expensively. So very much like Gideon yet so different.
They’ve been leering at me all night.
“That’s very generous of them,” I say as I watch the bartender set four beers on the counter.
I don’t know if Mama Winn could hear the sarcasm in my voice. “But I don’t dance, Mama Winn.”
“Well, tell them that when you serve them their drinks,” she tells me.
When she moves away, the hair at the back of my neck suddenly stands on end.
My heartbeat increases. My hands shake when I carry their drinks over and my eyes roam around
the dimly lit club.
The eyes of the four men are already on me. A tall, silent figure is sitting at a table next to theirs.
Like a magnet, my wandering gaze lands on a pair of familiar golden-yellow eyes.
A very intense and furious pair of golden-yellow eyes.
Chapter 15
Locked In
POV: LAYLA
“G ideon,” I whisper involuntarily.
My hands and feet wobble. The glasses and bottles on the tray in my hands rattle before
they all go crashing down on the floor.
I barely look at them as I stare, transfixed at his powerful and ominous-looking figure in the dim
lighting and colorful strobing lights from the stage.
His black suit and tie are a stark contrast against his snowy-white shirt.
His blazing eyes rake over me from the top of the shiny waves of my hair to my skimpily clad
body, down to the tips of my high heeled toes. His sharp jaw clenches.
Hunger and anger are warring in his cold, beautiful face.
He exudes danger and menace, but I am suddenly buzzing with life. For the first time since this
afternoon, I feel like I can breathe again.
His presence ignites the fire in my blood, bringing warmth flowing through my veins, making me
aware of how cold I’d been feeling without him.
As good as it is to feel him close to me, I know that I’m in trouble.
I refuse to retreat even though my stomach is churning in excitement when he unfolds his tall frame
and stalks toward me in one fluid and graceful motion.
My thundering heartbeat sounds like a war drum, emboldening me to face him.
He stops when the tip of his toes almost touch mine. He strips his jacket off. “Cover yourself up.
You’re getting out of here,” he growls through gritted teeth.
His jacket is suddenly covering me. It comes down to my thighs, just a few inches above my
knees.
It feels good to be covered by his male scent and to be hidden from the pervy male stares, but I’m
also very pissed.
I notice everybody is staring, including Sarah, Mama Winn, and the dancers. I’ve no doubt that
I’m going to lose my job…again.
Two jobs in a day!
How dare he come in here, throwing his weight around when he’s the one who made me lose my
job in the first place.
Plus, he’s still with that woman and didn’t even answer my call.
Yes, I’m listing out all of his offenses.
I lift my chin up and say, “No.”
The narrowing of his eyes further enrages me, making me add without thinking, “I’m not going
anywhere. I’m going to dance for these gentlemen.”
~What? No, I’m not. Why did I say that?~
His eyes darken, making me very aware that he’s close to losing himself to his lycan. I know I’m
on the verge of crossing whatever line that he’s drawn.
Suddenly, one of the four men who has been leering at me decides to interrupt, “Hey, we saw her
first, buddy! She’s going to give us our private dance. Go get another girl!”
A deep menacing growl rumbles deep in his throat. The dangerous lycan in front of me turns his
cold, dark eyes on the man.
 Well, it’s every woman for herself. I’m not here to save anyone’s ass but my own. So, while his
attention is on the fool at the table, I turn tail and run.
I hear a loud crash. There is the sharp sound of glass breaking and some cries behind me, but I
don’t stop to look. If anything, I run faster.
~RIP, pervy guy!~
Yeah, some people might call it cowardice, but I prefer to call my action self-preservation.
I manage to reach the edge of a narrow hallway that leads to the changing room and the backdoor
when two strong arms grab me from behind.
I’m being tugged back into a lean, hard body.
His warm breath fans my skin. His nose and lips skate along my neck and jawline and whispers.
“Run, and I will catch you. Fight me and I will take pleasure in possessing you. I will ravish you
and devour you. My lycan is clawing to get out to claim you. Defy me, I dare you.”
Oh God! My stomach squeezes and my chest rises and falls rapidly from his words, but still, I
struggle.
His arms tighten around me and I feel, rather than hear, another deep growl rumbling in his chest.
It’s a warning, and it’s making me stop to turn my face up to his. Glittering black eyes are staring
back at me, holding me captive. I recognize his lycan.
A low, feral-sounding voice drawls, “This body is mine. Mine to look at and mine to touch.
Nobody else gets to see you like this. Come with me now if you value these human lives.”
His savage, cruel words make my core clench. His nostrils flare as he sniffs my arousal. He grips
my waist, and with one swift motion, I find myself being hoisted onto his shoulder.
A couple of big security guys slowly move in, just a few tentative little steps, but they don’t get
any closer. Half-assed show of bravado, if you ask me.
I’m being carried out and shoved into a waiting car—the same black Bentley that drove Helen
today.
The driver gets in and his eyes meet mine in the rearview mirror before they shift away in a hurry.
I crawl to sit by the window on the other side, as far away from Gideon as possible. But as soon
as he gets in, he grabs my hips and slides my body across the leather seat.
He easily lifts me up to sit on his lap. His arms come out to wrap tightly around me.
Darn possessive, domineering lycan! I sit stiffly on his lap, determined to show him that I’m not a
pushover. I’ve had enough of people bossing me around.
I’m a changed woman, darn it!
If only it didn’t feel this good to be in his arms. I feel safe for the first time since this afternoon. It
feels like home. The car pulls away and I wonder where he’s taking me.
Everything that happened today, the emotional ups and downs—first meeting Helen to being
yelled at and being sacked.
Then being ogled by strange men while wearing next to nothing at the strip club, being away from
Gideon—I’m mentally and emotionally drained. I’m exhausted.
I watch the world outside the car window pass by in a blur. I’m so very tired. My eyelids feel
heavy as I melt into him.
“Mmm…smell so good,” I mumble as I bury my face in the crook of his shoulder.
I wrap my arms around him, holding onto the warmth and the security. I think I feel his lips on my
forehead as I close my eyes.
It’s dark. I blink a few times and reach out for my phone. Where is my nightstand?
The bed seems to go on forever. The smell is amazing and the silky material feels nice under my
seeking fingers.
~Oh God!~
I sit up with a gasp and look around. I’m all alone in a spacious bedroom. The only light source is
from the bright lights of the city through a big glass window that dominates one wall.
The automatic blind has been left open all the way to the sides. This is not my bedroom.
I’m in Gideon’s bed.
The event from earlier comes back to me and I lift the silky blanket to find the corset and the short
skirt I had on earlier gone.
I’m in one of his shirts and my black lace panties. No bra. Well, I wasn’t wearing a bra to begin
with.
~Oh God! Did he change me?~
My face heats up. I flop my head back on the pillow and pull the blanket over my head with a
long, strangled groan.
Nope, this is not happening. I’m going to hide in here until I wake up in my own bed. I’ll wake up
soon. Anytime now.
Not even one minute lying in here, my mind starts to wander.
~Where is Gideon? Where is that dreadful woman, Helen? Are they together now?~
Now I’m back to feeling pissed off. I’m fuming as I imagine them together. My imagination is
running wild.
I’m so mad, I could…ugh! I might get violent if I see them together, and that might not end too well
for me.
~Oh, I give up!~
Hiding isn’t working for me. I peek out and listen. The house is awfully quiet.
The digital clock on the stylish nightstand shows that it is now close to midnight. That means I
slept for almost three hours.
I lift the blanket up and gingerly put my bare feet on the floor. I check the en suite bathroom and
the huge walk-in closet just to make sure.
There’s no sign of Gideon or my clothes and shoes anywhere. I slowly check the bedroom door to
find that the knob easily turns in my hand.
~Yes! I might be able to escape without seeing him or Helen after all.~
I try hard not to make any noises as I tiptoe outside and carefully walk down the wide, wooden
staircase.
I reach the lower level and pad across the cool stone tiles in the entrance hall. Almost there.
I slowly reach for the burnished gold door handle.
“Going somewhere?”
~Gah!~
I jump and let out a shriek.
He’s just standing there, with his hands deep in his pockets, watching me.
“What is wrong with you?” I yell at him, clutching my chest. “My heart almost shot out through the
roof. I could have died!” I scowl at him.
 ~Oh God!~
I feel lightheaded.
He’s about ten feet away. Behind him is a two-way fireplace that divides the entrance hall and the
rest of the vast open-concept living area.
He’s still wearing the crisp white shirt, sans the tie. The three top buttons are undone and the
sleeves are rolled up to show his impressive arms.
A look of amusement flits across his handsome face before it disappears completely.
~Oh, right!~
The cold, unreadable look on his face reminds me that I’m supposed to run.
I grasp the door handle and yank. Nothing happens. It’s locked! I should have known. I turn to
glare at him again.
“Unlock the door. Now,” I demand. “Please,” I add after a beat…because I’m polite and being
polite might get me somewhere.
“Where are you in a hurry to get to?” he asks. He tilts his head to one side when I remain silent. Is
that a trick question? He looks too relaxed for my liking.
He flicks his gaze down my body and says, “You’re going out there barefoot…and dressed like
that?”
I look down at myself. Well…I didn’t think that far ahead. I look up and catch his strange golden-
yellow eyes wandering up and down my bare legs again.
That intense hungry look that flares on his face makes my knees go weak. I try to calm my racing
heart and politely say, “Well, if you just let me borrow your sweat pants or something and give me
back my shoes, I’ll be on my way.”
He shakes his head. The corners of his lips curl up into a smug little smile while his smoldering
eyes continue to scan my body. “Not going to happen, sweetheart. You’re not going anywhere.”
Chapter 16
Caveman
POV: LAYLA

O h, I wish I could wipe that smile off his arrogant, handsome face!
“Why not? You can’t keep me here against my will. This is kidnapping!” I stomp my foot.
Politeness just flew out the window.
“I’m not letting you out until we’re done talking,” he replies. “Even then, you belong here, with
me.”
“No, the time for talking is over. It’s over when you didn’t bother to answer your phone.”
I looked around the room for my belongings. “I want to go home…or…I should go back to the
club. I left my stuff there, and I might be able to get my job back.”
His jaw clenches at the mention of the club. “Don’t test me, sweetheart,” he grits out. “You’re not
going back to that wretched club ever again!”
“I go wherever I want to!” I’m almost yelling. I’d like to think that I’ve grown some backbone
since I’ve stood up to my parents last night.
Granted, that ended up pretty badly for me, but still…I didn’t run back to them.
I’ll be damned if I’m going to let anybody dictate my life again. “You have no right to keep me
here or tell me what to do or where to go.”
“Are you sure about that, sweetheart?” His nostrils flare as he takes a deep breath. “Remember,
you’re my erasthai. You’re mine.”
~Oh, now he remembers that I’m his erasthai?~
“As long as your bitch of a companion or your lover is still living here, I’m not staying.”
I’m breathing fast, causing my chest to go up and down rapidly and his eyes seem to be drawn to
it. I fold my arms across my chest and lift my chin up.
“She’s not my lover, and she’s not living here anymore.” He looks like he’s struggling to keep his
lycan at bay.
It’s not wise to test his control, but I’m pissed. I storm across the hall and climb back up the
stairs. His sure footsteps are following me at a much more leisurely pace.
When I reach the second level, I stomp purposefully along the mezzanine and turn to the last door
on the left. I push it open, step inside the room, and look around.
The scent of her perfume is very faint. The room looks different. The bed is stripped of any
bedding.
There are no jars of makeup or perfume lining the vanity table. The walk-in closet is bare of any
articles of clothing.
Even the window covering has been taken down. Any trace of occupancy is gone.
I whirl around to look at the man behind me. He’s casually leaning on the doorframe with his
hands shoved in his pants pockets.
“She’s gone,” I whisper. He doesn’t move. He continues to lean there, watching me closely. “But
she told me that you’re still living together.”
A muscle near his jawline jerks, but he doesn’t take his eyes off me or seem surprised.
“As you can clearly see, she’s no longer here.” He waves a hand, indicating the room. “I kicked
her out that night, the very day we met.”
“But…” I try to think.
 “I told her about us that night after our first dinner together. We had an agreement, but she came
onto me and wouldn’t take no for an answer. So I booked a hotel room for her and kicked her out.”
I look into his eyes, trying to figure out if he’s lying. He might be a very good actor, but right now,
I can only sense honesty.
“I wasn’t answering the phone because I lost my phone this morning, right before I went into the
meeting,” he continues. “I thought I left it in the car, but it’s not there. Bradshaw searched everywhere
for it but couldn’t find it.”
He pushes off the doorframe to stand up straight; his muscles seem rigid. “Now it’s my turn to ask
you a question,” he says.
Something dangerous flashes in his eyes even when his voice sounds smooth and soft now. “What
were you doing at that club dressed like that?”
“Well, it certainly was not for fun,” I answer sassily, but I shuffle a few steps back. “You made me
work there.”
“I made you work there? How and in what universe did I make you work there?” he looks
genuinely puzzled and very irritated with my answer. “I nearly ripped the eyes out of every man there
today.
“You’re supposed to be cleaning houses! Not prancing around practically naked for other men to
see.”
~Oh God! Caveman!~
I try not to stomp my foot again as I answer him, “Thanks to you, I got fired from my job cleaning
houses today.
“You complained to my boss that I had been stealing from you so she fired me. I was desperate for
a new job and the club gave it to me. I need that job!”
“No, you don’t!” he growls.
“Yes, I do! Even a girl like me has gotta have some luxury, to…oh, I don’t know, eat!” I’m so
pissed right now that I’m yelling. “Not sleeping under the bridge like a troll would be nice too.”
He sighs in exasperation. “I never made such a complaint,” he denies. “Of course, you never stole
anything, Layla. Not from me. Not from anybody. You’re too proud to steal anything.
“Besides, even if you stole the Mona Lisa tonight and I had all the evidence, I wouldn’t report
you.
“If you committed murder, I’d bury the body for you. If you robbed a bank, I’d drive the getaway
car.
“If you got caught doing all the above, I’d take the fall for you.”
~Aw, that’s very romantic…in a demented and twisted kinda way.~
My heart melts until I remember something else. “She showed me the bracelet that you gave her
after she ‘pleasured’ you just a couple of nights ago.”
His eyes narrow. “That woman was lying. I stopped being with her long before I met you. The
moment I caught your scent, I never wanted anyone else but you. I am obsessed with you.
“I did give her a gift, but not for that reason. It was supposed to be a parting gift to smooth ruffled
feathers, especially after I kicked her out in the middle of the night.
“I told my PA to spend no more than 150k on a gift and have it delivered to Helen. Up until a
minute ago, I had no clue what it was.”
“Well, it was a very nice bracelet,” I tell him with an attitude. I’m still smarting over the idea of
him spending money on that vile woman.
He doesn’t take his eyes off me as he shoves his hands into his pants pockets again and leans his
hips against the doorframe.
~Why does he have to be so sexy?~
“Don’t worry, sweetheart. I’ll get you better, more expensive gifts than that.”
I shake my head. “I don’t care for expensive gifts, especially the ones that your PA picked out.
That wouldn’t mean anything.”
“Then I shall make you paper airplanes and origami,” he says.
I know he’s joking, but I tell him truthfully, “I’d prefer that.”
He has money, there’s no doubt about that, so expensive gifts don’t mean much.
But if he made the gift himself, it means he’s making an effort for me and spending more time
thinking of me.
He shakes his head in wonder and awe. “You’re amazing,” he says.
I’m not that amazing, and I’m not very good at receiving compliments, so I deflect by asking, “You
weren’t surprised. You knew she came to see me, didn’t you? How?”
He doesn’t answer right away. He lowers his eyelids and runs his thumb across his lower lip
thoughtfully before he replies.
“You’re not going to be happy with me when I answer your question, but I want to be honest with
you. At all times. On everything.
“Before you yell at me again, please remember that I was only thinking of your safety when I did
this.”
I just nod and wait for him to continue.
“After what happened last night with the werewolf, I had one of my men following you. So, he
saw Helen talking to you even though he couldn’t hear what was being said.
“As I said before, I lost my phone, so he had to seek me out personally to inform me about it. He
also told me that my girl was working in a strip club and I lost it.”
He’s right, I’m not very happy with the thought of someone following me and reporting my every
movement back to Gideon. But then again, I understand where he’s coming from.
I can’t deny that I’m feeling a sort of relief, since I suspect that Helen might also be watching me.
“Helen sent that rabid werewolf after me last night,” I blurt out. Gideon’s eyes darken suddenly.
“She said if I didn’t stay away from you, she’s going to…”
He rushes out of the room before I even finish telling him the story. He’s very fast. He’s not even
in the hallway anymore when I sprint out of the room after him.
The sound of a door opening and slamming shut echo through the apartment before everything goes
quiet.
“Hello?” I call out.
~He couldn’t have left, could he?~
I mean, I know he’s angry. More than angry—I saw his eyes turn black and that’s not good, but…
I ran down the staircase. The sound of my bare feet hitting the thick wooden slabs of the stairs is
the only sound reverberating through the vast space.
I stop at the bottom of the staircase.
“Hello?” My own voice breaks through the silence again and echoes around the high ceilinged
main floor of the penthouse.
My call is greeted by another silence. It’s clear to me now that I’m the only one here.
I run to the entrance hall and try the front door. It’s locked.
~He just left and locked me in? Unbelievable!~
I guess I shouldn’t be shocked at this point, but I still am.
 ~Great! Just great.~
I wish I could call to yell at him, but we both don’t have phones right now. Gideon lost his phone
and my phone is still in the locker at the club.
~This sucks! Is he going after that bitch Helen by himself?~
Now I’m pissed off. Then I blink and stare at the big, empty, and luxurious space as a new
realization dawns on me. He’s kicked Helen out, and I’m not here to clean!
I’m his erasthai. His future mate.
I’m the queen of the whole place right now! I can do whatever I want…pretty much.
And who cares what he’s going to do with her? As long as he’s not going to hook up with her or
anything like that, I’m cool with it.
I run to the living area and flop my butt onto the plush white sofa, bouncing a few times. So this is
the place where I’m going to be living in, at least for now.
~Sweet!~
I bounce a few more times on the comfortable sofa before I put my feet up on the shiny black
coffee table.
~This is awesome!~
I grew up in a werewolf pack. I’m the product of my environment. Feminists worldwide would
weep at the way I was raised to think that mates belong to each other.
I do believe that I belong to him as much as he belongs to me, and I’m supposed to move in with
Gideon as soon as I meet him since I’m his erasthai.
My objection before was because I thought he was still with Helen.
I will not tolerate that. At all.
I’m supposed to treat him like a king, but to be worthy of such honor, he’s supposed to treat me
like I’m his queen.
His one and only.
Now that I know that he’s not with Helen anymore, I’m entertaining the thought of living with him.
I spot the remote control and turn on the TV. It was on the news network. Pfftt…Gideon. How
depressing.
I change the channel until I stumble upon ~SpongeBob SquarePants~. I’ll watch SpongeBob
while waiting for Gideon to come home.
My stomach growls during a duet with SpongeBob—the campfire song is one of my favorites.
I glance at the clock. It’s after two in the morning. No wonder I’m famished, it’s late and I didn’t
have any dinner tonight.
I wander into the kitchen and inspect the fridge. It is well stocked. There are containers of ready-
cooked food.
I have no idea what they are, but they smell and taste delicious, so I heat them up. I also find
various types of cheese, crackers, fruit, and chips.
I grab a bottle of seltzer water and bring everything to the kitchen island.
There are four black and chrome barstools in front of the granite counter-topped island.
I sit on one of them and polish everything off before I raid the freezer to find a tub of chocolate
mint ice-cream.
I don't usually eat this much, but in the last few days, I’ve been feeling hungry faster and needing
more food than usual.
I haven’t gained much weight, but I think something else is going on with my body.
After I’m done eating, I clean up and go back to continue watching ~SpongeBob~ in the living
room. A full tummy makes me sleepy.
I wrap the fuzzy throw from the back of the sofa around my shoulders, rest my head on the side,
and pull my legs up into a fetal position as my eyes grow heavier.
Gideon…I wonder if he’s coming home tonight.
Chapter 17
Marking a Sexy Troll
POV: LAYLA

I wake up in a warm, comfortable bed and a dark room. I’m aware, even before I press my nose
into the soft pillow and breathe in his wonderful scent that I’m back in his room.
He must have brought me in here last night, but I know without looking that he’s not in bed or
in the room with me.
The clock shows that it’s just after seven in the morning. It’s very quiet, almost like last night. The
blinds are drawn, blocking out the sunlight.
I get up and press a button on the remote on the bedside table.
All the blinds slide open, allowing the morning sunshine in and revealing the breathtaking view of
the skyline and the Pacific Ocean.
The sky is azure blue, and there are several sailboats dotting the sea.
Some people are very lucky to wake up to this view every morning. I vow not to take something
like this for granted. Ever.
I stand there, taking everything in for several minutes before I go to the adjacent bathroom to clean
up.
There is a new toothbrush on the counter by the sink, so I use it to brush my teeth.
I’m still in just my panties and his shirt, but there’s nothing much I can do about that. All his pants
are too big on me.
A glance in the mirror shows my flushed morning face framed by wild hair. I sigh in defeat after a
few tries to tame it.
It’s now up in a messy bun, but so many brown curly strands have escaped to fall all over my
face. I look like a crazy lady, I decide.
I peer down the banister from the landing of the staircase. There he is. God, it’s so good to see
him.
He’s facing his laptop, sitting on the barstool that I sat on last night. There’s a mug of coffee and a
plate of half-eaten breakfast on the counter in front of him.
The man looks delicious in the morning. The top half of him is bare, displaying his broad
shoulders, muscular pecs and arms, and a flat, washboard abs.
His skin is a smooth, golden tan.
The bottom half of him is hidden by the kitchen island…which is a shame, in my opinion.
His hair is sexily tousled, and there is a day’s worth of dark, bronze fuzz covering the lower half
of his face and jaw.
How some people can just roll out of bed and look insanely hot is beyond me. It is totally unfair.
He looks up suddenly and my heart rate skyrockets. That excitement that makes my stomach flutter
and my breath hitch is back with just one look.
I hold on to the banister as he tracks my movement with his eyes. There is hunger and
possessiveness in his stare.
The intensity of his gaze makes me feel clumsy; I almost trip on my own feet.
When I reach the bottom of the stairs, his eyes rake the exposed skin of my legs before they travel
up again to take in all of me.
His nostrils flare and the golden-yellow irises of his eyes darken considerably.
 I’m excited and nervous at the same time. I breathe some much-needed air into my lungs and
wonder if I should get closer to him or run and hide in one of the rooms upstairs.
“Don’t run from me, Layla,” he warns as if he can read my mind. “There’s nothing I enjoy more
than a good chase.”
The look on his face is predatory. “You can’t outrun me or hide from me. When I catch you, my
lycan might do whatever it’s been craving to do to you…and that’s a lot more than you’re ready for.”
I stand still. Not like I have a choice—my feet feel like jelly. His words have heated my blood
and drenched me between my legs.
He takes in a sharp breath and his nostrils flare again. I’ve no doubt he can smell how turned on I
am. This is so embarrassing.
“Layla…,” he groans, closing his eyes like he’s being tortured. His hands grip the edge of the
granite counter. “I want you so bad…and you’re not helping.”
My whole face is now heated from all the blood rushing to it.
~Gah! Just kill me now.~
I squeeze my legs together.
“Still not helping,” he says, lowering his head onto his arm. His voice is huskier and deeper than
usual. “You’re not ready for me to take you…”
“How’d you know I’m not ready?” I ask him. So typical of men to assume and decide. It’s all his
fault. “You…you…you with your sexy morning hair and sexy voice and eyes and body…”
He lifts his face up to look at me. His eyebrows inch upward. “Would it hurt to put a shirt on?” I
continue.
~God, do I know what I’m saying?~
“But no, Mr. Perfect has to eat his breakfast shirtless and blame it all on me and his lycan. As if
you’re innocent. And all those things you said…” A grin slowly forms on his face and I falter.
~Nope. No, don’t get distracted by his stupid sexy smile.~
I try again, “All those things you said…”
“So, you’re ready for me…and you think I’m sexy?”
~Huh?~ I blink. “What?”
He slowly gets up. “Don’t worry, I think you’re sexy too.”
Uh-huh. I look like a cross between a troll and a crazy lady.
“I think you’re beyond sexy, Layla.” His voice is deep and smooth…and seductive. He’s
approaching me like a panther stalking its prey. A very sexy panther.
~What?! A sexy panther?~
I’m seriously disturbed.
“Wait!” I raise my hand up to stop him. “Stay where you are.” I seriously don’t know how to deal
with this playful, mischievous, and seductive version of Gideon.
Those cat-like eyes are hooded and that smile is wolfish and knowing. I’m way over my head.
“You really want me to stay away?” he asks me. When I don’t answer him, he slowly closes the
gap between us.
He doesn’t let his body touch mine, but he moves to stand behind me. “Or do you want me to
touch you?”
His warm breath tickles my neck. He’s standing close. So close, I can feel his body heat behind
me.
“Layla…” he breathes. Long elegant fingers gently trail down my arms, bringing goosebumps to
my skin.
 Next, he places a soft kiss on my neck. So soft, I barely feel it. When I don’t pull away, his warm
lips move down to kiss, lick, and nibble gently down my neck.
A delicious chill shoots all the way to the juncture between my thighs, sending tingles down my
spine.
~Oh dear Lord.~
When his lips reach my clavicle, his nimble fingers push the collar of the shirt slowly down my
shoulder, clearing the way for his very skillful mouth.
Another hand travels up my thigh underneath the shirt. It goes all the way up until it covers my
panties.
“You taste better than honey,” he whispers before his mouth latches onto the slope of my shoulder.
That feels so good. Everything feels so good—his mouth on me, his hands, the fuzz of his stubble
on my skin…everything.
His mouth is sucking harder, and I let out a soft moan and lean back against the hard wall of his
muscular chest.
I arch my head back on his shoulder and his mouth finds its way to my throat.
“Tell me you’re ready for me,” he says. “Be mine. Let me make you mine.” The tip of his finger
slips underneath the elastic, lacy band of my panties.
Waiting.
Oh God…I want him. I want him so bad. I’ve never wanted anything as badly as I want him at this
moment.
“Yes,” I moan.
Instead of taking me, he groans, “Don’t tease me, Layla. I need you.”
“Yes,” I say.
“When I claim you, there’s no turning back. When I make you mine, you’re mine forever.”
“Shut up and take me already!” I growl.
~What does a girl need to do to get some around here?~
I was ready last night, that’s why I was pissed when he left. I’ve been waiting for him all night!
He suddenly spins me to face him. His hands are gripping my shoulders. His eyes are dark and
intense, searching my face. His expression is so serious.
“Gideon,” I whisper and his heated gaze falls on my lips. I place both hands on his chest and feel
his muscles contract. The pull he has on me is so strong, I need to be touching him.
I need to bond with him in every way. I need him in my blood. I need us to be one.
“Goddess help us, but I need you…,” he groans before his hand comes up to cup the back of my
head; he brings his mouth down to slam against mine.
The touch of his lips on mine sends jolts all over my body and makes us both moan into each
other’s mouths.
His wet, velvety tongue slips into my mouth, seeking mine, and I give it to him.
I push myself up on my toes, needing to get closer.
His hands are suddenly on my butt, lifting me up, and I wind my arms around the back of his neck.
I hook my legs around him as our kisses grow more frantic.
He carries me upstairs with our mouths fused together. A few seconds later, I find myself lying on
his bed.
“I’m making you mine. There’s no going back, Layla,” he says before his mouth latches onto my
left shoulder.
His teeth and canines press on the skin there. “This is where I’m going to mark you.” He kisses
the spot before he pulls back to look at me.
“Yes. Do it,” I tell him.
His lips curl up into a happy, victorious grin. I reach up to stroke his cheek and his smile grows
wider. It makes him look adorably boyish.
“You are beautiful, Layla,” he says. “You are stunning, inside and out…and I want you so badly
but I don’t want to hurt you.”
I can feel him struggling to hold himself back. His whole body is still tense. “I want to be gentle. I
want our first time to be good for you.”
I could lose my heart to him right now, at this very moment, if I haven’t already gone and done
that.
“I think I love you,” I blurt out.
His eyes flare and his expression softens. He lowers himself closer to me, using his elbows for
support so that he’s not crushing me.
He pushes back a lock of stray hair from my face and says, “Layla, I knew you were the love of
my life the moment I saw you sleeping soundly, right here, on my bed.”
“Gideon, take me. Mark me and make me yours,” I tell him.
He pushes himself up and off the bed before he hooks his thumbs under the waistband of his black
cotton sleeping pants. His eyes are fierce on mine as he slides his pants down his legs.
He’s not wearing underwear.
He kicks his pants off and I can’t keep my eyes off his impressive hardness.
He climbs on top of me. His powerful thighs straddle my waist.
He takes the opening of the shirt I’m wearing in his grip and rips it apart. I hear the sound of the
fabric tearing and see the buttons flying to the floor and across the bed.
His eyes hungrily rake my body, taking in my exposed flesh. “Tell me to be gentle, my love. Tell
me.”
“No, take me the way you want me,” I tell him as I reach up for him.
Chapter 18
The Awakening
POV: LAYLA

I know he is trying to go slow, but the intense need to bond is making it almost impossible for us to
hold back. We’re clawing at each other, trying desperately to get closer.
The need for him is pulsing through me. This pull is stronger than both of us.
“Take me,” I growl.
His eyes are dark and wild as he takes my hands in his. He pins them to the mattress above our
heads, entwining our fingers together.
“Layla!” he roars before he plunges himself inside me and something in me comes alive. The
harder he thrusts into me, the more powerful it becomes.
He roars a second time and I feel his teeth and canines piercing the tender skin of my shoulder.
I’m suddenly overcome by the same need and instinct, so I do the same. I sink my teeth and
canines into his shoulder.
The heat of his bite scorches my skin as it travels all over my body, seeping through my skin,
rushing through my bloodstream down to every follicle of my hair.
My whole body goes up into flames of unbearable ecstasy. Pain and pleasure.
I’m deaf and blind to everything else except for the awareness of him inside me. I feel him in my
bones, my blood, in my consciousness, and in every pore of my being.
I feel completely shattered, then come back together again, piece by piece. I’m the same but
different.
Sparkly white lights dance behind my eyelids as I release his shoulder from my jaw and give in to
the exhaustion and fade into oblivion.
I’m floating in a warm blissfulness. I’ve never felt so content and safe.
~Am I dead yet?~
I deep chuckle and a voice says, “You are still alive, my sweet,” which makes me open my eyes.
His beautiful golden-yellow eyes, filled with amusement, are gazing back at me.
He’s pulled a sheet over the both of us. He has a hand resting on my bare stomach and one of his
legs is thrown over my legs. “How are you feeling?”
“I’m okay,” I say without thinking. But then I pause and frown.
~Am I okay?~ “Something feels different.”
“It’s probably your lycan awakening in you for the first time. You’ll feel it more when your
emotion is high.”
~Wow, I’m a lycan.~
It’s hard to wrap my mind around that.
“We can feel each other’s emotions too now,” he explains. When I look at him in bemusement, he
continues, “You can’t feel it now because I chose not to share it at the moment.
“You’re going through so many changes, I don’t want to overwhelm you. You’ll be changing more
every day. Already, I can see the changes in you,” he informs me.
“My mark.” My hand instantly goes to my shoulder. I trace the scar of his bite mark. “It doesn’t
hurt anymore.”
“It healed while you were resting.” He twists his body a bit to show me his shoulder.
There’s a dark bite mark on it. The skin is a bit raised, forming a scar. It’s MY bite mark. His lips
curl up into a smug smile.
~Oh my God! I can’t believe I did that!~
I lightly touch the mark on his shoulder, then I touch my teeth. They feel normal to me. “How long
was I out?” I ask him.
“Only about half an hour,” he answers, lifting me up to lie on top of him.
“That’s it? It felt longer than that,” I tell him, trying to ignore the feel of his warm, hard body
underneath me.
Only a thin sheet between us. My skin tingles all over. “So, did you sleep or were you awake the
whole time?”
“I must have passed out for ten minutes or so…the next twenty minutes I spent staring at my
erasthai.”
“What. Like a pervert?” I ask him, smiling. Did I drool or snore when I was sleeping? I fight the
urge to run my hand down my chin.
“I can’t help it. You are so beautiful,” he whispers. The way he’s looking at me is making me
blush.
“Uh…my hair is crazy wild when I get up in the morning,” I say, then I feel like kicking myself in
the mouth. I should have just said thank you. I’m always bad at receiving compliments.
“I love your hair,” he replies, wrapping a curly lock around his index finger. I can feel it.
He’s not just saying it, he really does love my hair…and everything else about me. It amazes me
that this beautiful lycan feels that way about me.
~How did I get so lucky?~
“I guess love really is blind,” I comment cheekily and the low rumble of his laughter makes my
stomach flutter in response.
“You just don’t see what others see. I like that you don’t know how gorgeous you are.”
“Now I can add delusional to the list, right after blind,” I tell him.
He tugs the lock of my hair playfully.
For a while, we just lie there, staring at each other. I could look at him all day and all night and
never get tired of it. “Where did you go last night?” I ask him quietly.
“I went hunting,” he answers easily.
“What were you hunting?”
“Helen,” he replies.
“Oh.” I sort of thought that he’d gone after Helen, but I didn’t expect him to sound so casual about
it. “Did you get her?”
“No,” he says with a dangerous gleam in his eyes. “She’s gone into hiding.”
The sinister smile tugging at his lips could draw blood. It’s a reminder to me how dangerous he
is…
~Wait, I’m a lycan now. Am I dangerous too?~
“But I’ve set a trap,” he adds.
“You’re not going to kill her, are you?” I ask him.
“I don’t know. Should I?” he asks me.
~Oh, is it up to me?~
I run a finger over his chest as I mull it over. His heartbeat and his breathing become faster as I
spread my fingers out to explore further. He really does have a magnificent body.
Even better than any man I’ve seen in magazines or in my pack…and I’ve seen plenty.
He’s all hard muscle, yet soft silky skin everywhere. Fascinating. I want to explore every inch of
him with my hands and my mouth.
His hand comes up to cover my fingers before they travel any lower. I bring my eyes back up to
his face.
~What are we talking about, again? Oh, yes…~
“Surely what she did to me doesn’t warrant a death sentence, does it? I mean, she did frighten me
and threaten my life, but I’m still here.” But then again, I’m not even going to weep crocodile tears if
she dies tomorrow. Right now I’m feeling…ambivalent.
“Sweetheart, we had an agreement and she broke it. She knew better than to mess with me and
what’s mine.
“She shouldn’t have even looked at you the wrong way, let alone threatened your life. She knew
there would be consequences. I protect what’s mine.”
I like it when he calls me his. He makes me feel protected and loved. I’ve always imagined what
it feels like to have a mate. This is far better than in my wildest imagination. He’s just better…so
much better.
I sense something shifting in his mind and he asks, “Now, are you ready to tell me what you were
doing, walking alone on a deserted road outside the pack’s territory the other night?”
I sigh. I guess I can’t avoid this topic forever. “Would you believe me if I said I was taking an
evening stroll?” At least I can try.
He just lifts his perfect, thick eyebrow and waits for me to tell the truth.
“I had a fight with my parents,” I admit finally. I lower my eyelids, unable to endure his
penetrating gaze.
He makes me want to spill my whole life story and my whole truth to him. “They meant well. I
mean, I know they love me and only want what’s best for me, but I’m an adult now.
“All my life, I was a good daughter. Even when my brother and sister rebelled, I did everything
my parents expected of me. Even if I argued with them at first, I always, ~always~ gave in to them in
the end.
“The first time I truly defied them was when I moved out of their house and the pack territory to
go to college. That felt like a huge win for me.
“But every weekend, I have to go back there, and they try their best to persuade me to move back.
They’re so used to dictating my life, they don’t know when or how to back off.
“I think because I was born without a wolf, they’re convinced that I’m weak and need to be
looked after. It’s a huge power struggle. It’s one thing after another.
“Last time, it was my father’s health. He said he was dying or something so I moved back for a
month. This time they wanted me to mate with someone of their choosing.
“The mating ceremony is this weekend, and we got into a huge fight over it. I don’t know what it’s
going to be next.
“It’s exhausting. I’m tired of it. I mean, this is my life. Why can’t they see that I’m not a little kid
anymore?”
I can feel his body stiffen underneath me before he says, “Wait, back up. Back up! What was that
again?”
I lift my head to look at him. “Uh…why can’t they see that I’m not a kid anymore?”
“No, before that.” He’s growling now.
I scrunch my eyebrows, trying to think back. What did I say to make him so mad? My chest burns
and I recognize his fury.
Suddenly I realize what I just said. Uh-oh…I didn’t mean to tell him about Kofi like that. I can’t
believe becoming a lycan didn’t cure my broken brain-to-mouth filter.
He flips us and in a blink, I’m on my back with him on top of me.
Hard, glittering dark eyes are staring down at me. “You’re supposed to mate with someone else
this weekend? Why didn’t I know about this, Layla?”
I look at his taut face before saying, “Because I wasn’t going to let that happen? I can’t imagine
being mated to anyone else but you.” I feel the flame turn to ember. His anger lessens.
Gideon continues.
“As I said before, I can’t let them dictate my life anymore. It’s time for me to grow up and take
charge. That’s why we had that huge fight and I ended up walking on that road the other night.”
His fingers curl around my throat while his other arm tightens around my waist.
His voice is fierce. “What kind of loving parents let their daughter walk alone on a lonely road
dark at night like that? I’d burn the whole pack to the ground if anything happened to you.”
“Gideon.” I bring my hand to his stubbly cheek and he leans into my touch. “I think my parents
thought I’d cave in like I always do and were waiting for me to crawl back to them that night.”
I run another hand through his silky bronze hair and he closes his eyes. “No matter what, I love
them, Gideon. I love my family. I don’t want them hurt.”
His eyelids flutter open and golden-yellow eyes are staring down at me. “I promise I won’t hurt
them, but I hate the way they have treated you,” he says.
“You are important to me and so are they. I really wish you could get along with them…somehow.
Someday.”
“For you, I will do anything,” he replies.
I smile up at him. “Promise?”
“I promise. I’ll do anything to make you smile like that.” He runs his finger over my bottom lip.
It tingles from his touch.
“You don’t have to worry about anything, baby. I’ll take care of you.”
“Okay,” I say breathlessly. “Do you have to go to work today?” The thought of being away from
him even just for a few hours is unbearable for me right now.
I want him to be in bed with me like this forever.
He leans down to kiss the corner of my mouth. “No. No more meetings or any more dealings. My
work here in L.A. is done,” he announces and my heart sinks.
~He’s leaving?~
He lifts his head up. “Sweetheart, I’m here just for you. You’re my mate. I’m not going anywhere
without you. When I leave, you’re coming with me.”
“Oh…” I try to think as he kisses my neck. The pleasurable thrums of electricity work their way
from where his lips are touching me to every part of my body.
He told me before that his work takes him all around the world. I’m excited and a bit nervous at
the same time.
“Where are we going next?”
“I’m supposed to be in Lisbon now,” he says, but I don’t think he’s paying much attention to our
conversation anymore.
He’s nibbling and sucking and licking along my jaw. “But maybe we will go to Madrid…”
His fingers graze my skin as he slides the thin sheet down my hips. “Now tell me about your
family’s pack.”
I struggle to think as his warm lips find that spot below my ear. “Nech’i Tekula is a good pack.
The alpha’s new but fair,” I tell him.
 Mmm…my eyelids flutter close.
“Tell me about that prick your parents chose for you,” he growls before his mouth possessively
clamps on my neck like he wants to mark me again.
“Let’s not talk about him,” I suggest, arching my head back, grinding my hips against his hard
length.
“Anything to make you happy, my sweet.” I feel his hunger for me spike up as his lips stretch into
a smile against my skin. “Your wish is my command.”
We end up spending all day in bed.
Chapter 19
Lady Archer
POV: LAYLA

I flip the pancakes and glance at Gideon, who’s sitting at the breakfast bar with his laptop opened
in front of him.
He’s clean-shaven now. His hair is still damp from the shower he had earlier. The grey
Henley he’s wearing sticks to his body like a second skin.
The faded blue jeans hug his long legs. He’s not wearing shoes, but even his bare feet are sexy.
He’s supposed to be working, but every time I steal a look, he’s already staring at me. His striking
golden-yellow eyes are following my every movement like a hawk eyeing its prey.
I smile coyly. “Aren’t you supposed to be working?” I ask him as I turn back to the stove.
I’m still wearing his shirt with nothing else on even after my shower this morning.
Knowing that he can’t take his eyes off me is a huge boost to my ego. He makes me feel sexy and
beautiful.
“I’m taking a break,” he replies.
I raise an eyebrow and look at him over my shoulder.
He chuckles and flips his laptop closed. “How am I supposed to get any work done when my
beautiful mate is looking sexy, cooking me breakfast?”
I turn back to hide my growing smile. This morning, I volunteered to cook breakfast because
we’re both starving.
We spent all day yesterday and all night last night in bed. We made love over and over again.
We whispered our secrets, fears, and dreams to each other.
We ordered pizza and Chinese to be delivered when we were hungry.
He’s so deep in me, it’s like we’re sharing one soul. I crave him…all the time.
It’s good that the soreness between my legs doesn’t last too long and that he seems to be as
equally obsessed with me.
“Do you really need to leave this morning?” The question is whispered close to my ear. His
powerful arms sneak out to wrap around me from behind.
I lean back to rest my head against his chest, marveling at how wonderful and right it feels every
time he touches me.
How perfectly complete I feel.
I don’t ever want to be away from him.
“Yes, I do,” I answer him reluctantly. “I have a class this morning and still need to get my bag and
my phone from the club’s locker.”
He sighs and buries his face in my hair. I know he’s reluctant to let me out of his sight and his
reach, but he’s not going to stop me from going to class.
We’ve talked about my passion for photography. I told him of my dreams to take pictures of
faraway places and possibly having a studio one day.
It’s something that I’ve never told anyone before.
He listened attentively like it was the most important and fascinating thing in the world.
No one has ever listened to me like that, especially about my dreams.
My family always dismissed my interest in photography as some sort of a phase I’m going through
and a waste of time.
 “Okay,” he says, kissing the side of my neck. “But you don’t have to go back to that bloody club. I
already brought all your things back the other night.”
“Gideon Thomas Archer,” I say, turning slightly to peer up at him from underneath my eyelashes.
“Why didn’t you tell me that earlier?
I’ve been walking around wearing nothing but your shirt since Monday evening while all this time
I have my own change of clothes and underwear right here?”
I always carry a change of clothes in my bag, ever since I started working as a cleaner.
He grins mischievously. “I like you in my shirt.” I’m sure he does.
I try to frown at him to show my disapproval and annoyance, but my serious face starts to
crumble, so I shake my head apprehensively while biting back my smile.
I step away from him to plate our food.
“This smells good,” he says, taking the plates from my hands to place them on the breakfast bar.
He takes out two glasses from the cabinet while I take the juice out of the fridge. He takes out the
forks and butter knives while I get the napkins out.
He gets the butter while I get the syrup for the pancakes.
Then we both sit down to eat while grinning at each other like fools.
This feels so domesticated and intimate and I’m in complete bliss. I can see myself doing this
every morning with him for the rest of my life.
He keeps his eyes on me and his lips curved up into that grin that makes him appear boyish and
adorable—yet very sexy—all through breakfast.
I can’t believe this is Lord Archer. I’m mated to Lord Archer. I nearly had an aneurysm when he
told me yesterday.
I mean, I know that he works for the palace, but I didn’t know that he’s Lord Archer.
~The~ Lord Archer.
He’s very famous, influential, and well respected in the werewolf and lycan world; he’s second
only to the royal family. He’s practically a legend.
I’ve heard of him since I was just a little girl, but I never thought that he’d look so…hot…
~And he’s my mate!~
He even called me Lady Archer when we were making love last night. That was a huge turn-on
for me.
After we’ve had our breakfast, he tells me that my bag and my phone are in his bedroom, so I go
upstairs to change while he puts the dirty dishes in the dishwasher.
The cleaner will be over in the afternoon.
I wonder if Marnie is still doing the cleaning here.
She was such a bitch to me and the other girls the whole time I was working at Elly Maid’s
Cleaning Service.
I remember her sneer and gleeful smile after I was yelled at and kicked out of Beth’s office.
I was fired, but she’s cleaning up after me now. Is it bad that I feel like rubbing it in her face?
I’ve stripped out of Gideon’s shirt, and I’m in the middle of pulling my panties up my legs when I
catch my reflection in the mirror.
There are marks on my body from Gideon’s hands and mouth. They’re fading now, but a satisfied
smile forms on my lips.
Helen told me that Gideon never lost control. Not for anybody. But he’s lost control so many times
when he’s with me.
I run a critical eye over myself.
 My skin is glowing. The caramel of my skin appears richer. There’s a slight pink tint to my
cheeks.
My lips seem fuller and redder. My light hazel eyes look unusually bright—the green and the gold
of the iris seem to be contrasting each other vividly.
My hair seems shinier. I look like myself but…different.
My body seems curvier…or maybe I’ve put on some weight. That’s not surprising, considering
the food I’ve been shoving into my mouth lately.
My jeans seem to be painted on once I manage to pull them all the way up, but, surprisingly, I’m
able to zip up and pop the button in with no problem.
My green top seems to stretch across my chest indecently; you can see the outline of my bra, so I
undo a few top buttons.
It doesn’t help much since my cleavage is now on full view and the buttons below it look like
they’re about to pop out any minute.
~Yikes! I’d better watch what I eat from now on…maybe.~
I’m hungry all the time; it’s so hard to say no to food these days.
I leave my hair to cascade down my back too. I usually pull it up into a tight bun on top of my
head because my mom prefers it that way.
She said my hair is too frizzy to leave it down like this. But I know Gideon secretly likes it down
even though he’d never tell me how to wear it.
I like it free like this too. It feels strangely liberating.
My class starts at eleven this morning. I still have time to kill, so I check my phone.
There are thirty-seven messages and twenty missed calls from my mom. Three messages and one
missed call from Sarah.
I scroll through my mom’s messages and roll my eyes.
For the first few messages, she sounded worried. Then she just sounded angry with me for not
answering her calls and messages.
On and on she went, the next message sounding angrier than the last one.
She wants to make sure that I’d be back for the mating ceremony this weekend…Dad is out of his
mind…yadda, yadda, yadda…Grandma’s dying.
~Yeah, right!~
I don’t think Grandma gives a crap whether or not I show up for the ceremony. Oddly, I think
she’d rather I don’t show up. I stop reading after message number eleven.
I open Sarah’s text next.
She was just mainly worried about me and wondered who the ‘sinfully hot man meat’ who’d
carried me off into the night was.
She wondered if she should be happy for me or call the police.
I shoot off a quick text telling her that I’m fine…definitely don’t need the police.
“Are you ready?” asks Gideon from the doorway of his bedroom.
He’s looking down at his pocket watch. He seems to have a lot of pocket watches.
Different styles for every different occasion, it seems. I don’t know if it would work on any other
man, but it’s very classy and sexy on him.
“Yup, I’m ready,” I tell him. He looks up and his eyes do a quick scan up and down my body
before they narrow and his jaw suddenly clenches.
“You’re not going out like that,” he grits out. “Put one of my shirts on now.”
“What’s wrong with what I’m wearing now?” I put both hands on my hips and glare up at him.
 I know exactly what’s wrong with them, but I prefer to be asked—politely—not ordered around
by a caveman.
“What’s wrong with them?” he growls. “I can see everything! You look practically naked.”
“Helen wears less than this!” I argue.
“I don’t care what that woman wears. I don’t give a damn!” he roars. “You’re mine! Only I get to
see this body like this. Me and no one else. Me!”
He grips my waist and pulls me to him. “Now put my shirt on.”
“Say please,” I tell him.
He looks at me like I’ve grown a second head for a few seconds. Then he slowly draws me in
closer and presses his forehead to mine.
“Please,” he says softly as he tries to control his breathing.
“Okay,” I whisper back. Truth be told, I’m not very comfortable wearing this top either. I’m afraid
to breathe too deeply in case the buttons do pop off.
“Your body’s changing. It appears I must take you shopping…,” Gideon muses, scanning me up
and down. His golden eyes snap back up to meet mine.
“If you ~must~,” I say breathlessly.

I end up wearing my tight jeans and Gideon’s crisp white dress shirt to campus. It smells wonderful,
like Gideon, and the fabric feels soft against my skin. I bet it’s very expensive.
I don’t know if I look like I’m doing a walk of shame, wearing a man’s shirt, but frankly, I don’t
care.
Derek keeps staring at me in class and tries to get my attention several times, but I truly don’t feel
like dealing with him right now.
It’s only been less than half an hour, but I’m missing Gideon like crazy—so much that I can barely
concentrate in class.
~This is nuts! Do all mated werewolves and lycans feel this way, or am I the only crazy one?
Will it always feel this way? Is he missing me as much as I’m missing him?~
I sense that he is, but maybe it’s just my desperation for him playing tricks on my mind.
I stuff everything in my bag and jump up as soon as we are dismissed.
“Layla!” yells Derek just as I’m fighting my way through the crowded hallway. He catches my
wrist. “Layla, can we talk?”
“Not now, Derek,” I tell him, pulling my wrist away. “Maybe later, okay?”
“When?” he asks me, struggling to catch up to me.
“When it’s a better time,” I say, not really paying attention to him as my mind is stuck on
something or someone else. I need to be with Gideon.
I feel somewhat relieved when I step out of the building. The crowd and their overwhelming
scents are suffocating me. My own feelings are suffocating me.
Standing on the curb next to a silver Porsche is Gideon. A pair of dark Aviator sunglasses is
covering his unusual eyes.
As soon as he sees me, he strides toward me, his steps fast and urgent.
“Gideon!” I hurl myself into his arms and he wraps them around me, lifting me off my feet.
He lets me slide to my feet and takes his sunglasses off.
 His hands take hold of my shoulders as he pulls back, and his dazzling light-gold eyes gaze deep
into mine.
They stir the butterflies in my stomach and make my heart beat faster. They always do.
Gideon nods to the Porsche. “Now, get in. We’re on a tight schedule.”
I pull back a little. “A tight schedule? I don’t have anything...”
“I’m taking you shopping for a more suitable wardrobe. ~And~ for something to wear tonight.”
“Tonight? What’re we doing tonight?” I ask.
At that, the corners of Gideon’s lips curl up into a playful smirk. “You’ll see.”
Chapter 20
A Surprise
POV: LAYLA
Dad: You’re coming home tonight.
Dad: Kofi is going to pick you up at 7 this evening.

What does he mean I’m going home tonight? It’s only Wednesday. I don’t usually go home until Friday
evening, and my brother Kaleb normally picks me up.
~What’s going on?~
~Maybe it was a mistake not to read all Mom’s texts?~
My mind is a jumbled mess. No, I don’t want to be around Kofi. Not even for a minute. Not at all.
I just want to be with Gideon.
I set my phone back on the granite countertop of Gideon’s master bathroom and stare at myself in
the mirror.
My eyes rake over my reflection, and I just stand there for a second, totally transfixed. I haven’t
really given myself a full once-over since Gideon gave me that hickey.
~I look...good.~
I’ve straightened my hair, and it falls in a sleek curtain down my back. My eyeliner is winged, and
I’m wearing a revealing halter-top dress that hugs my curves and falls all the way down to my ankles.
I was surprised when Gideon pulled the skin-baring black dress off the rack at the store,
considering his issue with my outfit this morning, but he insisted that it was perfect for where we're
going tonight.
~Gah! What is my man planning?~
Gideon has told me he’s taking me to dinner—but he won’t say what we’re doing after.
Excitement stirs in my belly as I wonder what kind of surprise he’s arranged for tonight. It’s
enough to make me forget about my Dad’s messages, even just for a little while.

An hour later, Gideon and I are sitting in the private dining room of some fancy Italian restaurant in
Beverly Hills. My erasthai looks devastatingly handsome in his snug button-up shirt and jeans.
He’s wearing all black like me, apart from the golden pocket watch that he keeps pulling out of
his jeans every few minutes.
“So… Are you going to tell me about it?” Gideon asks, reaching for his Scotch. He swirls the
liquor in his glass for a moment.
“About what?” I ask, keeping my eyes glued to the bloody steak filet sitting on my plate.
“You were stressed before, when you were getting ready. What happened, baby?”
I set my knife and fork down on my plate and fidget with the cutlery for a second. My thoughts go
back to all my mom's texts.
They were the usual spiel, but ten times the intensity.
Grandma’s at death’s door as usual…yadda…yadda…yadda.
Carmen had an accident—translation: Carmen stubbed her toe.
 Kaleb is sick—Kaleb is hungover.
The guilt trip was unbelievable, too.
I can’t imagine that anything she’d said is true… ~But why are they trying to send Kofi to pick
me up?~
I glance up in surprise to see Gideon hopping out of his seat. He picks up his fancy dining chair
and carries it around the side of the table, setting it right beside mine.
Then Gideon takes a seat, leaning in close to me and wrapping an arm around my shoulders.
He places a gentle hand on my thigh. “You okay, sweetheart?”
I cover his big hand with my smaller one and he turns his over to twine our fingers together.
“Yeah,” I say with a heavy sigh. “Well, no…I’m not okay. How can you love some people and yet
you can’t stand them at the same time?”
“Is this about your family?”
I just nod before I explain, “I got a text from my dad. He’s sending Kofi to take me back to his
house this evening.”
Gideon’s entire body stiffens when he hears Kofi’s name. His lips thin and his hand tightens
around mine, but he doesn’t say anything. I know he’s holding back from saying what’s on his mind.
Judging from the burning in my chest, I’d say he’s holding back a lot.
“I usually go back there on Fridays or Saturdays,” I continue. “I don’t know why he wants me to
go back tonight.”
Gideon slides his hand out of mine and brings a long, golden finger to his lower lip, tapping it
thoughtfully.
“Tell your father that you’ll be there for the mating ceremony,” he says after a moment, “but you
won’t be going back there tonight.”
~What? He wants me to be there for the mating ceremony?~
I frown and lean away from him to give him a look.
He cocks an eyebrow and the expression on his face is asking me to trust him.
“You really want me to be there for mine and Kofi’s mating ceremony?” I ask him.
Gideon’s eyes instantly darken.
“Don’t ever say that! It’s not your mating ceremony. You’re already mated to me! That ass is not
going anywhere near you,” he growls. “Nobody else is touching you or marking your skin or laying a
claim on you.”
“Besides, the blood of a lycan is poisonous to a regular werewolf, and you’re a lycan. If that jerk-
off ever tried to mark you, he’d die a painful death.”
“You’re cute when you swear.”
His eyebrows come up. “Cute, huh?”
I flash him an innocent smile and instantly all traces of anger are gone from his expression.
A wicked grin slowly curves up his lips.
He removes the martini glass from my hand and places it on the table. “Now… Shall we enjoy the
rest of our dinner? We’re expected in an hour…”
A thrill runs through me and I perk up. “You’re still not gonna tell me where?”
Gideon’s lips twitch and he shakes his head. “Well, that would ruin the surprise, wouldn’t it?”
The black Bentley speeds through the bright lights of L.A., and I inch closer to Gideon in the backseat,
which is now crowded.
After dinner, we stop at the Beverly Hills Hotel to pick up Louis, Gideon’s best friend, who just
arrived from Ibiza.
I’ve talked to Louis several times when he’s FaceTimed Gideon, so it doesn't feel like he’s a total
stranger. The lycan is an insufferable flirt, but quite amusing and harmless.
Just like Gideon, he’s crazy tall and powerful-looking, though not nearly as scary. Actually, Louis
has a really kind face—not something you expect on a lycan.
“So…have you ever been to the Demon’s Church, ~ma chérie~?” Louis asks, sipping from a glass
of champagne and giving me a sly smile.
“What the heck is the Demon’s Church?” I ask, feeling Gideon go rigid next to me.
“It’s a surprise,” he says, glaring at Louis. “Well, it was ~supposed~ to be.”
Louis mouths ~whoops~ and downs the rest of his drink, shooting me a wink.
I bite my lip and try not to laugh—I don’t want to get Louis in trouble.
Less than thirty minutes later, we’re in some sort of a poorly lit industrial area where we turn into
a small, seemingly abandoned airfield.
There’s a run-down-looking aircraft hangar that opens its door slowly when our car approaches.
It promptly closes as we roll in.
Once inside, Bradshaw turns off the engine and we sit in total darkness. My eyes adjust in a
second and I instantly see that the inside of the building isn’t run-down at all.
It is empty except for a sleek private airplane sitting right in the middle of the huge construction.
~Wait, why is that plane fully painted with colorful flowers?~
It reminds me of the Mystery Machine from ~Scooby-Doo~. Sheesh…I shake my head. Weird.
A tall, lanky man is moving fluidly toward the car. I realize that no human moves that way.
The man opens the car door and instantly takes a long, deep breath like he’s savoring the most
delectable meal before he says, “Welcome to the Devil’s Church, sir.”
His voice is soft, low, and musical. Mesmerizing.
Gideon helps me out, and before long, I’m standing in front of a pale-skinned man with straight,
silky, silvery hair that goes past his shoulders.
I find him strangely very attractive. I don’t know what he is. His scent is briny like the ocean.
He’s dressed in all black—black pants, a black trench coat over a black shirt.
He’s also wearing a white collar, like a minister or a priest—but I know he’s no priest.
The dark, bottomless pools of his eyes are fixed on me as he smiles.
~Should I smile back?~
It feels wrong, but his smile is charming, and I want to smile back. I tentatively smile at him.
His smile widens and he lustily licks his lips. I hear him mutter, “Sweet, fresh, young flesh.”
Gideon growls and instantly wraps a territorial arm around my shoulders. Both Gideon and Louis
aim a hostile, warning look at him.
The man instantly lowers his head and meekly takes a step back. Then he leads us across the
hangar.
The Devil’s Church is nondescriptly spray-painted in red above a rusted steel door on the far
wall of the building. He opens the door and waves us through.
“Enjoy yourself, lady and gentlemen.” Just before he closes the door on us, he lifts his dark eyes
and flashes me a quick charming smile full of promises.
“Bloody triton,” snarls Gideon through gritted teeth as the door bangs closed. The sound of the
banging echoes for a little while.
For a while, I have a feeling that he’s going to hunt the man down, but Louis slaps his back and
pushes us forward.
“Scum,” Louis agrees. “But he wouldn’t have the courage to come near her again. So calm down,
Archer.”
Inside, there are several more doors with spray-painted graffiti.
The nearest door to us is spray-painted with the words ~Altar of Sins~, several meters ahead is
~Sanctum of Lust~, followed by ~Chapel of Pain and Pleasure~.
Louis grasps the first doorknob, but Gideon bangs his hand against the door and says, “Not this
one, Louis.”
Louis raises an eyebrow and smiles mischievously, but he moves on. We keep walking past a few
more doors until we come to a set of stairs that lead us underground.
~Worshippers welcome~, it says.
The instant the door is opened, my ears are assaulted by loud music. The bass reverberates
through the walls and the floor.
My nose is filled with an array of scents blended together. The room is full of bouncing, swaying
bodies.
The ceiling is made of glass, and everything is dark except for the silvery light of the full moon
above and the occasional colorful strobing lights flitting around.
Gideon pulls me closer as he leads me through the crowd.
Louis throws us a naughty grin. He seems eager to join the gyrating bodies on the dance floor, but
he trails behind us.
These people aren’t humans. I thought I saw a few men who look quite similar to the one we saw
earlier. I don’t know what they are, and I’m very curious.
“Who was that pale man outside?” I ask Gideon. I have to put my mouth right to his ear because of
the loud music.
“Why? You’re not interested in him, are you?” His grip on my waist tightens and the expression
on his face darkens.
For a second, I struggle to find an honest answer. “I don’t know what I felt for him, but I’m not
leaving you for him.” I’m not leaving my erasthai for anybody.
I feel his body relax a bit though he keeps his arm tight around me. “He’s a triton…a male siren.
“He’s interested in you, but I don’t share,” he says. “You’re mine, and I’m not sharing you, Layla.
Ever.”
I kiss his jaw and ask, “Do you come here often?”
“No, this is more Louis’s scene than mine,” he answers.
“What is your scene?”
“Work,” he replies ruefully. “Louis said I spend too much time working. But we have a whole
hidden world, and I want to show it all to you.”
We reach another set of stairs, where a giant of a lycan is standing on guard. Gideon and Louis
show him their signet rings that bear the royal coat of arms and the man nods.
He escorts the three of us up the stairs where he unlocks a heavy steel door.
The sound of music dies suddenly as soon as the giant closes the door with a bang behind us. The
bright light is blinding after the darkness in the other room.
I blink.
It’s like a whole new world in here. The walls are creamy beige and the sofas are plush white.
 “Layla!” says a familiar sounding voice. “Layla, I’ve been waiting for you!”
All of a sudden, I’m being tugged forward and wrapped in a tight warm hug.
“Quincy? Oh my God, Quincy!? Ugh…can’t breathe. Ack! How…? When…?”
My friend finally draws back and is now smiling at me. “Did you see our shagadelic ride? Did
you? We just flew in.”
Chapter 21
The Serpent
POV: LAYLA
“S hagadelic ride? Oh my God! What happened to you?” I ask her as I pull all the way back to
have a really good look at her.
Quincy is looking even better than she ever has before, and I don’t know how that’s possible since
she’s one of the most beautiful girls I’ve ever seen.
Her jet-black hair was already silky, but now it’s thicker and longer.
Her green eyes are striking against her glowing, flawless porcelain skin.
She’s wearing a pair of blue washed designer jeans with a rip on one knee, a tight white top, and
a pair of vintage white converse. It’s simple, but she looks like a million bucks.
“Okay, Caspian happened,” Quincy says, laughing. “Silly word but awesome-looking plane
though, right?”
I have to agree, the plane does look awesome. “It looks like Scooby-doo’s mystery machine van,
but cooler because it’s a plane. Yeah, seriously though, shagadelic?”
“Hey, don’t diss the word! Shagadelic is the bomb!” protests Prince Caspian. “Hello, Layla.
Good to see you again.”
He still looks the same. His devastatingly handsome face still carries that mischievous, taunting
smirk that makes you think he knows something that you don’t.
He’s dressed as casually as Quincy. His jeans even have the same rip at the knee. His tight black
t-shirt shows off his muscles.
Even dressed so casually, they both look very good. Both carry that air of importance that you
can’t ignore. They're a breathtakingly beautiful couple.
“It’s good to see you too,” I tell him. I don’t know if I should curtesy or something but it doesn’t
look like he’s expecting me to do so as he turns to my mate and Louis.
“Archer, de Vauquelin,” he says.
“Your Highness,” returns my mate and Louis, taking turns to shake his hand.
“Congratulations, Archer,” he continues with a smile, slapping my mate’s back.
Before anybody could say anything, he winds his arm around Quincy’s shoulders and says,
“Come, meet the others. They’re in here.”
Gideon places his hand on the small of my back as we follow the royal couple. Louis follows
closely behind us.
They open another door toward the back and immediately soft music and voices can be heard.
This room has a different vibe, with dimmer lights, soothing music, and dark furniture.
The sofa is gunmetal grey with bright orange decorative pillows. The walls are dark and shiny.
There’s a bar right in the center. The shelves are backlit with a warm orange glow.
Yes, the rest of the Royal Pack are here. I’ve met them once not so long ago, and I don’t need a
reminder.
I didn’t get to talk to any of them before, but it’d be hard to forget this striking-looking group of
people even if I tried.
Genesis and Penny are sitting at the bar, while Constantine, Lazarus, Serena, and Darius are
sitting at a table where a game of poker is in progress. They all stop to greet us.
Gideon wraps his arms around me and kisses the corner of my lips.
 “You’re okay?” he asks softly when everyone settles back into their places. His golden-yellow
eyes are searching my features.
“I’m better than okay, but you already knew that,” I whisper back with a smile.
I bet he can feel how happy I am right now. I feel comfortable among these people. “This is a very
nice surprise. Thank you.”
“Anything to make you happy, sweetheart,” he replies, dropping a kiss on my lips this time.
“Hey, enough of that, lovebird!” Constantine calls out. “Get over here, Archer. Darius needs to
redeem himself after the last time.”
“Effing Constantine,” mutters Darius. Everyone snickers and Gideon’s grin suddenly turns
wicked.
“Enjoy yourself with the girls. When we get home, you’re all mine,” he says, kissing my cheek
before he slowly releases me.
Then he, Louis, and Caspian join the game of poker while Quincy and I sit with Genesis and
Penny at the bar.
Serena folds and comes to sit next to me not a minute later. “It really is good to see you again,
Layla. I’m looking forward to getting to know you better,” she says.
“Cheers to that,” agrees Penny.
“Here, try this,” says Genesis, sliding a daiquiri-type drink toward me. She has a big jar of it in
front of her.
“Thanks.” I take a tentative sip. “What is it?” It’s actually very good. It’s fruity with a bit of
tanginess in it.
“We don’t know yet. Genesis mixed it just now and it turned out pretty good so we’re trying to
name it,” replies Quincy. “The sluttier the name, the better.”
“What’s in it?” I ask again, taking another sip.
“Well…that’s another problem,” answers Genesis.
“She forgot what she put in it,” adds Penny helpfully.
Genesis taps her chin thoughtfully. “I think I put in some pineapple, mango, rum…er…maybe
some lime juice…or maybe not. Some soda, but uh, maybe not…”
“So, let me get this straight. You don’t remember what you put in it, so you might not be able to
recreate it next time, but you’re trying to name it anyway?” I ask. “Huh, you guys are making lots of
sense.”
The four girls grin and nod. “That sums it up,” says Genesis, taking a sip of her drink.
“Anyway, we were so happy when we found out that you’re Gideon’s erasthai,” comments
Quincy.
“Yeah, no more Helen Jessica Rabbit in the picture,” says Penny, scrunching her nose.
“Helen Jessica who?” I ask them.
“You know, Gideon’s companion…or ex-companion,” answers Penny. “Let’s just say we’re not
her fans. So, good riddance.”
“She hasn’t been giving you any trouble, has she?” asks Serena, looking concerned.
I pause before I answer. “She did in the beginning, but I haven’t heard from her for a while…so,
she might have given up.”
The girls shoot me a skeptical look but nod their heads anyway, then we proceed to find a proper
slutty name for Genesis’s new drink with the ingredients she doesn’t remember.
“Mmm…that smells good, baby,” whispers Gideon, kissing my neck and ear. His arms snake around
me and pull me to his chest from behind. “The smell makes me hungry.”
“Well, if you quit trying to eat my ear, I can get the food on the table faster,” I tell him, giggling.
Every little touch from him turns me on, so trying to flip the pancake while he’s doing things like
that to me is kinda challenging.
He’s already showered and dressed for the day. The smell of soap and expensive cologne, mixed
with something else, fills my nose.
The smell that is uniquely Gideon. His addictive natural scent. I wonder if it’s the smell of
pheromones.
“I’m not hungry for food,” he murmurs, grinding into me so that I know what he’s hungry for.
“Gideon…,” I laugh and try to push him away, when Louis stumbles out of his bedroom.
“Good morning, sleepyhead!” I sing when I see him yawn.
Gideon and I managed to have a relatively early night, but I didn’t hear Louis stumble back into
the apartment until around 5 a.m.
“You morning people deserve to be hanged,” he mumbles, scratching his chest while opening the
cabinet to get a mug for his coffee.
He’s just in his black boxer briefs. His dark hair is sticking out everywhere.
“Would it kill you to cover up a bit, mate?” asks Gideon, looking annoyed. I try to hide my smile.
I can’t say that I blame my mate because I can see the outline of Louis’s member through his tight
boxer briefs.
“You know I sleep in the buff. You’re lucky I decided to put this on before I came out…wait, are
you feeling threatened, mate?” asks Louis, looking more alert suddenly.
A naughty grin takes over his face. “Are you worried that your erasthai might find you lacking and
wanting this instead?” He gestures toward his loins.
Gideon grinds himself harder against my ass as a reminder—or a warning—and growls, “Why
would she want…”
“Disgusting! You guys are disgusting!” I announce loudly.
~Oh God!~
Just a few minutes in the same room with these two is driving me bonkers. That’s it, I’ve had
enough of this sausage fest!
“Breakfast is ready. Now you,” I point toward Louis with the spatula. “Get some coffee and put
some clothes on before you sit down for breakfast.
“And you,” I tap my mate’s arm, which is still wrapped tightly around my middle. “Eat some
breakfast then drive me to school.”
“Yes, mistress,” says Louis. He receives a glare from Gideon for his trouble.

I pull out my phone and consider sending Gideon a text. Would it be too sappy if I tell him that I miss
him already?
I mean, it’s only been five minutes since he dropped me off. Maybe I’ll wait another minute
before I do that. I slip my phone into my jacket pocket.
 ~Has it been a minute yet?~
“So, I guess I’ve been a fool to keep asking you out on a date, huh?” asks Derek as he sits next to
me in our photo editing class.
He’s caught me by surprise, and I just stare at him for a while, unable to think of a reply.
“I liked you, Layla. I really liked you,” he continues. “It’s not fair that you keep giving me hope by
saying yes, then you keep canceling on me.”
~Yep, I’m an awful person. A terrible friend to Derek.~
“I’m so sorry, Derek. When I said yes, I really meant to go out with you…
“But things always came up. I didn’t mean to hurt you. I really didn’t,” I tell him. “Maybe we’re
better off as friends anyway?”
Derek laughs bitterly and shakes his head. “I’ve been trying to get out of the friend zone with you
for over a year.
“But I guess there’s no getting out of the friend zone now that you’re seeing someone else.”
“How…?”
“I saw you, Layla. I think everyone saw you,” he says. “Is it because of the money? I saw his
fancy car. I bet he’s rolling in money.
“Is that why it’s so easy for him? Is that why he’s not friend zoned like I was?”
“Because of the money? Do you really think that’s all I care about?”
“Isn’t it, Layla? See, I don’t know you, Layla. I thought I did.” With that, he picks up his
messenger bag and moves to another chair at the back of the room.
~That sucks! Well, then. Good talking with you.~
I glance back at him, but then our TA comes in to give us some notes so I try to focus on the
lesson.
Derek ignores me after that. I think he even blocked my number. So I guess my friendship with him
is truly over.
I find Bradshaw standing by the car when I step out of the building after class. “Ms. Layla,” he
says, opening the car door for me.
I frown. “I thought Gideon was picking me up this afternoon. I have one more class this morning.”
“Something happened. He asked me to drive you to him right away, Ms. Layla,” he answers.
I stare at the phone. There’s no message from him yet this morning. Strange. “What happened? Is
he okay?”
“He’s fine. Get in the car, miss,” Bradshaw says, pushing me inside. The loud sound of the lock
clicking into place makes me jump. A familiar scent overwhelms me suddenly.
“You!” I yell as soon as I see him. I scoot quickly to get as far away as I can from him. The car
lurches forward and I grip the seat in front of me.
Sitting calmly inside the car is the triton that I saw at the Devil’s Church on Friday night.
His pale skin is almost translucent and his fair, silky hair shines like a halo in the dim interior of
the car.
He’s dressed in a navy-blue suit with a white dress shirt and a black silk tie.
“Hello, my beautiful exotic flower,” he says, smiling his charming smile.
His voice is just as melodious and mesmerizing as it was the other night. His dark eyes are
equally as hypnotizing, taking me in.
“Stay away from me,” I warn him as I pull on the car door handle. I realize that now the car is
speeding off to God knows where. “Bradshaw, stop the car. Now! Bradshaw!” I yell, thumping on the
door.
 I think I hear the glass crack. “Stop the car now or I’ll kill you!”
~Traitor!~
“Oh, come on now, my sweet,” says the triton, sliding closer to me. His movement is as smooth,
captivating, and dangerous as a sea serpent gliding in the water.
He stops when his body presses up against my body.
His mouth hovers just inches from mine. I can feel his soft breath on my lips.
I could drown in those dark, bottomless eyes. His hand comes up to stroke my cheek ever so
gently.
“My beautiful, sweet nectar…,” he whispers. He’s…oh, so seductive. A heavy fog of lust clouds
my mind.
“Close your eyes, my sweet,” he says, and my eyelids flutter closed. “I can fulfill all your desires.
Give yourself to me.”
His lips close on mine. His hands are stroking up and down my body.
~Mmm…~
“My love,” I sigh.
Chapter 22
The Broken One
POV: LAYLA

H is whispers in my ear are like the most enchanting lullaby. His touches are lust, wrapping itself
deeper into my brain like tentacles.
“Gideon, yess…,” I moan before his tongue plunders inside my mouth.
Gideon…Something in me is trying to claw its way out, but the fogginess in my brain is like a
thick, sticky cloud. My eyelids are so heavy.
Something is vibrating in my jacket pocket. The vibration stops, but a second later, it starts
again…and again.
Something is not right.
I try to push him away, but he draws me deeper into the kiss and a surge of pleasure rushes
through me.
Suddenly, burning rage sears my chest. Scorching, sharp, and intense, making me gasp and causing
my eyelids to open.
My gaze falls on pale silvery locks of hair falling across my face…they don’t belong to my mate.
The touches feel so good as he tries to pull me under again…but the smell is all wrong.
The weight on my body, the mouth on my neck…
~No!~
I push him hard. His body slams against the car door. The force shakes the car.
The triton, he’s slumped against the other side of the car door looking dazed.
~Oh my God, what have I done?~
The vibration continues in my pocket.
My phone! I pull it out with a shaky hand and slide the green sign across the screen. A loud
furious roar hits my ear right away.
“What the fuck are you doing, Layla!”
Gideon. He’s furious! No, he’s more than furious. He sounds downright murderous.
“Gideon,” I manage to croak. My voice sounds shaky and weak. I try again. “Gideon…”
Suddenly, the phone is being swiped out of my hand and thrown to the front of the car, narrowly
missing the driver’s head.
“Layla…” The triton grabs ahold of my wrist.
That tentacle of lust slides into my brain again, but I feel my erasthai’s fury burning in my chest
like a red-hot melting iron, spreading through my veins, turning my vision crimson.
“I warn you, stay away from me!” I growl, tugging my hand out of his grip.
Something in me is clawing to get out, resenting any touches other than my erasthai’s. Bradshaw is
now turning the car sharply into a smaller side road.
The triton is reaching for me again.
“Layla, my sweet, let me…”
“Shut up! Shut up you bloody triton! Get away from me! Bradshaw, stop the car!”
~Isn’t anybody listening to me at all?~
The car is speeding down the isolated road, and I’m so pissed.
I slide my hand over the driver’s seat and grab Bradshaw by the throat. The car veers sharply to
the right and the left door swings open.
 “When I told you to stop the car, that wasn’t a suggestion,” I hiss before I crush his esophagus.
The car plunges downhill.
It feels like ages before the front hits the ground. Hard. The sound is jarring.
Then it flips.
Once.
Twice.
Three times…or maybe four, or five.
My head bangs and crushes against the seat, the roof, the glass…until I don’t know which way is
up and which way is down anymore.
Everything feels like it’s moving in slow motion, but lightning fast at the same time.
After the car stops moving, I lie still for a long time…or maybe just for a second. My ears are
ringing.
My head, my neck, my back, my arms hurt…everything hurts.
Everything is spinning. I blink, breathing hard. A strong smell of gasoline and blood fill my nose.
My chest burns once again and my vision turns red.
When the world returns to its regular color and stops spinning, I slowly move my head around.
Owww…my neck. My head. I think the car is upside down. There is broken glass everywhere.
Bradshaw is still in his seat, hanging, secured by his seatbelt. His airbag is deployed—all of that
is wasted—ha!
He’s dead. I’ve killed him.
I play that thought over and over in my head, waiting for the horror of it all to crash into my brain.
One. Two. Three seconds. Nope.
That doesn’t happen. If anything, the burning in my chest lessens with that thought.
Bradshaw was a traitor. There’s no mercy for people who violate our trust. At least that’s how my
consciousness justifies its gleeful satisfaction.
The triton. I smell his residual scent in the car but he’s nowhere to be seen. I think he jumped out
of the moving car right after I grabbed Bradshaw’s neck.
The ringing in my ears finally stops, but everything still hurts.
Everything.
I groan as I try to crawl out of the car. Bones are sticking out of my left arm. I think there is a big
piece of glass stuck to my side, just under my ribcage.
We’re in some sort of a ravine. There are trees all around us and a dried-up river just a few
meters away from where the car is lying.
We’re too far down the hill; I don’t think any passing cars would notice us…not that there are too
many cars passing by. The road is deserted.
I wonder where Bradshaw was taking us.
~Stupid Bradshaw! Darn triton!~
I can’t even crawl, so I awkwardly push myself away from the car until I reach a big pine tree and
lie down.
~Gideon. I need Gideon…~
My cheek is pressed against the grass and I close my eyes. It’s weirdly peaceful here.
The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, and the leaves are rustling in the breeze.
If not for the smell of gasoline and blood and death, the pain I’m feeling, and the blood dripping
and drying on my skin, I’d say everything was perfectly normal and calm.
A sudden gust of wind brings with it another smell. Something in me prickles with awareness.
 A warning.
~Awesome! Just what I need!~
I’m wildly alert all of a sudden but I keep my eyes closed.
Footsteps. Too fast to be human. Too fast for me to crawl away and hide if I wanted to.
They stop suddenly, just a few feet from where I’m lying. For a while, they just stand there,
surveying the scene.
“You botched up a simple job!”
Helen Aristophanes. I can’t say that I’m surprised.
“I brought her here, didn’t I?” The triton tries to defend himself.
“You were supposed to fry her brain out with lust and bring her to Pembroke Hall, you idiot! I’ve
everything arranged perfectly!” she yells. “Now you’re putting us all in danger!”
“Then let’s take her there,” replies the triton as if he doesn’t understand what the problem is.
“Imbecile,” Helen mutters before she laughs condescendingly. She moves closer and stops just a
few feet away from me. She kicks my leg and says, “I know you’re awake.”
I open my eyes and smile. “Hello, Helen.” I try not to wince from the pain in my head.
Helen is dressed casually in dark blue jeans, a black, V-neck, long-sleeve top, and a pair of black
designer boots. Her hair is pulled back into a ponytail.
“I can’t say that it’s a pleasure to see you again,” I tell her.
She smirks and lifts up her chin. Her hands are planted on her hips as she stares down at me with
a disdainful look. “How about you get up so we can take a nice little walk, little girl?”
~Little girl? I’m almost as tall as she is.~
“How about I don’t? I’d rather stay here, thank you very much.”
The triton is standing beside her. His clothes are rumpled and smeared with dirt, his hair is less
than perfect, but he smiles as his gaze sweeps over me.
“Unfortunately, there are men waiting to have you and I don’t care what you’d rather do,” says
Helen. “Get up!”
I push myself up into a sitting position and groan. My left arm is definitely broken. Probably a few
fingers as well.
My head still hurts but not quite as bad; so does my neck.
I think this being a lycan thing is awesome. The car is a total wreck. If I were still a human, I
don’t think I’d still be breathing.
“Why are you doing this? You know Gideon doesn’t want you. He’s not taking you back.”
Her eyes narrow.
“I’m not stupid,” she grits out through clenched teeth. “But I’d been with him for years. We had a
good thing going until he ruined it.
“He can’t just throw me away like trash. Like I was nothing! Nobody treats Helen Aristophanes
like that.
“If I don't get to keep him and all the good things in life that come with him, then he doesn’t get to
keep you!”
“You had a good thing going for you, you mean. Not for him, otherwise, he’d have kept you,” I
declare. “You’re a crazy woman.”
Her eyes darken. “I don’t have time for this. Now, get up!”
“I’m not going anywhere with you.” I sit there stubbornly.
Helen’s eyes roam around the area before they return back to me. “Fine,” she says before she
turns to the triton. “Marcus, do your job.”
 ~Marcus? The triton’s name is Marcus? Well…that’s disappointing. I thought his name would
be something awesome like Snape or Voldemort.~
The triton smiles wider as if he’s been waiting for this. He lowers himself to the ground so he’s at
my level.
“My beautiful flower, we were having such a wonderful time together,” he says, edging closer to
me slowly. His voice is as beautiful and enthralling as before. His eyes are hypnotic.
This creature is deadly like a poisonous snake. If he touches me again, I don’t know how I’m
going to get out of his web.
As he gets closer, I quickly leap up to him with a snarl. He jumps back, surprised.
“Come closer to me and I’ll rip your pretty face off,” I tell him.
“You jackass! She’s injured. She won’t be able to do a thing to you,” barks Helen.
“Why don’t you come close and find out?” I challenge him. “I’m sure my sharp teeth and canines
will sink into your flawless, beautiful skin with no trouble at all.”
“Marcus!” yells Helen when he makes no move to get closer to me.
~Ha! I know the man values his good looks and super soft skin above all else.~
I smile, baring my teeth and elongated canines at Marcus for good measure. You could never be
too careful and thrifty with threats. He stands up and steps back further.
Helen stomps her foot in frustration.
“You’re useless!” she growls, kicking Marcus’s leg before turning to me.
Helen looks at her hands as she continues talking.“I hate to get my hands dirty and my nails
broken!
“And my friends would be very disappointed that their toy for the evening didn’t make it.
“But that's okay. It has to be done. It looks like I’m going to have to kill you myself. Just know that
I don’t take pleasure in doing this.”
“Wow, sorry to get your hands dirty,” I tell her. “But I will take pleasure in killing you…”
Chapter 23
Retribution
POV: LAYLA

H elen is changing right before my eyes as she stalks purposefully toward me. Her eyes are all
black now.
Dark blue veins are forming and snaking out from around her eye sockets. Her teeth and
canines are lengthening, as well as her body.
I jump up before Helen reaches me. I know I’m broken and inexperienced but I’m not going down
without a fight.
Gideon. I hope he won’t feel my pain.
Changing is easy. I just have to let that trapped wild part of me out.
My lycan part.
Heat consumes my whole body, starting from my chest. It feels like I’m burning from inside out,
but it doesn’t hurt. Not really. My vision changes. My whole body is changing.
Helen doesn’t waste any time. She growls, striking her sharp claws across my face. I leap back,
and she misses me, barely.
Not pausing at all, she strikes again, swinging her arm in a wide, deadly arch.
I lean back, but this time I stumble, falling to the ground before I can stop myself.
I struggle to get up from my vulnerable position, but she immediately leaps to straddle my
stomach. She pushes me to the ground and bares her gleaming teeth and canines gleefully.
She grabs my hands and forces both my arms above my head. The pain from the broken bones of
my arm and my fingers are unbearable.
I let out a loud cry of agony. She growls and squeezes my hands harder and that gleam in her eyes
is telling me that it’s game over.
Her teeth and canines are coming for my throat next. She wins.
I bare my teeth at her before I rear my head back and slam my forehead against hers as hard as I
can.
The pain is blinding. I think I heard my own skull crack. Blood is pouring out of my forehead into
my eyes.
Helen is roaring, facedown right beside me, clutching her head. Her leg is still on top of my
stomach.
She tries to crawl back up to straddle me but her movement is slow and uncoordinated. I lift my
good arm up to grab her throat.
I think my claws pierce some skin, but the pain in my head and my body is too intense and my
fingers are too weak.
“Let go of me, bitch!” she hisses, clawing at my hands, trying to pry my fingers off her neck.
The itch to end her is overwhelming and persistent, but my physical body is weakening. I struggle
to tighten my hold, digging my claws in deeper.
Though my arm is weak, so far it’s enough to keep her razor-sharp teeth and canines away from
my throat.
“Let go!” This time she digs her claws into my fingers and the pad of my hand.
~Darn Helen!~
The pain is searing, but I’m determined to hold on for as long as I can because giving up isn’t an
option.
Watching the blood gushing down her face from where I hit her gives me some satisfaction.
I try to blink away the blood that’s pouring over my own eyes and ignore the weakness and the
piercing pain in my abdomen, my arm, and where her talons are digging into my flesh.
Her claws grow more vicious. I don’t think I can keep this up for much longer.
Suddenly, I feel the air shift around me and I gasp in alarm.
I feel the weight of Helen’s body being lifted up from on top of mine and my body sags in relief
when I smell some familiar scents.
Soon after, I hear Helen’s voice howling in pain and rage not too far away.
I blink again, and not a moment later, Quincy’s smiling face appears in my line of vision.
“Hello, friend!” Mischief glints in her eyes.
Penny’s face appears next to hers. Her smile is equally as wicked as Quincy’s.
“Wow, that was some impressive headbutt.” She tips her chin up toward where Helen’s voice is
coming from in approval.
I close my eyes for a second before opening them up again. “I regret using my head as a weapon,”
I groan.
“You did very well though,” insists another voice from just a few feet away. Genesis.
Quincy and Penny help me sit up, and I glance over Quincy’s shoulder.
Gideon is half-phased but he’s holding Helen by the throat. She’s sputtering, kicking, and cursing.
Her feet are hanging a few inches off the ground.
My erasthai is looking wild. I’ve never seen him looking so out of control before.
His hair is tousled and there are splatters of blood all over his ripped grey shirt, blue jeans, and
bare feet.
Both of his hands are dripping with blood.
My eyes scan for injuries on his body, but I can’t see any. I’m relieved that it’s not his blood. So I
guess his first victim must be lying somewhere, dead.
Louis and the rest of the Royal Pack are standing around, watching intently, but they’re doing
nothing to stop him.
“Gideon, let her go!” I try to stand up, but Quincy and Penny are holding me down.
Gideon turns his menacing black onyx eyes to me.
“No!” he growls. I sense fury coming out of him in forceful waves.
I growl back in frustration. The itch to rip her apart is still strong. “I want to finish her off
myself!”
Serena lays a firm, soothing hand on my shoulder. “Back down, Layla,” she whispers. “He’s
losing his control. Let him do this, it’ll calm his lycan faster.”
Prince Caspian walks around them slowly as if he’s enjoying the view from different angles.
His voice booms. “You were trying to kill an innocent. It’s her erasthai’s right to visit retribution
on you. Any last thoughts, Helen?”
He sounds cold yet very amused.
“Gideon…you know me. Please, let me go,” pleads Helen.
“Yes, I know you. You were as good as dead the moment you touched my mate,” Gideon snarls.
“Please. I’m sorry…I’ll never bother her again. I…p-promise.”
“Your promises are empty.” He bares his teeth into a sneer. “I know you won’t stop until you
eliminate my erasthai, and I won’t find peace until I kill you.”
With that, he destroys her. Blood splatters everywhere. I watch him rip her apart. That unrelenting
itch inside me ends as soon as her spine is torn out of her body.
Penny and Quincy help me get up to my feet with their arms on each side of me. As they draw me
back, my eyes catch something shiny glinting on the ground.
There, lying wedged between the blades of grass and a bloody body part is a diamond bracelet.
The same diamond bracelet that Gideon gave Helen as a parting gift.
“What are you doing?” asks Quincy when I struggle to bend down to retrieve it. As soon as I have
it in my hand, I show it to her and she asks, “It’s nice but why are you taking it?”
I shrug. “She doesn’t need it anymore.”
“That’s true,” Penny readily agrees. “But you’re not keeping that…are you? It’s kinda morbid.”
So, killing is normal but keeping the jewelry is morbid? Our moral compass is really screwed.
“Nope, I’m going to pawn it.” I wipe the blood off the gleaming diamonds on my dirty jeans
before I shove it into my jacket pocket.
It might not be worth a lot to some people, but the amount of money I might be able to get from it
will be able to help Sarah pay off her bills and ease her burden.
She might not even have to work at the club where strange men leer at and grope her without her
consent anymore.
She’ll be able to take care of her mom and Charlie while she finishes her education.
Penny and Quincy want to help me into the back of one of the cars that are waiting for us near the
tree line, but I stubbornly refused.
My whole body is aching and I can hardly stand on my own, but I want to wait for Gideon. I
refuse to go in even though I struggle to keep myself upright and my eyes open.
Soon after, Louis comes over to try to persuade me to get me into the car. “Come on, ma chérie,
you’re hurting. Let’s get you to lie down and rest.”
I shake my head even though my body feels strange. Chills are running up my arms and my back.
I need him. I need the warmth and the feeling of safety only he can give me. I need him to tell me
that everything is okay.
But all I feel is coldness radiating off of him when he finally comes over.
“Take her home and make sure she’s seen by the doctor. We’re going to clean up the mess,”
Gideon addresses Louis before he turns his back on us.
His face is distant, his jaw and his broad shoulders are tense.
“Gideon!” I call out.
For a moment, I think he’s going to walk off and ignore me, but he pauses.
~Why is he being this way? Why isn’t he looking at me?~
The chills surge up my back again. My body shakes and my teeth chatter. In a swift movement, he
turns around and stalks back toward me.
The coldness I see in his eyes when he looks at me isn’t reassuring, but when his arms fold around
me, I feel a lot warmer…and safer.
My brain is too tired to think and my body is too weak right now, so I take what I can get.
Without a word, he places an arm under my knees and lifts me up.
I don’t know where he’s taking me, but I close my eyes, burrowing my face into the crook of his
neck, and let the fight leave my body.
Chapter 24
Nowhere Important
POV: LAYLA

I open my eyes to a dimly lit room. Right away, I can smell the ocean.
I take in the big windows with sheer, light curtains, the eggshell white walls, the silky
powder-blue bedsheet, and a single table lamp that radiates a soft glow of light.
This is not my room…or the room that I share with Gideon.
“Oh, good. You’re awake.” Genesis’s voice comes from somewhere behind me. The smell of tea
and chicken soup waft through the air.
I turn my head to see her setting a tray with a steaming bowl of soup and a mug of tea on the
nightstand.
“Where am I?” I ask her.
“You’re in our home,” she says. “The doctor was here, but he left a few hours ago. He took care
of everything.
“He said that you just need to rest and you’ll be as good as new in a couple of days. You’ll be
staying with us until then. Don’t worry, we’ll take good care of you. ”
I’m feeling out of sorts. Everything seems confusing to me. “What time is it?”
“It’s just after midnight,” she answers, picking up the spoon and the bowl from the tray.
“It’s after midnight?”
I can’t believe it’s just been ten or eleven hours since my ordeal with the triton and Helen. It feels
like a nightmare that happened a lifetime ago. “Where is Gideon?”
Genesis visibly winces but she recovers quickly and forces a smile. “Well…I don’t know. I mean,
he was here before…um…he left after the doctor…”
“He left?” I whisper.
~He just left me here? Why? Doesn’t he want me anymore?~
I can’t sense anything from him. My bottom lip quivers before I can stop it. My eyes burn with
tears.
“Oh, shoot!” mutters Genesis as she gingerly places the bowl back on the tray. Then she climbs up
the bed and wraps her arms around me. “He’s just gone for a run. He’ll be back soon. You’ll see.”
“When?” My tears spill down my cheeks. I’m in pain and I’m feeling miserable. I don’t care if
I’m behaving like a clingy little toddler right now. I just want my mate.
“I don’t know when he’ll be back, but I know they won’t be able to stay away from their mate for
too long,” she answers.
Genesis wipes my tears with a napkin she grabbed from the tray. “You know what? Wait right
here. Don’t go anywhere.”
Once Genesis closes the door behind her, I glance around the room and spot my iPhone sitting on
the bedside table. The pain is unbearable as I reach for the device.
~Shit.~
I have eight missed calls and several texts from my dad from the last couple of days.
Still dazed, I check the date on my phone and realize that it’s already Friday—technically, since
it’s past midnight. That means my mating ceremony with Kofi is tomorrow.

Dad: Call me now.

 Dad: Kofi is waiting for you at your place.
Dad: Layla answer your phone.
Dad: I’m coming to get you myself.
Dad: Layla where are you
Dad: I’m at your place now.
Dad: This isn’t over.

More tears roll down my face no matter how hard I try to stop them. It doesn’t help that when I
accidentally try to move my left arm, I feel like howling in pain.
Great. So both Kofi and my dad have come looking for me in the last two days.
~What the hell am I supposed to tell Dad?~
I know that Gideon wanted me to go to the ceremony, even though he wouldn’t tell me why, but
Genesis said I have to rest for a couple of days.
There’s no way Gideon will let me go now…if he ever comes back from his “run,” that is.
~Where is Gideon? Why is he being so distant?~
I place the phone back on the nightstand and let the tears fall. This entire situation is a mess, and I
have no idea what to do about it.
Less than ten minutes later, Constantine pokes his head through the door after a brief knock.
“Hello? May I come in?
I look up and nod after I wipe some tears off my face.
He sighs and the bed dips as he sits on the side of the bed. This should be embarrassing, but I
think I’m too upset to be embarrassed right now.
“Is he mad at me?” I ask him before he can say anything.
“He’s mad…but not at you. Not really. I think he’s angry with the whole situation.
Having to feel your erasthai’s pleasure when she’s with someone else isn’t really a thing that you
could easily forget. It’ll mess anyone up,” he answers.
I feel the tears starting up again. God, I’m pathetic right now.
“Does he hate me now?”
“No, he doesn’t hate you, Layla. It’s impossible for us to hate our erasthais,” he says. “Look, I’ve
known Gideon for over a century. He’s one of the smartest and most intelligent men I know.
“Admittedly, he’s not acting it right now, but he will do the right thing. He’s not in control of his
emotions right now. Just give him a little bit of time to think and come to his senses.”
“Would you be mad? If the same happened to Genesis, would you have reacted the same way?”
He pauses and massages his neck uneasily. Then an awkward smile lifts a corner of his lips.
“Possibly…probably…yeah,” he admits. “It’s just that we’re very territorial.
“You drive us crazy. We become irrational when it comes to our mates. The idea of anybody else
touching our mates that way and them liking it…”
“Hey, I didn’t like it!” I quickly protest. “Not like that…I mean…it’s not like that.”
“You don’t have to explain it to me,” he says, putting both hands up in front of him. “All I’m
saying is, he’ll be back. He won’t be able to stay away from you for too long.”
His smile turns mischievous. “Just give him time to think. Then you two need to talk.
“If all else fails, use whatever weapon you have to make him forget that he’s mad…you know
what I mean.”
I know he’s trying to make me feel better and I’m grateful.
 I force a smile and say, “No, I don’t think I know what you mean.
“But is that what Genesis uses during your painting sessions? Weapons? I thought people use
brushes and palette knives for painting.”
His wicked smile falls away. “Can’t anybody keep a secret around here?” he complains, shaking
his head. “You need to eat,” he adds, pointing at the tray.
Then he gets up and swiftly walks out of the bedroom.
“Hey, Constantine…thank you,” I say to an empty room. But I know he can hear me.

“So, let me get this straight: you guys were there the whole time, but you didn’t think of coming over
to help me?” I look around me accusingly. “I need new friends.”
It’s two in the morning and Louis, Penny, Quincy, Genesis, Serena, and Lazarus are standing
around my bed, bugging me.
I think they’re trying to cheer me up…well, maybe not cheer me up…more like irritating me to
death to keep my mind off my absent erasthai.
“Hey, we were being awesome friends,” announces Quincy.
“Yeah, we were watching ~over~ you,” chimes in Penny. “We didn’t want to interfere right away.
“You know your lycan wouldn’t be too happy if you were not able to inflict any pain on Helen.”
“So you just decided to sit back and enjoy watching?”
“Yes, but it wasn’t that enjoyable. Watching you fight was quite painful,” remarks Louis, and I
glare at him.
“Hey, it was her first time phasing. Considering she was hurt and very new at it, I think she did
just fine,” says Serena soothingly. “You never gave up, Layla, so that’s something.”
“It’s something alright,” mutters Louis.
“Oh, don’t worry, Louis is going to help train you to fight, right Louis?” says Genesis. “By this
time next year, you’ll be a lycan, ninja, kung fu fighting master.”
“Lycan, ninja, kung fu fighting master?” Louis mouths, looking at Lazarus with an incredulous look
on his handsome face.
Lazarus smirks, but he just shrugs his massive shoulders.
“Seriously, would you have been happy if we’d interfered before Gideon took over?” asks
Quincy.
“No, I’d have been pissed,” I answer quickly. Helen was supposed to be my kill.
The concession I made for Gideon was only because he’s my erasthai, therefore he had the right.
“What happened to Marcus?” I ask them suddenly.
“Who’s Marcus?” asks Quincy.
“The triton. His name’s Marcus.”
She frowns as stares at me. “Did you seriously think that Gideon would let him live after what he
did to you?”
Quincy shakes her head. “You should have known by now that lycans aren’t very good at
sharing...especially their erasthais.
“Gideon went straight for the triton the moment we arrived and completely lost it.”
When I open my eyes again, the light is already shining in from an open window.
I can see a stretch of white sandy beach, the blue Pacific Ocean, and the blue sky. The light-blue
curtains are billowing in the wind.
There is a strong smell of the salty sea…and Gideon.
I jerk my head up and look around.
He’s sitting on a chair at the foot of the bed, watching me. He’s as still and as beautiful as the
marble sculpture of David. His expression is as aloof and as unreadable.
His bronze hair is messy but damp as if he’s just had a shower. His white shirt isn’t buttoned all
the way up, showing the silky skin of his throat and his muscled chest.
He’s so closed off yet so beautiful, it hurts to keep staring at him.
I sit up and am surprised to find that I feel no pain aside from a slight twinge on my bandaged left
arm.
His intense golden-yellow eyes seem so distant, he feels like a stranger. I swallow a lump in my
throat.
“Where were you?” I ask him. “You were gone a long time. Where did you go?”
“Nowhere important,” he says. He’s never been cold or this clipped with me—it hurts.
“Nowhere important? You’re nowhere important when I needed you?”
“I needed to sort my mind out,” he says through gritted teeth. “I just needed some time…”
“Sort your mind out? You mean you didn’t want to be anywhere near me. You’re mad at me.”
I push myself up on my knees on the bed. “Why are you mad at me? It’s not fair! I didn’t do
anything wrong!”
He stands up and grips the hair at the back of his head as if he doesn’t know what to do with his
hands without destroying things.
“I felt it, Layla! I felt how intense your pleasure was,” he barks. “And you were not with me!”
“It’s not what I chose to feel! You know I didn’t want it. What is your problem?!” I yell back.
“Only I am allowed to give you that kind of pleasure. Me!” he roars, thumping his chest with his
fist.
We both grow silent after his outburst. My heart is pounding hard in my chest.
We stand with that five-foot space between us, staring at each other, breathing hard.
We have intense feelings swirling between us—anger, hurt, jealousy, guilt—and they are all
mixed together.
There’s also intense longing. I don’t know if it’s just me.
My heart is breaking. It’s hard to breathe.
~So what now?~ I wonder. ~Are we over?~
If he says it’s over…
I think I’ll die.
Chapter 25
Jailbreak
POV: LAYLA

A fter Gideon’s outburst, I claim that I’m tired.

I can sense that he has something more on his mind. There’s something he wants to tell me,
but I don’t want to talk about it anymore.
The truth is, I’m terrified that Gideon and I are over. I don’t think I could bear hearing him say it
right now.
I also don’t want to talk about the fact that my mating ceremony with Kofi is still scheduled for
tomorrow, and I have no idea what to do about it.
I could try telling my family that I’m already mated again, but they’d probably still think I was
lying. It’s pointless.
And whatever Gideon had planned for the ceremony tomorrow is definitely the last thing on his
mind. There’s no way he’ll even let me leave this house in this banged-up state.
He’s still so furious with me...or the situation...or whatever.
I try not to think about my dad’s texts. It’s stressful, and I already feel like a wreck. I lie down and
he pulls the duvet over my shoulder.
Turning over and giving Gideon my back, I close my eyes and pretend that I can’t feel him
looming over me. I feel him standing there, watching me for a long time.
I pretend to sleep even though we both know that he knows that I’m still wide awake.
He has such power over me. Everything in him is calling out for me.
I want him to leave me alone, but when he finally leaves, I want to call out for him to come back.
I bite my lip hard to stop myself from breaking down and crying.
I’m such a mess.
After a while, I open my eyes to stare out the open window. Not even the sea breeze and the
beautiful view of the ocean and the endless sky can make me feel better.
I’m angry with Helen again even though she is dead. This is all her fault.
Now I wish I’d hurt her more before they all went and interfered. They shouldn’t have interfered
at all. Gideon should’ve stayed away. It should’ve been my kill.
My lycan demanded that kill.
Rationally I know why they interfered. I was hurt and barely able to defend myself, but I’m not
very feeling rational right now.
Maybe I just need someone to blame and hate because I can’t hate my erasthai.
Too bad my object of hatred is now just a scattering of ashes.
I must have fallen asleep because when I open my eyes again, it is getting dark outside. The
windows are closed, but I can see the setting sun behind the sheer curtains.
The sun sets faster in winter. The digital clock on the bedside table shows that it’s not even five
yet.
The house is awfully quiet, or maybe everything is soundproof. I lift the covers up to find myself
dressed in a thin, white sleeping gown that isn’t mine.
I push myself up using only my right arm. Even so, my left arm screams in protest. My body feels
sore in several places.
There is a tray with a silver dome cover, a small plate containing a couple of red pills, and a
glass of orange juice on the nightstand.
I lift up the dome to find sliced chicken breast over a bed of rice with spears of asparagus and a
small bowl of lentil soup. They’re still warm.
I pop the pills in my mouth and swallow them with the juice but leave the food untouched. My
stomach churns in protest but my appetite is non-existent.
I shuffle to the adjoining bathroom to clean up and stare at my reflection in the mirror above the
sink.
It’s still hard for me to process how quickly my bruising and wounds are healing. Most of the cuts
and bruises have already faded. I’m just sore as heck.
If I were still a human, I think I would need stitches and my arm would still be broken instead of
almost healed.
I find my bag in the closet with my phone safely tucked inside one of the pockets. There are some
of Gideon’s shirts hanging in the closet as well as some of mine.
These days, I have clothes everywhere. I have some at my parents’, a few at Gideon’s penthouse,
and I still have several hanging in the closet in the room I used to share with Quincy.
My left arm is still sore, so I change into the easiest clothes I can get into: a grey zipped-up
hoodie that belongs to Gideon and my own pair of loose black sweatpants.
The hoodie is so big it dwarfs me, but it’s soft and comfortable. I think I’m going to keep it.
I struggle to get my socks and my converse on.
“Hey! Watcha up to?” says a cheerful voice from the closet door.
I jump a mile and bang my elbow against the side of shoe shelves.
“Owww!” I yelp. “Quincy! Are you trying to kill me? Stop scaring me like that!”
“You’re dressed up. You know you’re not supposed to go anywhere, right? You’re not fully
recovered.” When I don’t answer her, she says, “So where are you going?”
“Your cheerfulness is pissing me off,” I tell her. That only makes her grin wider. “I need to get
away for a bit…just need to clear my head.”
I think she’s going to say no right away, but she just frowns like she’s deep in thought.
“I know it’s hard, but Gideon loves you. He’s crazy obsessed with you, that’s why he’s losing his
mind. But he’ll come to his senses soon.
“I know how confusing it feels when you just changed too. It’s a big change, especially for humans
like us.
“Penny, Genesis, and Serena were werewolves before they changed, so I don’t think they fully
understand what it’s like.
“But I want you to know that I’m here if you need to ask any questions or just to talk,” she offers.
“Thanks, Quincy. I appreciate that, but right now I just need to get away to think.” I just want
something familiar. Something normal.
I need to go home. “Will you help me get out of here without Gideon finding out and trying to stop
me?”
“I can…he’s out with Constantine and Caspian right now. The others are downstairs and I don’t
think they’ll agree to let you out of the house if they knew.”
She comes closer and whispers, “I have to warn you though, I don’t think I could stop Gideon
from going after you once he found out that you’re gone.”
“I know. I’m not going for too long,” I assure her.
“Okay, but I’m sending one of our guards to keep an eye on you.”
~I’m trying to get away from lycans and she’s sending a royal lycan guard to shadow me.
Great!~
“No thanks.”
“I’m afraid this is non-negotiable, Layla. You’re still weak, and I won’t be able to forgive myself
if anything happened to you. Besides, Gideon would kill me!
“So, if you’re doing this, you’re taking a guard with you.“ She starts typing away on her phone as
she’s saying this. “Don’t worry, he’s discreet, you won’t even know that he’s there.”
I won’t even know that a hulking lycan is tailing me? I almost roll my eyes at that one.
A big, brawny lycan shows up at the door as soon as she puts the phone away.
“Ah, here he is,” says Quincy, grinning at the stoic and serious-looking guard. “Layla, this is
Günter. He’s excellent at what he does, and he’s going to be looking after you.”
Günter just gives us a brief nod. He doesn’t look very friendly, but Quincy doesn’t seem to be
intimidated by him.
“He’ll also be driving you wherever you want to go,” she says.
“No, he doesn’t have to. I’ll call Uber or take a cab or a bus…”
“Layla, you’re injured! You’re not traipsing around on a bus or a cab. Let Günter drive you or the
deal is off.”
Quincy is very stubborn, and I know that she wouldn’t let me out of the house if I didn’t agree to
this.
Besides, if I’m being honest, I don’t feel all that well. I’m feeling tired just from getting cleaned
and dressed.
My feet feel wobbly just after walking from the bedroom to the front door.
I feel relieved just to be able to sit on the soft leather seat in the back of a Bentley that Günter
leads me to while Quincy distracts all the other lycans.

My rental house still looks the same apart from the overgrown grass in the small front yard.
I guess Jonah, our landlord who is also Quincy’s cousin, hasn’t been home for a while.
It’s funny that when I was at the lycans’ mansion, all I wanted was to come home to immerse
myself in everything familiar and soothing.
Now that I’m here, I know this is not where I want to be. I feel sadder and out of place. More
miserable.
I’m tempted to ask Günter to turn around and drive me back to the mansion.
But instead I ask him to open the car door, and I force my feet to approach the house, to the place I
called home for almost two years.
My housemate Isaac sticks his head out of his bedroom as soon as I get in. I can smell my other
housemate Lana too, so I know she must be in her room. Both of them are werewolves.
“Kofi was looking for you a couple of days ago,” Isaac says.
“Kofi?” I ask, grimacing. “What did he want?
“He said to call him.” Isaac raises an eyebrow. “And that he’ll make you...happy? You didn’t tell
me you were seeing anyone.”
“I am ~not~ seeing him.”
“Tell it to ~that~ dude.” Isaac shrugs. “Oh, yeah, and your dad came by yesterday. He looked
pretty—”
 “Thanks, Isaac!” I say quickly as I beeline to my room at the end of the hall.
“Good to have you back home!” he calls after me.
It’s funny...this place ~doesn’t~ feel like home anymore.
The air in my bedroom smells and feels different. I stare at the bed that is now stripped of its
bedding.
This is where I used to lie and find comfort every day after work or school. Now everything feels
odd and cold and empty.
Nothing feels right when Gideon is not in it.
I feel tired again, so I cover the bed with a sheet and lie down with a throw over my shoulders.
I’m missing Gideon.
Our mating bond and my feelings for him go so deep. I think every molecule in my body is
screaming for Gideon.
When I was a human, I wanted so badly to have a mate. I remember feeling envious, watching my
sister Maya with her mate.
Now that I’ve found one, it’s more than I could ever imagine. It hurts now, but I don’t regret a
minute of it.
The high is spectacular. It’s like I could fly, soaring to the heavens.
But then the low is excruciating. I miss him so much—it hurts.

I wake up to the sound of voices outside my bedroom door. My heartbeat picks up when I realize it’s
two males.
~Did Gideon come for me?~
I should be scared that he’ll be even more pissed at me for sneaking out, but all I can feel is relief.
I’ve missed him so much.
I spring from my bed and hurry to the door, wrenching it open.
Then I stop dead in my tracks.
Standing outside of my bedroom door, talking to Isaac, is my dad.
“Layla, good, you’re here,” Dad says, taking in my appearance. He looks angry, but even more
relieved and exhausted.
I can’t help but feel a little guilty. I know he and my mom act crazy sometimes because they really
do worry about me.
I’m still angry at them for trying to control my life, but I should have at least texted them back.
“Pack your things. Now,” Dad says. “We’re going home.”
~Oof.~ I’m suddenly starting to feel lightheaded, probably from getting up too fast.
“I’m not going anywhere,” I reply, crossing my arms and leaning against the doorframe for
support.
Dad sighs. “Please don’t make this harder than it has to be. You’re mating Kofi. He’s the right
choice for you.”
“But it should be ~my~ choice!” I exclaim, feeling anger prickling beneath my skin.
My heart is really starting to pump, and I can feel my lycan stirring, but I’m still so weak that it’s
only making me dizzy.
I refuse to go home with my dad. Kofi will never be my mate.
 Gideon is my mate. I mean...assuming he still wants to be with me.
“Pack your things,” Dad says again. “Please.”
“No. I’m not going with you. I’m not going to mate…”
Suddenly, my knees give out.
I reach out for the doorframe, whimpering in pain as I put most of my weight on my injured arms.
Spots are clouding my vision, and my eyelids suddenly feel heavy.
And as my head rolls back, and everything around me fades to nothing, all I can think is...
~Where are you, Gideon?~
Chapter 26
Jitters
POV: LAYLA
~W here are you, Gideon?~ I wonder for the thousandth time, pulling back the curtain of my
childhood bedroom window to gaze outside.
I stare longingly at the end of the street, willing a black Bentley or a shiny Porsche or a Lykan
Hypersport to come speeding around the bend.
I’ve been at my parents’ house for almost a day now.
Waking up last night to find my family crowded around my bed, treating me like some kind of sick
puppy, wasn’t exactly fun.
At least they’re not totally pissed at me for going MIA for a week. They’re all just so excited to
see me get mated today—so much that no one even wondered why I fainted in the first place.
They probably just think it’s pre-mating-ceremony jitters.
Mom has waited on me hand and foot all day long, and my grandma keeps humming “Here Comes
the Bride” every time I walk into the room.
I’m starting to panic, truth be told.
I’ve tried to tell them that I’m already mated a million times. I even tried to show them my mark,
but then Grandma announced I was giving her heart palpitations.
I keep hoping that Gideon will show up and whisk me away. But it’s been a whole day with no
sign.
The Gideon I know would kill Kofi before letting him touch me—or my family for arranging this
whole thing.
The fact that he’s not here has to mean something.
~What if he doesn’t want me anymore?~
I let the curtain drop and take a deep breath, glancing around the bedroom.
My childhood room still looks the same as it did when I decided to re-decorate it when I was
twelve.
The same pink walls, twin bed, white painted bookshelves, wooden study table, chair, pictures of
me and my friends…
Some I haven’t talked to in years.
Reina, June, and Kylie stopped talking to me when they found out that I don’t have a wolf, yet
pictures of them with their arms around my shoulders are still tacked to my wall.
I think the three of them are happily mated now.
This doesn’t feel like my room anymore. In fact, the whole pack territory feels alien to me. It feels
like another world. Another lifetime.
It’s crazy to think about my life before Gideon. I don’t want to think about what my life might be
like…without him.
I look at my reflection in the mirror on my vanity. I don’t feel the same and I don’t look the
same…not totally. I’ve changed quite a bit—and I’m still changing.
I close my eyes, blocking my reflection. God, I miss Gideon. Badly. There’s a hollowness in my
heart when he’s not around.
I hear footsteps approaching the front door downstairs before the door is being opened and
closed. “Layla?” my sister Maya calls out. “Layla, are you here?”
 “I’m up here,” I call back.
“Yeah, she’s here,” I hear her tell someone as her feet pound the stairs. She sounds relieved. She
must be on the phone with my mom or dad.
“Layla, thank Goddess you’re here,” says Maya as she opens my bedroom door.
She has a garment bag slung over one arm, a makeup kit in another arm, and a cellphone in her
hand. “Mom and Dad were convinced you were gonna bolt at the last second.”
~I wish I had.~
~But I’ve felt so weak without Gideon around. Too weak to escape.~
~Going through with the ceremony just seems like fate. I may as well accept reality. Despite
the fact that I’m Gideon’s mate… I’m ending up with Kofi~
My sister drops everything on my bed and opens her mouth to say more, but nothing comes out.
She just stands there, still staring at me with her mouth and her eyes wide open.
The new purple and white dress looks very good on her. She has my father’s dark eyes, which are
rimmed with dark, thick eyelashes. Her curly dark hair is artfully pinned to one side with a beautiful
tortoiseshell pin.
My sister is very beautiful.
“Layla…,” she finally breathes…and blinks. “You look…different.”
You’d think after announcing to my family that I’m mated to Gideon multiple times, they might put
two and two together.
But nope. Apparently a normal human getting hotter overnight is easier to believe than little old
wolf-less me being a lycan’s erasthai.
My sister frowns and takes a step back as if she’s feeling uneasy. “You have to get dressed.
Here.” She tosses me the garment bag.
I pick the bag up, and she saunters out. “I… I’ll wait outside for you. Let me know when you’re
ready. Mom told me to do your makeup.”
I’m sure mom told her not to let me run for the hills too. She’s sent her here to be my babysitter or
my prison guard…take your pick.
I immediately take my clothes off and put the dress on. It’s a pretty white mermaid style dress. It
looks a lot like a wedding dress.
“Uh…Maya? We have a problem.”
My sister pokes her head inside the door. “What’s wrong?”
“I don’t think it fits.” It’s super tight, especially on the butt and the bust area. The zipper won’t go
all the way up.
“I don’t get it. This is exactly your size,” mutters Maya.
I hold my breath in as Maya tries to yank the zipper up a few times but that doesn’t work. “I think
we’re going to tear up the dress if we keep forcing the zipper up,” I comment.
“I think you’re right,” agrees Maya. “Mom picked the dress. She thought it’d look good on you.”
“Well…too bad,” I say.
~Phew!~
The truth is, I’m not feeling bad at all that it doesn’t fit. I’m elated! I hated the dress the moment I
saw it.
Too much lace and too heavy on the material. My mom’s taste in dresses is totally different from
mine.
“This is not good. Oh, this is so not good,” says Maya. “Did you put on weight? How did you
change so much? What do we do now?”
 “Maybe I can borrow something of yours?” I suggest.
My sister’s always been much curvier than me. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little jealous of her
growing up.
“Yeah…sure…” She helps me take the wedding dress back off and put it back into the bag. Then
she slips into her bedroom to grab some of her old prom dresses, leaving me all alone.
I drift back over to the window and pull back the curtain again. Still nothing. No one’s coming.
~Why am I going along with this?~
~It’s not too late to make a break for it!~
In truth, I know that a part of me is hoping that Gideon will swoop in at the last second to save me
from Kofi.
Another part of me wants to reject Kofi in front of the entire pack so my family can finally get it
through their heads that I refuse to be his mate.
Maya returns moments later with a bag slung over her arm. “Alright, I think this one should
work…”
I help her unzip the bag and carefully unfold a sleeveless bandage dress the color of the softest
blush.
I recognize it immediately—my sister wore this dress to her senior prom.
Maya gives me some space while I slip it on.
The dress follows the contours of my body perfectly, and the neckline plunges low to show my
cleavage, but still keeps it classy.
Thin, delicate layers of lace cover the shoulders. There’s a little strip of the lace across my waist
too. The dress ends a few inches above my knees.
It’s honestly a shame that something so beautiful has to be wasted on this stupid mating ceremony.
I undo my messy bun and run a wide-tooth comb through my shiny, curly brown locks. I’m leaving
it down.
I slide a pale-pink lipstick onto my lips then put on a pair of diamond hoop earrings, along with a
gold necklace with a circle diamond pendant. Finally, I pull out a pair of nude color heels.
~I’m glad Gideon is so tall.~ I couldn’t wear heels when I went out with shorter men in the past.
At the thought of Gideon, my stomach churns and my eyes go a little misty.
I just need to get this night over with.
I can’t just keep hoping he’ll show up to save me from Kofi.

The ceremony grounds is a large field at the front and the back of the pack house, bordered by the
woods that goes on for a few hundred miles.
It’s the werewolves’ council property in the guise of protected national forest.
It’s shared by three allied packs in this region to hunt and roam free in their wolf form.
Humans use several miles of it for camping, hiking trails, swimming, and fishing, but that’s merely
a front. It’s been like that for decades and they are still none the wiser.
It’s only a fifteen-minute walk from my parents’ to the pack house. We’re almost halfway there and
Maya has barely said a word to me.
She walks ahead of me as if she’s trying to put some distance between us.
Every now and then she glances back to watch me or to make sure that I’m still following her.
 It’s as if I make her nervous but she’s drawn to me. I know she doesn’t understand what I am or
the changes she’s sensing in me.
She’s uneasy around me, and that makes me feel kinda sad.
She comes to a halt when the phone in her hand suddenly rings. She rolls her eyes, reluctantly
swipes the screen, and says, “Hi, Mom.”
I can hear my mom yelling, asking Maya where we are and saying that we’re late. “We’re almost
there, Mom. We’ll be there soon,” she says before hanging up. “That was Mom. Apparently we’re
very late,” she informs me.
“I thought the ceremony starts when the sun goes down and the moon is up in the sky.” The sun is
already low on the horizon but it’s still too early.
Maya shrugs her shoulders.
“Yeah,” I say with a sigh. “Okay.”
My voice sounds resigned. What else can I say?
Maya watches me before she says, “Look, Layla. Being mated to Kofi isn’t the worse thing, you
know. It could be good for you.”
“You really believe that?”
She doesn’t answer me. Instead, she turns around and keeps walking.
As I follow my sister the rest of the way to the pack house, I’m starting to feel anxious.
I don’t know what’s going to happen tonight.
Will I finally stand up to my family…in front of the entire pack?
“Come on, Layla, we’re late,” Maya calls over her shoulder.
I hurry along behind her, trying to put on my bravest face.
~This is about to be very, very bad.~
Chapter 27
A Royal Objection
POV: LAYLA

T he excitement of the event is thrumming in the air even before we enter pack house grounds. I
hear people talking and laughing and music coming from there.
I can smell the food barbecuing on the grill, the sweetness of cotton candy, cupcakes,
cookies, and other goodies even before I see them.
As we get nearer to the pack house, I see red, blue, and gold flags waving in the wind
everywhere.
There are flags bearing the royal coat of arms: a crown with a lycan and a werewolf facing each
other underneath it.
There’s a full moon on the left side of the crown and a crescent moon on the right.
A scroll with ancient symbols runs underneath them.
There are so many people in the festivity grounds and so many things going on. There are tents and
booths everywhere.
There are so many people inside the pack house too. They stop to say hi to Maya, then stare at me
with wariness.
They’re acting as if I were a stranger who’s too fascinating to take their eyes off of as we walk
through the foyer to the back of the house.
I’ve always been an outsider, but nobody really paid me much attention before, so the staring thing
is making me feel kinda weird.
“There are too many people on the main staircase, let’s go through the back and use the workers’
stairs,” says Maya.
This is probably the second or third time I’ve been in the pack house, so I’ve no idea where
we’re going, but Maya seems to know her way around.
We walk past the kitchen, where several cooks are busy chopping, slicing, dicing, and stirring big
pots of food. They, too, stare at me as we walk by.
We turn right into a hallway after the kitchen and the women start whispering as soon as we
disappear from view.
If I were still a human, I wouldn’t be able to hear them, but since I am now a lycan, my hearing is
sharper than a werewolf’s. I can hear every word they say.
“Wow, is that the one?” says one lady. “I thought she’s a human.”
“Layla ~is~ a human,” I hear another answer.
“Really? A human? Hmmm… No wonder Kofi left Grace for her. She’s gorgeous.”
“But poor Grace…he promised to make her his mate, didn’t he?”
I hear the other cook chirp in again, “Yeah, Grace and maybe Alice too, but Grace certainly…”
~Grace? Alice? Did Kofi really promise to mate those women?~
If it’s true, then as far as I’m concerned, they’re lucky they just dodged a bullet. Kofi is such a
douche!
We come to a narrow staircase and Maya leads us up.
The second level is spacious and beautifully decorated. My heels make a clicking sound on the
marble floor.
Maya ushers me to a door with a sign saying: “Community Room.” She knocks on the door before
she opens it, then gives me a signal to go in.
I smooth the front of my dress and straighten myself before I enter the room. My heels make a
clicking sound on the marble floor.
I force myself to look around so that I don’t take one look at Kofi and bolt. This is quite a big
room.
There are red, blue, and gold flags hanging from the ceiling and the chairs are arranged quite like
the auditorium in my school.
There are hundreds of chairs set facing the stage, where Alpha Blake and Luna Mary have just
taken a seat.
There are two other couples sitting on the stage, probably the ones who are getting mated tonight.
Kofi is sitting beside them with an empty chair on his other side. He is smiling wide as he watches
me approach the stage.
My parents, Kaleb, Carmen, Grandma, and Abraham are sitting with a handful of pack members in
the chairs facing the stage. Maya quickly takes a seat beside her mate, Abraham.
It suddenly occurs to me that this meeting is quite private. My whole family is here, and all the
other people present are the families of the other couples who are mating tonight.
“Layla,” says Alpha Blake, standing up to greet me.
“Layla,” says Kofi, suddenly standing up as well.
~Idiot!~
I make a point to move away from Kofi and stand in front of the alpha.
“Alpha Blake.” I smile at the man. Alpha Blake and Luna Mary have always been nice to me.
“This is great. I’m glad you made it here safely, my dear. I’m sorry for the rush. This private
meeting was called quite suddenly,” whispers Alpha Blake, patting my shoulder.
Alpha Blake is only five years older than me, but he always sounds fatherly.
I take my seat—reluctantly—next to Kofi as the alpha clears his throat and turns to address the
other couples.
“I’ve been asked to call you all here before we begin the formal ceremony just to ensure
everything goes…smoothly.”
His gaze slides over to me.
“The crown wanted me to remind you all that it no longer advocates for forced mating. Not among
werewolves, at least.”
~The crown?~
I know he can’t mean Gideon. If Gideon still cared about me enough to stop this ceremony, he’d
do it himself instead of passing along a message.
No…it has to be a coincidence.
“Does anyone have anything to tell me?” Alpha Blake asks us. “Any forced mating in this day and
age?”
My eyes find my father’s, and he holds my gaze for a moment before looking away.
One couple nudges each other jokingly and their families laugh.
My mom’s eyes quickly flicker up to look at me as if waiting to see if I would say something
while my dad remains quiet. Kofi laughs along with the others.
~Like I said, idiot!~
I can feel the weight of my family’s stare as Alpha Blake proceeds to ask the couples, and also
Kofi, who eagerly assure him that they’re doing this more than willingly.
“Layla.” Alpha Blake approaches me finally.
 The smile on his lips shows that he’s expecting the same answer from me as from everyone else
and that this is just a formality.
~Oh, sweet baby Jesus, it’s now or never.~
~I can’t chicken out!~
~I won’t!~
Alpha Blake continues. “Are you entering this mating bond of your own free will?”
I can’t bring myself to look at my family again when I answer the alpha’s question.
“No.”
Alpha Blake nods and smiles. It takes him a second before my word sinks in. His smile slowly
falls, replaced by a puzzled frown. He leans in to really look at me. “No?”
“No.” I look at my family. Everybody looks stunned, except for my grandma.
“Layla,” says my dad, getting up from his seat. “How could you do this to us?”
“I’m not doing anything except for telling the truth, Dad. I told you before that I can’t accept Kofi
because I’ve already met my mate…and now I’m mated.”
“You’ve told us a bunch of lies about lycans…,” says Mom. “You’re just trying to get out mating
Kofi—”
That’s when I feel it.
The pull. The heaviness in the air.
My eyes are drawn to the back of the room, just as the door bursts open with a ~bam!~
He’s here. ~Gideon!~
I fight the urge to run into his arms, to feel the softness of his lips—let him fill me with the warmth
of his body heat and his scent, let him cure this ache in my heart.
He’s looking devastatingly handsome in his dark suit and a golden tie that almost matches his
eyes.
His dress shirt is snowy white against the tan column of his neck. The expression on his face is
unreadable, but his eyes are intense on me.
The room quiets down…or maybe everything just fades away when I see him.
There’s another lycan trailing behind my mate as he strides to the stage—~Louis~! He’s looking
amused.
“I must apologize for the interruption, Alpha Blake,” Gideon says, seeming to leap up the stairs to
the stage in a single bound. He’s not looking at me anymore.
Those gorgeous golden eyes are boring into Kofi. His lips almost pull up into a smirk, and a vein
twitches on the side of his forehead.
Kofi shrinks just a little in his seat beside me.
Yeah, I’d be scared if I were him, too. Gideon could snap him like a toothpick.
“Lord Archer!” the alpha replies, also shrinking back a little. There are murmurs in the room now
as people recognize Gideon. “N-n-not at all, your Excellency.”
I can hear Maya whispering ~so hot~ to Carmen, and the sound of Alpha Blake’s heartbeat
speeding up just a little.
But I can’t take my eyes off of Gideon as he strolls across the stage to stand beside the alpha.
~What's he doing here?~ I can’t feel his emotions at all or get a good read of his expression.
I’m so overwhelmed and relieved to see Gideon, but I still have no idea where we stand.
I crave him. I miss him. But I’m still so mad at him for the last couple of days.
“I’m afraid I have some news that simply could not wait until this evening,” Gideon announces to
everyone. His back is to me.
 “I’m afraid that the crown cannot recognize or allow the mating of one of these,” he pauses and
his body seems to tense, “~couples~.”
Murmurs fill the hall. My mom is whispering something to my dad, who’s staring directly at me.
“W-w-why not?” Alpha Blake stammers, glancing back at the six of us. He’s totally shocked.
“Because one of them is already mated,” Gideon says. The room goes silent.
I’m not looking at my family anymore. I’m just looking at Gideon, waiting for him to turn around. I
need to see his face.
“Alpha Blake, Luna Mary, ladies, gentlemen…,” Gideon says. “I’d like to introduce you to my
mate.”
He turns slowly—dramatically—to look at me. “Lady Layla Archer. The love of my life.”
Chapter 28
Groveling
POV: LAYLA

G asps can be heard around the room, but I have my eyes only on Lord Gideon Archer, my mate.
He’s looking so utterly magnificent. So breathtakingly stunning. His golden-yellow gaze
never leaves mine as he proudly claims me in front of these people.
His expression is hard and possessive, but there’s a tiny hint of a smile curving his lips meant
only for me.
I smile back as I place my hand in his. Everything around us fades away as he lifts my hand to his
lips and kisses the back of it.
His mouth is soft and warm on my skin.
I close my eyes for a second and let the relief wash over me.
Gideon still loves me. He wants me. And even though I’m still a little mad at him, there’s nothing
I want more in this whole wide world than to be with him. Forever.
~Mmm...~ The spot where Gideon’s lips touch my skin is starting to heat with tingles of
electricity.
I feel myself leaning into him.
The sound of Louis loudly clearing his throat breaks the silence and brings me back down to
earth.
The rest of the other people present, including my family, are looking stunned.
“Lord Archer,” says Alpha Blake. “Layla…I’m sorry, Lady Layla Archer, I…uh, congratulations.”
The poor man is stuttering, trying to recover from the shock.
He continues. “We had no idea…I’m sorry.”
My parents remain quiet, and Kofi doesn’t say much throughout the short meeting.
Well, considering the murderous glares he keeps getting from Gideon, he’d be stupid to bring
attention to himself.
After the meeting, we are led to the main tent on the festival grounds, where the Mating Ceremony
is to be held.
Right before we reach the tent, I turn to Gideon. “We still need to talk. Like, right now.”
Gideon’s golden-yellow gaze studies me for a moment. He nods finally, his expression impossible
to read. “Yes. I suppose you’re right.”
He places a hand on my lower back and leads me to a smaller tent that’s empty. Everyone’s
already gathering for the ceremony.
I feel him moving closer until his warm breath teases a few strands of my hair and fans against the
shell of my ear. “Sweetheart, I’m sorry. Let me just hold you… I need to…just for a little while.”
The longing in his voice tugs at my heart, so I don’t try to move away when he wraps his arms
around me, pulling me back against his chest and burying his face into the back of my neck.
This is the exact moment that I’ve been dreaming about the last couple of days.
But I can’t look at him or have him touching me right now. I’d be too lost in him to be able to have
any sensible talk with him if I let that happen.
I walk out of Gideon’s arms.
He makes a move to get closer and take me back.
“No, stay there!” I tell him.
 I hear him exhale a long, slow, heavy, frustrated breath when I step further away from him.
“Now she treats me like a dog,” I hear him mutter, and I will my heart not to soften for him. He
needs to be in a dog house, at least for now, for treating me the way he did.
“It’s not like you don’t deserve it,” I say sassily.
“Touché,” he agrees after a beat of silence. I guess he was not expecting that. “At least look at me.
Layla,” he implores.
I shake my head and he says, “Do you hate me that much now that you can’t even stand to look at
me?”
That’s the problem—I don’t hate him. Not even a little bit. But I want him to know that he hurt me
and that it’s not okay to treat me that way.
“You were mad at me for something that was beyond my control…and you left me. You left me!” I
finally turn to look at him.
He closes his eyes and turns his head away as if looking at my accusing eyes is too much for him.
When he finally opens his eyes and looks at me, he looks haunted and lost.
“I was more angry with myself than I was with anyone else. I didn’t leave you. I mean, I didn’t
intend to be away from you for too long.
“I just went for a run because I needed some time to think clearly. I wasn’t in control, and I
needed to be in control before I saw you again.
“I had all these feelings I needed to sort out before I went and said things I might regret, which I
clearly did spectacularly anyway.
“I would never leave you, Layla. Never you. Not for long…”
He places his hands on the bed on either side of me and stares at my face. “This is all my fault. If I
didn’t get myself involved with Helen, that would never have happened. If I took better care of you,
nobody would’ve had the chance to touch you.
“You can’t begin to imagine how disappointed I am with myself for failing to protect you. How I
loathe myself for doing that to you. I loathe myself and that’s an alien feeling.”
“You were jealous,” I say.
He nods his head. “I was burning with jealousy, but I was disgusted with myself for allowing that
to happen. I failed you.
“Somebody else put his hands all over you, his lips on yours when they should have been mine.
Only mine.
“You felt the pleasure from another man’s touch, and I only have myself to blame for it. The
jealousy was killing me. It was irrational but I couldn’t seem to get rid of it.
“When I marked you and claimed you mine, I vowed to keep you safe. I vowed to keep you happy
and not even a month in, I’ve already failed you, and it’s all because of my past.”
“You didn’t fail me, Gideon. I don’t blame you for what happened,” I tell him. “What kills me
was after…when you were so cold. You looked like you couldn’t stand to look at me.”
His eyes are full of remorse. “You’re right, I couldn’t stand to look at you, but only because of the
guilt.
“When I looked at you, all wounded and bloody, all I could think of was: if I was a better mate,
none of that would have happened.
“If I didn’t get involved with Helen, you wouldn’t be hurt,” he says.
“Gideon, listen to me. I don’t want you to feel guilty every time I get hurt. There are things beyond
our control even if you’re a mighty lycan. You’ve lived long enough to know this.
“What I want…no, what I need is for you to not lose yourself in your guilt and self-hate and be
there for me when something like that happens.
“When I’m sad or hurt, I just need you and no one else.
“I’m also a big girl. I should be able to look after myself. Oh, and you shouldn’t have interfered.
You should have let me kill Helen myself,” I say.
He shakes his head. “That I can’t do, Layla. When I saw you fighting Helen, I was almost out of
my mind. My lycan wanted out.
“I wanted to crush her and take you away from there where you’d be safe.
“It was the hardest thing for me to wait and watch you get your way with her because your lycan
demanded as much.
“But I promise to be there for you when you need me.
“I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you last night, baby.” He cups the back of my head with his hand and
runs his thumb beneath my lower lip.
I close my eyes. His touch always melts my insides.
“You don’t need to feel jealous of the bloody triton. I never wanted him.
“When he touched me, it was like he was taking my mind prisoner. When I was lost in passion, my
mind was filled with you.
“In my mind, it was you who was touching me.”
He sighs. “Really?” He touches his forehead gently to mine. “I shouldn’t have felt jealous.
“I never had to deal with that feeling before, and I was always in full control no matter what. But
you make me lose control. You drive me crazy. I’m in way over my head with you.
“I’m sorry, baby. I’m so very sorry. I’m a possessive bastard. You deserve better, but I’m also
selfish and I can’t live without you, so I’m keeping you anyway.
“Please tell me you forgive me? Please tell me you forgive me and come back with me.”
I place my hands on my hips and smirk.
“No, I want you to grovel,” I tell him.
“What?”
“I want you to grovel if you want my forgiveness and if you want me to go back with you.”
“I’ll grovel if that would make you happy.”
“One, two, three…okay, start groveling,” I tell him.
He shakes his head as if he can’t believe he’s doing this, but he lowers himself to kneel on the
ground. “Layla my love, please forgive me. I was an arse…”
I cut in, “And a douche canoe, a jerk, an asshat, a tool, a prick, a jackass…” I stop when I see him
quirking his head to the side. I clear my throat and say, “Okay, you may continue.”
One of his eyebrows raises at that but he continues, “…Yes, all of those, and for treating you so
badly when you needed me and my support the most.
“I promise to be a better man for you and to treat you like the goddess that you are. I can’t stand
another night away from you, so, please come back with me.”
“Hmm…” I pretend to think for a moment. I’m really enjoying this. “Fine. I guess I forgive you.”
And I do. I love this man with all of my heart and there’s nothing in the world that’s going to
change that.
“I freaking love you,” I hear myself say.
His lips curl up into a pleased smile.
I know he’s ancient—older than the internet—but when he smiles at me like this, all vulnerable,
stripped of all the mask he wears for the rest of the world, he looks adorable and boyish.
He’s not Lord Archer. He’s my Gideon.
 “Love is too mild a word to describe what I’m feeling for you,” he says.
“I know this sounds cheesy as hell, but you are my world, Layla. You are more important than my
next breath.
“I don’t know how I did it before, but without you, I cease to exist.”
I feel my heart double in size.
“Now…are you ready to face the madness?” Gideon asks. He nods in the direction of the large
tent where the mating ceremony will take place.
I take a deep breath. “As ready as I’ll ever be.”
Gideon takes my face in his hands and kisses me so deep I can feel it in my toes.
When he finally pulls back, he offers me his hand.
“Shall we?”
I giggle as I take it. “We shall.”
And with that, he leads me back to the festivities.
Chapter 29
My Future
POV: LAYLA

P eople crowd around the main tent to catch the sight of the lycans—the famous Lord Archer and
his best friend, Louis.
They part for us, but the guards are still needed to keep the space open. It seems like the
whole pack is here.
I guess the news that I am his mate has now spread among the pack members since I catch my
name being whispered more than a few times in the crowd.
I find myself sitting close to Gideon with my hand firmly held in his. Louis sits not too far on the
other side of me.
Alpha Blake and the other pack members seem pleased and honored by Gideon’s presence.
We sit through the whole ceremony; everybody is looking at my mate with awe. Everyone bends
over backward to please us.
It’s a strange experience for me, but I guess Gideon and Louis are used to this kind of treatment. It
just brings home to me what a prominent and influential figure my mate really is.
We stay longer since a few alphas from neighboring packs show up to have this rare opportunity
to meet with Lord Archer.
“So, is this what it’s like whenever he attends meetings and events?” I ask Louis as we stand a bit
further away from the rest of the other people, watching Gideon talk to the alphas.
It’s quite late and most of the pack members are gone.
“Yes, ma chérie. I’m not trying to scare you off, but I’m afraid this is your future.
“You will have to attend events, standing by his side patiently, talking to strangers, especially
when there is a crisis,” answers Louis.
“He’s doing an important job. I don’t mind,” I tell Louis.
I truly don’t mind. His job could possibly stop wars, and I love watching him interact with others.
I might be biased, but I think he’s really amazing.
He’s a natural leader. Charismatic, brilliant, and powerful.
I love how the mighty alphas all look up and defer to him. It fills me with pride to watch how they
subconsciously lower their heads when talking to him.
After a while, Gideon flips the lid of his pocket watch open. He checks the time, then he looks up
and his gaze finds mine.
His lips curve up into a smile and I get the sense that he’s done with everyone else and just wants
me now.
Gideon is now shaking hands with the alphas, saying goodbye to everybody.
He strolls over to where I’m sitting and holds out his hand. “My lady…”
“My lord.” I let him help me to my feet, conscious of the hundreds of eyes on us once more.
Gideon brings me in close, brushing his lips against my ear. “Now, if you may, I’d like to take you
home…”
He pulls his head back to look at me. His golden-yellow eyes are crinkling just a little. “…And
shag the living daylights out of you. Would that be acceptable for my lady?”
~Be still, my beating heart!~
I blush and clench my thighs together. Is it hot in here?
 “Why, yes, it would be,” I say, as cool as I can manage. “It really would.”

I watch the numbers flash by as Gideon and I ride up the elevator to his penthouse.
Gideon pretty much told Louis to get lost for the next few hours, thank Goddess.
I’m so hungry for him. I want to feel the wonderful warmth of his skin on mine. I want him to take
all of me.
The air in the elevator is so thick and charged. His scent alone is driving me crazy as we stand
side by side.
The only thing keeping me from jumping on him right now and ripping off his clothes is the
security camera watching us from the corner of the elevator.
~Ding!~
The doors slide open with a chime. We’re home. Finally.
The second I step out of the elevator and into the penthouse, Gideon wraps an arm around my
waist and spins me around, pulling me into his body.
Gideon’s growl is muffled by my lips as we throw ourselves at one another, my hands roaming his
chest and tracing the lines of definition on his abdomen through his shirt.
I rip it open, buttons flying everywhere, to expose his rock-hard abs.
His hands are rough and warm as they run down my back then cup my ass, fingers slipping under
my dress to grip my bare skin.
A thrill runs through me as my hands go to his belt.
“Layla,” he groans.
I love it when he says my name.
Pulling away, I shoot him a cheeky grin as I undo his belt and reach for his zipper, pulling it down
as slowly as I can just to tease him.
From the way his manhood springs from his pants, I can tell that he didn’t need any teasing.
He is ready to go. In the foyer!
I have to admit, knowing that Louis could walk home any second—which he won’t because he
doesn’t have a death wish—is a major turn-on.
Dropping to my knees, I push his boxers down to his ankles and take all of him in my mouth. He
shivers with pleasure.
“Why, dear Moon Goddess, did I ever leave this woman…,” he murmurs to himself.
He throws his head back as I go to work, moving intuitively with the way his body reacts.
My head bobs faster when his thighs contract, slowing down when his breath gets too fast, and I
swirl my tongue when I think his knees are about to buckle.
I’m so in love with this man, and there’s nothing I want more than to give him the most intense
pleasure of his life.
Even just having him in my mouth is making me hot in all the right places.
But just when I find a good rhythm, Gideon reaches down and scoops me up into his arms. “Your
turn,” he growls, stepping out of his pants.
My entire body hums in anticipation.
Gideon carries me all the way to the bedroom and throws me down on the bed.
He takes off my shorts and panties with one fluid motion.
 I don’t wait for him to pull off my shirt—I’m more than eager to do it myself.
“You’re fucking perfect, sweetheart,” he says, leaning back to drink in the sight of me on full
display on his silk sheets. “Really, truly, perfect.”
I’ve never felt so loved in my life. Not even close. Gideon fills a gap inside of me that I didn’t
even know I had.
He’s my everything. My life. My future.
“I need you,” I mumble, reaching for him. His body hovers over me as he dips his lips to my own.
His fingers move up the inside of my thigh slowly, circling the delicate skin there, before pushing into
my core.
Ecstasy rushes through me.
This is nothing compared to the triton’s cheap tricks.
It is nothing compared to anything I’d ever felt before.
~Oh my gawwwwsh --~
I climax within moments.
My body is coated in a fine sheen of sweat as he lines up himself with my entrance. I spread my
legs as wide as they can go, wanting him to be all the way inside me, wanting his body to mould
seamlessly into mine.
We both howl in pleasure as he thrusts inside of me.
I need no further proof that we are meant for each other. The way our bodies move, the way we
fit, it makes me believe that we’ve been made to fit together.
We shift through positions, starting with him on top with my legs around his shoulders. It makes
my eyes roll back from the pleasure.
Then I take charge and clamber atop, starting slow but gaining speed as I bounce up and down.
Gideon then takes me from behind and I squeal with joy, loving hearing his furious panting and the
sensations as he forcefully slams into my ass cheeks.
We don’t need words as we respond intuitively to each other’s needs. We return to missionary for
the finale. I love how he holds my hands above my head, his other caressing my breast.
“There,” I breathe as he thrust deep. “Right there!”
“Fuck, Layla,” he grits out, his thrusts strong enough to make my entire body tremble.
“I love you so damn much!” I shout as I come undone yet again.
With a final thrust and a heavy groan, Gideon climaxes with me. I feel him jerk and stiffen,
unloading shot after shot inside.
He collapses on top of me and I relish in the weight of him, the smell of him. I bury my nose into
his skin as I wrap my legs around his torso, wanting to draw him in close and never let go.
“That was amazing,” he says, planting a kiss to his mark on my neck.
My body responds in a series of tiny tremors.
“Woah, woah, woah...~was~?” I say, still trying to catch my breath. “Are you already done with
me?”
Gideon’s laugh is lightheaded and easy.
It is one of the most beautiful sounds I’ve ever heard.
“Done with you?” Gideon says, cocking his head back to look at me. “Sweetheart, that was just a
taste. The first course.”
He raises an eyebrow, and his golden-yellow gaze melts me entirely. “Of many.”
Then he brings his lips to mine, reclaiming me once more.
As we make love into the early hours of the morning, I feel like I’m in a dream. A fantasy.
I can’t believe that this man—this ~life~—is mine.
But the more I lose myself in Gideon, the more I realize…
This is exactly where I’m supposed to be.
Chapter 30
Closing A Chapter
POV: LAYLA
“W hy South Africa? Is there trouble brewing?” my dad asks Gideon, wide-eyed.
It’s been a week since the almost-mating ceremony, and things are going back to normal.
Or at, the ~new~ normal.
Gideon and I are sitting in my parents’ living room, surrounded by my family.
My dad is still in awe of my mate. Well, so is everybody else in this pack, really.
It seems as if my whole family still couldn’t believe that Lord Archer is mated to me, the middle
child who was born without a wolf.
People from the pack are hanging outside my parents’ house, peeking in the windows now and
then like paparazzi, just waiting to catch another glimpse of Lord Archer.
It’s kind of flattering. But mainly, ~hella~ annoying.
~At least turn the flash off when you’re snapping pics, you creepy window watchers!~
“Well, mainly we’re visiting because your daughter wants to see South Africa,” Gideon explains
to my dad. “I’ll have to do a little bit of business with the local packs, of course. But relaxing and
having fun together is our priority.”
Gideon lifts our entwined hands to his lips and brushes a soft kiss on the back of my hand. His
gaze finds mine, telling me that he’d take me to the end of the earth if I asked him to.
~And maybe I will...~
A few days ago, I casually mentioned to Gideon that I’d like to photograph wildlife in the
Kalahari Desert one day. It’s always been my dream to go around the world taking pictures, but the
Kalahari is numero uno on my bucket list.
When I told Gideon that my final project for my photography is coming up too, he made travel
arrangements right away. I’m going to get an A for sure!
The doctor gave me the green light to travel, so we’re cleared for takeoff. We leave for South
Africa tomorrow evening with Louis, who has decided to join us.
What can I say? I guess the guy just loves being a third wheel.
Not that Gideon and I mind—Louis’s a lot of fun. Definitely a wildcard.
According to Gideon, we’ll only have about three weeks to spend in South Africa because we’re
expected at the palace in Russia before the end of this month.
But that’s more than enough time to take as many pictures as I want.
I expect that being with Gideon means I'll be traveling a lot. I don’t know when we’ll be back in
Los Angeles again, but that’s okay.
That’s the reason why we’re visiting my family today.
I’m saying goodbye, not only to my family and friends, but to my whole life as a human here. I’m
closing a chapter of my life and beginning another.
I can’t wait! I’m excited to start a new journey with my erasthai.
I squeeze Gideon’s hand and glance around the room. My family hangs on Gideon’s every word as
he recounts a story from his travels around Africa.
South Africa, Ghana, Botswana, Nigeria…
He really ~has~ been everywhere…
I bet he’s even been to Ethiopia, where Grandma’s from.
 Just as I start to ask, my mom clears her throat and looks at me.
“Layla, honey, would you help me in the kitchen?”
“Um…sure.” I get up from my seat and follow her.
Gideon glances at me with concern. I nod, indicating that I’ll be okay before I disappear into the
kitchen. He gives me a small nod back in return.
~So protective!~
That’s why I feel safe and secure around him.
Carmen and Maya trail behind me and Mom into the kitchen, leaving my dad, my brother, Kaleb,
and my grandma in the living room with Gideon and Louis.
I don’t trust my grandma. She’s going to make a move on one of the lycans for sure! I know she
technically has a boyfriend, but she’s ~always~ been a player.
“Layla, I don’t know what to say,” says Mom as we all sit around the kitchen table. I tear my
thoughts away from my man-eating granny. “I’m sorry I didn’t believe you when you told us about…
him.” Her voice is full of regret.
“Believe me, your father and I love you and only want what’s best for you. I know we should’ve
trusted you…”
I sigh. ~Here we go.~ We had to address this at some point.
“I’m sure you want what’s best for me, but yeah, you should’ve trusted me and believed me, Mom.
You treated me like a stupid kid, not the grown woman I am.”
My mom nods quietly, and Carmen and Maya don’t say anything.
Right now, my feelings for my parents are a bit complicated. I’m still pissed at how they’d been
treating me, especially after I refused to give in to their wishes.
But then again, they’re not always bad parents. I had a great childhood, after all. We’ve just
always had different ideas about my future.
Luckily, that’s all settled now.
My parents have accepted my choices, and it seems like things between us are okay again.
Different, but okay.
It makes me happy. I do want to keep them in my life, even if being Gideon’s erasthai takes me far
away.
“Can we talk about this some other time, Mom?” I ask. “I’d rather spend our last day together
making some drama-free memories instead of having some big old heart-to-heart. We’re good.”
“You’ll come and see us again?” Her expression is hopeful. “You won’t leave us forever?”
“Mom, yes! Of course we will! I promise.”
Mom smiles, and her eyes shimmer with tears. I know I’ve made her happy.
“Layla, can I ask you something?” Carmen pipes up. “Did you mean it when you said you know
the Crown Prince and his mate, Quincy?” Her cheeks are pink, and her eyes are bright with
excitement.
Carmen continues in a breathless voice, “I mean, you’re mated to Lord Archer, so you’ll be seeing
them again…and you’ll be meeting the king and the queen, right? ~Right?~”
~Oh man.~
I should get out of here before Carmen goes into full fangirling mode. This is my life! Not ~The
Crown.~
“Yeah, I mean, I might meet the king and queen…,” I say nonchalantly, hoping Carmen will get the
message that I don’t want to talk about it.
Instead, she leans into my neck.
 ~What the heck?!~
“Wait! Is that your mark? It is, isn’t it? Can I see it?” Carmen asks, pointing. Maya and Mom look
interested, too.
~Unbelievable. NOW they want to see it.~
~They’re just as bad as those gawkers outside.~
~God, I HAVE to get out of here!~
“Maybe we should go check on the guys,” I say, standing up from the table.
I walk out of the kitchen to find grandma shamelessly flirting with both Gideon and Louis. One
hand is on Louis’s knee, the other’s on Gideon’s.
~I told you, I don’t trust my grandma.~
“You boys look terrific for your age,” she giggles. ~Giggles!~ “To think, I’m more than a hundred
years younger than you. You’d never believe I’m the younger woman.”
“I don’t know about that, ma chérie,” Louis says with a wink.
~UGH. Groan city.~
Gideon looks highly amused by the lecherous old lady, but Louis seems to enjoy the attention way
more than he should. He kisses Grandma’s hand.
“~Bon appetit~,” Grandma says, winking back at him.
~Yup, I need to get them out of here. Fast.~
~Otherwise, this family reunion might get a little TOO freaky...~

“Your grand-mère is fit! She’s a total babe,” says Louis when we’re in the back seat of the Bentley
again. I’m sitting right in the middle, between Gideon and Louis again.
“Ew, ew, ew!” I exclaim. “Don’t you ever say that again. Like ever!”
I feel like bleaching my ears, eyes, and everything in between. This is traumatizing.
“Why? I’m single, she’s single. Don’t you fancy having me as your grandpapa?”
~Arghhh!!~
“Shut up, Louis!” I might have to go through years of therapy after tonight. “Gideon, what is wrong
with your friend?”
“Louis is…er…not very discriminating when it comes to women,” answers Gideon with a smirk.
“Oui,” Louis readily agrees. “I’m a lover of women. All women—fat, skinny, old, young, black,
white… Your grand-mère…”
“Not another word, Louis! Not another word or I’ll strangle you,” I hiss.
Both men laugh. I find nothing funny about the whole situation. Nothing at all.
“Shameless hussy!” I spit at Louis, and the men laugh harder.
~Okay, okay… I know you don’t call men hussies, but I don’t care.~
There’s just no other way to describe Louis.
The guy would hit on a rock if he thought he had half a chance with it.
“Gideon, tell your pervy pal to never go near my grandma again,” I growl.
“Louis, my pervy pal, never go near my mate’s grandma again,” deadpans Gideon, looking out the
window, biting back his amused smile.“
“Where are we going next, sweetheart?” asks Gideon as the car pulls out of the driveway, nearly
hitting some of the nosy people watching us from the street.
 “We’re going to see my friend Sarah, her mom, and her son Charlie next,” I answer him as I grip
my purse tightly to my chest.
I have a cheque for fifty grand burning a hole in my purse with Sarah’s name on it.
I pawned that bracelet and got a reasonable price for it.
I hope that’s enough to keep her afloat until she gets her degree.
Helping my friend is the last thing I want to do before Gideon and I leave L.A. to start our new
life together.
~Will we ever come home again?~
~Wait, what am I saying?!~
~My home is by Gideon’s side, wherever he is.~
~LA, South Africa, heck, even Saturn or Mars!~
~So I guess, in a way, I’ll always be home from now on…~
I snuggle into Gideon’s arm, and he pulls me closer as the driver takes us onto the freeway.
~Goodbye, Los Angeles...~
~Hello, home sweet home.~

Curious to read more from Layla and Gideon? Find the next book in the series on the Galatea app.
 Thank you!

If you enjoyed Gideon, I would love it if you let your friends and family know so they can experience
Gideon and Layla’s story, too.

If you would like to experience more free and exclusive content from the Gideon universe, feel free to
visit Galatea.