LAYLA
I wake up with a groan when the side of my face heats up due to sunlight. My hand lands on my cheek, rubbing the heated skin.
A weight keeps me from sitting up, and without opening my eyes, I can tell it’s Alpha Alexander who is sleeping on my chest again. He likes that for some stupid reason, and whenever I wake up with him around, he clings to me like a koala clings to a tree.
“Alpha Alexander. “I moan in exhaustion as my hand instinctively moves to his soft hair.
I am completely spent, too tired to move even when he does get up. But I have to get to Ayla and get her ready for school.
“Alpha…”
“Just a little more.” He murmurs between my boobs before kissing the warm spot.
My heart flutters in my chest. Understanding this man is impossible. He gives me mini heart attacks with his changing behaviors and moods.
“I have to go to Ayla. She needs to get ready for school.” I whisper, rubbing his nape with my thumb.
His weight remains on top of me as his breaths scorch my skin. I run my fingers through his hair unconsciously, waiting for him to get up and let me go.
He takes a few minutes time before he picks his head. I open my eyes to look at his ruffled hair and sleepy eyes.
To my surprise, his hand slips between my thighs, and his thumb softly presses into my clit. I wince, gritting my jaw.
“Are you still sore?” He asks, withdrawing his thumb.
“A little.” I nod.
The worried expression on his face shifts to coldness. He gets on his knees and rolls his neck.
I attempt to sit up but end up laying back down to take some deep breaths. My legs are like jelly, and I am more sore than just a little.
“Stay in bed. I will get Ayla ready.” He commands.
“But how can you do that? It has to be me.” I blurt.
Alpha Alexander bends over me to be at eye level with me. I swallow the other things I was going to say and blink at him.
“I am her father. If I say I will get her ready, it means I will.” He frowns.
“That’s not what I meant. I am just used to it, Alpha Alexander.” I mumble under my breath while trying to get my fast heartbeats under control.
His attention is drawn to my forehead. He leans in and presses a firm kiss there, stealing my breath.
“You are not alone, Layla. You have me now. Stop being used to things and rest.” His warm breath caresses my head.
I stare at his chest, unable to control the way my heart beats at his words or how my breath hitches in my throat. Alpha Alexander gets up from the bed and disappears into the bathroom while I lay there, thinking about his words.
I have heard so many people tell me that I am not alone, but something in the way he said it with keen certainty and a gruff complaint has touched my heart.
I smile unconsciously and snuggle under the covers on his bed. Shortly after, I am drifting back to sleep because something in me knows that I can rely on him completely when it comes to Ayla. For the first time in years, I have slept in without worrying or caring about the world.
~~~~~~~~~~
When I wake up again, it’s already midday, and Ayla is at her school. I take a warm bath and change Alpha Alexander’s sheets before strolling out of his room, only to end up stumbling upon my nemesis of a best friend.
Before I can run away, she corners me and places her hand on her waist in a serious way. I smile awkwardly, looking at her from under my fluttering lashes.
“Spill.” She commands, huffing.
“It’s nothing. Haha.” I try to diffuse the awkward situation, but she grabs my hand and drags me to the yard so we can sit on the bench and discuss the ‘nothing.’
“You better spill every single detail, or we are fighting.” She starts again right after sitting beside me.
I slide into the corner of the bench and sigh. Daphne gives me a long stare before her eyes soften.
“What is going on, Layla?” She whispers.
She knows I can’t resist that soft voice, so I tell her everything that’s going on with Theo and Alpha Alexander. I tell her how he keeps pestering me about spending a night with him and how I want to, which is stupid as hell, but I can’t control it anymore.
She listens to everything carefully and nods like my Mom used to do when I ranted about my day activities in the school. By the time I am done telling her all the details, her eyes are narrowed into slits, and her lips are pursed.
“It’s wrong.” She says when I finish.
I suck in a huge breath, finding my shoulders shaking with the effort. “I know it’s wrong to want Alpha Alexander, D.”
“No. That’s not what I meant.” She shakes her head.
“What do you mean then?” I wonder, leaning back.
“You want Alpha Alexander, and you willingly want to spend a night with him, but at the same time, you are fueling Theo’s hope for you, Layla. That is what’s wrong for me.” She looks into my eyes.
My shoulders slump. I tried thinking about this before, but I ended up concluding that I would just resist Alpha Alexander and focus on Theo, which might solve all my problems.
“What do I do?” I mumble.
“You should clearly tell Theo that you are not committing to him yet. Stop all those activities with him for the time being, Layla, and go for Alpha Alexander,” she states.
“But…”
“It doesn’t always need to be a commitment, Layla. If you want him, have him. It can be a casual thing, and you can see where you want to go after that. Maybe after your obsession with Alpha Alexander is over, you will finally be able to focus on Theo as you want. That way, he will be the only one on your mind, and that will be fair to him and to you.” She cuts in and says in a single breath.
“What if things become complicated, and I don’t stop wanting Alpha Alexander?” I pull my legs up and rest my chin over my knee.
“That’s what you are scared of.” She concludes.
I nod. “He is Ayla’s Daddy. What if I never stop wanting him, and he never stops hating me? What if l—develop feelings for him and he doesn’t? What will become of us then?”
“Then you will know you have done everything there was to do, and you need to move on.” Daphne sighs.
“What if I regret trying everything and giving in?” I wonder.
“Then, my friend, you regret it. That’s life.” She chimes, patting my shoulder.
“You are so bad at giving advice.” I chuckle.
“I believe in living life to the fullest. If you want something, get it. Think about the present and leave the future in the future.” She shrugs playfully.
I laugh harder. All the worries escape my mind when I am with her.
“Just think of it like this: what if we die tomorrow? Will you regret not banging Alpha Alexander before that? Will you not want your soul to remember how good the sex was so you can masturbate in the afterlife?” She wiggles her brows.
I grimace, shaking my head. “No! Stop painting that picture in my head!”
“Don’t overreact. I know you like that picture.” She giggles, bumping her shoulder with mine.
“I don’t know why I am friends with you.” I choke on my breath.
“Because, Baby, I wiped your runny nose in kindergarten, and you love me for it.” She pulls me into her arms, and I huff out a laugh. It’s true. I love her for all she is to me.
I take a moment to breathe in peace, and the next moment, I jump to my feet in surprise and fear. Loud alarms are blaring in the packhouse.
“What is it?” I blurted, looking around.
“The attack alarm. The pack is under attack.” Daphne hisses, grabbing my hand in her palm protectively.
All of a sudden, I jerk my hand out of her hold and start running to the door. My heartbeat escalates as I fasten my steps, and Daphne follows me.
“Where are you going, Layla? It’s not safe outside!” She yells from behind.
“Ayla is still in school. My Baby… she is still out there.” I struggle to breathe.