Chapter 117
Layla's POV
"Is she still with you?" Kael asked softly, his eyes fixed on me with concern. His hand hovered near mine, not quite touching.
I pressed my hand to my chest where the butterfly had entered. The spot was warm, almost hot. "Yes. I can feel her... like a shield inside me. It's warm, pulsing with every heartbeat."
Thor glanced behind us, his jaw tense and neck muscles rigid. A thin sheen of sweat covered his forehead. "We need to move quickly. I don't trust that he won't try something."
"Are we sticking to the original plan?" Thor asked as we approached the main entrance, his boots scuffing against the polished floor. He kept checking over his shoulder, fingers flexing as if ready for a fight. "Head to Kael's territory first, then I gather allies?"
I stopped walking abruptly, my heels digging into the carpet. Both men turned toward me, surprise evident in their widened eyes. The anger inside me had transformed into something else—determination. Not just rage, but purpose. My heart hammered against my ribs, and I could taste something metallic in my mouth.
"No," I said firmly, my voice echoing in the hallway. "We need to regroup and build our strength. I need power to defeat Damian, not just allies. We need to train."
Kael's eyebrows rose slightly, a muscle twitching in his cheek. "Train?" He shifted his weight from one foot to another, obviously unsettled.
"Yes." My fists clenched until my nails bit into skin. "I won't rely on others anymore." Heat pulsed through my chest like fire. "Damian's dark magic will fail. I'll make sure of it."
Kael's eyes went black. "He hit you." His voice was deadly quiet. "I should have killed him."
"She's right," Thor said, moving close. "You have power he doesn't know about." His arm pulled me against him. "Use it."
The warmth of his body steadied me.
"I will," I whispered.
I leaned into Thor's support, suddenly feeling the weight of everything that had happened.
Kael's eyes narrowed instantly, tracking Thor's arm around me. His body went rigid, a low growl building in his chest. "Get your hands off her," he snarled, stepping forward.
Thor didn't move his arm. Instead, he raised an eyebrow. "She needs support right now, Stone. Not your possessiveness."
"No." I stepped back, pushing their hands away. "Fighting won't help. We need to be smart."
My stomach twisted. "My mother's body is still in that cold room. Just sitting there while he—"
I couldn't finish. The words stuck in my throat. Isabella's pale face flashed in my mind—cold, still, trapped behind glass like a trophy.
I hugged myself, suddenly freezing. My mother deserved better than this.
"We'll come back for her," Kael promised, his voice gentler now, though his eyes still flickered with tension when they landed on Thor. "But right now, we need to get you to safety."
I nodded, blinking back tears that burned my eyes. My vision blurred, and I swallowed hard, tasting salt. The silver butterfly's presence fluttered in my chest, like a caress against my heart. It felt like a barrier between me and the world's darkness, my mother's final gift.
We continued toward the exit, our footsteps creating a disjointed rhythm against the floor. The tension between Kael and Thor was thick enough to cut with a knife, both men flanking me like opposing storm fronts about to collide.
When Thor moved a few steps ahead to check the exit, Kael's restraint finally snapped.
"This is becoming a pattern," he said, his voice tight with barely controlled anger. "Him touching you, comforting you, standing too close."
I turned to face him, surprised by the sudden outburst. "He was just being supportive, Kael."
"Was he also being 'supportive' when you were naked together?" The words shot out like bullets, his green eyes blazing. "Damian mentioned it, and I saw how you reacted. You didn't deny it."
The accusation hit me like ice water. My skin prickled with goosebumps, and my mouth went dry. "So that's what this is about? You've been stewing on Damian's words this whole time?"
"I saw your face when he said it," Kael insisted, stepping closer. His scent enveloped me. "You looked guilty."
"I looked shocked that my so-called father would make such accusations!" My voice rose with each word. "After everything we've just faced, you're fixating on this? I just discovered my mother was murdered, I still haven't found her killer, and you're worried about... what? Your ego?"
Thor returned, placing himself partially between us. His shoulder brushed mine, warm and solid. "This isn't the time, Stone." His voice was controlled but tight, like a rubber band about to snap.
"Answer me," Kael demanded, ignoring Thor. He took a step closer, invading my personal space. "I need to know what happened between you two."
My hands trembled with renewed anger. I could feel my heartbeat in my throat, pounding against my skin. "Why is it so hard for you to trust me? Why are you so... so controlling?" My voice broke on the last word.
"Controlling?" Kael's voice rose, echoing off the high ceiling. He threw his hands up, nearly hitting a nearby vase. "I just watched another man manipulate you with lies—"
"So now you think Thor is manipulating me too?" I threw my hands up, mirroring his gesture. My nails dug into my palms when I clenched my fists again. "Wasn't it you who abandoned me first? Wasn't it you who rejected me? Who pushed me away repeatedly?" Each question felt like I was spitting fire, my mouth burning with the words.
Thor placed a hand on my shoulder, his touch grounding me slightly. His palm was warm through my shirt. "Layla, maybe we should—"
"No!" I shrugged him off, my shoulder bumping against his chest. "I'm tired of this. I'm tired of defending myself. I didn't do anything wrong!" My voice echoed through the hallway, bouncing back at us.
Kael's eyes flashed with hurt, the green darkening to forest. A muscle jumped in his jaw. "So you're not denying it happened."
"Nothing happened!" I shouted, tears threatening to spill. They burned behind my eyelids. My chest felt like it was being crushed. "But you know what? Even if it had, you rejected me, Kael. You pushed me away. What right do you have to question what I did while you were busy with Olivia?"
His face paled, color draining away until he looked almost ghostly. "That's different—"
"Why? Because you're an Alpha?" I stepped closer, jabbing a finger at his chest, feeling the solid muscle beneath. My finger left an indentation in his shirt. "One rule for you and another for me?"
"Because I was trying to protect you!" he roared, the sound reverberating off the walls. Several decorative items rattled on nearby tables. "Everything I've done has been to keep you safe!"
"I don't need your kind of protection," I said, my voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "Not if it comes with conditions and jealousy and mistrust."