Chapter 122

Chapter 122

Layla

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My body felt warm and weightless.

It was as if the loneliness and agony that had been imprisoned inside my heart for so long had finally been soothed. I still remembered how I used to wake up crying every single day because I missed Alexander so much.

And now... The moment I opened my eyes, I was greeted by the warmth of his body. I could feel the gentle pressure of his hand cradling the back of my head against his chest, holding me so securely as though he had no intention of ever letting me go again.

I knew this was foolish. I knew my resolve was crumbling, but I had missed him so desperately.

Just for one moment... I wanted to forget everything waiting for us in the future.

Yet the instant I closed my eyes, all I could see was his pale face after he had given up his life. All I could remember was the unbearable emptiness that swallowed my heart as I died alongside our baby. And what drove me to despair the most... Was that I was the only one who remembered.

I couldn't share any of it with anyone. I couldn't tell Alexander that I had relived my life over and over again... all for the sake of saving him and our child.

With every ounce of frustration and suffering trapped inside me, I forced myself to pull away.

No matter how much I longed for him... I had to bury these feelings.

"Let me go." I struggled weakly, only to realize that no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't free myself from his embrace.

Alexander didn't answer immediately. Instead, he lowered his gaze and looked straight into my eyes.

His expression hadn't changed. It was still filled with that same aching longing. There wasn't the slightest trace of anger, even after everything I'd said to him.

"I won't." His answer was short and simple. Yet he didn't loosen his embrace even a fraction.

I frowned and struck his chest with both hands. "Do you have no pride at all?"

"I don't want you! I rejected you!"

"Aren't you the Lycan King? Shouldn't you hate me by now?"

"Shouldn't you throw me away?"

"So what is it that you actually want?!" Every harsh word that left my mouth was deliberate.

I had to make Alexander hate me.

If he hated me... Then surely he would finally let me go.

But...

"Layla..." His large, warm hand slowly cupped my cheek. He looked into my eyes for a long, silent moment before speaking again, his voice low and impossibly gentle.

"You're a terrible liar."

THUMP!

My breath caught. I pressed my lips together as he leaned down and gently kissed my forehead.

In that moment... I felt as though I could no longer keep pretending.

"You keep rejecting me... But the way you look at me tells a different story." His thumb brushed lightly across my cheek. "You look at me with the very same longing that's living inside me." He held my gaze without wavering.

"There must be a reason you left. There must be a reason you can't tell me." His voice softened even further. "Whatever it is you saw in the future..."

"It must have hurt you more than I can imagine."

"Huh...?" My eyes widened.

How...

How did he know? Was it because I'd once told him that I could see the future?

What was I supposed to do now?

Every word he spoke shattered the walls I'd spent months building around my heart.

How could I keep pushing him away... When he was holding me like this? When he was looking at me like this?

When all I had wanted... Through every lifetime was to embrace him just one more time.

"I saw something too... after you left." His voice drew me back. "It was a memory..."

"A memory that doesn't belong to this life." His sapphire eyes remained locked on mine. "You smiled at me... And told me you were carrying our child." A faint, bittersweet smile crossed his face.

"I remember how happy I was. And then it all disappeared."

"I thought it was nothing more than a hallucination born from missing you too much." He slowly shook his head. "But I know what I saw."

"It was real. And I'm certain... It has something to do with the reason you left." He leaned closer until only a breath separated us.

His fingertips gently traced my lips, and without realizing it, I closed my eyes before slowly opening them again.

"But, Layla..." His forehead rested lightly against mine. "The moment you disappeared... I became completely powerless." His voice was barely above a whisper.

"It felt as though I'd do anything... Absolutely anything if it meant bringing you back to me."

"So stay by my side, Layla. Don't ever leave me again."

"I don't care about a life that doesn't have you in it. You can break my heart a thousand times. You can hate me if that's what you want. But stay with me."

"No matter what happens... Don't leave."

"Just keep holding my hand." He gently intertwined his fingers with mine.

Then, with unwavering conviction, he looked straight into my eyes.

"Trust me. As long as you're by my side..."

"The nightmare you saw in the future will never come to pass."

THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!

My lips began to tremble. My shoulders shook with every uneven breath, and the tightness in my chest only grew worse.

If only it were as simple as he made it sound. If only everything would truly be alright as long as I stayed by his side. If only I wasn't the curse that would one day take his life... I would never leave him. Not even if he begged me to.

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Thank you all so much for loving this story. It truly means the world to me. I'm sorry there are still so many flaws, but I'll keep learning and doing my best to become a better writer. 🥺🙏🏻💙

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