Chapter 28 A Day Out With Layla
{Warren’s POV}
The moment Diana walked out of my office, I let out a long breath and leaned back against the chair. The tightness in my chest faded a little, but it didn’t go away completely. I kept telling myself that whatever I was feeling for her was just an illusion, something my mind made up, something my wolf was reacting to for no good reason. She had a mate, and I had mine. There was no need to complicate things for either of us.
But the thought of her being with her mate made something twist inside me like I had swallowed fire. I hated that feeling. I hated the way it made me think of ways to keep her away from him, even for just one night. And I hated the look on her face when I gave her that workload. I knew it hurt her. I knew she thought I was being harsh. Maybe I was. Maybe I needed to be.
The ringing of my phone cut into my thoughts. I reached for it and answered.
“Hello.”
“My love, it’s almost time for our date,” Layla said, her voice filled with excitement and a little impatience.
“I still have some work to finish,” I replied, feeling my interest dropping even more. Whatever my mother had planned for us to celebrate this engagement, I wasn’t in the mood for it.
“My love, come on. We have to be at the resort before evening so we can catch the skyline and pick a nice spot for snacks,” she pressed, sounding like she was trying hard not to nag.
I sighed and rubbed my forehead. “Alright. I’ll be there soon.”
Once the call ended, I checked the sales on my screen, shut down the system, and prepared to leave. Jane walked in at that moment, holding a file.
“Alpha, these are the records of the new members added to the pack and the cubs that were born this week.”
“Okay. I’ll look at them later,” I said as I headed for the door. “I’m going out with Layla. Take over for the day.”
She nodded, and I stepped into the corridor. When I passed Diana’s desk, I found her flipping through a file with one hand and typing with the other. Her eyes were sharp, focused, steady. Something in me softened for a moment, but then I saw Cora sitting nearby and forced my face into a frown before walking past them.
When I got to my car, I turned on a soft song to calm my nerves. I wasn’t sure if it helped. By the time I reached the mansion, Layla was already outside by the garden. Her burgundy floral gown flowed around her ankles, her hair curled gently over her shoulders. She looked good. Beautiful, even. When she saw me, her face lit up and she hurried toward the car.
I stepped out, and her vanilla scent wrapped around me immediately. Her wolf scent pulled at my senses, almost like a rope sliding around my neck. Before I could think too deeply about it, I cupped her cheek and kissed her. Something about her scent always made me feel dazed, like my mind was slightly off balance.
“My love, I can’t wait to spend tonight with you,” she said breathlessly when we pulled apart.
I forced a smile, opened the passenger door for her, and helped her in. One of the maids dropped our bags in the trunk, and soon enough we were driving out of the compound.
Halfway down the road, Layla turned to me with a bright smile. “The resort is having an event tonight. It’s for young couples who are about to get married. There’ll be games and little challenges. I think it’ll be cute.”
“What kind of challenges?” I asked, not sure I wanted to know.
“Oh! There’s a mouth-to-mouth food eating contest,” she said with excitement. “We should try it.”
I fought the urge to cringe. “We’ll… see about that,” I said, focusing on the road. Her enthusiasm made me feel guilty, but something about the idea bothered me. Not the game itself, just the feeling that I was going through motions I didn’t want.
The closer we got, the heavier something in my chest felt. By the time we arrived at the resort, the place looked beautiful. A calm lake. Bright flowers around the walkway. Stylish apartments built with wooden designs. It was everything a couple would love.
Except I didn’t feel like I belonged there.
Layla squeezed my hand proudly as we walked into our apartment, her excitement filling the air. She pointed out the decorations, talked about how the place reminded her of the stories her mother used to tell her, tried to lean on my shoulder, touched my arm, brushed her fingers over mine. She tried everything to make the moment romantic. I tried to respond, but it felt like I was standing behind a wall, watching myself pretend.
We went outside when the activities began. Other couples were laughing, feeding each other, taking pictures. Layla tried to pull me in, tried to keep things light, and I followed her lead even though nothing inside me felt steady.
At some point, I told her, “I’ll be right back. I want to order pizza and drinks.”
She nodded happily, and I walked toward the small food stand by the trees. I placed the order quickly and turned back, thinking I hadn’t been away for more than two minutes.
But my gaze drifted towards near a corner, and they widened slightly.
Layla stood stiffly and a man dressed in all black was holding her arm. His posture was tense, she looked uncomfortable, her eyes wide, her lips pressed tightly together. The man said something, leaning closer, and whatever it was made her take a step back.
Before I could think, my wolf surged forward. Heat rushed through my blood. I moved so fast that the man didn’t even see me coming. My fist connected with his jaw, and the impact pushed him backward. He stumbled, holding his face, pain twisting his features as he stared at me.
He opened his mouth to speak, but the look on my face must have warned him. His eyes flicked to Layla once more, almost like he knew her, before he turned and walked away quickly.
I turned to Layla. “Are you okay?”
She nodded shakily and stepped into my arms. “Yes. Thank you. I didn’t know what he wanted. He was trying to hurt me.”
“You’re fine,” I said, holding her close even though something about the whole situation didn’t sit right with me. “He won’t come near you again.”
She clung to me tightly, relief in her breath, but as I looked around the quiet corner of the resort, my wolf paced restlessly inside me.