Chapter 52 The Letter

Chapter 52 The Letter


"I know you don't want to talk to me after everything that happened, but I want you to know that I am truly sorry. I didn't mean for any of this to happen."

I scoffed, looking away from the small card in my hand before forcing my eyes back to it.

"What does it say?" Cora asked, sitting down beside me. She was still holding the bouquet of flowers.

"He says he's sorry," I mumbled, tossing the card onto the bedsheet.

"Aww, who would have thought Alpha Warren could actually care this much?" Cora murmured, reaching for the card to look at it before setting it down again.

I tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear, my hands trembling slightly. "I don't even know what to think, Cora. I just can't believe Layla did all this. She took my mate... and she killed her own."

"She is completely heartless," Cora said, turning her whole body toward me. "But the biggest problem right now is that Warren thinks Layla is his mate. Even though he feels the bond pulling him toward you, he still thinks she's the one. He deserves to know the truth."

"I can't be the one to tell him," I whispered. My gaze dropped to my stomach, and I rested my palm gently over the bump beneath my shirt. "I already accepted my fate a long time ago."

"Don't talk like that," Cora said, wrapping her fingers around my cold hand. "You know what I believe?"

I lifted my head to look at her.

"Layla is going to get what she deserves," she said, squeezing my fingers. "And you don't have to lift a finger to make that happen."

A small, quiet smile touched my lips. Cora stood up, gathering the bouquet and the large basket filled with fruit and chocolates. She walked over to the table in the corner of the room and set them down.

Then she turned back, placing her hands on her hips with a small grin. "You need to rest. And if you want some snacks or chocolate later..." She pointed toward the basket. "We have more than enough now."

"I don't want any of it," I said, shifting on the mattress and pulling the blanket up to my chest. "I just want to sleep and forget everything that happened today."

"I agree with you on that," Cora said softly.

I lay on my back, my eyes fixed on the ceiling. My mind drifted back to the old days with Layla, to how I used to admire the way her mate, Mark, looked at her. Then my thoughts shifted to the day when we lost our parents in the war, and warm tears leaked from the corners of my eyes, soaking into the pillow.

I closed my eyes tightly, forcing myself to stop crying. I told myself I would forget that Alpha Warren was my mate. I would raise these pups by myself when they were born.

I didn't realize I had fallen asleep until the loud ring of an alarm woke me. I reached out to turn it off, but Cora got to it first, tapping the top of the clock.

"Sorry, I forgot to take this into the hallway with me," Cora said, placing it on the dresser before looking over at me. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm okay," I lied, sitting up and running my fingers through my messy hair. "I have to get ready for work, even though I really don't want to go today."

"You can take the day off," Cora suggested, leaning against the doorframe. "I can talk to Collen for you."

"No, don't worry about it," I said, swinging my legs over the side of the bed and heading toward the bathroom. "I need to keep busy. Staying in this room all day will only make my mind run wild."

Cora gave me a sympathetic look. "Alright. I'm leaving for work now. Promise me you'll be fine?"

"I will," I called out over the sound of the running water. "Just make sure you stay away from Layla."

"You mean the witch?" Cora laughed from the hallway. "I'll try my best!"

Once the front door clicked shut, I stood beneath the warm shower, letting the water pour down my back. My mind kept pulling me backward—to that night at Tonia's house, to the room, the hands holding me, and the scent of rain and pine that had consumed me before everything went wild.

I shook my head, trying to clear the memory, then turned off the tap and dried myself.

I put on a plain grey shirt and jeans, grabbed my bag, and walked out into the cool morning air. I made my way down the quiet street toward the restaurant. I was only a few blocks away when a car pulled up right in front of me, cutting off my path.

I stopped in my tracks, my heart pounding against my ribs. For a second, I thought it might be Warren, my wolf senses were high.

The passenger's door opened, and Layla stepped out onto the pavement.

A cold chill ran down my spine, followed immediately by a wave of heat rising in my chest. My wolf stirred beneath my skin, baring her teeth at the sight of Layla.

"Hey, Diana," Layla said, a fake smile spreading across her face. But her eyes were filled with disgust. Her gaze immediately dropped to my waist, narrowing as she stared at my stomach.

"What do you want, Layla?" I asked, keeping my voice low.

"It's been so long since we talked," she said, tossing her hair back over her shoulder. "I just wanted to see how you were holding up. Don't be mad at me. I know I was a little harsh on you at the office."

"Harsh?" I scoffed, my hands curling into tight fists at my sides. "I'm not your sister anymore. I don't know what happened to you, Layla, but you are sick."

She let out a dry laugh, taking a slow step toward me on the sidewalk. "I'm not sick, Diana. You are. Your mate abandoned you after one night, and yet you're still carrying his pups like a fool."

Tears stung the backs of my eyes, but I forced myself to hold her gaze. "You knew all along, didn't you? You knew Alpha Warren was my mate."

Layla's eyes widened for a split second, her fake smile dropping as shock washed over her face.

"He is not your mate."

"Do you think I'm stupid?" I stepped right into her space, my breath coming fast. "Tonia told me everything. Warren was the one who marked me that night. He was searching for me for days, and you took my shirt, wore his scent, and lied to his face! How could you do that to me?"

Her eyelids fluttered, and for a tiny second, something that looked like guilt flashed across her face. But it disappeared just as quickly, replaced by a cruel sneer.

"So what if it was you?" she whispered, leaning closer so only I could hear. "It was just a drunken mistake. He belongs to me now. I am his Luna, and he looks at me every single day, thinking I'm the one."

She pressed her face closer, her voice turning dark and poisonous. "If you know what's good for you, dear sister, you will keep your mouth shut and get rid of that bastard before it's born."

"You're crazy if you think I would ever hurt my baby for you," I spat, my wolf growling so fiercely inside my chest that my throat burned.

A cold smirk spread across Layla's lips. "I figured you'd say that. That's why I brought help."

She raised her hand and snapped her fingers twice.

The back doors of the car swung open. Two men stepped out onto the street, wearing dark uniforms with the silver crest of the Moonlight Pack pinned to their chests. They didn't look like ordinary guards. They were pack warriors, and their eyes were fixed directly on me.