Page 140 of The Alpha King's Curse: Part One

“I’m worried about why a creature so rare would suddenly be seen two times,” Micah continued. “If we are under attack...”

If they were under attack, they wouldn’t know it until it was happening. He could understand the warrior’s worry, but he had come face to face with the wolf and sensed its intentions. She was more interested in Layla. More interested in her daughter.

“The only thing that’s changed since all this shit started happening is Layla,” Dylan said. “She’s involved in all of this even if you don’t want to admit it.”

His eyes narrowed on Dylan, and he felt his beast rising to defend his mate. But the dangers that had been there when he brought Layla to the pack were still there now. If they all knew about Layla, it would be chaos.

“Micah, there’s no need to worry. Keep the patrols up and keep updating me, even if I'm indisposed. For any other matter, report to your Beta,” he said without taking his eyes off Dylan.

“Yes, Alpha,” he said with a bow before he walked out of the room.

“You know I’m right, Jax,” Dylan continued. “With all this magic flying around and talk of rogues, we have no idea what she’s capable of,” he said. “She’s a half-blood. She can’t be here. If the Circle knew this, they would agree and kill her themselves.”

“It’s been ten years since they stopped killing half-bloods. And Layla is still in her right mind.”

“But how can you seriously consider having a child with that thing—”

He moved before he was aware of it and slammed Dylan against the wall by his neck.

“That ‘thing’ is the woman who will bear your future king,” he growled against Dylan’s ear. “She will warm my bed as long as she wants, and then she will walk out of here to live out the rest of her life, no matter how long that may be.”

“She’s changed you, Jax,” Dylan hissed. “You would never have said that before you met her.”

“But I’m saying it now. You’ve taken over my duties for a reason, Dylan. Do your fucking job and leave me be, or I will rip your throat out.”

He stepped back and allowed Dylan to fall to his feet before he walked back to sit at the table. That had to be it. The final nail in their friendship. How could they ever recover from this, even if he told Dylan the truth?

“I’ve asked you to trust me, Dylan,” he said, “But you keep showing me that I can’t trust you. Stay away from Layla.”

“Jax—”

“Go and tell those messengers they can speak to you or wait until I feel like summoning them. Send scouts to find out what’s happening in their pack.”

There was a silence in the room before Dylan said, “Yes, Alpha.”

The door closed quietly behind Dylan, but he might as well have slammed it. His emotions were loud, almost as loud as Layla’s.

He sighed and got to his feet. At least he knew how to tame Layla. Dylan was a lost cause and would just have to wait.

He was almost at the door when Diedre rushed in. She looked terrible. In all the years he had known the witch, she had never once shown her age, but she looked older now. Thinner, too.

“I’m so sorry, Jackson. I think my magic is gone, and I’ve made things worse,” she whispered. “I don’t know how to save you. I don’t know how to save anyone.”

Chapter 74

“We should do a pregnancy test.”

Layla had been feeling strange the past couple of days. They’d been cooped up in the bedroom again for days, so she didn’t know if she was just losing her mind from being locked up or if she was finally pregnant.

And if she was pregnant, she didn’t know how she would deal with that.

She’d accepted that she had to leave her child with Jackson so he could raise their child among fellow werewolves, but that had been easy to agree with when it hadn’t been a reality. But now she was getting the sweats, feeling ravenous all the time, and things just didn't feel right. That had to be a symptom of pregnancy.

How could she still go along with leaving her child now?

“You’re not pregnant,” Jackson sighed as he walked to sit next to her on the sofa.

He sounded disappointed, and she couldn’t help but feel she was letting him down, despite knowing she didn’t want to leave her child anyway.

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