Page 75 of The Alpha King's Curse: Part Two

What?

He pulled the bedding off to look at his leg. It was wrapped up because it had broken, but the bite didn’t even register. It felt like that had already healed. He hadn’t imagined Brax infecting him; he was sure of that. And he hadn’t imagined the strength of the magic. So what the fuck was happening?

He looked back up at Layla. His mate, the red wolf, the enigma. He’d healed last time because of her. And he suspected she was the one who’d healed everyone else. Had she done it again?

“Did we lose anyone?” he asked.

He already knew the answer. All his bonds were intact; none had been forcibly ripped from him like the last time.

“I don’t know. It didn’t look good when I saw the ones who got injured,” Layla said, confirming that she had left the bedroom again.

He hoped Diedre hadn’t seen her. His witch had been too preoccupied to investigate the first time, but since it had happened again, Diedre would definitely look into it. She had already made herself ill looking for answers lately.

Layla’s mother should have been more forthcoming with what to expect instead of telling him that ‘he’d see for himself’. That was just some bullshit.

Layla rolled onto her back, putting distance he didn’t want between them. She looked tired and miserable. A blast of her guilt and pain hit him in the face.

“I want to leave as soon as you’re better,” Layla whispered again.

The last time the pack had blamed her for the attack, they would probably blame her for this one, too. But she had done nothing wrong. He’d pulled her into all this mess just because he’d wanted a child.

He pulled her back into his arms, taking as much comfort from her as possible because they had finally come to the end of the road.

The moment his leg got better, he was going hunting. He wouldn’t sit around like a dick while waiting for the witch or the Circle to make their moves. And once that was done, he was letting go of his mate for good.

“Yes. As soon as I settle everything here and make sure they will be okay, we’ll go.”

He repositioned her so he could rest his face in the crook of her neck, his lips touching the spot he wanted to mark. Her pulse started to hammer against his lips, teasing him. If Cain hadn’t been recuperating, being that close would have been more unbearable.

He would regret opening up to her when she was gone, when he had to spend his last days alone. But he felt too raw not to take it all in one last time. He allowed himself to take in her scent and kiss that spot. He allowed himself to feel what he had been trying to bury or run away from. Layla trembled in his arms, and that would have triggered him if he hadn’t been so exhausted. Besides, Layla had been stressed out enough while waiting for him to return—he didn’t want to do anything else that would jeopardise the baby.

His hand lowered to the small bump on her stomach and focused on the baby’s heartbeat. It was still strong and steady, but he knew that could change at any moment if he didn’t take Layla away from the stress.

She had to start living her life without him.

Why did this have to suck so much?

“How did you handle it?” he asked after a while.

“What?”

“The separation. Knowing I was out there fighting. I know it would have been unbearable for you, too.”

He had never acknowledged the effect of their bond out loud. But he supposed that was something they would have to discuss before he left her so that she could prepare herself.

“I was... I got through it,” Layla said.

“Did you control your emotions? I wouldn’t be surprised if you didn't. I tried not to worry that the others would see you if you lost control, but Diedre and Jasmine are trustworthy. They won't say anything if they saw how you reacted while locked in here. It will be okay.”

If he hadn’t been right against her neck, he would have missed it. The slightest tension. The smallest tick in her jaw.

“I was in control,” Layla said.

He pulled back so he could see her face.

What the fuck?

She was lying.

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