Page 77 of The Alpha King's Curse: Part Two

The front door opened, and a few women walked in carrying empty trays and baskets. One of them was Faith. She hadn’t seen the young girl since they had all stopped coming to the house after the attack in the garage.

The women stopped talking when they saw her. She shuffled her bare feet and waited for the inevitable wave of feelings she would sense from them.

“Oh, you’re up! I didn’t expect to see you today,” Faith said as she approached her.

The girl put her basket down, and a smile lit her face. Layla held her breath. She hadn’t had an ounce of warmth from anyone in months, not since they had attacked Jackson.

Faith offered her hand to help her down the last step, and then she pulled her into a hug.

“I’m sorry I doubted you,” Faith whispered.

She had been Jackson’s number-one supporter from the beginning. Layla let out the breath she had been holding as the girl’s warmth surrounded her. She’d never known what it was with Faith, but she felt like a weight lifted off her shoulders.

Faith released her and took her hand.

“You must be starving,” Faith said. “It’s not good for the baby.”

She turned to one of the other ladies, who was also smiling and instructed her to prepare a tray.

“Thank you. Could you... could you take something up for Jackson?”

They all stopped as if they hadn’t expected her to say that, and then their heads cocked slightly, a tell-tell sign that they were communicating or listening.

“He’s awake,” one of the older ladies stated, and their relief was palpable.

Maybe not everyone had been against Jackson, after all. She’d steeled herself for their reactions, knowing half of them probably wanted him dead, but she hadn’t expected to feel the relief and gratitude.

“Are you in trouble?” Faith giggled.

“I think so,” she whispered back.

“We will take care of him. Don’t worry,” Faith smiled as she led her to the door. “In the meantime, I think some fresh air will do you some good.”

Faith had her out the door before she could protest, and it seemed they had already been waiting for her. Jackson would hate that she was alone with them, and he didn’t know the details of what she had done yet. She’d exposed herself, and if what he said was true, they would kill her on the spot.

“Maybe I should wait for Micah or Dylan?” she whispered to Faith.

“They are both swamped,” Faith said, pulling her forward to walk down the front steps. “Besides, there are some people who want to meet you.”

“Miss Layla!”

She turned at the sound of the voice and saw the young girl beckoning her to where a marquee had been set up close to Jackson’s window. Several people were seated under it, and tables were laid with food. All of them were looking in her direction, but she couldn’t read their moods. Her own emotions were wreaking havoc inside her and disrupting everything.

What if she got attacked, and her eyes gave her away?

“Come. You’ll be okay,” Faith smiled.

And her anxiety eased again. Did Faith have a gift for that? Her heart calmed down and allowed her to gauge the emotions around her. There wasn’t as much hostility as there had been the last time.

She allowed the young one to lead her to the marquee, where the young girl immediately hugged her.

“You’ve met Kelly. She’s had a lot to say about you,” Faith said when the girl let her go, and then she introduced her to the group closest to her.

And then she came to the young mother who was attacked last time, who was busy feeding her baby. Marjorie, Faith said. It was nice to put a name to the face. It looked like she had escaped the fighting entirely this time.

“Have a seat,” Marjorie said, indicating an empty chair beside her.

And when she did, Kelly pulled another chair and sat beside her. She had the biggest smile, almost as if they had known each other for years, and she was welcoming a friend.

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