Page 69 of The Alpha King's Fate

Layla’s eyes shot open. He hadn’t meant to wake her since she’d been up most of the night, and he didn’t particularly want to hear the answer when she’d already clearly stated how trapped she felt.

“Sorry,” he whispered, gently lowering her and freeing his arm. “Go back to sleep. I’ll bring you some breakfast when you’ve rested.”

He started to move away, but Layla rolled back and put her arm around his torso. Even that innocent contact was enough to send his body into a frenzy.

“Are you with me only because of the bond?” Layla whispered, turning the question back to him.

How was he supposed to answer that question? For any other wolf, the bond was enough. It was Fate’s gift, a bond with the other half of your soul. But if Layla didn’t feel it like that, then any answer he gave her could be taken the wrong way.

He sighed and lay back on the pillow.

“My father was a very ruthless, difficult man,” he started. “He was harder on his pack than anyone else. We had to know how to kill a man before we learned to read or write. Everyone feared him, but we couldn’t do anything because he was the king.”

“I’m sorry,” Layla said.

“One day, he raided another territory—I can’t even remember the reason now. And when he’d killed almost all of them, hecaught his mate’s scent. His mate, rightfully so, chose to kill herself rather than be bonded to a man who had done such horrible things to her pack.”

Layla brought her hand to her mouth. He’d never really talked about his father; everyone else knew why he’d had to kill him.

“Since that day, my father slowly lost his mind. His wolf was grieving because of the bond that would never be. We all watched my father’s mental health decline so much that they called him the Mad King. It was sad, really.”

He turned and looked at his mate.

“You know how hard I fought not to bond with you. I hated that such a small thing could cause so much damage and that we’re never free to choose anyone else. I hated that my life would be in someone else’s hands. I never wanted a mate, even before I was cursed.”

Something flickered in Layla’s eyes.

“But even as I fought not to mark you, I got to know you better. When you nursed me back to health. When you saw my beast and didn’t run away. When you risked your life for the pack when they still didn’t trust you. Through all of that, you thawed my dead heart.”

He brought his hand to her face and trailed her soft cheek.

“So I don’t know how to answer your question. I don’t know the answer that won’t send you running away from me. I don’t regret mating with you. Things have been fucked up lately, so you may not believe me. I’m not good with such words, but I’m hoping you’ll give me a chance to show you.”

Tears slid down the side of her face. He swallowed the lump in his throat as he wiped them off.

“Do you think you can at least give me that? Give me a chance to show you how I feel before you...”

He couldn’t even say the words because it was incomprehensible that she would even think of leaving.

Layla nodded, and a weight lifted off his shoulders. Maybe they could still work through how disgusted she had been with him for what he had done to the vampires.

“The second plane is loading up. I’m just going to see them off while you rest some more. Okay?”

Layla nodded again, and he smiled as he brought his lips down to hers.

“I love you,” he whispered against her lips.

“I love you, too.”

It took him much longer than planned to move out of her arms, but being between her legs again was like a balm for his wounded soul. His movements were slow and deliberate, and when her breath hitched and her muscles squeezed him, he fell off the edge right along with her.

He only had time for a quick shower and didn’t bother dressing when he came out of the bathroom. Layla had already gone back to sleep, but there was a smile on her face—possibly the first smile he had seen in a while.

Maybe things were going to be alright after all. Maybe the Hunters and the Circle wouldn’t kill them, and they would be free to grow old together.

He gently closed the door and kept his steps light as he rushed out of the packhouse. When he was out of the door, he shifted and ran towards the forest.

There were only a few older people in his pack. Wolves tended to be able-bodied for much longer than humans, but few survived under his father’s reign. Thankfully, the ones that had survived were not like Zach and wouldn’t try to take over the pack.

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