Page 146 of The Alpha King's Fate

“What do you mean she left you? You’re mates. You have a bond.”

“The Hunters did something. They killed her wolf. So she just got up and left.”

Dylan turned to look at him, his eyes wide.

“How did they...?”

His question trailed off, and after a moment, Dylan grabbed the bottle from him.

“She’s a red wolf, Jax. A legend. I watched her fucking disappear like a ghost and confuse the fuck out of those Hunters. She’s healed our warriors. She commanded a Circle member, for fuck’s sake. You can’t kill a wolf like that,” Dylan said, shaking his head.

“The bond is gone, Dylan.”

“So what if it is? She belongs here; why did you let her leave?”

“Why would I force her to stay?”

Dylan looked at him as if he had grown two heads.

“Who said anything about force? Layla loves you, and that’s all you need.”

Did she?

He sighed and took the bottle back from Dylan.

“Did you even talk about it?”

“There was nothing to talk about.”

“Nothing? What about Hope? What about her sister and mother? What about all the people here who have accepted her as the Queen—”

“I know all of that,” he growled.

The pain slashed through his heart again.

“Then why did you let her go in the first place?” Dylan shouted.

His head snapped round to his Beta as anger replaced his pain. His eyes would have been glowing if Cain hadn’t been so messed up. Dylan and Layla became good friends after she saved his life during her ill-fated escape attempt, but that didn’t give the fucker the right to an opinion about this.

“Didn’t you hear what I said? She. Left. Me.”

Dylan lowered his head, but not before something flashed in his eyes.

“I see. Then what are you going to do about it? You brought her here the first time; I’m sure you can do it again.”

Like fuck, he would. He looked away from his disrespectful friend and took another swig of the alcohol.

“Why would I do that?”

“Because you’re fucking lost without her. You’re out here falling apart because you let her leave. That woman lives for you, Jax. I can’t imagine what she’s going through right now, but she shouldn’t be alone. Go and get her. Do whatever it takes.”

“She won’t come.”

“Then court her. Show her how you feel. Let her know that she is still the one your heart beats for.”

He stopped mid-swig and looked at his Beta. Court her? Would that make a difference? He had already told her he loved her; what else did he need to prove?

Cain stirred inside him for the first time since Nia went, and the answer became clear.

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