CHAPTER 7
(Raven's P.O.V.)
I was still in shock over the tiny room that Layra had stayed all those while,it was space not fit for any living thing, especially not my Layra. The room showed just how inhumane the members of this pack were.
After about ten minutes, I felt that Layra was taking too long,so I got up to go get her, but then I picked up the faint scent of chamomile tea outside my door.
She was right outside, I was about to open the door for her when I heard someone.
"Layra, what are you doing here?"
"Ugh, what do you want, Kade?"
Why won't this damn pack leave my mate alone. Were they all deaf or just plain stupid ?
"That's Alpha Kade to you".
"You're not my Alpha,"She scoffes.
"I'm still an Alpha!"
"Leave me alone,Kade, I'm sick of you and your family f*****g up my life", Layra tells him.
"Come On Layra! Why are you doing this to me !?" he whined.
Really?What kind of weak Alpha whines?
"I'm not doing anything! I'm trying to move on with my life!", Layra proclaimed.
"You are mine, Layra!".
I had just about enough of his s**t.
I opened the door and stared Kade right in the eyes.
"GET.AWAY.FROM.MY.MATE!,"I expressed each word with great detail so even someone as slow as Kade would understand.
"Darling, go inside,"I tell Layra.
"Layra is my mate! The moon goddess gave her to me first!",Kade said loudly as if to challenge me.
"Alpha Kade from what I have gathered, you rejected her, and she accepted that rejection, which means,she is no longer yours", I grit my teeth, Jack wants to rip this guy to shreds, and I'm about five seconds away from letting him.
"And I also understand that she had to reveal her true identity to you in order to make the acceptance, so, either you actually have feelings for her , which are no longer relevant now that I'm in the picture, or you only want her for her Alpha blood".
"How do you know that she's.."
"She told me her name, her full name.Her father and my father were friends before your pack slaughtered her pack".
"Raven", Layra called my name softly and gently grabbed my wrist.
"Please, just come inside. He's not worth it".
"Layra, please, come back to me",Kade begged her.
"F**k you,Kade",She spat.
"Let's get one thing straight, even if you hadn't rejected me,I would have rejected you anyway. I want nothing to do with you or this pack. I told you that from the moment I accepted your rejection.I never want to be tied to you or this pack in any way, shape, or form. You can lie to yourself and to me all you want, but nothing will change the fact that I despise you. I always have, and I always will".
"Well, there you have it, Alpha Kade, Layra has made her decision. Now if you will excuse us, I need to have some bonding time with my Luna," I shoved him back, and quickly slammed the door in his face, locking it.
I let out a short and irritated sigh and turned around to face Layra.
"I'm sorry about that," she said .
"Why are you apologizing?You did nothing wrong".
"I should have been quicker about coming up here".
"Hey, you have nothing to apologize for," I said.
As I held her,I immediately noticed the difference in our heights and sighed in admiration of how well she fit into my body.
"Damn, I just realized you're really tiny. What are you , 5'2 ? 5'3 ?"
"I don't know to be quite honest, I've never had my height checked".
"Ok, well, I'm 6'4, and you barely come up to the middle of my chest",I said standing up straight and putting my hand at the top of her head to line it up.
"That's at least a foot difference".
"So, the tallest I could be is 5'4?"
"Yeah," I look down at her, and saw nothing but perfection .
Her hair was a sleek and shiny black, those almond eyes,her face was the size of my fist, her body was near perfection, although a little too skinny, probably from malnutrition, overall, Layra was damn near perfect for me .
"You're staring again," she said to me.
"Sorry, I was taking all of you in.I'm trying to commit you to memory...".
Raven trailed off when he realized how creepy he was getting.
"Are you hungry?",I asked, quickly changing the subject.
She chuckled and smiled. Damn, she had a beautiful smile .
"Yes, but I can wait until dinner . I'm used to not eating".
"What?"
She gasped and covered her mouth and slammed her eyes shut.
"Darling, what do you mean you're used to not eating?"
"I...Uh..."
"Amaya, have you been starved? Is that why you're so thin and malnourished ?!"
"Yes".
I could feel the anger in my body resurfacing. Not only did they force her into labor as a child, they had mistreated her, abused her, made her sleep in a shoe closet and they had even starved her on top of all that.
This pack was sick and twisted. I couldn't believe the Elders had allowed such heinous practices to take place.
I sighed.
"Raven, please don't be mad at me.
I just wanted to be honest with you".
"I'm not mad you, baby, I'm mad at this pack . I don't understand how this s**t went on for eight years, and it was never reported . What would have happened had I not been here last night? I'm certain that Jennifer and Darla would have killed you".
"No, they wouldn't have.That would mean Jennifer and the other Omegas would have to do actual housework, like cleaning and cooking. The packhouse would be in shambles if that ever happened".
"Well, it's happening, because they can't make you do any labor in this house anymore".
"And to answer your question, if you weren't here, I would have left on my own anyway", I looked at her confused.
Huh?
"I know the laws, Ryan.I know that now that I've turned 18, Crimson wolf can no longer hold me against my will. Slave or not. I have no ties to this pack by blood or by law. I was planning on leaving right at first light this morning, but with everything that happened last night, that plan kind of flew out the window".
"You're still going to be leaving,but with Jacob and I.I still have business to take care of while I am here, but I don't want you to worry about anything".
"I'm not worried, I'm just annoyed. It's like no matter where I go, I'm either going to run into Sylvester,Jeniffer,Darla and Kade, or some other pack member that hates me".
"Well, you don't seem to lack the self-confidence to stand up for yourself when they do".
"I just have a big mouth, I have no filter , "
"I like that about you, you always say exactly what's on your mind".
"You do?!"
"Yes, it's quite the turn-on actually,"
Her face reddened when I said that was more than a bit of shock then it turned a pretty red..
"Um...I'm not sure how to respond to that". she said shyly .
"I'm sorry, I'm not trying to be so assertive, I just can't help it,"
"No, it's okay. It's just that, no one has ever said that about me, so, I'm just a little taken aback by it".
She touched and cupped her cheeks and I could tell she was getting flustered. Seeing her get flustered made my heart flutter.
I put my hands over hers , and she looked up at me with her beautiful chocolate-colored eyes.
"Damn,you are so beautiful,
Her eyes widened a little bit."
I slowly leaned in, and I could feel her getting on her tippy toes. She closed her eyes first, and I leaned in further. Just a few more centimeters and her lips would be mine. Closer, and I can feel her warm breath.
Just as my lips brushed hers , there was a knock on the door , completely ruining the moment .
She hesitated at first,Layra quickly pulled away and turned her back to me,I let out a frustrated grunt.
"What!?" I grumbled.
"It's Jacob!".
I opened the door and growled at him
"What ? "
"This close, I was this f*****g close," I whispered to him .
"My bad".
"What do you want?"
"Food,I thought we were going out to eat," he said.
"Layra,darling, are you ready to go out to eat? "
"Out?"
"Yes, out," I go over and grab her hand and lead her out of the room.
I make sure to lock it, and the three of us head downstairs.Before we're able to go out of the front door, someone grabs Larya and pulls her from me.
F**k! This packhouse was getting on my last nerve.
"Where do you think you're going!?," I heard a shrill voice .
"What does it matter to you?",I ask and turn around .
"Raven, stop this nonsense, and reject her already! Everyone knows you belong with our own kind!", Darla shouts,causing a massive scene
.
"What exactly do you mean, by our kind,Darla?",I sneer at her .
"Our kind! Ranked wolves, not destitute, orphaned rogues".
"Wow,you don't know anything, do you?",I ask her and take Layra from her. I immediately bring my arms around Layra's waist and hold her close to me .
" I'm going to say this once,and only once.Layra is my mate,Period. I don't care what her rank is, or what her pedigree is. The moon goddess chose her for me, and I plan on keeping it that way. If anyone even so much as looks at Layra the wrong way while we are staying here , I will not hesitate to kill you. My pack may currently be on neutral grounds with this pack,however, there is nothing in the agreement that refrains me killing anyone who dares disrespect my mate! Layra is the future Luna to my pack, so she is off limits! Is that in any way unclear!? "
A cold silence took over the room, and I could see Darla was about to a blow a gasket.
"Alpha, the car is ready", Jacob said to me.
"Layra, my love, let's go".
"WAIT!".
I was this close to letting Jack out and killing someone."
"Alpha Ryan, we already missed lunch because of Layra being in the clinic, she needs to stay and make dinner !"Jennifer shouts
"Get your own Omegas to cook for you.My Luna is no longer your slave. And now that you all have missed one meal, perhaps you can get a feeling of what it's like to starve a little. After all, you starved her over the last eight years, have you not?"
No one in the room could say anything. I turned us around again and we left.