Her Safe Place

Layla Andrews

Pain radiates through my body. I wasn’t sure how long I had been knocked out for, but I could feel that my limbs were sore. My eyes peeled open to look at my surroundings. I felt something poke my arm. I looked over to see a man standing next to me. He held a test tube filled with a red liquid. I assumed it to be my blood.

He smirked when he saw I was awake. “Good afternoon, Luna.” I shuddered. “Seems like you were very productive.” One of my eyebrows raised before he motioned to my mark. “You were only marked a week ago. Turns out that’s all a werewolf needs to impregnate their mate.”

His words settled over me like a cold blanket. “I’m pregnant?” I whispered out.

The man smirked yet again. “Oh yes! It seems you are carrying the future heir! Isn’t that exciting?”

He touched my belly and I shrunk back from his hand. “What do you want with me?” I asked.

He laughed, “I want nothing with you. It’s the boss who wants you.”

“Whose your boss?” I questioned.

He turned as the door to the room opened. “Here she is now!”

I gasped as I recognized the woman that stepped inside the room. “Mom?!” I whispered out.

“Hello Layla,” she said. She looked as though she was relieved to see me.

“Ma’am, my exam has confirmed that she is pregnant. Should I begin abortion procedures?” The man asked.

“No. I am not so heartless as to kill my grandchild. Even if it is the offspring of the Alpha King. Besides, the baby can be used as leverage.” My mother replied. “Daniels wants her to be killed. He has to make sure the mate bond is broken.”

“Of course.”

“Let’s begin shall we?”

————-

3 Months Later

King Axel Pierce

“We have searched the western side. There is no sign of the Luna.” Quinn reported back. A low growl left my lips. We had been searching for three months for Layla. I had contacted all neighboring packs and any of our allies. We still had nothing.

There was no sign. I had sent my men to California to search for Layla. They had combed through the entire state. We had then moved on, combining each state. I knew Layla hadn’t left the country, my wolf could feel she was still close.

I growled as I slammed my hand down on the desk. “Sir!” A guard ran into the office. “The council has requested an audience with you.”

I rubbed the bridge of my nose and sighed. “I will meet with them in the throne room.”

The guard nodded before he exited the room. “Axel.” I looked over at Vince. “You know what they are going to talk about.”

I did know. A month after Layla had gone missing, I had been approached by the council at the need of an heir. They thought she was a lost cause and that I should move on. I had declined every time and thrown them out. I made my way out of the office and towards the throne room. Vince followed behind me.

“Alpha King,” Councilwoman Miranda greeted. It seems she was the leader of today's meeting.

“Council.” My tone was curt. We all knew where this meeting was going and I didn’t want to drag anything out.

“Your highness, it has been three months since our Queen Luna has gone missing. The pack is suffering at the loss and you are suffering. We have to think of the best for the pack.”

“Which is?” I growled out.

“As the council, we believe you should take in a chosen mate. We have already gone through the she-wolves of this kingdom. We have our option picked out.” They were walking on thin ice.

“And if I was to find Layla?” I asked.

“Axel,” her voice was filled with sympathy. “There has been no sight of her for three months. We aren’t even sure she is alive.”

“I can still feel the mate bond.” I stated.

“The mate bond is such an unknown thing to us. Perhaps Layla is dead and you just haven’t felt it yet.” I growled as the words left Councilwoman Miranda’s lips.

“Layla is alive and I will not chose another mate. My mate is alive and as long as she is alive, I will not replace her!”

Perhaps I should’ve been more careful with my words. Perhaps I should’ve not tempted the moon goddess or any other type of being in the universe.

As I spoke the words, an unbearable pain filled me. I dropped to the floor and grappled my chest. My body burned in pain as my wolf whined. I felt as if something snapped inside of me, leaving me feeling lonely and empty.

I knelt on the ground, crouched over with my head on the floor. I breathed through the lasting strains of pain. “Axel,” I recognized Vince’s voice. “Are you alright?”

“What the hell was that?” I growled out. I noticed a doctor in a lab coat next to me. His face was solemn.

“I’m sorry your highness.” He began. “That was the mate bond breaking. Layla is dead.”

A/N:

Hey guys! As the chapter before this one was also short, i decided to post these at the same time. The next chapters will be posted regularly.