30. Chapter 30

Chapter 30

J ackson threw a pair of sweats on so Layla wouldn't wonder why he was walking around the packhouse naked. He'd already taken a risk when he let Cain chase her in the storm.

When he left the room, he opened his senses to find Dylan.

And when he did, Cain reared his head, ready to finally avenge his mate. He didn't know if he would let Cain deal with him, but he was so fucking tempted. He was the Alpha King. He could command Alphas and all their packs—they trembled in their boots at the sight of him. His bloodline was the most feared and revered because he never lost a fight. He'd raided and killed, sometimes just for the fuck of it. The fear that always filled the room when he entered was for a very good reason.

And Dylan thought he could get away with lying to him?

The whole pack thought he had gone soft just because he'd taken a step back. He felt challenged from all angles, and his beast was frothing at the mouth to make them remember his name.

Rage coursed through his blood as he marched down the stairs. It wasn't just about Dylan and Cassie. It was the faceless witch who wanted to make sure he would never get his redemption. It was Zach and his old friends who wanted to prove to the whole pack that he was not fit to rule. It was the legacy his father had left for him that made everyone wonder if he would go down the same way. It was The Circle, demanding things of him as if they had any say in his life.

Everything was conspiring against him; if he didn't fix things, he would blow and mess everything up.

‘Then show them not to fuck with you,' Cain growled. ‘You should have let me kill them.'

‘If you kill any of them, my child will pay the price.'

It was a game of balance, but so far, it felt like he was the one constantly bending backwards. This wasn't how he was supposed to spend his last days. He was supposed to enjoy his ‘retirement' and maybe get to hold his child in his arms for a few weeks before the witch's curse took him.

‘I told you not to trust anyone. We're the only ones who can protect our mate,' Cain said.

Maybe the beast was right in this case, though that was impractical. It was his pack who had to raise their future king. He had to learn to trust someone. He'd thought that person was Dylan, but he couldn't do that now.

He followed Dylan's scent outside and walked to the training field hidden behind the woods at the back of the packhouse. Dylan stood at the side, watching some young wolves train with weapons. They were probably the ones he had relied on to protect the territory last night, and even that made him angry. How could he trust Dylan to make good decisions for his child if he thought using children as soldiers was a good idea?

Dylan turned to watch him approach and must have sensed his anger. He saw the flash of panic on his friend's face before fear overtook him. He knew what he had done. Before meeting Layla, Dylan had never been afraid of him, even when he had seen him at his worst.

"Jax..."

He could hear the plea in Dylan's voice, but he didn't stop moving.

The young wolves stopped training when they noticed him and stood to watch, but he didn't want any witnesses for this.

"Leave," he growled loud enough for them to hear him.

He stopped a distance away from Dylan and didn't take his eyes off him. His friend had the good sense to keep his head lowered. Any hint of a challenge was dangerous; he was sure even the trainees could feel that as they rushed off the field.

He waited until he was sure no one was within earshot before he started moving again.

"Tell me the truth," he growled.

He would give him one chance out of courtesy for their lifelong friendship. Anyone else would already have lay bleeding at his feet.

"I was protecting—"

"Tell me the truth, Beta," he repeated.

"When you went for your run, I went back to the packhouse to prepare to go out to look for the rogue," Dylan started, his head still lowered. "I caught the human's scent in the lobby and thought she had escaped. So I followed her scent."

Dylan stopped and swallowed.

This was the moment. If he lied... His bond with Layla had already surpassed all others, so he already knew he wouldn't be able to let this go. It sucked. Nothing was supposed to be able to destroy the bonds he had valued the most so easily, as if they had never existed. Nothing was supposed to be able to change him so drastically, as if he was a completely different person since the day he had caught her sweet scent.

But here they were. Waiting to know if Dylan, his only friend, lived or died.

"I found her in the basement," Dylan said. "She'd been knocked around a little and used the knife on Cassie to defend herself. I don't know why Cassie and her friends did that, but I told them it wasn't their place to question your decisions."

He fought the urge to attack as he pictured how helpless Layla would have been. This was just the beginning. Things were going to get messier once Layla became pregnant. He had to control his instinct for her sake.

'No!' Cain howled.

He ignored the beast and concentrated on Dylan.

"Why did you lie to me?"

"You've become too attached to the human," Dylan said. "You threatened to kill me, and I'm the only one who's always been in your corner. I knew you wouldn't hold back on those girls."

"I'm not attached," he lied.

"I'm not the only one who's thinking it. After the dinner, everyone asked me what was so special about the human that you would risk exposing the pack. The hunters would descend on us in droves. If the Circle finds out—"

"When the time is right, I'll tell them she's going to have my baby, but there's no need to put a target on her back until the deal is done. You know why I'm doing this, Dylan. I shouldn't have to ask you to protect the mother of your future king. She won't see anything."

He didn't miss the flash of disgust on Dylan's face, even though it was so quick. He knew it was because Layla was human, but he wasn't there to fight prejudices he'd had himself until the day he met Layla.

"You will protect her with your life," he ordered. "Do you understand?"

He had no doubt The Circle would find out, but he had already planned for that. Once Layla was pregnant, they would be the first to welcome her with open arms. If they'd had their way, they would have made him impregnate as many women as possible from when he became king.

"Yes, Alpha," Dylan answered.

"I'm going to need you to deal with Cassie. Send them all away."

Dylan looked up with a frown.

"Where?"

"Anywhere. I don't care," he said before he turned to walk away.

Cain thrashed around in his head, demanding justice. The beast wasn't satisfied, and honestly, he wasn't either. But killing members of his pack for hurting a human wouldn't help Layla in the long run. He'd been right to say his child would pay the price.

He stopped in his tracks when he saw Diedre waiting for him by the back door.

"You've got clothes on this time. Will you speak to me now?"

He sighed and continued walking until he stopped in front of Diedre.

"Don't get your hopes up, Diedre," he said immediately.

"She might be the key. Maybe that's why nothing has—"

"I'd much rather talk about the rogue I killed," he said. "Maybe we can have that conversation in private."

Diedre sighed and stepped aside so he could walk in.

"The aura around him was powerful even after he'd died," Diedre said. "I'm concerned."

"Can we extend your protection spell?"

"I can't cover such a huge space," Diedre said with a shake of her head. "Why was he here? Did you get anything?"

There were several people in the packhouse, and any one of them could listen in on the conversation if they wanted to. Now wasn't the time to talk, but he would need Diedre's help. Maybe she could give Layla some extra protection.

Before he could make his request, he heard one of the warriors in the mind link.

‘Six rogues have breached the boundary and are heading at full speed towards the residences in the east. They don't look right.'

Fuck! Whoever was responsible for this was very determined.

"Protect Layla. She's in my room," he said to Diedre as he took his sweats off and ran back out of the house.

He shifted and let Cain take over. The beast was already in the mood to fight; he would take his frustrations out on the intruders. They didn't look right? He knew what that meant. If he got close to them, they would have the scent of dark magic all over them. He had to get to them before they accomplished what they had been sent to do.