40. Chapter 40

Chapter 40

L ayla's quiet laugh drifted through the open window. Jackson gripped the bedding to stop himself from getting out of bed.

She'd been out there for hours.

She'd been ignoring him for hours.

"Shall I change the bedding again, Alpha?"

He pulled his attention away from Layla to look at Faith, who had dutifully changed his bedding and near enough force-fed him while ignoring his request for her to bring Layla back to the bedroom.

"What?"

"You've ripped the bedding. Shall I change it?"

He looked down at his fingers and the slightly extended claws that had gone through the silk. Cain was still asleep, so he had no idea how that happened.

"No. Just get Layla," he growled.

Faith didn't even flinch. For an Omega, she was being a real pain. And she wasn't even hiding her amusement. He'd just accepted that his days with Layla were numbered, but the little empath—the only other person in the whole pack who could feel his gut-wrenching emotions—wasn't feeling sorry for him. Faith was just like her buddy Layla.

"Yes, Alpha. As soon as I finish my duties."

He growled, but Faith smiled and turned away from him to load the dirty laundry into her basket.

"Why does it sound like they're having a party out there?"

"Well, everyone feels safe. Last night our king showed us why he is our king," Faith smiled proudly. "I knew you could do it."

The praise stroked his ego. Faith had a way about her that made him want to always do his best. She'd been like that even before she'd shifted.

"And Miss Layla showed us why she is by your side," Faith continued.

"How?"

The smile dropped off her face, and she quickly picked up the laundry basket.

"I'll be going now, Alpha," Faith said without answering, and then she walked out. She walked out on her fucking King!

He punched the pillow in frustration and looked down at his useless leg. The doctor had already been in to redress it and give him a shot after Micah had dunked him in the bath. Even his trusted Head Warrior was reluctant to speak to him.

He already knew what had happened; he just wanted details and wanted to know who in their right mind had allowed it to happen.

Warrior? The young girl had called Layla that. What the hell had his soon-to-be ex-mate done to deserve such an accolade? To be allowed to sit among them as if she had been accepted as part of the pack. To laugh like that?

He was breaking inside because this was the life he'd started craving. To be with her like that in his pack, with their whole lives ahead of them.

There was a quick knock on the door, and the door opened, revealing a tired-looking Diedre. The witch put her hand over her mouth as she came forward, her eyes on his leg.

"I thought you wouldn't make it," she whispered. "I saw your wounds and felt all the dark magic inside you—I didn't think you'd wake up."

"I'm okay. And everything else will be okay soon. You should be resting, Diedre."

Diedre pulled a chair forward and sat beside the bed.

"I can't rest now, Jax," she whispered again. "You're not the only one who woke up today. Half the people who were bitten yesterday woke up, and the other half are out of danger. Something is happening, Jax."

Shit.

"Don't read too much into things. Maybe she used a different spell this time, and it backfired."

Diedre shook her head and took his hand.

"You felt it out there yesterday. The witch used a lot of power to do what she did. She wanted to end all of us," Diede whispered. "But there is something here that's stopping her. I can feel it. How else do people wake up after such a strong spell? If I can find it..."

He brought her hand to her lips.

"Diedre, stop," he said gently. "Please. I'm okay. I just need one thing from you, and that's for you to stay healthy and look after my pup."

"Jax..."

"Don't make me ask Micah to make sure you eat and sleep. You know I'll do it again."

"Six months, Jax."

His chest squeezed.

"I know. But I'm okay."

Diedre looked away from him and blinked back tears.

"I swore to protect you the day you were born," Diedre said.

"And you have. Now you'll swear to protect my child. I'm relying on you, Dee."

The witch's shoulders slumped and she didn't look at him again.

"I'll go and rest now," she said.

He sensed her resignation and hoped that would be the last time she would stress herself out like that. His situation had no happy outcome, even more so after his earlier realisation that he'd also have to suffer through a severed mate bond before he died.

He kissed her hand again before he let her go. And for the first time since Diedre started looking for a solution, he sensed defeat. By the time the witch walked out of the door, she seemed even older than she was.

Would his witch live long enough to look after his pup?

He sighed and looked at his leg. The quicker he healed, the quicker he could end the misery for everyone.

He focused on his mate again and heard her say her goodbyes to the people she had been talking to. He could breathe again for the first time since he'd woken up. Layla would need a good talking to before they could get on with enjoying their last few days together. Staying out there on purpose like that when she knew he couldn't go after her was childish. They were all being fucking childish.

Fear shot through him, fear that was not his own. He sat straighter in bed and listened. He had one leg over the side of the bed before he remembered the other was useless and Cain was still indisposed. But Layla was in trouble; he had to get to her.

"Miss Layla?"

He heard Faith's voice, and then Layla's emotions settled. Because of Faith or because there was nothing there? He couldn't be sure. The whole town was there, including Zach and his followers. She shouldn't have gone outside in the first place. He'd have to insist on Layla staying inside until he was better.

He followed Layla's movement until she reached the top of the stairs. She slowed right down, and he sensed her guilt as she walked down the hallway and stopped at the door. It took her five minutes to open it. Five fucking minutes where he imagined all the horrors that could have happened to her because she hadn't listened to him.

When she opened the door and slowly walked in, he was furious again.

"I know what you're going to say, but I couldn't just sit back and watch," Layla started.

She didn't even look him in the eye.

"I heard you fighting, and I knew there were too many of them—"

"You're carrying my child," he growled.

Layla looked at her feet. Her silky red curls fell to cover her face.

"I'm sorry."

"You could have died," he growled again.

And that, more than anything else, made him angrier. He had given her life for hers out in the forest. Brax could have finished him off when he passed out had he wanted to. But it would all have been for nothing if Layla had also been taken.

He had been out there fighting for Layla more than anyone else.

Would severing the bond stop all of that nonsense? Would it stop him from putting Layla first all the time?

"I was protected," Layla said.

"Do you know the things I've heard this morning? You fought beasts with nothing but two knives. You were covered in blood and right in the middle of all of it, ahead of all the men who have trained all their lives to fight in such situations."

"I couldn't stop it, Jackson. Especially when you got hurt," Layla whispered. "You can punish me however you want, but I don't regret what I did."

For the millionth time that day, he cursed his leg and Cain, who was taking his sweet time to wake up and heal him quicker. He wanted to cross the room and shake her. Did she not realise that the enemy had not been outside those walls but fighting alongside her?

"Or you can do whatever else you want to me."

Layla said those words softly, but they hit him with enough force to knock the anger out of him. Was she offering herself? Using herself as a bargaining chip?

"Don't do that. I'm furious right now—"

"I know that, and I'm not trying to disregard or downplay your emotions," Layla said quickly, lifting her face and finally meeting his gaze. "But what's done is done. You can sulk about it and get angry, but it won't change anything. I apologise for trying to help you, but I'd still do it again tomorrow."

Her eyes flashed, and she lifted her chin. Her stubbornness and defiance would have had Cain howling to pin her down and make her submit to him. Did she even know what she was doing to him? She spoke like a wolf who'd defend her mate to the death in any situation. Her wolf had already claimed him, but it wasn't her wolf blood saying those words.

"I think you should just let me take care of you, and then you can shout at me when you're back on your feet," she continued.

The Layla he had brought to his packhouse the first night would never have been so bold. It made him wonder what she would be like if they had all the time in the world. If he didn't have to break her by rejecting her.

That reminder pushed the rest of his anger away and left a gaping hole in its place.

He had no time left for games. He didn't want to spend the little time they had fighting when he could create memories to keep him warm on the lonely nights he'd have to face.

"You're right."

Layla's eyes widened.

"I'm sure I'll find a suitable way to punish you when I'm better," he continued, sitting back against the headboard. "If that offer still stands, I'm ready for you to do something else to make it up to me."

"Everyone's outside," she said, but her eyes flashed again.

"I'll be quiet. I promise."

And then her eyes glowed completely.

He grinned as he watched her take several steps towards him.

"Your leg is broken," she said.

"So be gentle with me."

He'd be going to war in a few days, and then he would say goodbye to her. This was the only time they had left.

"Can you be gentle, Layla?" he whispered. "Can you take me without making a sound?"