Layla opened her eyes and found herself alone on the bed. She looked around sleepily. She was in Riven's room. Where was Riven? After having a private dinner together the previous night, she remembered falling asleep in his arms.
"Riven?",she called. And then shock hit her. She could talk? She could finally talk?
"Riven?",the name sounded from her lips again. But her voice was strange. It sounded odd even to her ears. She got off the bed and moved towards the windows. The night was cold and she felt goosebumps appear on her skin. She hugged her body with her hands and felt her elbows resting on something soft.
She looked down and gasped loudly. She was pregnant. Her stomach shot out in a large bump and she could feel the ache on her lower waist.
What was this? Was this a dream? It felt too real to be a dream. She rushed to the mirror to stare at her face and she received yet another shock. When she looked in the mirror, she didn't see her face. She saw Cara's face. Her dark hair was gone. She had Cara's bright blonde hair and green eyes. She was basically Cara. What was happening? She knew she was Layla yet her appearance told her otherwise. This had to be a dream, she thought.
The door opened and she whipped around. Riven walked in and relief washed over her. Maybe he would explain what was happening.
"Oh Riven",she said and rushed to hug him. "Thank goodness you're here. What's happening to me?".
But Riven shoved her away from him. His eyes were burning with anger as he glared coldly at her and walked past her towards the bed.
"Riven?"
"Silence Cara!",Riven snapped at her. His eyes were furious and he turned away. "Your voice alone makes me furious".
"Riven it's me. Layla",Layla said softly.
Riven froze and he whipped around in rage. His steps were heavy as he marched towards her and gripped her throat hard. There was pure hatred in his eyes as he glared at her.
"Never! Never speak my mate's name",Riven said viciously. "The day you do, I'll kill you with my bare hands. I won't care if you're carrying my child".
He pushed her away and Layla landed on the ground. She held her stomach as a sharp pain lanced through her. Her breathe came out in harsh pants. What was this? How did she become Cara? Was this some kind of trick? This couldn't be a dream because it felt too real.
Another sharp cramp shot through her and she cried out in pain. As the pain increased, she screamed out and curled her body into a ball. Something wet began to flow down her legs, pooling on the ground underneath her. She touched it and brought her fingers up, sobs tearing out of her. She was bleeding. She looked up at Riven who still had his back to her.
"Riven help me...please",she pleaded and cried out as another cramp attacked her.
The door slammed open and Henrietta entered the room. She knelt beside her and pushed her back on the ground. Not once did Riven turn around to look at her. Henrietta checked on the baby and looked towards Riven.
"We can't save both of them",she said. "The baby is breach. If we try to bring out the baby, she will die".
"Bring out my son",Riven said over his shoulder. "I don't care if she doesn't survive it. She killed my mate after all. She deserves to die".
Layla felt fear grip her. She began to shake her head as another cramp seized her and she screamed. Henrietta got to work and applied pressure on her swollen stomach, muttering spells. The baby emerged with his legs, tearing his mother brutally and screaming as he took his first breathe.
Layla felt herself falling towards the darkness. She watched Henrietta hand the baby over to Riven and Riven turned his back on her. She felt her life seeping out with the nonstop flow of blood between her legs.
As the darkness claimed her, she heard a whisper.
'You're endangered...be careful'
...
Layla shot out of bed with a loud gasp. Her chest heaved as she gulped and drew in deep breaths. She was drenched with perspiration and her eyes looked around wildly. It was daylight already and she could hear the chriping of the birds. Riven wasn't in the room.
So it had been a dream, she thought. But why would she have such dreams? What connection did she have with Cara? And what about the whisper? 'You're endangered...be careful'. What did it all mean?
She jerked as the door was opened and Riven walked in holding a breakfast tray. He took one look at Layla and knew something was wrong. Dropping the tray at the foot of the bed, he rushed towards her and drew her into his arms.
"What's wrong my love? Nightmares?",he asked as he took her trembling body into his arms. Layla nodded and allowed him to hold her. She felt safer in his arms and the dream felt like something that never happened. She remembered his cold eyes that were filled with so much hate. Even when she knew he saw her as Cara, it still scared her.
"It was just a dream. I'm here now",Riven said and kissed the top of her hair. She relaxed gradually in his embrace and sighed when Riven ran a hand through her hair and down her spine.
"Do you feel okay now?",he asked her softly.
Layla nodded. She badly wished she could speak. She wanted to tell Riven about the dream she just had. Writing it on the parchment would be hard to explain. She sighed again, feeling dejected.
"Cheer up my love",Riven said to her. He placed his hand under her chin and raised her face upwards so he could stare into her enchanting eyes. "Henrietta would be here today to check on you. Maybe she can find a cure to bring back your voice".
Layla's eyes lit up. She really hoped the witch would have a cure. She longed to talk freely with Riven and tell him about everything.
"Would you like that?",Riven asked when he saw how her eyes shone brightly.
Layla nodded happily. She would be so glad to be able to speak again.
Riven watched her, his eyes intent on her face, moving down until it settled on her lips. His thumb traced the outline of her luscious lips, wanting badly to kiss her. Layla watched his eyes darken, knowing the reason why he stared at her that way. She had read a lot of books while living in Madame Parker's basement and she knew what happened between a man and a woman who were in love.
Riven already told her he loved her because she was his mate but she wasn't sure she loved him. She felt safe with him and always wanted him to be around her. But she didn't know if that was love. She had no idea what love was.
She watched Riven lower his head towards her and she held her breathe. Would he kiss her? Did she want him to kiss her? She stared deeply into his eyes, her heart slamming heavily against her chest as Riven's lips lowered towards hers.
The door burst open and Caleb rushed in. He froze, his eyes taking in the couple before him. He realized that he just walked in on something private and he wished he could undo it. But it was too late.
"Alpha...I...",he stammered.
Riven pulled back and glared at the gamma. Layla giggled quietly at Caleb's ashen expression. He looked like he just saw a ghost.
"My apologies Alpha... I.. I didn't mean..."
"What brings you here so early Caleb?",Riven asked with a resigned expression. Caleb would always be his annoying self and there was no changing the fact.
Caleb forcefully cleared his throat and pushed what just happened away from his mind.
"It's Cara Alpha", he said seriously. "She escaped".
Riven's eyes turned dark. His mood darkened and he got off the bed.
"How is that possible?",he asked in a hard voice.
"She had help obviously",Caleb reported. "The chains that held her are melted".
"The work of a Fae",Riven growled out.
"Or an Elf",Caleb said gravely.