It couldn't be.
Different possibilities ran through Annabelle's mind. If Layla escaped from Maria's home, how then did she get to the island? That place that was hidden by the magic of the Fae? Thinking of that island brought back bitter memories. How her kind had been annihilated for joining the witches and trying to overthrow the lycanthropes.
She never joined them, so she hadn't bothered trying to save them from the wrath of the lycanthropes and she had been labeled as a backstabber and a betrayer.
Now her daughter was back in that island and mated to the only man who would kill her if she showed her face. The Supreme Alpha thought all the Sorcerers, Sorceresses and witches tried to overthrow them and she knew he wouldn't believe her if she defended herself and told him she hadn't been part of it.
She had no choice. Layla's existence couldn't be discovered. She would need to take her daughter away from that Alpha, and away from the island. If Layla could grow up in the midst of humans just like her, then maybe what she was would never be discovered.
"You're going to return to Lord Brandon",she said finally, turning towards Jezebel. "You're going to tell him exactly what I tell you".
"Why are you so worried about keeping Layla's existence a secret?",Jezebel asked. "Is she another Sorceress like you? Or is she something more?".
"Question me further and I will rip you apart Jezebel",Annabelle said coldly and walked towards the witch. "I'm doing what a mother must do. I'm protecting my daughter. And the longer she stays in the island, the more her life is endangered"
"So you're going to take her away? The Supreme Alpha won't let you do that so easily",Jezebel said. "She's his mate".
"I don't care",Annabelle said defiantly.
"She's my daughter, and I will do whatever I can to protect her".
...
Layla slowly opened her eyes and blinked repeatedly to clear the blurriness. She was in Riven's room and it was nightfall already. The bright beam of a full moon illuminated the room, and she could see the curtains floating in the air with the evening breeze. How long had she been asleep?
She turned to the side and gasped softly. Riven was on the bed beside her, eyes closed in sleep. One hand was wrapped tightly around her waist.
Layla remained still, watching him. Her fingers stretched out towards him tentatively, hovering over his face. She wanted to touch him, yet she withdrew her hand. Moving closer carefully so she wouldn't wake him up, she lay next to him and stared at his relaxed face. She never had the time to really look at him and now was the perfect time.
His eyebrows were shapely lined and relaxed in sleep. They were a dark bronze colour, a darker shade of his golden coloured hair. She wished his eyes were open, so she could lost herself in their mesmerizing honey depths. Her eyes moved over his lush lashes, curling over his closed eyelids, down the bridge of his straight nose that made her fingers itch to feel it. Her eyes stopped on his lips, and she felt her breathe quicken.
Riven was the first man she had ever been this close to, the first man she had ever gotten attracted to. He made her feel things she didn't understand, things that felt like butterflies at the pit of her stomach. She found herself yearning for his touch. She longed to feel his lips pressed against hers and the thought alone jolted her. She knew all about intimacy between two people who were attracted to each other and she knew feeling this way was totally normal. Yet she didn't understand the feelings.
She turned away and looked towards the ceiling. Her mind began to wander over the events that happened that morning. Did she survive that fall? And what happened to Cara? The strange things that had been happening totally amazed her and she had no answer for it. She had no one to ask and it dampened her spirit. What was she? A part of her suspected she wasn't human but she just couldn't put her finger on it. And Riven was being so nice and sweet towards her even with the several strange events that had occured. What more could a person ask?
She turned back towards him and suddenly felt a bust of courage. Her fingertips reached forwards and hovered over Riven's lips. She gulped, took a deep breathe and placed her hands on his soft luscious lips.
Her eyes widened when Riven's lips curved into a smile and his eyes opened slowly. She went still, staring into his hypnotic eyes.
"Took you long enough to touch me",his husky voice caressed her ears and she blushed deeply. She started to take her hands away but Riven held it in his. His lips dropped soft kisses on each of her fingertips and Layla felt shivers run up and down her entire body. The sparks that erupted at his touch was so overwhelming that she shuddered.
"What happened today?",her soft voice came out as a whisper.
Riven was quiet for a while, savouring the sound of her voice that soothed the beast within him.
"You don't remember?",he finally asked.
Layla shook her head. She tried not to shiver with the way Riven continued kissing her fingers lightly. It made her yearn for something she didn't understand.
"There's enough time to talk about it",Riven said. "But now, I just want to enjoy this moment with you. I've longed to hear your voice, I've longed to have this quiet moment, where it's just two of us".
Layla smiled softly and moved closer to him. She let herself go and welcomed the feelings she felt. She might not understand them, but she felt comfortable with them. And when Riven moved closer towards her, when his lips lowered towards hers, when his hand tightened around her waist and when he whispered her name, she didn't stop him or pull away. Instead she moved closer, wanting to feel his lips on hers.
A gut wrenching pain slammed into her core and she screamed out and doubled over.
Riven shot out of the bed and pulled her into his arms.
"What's wrong my love? What is it?",he asked in a panicked voice.
"Gosh, it hurts",Layla whispered and she groaned as another pain slashed through her. It felt like a red-hot poker was shoved into her guts and twisted viciously. The pain increased and another scream tore out of her.
"RIVEN MAKE IT STOP!",she screamed in pain.
Riven was at a loss of what to do. Layla's body turned hot and he could feel her trembling violently. He sent an order through the mind link instantly.
[Cade! Get me Henrietta immediately! And hurry here]
[Yes Alpha]
It seemed Cade wasn't asleep because he responded instantly.
For full thirty minutes, Riven held Layla's body close while she writhed with pain. Her body turned sweaty and still, she was boiling hot. He kept whispering to her, soothing her with his voice while he waited impatiently for Cade and the witch to arrive.
The door flew open and Cade entered with Henrietta behind him.
"What's going on?",Henrietta asked worriedly. She looked like she had just been woken up from a deep slumber. Her eyes looked sleepy and her hair was disheveled.
"I don't know",Riven's voice came out tight with worry. "She's going through some kind of pain".
Layla let out another scream and her body lifted off the bed and slammed back down.
"DO SOMETHING!",Riven roared.
"I can't do anything unless I know what's causing the pain",Henrietta said urgently. She placed her hand on Layla's sweaty forehead and withdrew it quickly. The girl was burning up.
"Well do something to take away the pain",Riven ordered in a fit of anger and worry.
Suddenly Layla screamed out loud and long and her eyes opened. Henrietta gave a loud gasp while Riven and Cade looked on in astonishment.
Layla's eyes were an eeire golden colour.
Just like Riven's eyes in his beast form.