Fight for Me

Layla POV

The next day, a lot of people were up and ready since early in the morning to get ready for the festivities of the Harvest moon.

The way Anthony explained this to me makes it all sound confusing and exciting in one. It’s going to be a formal masquerade ball kind of thing, with a lot of fine dining. It’s apparently like Halloween, but for wolves, -where they get to dress up like ‘humans’.

Honestly, it just sounds like an excuse to party. But I guess that’s how you keep people happy.

I’m quite a bit excited about the whole dressing up part. But what girl isn’t? I know Anthony wasn’t too impressed with the dress I chose. But I was definitely not going to walk around in that skin tight red dress he wanted to get me.

I went for something more along the lines of shimmer and shine. I mean, it’s not everyday a girl gets to feel like a princess. I know it makes me sound childish, but this is an opportunity I wouldn’t want to pass up.

Besides, after the peak I had of Rebecca’s dress, I know there is no way I could possibly go overboard.

I wasn’t formally introduced to Nick’s family, but why should I in any case. But from what I’ve seen so far, they all seem really nice.

The only thing that worries me is the witch, Melinda. She keeps staring at me with a serious look. I wanted to introduce myself to her earlier to ask why, but she just outright walked away. In fact, she’s been avoiding me all day. It must be because I’m a maid. I guess I should probably just keep my distance.

I have a lot to do anyways. Margret took me off cleaning duties, because apparently, I don’t know how to hold a broom. So now she tasked me to help organize decorations. I definitely don’t see the point in decorating a freaking castle. But oh well.

But the orange maple leaves of autumn outside does add a nice touch to the whole atmosphere.

Third POV

The party has already started and majority of the pack members have already arrived. Varieties of wine are being served from every corner of the room and the hall is filled with music and chatter.

Rebecca made sure to be fashionably late and make a grand entrance walking down the massive staircase, as everyone look ‘up’ to her.

Her every curve is accentuated with her body tight royal blue dress, leaving nothing for the imagination.

As she makes her way to Alpha Nicholas and his brothers, to stand next to him, Abby speaks.

“Rebecca you look…..stunning in that dress.”

“Well, blue is after all Nicholas’ favourite colour.” Rebecca hooks her arm in his.

As conversation ensues for the next few minutes, everybody’s attention gets drawn to the opening glass doors to the side of the hall leading to the outside garden.

There, everyone stares at a mysterious beauty hiding behind her silver mask, outlined in a light and flowy baby blue dress made of fine glitter, making her sparkle from every angle any light hits her.

She slowly walks towards the group of Alphas, obviously aware of all the attention on her.

She stops right in front of Anthony and gently pulls on the sleeve of his tuxedo.

“I know this is a wolf event, but with everybody staring, should I leave?” She says softly.

“Layla?” Anthony looks surprised recognizing her voice.

“Y-e-a-h.” She says slowly.

“Oh my. You look absolutely beautiful. You surely know the definition of being fashionably late.” He takes her arm and hooks it in his.

“Late? I was here before all the guests even started arriving. I was just outback helping the caterers.”

“Well, I hope you’re done, because I’m not letting you go for the rest of the night.” He smiles proudly at the members still starring at his date.

Though, Layla is noticing the angry and annoyed looks she’s getting from behind Anthony. Melinda is staring at her with what almost looks like worry. Rebecca’s annoyed look isn’t a surprise to her, but the disdained look of the girl who looks like a younger version of Abby is. And then there is that pair of familiar hazel eyes. Though, with the look on Nicholas’ face, she doesn’t quite know what he’s thinking.

Through the rest of the evening, people enjoyed themselves with dancing, fine wine and delicious food.

Rebecca seemed to have found allies for her hatred of Layal in Melinda and Samantha.

Anthony’s talkative nature quite entertained Layla. She looked for Cody everywhere, but he seemed to have disappeared off somewhere. The atmosphere became more relaxed as people became drunker by the minute.

Short, loud howls started sounding through the hall and everyone made their way outside.

“What’s going on?” Layla asks Anthony as he pulls her outside.

“It’s the Harvest moon.” He says with a sly smile. “This is what it’s all about. We follow in the traditions of Dionysus, Greek god of wine. We get drunk on the best wines and let go of all our inhibitions. This is where we can be and do whatever we want, letting go of any fears and insecurities.”

As he pulls her outside she sees people giddily running into the woods, and some even in their wolf forms.

“And trust me. With the size of the full moon tonight, things might get a little wild.”

Layla raises her brow as she slowly pulls her hand back.

Anthony giggles. “Relax. What I mean is that some may go hunting, and I’m not sure how good you are with blood. With the full moon, many let their wolves take over to just run free and be wild.”

“Oh.”

“But for many others, a simple run through the woods does wonders. Come on.”

Anthony starts taking his shoes off and unbuttoning his shirt. More laughter and howls start filling the air. Layla can’t help but feel excited and curious.

“See you on the other side?” Anthony smiles as he starts jogging into the woods.

Everyone seems to be doing it and Layla hurriedly kicks off her shoes. The only people who don’t seem too eager to move is Rebecca and Melinda. And Layla is definitely not going to stay behind with that crowd.

She grabs a hold of the bottom of her dress in one hand and makes her way through the woods. She doesn’t know how running is fun, since she’s been doing it for basic survival. But with all the wine and the bright full moon, she’s eager to join.

She always loved the feel of the ground between her toes, and with the cool breeze flowing through her long black hair, she can’t help but feel ‘free’. The bright light of the moon seems to be her guide to wherever she’s running to. All around her, she can hear and see others also running and playing in the woods, both in human and wolf forms.

As she climbs over a huge fallen tree trunk, Layla isn’t bothered by her dress getting dirty or ripped. She continues through the woods, feeling freer than she ever has. She doesn’t have a care in the world right now. She isn’t bothered with what problems she’s running away from, or even where she’s running to. She doesn’t care about that stupid, stalking shadow. It’s just her, with no problems and no fears.

She stops as a strong breeze flows against her skin, slightly glistening from the sweat. Enjoying the feel, she instantly becomes aware of the hazel eyes starring at her through the dark trees.

He immediately stalks towards her in nothing but his black pants and covered in dirt and sweat.

Feeling careless, she walks to him too. The moment they reach each other, they pull each other into a searing kiss.

Nicholas pulls her body towards him as he towers over her. Layla is barely on her toes as she’s holding onto his neck to deepen the kiss.

But barely a moment later, he pushes her away from him.

“We shouldn’t be doing this. This,….” He gestures between them. “This will never work.”

Layla huffs as she gets drawn back to reality.

“Of course it won’t. You care too much about what others think of you.”

“And you too little.”

“You’re arrogant.”

“You’re weak.”

“You have a massive ego.”

“And you’re a child.”

“Yeah? Well I guess that makes you a paedophile with a twisted dominant complex.”

This back-and-forth banter is riling Nicholas’ wolf up. He can’t help but feel attracted to her challenging attitude.

She barely finished speaking, when he grabbed her and kissed her again.

Layla doesn’t know what to do. She’s still angry with all the things he said to her, and now he basically interrupted her.

“Kiss me back.” He whispers against her lips before kissing her again.

As much as she’s trying to fight against it, her body reacts to his words.

Their bodies fit into a perfect mould as they deeply, but slowly kiss each other. They become lost in each other in every sense.

But a sudden loud and crazed howl rips through the woods, pulling them from each other. It’s coming from the other side of the woods. But it was enough to bring them back to reality.

The moment they look back at each other, they both pull back with a step.

Before Nicholas can even say anything, Layla walks away.

When her figure disappears within the shadows of the tall trees, Nicholas realizes that he let the night get to him. He let his wolf partially take over tonight, and it led him here. But he knows he can’t blame his wolf, because he didn’t even try to stop him.

But now he knows, he knows what she thinks of him too. Both of them have their reasons to not be together. They just lost their senses. It must be because of the Harvest moon,……and the mate bond.

Nicholas shifts into his black wolf and releases a loud howl, running into the opposite direction.