Hiding the Alpha’s Baby (Layla and Alexander’s)
Chapter 3

LAYLA

It takes me three hours to prepare everything for the dinner with the maids and set the table for the guests.

Alpha or Josh refuses to tell me who is coming, but the extravagant preparations are enough to reveal it's an important person.

I go back to my small room when I am done and inspect the contents inside my backpack. Some cash Daphne lent me and the remainder of my savings is sitting inside untouched with three shirts and two pairs of jeans. There is nothing else I have or can take without anyone noticing it.

I have no idea how life is going to be when I leave this pack but Daphne is helping me. She talked to her aunt who lives on the outskirts of the Lotus pack.

It's a decent old pack that resides about a hundred kilometers west of my pack. Unlike Alpha Benjamin who is power and money crazy, the Lotus Pack Alpha-Alpha Marcus is all about harmony and peace.

Daphne's aunt Maya has even asked him for permission to let me join the pack and he agreed. That was quick and shocking because Alphas hardly accept outsiders but he did. He is ready to accept an outsider like me and I can stay there as long as I want. My phone vibrates with a notification. I open the text from Daphne.

*Aunt told Alpha Marcus everything about your situation. He still wants you to join the pack. Everything is set. Make it out now, C. I am rooting for you. XOXO.*

Sighing, I send her a quick okay, and thanks before deleting the texts. I don't want Josh or Alpha Benjamin to replace out about it.

Too lost in my thoughts, I don't notice when the maid barges inside the room and stands over my head.

"Luna wants to see you." She sneers at me.

"Luna?" My eyes widen.

Luna Avery is Alpha Benjamin's mate and wife who likes to take random tours around the world. She is gone every other day and then comes back whenever she wants. No one objects to it or tells her that she should be taking care of her pack instead of running

away.

"Why do you need to be told everything twice?" The maid hisses before storming out of the room.

I am left wondering why she is back now. My heartbeat quickens as different scenarios cross my mind.

If Alpha Benjamin and Josh are the devil reincarnate, she is the real devil. If she is here, then there must be hellfire waiting for me.

I get to my weak feet and wince slightly. My body still hurts like hell. There is nothing I can do. My healing powers are too weak, and it usually takes me lots of time to heal without a wolf.

Enduring the intense waves of pain, I limp out and approach the dining room. As I near it, my breathing becomes ragged. Different voices sound from inside.

"I am telling you, Alpha Alexander, we only have two other people in the house. You met the maid. The other girl is also a helper." Luna's sweet voice makes me swallow.

"Call her here."

The new voice is like a caress of needed warmth on a cold night. Tingles shoot down my spine, carrying the weight of it throughout my blood. Strange heat pools in my stomach after hearing it. It sounds familiar like I have heard it before.

I shake my head and enter the dining room. My gaze lowers to the floor instinctively.

"You called, Luna?" I lick my lips and ask.

"It's been so long since the last time I saw you." Luna surprisingly speaks to me in a tone that is reserved for important people. I am not one of them. I never was.

"Greet Alpha Alexander, Layla." Alpha Benjamin scoffs.

I glance up momentarily, but my eyes refuse to look down again.

My hazel eyes meet with a pair of silver orbs. Sun on Moon. The Bright against All Dark Night.

Odd energy shoots down my body, reaching my core and tightening every single muscle in me. It's like getting struck by lightning on a rainy night. The sensation of the current jolting every single part of me awake.

My breath catches in my throat. I drop my gaze to his proud nose and then to his thick pair of lips. He licks them with the laziness of a predator who finally has the chance to eat its prey, and he wants to savor every bite. "Layla?" He utters my name from his lips.

I shudder. It sounds too hot. It's too hot in the room.

"Yeah, she is the rascal who got my gamma couple killed. Still, we took pity and gave her shelter inside our home." Alpha Benjamin sneers.

Heat taints my cheeks red, allowing everyone in the room to see my embarrassment marking my skin. I swallow the lump in my throat and look down again.

My heart is in a race of its own. I don't even know what or who it is trying to outrun. I clasp my shaky hands together to hold them still.

"Why is she bruised?" The startling voice of the stranger booms.

I stumble a step back, replaceing all of this too much. I am weak in my knees. The heat in my body is becoming too much to handle. I have never experienced this before.

"She slipped in her bathroom. She is quite clumsy. She got the head of a chicken." Josh chuckles.

It's utterly humiliating. If I could dig a hole and hide there for the rest of my life, I would have done that by now.

"Bathroom?" His voice drops lower, becoming more throaty. It reverberates in my lower abdomen, almost making me gasp to myself.

"Yeah, Alpha! She is like that sometimes." Luna adds.

Silence echoes in the room. I stand there, feeling the scorching heat of his stare on my face. It makes me shift from my left foot to the right uncomfortably.

"I need her. "Alpha Alexander commands. Arrogant, Confident, Non-negotiable.

My gaze shoots to his face in shock. I stare at the handsome man who can give competition to a Greek God. He is built like a mountain. His muscles are bulging in the tight white dress shirt he is wearing under his black jacket. I notice the black ink peeking out of his collar and instantly tear my gaze from his neck to look at his face once more.

I am the object of his attention even now. His stare never falters. I step back, unable to take it anymore.

"Uh, Alpha Alexander. What does that mean exactly?" Luna speaks up, asking the one question that threatens to split the ground under my feet and swallow me as a whole.

"You heard me. I need her. "Every word of his hits a nerve deep inside me and steals my breath.

"She is not up for sale if you think this is an auction." Josh hisses, surprising me.

He is talking about buying me? What the heck!

"Shut your mouth. "Alpha Benjamin growls at Josh.

"Dad-"

"Josh. "Luna warns him.

He goes silent. I look at his frustrated, glaring eyes and decide it's better to just stare at the floor.

"What are you suggesting, Alpha?" Luna's voice comes out breathy and sultry when she questions.

"Name the price. What do you want for her?" The man speaks with indifference and coldness that is rare and makes the whole situation disgusting.

My heart lurches. I take another step back. It's impossible to stand on my feet right now. They are talking about selling and buying me like I am a useless piece of furniture. "Why do you want her, Alpha? "Luna stresses.

"I need her. And it's none of your business." The Alpha shuts her up with his harsh voice, a warning lingering on the edge of each word, daring her to try poking her nose in his matter again. "What if we say ten million, Alpha Alexander? Will you be willing to pay?" Alpha Benjamin chuckles nervously.

"You can't just sell me. I am not up for sale." I mutter at last.

My gaze collides with his scorching eyes again. My soul trembles with the intensity. The tension rises in the air and temperature shoots to a new height.

"We will always decide the best for your future, Layla Darling. Don't doubt it and stay silent. "Luna speaks pleasantly, but there is a hidden warning underneath her words that only I can sense.

Try speaking again and you shall lose your tongue, that's what Luna wants me to know.

My heartbeat pounds in all my organs. I grip my fingers tighter to remain calm.

I lower my eyes before taking a peek at the silent man and replace him typing something on his phone. His brows bunch, as he concentrates and gives off a scary vibe.

Why is he doing this? Who is he? What does he want from me?

"The money is in your pack's account. Hand her over. "He pushes the phone back into his jacket's pocket and stands up.

Suddenly, the room is too small, and everything is too unnecessary. I stumble back when he strides forward, each step taken with deliberate preciseness that leaves my heartbeat drumming in my ears. The world tilts, showing me a new angle that my mind refuses to get accustomed to.

"You can take her in the morning. We want to say goodbye to her, Alpha. "Alpha Benjamin gets up immediately and blocks the path of the man.

"No." Alpha Alexander refuses without hesitation.

This can't be happening. A few more steps and this man will be practically dragging me out of this packhouse. All hopes of escape will be lost in an unfamiliar place.

On the other hand, I know Alpha Benjamin wants me to stay for the night because he wants to kill my baby before handing me over to this stranger who screams danger in bright red.

I am stuck. There is an inferno in front of me and the promise of destruction behind me.

The man pushes Alpha Benjamin out of the way with ease and reaches me. My heartbeat slows down until I can't even hear it.

He halts in front of me, leaving a distance of a few inches between us. The moon in his eyes burns into the sun in mine, threatening to consume all the heat and still remain hungry. The intense energy cackles, leaving me breathing hard.

I only come up to his neck. I have to throw my head back to look at his face from close. He is intimidating in the sense that his closeness leaves me tingling and hot everywhere.

I take the final step back. My body hits the wall behind me, closing all ways of escape.

"I want to stay the night. "I plead, staring into the silver orbs. "Please."

A moment of silence passes. He steals a glance at my quivering lips before dragging his gaze to my moist eyes.

"Just tonight." He steps back easily, like he was just waiting for me to speak up.

I release the breath I held and immediately run out of the dining room. I don't even care about the crippling pain anymore.

I can't go with that man. He will probably do worse things to me.

I will run tonight, and then I will never look back. All these horrible people will be left behind. It will only be me and my baby that this new man doesn't know about.

I reach my room and check my bag before hiding it behind the small cupboard in the corner. The door to my room slams open, revealing Luna.

"Lu

Luna. "I stutter.

"How do you know him?" She asks, closing the door.

"I don't know him. I swear I have never seen him before. "I blurt.

"Why is he so keen on getting you then?" She folds her arms over her chest, stopping in the middle of the room.

"I-I don't know." I can't recall ever meeting him.

"Tell me the truth, Layla. You know I won't hurt you if you just tell the truth." She clicks her tongue.

"I swear on Goddess Selene I don't know. "I shake my head.

"Annoying." She pinches the bridge of her nose. "Anyways, get ready. The doctor will arrive in an hour. Get rid of that filth and go with him in the morning."

My body turns cold at the command. I blink the tears back and stand my ground.

"It's so good to finally be able to get rid of you and to get money for it-is like a dream come true." She sighs dreamily and walks out of the room.

It's all so dirty. They are selling me. That man is buying me. They all think of me as their meaningless possession.

The door closes. I stand in the same place for some time, waiting for someone else to come.

I think Josh will come, but I am proved wrong when he doesn't come even after half an hour. This hints at the fact that Alpha Benjamin must be holding him back.

It is the best time.

I dash towards the backpack and sling it on my shoulders. After wearing my worn-out sneakers, I open the only window in my room and sneak out of it. I can never be more grateful for having this room on the ground floor. It makes things easier for me.

My heart skips many beats when I pass by pack members and then the patrol guards. The thought of someone stopping me or the Alpha replaceing out about me leaves me breathless, but I continue to move.

After enduring the abuse for so many years, it's finally time to be free. A sense of relief fills me when I am out of the territory and on my way to the bus stop.

I run, and I never look over my shoulder.

There is nothing holding me back here. No attachment. No family. No home.

When I get on the bus for Laxville Town, that's when I look behind me. A strange feeling of loss fills me as a pair of silver eyes flashes in my head.

But, I don't stop.

I have to do this for the baby. I will protect it with all I have got and I will fight against the rest of the world if I have to.