DENIAL
Layla and Nolan arrived home alongside Malcolm whose hand she held so tightly. She felt so anxious to finally meet the person who got her food poisoned and wanted her and her child dead.
Nolan had mentioned an ‘he’ she marveled on who he was.
“Layla you guys are back..” Keisha ran to meet them the moment she saw them, it seemed as if she had been waiting for them to arrive.
She also had a confused look on her face.
“Who’s he?” She asked, pointing at Malcolm as she’s never met the little boy before.
“His name is Malcolm, please can you do something for me Keisha!” Layla requested.Nôvel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.
“Yes Layla, anything, what do you want?”
“Help me get him some clothes and get him as food please..” she says as she needed to go with Nolan to the dungeon to see who the culprit was.
“Oh okay…” Keisha drew out as she took a good look at Malcolm again.
“Alright Malcolm, you go with her. I’ll see you later.. ” Layla smiled at him as Keisha took him away.
“Let’s go..” Layla tugged Nolan’s a as he has been quiet since morning, he rarely says anything to her.
“Why did you bring him here?” He asked as he walked slowly to the dungeon, his hands in his pocket.
“Because I feel he deserves a better life, they all do..” she stated in a curt tone. Then something hit her..
“Wait..” she stopped in her tracks as Nolan stopped walking also.
“Don’t tell me you’ve been quiet the whole while just to scold me in private?” She asked with a look of denial on her face. He could possibly ask her to return Malcolm or refuse to help Sarah’s family, she thought.
“No..” he denied as he continued working. He was not against her.
“You do anything you want Layla, just don’t make any mistake..” he warned.
“I won’t…” Layla uttered. She was following her instinct and wanted to do what was right.
“I hope so..” he said as he began to walk a little faster as he strode to the dungeon with Layla behind him.
********
Layla and Nolan got to the dungeon and the sight which greeted her shocked her.
There was a man in the dell, bound in chains, what shocked her the most was that he was someone that she’s never met in her whole life. He looked so unfamiliar, she was sure they’d never crossed paths.
“Alpha..” Darren, who seemed to be waiting for them , called as they got in.
“He’s the one?” Nolan asked with a look of uncertainty on his eyes. What business could Layla possibly have with the strange man? He thought.
“Yes he is..” Darren affirmed as Archie just sat quietly in his cell.
“He confessed to his crimes and they’re also pieces of evidence pointing at him” Darren added as Nolan looked at Archie from head to toe.
Layla doing the same, if he actually confessed to doing it, then he really did. But why would I want to do something as gruesome as taking a person’s life. A person who he doesn’t even know.
“What’s his name?” Nolan inquired.
“Archie Kay. He’s an official in the palace. He’s amongst the guards placed at the front gate..” he informed.
“I see..” Nolan began to nod his head momentarily. Archie worked in the palace, that would even give him enough reason to want to hurt Layla.
“His father is Jackson Kay..” Darren said again and Nolan lips curved up in amusement.
“The pack’s herbalist?” Nolan’s brows lifted to surprise. He knew Jackson well enough. He helped with treating the people after the war that took place in the pack, he was known to be a great man, though he sadly passed on. Who knew his son was nothing but a scumbag!
“The poison seemed to be amongst his father’s possession, that’s how he got it” Darren explained.
“Open the cell gate, I want to have a word with him..” Nolan instructed and Darren opened the cell gate.
They all watched as Nolan got in and went to Archie.
“Archie…” Nolan called slowly as he squatted in front of him.
“We’ve met once right?” He asked but Archie kept a straight face, he didn’t reply.
“Answer me when I’m talking!!” Nolan howerled In a loud voice that the underground dungeon shook.
“We’ve met once right?” He asked again in a low tone, the anger in his eyes dying down though his eyes still held a murderous glint.
“Yes your highness..” Archie replied in a low voice.
“Good..”
“Now tell me why you attempted to poison my Luna and even hired someone to do it?” He asked and he emphasized on the word my Luna.
Layla immediately felt her cheeks heat off, he sounded cool to her ears as he said that.
“Because I hate her” Archie’s shaky voice rang in the cell, he looked scared by Nolan’s presence.
“You hate her..” Nolan repeated as he pursed his lips.
“Abd why do you hate her?”
“I can’t allow such a weak and lowly person to be my Luna or even carry the pack’s heir. she’s not fit to be my Luna..” he said curtly. He really hated the situation he was in. He hoped Carla would speed up with whatever plans she was cooking up, so she could get her out of there.
“Weak?” Nolan’s eyes narrowed.
“Yes, weak! She’s just a weak human..”
“Damn you..” Nolan cursed as he ran his hands through his hair. He made his way to stand up and Archie breathed in relief that he was finally leaving but before he knew it, Nolan had landed a punch on his face.
“Nolan..” Layla called in surprise as she took a step towards the cell but Darren held her back just in time.
“Damn you Archie Kay..” he said again, this time he was already standing on his feet.
“No need to get angry, Alpha. You and I know the truth. She’s weak and useless. How can a weak human like her possibly rule us, the werewolves and lycans..” he scoffed.
“She can’t even hold a candle to a werewolf in fact not to talk of a Lycan. Accept it your mate is useless..” he spat scornfully. This is exactly what Carla had to do to provoke Nolan.
“I really hoped she died instead of Sarah and I hope to kill her soon. I’ll make sure Layla and her useless child die by my hands and I’ll…” Archie never got to say anything else as that happened to be his last words.
Before anyone could say anything, blood suddenly sprawled all over the dungeon cell.