Chapter 18 - Laila
Laila couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Her mate rejected her because he thought it was the right thing to do. It was insane and ridiculous. She stepped back from him before she lost her temper and hit him with something. It was too bad their amazing evening had taken such a bad turn. She’d been enjoying her date—the only one she’d had in ages—until the miserable topic of their breakup arose.
Tolliver snagged her wrist before she could walk away. “Please, hear me out.”
Every muscle in her body was taut as she reluctantly turned back to face him. Could she stomach hearing anything else? “Look, let’s just forget about the past,” she said.
“How can I when it’s standing in the way of my future with you?”
His words hit her harder than she would have liked, and her eyes flickered up to meet his. He had been hinting at wanting them to get back together, but he’d never said it outright until now.
“Yes, Laila, that’s what I want,” he confirmed. “I want us to be… us again. I never stopped loving you.”
She inhaled sharply, wanting to run away and hide from the conversation. “If you had really loved me, you wouldn’t have walked away from me.”
“I told you I thought—”
“How the hell could my boyfriend telling me he’s leaving me be the right thing? What on earth could make you think that Tolliver?”
He dropped her hand and averted his gaze, but she saw the flash of raw remorse in his eyes. That softened her a little. No matter how much he had hurt her in the past, he wasn’t a liar. “Fine,” she sighed. “I’ll hear you out.”
“I knew I wanted to work for the Black Ops since I was a kid,” he began. “It was the only way I could think of to help my people. After my parents…”
“I know,” she said softly. She knew his parents were murdered, and he still carried that pain even in adulthood. She didn’t want him to dredge up any of it on her account.
He exhaled slowly, releasing a bit of tension. “When I met you, I hadn’t changed my mind about what I wanted to do. Before I could tell you about my future plans, I learned what happened to your father and how much you hated the Black Ops.”
Laila gnawed at her lower lip. Of course, a part of her knew now that her hatred for the group was unfair. Her father had chosen that job and had loved it. Just like Tolliver, he wanted to help protect his kind and humans. When he died, she needed someone to blame, and the entity that was the Black Ops was the easiest thing to lay it on.
“I thought you’d reject my claim on you if you knew where I was headed,” he continued. “So, I lied and said I was going into politics like my father and grandfather.”
“Tolliver, that’s crazy. We wouldn’t have been any less mates if you told me about your aspirations. We’re bonded, and nothing can change that.”
“But you wouldn’t have wanted to be with me. We never would have moved in together or had three amazing years of happiness.”
She stared at him silently because maybe he was right. Perhaps she would have chosen not to start an intimate relationship with him. “I… I guess I would have been reluctant… I was afraid of losing anyone else the way I did my dad and my grandmother.”
Tolliver’s eyes softened, and he took her hands in his. “I know, so I lied to you, and I’m sorry. When I got accepted into the training program, passed, and was offered a job, I knew it would take a toll on our relationship. Plus, there was a chance I’d put you in danger. I didn’t want to choose…”
He shook his head. “Walking away from you was the hardest thing I’d ever had to do. I thought you'd be unhappy once you found out about my position with the Black Ops. I knew you didn’t want a partner who would spend weeks, even months at a time on dangerous jobs. I didn’t want you living in fear and uncertainty like that, so I broke things off. I thought you’d be better off without me.”
Her hands trembled slightly in his as she gawked at him. His words stirred a whirlwind of emotions she could barely contain. Understanding flickered to life, but so did anger—a boiling fury that he could make such a huge decision for them both without even giving her a chance to weigh in. Tears slipped down her cheeks as she processed her emotions.
“You thought I’d be better off without you ?” she said, her voice laced with incredulity. She pulled her hands out of his hold and took a step away from him. “Do you even hear how arrogant that sounds?”
“Laila—”
“ No . You decided what was best for me without even asking me how I felt.”
His eyes were shadowed with remorse. “And I’ve regretted it every day since.”
She shook her head, frustration bubbling over. “You don’t get it! Yes, I probably would have been reluctant. Maybe I would have even said no to starting something serious back then. But at least it would have been my decision. At least I wouldn’t have spent years wondering why the man who was supposed to be my mate just left me like I didn’t mean anything.”
“You meant everything,” Tolliver said, getting up from his chair to step closer. However, he stopped short of touching her, for which she was grateful. If he so much as laid a finger on her, she’d crumble to pieces.
“You broke my heart,” she accused.
“I’m sorry, but you didn’t seem all that broken up when I told you I was leaving.” A muscle flexed in his jaw, and his eyebrows scrunched together. “Hell, you barely reacted. You told me to go.”
Her scoff echoed in the room. “So, you’re blaming me?”
“That’s not what I’m doing. I just mean… You pretty much pushed me through the door. I didn’t know I had hurt you that much. Your reaction confused me for years. It still does.”
“You are unbelievable,” she glowered at him. “Are you telling me that you wanted me to bawl my eyes out and beg you to stay? Maybe hold on to your leg like a desperate, lovesick puppy?”
“That’s not—”
“Screw you, Tolliver! I had my pride. You might have had the power to rip my heart to shreds, but hell if I would lose my dignity along with my heart.”
His shoulders sagged under the weight of her words. His jaw tightened as he absorbed the pain in her voice. The agony from what he had done shone in her eyes too, and he felt like the scum of the earth. “I thought I was protecting you,” he murmured. “But I see now that I didn’t protect you at all. I just… broke us.”
“Yeah,” she said bitterly, crossing her arms over her chest as if to shield herself from the memory. “You did.”
The silence between them seemed to stretch into eternity, and it became unbearable. Tolliver raked a hand through his hair. “I’m sorry, Laila. I’m not sure if the words are enough, but I’m here now.” His voice was steady with determination. “I swear to you, I’m not walking away again.”
She looked at him, torn between anger and vulnerability. She wanted to believe him so badly. She didn’t want to bring a child into the world while she and the father were at odds. She wanted the family to be happily ever after… but maybe that was nothing more than a fairytale that didn’t exist.
“What do you want from me, Tolliver? Forgiveness? Understanding? Okay, I understand, and I can forgive you, but you can’t just waltz back into my life and expect me to trust you after everything.”
“I don’t expect that,” he said. “All I’m asking for is chance. I want you to willingly spend time with me, not because I’m protecting you. I don’t want us to pretend to be in love in public because of a fake engagement to trick the enemy. I want to gain your love for real. I want to show you that I’ve changed, that I’d never be stupid enough to choose anything or anyone over you ever again.”
This time, he did touch her. He cupped her face, and she didn’t pull away because a tiny part of her wanted to immediately give in and tell him she wanted to be with him in every sense again. However, that nagging fear still stood in the way. He gently brushed away her tears with his thumbs, and she nearly melted.
“Tolliver, I…” As she stared into his eyes, she wanted to tell him about the baby, which was magically hidden for now, thanks to his sister. But she couldn’t. If he found out about her pregnancy, he’d stick around out of a sense of duty, and she’d never know for sure if he stayed for her. She would continue to keep the baby a secret for a while longer to see if Tolliver was serious about having changed.
“I need more time,” she finished.
“Okay,” he said. “I’ll give you all the time you need. I’m not going anywhere, Laila. I’ll earn your trust, no matter how long it takes.”
There was a sincerity in his eyes that almost made her cave. However, she stood her ground. No matter what he said, actions would speak louder over time.
“Can we go home?” she asked softly. “I mean, back to your place.” Their date had gone downhill, and all she wanted to do was lock herself in a room and regroup emotionally.
“Of course.” Tolliver dropped his hands from her face. “I’m sorry tonight wasn’t great.”
“It was. I had a good time. Really, I did. Dinner was nice, and you were very thoughtful. I’m just tired.”
He nodded. “All right, let’s go.”
“What about cleaning up?” she asked, glancing around the kitchen at the mess she’s made.
“Don’t worry about it.”
Five minutes later, they were out the door. Although he didn’t show it, she knew he was on high alert as they walked to the car. He had placed himself between her and the darkest part of the woods. She was reminded of the danger she was in. Their dinner date had felt so normal that, for a brief moment, she forgot that a shifter was hunting her, and no one was sure exactly why. The thought caused her mood to plummet further. When she got into the car, she sat motionless and stared straight ahead, wondering when her life would get back to normal.
It will never be normal again, her wolf whispered.
Her other half always kept her grounded and in the land of logic. The wolf was right, as always. Laila’s life would never go back to what it was. She was having her ex-boyfriend’s baby… talk about a permanent change.
Tolliver slid into the driver’s seat and eyed her with concern. “What is it? You look troubled.”
“It’s nothing.”
He lifted an eyebrow.
“Don’t give me the skeptical eyebrow, Tolliver,” she huffed.
The tiniest smirk appeared on his face. “Okay, fine, no more skeptical eyebrow. I want you to know that even though we’re not where I want us to be yet, you can talk to me. You can tell me anything.”
She gave him a side glance. Should she bite the bullet and tell him about the baby? “Well, there is…”
His phone beeped, and she swallowed her confession. What was she thinking? She needed to wait a little longer before telling him. Tolliver let out a frustrated sigh as he reached for his phone. “We’re not done here. You’ll tell me later.”
Laila almost rolled her eyes at the order. No matter what, he’d always fall back into his bossy lord-of-the-manor attitude. It was just naturally him, and as much as she hated to admit it, she liked it… especially in bed. Her cheeks burned as if Tolliver could read her mind. What if she threw caution to the wind and slept with him again? Maybe he’d think she was crazy because she’d been adamant they should stop sleeping together.
Her wayward thoughts came to a screeching halt when she glanced at Tolliver and noticed his face was set in grim lines. Her heart dropped into her stomach. Something was wrong, and she was almost afraid to ask what.
“Tolliver, is everything okay?”
He put his phone down and started the car. “No. I have to get you out of here.” He reached over to buckle to her seatbelt. His movements were calm and practiced, but she sensed the tension radiating off him.
“What’s going on?”
He didn’t answer, just took off and swerved onto the main road. Laila’s body swayed with each sharp turn. “Tolliver.”
His hands were tight on the steering wheel, and his eyes focused on the road. “Benny sent an alert. He and Francisco had a run-in with a few wolves—none of ours. They attacked and tried to get to the house. It’s safe to say they’re after you.”
Laila’s heart started to pound wildly against her rib cage.
Holy shit, I really am being hunted, she thought miserably. She had hoped that wasn’t the case, but it was obvious now. What did this Jonas Mercer guy want with her? Her racing thoughts then shifted to Tolliver’s friends. From what she learned, the two were junior members of the Black Ops. “Oh my gosh, Benny and Francisco… are they okay? We should go back and make sure they are.”
Tolliver grunted. “They can hold their own, trust me.”
There was a note of respect in his voice that wasn’t there for just anyone. The junior members must have been quite impressive to have earned Tolliver’s approval so fast. However, that was little comfort to her. She didn’t want anyone getting hurt on her account.
Although she couldn’t see the danger, there was a sense of urgency in the air. But not once did Tolliver seem to panic. His calm demeanor did little to ease her rising anxiety as the car sped down the empty road. Tolliver’s hands were white-knuckled on the wheel, his eyes scanning the landscape like a predator expecting an ambush.
He muttered a curse when a dark figure hurtled from the woods ahead and skidded into the road. Laila gasped and clutched the dashboard as the car slowed slightly and did a complete spin. Despite Tolliver’s expert maneuver, they still weren’t home free because a heavy thud rattled the roof.
Laila let out a surprised shriek as lethal claws plunged through the metal, narrowly missing Tolliver’s shoulder by a hair’s breadth.
“Motherfucker,” Tolliver growled, glancing up.
If Laila hadn’t been too busy freaking out, she would have been amused because Tolliver sounded more annoyed than frightened. Then again, she supposed he was used to that kind of action, and that didn’t sit well with her. He jammed on the brake, and whatever had landed on the roof hurtled forward. It rolled and sprang to its feet. The headlights illuminated a large wolf, its eyes glowing with deadly intent.
Before Tolliver could even shift the car into gear to get them out of there, something rammed into the side of the vehicle, flipping it. Her scream got stuck in her throat as the world spun in a disorienting blur.
She vaguely felt hands on her and then the sound of her seatbelt snapping loose. Tolliver’s hands locked around her waist with an iron grip. Before she could fully process what was happening, she felt herself yanked from the confines of the car. Tolliver’s speed and strength were more than her mind could keep up with, and she had to wonder just how rigorous the Black Ops training was. The windshield shattered as he launched them through it. She barely registered the impact of their bodies hitting the ground because Tolliver’s arms cocooned her, and his body absorbed the brunt of the fall. A sharp grunt escaped him as they rolled across the ground, but his hold on her was unyielding even when they came to a stop.
When she opened her eyes, she saw the car scrunched up between two boulders. It resembled a crushed tin can. Laila’s stomach lurched at the sight of it. Wolf shifters had the gift of super-fast healing, but had they still been in that car, they would have suffered a lot of pain and many broken bones. Who knew what would have happened to her unborn child?
She gazed down at Tolliver with gratitude, glad that one of them was skilled and fast thinking in a time of danger. Worry instantly seeped in because his eyes were closed. “Tolliver? Hey, are you okay?”
“I need a minute,” he groaned as his eyes fluttered open. He looked dazed, and her concern amplified.
“Oh, no, you’re hurt.”
“I might need a doctor after this,” he agreed, with a hint of humor in his voice.
Laila let out a relieved laugh. If he was joking around, it meant he’d be fine. She almost choked on her laugh when she glanced around and saw the three massive wolves that had ambushed their car circling them. “Erm… Tolliver? You know that minute you said you needed? We don’t have that much time.”
He looked around, his eyes much sharper now. He scrambled to his feet and pulled Laila up with him. “They’re likely trying to kill me so they can take you,” he said, shoving her behind him. “We can work with that.”
“ What? ” she hissed. Clearly, he had hit his head during the fall.
“When they attack me, you run like hell,” he instructed. “Don’t stop until you find Benny and Francisco. They’re around here somewhere.
“I am not leaving you.”
“Laila…”
“No.”
“For the love of the gods, woman. Now is not the time to be combative.”
“Don’t you woman me,” she returned. “I can help you fight.”
No! Her wolf’s shock reverberated through her. You must avoid shifting at all costs.
The reminder hit Laila hard. Elena told her how dangerous shifting during pregnancy was for the baby. But she couldn’t leave Tolliver to take on three murderous shifters. The dilemma had her paralyzed as the wolves crept closer. Tolliver adjusted his stance, placing himself squarely between Laila and their attackers.
“I won’t run,” she said firmly. Even if she couldn’t shift, she still had her strength, and she’d fight by his side. He glanced at her and let out a resigned sigh. It was too late for her to run at that point, anyway.
“Stay close,” he said.
The bloody scene that Laila expected to unfold didn’t happen. Two wolves that rivaled the size of their attackers leaped out of the darkness. One was dark as midnight, its glossy black fur blending seamlessly into the shadows. It swung its head to look at Tolliver and Laila. Laila immediately recognized who it was. She’d only met Benny once, but she swore his wolf had the same teasing glint in its eyes as the man always had. The other wolf had to be Francisco. His coat was a striking mixture of gray and black. His eyes, an icy blue, were piercing and cold, exuding a sense of calculated precision—just like Tolliver’s.
“The calvary has arrived,” Tolliver said. “Thank the gods because I’m getting too old for this shit.”
His murmured words sent amusement surging through her, even in their dire situation. As quickly as she blinked, his body shuddered and grew into a massive wolf. She stepped back as Tolliver and his friends formed a protective line in front of her. The three attackers seemed to reconsider the fight since it was now equal. She noticed that Tolliver and his team moved in a coordinated way, which suggested they trained together.
The black wolf lunged first, a blur of shadow as it collided with one of the attackers, its massive jaws snapping with deadly precision. The black and gray wolf darted in next, its speed blinding as it circled the second enemy, herding it away from Tolliver and Laila with sharp, controlled bites.
Tolliver stood his ground as the third attacker charged him. He thwarted the attack with a calmer, more calculated technique than his two younger teammates. As the chaos erupted around her, Laila took cover behind a tree trunk. She was no coward, but she was starting to realize that she had to put her child’s well-being above all else, wanting to prove how tough she was.
Laila could barely keep track of the fight, her senses overloaded by the clash of snarls, snapping jaws, and thundering paws. She clutched her stomach, wondering if she’d made a mistake in keeping the baby a secret from Tolliver. What if he got seriously injured or… No, she wouldn’t even think it.
When things quieted down, she peeked around the tree. A huge sigh of relief escaped her. Her three wolves stood undefeated while two of the attackers lay lifeless. The third was missing. She darted out from her hiding spot and sprinted toward Tolliver. Without thinking, she flung her arms around the animal’s neck and burrowed her nose into its fur.
“Thank the gods you’re okay.” She pulled back to look at Benny and Francisco. “You guys, too.”
Benny licked her arm in response. Tolliver let out a growl and snapped at him with lethal fangs. Benny narrowly escaped the attack, and his eyes gleamed as if he was laughing inside his animal. Francisco huffed and shook his head.
“Tolliver, don’t be mean,” Laila reprimanded. “Benny helped us.” She couldn’t believe he was being jealous at a time like this.
Tolliver shifted back to human form, and the first thing he did was glare daggers at Benny. “Watch yourself with my mate, Benny.”
Laila rolled her eyes. Even stark naked, he managed to be intimidating. “It was an innocent lick,” she said.
Tolliver snorted derisively but dropped the subject. “Laila, you have to shift. We don’t have a car to get home. We’ll move faster in wolf form.”
She swallowed. “Oh… uh… I can’t…”
“You can’t shift?” Tolliver stared at her with a bemused expression. “Why not?”
Her mind worked overtime to come up with a lie that didn’t sound too ridiculous. “Well…”
The hum of a car engine caught their attention. A small white car pulled up close to the blood and carnage from the fight. Cora stepped out, eying the two lifeless wolves with a frown. “Good grief, what a mess,” she said with a slight shudder.
Laila’s eyes bulged. “Cora? What are you doing here?”
Cora reached into the back seat and took out a bag. As she approached, she kept her head turned away from Tolliver, Francisco, and Benny, who had shifted back to their human bodies.
“You shifters sure are comfortable with nudity,” she grumbled. She tossed the bag at Tolliver. “I thought you guys might need some extra clothes. Aren’t you all glad I’m a plan-ahead type of girl?”
“Thanks, Cora.” Tolliver rummaged in the bag and began to dress.
“Laila,” Cora said with a smile. “Don’t be mad, but I’m sort of like an honorary Black Ops member.”
“Excuse me?” Laila screeched. “How the hell did that happen?”
“You are most definitely not a Black Ops member, young lady,” Tolliver said, pointing a reprimanding finger at her.
Cora waved him off. “It’s a long story… well, not that long. It all started when Tolliver asked me to help his team with some video of a shifter and vampire fight that was about to go viral. It was so much fun. I think I’ve found my calling,” she said excitedly. “Helping the supernatural community.”
“For the love of the gods,” Laila groaned. “Tolliver, how could you get her involved?”
“I didn’t. I asked her to help with one mission. Blame those two,” he hiked a thumb at Benny and Francisco.
“She came in handy the first time, so we’ve been enlisting her to help with other stuff,” Francisco said with a shrug. “Don’t worry, we keep her safe, and the little witch can hold her own.”
“Yeah. I’ve been working with the two stooges ever since,” Cora said. “They brought me in on the whole safe-date mission… which turned out not to be so safe after all.”
Benny snorted. “Two stooges? Well, then, that makes you the third stooge.”
Francisco chuckled at that.
“Shut up.” Cora rolled her eyes. “Looks like I’m your ride out of this hellhole. Let’s go, guys,” Cora sauntered back to the car, leaving Laila to gawk at her.
Laila wasn’t sure whether to be pissed that Cora had been so close to danger or grateful to her for the save just now. Tolliver seemed to have forgotten about the whole conversation about her inability to shift. Crisis averted… for now.