Chapter 20
Chapter Twenty
Layla
When Kai was riding on Kayden's neck, I was watering flowers on the manor balcony.
"Mommy! Mommy, look!" His excited shriek carried across the lawn. "I'm so high!"
I turned to see Kayden standing in the middle of the lawn with Kai perched on his shoulders, little hands gripping his hair like reins.
"Giddyup!" Kai smacked Kayden's head. "Daddy, go left!"
Kayden obediently stepped left.
"No, no, I mean right!"
Kayden turned right.
"Daddy, you're so dumb!" Kai's frustration mounted. "I said left—that way!"
He pointed in a direction that was exactly where Kayden had just gone.
"Kai." I couldn't help calling out. "That's right."
"Huh?" Kai tilted his head, thinking. "Oh. Yeah, I got them mixed up again."
Kayden's shoulders shook with silent laughter.
"Daddy, why are you laughing?" Kai peered down at him. "Don't laugh!"
"Yes, Your Highness." Pure indulgence laced Kayden's tone. "Which way now?"
"Um... toward the big rock!"
Kayden obeyed, carrying Kai in circles around the lawn.
This was their third day living together.
In just three days, Kai had completely conquered the Alpha.
Yesterday, Kai said he wanted to see Kayden shift. Kayden hesitated for a long time—I could tell he was afraid of scaring him.
"You won't scare him," I said. "He's been looking forward to this."
"But..." Kayden raked his fingers through his hair. "My wolf form is huge, and..."
"And what?"
"And not cute enough." Dead serious. "I'm worried Kai will be disappointed."
Kayden Blackwood was actually worried his wolf form wasn't cute enough?
I nearly laughed out loud.
"Just try," I said. "Kai will love it."
So that evening in the backyard, Kayden shifted.
The sound of bones restructuring brought back memories of the first time I'd witnessed a werewolf shift.
Muscles rippled beneath skin, his body expanding rapidly, clothes tearing, and then a massive silver-gray wolf emerged.
His coat gleamed metallic in the setting sun, muscles flowing beneath, those silver eyes even more penetrating.
Majestic. Powerful. Radiating Alpha dominance.
Kai stared, mouth hanging open wide enough to fit an egg. Kayden carefully lowered himself, resting his head on his paws, trying to look... harmless?
Then Kai's eyes lit up.
"WHOA! Big doggy!" He shrieked and lunged forward.
The nickname hit Kayden like a physical blow. He froze.
Big doggy?
I doubled over laughing.
Kai had already climbed onto Kayden's back, little hands clutching the fur at his neck.
"So soft!" He crowed in delight. "Daddy, you're so soft and warm!"
Kayden lay there, not daring to move, wolf eyes finding mine with a look that screamed help.
"It's fine." I walked over, stroking Kayden's wolf head—the fur really was soft. "He likes you."
Kayden nuzzled against my palm, letting out a low whimper that sounded almost like... pouting.
The mighty Alpha was pouting? I deliberately patted the fluffy wolf head.
"Daddy, can you run?" Kai asked from his perch. "Like a horse?"
Kayden stood, taking a few tentative steps.
Kai giggled. "Faster!"
Kayden broke into a trot.
"More!"
Kayden accelerated, racing across the lawn while Kai's laughter rang through the dusk, bright as silver bells.
I sat on the steps, watching them.
Kai had never been this happy.
And Kayden...
Kayden had never looked this relaxed.
On the fourth day of living together, I discovered Kayden's new hobby—writing love poems, though calling them "disastrous" was generous. Every morning, a new piece of paper appeared on my nightstand.
Day one:
"Your eyes are like amber,
No, like honey,
Wait, that's not right either...
Anyway, they're really pretty."
Day two:
"I spent all night trying to figure out how to describe you,
But I couldn't,
Because no words are beautiful enough,
—An Alpha with a limited vocabulary."
Day three:
"Kai told me 'I love you' today,
I was too happy to sleep,
Then I thought about you,
And realized I was even more awake."
I kept all these notes in a drawer. Every time I read them, I couldn't stop smiling.
Who would've thought? Kayden Blackwood could demolish opponents in business negotiations, quote precedents in Elder Council meetings, but his love poetry... read like a kindergartener's work.
On the fifth morning, there was a bouquet beside the note. I picked it up—
Wild chrysanthemums, foxtail grass, dandelions, and several weeds I couldn't identify, roughly bundled together with twine. Some were already wilting.
The note read:
"First time picking flowers.
Didn't know what to choose.
Everything reminded me of you.
So I picked them all.
Do you like it?"
I covered my mouth, laughing until I couldn't hold it in anymore, the sound spilling out of the room. I laughed until I collapsed on the bed.
Silver Moon Forest had plenty of rare, exotic flowers. How did he manage to—with laser precision—select these... aggressively wild specimens from among all those gorgeous blooms? Foxtail grass? Reminded him of me?
Like hell it was pretty!
I wiped tears from my eyes, still chuckling, but got up anyway to find a delicate vase. I arranged the "bouquet" carefully and placed it on my desk.
That afternoon, Kayden came by. When he saw the flowers in the vase, his eyes lit up.
"You... you like them?"
"Love them." I swallowed my laughter. "Very creative."
"I'll pick more next time!" Kayden said eagerly. "The forest has so many..."
"No!" I quickly stopped him. "These are plenty."
Any more and I'd run out of vases.
On day six, Kayden announced he was making dinner.
I refused. Our maid Elsa refused. Even Kai refused.
"Daddy, your cooking... isn't good."
"I can learn!" Kayden insisted. Why was his competitive streak kicking in now?!
We finally let him into the kitchen. The result—
He mistook sugar for salt, vinegar for soy sauce, and cranked the oven to maximum heat, nearly incinerating a chicken into charcoal.
"Out!" I banished him from the kitchen, stripping him of the great chef's badge of honor—his apron. "Stay put!"
Kayden stood in the doorway, looking wounded. "I just wanted to..."
"I know what you wanted." I remained unmoved, poking his forehead with my finger. "But please, for the love of Goddess, stay out of the kitchen."
"But..."
"No buts." My tone was final. "You've nearly blown up the kitchen three times already. Elsa's about to have a heart attack because of you."
Kayden looked even more dejected, his ears drooping.
Wait.
He was in human form.
What ears?
I burst out laughing.
"Alright, alright." I patted his arm. "You have other strengths."
"What strengths?" His eyes immediately brightened, sparkling with hope.
"Like..." I thought for a moment. "Protecting us?"
"That again..." He let out a long sigh and dramatically dropped his head onto my shoulder.
So heavy!!
Tonight, I'd just gotten Kai to sleep and returned to my room when soft knocking came from the hallway.
"Layla?" Kayden's voice, barely above a whisper. "You awake?"
I opened the door, curious what new scheme he'd cooked up. "What is it?"
"There's a place I want to show you." Mysterious light danced in his eyes. "Somewhere special."
"Now?" I glanced at the wall clock. "It's almost ten..."
"Perfect." Kayden took my hand. "That place is most beautiful at night."
"If Kai wakes up..." I hesitated for two seconds, stopping him from pulling me forward.
"Elsa will watch him." Kayden blinked, shaking my hand gently. "I already told her."
"Fine. But if this is some weird place..." His pleading look made me smile.
"You won't be disappointed."
We left the manor, moonlight illuminating the stone path, the air sweet with night dew. Kayden held my hand as we entered the forest—not our usual area, but deeper in. The trees grew denser, moonlight barely penetrating, only scattered starlight filtering through the canopy.
"We won't get lost, will we?" I looked at the increasingly unfamiliar terrain, worried.
"We won't." Sensing my unease, Kayden tightened his grip. "I could find this place blindfolded."
An owl hooted deep in the woods, distant and mysterious. I instinctively moved closer to Kayden. He switched to holding my hand with his left, his right arm sliding around my waist, pulling me completely into his embrace.
"Almost there."
After a few more minutes, light appeared ahead. Not moonlight—something warmer, flowing. We pushed through the last line of trees, and the view opened up.
A clearing appeared with a lake in the center, its surface still as black silk, reflecting countless stars. Pale mist drifted along the shore like gauze in the moonlight. And most beautiful of all... thousands of fireflies dancing in the air, their lights scattered like stars brought to earth.
"Goddess..." I breathed, looking up in disbelief. "This place..."
"Beautiful?" Kayden looked at me, his eyes full of satisfaction and mirth.
"Beautiful, unreal," I murmured, reaching toward the floating lights. "Like something from a fairy tale."
Kayden led me to a large tree by the lake where gnarled roots formed natural seats.
"Sit. This is my secret base."
I sat down, my skirt spreading on the grass. Kayden settled beside me, shoulder lightly touching mine. Fireflies circled us. One landed on my hand, its tiny glow warm and gentle.
"I used to come here a lot as a kid." Kayden's voice was especially soft in the night. "Especially after my father scolded me."
"He scolded you?" I was surprised. "Why?"
"Because I wasn't perfect enough," Kayden said. "The Alpha heir had to be perfect—best grades, hardest training, impeccable manners..."
"Any mistake meant punishment."
"What kind of punishment?" I frowned.
"No food, confinement, or..." He paused. "Isolation."
I squeezed his hand, a pang in my chest.
"I remember once, I yawned during an Elder Council meeting," Kayden recalled. "That night, my father made me spend the night in the forest. No weapons allowed."