Layla

The night was thick with mist like a secret whispered among the trees. People were scattered here and there along the streets. I walked through the shadows, each step soft as a raindrop. I could not imagine a day worse than the one I was having, not knowing that what was yet to come was even greater. It felt like the universe suddenly decided that I deserved to suffer. I had walked to five supermarkets, and not one of them had my favorite chili sauce. What a terrible thing to happen to someone.

With a defeated look, I decided to visit Emira. She is my best friend, my only friend actually. She and her uncle have been like family to me. Her uncle's mansion was located away from other houses, a weird setting, but a beautiful place nonetheless.

The forest gave me an eerie feeling with the moonlight reflecting on the trees, giving them a silver glow. I walked the familiar path leading to the back of the mansion, a passage Emira and I created for me to sneak in whenever I was visiting and they had many guests. Although it seemed like they always had guests, I can't remember the last time I walked through the front door.

‘How careless were you to have sustained such a scratch?’ Emira scolded me like I was a naughty ten-year-old.

‘It’s not that serious. I just missed my step while searching for the ladder.’ I pouted my lips to make her smile at me. She can never really be mad at me; she just likes to scold me a lot because I am careless. I scratched my hip against the rough bushes when I was looking for my ladder, but Emira was helping me patch it up like the angel she is.

‘Fine. You know I can’t stay angry with you for long. Anyways, what are you doing here? Why didn’t you call first? You’re lucky you caught me in my room. You should have given me a heads-up.’ She complained about my presence for the first time ever, taking me by surprise.

‘Sheesh. I had a bad day and I decided to come over to the one place that makes me feel better, only to be cast away for stopping by.’ I added a dramatic sob and cleaned fake tears, and Emira just laughed.

‘Dramatic much. We are hosting the heads of various organizations my uncle works with. It's kind of an important event.’ She scratched the back of her neck nervously as she explained.

‘Wow! Sounds very important. You’re right, I should have called.’ There was silence for a while before I spoke.

'My aunty texted me that she was caught up and couldn't make it in time for my birthday tomorrow.' I explained with a sad tone to my voice.

'I have never been alone on my birthday. I know I'm clocking 21, but I still didn't want to be alone, that's why I came by.' She sighed in response.

‘Come here.’ She invited me for a hug with her arms spread wide open.

'I didn't mean to snap at you, you know you're always welcome here anytime any day.' I smiled in response before I remembered something.

'Seems like a very important function down there.' I reminded her.

‘Yes, it is.’ She continued.

‘And that is why you are going to be a darling and stay in here and not run into anybody till it’s all over because the most important guest of the night just arrived. I'll be back in time to wish you a happy birthday.' She started to leave the room.

‘Wait, how can you expect me to stay here all alone without food and……She left and shut the door before I could complete my sentence.

I was very convinced Emira had a death wish for me. Because if not, how could she lock me in a room without food? I heard my stomach grumbling and my eyes started to fail me. I had to look for food, even if she said not to go out. I had come too far in life to just die of hunger in my best friend’s room. I peeked out through a crack in the door to see if the hallways were clear. Everyone was at the banquet, so I was free to go. The kitchen is on the floor below this one, at least one out of the many kitchens is. I made my way to the stair hall and checked to see if the coast was clear and was met with pin-drop silence. I made myself a sandwich and finished it all up in the kitchen since there was no one else.

With a full stomach and a bottle of juice, I was finding my way back to the room when I felt someone’s presence. I looked back to see no one, but I was sure I wasn’t alone.

I began to panic because Emira made it clear to remain unseen by any other person other than Emira and her uncle. Out of instinct, I opened the door to the next room I saw and shut the door without any noise, hoping to hide away for a while till the person left.

It was pitch dark inside, but by my knowledge of this mansion, this level has just the kitchen, a dining hall, and some storage rooms. This must be one of the storage rooms. Just as I was about to relax against the door to listen for footsteps, the lights came on.

‘Sh*t’ That was all I could muster because my cover has finally been blown.

I was too focused on being followed; I didn’t realize that I was not alone. After being temporarily blinded by the lights, my eyes began to adjust only to see the most handsome man I have ever seen standing right in front of me. He looked like he walked out of one of my fashion magazines.

‘Oh wow, this is such a lovely place…how on earth did I get here?’ I quickly came up with the excuse of being lost to get out of this situation. The last thing I want is for Emira to get in trouble because of me.

‘If you think that weak attempt of feigning ignorance is going to convince me, then you must be more stupid than you look.’

His deep baritone voice almost distracted me from the pain I felt in my chest at his words……keyword being almost.

‘Ouch! You don’t have to be that rude. What are you doing here? I don’t recall ever seeing you around, and outsiders aren't meant to be on this floor.’ I demanded answers from him while crossing my arms close to my chest. I caught his eyes moving to my chest for a split second before they returned to my eyes. Pervert.

'Who are you? I've never seen you in Emira's house before.' I asked the handsome stranger again.

‘The more important question is, what is a human doing in a pack house? Your kind isn’t allowed to mingle with ours, so what business do you have here, or rather, who are you here for?

'Pack? Human? What are you talking about? You're also human. And what do you mean pack? This is my best friend Emira's house. It's almost my birthday, and I'm here to celebrate it with her. You are starting to freak me out.' I stared at him like he had two heads. What was he going on about? Nothing he said made sense.

‘Answer me human, if you do not desire things to get ugly for you.’ He said with a snarky look on his handsome features. What is it with him calling me human? Isn't he a human too?

‘I am...Who are you to question me if I may ask?’ I dreaded his answer to that question because, by the look of confidence on his face, I could tell he was someone in a powerful position. He may be the president of some company or something. I couldn’t wait for his response. I turned to run out of the room, and I was almost successful until he grabbed my wrist and I felt it.

The sparks, the heat, the cold, the shivers. I had never felt so many feelings at once before. I turned my upper body slowly to look at him. He felt it too. His stare bore deep into my soul, and I could feel a strange attachment to him, like a string.

I have read enough novels to know the meaning of the word that left his lips next.

'MATE'