Chapter 60

(Santiago’s POV)

I read Layla’s diary cover to cover…twice. The deception. The betrayal.

Moon goddess, she murdered my actual mate before I ever had the chance to meet her…before I knew her scent. The realization shoots pain straight through my chest. I wince as if a knife stabbed me through the heart.

Lilac and coffee hit my nostrils at the same time. It’s amazing how her presence eases my pain.

Isabella hands me the hot mug.

“I can’t even imagine how you are processing this. Is there anything I can do to support you?” she asks.

I shake my head. “No. We need to call the Elder Council and report this.”

Layla is staying with my father. Bella and I escort them to his cottage.

Gamma officers pound on the door. Father swings it wide open with a clearly annoyed guttural growl, until he realizes it’s the entire council supported by their own Gamma officers as well as my warriors and Layla’s parents.

Her father’s face is about as red as flames, and her mother’s tears fall to the ground like glass shards.

“What is the meaning of this?” Father asks the council.

Elder Evelyn stands front and center. “We have evidence that Layla Washington murdered her sister and used magic to pose as a fated mate to Alpha Santiago.

Father’s eyes widen at Evie’s words, then his wild eye gaze finds my stare.

I nod.

He shakes his head and calls casually for Layla, stepping just outside the door and to the left so he is completely out of the way.

“Karan? Did you call me, baby?” she asks running up to the door.

She doesn’t have time to react. A Gamma officer about a head taller than me grabs her and spins her around, pressing her chest into the door frame as he handcuffs her arms behind her back. He then reads Layla her rights.

“Alpha Layla Washington, you are under arrest for the murder of your sister, Gretchen Washington, and using magic to impersonate a fate bond to Alpha Santiago Morales.”

Evie holds up one finger. “On behalf of the Washington family, I strip you, Layla Washington, of your Alpha birthright. You no longer have the rights or privileges associated with the title.”

“No, no. You can’t strip me of my status. I’m a legacy born,” she screams gesturing toward Bella and I, “I am the same as them!”

Her mother steps forward. “No, my daughter, your half-sister was the legacy born. You are nothing more than the product of a one-night stand that your father had hoped would never come to light…Murderer.”

She turns on her heel and walks away.

Layla screams after her! “No!!! Mother, I’m just as good as Gretchen!” She turns to the Gamma who cuffed her, then to Evie. “I didn’t do what you’ve accused me of. You have no proof.”

Evie steps closer to her. “We do have proof, child. You will, however, be able to present your case at trial.”

Evie nods for the Gamma to take Layla.

“Wait!” she screams. “What about my child!”

The Gamma drags her away with her red face, tears, and snot falling from her face.

Bella shows up at court and sits with me during the trial.

Layla wears an ill-fitting suit. She has clearly lost weight. She wears no makeup, and her hair is flat. She sits and listens.

The moment the lawyer presents Layla’s diary into evidence, Layla loses her mind. She looks at Bella with rage etched into the lines of her face. Her pupils are so dilated that they eclipse her emerald, green irises.

“Layla Washington, please take the stand,” the judge says.

She stands up. Her legs shake as she walks, making her so wobbly that the bailiff has to hold her upright.

After she sits, the lawyer hands her a stack of documents. “Miss Washington, what you hold in your hand are copies from your diary.” Turning toward the judge, the attorney continues, “Your honor, this is the actual diary, Exhibit A for your reference.”

The judge orders Layla to read a highlighted passage.

“Everyone thinks Gretchen is so perfect. She’s daddy’s little princess and mom’s pride and joy. They think I’m too dumb to know father cheated on her. I know she’s not my mother. Everything’s pretend.

Well, I can pretend too. They’ll never find mother’s precious…”

She stops reading and shakes her head vehemently. “No. I can’t…”

I cover my own mouth to try and hide my shock. I know I read it all, but hearing her say it shoots pain through so hard that my wolf howls from the hurt in my mind.

Isabella reaches for my other hand. The skin-to-skin contact calms my wolf and slows my own racing heartbeat. Thank you, moon goddess for Bella’s presence today.

The judge says, “Miss Washington, you are ordered to read the remainder of the entry.”

Layla locks her gaze on me. “Santiago, I was a good mate to you. We could have been happy.”

Bella growls and I look over to her. She’s now locked eyes with Layla.

Layla’s gaze trails to our hands and intertwined fingers. “You fucking bitch! That is my mate! She’s a shameless whore!” she screams pointing at Bella.

The judge jumps to her feet and slams the gavel down three times. “Order in this court!” She turns to Layla. “Control yourself Miss Washington or you will be removed from my courtroom. Do you understand me?”

Layla calms. She rocks back and forth in her chair, speaking in gibberish and nonsensical sentences.

The judge orders her to continue reading. Layla jumps at the command, picks up the papers, and continues reading.

“They’ll never find Mother’s precious, perfect Gretchen. After draining her blood, the witch set fire to her. She said an incantation and gave me the instructions to mimic Gretchen’s mate bond to Santiago.”

I hear Bella gasp slightly as she squeezes my hand.

Looking around, most of the courtroom is stunned.

The judge slams the gavel, silencing the murmurs.

“We’ve heard enough. I have had time to read the diary in it’s entirety and to be quite honest, I cannot stomach listening to much more read aloud.”

Layla launches herself out of the witness stand onto the judge. She wraps her arms around the judges shoulders.

“No, they can’t win. This can’t be over. I beg for mercy. Please! I sold my wolf’s soul to that witch. You…you can’t convict me! I didn’t do anything wrong!”

“Bailiff!” the judge yells.

It takes the Bailiff and two Gammas to pull Layla off.

“I hereby sentence you, Layla Washington, to life in prison without parole. You are to be held in the dungeons housed by the Elder Council,” the judge says. “Gammas, take her away.”

Layla’s screams fill the room as she is led out of the courtroom. They no sooner make it to the door, when she collapses altogether. Medics evaluate her while loading her in the prison vehicle.

Bella hugs me. She stands on her tiptoes, wraps her arms around my neck, and kisses me on the cheek. I bend down, wrapping my arms around her waist.

My stubbled cheeks rub against her satin, soft skin as her long, dark curls graze my neck. Lilac invades my senses. My heartbeat slows as if I were asleep. Every knot in my muscles relax.

My wolf prances in my mind, content…panting and wagging his tail.

Moon goddess knows I don’t want to let go of her.

She pulls back and cups my cheek in her hands. “I guess this is it.”

I furrow my eyebrows. “What do you mean?”

“Well, we have solved your feral issue and restored my pack. The terms of our contract are met. So, I guess this…is goodbye.”

I take her hand. “Bella, we are more than a contract to each other.”

She stands on her tiptoes once again and kisses me. Her lips are soft, supple, and full. Contact with them sends surges of electricity through my entire body.

She’s my real mate. Oh, my moon goddess. How could I have been so blind this whole time?

She feels it too. I see it in her eyes.

“Goodbye, Santiago,” she says then turns and leaves.

My wolf howls.

“I know,” I tell him. “I’m in love with her too. I will fix things, I promise. I’m going to win her back.”