Allure Of The Beast • Book I ✔ (Under Major Editing)

07_"This Just Got Way Worse"

LAYLA

"Are you okay?" Luke's soft but deep voice snapped me out of my trance. I've been zoning out like that ever since that night. 

It's been a week and every night I remain half asleep so I could watch him with my own eyes and tell myself that I'm not dreaming. He stays beside me, calms my heart and relieves my ache, and then disappears as though I mean nothing to him.

I'm crazy. I know.

An unknown guy with god knows what intentions, was stalking me, breaking into my room in the middle of the damn night and all I could think of was why he won't show himself to me. 

"Lay..."

"Huh. I'm fine. I'm fine, Luke." His look told me he was not buying any of that bullshit but he doesn't question me further and goes back to his breakfast.

His eyes study me and I try to keep my face neutral even though the headache is killing me. At this point, I am simply used to the pain but it doesn't get any better. This only made me yearn for the nights all the more. 

"I guess you won't be coming to the annual festival," He begins, his fork digging into the eggs. Every year he asks me the same question and I give him the same answer.

"No, Luke."

He still smiles at me and continues, "But I'm so excited about it! Bella is preparing the costumes this time. You know how mad she was the last time she didn't get the job. And I prepared a new recipe, I'll make you a sample tonight!" His eyes shine with excitement as he talks about how he'd make different pastries for the kids this time.

And simply listening to him made me smile and momentarily forget my pain. If only there was someone like him to help us when I was in the orphanage.

The annual festival was something all Omegas looked forward to because that was the day the King visited the Town Orphanage where many Omegas who lost their family and wealth in the war, reside. Some Omegas stay there simply because living amongst the Betas can be difficult since a majority of them were assholes. Omegas from around the world come to visit our town and it's a whole festival where every member contributes and celebrates. But I've never had a memorable experience in this town and I don't find joy in this one-day pretense after which the Omegas are still abused and mistreated. 

Luke understands my views and knows the facts but he still enjoys little things in life unlike me, so he volunteered and makes loads of sweets for the omega children. This was also an event that brought huge profit to his bakery so he would go there to help his mom anyways.

So after he leaves to do his volunteer work, I take my chance and visit the library. It was a part of our school but since it was the biggest library in the town, it was open to everyone. 

I walk into the quiet corridors of the library and go to the history section and look at the books I need. There's almost no book that would tell you about the Alphas and their history. It was as though they had erased even the memory of their existence but I needed it. Even a tad bit of information was crucial at this point. 

That's when my eyes fell on a familiar black book behind a few books but this one looked brand new. The outside was familiar but the inside was new. Was this another part of the book? Interesting. 

I quickly brought all the books to the counter and borrowed them, immediately making my way out so I could reach home and continue my research in peace.

As I passed through the school hallway, I heard a bunch of students laughing but I ignored them and walked up to the door and that was when the black book was snatched from my arms.

"I thought the puppy you carried around was the nerd, since when did you become one?" Jack smirks at me and his friends laugh as if he's the biggest clown they've ever seen. 

I close my eyes as anger spikes me but I huff and hold back my twitching arm.

Mindy giggles, "If she's going to be friends with people like him, you can't expect any different, babe." And she pushes the rest of the books down and her eyes study the flipped open page. "Mate bonding?" Her eyes snap back to me and there's a sudden silence.

This has just gotten way worse than I expected. 

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I wanna spoil the next chapter so badly but I won't...gotta wait for it...😶

~SN~