Chapter Fifteen

There was a moment of pause as Layton swallowed his mouthful, and put his fork down. He pushed me away slightly, so there was a gap between us – he liked me dead in the eye. His face was as blank as it always was; unreadable, he had the look mastered.

"What did you say?" he asked, calmly. His green eyes piercing my face with a look of pure concentration. I swallowed deeply, hoping I wasn't making a mistake.

"I love you" I whispered, biting my bottom lip nervously. At my words, Layton's face lit up. I got that gorgeous smile I loved – the one I dreamed about getting. I chuckled slightly, relieved, before I smiled with him.

Tight, and almost aggressively, he gripped the back of my head and forced my head towards his. The kiss was hot and passionate, and I felt my entire body lit up at the touch of our lips. Growling slightly, Layton lifted me up and set me down so I was straddling him. Instantly, my hands went around his neck, and I deepened the kiss.

Layton pulled back slightly, grinning again. "Say it again" he growled playfully.

"I love you, Layton Vetteriano" I giggled, and he growled again. Snarling in a frisky manner, as we kissed again. Our lips battled, as our bodies pressed up together, and my hands gripped into his hair. I moaned breathlessly, as he picked me up and walked out the kitchen.

My lips were Layton's focus, and he was concentrating so much that he tripped slightly and we tumbled onto the couch. I giggled as I fell on top of Layton's, and he laughed with me. It was the first time I had heard him laugh – it was a deep, husky, sound that made me grin brightly. "I love you" I said again, and then we were kissing again.

Most of the night I spent in Layton's arm – not just making love, but kissing and cuddling. We ended up on the lounge floor, with a blanket over us. We didn't get back from the police station until one in the morning, so it was close to five am when we finally stopped making love.

Layton just continued to kiss me and want more, not that I complained any. Every now and again he would growl at me to 'say it again', and I would and we would have sex. When I finally told Layton I was too tired to go again, he groaned in annoyance but understood.

"It's late" I commented.

"It's early" he replied, and I chuckled slightly through a yawn. I rested my head on his chest, pulling the couch blanket closer around me. "Say it again" he growled. I chuckled, as I turned to look up into his eyes.

"No, because every time I do we end up having sex and I'm exhausted" I chuckled, and Layton smiled softly. He reached up and took a strand of my hair in between his thumb and forefinger, he twirled it softly.

"Layton" I whispered – after a while – and he grunted at me to continue. "You haven't said it back to me. That you love me". I frowned slightly, as my mind suddenly became plagued with thoughts of paranoia about his feelings for me.

Layton paused, pouted his lips slightly, before sighing. "I do – feel like that towards you – but I can't say it to you. The words are too painful, maybe one day when I explain my life to you, you will understand why I can't say it. But I do feel those things towards you, but I just can't ever say them out loud".

I smiled sadly, not understanding what he meant. But, I knew that Layton was a complicated man with a complicated past – so, I didn't question it. "Alright, well I love you" I grinned, and he growled playfully. I leant down and pecked his lips.

I woke up to the feel of being lifted from the lounge floor, and when my eyes opened fully I found myself on my bed. Layton was standing next to his closet, doing a shirt up. "Layton" I whispered, sitting up in the bed. He turned to me, and gave me a small smile.

"You should rest, we had an eventful night" he smirked. He walked over and took a seat next to the bed.

"You've hardly slept" I commented, through a yawn, "come back to bed". I took him hand and pulled it, as I lay back down on the bed.

"I can't, there are police still on the territory and I need to calm the hysteria" he told me. "I'm going to hold a big lunch, for the entire pack, I need you to be beside me. So, I'll come back at about one and get you" he told me. I nodded, and he leaned down and kissed me.

"Love you" I said, as he walked towards the door.

"Don't" he warned, shouting back, "because I'll come back in there and fuck you again, and I have to go to work". I could hear the smile in his voice – and I giggled slightly as I went back to sleep.

An hour or so later, I got up and showered before picking out an outfit. I decided on another dress; knowing that Layton liked it when I wore dresses. I decided on a new dress, that Layton had let me buy online a few weeks back.

It was a light blue, almost pearl coloured, dress which was tight at the top before flaring out at the waist. The stiff pleats had small blue flowers on the bottom, and there was a dark blue bow at the back. I paired it with some small blue kitten heels – which Layton's credit card had also bought for me.

Decided my hair was always curly, I took a straight iron to it. I smiled at my reflection as I nervously twirled by wedding ring. Thinking of Layton, I smiled goofily to myself. Like every other idiot in love. I loved Layton, with all of my heart.

"You look beautiful" Layton said when he returned home – dead on one o'clock, just like he'd said.

"Thank you" I smiled, and he pressed a kiss to the top of my head. He then went to change into a clean shirt, before returning to the lounge. Layton walked over to me, before holding out a black jewellery box to me. I gave him a confused look, but it took it.

Smiling to myself, I opened it. Inside was a beautiful diamond pendant, roughly the size of a pea, on a slim gold chain with a delicate clasp at the back. I gasped, as the diamond caught the light and sent spectrums flying around the room. "Layton, it's beautiful. What's the occasion?"

"No occasion" Layton shrugged, acting almost embarrassed. "I brought it last week, and I was going to give it to you last night. Before all the shit happened. It was going to give to you as a start of our family".

"Our family?" I questioned in confusion.

"We had sex eleven times last night, and not a single time did I use a condom" Layton stated, and I looked at him in shock. I hadn't even noticed, I had been too blinded by the passion and love to even notice. "We're going to start trying for a baby, Gemini. So this is a gift to signify the beginning of our family".

I smiled softly, both nervous and happy, before taking the necklace out the box. Layton helped me fasten it, and I glanced in the mirror with a smile. It sat perfectly on my neck, the diamond dangling against my pale skin. "Thank you, Layton, it is beautiful" I smiled, and kissed him softly.

"We need to have sex as much as possible from now on" Layton said – smiling slightly. I giggled at his joy as he wrapped me up in his arms. He grinned down at me, before placing a kiss on my forehead. "I'm talking like every morning and every night".

"You don't seem very sad about that" I laughed.

"Oh, I'm devastated" he smirked, kissing my lips briefly. "Now, we really should get going". He placed his hand on the lower of my back and led me out the house. Outside, as we walked down to the Pack village, I took a hold of his hands.

"Are the police still here?" I asked; after a minute or so.

"Yeah. They have been investigating the area for the entire night and most of the morning. It's ridiculous, they're going to do all this work to find out it was – in fact – an animal attack. They're wasting money on something I've already told them".

"You lied" I commented.

"I stretched the truth" he shrugged, waving my words away with a flick of his wrist. I chuckled slightly, as we made our way into the restaurant where Layton told the entire Pack to meet – the same place that all the She-Wolves met the last time.

The entire restaurant was buzzing with noise, and people filled the entire room. All the seats were taken – par two – and everyone else was either perching on the tables or standing around. The two seats left, at the head of the restaurant, were for Layton and I. We took a seat on them, and the room feel quiet.

Layton addressed the Pack; speaking of the girl, the police investigation and the importance of staying covert while we have humans in our midst. Layton's powerful voice rung out loudly in the crowded room – such influence and authority in the room that no one dared to talk, cough, sneeze or even breathe too louder.

"Hopefully" Layton continued, "the police will be gone for the Full Moon. If not, I have been in contact with Alpha Jones of the Gresall Pack, and is happy for us to travel up there for the Full Moon. They were happy to accommodate for all of us. So, if by Monday, the police are still here we will head down there".

That was a shock for me – to find out that Layton had arranged for us to travel back up to my old pack. I would see my mother, and my sister and Jacob again. I was both excited and nervous about that. I wanted to see my mother, but her words about not wanting to speak to me rang loud in my mind.

"Now, that concludes the meeting. Please, everyone, Daniel is setting up a barbeque out back. All of you have something to eat and drink, and we'll have another meeting on Monday morning at nine am to discuss if we're going to have to relocate for the Full Moon".

The chatter became loud again, before everyone began to filter out the restaurant and to the back. "There is a chance I could go home?" I asked Layton; shocked he hadn't said something beforehand.

"This is your home, Gemini. It gets me mad when you say shit like that" Layton snapped, glowering at me in displeasure of my words.

"Sorry. I didn't mean it like that". I took his hand and gave it a squeeze, he glanced down at our conjoined hands before raising them to his lips to kiss. "You know I like living here Layton. I love you Layton, and I love living here. You do know that right?"

"I do" he nodded, "I know. And even if you didn't like living here I wouldn't let you leave. You belong to me now, you're mine".

I frowned slightly, "I'm not a possession, Layton; I'm a person". It was odd how comfortable I had become with saying my mind to Layton – I knew he may get angry, but he cared too much to be angry for long.

"I know you're a person" Layton stated, "but you're still my person. You belong to me, just as I belong to you. That's how this works, Gemini. Don't over complicate things by thinking deeply into what I say. You love me, I feel the same. Stop thinking like that". He was irritated with me, so spoke through gritted teeth.

"Alright. I was just saying" I shrugged slightly, before smiling up at him. I kissed his lips softly, before pulling away. "Come on, let's go get something to eat".