Amelia POVTension lingers in the air like a fog that refuses to lift. My heart is still pounding, but it’s quieter now, the adrenaline slowly fading as I stand on the balcony beside Lucas. The cool night air brushes against my skin, calming, but I can’t shake the heavy feeling in my chest. Even after I sliped out of Lucas’s arm, the warmth of his body quickly replaced by the coolness of the evening.I steal a glance at him, his face unreadable. The calm, collected Lucas everyone sees, and yet... I know there’s more to him than what he shows. I’ve seen glimpses of it, in the moments we’ve shared, in the way he was so quick to defend me tonight.Snow is pacing inside me, her energy restless. “That idiot,” she growls, referring to Ethan. “He has some nerve.”I nod silently, agreeing with her. My emotions are a tangled mess, and part of me wants to scream at Ethan, to make him understand that he doesn’t get to control me anymore. But there’s another part of me, a part that aches—a part t
Ethan's POVI storm away from the crowd, the laughter and music of my coronation party fading behind me. But I couldn’t care less about the celebration. It should have been a moment of triumph—becoming Alpha—but the only thing I can think about is the sight of Lucas’s arms wrapped around her. Around Amelia. My Amelia.My fists clench at my sides, and Magnus is pacing in my mind, his growl rumbling louder with each passing second.“I told you,” Magnus snaps, his voice thick with frustration. “You should have never rejected her. She’s our mate. You can feel it, can’t you? You went against the mate bond, and now, she’s with Lucas.”I grit my teeth, pushing open the doors of the packhouse and stalking through the halls. “I know,” I mutter under my breath, trying to silence Magnus, but his rage mirrors my own. The memory of Lucas holding her, the way her body fit against his... it’s like a thorn in my side that I can’t pull out.“You made the wrong choice,” Magnus growls again, his voice l
Amelia’s POVThe engine hums quietly beneath me as Lucas’s car glides smoothly down the narrow, tree-lined road leading away from my pack’s territory. I sit in the passenger seat, staring out the window, watching as the dense trees blur together like shadows. Each mile we travel feels like another step further from everything I’ve ever known—my home, my life, and... Ethan.I lean my head against the cool glass, my thoughts spiraling. I hadn’t expected to leave so soon. Just yesterday, I was standing in that ballroom, the weight of Ethan’s words pressing on me like a storm. She’s my mate. Those three words keep echoing in my mind, stirring up emotions I’ve been trying to bury.“He rejected us,” Snow growls in the back of my mind, her voice sharp with bitterness. “He had his chance, and now look where we are. Stop thinking about him, Amelia. We belong to Lucas now.”I clench my fists in my lap, the fabric of my dress crumpling beneath my fingers. “It’s not that simple, Snow,” I whisper,
Amelia’s POVThe tires crunched against the gravel as Lucas’s car slowed to a stop. I lifted my eyes from the floorboard and found myself staring in disbelief. Before us stood the castle—Lucas’s home, his kingdom, and the place I would soon call mine.To say it was massive, is an understatement.I had expected grandeur. Lucas was a crown prince, after all, and I knew royalty came with all the extravagance I’d read about in history books, but seeing it… witnessing it firsthand was something else entirely. The castle loomed before us, its tall spires reaching into the sky, casting long shadows over the vast, open plains that stretched for what seemed like miles. The stone walls glistened under the afternoon sun, ancient and yet timeless in their architecture. Every inch of the structure spoke of power, legacy, and wealth—far more than I’d ever imagined.“Impressive, isn’t it?” Lucas’s voice broke through my daze. He glanced over at me, his lips curving into a soft smile. There was a hin
Amelia’s POVThe council chamber felt colder, heavier, after Queen Larissa’s abrupt exit. Her biting words still echoed in my mind, each one carving a deeper hole in my self-worth. A rejected she-wolf... That’s what she saw in me—someone who wasn’t worthy of her son or this kingdom. The weight of the council’s gaze pressed down on me like a physical force, and I fought to keep my expression calm, even as my heart raced with uncertainty.Lucas, ever composed, stepped forward and addressed the council. “This marriage is not just a personal union, but one that benefits us all. Amelia will be a strong Luna, and together, we will secure the future of this kingdom.”His words were confident, meant to reassure the council, but I could see the flickers of doubt on some of their faces. A few exchanged wary glances, clearly unsettled by Larissa’s outburst. King Luther, however, stood firmly by his son’s side, his eyes scanning the room as he gave a slight nod of approval. “This union has my ful
Lucas’s POVThe way Amelia’s eyes widened, clutching the towel tightly around her body, was almost too good to resist. I knew I probably shouldn’t be enjoying this, but something about her vulnerability made me want to tease her. It wasn’t just amusement though—there was a deep-rooted attraction pulling me closer to her.Titan stirred within me, sensing the same thing. She’s ours, Lucas, he rumbled, his voice a low growl. You need to claim her fully.Not yet, I reminded him. We’re not rushing this.Amelia was still staring at me, clearly mortified. “Lucas,” she stammered, her cheeks flushed. “You can’t just walk in like that!”I raised an eyebrow, suppressing the smirk that wanted to creep back onto my face. “This is my room too, Amelia. You’ll have to get used to it.”Her lips parted slightly in shock, and for a moment, she seemed unsure of how to respond. It wasn’t exactly a lie—we were bound by this contract, and sharing a space was part of that. But I knew what was really botherin
Amelia’s POVThe door clicked shut, and I immediately let out a breath I didn’t even realize I was holding. Relief washed over me like a cool breeze, though my heart still raced in my chest. The look in Lucas’s eyes before he left—the heat, the hunger—it sent shivers down my spine, and I wasn’t sure whether it was from fear or something else entirely.I wrapped the towel tighter around me, and I look at the bundle in my hand, I mentally cursed myself for forgetting to take them into the bathroom. Idiot, I scolded myself. Now, I’d basically paraded half-naked in front of him. I could still feel the weight of his gaze on me, the way his eyes had lingered just a little too long.Snow, my wolf, stirred lazily in my mind, clearly amused. “He couldn’t take his eyes off you. And you noticed it too.”“Shut up,” I muttered back, feeling the blush rise on my cheeks as I grabbed my underwear from the drawer. Snow’s teasing was the last thing I needed right now.” It’s a contract marriage, nothing
I let out a deep sigh as soon as I ended the call with Ivy. Talking to her always made me feel better, but I couldn’t shake the tension still clinging to me. My stomach growled loudly, reminding me I hadn’t eaten since I arrived. Maybe that's why I was feeling so off.Snow chimed in, her voice echoing in my mind. "You’ve been so wrapped up in everything—Lucas, Ivy, Ethan—that you forgot to feed us."I rolled my eyes but couldn’t help the smile. “Yeah, thanks for the reminder.”I decided to venture out of my chambers and find something to eat. After a long shower, I had slipped into something comfortable—blue jeans, white sneakers, and a white t-shirt. Nothing fancy, but definitely better for wandering around unfamiliar territory.As I stepped into the hallway, the sheer size of the castle hit me again. The corridors seemed to stretch forever, and the ceilings were ridiculously high. I found myself walking past numerous doors and staircases, each leading somewhere unknown. It was hard