AMELIAClutching on to the cold bar, I desperately pleaded with the guard standing by my cell, "Let me out! Why are you keeping me here?" My words fell on deaf ears, and the other prisoners making a run for the exit door seemed to mock my desperation.The ceiling vibrated with the sounds of hurried footsteps and distant screams. I looked up at the ceiling, as it seemed it would give way at any moment, but it didn't. Panic coursed through my veins at the uncertainty of what was going on or what was going to happen to me. He said I was his mate, yet he decided to keep me locked up in here. I knew he wasn't my mate; he was just a liar.As the commotion escalated, I pressed against the iron bars, "Please, you have to tell me what's going on!"The guard's stern look wavered for a moment, but he refused to meet my gaze. He either didn't know or he didn't want to speak to me. Frustration bubbled within me at his silence. I gritted my teeth, closing my eyes and opening it as I furrowed my b
AMELIAMy world crumbled around me, fear etched deep lines on my face as I tried to make sense of what had happened here. I was only a maid in the mansion, so why was my presence needed here?I staggered back, terrified, as I collided with the red hair. He held my hand, pushing me forward forcefully."Don't fucking lay your dirty hands on her!" Zayn yelled at him, struggling to break free. Why was he suddenly acting like he cared about me? Dirty hands? I remembered he had once called my hands dirty. I was certain his words had nothing to do with me. It was his ego speaking, his desire to claim ownership over me as his mate.Where was his girlfriend? Perhaps she didn't spend the night like she normally would whenever she visited. A lucky day for her. "Enzo, be gentle," Atlas ordered, his gaze piercing through me to the man grabbing my hand from behind. Enzo raised his hands mockingly, a twisted smile playing on his lips as he walked to the side of the room."You killed Alpha Hector?
ATLASAs Amelia’s consciousness faded away, I watched her body fall into Enzo’s grasp as he carried her over his shoulder.“What the hell are you going to do to her?” Zayn asked as Enzo carried Amelia out of the office. “She is my mate now. I can do whatever I deem fit.”“Please, she doesn’t deserve any of this, and neither do I.” his desperate plea hung in the air, but I felt nothing for him. “Please spare me. My father was the one who attacked your pack, not me.” His eyes bore into mine, but I remained silent.Standing up from the chair, I gave a subtle nod to my men, a silent command that they knew too well. As I left the room, walking out of the mansion, the cool night air greeted me. The air was cool against my skin as I stepped out of the mansion. The moon hung in the sky, shining a white light over the land. I gazed at it with a blank stare, my expression disguising the thoughts swirling within.Inwardly, a quiet satisfaction swelled my heart. Alpha Hector, the obstacle tha
ATLAS The drive back to our pack's territory stretched into the next night. It would have taken another night, but Enzo’s focus was solely on the road. He only stopped briefly to get gas.I tried to stay awake, but sleep soon claimed me during the journey, and I awoke to the sound of Enzo’s voice calling out to me. I opened my eyes slowly staring at Enzo, “We have arrived Alpha,” Enzo informed me.Glancing out the window as we approached, the pack awaited our arrival, lining up along the path. They threw roses our way, a silent tribute to our return. I couldn’t hear their voices due to the car window and the rumbling sound of the engine, but from the joy and excitement in their eyes, I could tell that news of our victory had gotten to their ears.In that moment, I inhaled deeply, pleased that I had been the one to put an end to everything and to give us the freedom we deserved. For years, the Midnight Crescent pack had painted us as the black sheep. Alpha Hector made us look evil
AMELIA My heart raced as I followed the maids through the grand corridors of the mansion. My eyes absorbed the details of the mansion’s interior, off white colors adorned the walls.It was nothing like Alpha Hector’s mansion, which looked old. There was a big painting of Atlas and what seem to be his family hanging on the wall with other unusual paintings.I trailed behind the maids, my mind clouded by what Atlas had said in the car. The Blood Moon pack? Was he really serious? He was the Alpha of the Blood Moon pack? But the pack had seized to exist years ago. After the war, rumors were circulating of the end of the pack. Even though some people still identified under the pack, over time, people feared to even mention the pack's name in public.Was he saying the truth, or he only said that to scare me? But if he was speaking the truth, what would that mean for me, Midnight Crescent pack had been the one who started the war against them.Would I be safe here? I needed to get out of
AMELIA How was I supposed to know the answer to that question? They had brought here me against my will. I never asked to be here, yet here I am, confronted by this woman. "Who are you to, Atlas?" I mustered the courage to throw her question back to her. I thought she and Atlas were close, but it seemed they weren't, because why would she have come to ask me such a question instead of speaking to Atlas directly?Maybe she knew who I was and only came here to taunt me. The woman's eyes flicker with amusement at my question. "How dare you call the Alpha by his name?" She yelled at me.I stared at her, not giving her an answer. He was their alpha, not mine. I would never address him as my alpha. My silence seemed to irk her, and her tone only got louder. "Can't you speak? Are you deaf?" She asked, dropping her hands to the side as it curled into a fist. She took a step closer, and I knew her intentions now were either to force me to speak or to attack me, but before the tension co
AMELIAI paced the room once Atlas left, trying to figure out my next course of action. With a reluctant sigh, I decided to attend the banquet. It was the only option I had right now. I walked over to the bed, pulling the rope Ethel had told me to pull if I needed her. I pulled it twice and stood by the bed, waiting patiently for her to appear. It didn’t take long when a knock fell on the door as Ethel entered with a respectful nod. “I saw the light flash. Is there anything you need?” She asked, looking at me.“I will be attending the banquet,” I said in a low voice, not certain if I was making the right choice. “Oh, that is lovely. Why don’t you freshen up while I arrange what you will wear?” Ethel smiled, going to the wardrobe while I stepped into the bathroom. As I stepped into the bathroom, I felt the cold tiles beneath my feet. Stripping away my clothes, I placed them into the empty basket.Turning on the shower, I grabbed the bottle of shampoo, applied it to my hair, and was
AMELIAThe unexpected touch made me tense, his head suddenly buried into my neck, making me feel his hot breath as my lips parted.I turned to find Atlas standing behind me, his eyes locking onto mine. He had a mask on; the mask concealed part of his face, but I knew it was him. I could never miss those golden eyes. His gaze sent a chill down my spine, and I felt an unusual feeling rising inside me, an uneasy knot tightening in my stomach as his gaze held mine.Despite the discomfort, I found myself oddly captivated by his presence.“I prefer to keep my clothes intact, thank you,” I replied, attempting to sound composed despite the unsettling situation. Atlas chuckled as he held my waist and pulled me closer to him.“Such a spirit,” he said, his lips curling into a half-smile. “But don’t worry, I won’t ruin this beautiful dress. We have a banquet to attend, after all.”“Is that what you do before every banquet?” Why was I asking him this? I groaned inwardly. It was not my business if
AMELIA My heart swells with pride and joy as I hug Atlas tightly. I can't believe that he was chosen as the Alpha King. In a way, I dreamt of him being the Alpha King but I was also accepting if he came home otherwise. It all didn't matter to me but this is a testament to his strength, courage, and leadership qualities. He is a good leader who always puts his pack first and I know he will do well to protect his pack and other packs at large. "I'm so proud of you," I whisper this time, my voice thick with emotion. "You're going to do great." He smiles down at me, his eyes filled with love and admiration. "Thank you, my love," he says. "I couldn't have done it without you, so 'We' are going to do great." He gently cups my face in his hands and leans in to kiss me. The kiss is slow yet passionate and filled with all the love and longing we have been feeling for each other during our time apart. When we finally pull away, I can't help but smile. "I love you, Atlas." "I love you," h
_TWO WEEKS LATER_AMELIAI roll over in bed, waking up to the sunlight streaming through the window and casting a warm glow across the room. I stretch and yawn, then roll over to check my phone on the bedside table. There is a message from Atlas.[Good morning, beautiful. Miss you tons here. Another day closer to seeing you. :)]My heart skips a beat as I read his words. It has been two weeks since he left for the Alpha King Chosen Games, and I miss him more than anything. We have been communicating constantly over the phone, but it isn't the same as being with him in person.To think he just got back after being away and now we have to talk over the phone again, I just hope this doesn't become a constant thing. I get out of bed and walk over to the window, looking out at the forest below. The trees are still bare, but I can see the first hints of spring in the air. I wonder what Atlas is doing at that moment. Is he training? Is he competing in one of the challenges? Is he thinking a
~ONE WEEKS LATER ~ATLASIt has been one week since Amelia's mother died, by rites we had to conduct the burial two days later but the burial was shifted to today because Amelia wanted her mother to be cremated.In her words, she doesn't want anyone to be able to use her mother's body ever again. I know her mother's death took a toll on her, so I made sure to keep the burial within the mansion.We stand by her mother's body watching it burn into ashes, Amelia sobs silently in my embrace. She has barely said a full sentence over the past few days, as long as she eats and allows me to comfort her I do not bother her about talking. I understand the pain she must be going through, to lose someone yet again, and this time right before your own eyes knowing you could have saved them if you knew sooner. In a way, she blames Griffin. I saw it in her eyes when we left the room as she cried out in my arms. She blames him for keeping her out of their plans for years and she blames herself more
AMELIA"Don't be, my child," my mother whispers, her voice barely above a whisper. "It's not your fault."I shake my head, tears streaming down my face. "But it is," I sob. "I should have been there for you, I should have protected you."If I had not been so naive, if I had been more observant then maybe I would have seen that her death wasn't real. Maybe I would have picked up on her closeness with Griffin and why? I squeeze her hand tightly not wanting to let go of her, tears streaming down my eyes uncontrollably."You couldn't have known," she says softly. "This was meant to happen.""No, it wasn't," I argue. "You didn't deserve this." The Alpha King did this to her, and I am grateful he is dead now but I can't lose her, I can't lose her again. She needs to fight this and stay with me."I know, my sweet," she says. "But it's too late now and we must accept our fate."I grip her hand tightly, refusing to let go. "No, it's not too late," I say fiercely. "I'll find a way to save you.
AMELIAAfter Atlas leaves, I close my eyes hoping to fall asleep but my eyes open at the sound of a knock on the door. I tilt my head slightly to find Griffin by the door with a grin on his face, he steps in and closes the door behind him."Hey," he says walking towards the bed. "I thought to come and check on you after what I heard happened to you."I straighten up on the bed pulling the duvet over my chest, "Atlas told you?" I ask wondering how he knew I was in Atlas room. He shakes his head in a sign of No, "I have my ways Amelia, the only issue I am having currently is getting into your head," he replies grabbing a chair in the corner of the room and placing it next to the bed. His eyes fall on the table broken into pieces by the side of the room as he takes his seat, he smirks at the sight of it and turns his gaze to me. "What have your beloved mate been up to?" He asks. "I thought he would have died by now but turns out he has been able to hold on for a little longer."My eye
ATLAS I get up from the bed reluctantly, my mind filled with worry and uncertainty. As I walk down the corridors of the packhouse towards the living room, I mind-link one of the guards to get me Ophelia but I find her in the living room discussing with one of the guards. "Alpha," she turns around sensing my presence, and bows her head. "I was discussing with the guard to watch over our Luna, I suspected that you might be tired from the journey," she says a hint of concern in her voice."I need to talk to you about something," I reply, my voice filled with urgency as I raise my hand in the air waving the guard off. The guard bows his head and excuses us."Something is happening to me, something strange," I admit to her going to sit down on one of the couches, she follows behind and takes a seat opposite me. Ophelia's eyes narrow as she studies me, sensing the gravity of my words. "What is it?" she asks.Taking a deep breath, I begin to explain everything that has been happening. The
ATLASShe responds eagerly, her arms wrapping around my neck. It is a kiss filled with passion and longing. As we break apart, I gaze into her eyes, seeing the love and trust reflecting on me.She sits up and leans closer to me wrapping her hand around my waist and pulling me closer to her, a smirk falls on my face watching what she is doing. She places her head on my chest snuggling in, "You feel so warm," she mutters.I place my hand to her shoulder pushing her off slowly away from me. She raises an eyebrow at me with a questioning look but her eyes soon soften when she sees me getting in bed with her. Pulling her closer to me she snuggles in closer to me again resting her head on my chest as I wrap my hand around her.My hand suddenly trembles on her, I raise it to look at my hand feeling the darkness consuming me again, she raises her head to look at me wondering what's wrong. As her eyes meet mine, her lips part, "your eyes," she says sitting up straight. "It's red." I nod agr
ATLASI stare at her neck yanking her hair further back as she swallows in, her eyes flickering with fear at what I am about to do to her.Placing the silver blade to her neck, a knock suddenly falls on the door. I stare at Easton, and he nods going to check who dared to interrupt us. Easton opens the door slightly making me unable to see who is on the other side but I don't miss the words of the woman behind the door. "Ophelia asked me to inform the Alpha that our Luna is awake."My hardened gaze softens at the realization that Ophelia was able to keep her alive. I let go of Nicole's hair, she breathes out relief washing over her face. "Take care of them," I instruct Easton, gesturing the silver blades toward Zayn and Nicole. "A slow death."Easton nods, "Yes, Alpha."I rush out of the cell following the woman back to my room, my heart pounding with a mix of anticipation and fear. As I enter, I see Ophelia and the other witches by her bedside. "She is better now but will take awhi
ATLASEaston quickly nods and rushes out of the room to carry out my orders. I can sense the fear emanating from him, knowing that he has let me down in the worst possible way. I turn my attention back to Amelia, my heart aching with every passing second. Her breathing is shallow, and I can see the struggle on her face. It's as if time has slowed down, and the weight of the world rests on my shoulders.I lean closer to her, "I am right here, Wildcat," I say aloud hoping she can hear me.I can feel the connection between us vibrating with energy as if begging her to hold on, to fight. I pour every ounce of love and strength I have into the bond, hoping that it will somehow reach her and ignite a spark of hope within her.Minutes turn into hours, and I refuse to leave her side. I whisper words of encouragement, recounting the moments we've shared, reminding her of the love that we shared. But still, there is no response.I decide to freshen up, I reek of blood and sweat and if she wake