_SOME HOURS BACK_AMELIAI quickly scan the kitchen searching for any sign of Axel, but there is no room to hide so how did he just vanish into thin air worst Zayn's minion is also gone like he wasn't there before.My heart races with confusion and disbelief. Was it all just a figment of my imagination? But we just talked to each other and It felt so real.Easton walks towards me confusion etched on his face at the man's current state, "Luna, what happened here? Why are you holding a knife?" Easton asks, concern evident in his eyes as he approaches me cautiously."Did someone try to attack you?" He asks.I lower the knife, my hands still trembling. "I... I don't know. There was a man here, he attacked me, but then Axel... Axel appeared, and... I don't understand."Easton's brows furrow, his expression a mix of worry and confusion. "Axel? Who is Axel? Who tried to attack you?"I shake my head, tears welling up in my eyes. "I don't know what to believe anymore. Everything is so messed u
AMELIAI am grateful the antidote turned out to be effective, it didn't take long after the injured took it that they all started to heal up. They were all grateful for my help and eventually, the witches began to request the recipe as excitement filled the hall.News of our pack turning out victorious against the humans was also announced adding to the excitement.It didn't take long When Easton suggested I go get some rest in my room, I left gladly grateful that it was all over and Atlas was safe and also because I wanted to be alone to see for myself if Axel would show up.As I walk into my room, I close the door behind me securely before reaching into my pocket to bring out the silver pendant and examining it closely. "I am sorry I left so soon," a voice startles me as I gasp looking up to find Axel sitting next to the dresser. He is here. He is real. I am not hallucinating. "I thought it best to clear the mess for you, I didn't mean to make you scared.""H-How? How did you do
AMELIAAtlas enters, concern etched on his face as he surveys the room. His nose flares up like he is sniffing something, he walks into the bathroom and I don't follow him, he soon comes out with a frown on his face. "Amelia, are you all right? I heard shouting."I wipe away my tears, attempting to compose myself but I can't seem to, not after what Axel, Griffin just said to me that we are mates, were mates.I rush to Atlas's side giving him a tight hug as I bust out in tears on his chest. "I... I don't even know what's real anymore."His hand wraps around me, "Was someone in here?" He asks.I shake my head in a sign of no even though I don't want to keep lying to him, I can't bring myself yet to tell him the truth. To tell him that the man in my dreams, is not dead but alive and he is claiming to be my mate or was my mate. This is all too much for me, I cry out so much but Atlas doesn't say anything, he just keeps me secure in his embrace, his hand falling to the back of my head as
ATLASI know he was here, and just like Easton said, I could only perceive his scent but he was nowhere to be found. I wanted to confront her about it but seeing her in tears worried me. Did he say something to her? Or were those tears guilty? I look at her as she lay bare on my chest, last night she had fallen asleep. I decided not to bother her but let her rest, I tried to get some sleep but I could barely close my eyes without my mind being clouded by everything.Will she plan to hurt him? It doesn't make sense even if all the evidence is starting to point towards her.For some odd reason, I can't shake the feeling that he is still lurking in the shadows, watching our every move. I glance at Amelia, her face serene. I can't help but wonder if she wanted me last night because she wanted him to see that she was now mine. I touch a strand of her on her face tucking it behind her ears, she writhes at the feel of my hand on her skin. She pulls the duvet to cover her body as she yawn
ATLAS"What? How do you know?" she asks, her voice trembling with fear and worry."I could smell him, his scent was lingering in the air," I reply, my voice filled with a mix of frustration and concern. "I didn't confront you earlier because I saw you in tears and I didn't want to add to your distress.""I know who he is, he used to go by a fake name, Axel but now he isn't in hiding anymore. His name is Griffin," I continue.Tears continue to stream down her face as she looks at me, her eyes filled with a mixture of guilt and desperation. "Atlas, I... I didn't want to hurt you," she whispers, her voice barely audible.I take a deep breath, trying to steady my emotions. "Amelia, I need you to be honest with me. Why did he come here? What did he say to you?" I ask, my voice tinged with a touch of urgency.She hesitates for a moment, her gaze shifting away from me. "He said that he still loves me, that he made a mistake leaving me all those years ago," she admits, her voice quivering.I
AMELIATears stream down my face as I cry myself to sleep, Atlas's words and actions replaying over and over in my mind. I can't believe he left me all alone in the room, the anger in his eyes is still vivid in my memory. I have never seen him so furious, and I can't blame him entirely. I haven't been able to hide my feelings for Griffin and it had hurt Atlas deeply.I could see it in his eyes.I wake up to the gentle touch of someone caressing my cheek. "Atlas," I murmur, relief washing over me at the thought of him being by my side. He must have needed time to cool off last night after our conversation. But as I open my eyes, my heart sinks as I realize it is Griffin hovering over me."Axel?" I gasp, his presence startling me. I am yet to get used to calling him Griffin. How long has he been there, watching me sleep?His eyes hold a mixture of concern and something I can't quite decipher. "I'm sorry, Amelia. I didn't mean to wake you."I sit up, pulling the covers up to my chest k
AMELIA"Atlas," I call out to him as they leave my room with Griffin, who is barely able to stand on his own two feet from the blows Atlas has swung at him.I dash out of bed once they are out of my room and grab my clothes on the floor from last night, wearing them as quickly as I can. Shit! I cause under my breath when my trouser gets stuck on my leg, I pull it up quickly, my mind racing with what they plan to do with Griffin. If I hadn't intervened in time Atlas would have killed Griffin, I could see it from the look in his eyes but it seems intervening has worsened the situation. Atlas did warn me not to see him and if I did I should reach out to him but I didn't listen to his words and worse he walked in on me kissing Griffin with Easton, Ophelia, and Enzo who doesn't like me. This is all so messed up. As I make my way to the door, I find Ophelia standing outside like she was waiting for me or sensed I would come out. She turns to look at me, her eyes sizing me up and from
ATLASThere are a lot of things I can overlook when it comes to pack affairs but sharing my woman isn't one of them, not only had she disobeyed my orders, but she sat there and allowed him to touch her hand and kiss her. The sight of them so close angered me and those tears in her eyes, they weren't for me but for this bastard, I cursed under my breath as I sat down opposite him. Enzo and Easton had dragged him to the dungeon, they wasted no time in sitting him down and tying him to the chair securely with a red rope one of the witches bounded with spells to keep the bastard from escaping by disappearing. Despite the anguish on Griffin's face from the blows, he manages to grin baring his bloody teeth, and leans back into the chair like this is nothing. His eyes scan the room with just a table in sight containing tools for torture. Tools I will enjoy using on him if he doesn't tell me what I need to know without causing a fuss."You do know this won't hold me in place?" He chuckles
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