CHAPTER ONE

Amelies’ POV 

Bad dreams.

I couldn't keep count anymore. Maybe fifteen, twenty or twenty-five, I didn't know. But the one thing I knew for sure was that they always accompany my sleep.

And today isn't an exception either. My breath became normal and my heart-beat seemed to be steady as I ground my ass on the bed. 

But my neck is something else. I rubbed with my palm to relieve the pain. And I always feel like this whenever I wake up, my neck sending pains through the rest of the entire body. Like I was strangled in a bad dream. 

Again, as expected, he is nowhere to be found. His side of the bed is untouched. Nobody ever laid on it. 

Artemis is the name of the man I'm talking about but his employees called him boss. But most importantly, he is the man I called husband even though he no longer deserves that title. And I have no choice but to call him husband because I was worth more in being married to him, than being enslaved to my adopted parents. 

Things weren't like this. At least not until after two years of being married to him. He used to be the loving mate with all the gifts I got, but everything changed a couple of months back. And I suspect it's because I haven't gotten pregnant yet. 

I let myself in the shower. It's the first thing I do in the morning. The water always feels good on my body. Seeing the drops roll and slide down the scars I acquired from the years of slavery at Summersile park, it feels like my misery has gone with it. Except this isn't Summersile anymore. 

Waterfall was a different place but it had one thing in common with Summersile— my previous park.

Misery. 

The two parks gave different treatment but my life was still miserable at both. 

I slumped my regular blue gown after scowling at the reflection which had two green eyes that are too big for the face to hold. And breakfast is all I could think of. 

The huge and carefully decorated mansion we lived in was silent as I walked down the staircase, the golden handrail sending its cold through to my palm. 

"Morning miss," Tobias, the guy dressed in a white top and a black trousers, greeted. He is always the first I saw whenever I came downstairs but for some unknown reason, he was standing alone. 

I nodded in acknowledgement but the greetings still didn't stop my curiosity. 

Well, to set the record straight, our mansion—not my mansion to be specific but since I'm married to the man who owned it, it's also considered mine—was always busy. There were butlers coming and going with files. Others are made to attend to needs within the mansion. There were also cooks, who I couldn't put a number on. 

Now you get the gist when I said the place is busy but for some inexplicable reason, everyone but Tobias seemed to have disappeared.

Yes. disappeared is what would best describe the situation. 

"Where are the rest?" I asked, glancing at the once busy area. My eyes stared at Tobias who appeared to be figuring his next words. 

Something that is not telling me.

Well, I was soon to find out, and the weird look on his face made me uneasy. A handsome man in his respect but the thought of falling for him dared not cross my mind. 

"The boss called everyone about an hour ago," he said. 

I nodded, but that still didn't answer my curiosity. I strolled towards the dining area. Maybe he was dishing out instructions on how to run the place, what to do and not do. Who to let in and not let in. 

But the dinning was empty when I pushed the door open. And my breakfast…not served. 

Strange. 

But strange didn't even capture the situation when I found Tobias. He must spill the whole story out or risk being fired. 

"You have to start talking if you don't want to get kicked out," I threatened. 

I hate to sound like a jerk, and I hate to speak with such a harsh tone, especially to Tobias who has always been nice. But I must step on toes or get under some nerves sometimes. I got things done that way. Not bad. 

And the man I  gave that tone turned to my direction. His eyes lowered to the ground. Not that he was shy. No. Tobias wasn't the shy type. It's just a rule to not talk to the 'Misus' that way. 

"Sorry, I should have informed you earlier. The boss received a call from the company. Apparently, there are some emergency situations that require his attention," he explained. 

Sensible. Now I got the story, but did everyone have to go attend to the emergency? 

That, I couldn't figure out. 

"And the rest of your colleagues, are they also attending to this so-called emergency of a thing?" my tone was between taunting and mocking but I needed to know. 

"Well, Arla called them after the boss left," he answered. 

I nodded. 

You probably might be wondering who the hell is Arla?

To put it simple, she is the girl who made my life a living hell. My torture brought her pleasure and this is all because my marriage to Artemis made her a second fiddle. 

Her father, the alpha of the Red moon park, sought some alliance with Artemis, the man who would stop at nothing to expand his empire. 

So marrying Arla would be the best way to secure such an alliance but I came into the picture, putting all their hard work into ruin. 

Painful isn't it? 

Yes. I understood why she hated the bitch who made Artemis move her out of the mansion. She now stayed at a small building left to our mansion since it would be bad to have her living under our roof. And Waterfall—our park—had enough space for all. 

I contemplated going to see for myself but I must change to something decent. I've been to the company a few times, and trust me when I say the guys over there are crazy. The continuous stare I got made me uneasy and I wondered what sort of employees would be staring at the boss' wife. 

I ran upstairs to put on something. And I dashed back with a blue skirt that reached just below the knee and a blue top. 

Perfect for the typical secretary. 

"Excuse me. Excuse me, You can't go out there!" Tobias shoved      himself before me when I strolled towards the entrance door. I needed to see my mate. I didn't give a damn about the so-called emergency. I wanted to ask the reason for his attitude. The morning breakfast we used to discuss over was no more and he finds it difficult to entertain my presence when he is around. 

I understood I haven't gotten pregnant since we got married three years ago and he is pissed because of that. I couldn't help but talk things out with him. And Tobias was getting under my nerves. Maybe he wants to get fired.

"Why?" I growled, pissed that he was already a thorn on my skin this early. I had awakened from a terrible nightmare in which I got strangled and the least I wanted was some annoyance. 

He cleared his throat. "The boss gave the orders,"

What? Is he kidding or what? The boss gave the orders for a house arrest?

"What do you mean? Am I under house arrest?" I grumbled. 

But Tobias still would not allow me when I moved to the left and attempted to swing the door open. He shoved himself forward and we shared some breath.

Nice and sweet smell. But he was about to get fired with the stunt he just pulled. 

"Step aside, Tobias," I ordered. And I guess he quivered with the little twitch I saw on his lips. My wolf snarled but I managed to keep it down. I had turned eighteen, a few days before I got married off. And my wolf is now active as expected but it didn't help the attitude I got from a man who was supposed to behave like a mate and husband.

"I'm sorry miss, I can't let you go. The boss would kill me for that. I'm just following orders, I hope you understand," he pleaded. 

I totally got the point. Tobias wouldn't dare disobey his boss. His head would roll instantly, like the Iris, the previous Beta he had killed for too many failures. I got it. Tobias was trying to save his head and I strolled to find my seat in a corner. My mind wondered what the hell was going on but I couldn't conjure up anything.

Nothing. 

Maybe the company losing money.  Not plausible considering the wealthy shareholders who sat on its board. 

Did something else happen?  Did I do anything wrong the previous day? 

Again nothing. 

All I remembered from the previous day was the little conversation we had, which I had struggled to get considering he didn't want to see me. But it ended abruptly when he got a call, a call he did hesitate to pick at first. And found his way out when I heard a shrill voice on the other end. 

Arla. 

I sat for almost an hour, pondering on so many possibilities but my thoughts drifted when the entrance door swung open. 

My worst nightmare.

The least person I expected strolled in and at that moment, I knew my woes just got started.