Chapter 3 I will love and care for you

She shook her head, too stunned to speak. So overwhelming was his presence, so deeply did he stare into her eyes, it felt like no one had ever seen her before. In her soul, the mate bond tugged stronger and deeper than she'd ever known. This man-this powerful, protective Alpha-was her second chance mate.

He reached out a hand, his voice low and soft but resolute. "Come with me. You're safe now."

Amelia hesitated, her eyes turning backward on the path from whence she had come, but there was nothing left for her in that direction. Reaching out, she took his hand in hers, and the feel of it was warmth enough to melt the icy despair that had frozen her heart.

Out of the window, the landscape was one blurry view as Amelia sat in the Alpha's car, her mind still reeling with the events that had taken place. The cold of the forest and the terror of the ambush began to wear off, replaced by this foreign warmth seeping from her heart. She looked sideways at her rescuer-Alpha Kaelan of the Shadow Moon Pack. Firm hands grasped the wheel, his jaw clamped in a protective determination.

The ride was silent, save for the soft hum of the engine. She found herself stealing glances at him, this man of mystery who'd saved her life without hesitation. There was something about him, a strength, a presence that gave her a comfort she hadn't felt in years. It was strange, but sitting beside him, Amelia felt safe.

As they pulled up to the packhouse, Kaelan pulled into a parking space, turned to her, and said, his voice softening, "You'll be safe here, Amelia. I give you my word." His voice was low and soothing, a rumble filled with conviction.

She nodded, her voice catching on a whisper. "Thank you. I don't know how I can ever repay you."

"Just focus on healing," he replied. "You've been through enough."

Kaelan ushered her inside the packhouse, an imposing but impressive structure in dark timber and stone. The warmth from inside-from the fireplace and also the friendly hum of pack members greeting her-made Amelia feel weirdly warm inside. It was a homey welcome, something she had never experienced within her own pack.

For the first time in her life, Amelia felt as though she was part of something.

Days passed, and Kaelan kept his word: he was kind with her, respectful, and gentle in ways she had never known existed. Every morning, he'd check on her, make sure she had all she needed, while the members of the pack treated her like one of their own. They would share meals and laugh so easily; even Kaelan's Beta, Ethan, and his sister, Lila, being the especially warm inclusions into their circle by way of making her feel comfortable.

Amelia found herself smiling again-a sight that had long faded in the Silver Fang Pack. She passed her days playing in the untroubled woodlands that lay around the packhouse and occasionally sparring with Lila and Ethan to strengthen herself. They joked and laughed at her and urged her on-the dark of her past falling away piece by piece before a brilliant new future.

But often enough, she got Kaelan staring back at her, his silver eyes filled with something she couldn't quite place. What was real, though, was them-the bond between them, a pair of magnets each time they talked or even passed by each other. That was a silent understanding, the connection that told her they were supposed to be. For the first time, Amelia dared to hope for a future with him.

Meanwhile, miles away, Caroline sat fuming in her posh room. A rogue stood before her with his head hung low. "You had one job," she spat, her eyes flashing with anger. "One job, and you failed.

The rogue shifted uncomfortably. "He was. too strong. The Alpha of the Shadow Moon Pack appeared out of nowhere and took her away.

Caroline's lip curled in disgust. "Then why didn't you kill him, too? I paid you to get rid of Amelia, not let her escape into the arms of another Alpha!"

The rogue shrank under her anger, but he knew better than to defend himself. "He was too powerful, Luna. We didn't stand a chance.

The fury bubbled inside Caroline, her mind racing. The fact that Amelia was alive was a burner, but knowing she was alive and living under the protection of such a powerful and influential Alpha, like Kaelan, made her blood boil. Caroline had thought she'd crushed Amelia's spirit once and for all. Here she was, rising like a phoenix, now at the hands of an Alpha so much more potent than Jackson.

She clenched her fists as her mind went to work quickly on how she could recover from this. So Amelia thought she could escape and live happily ever after. Well, she was terribly wrong.

The door burst open just then and Jackson entered, his face dark with anger. "So, the rumors are true? Amelia is alive and now living under protection from Kaelan?

She nodded, her lips twisting. "Yeah, it seems like Kaelan was some sort of savior against the rogues and took her to his pack. Jackson's jaw clenched, and his eyes flared with jealousy and rage. "How dare she. First, she runs away from my pack, and now she's trying to make a life with another Alpha?" The words spat out of him were laced with possessive anger. "She was supposed to be mine. No one else's." Caroline smirked, an idea slowly forming in her mind. "Then why don't we take that happiness away from her? Jackson's brow rose. "What do you have in mind?" 

A wicked grin oozed onto Caroline's face. "Let's find a way to manipulate her. Amelia is trusting and naive. All it will take is a well-placed lie or a few rumors to shatter her new happiness. And if we can drive a wedge between her and Kaelan, she'll come crawling back, broken and humiliated.

A mirrored grin appeared on Jackson's face. "I like the sound of that. She's dared to defy us, to think she might get away from our grasp. Let's remind her she will never be free."

And with that, they conspired, plotting something that would destroy Amelia's new life. Weeks become months, and Amelia settled into the rhythm of her days within the Shadow Moon Pack. Mornings would find her regularly training first with Lila, then Ethan, while afternoon quiet and long walks in the forest with Kaelan were common. She had never felt this happy in her entire life-pure, untainted by fear or judgment.

But happiness wasn't all that had blossomed between them. There were the times-her eyes meeting his, the accidental touches-that she emerged from breathless, her cheeks flushed. Kaelan was there, constant-a stabilizing influence that she found herself reaching out for a little more each day.

One evening, they took a walk together along the edge of a lake. The setting sun gave the water a hue of orange. Kaelan stopped and fixed his gaze on her. "Amelia," he began at once in a soft tone of voice. "You needn't say a word if you don't want to, but. I know you have gone through some heavy stuff. I need to let you know that I'm here to listen.

His words stirred something deep inside her. She took a shaky breath, the weight of her past pressing down. "Thank you, Kaelan. I… I don't know if I'll ever be able to tell you everything. But just knowing that you're here, that I have someone I can trust… it means more than you'll ever know. 

His hand reached out and gently moved a stray strand of hair from her face. "Amelia, you're so much stronger than you give yourself credit for. Whatever you've gone through, that doesn't define you-you are so much more than your pain.".

In a split second, their eyes met, and Amelia knew at this moment she could finally breathe. It was as though her past had finally melted away, the weight falling from her shoulders, along with the darkness of Jackson and Caroline's betrayal. For a brief moment, she felt her broken heart healing. And yet, even now, shadows still remain.

Meanwhile, back at the Silver Fang Pack, Caroline and Jackson put their plan into action.