THE MEETING

A blast of cold water jolted Amelia from her slumber and she gasped, heaving for air.

“Go and make us breakfast! Now!” Linda's voice came in a loud yell.

Amelia quickly rose to her feet, her body dripping with water. “I - I'm so - sorry.”

“You can't even make a proper speech without stuttering!” Linda hurled the empty bucket at her. “Mom said you should go and make breakfast.”

Amelia looked down at her clothes. “B - but m - my clothes - -”

“Oh my gosh. I've had enough of your stuttering!” Linda cut her off mid-sentence.

“Come here!” She grabbed Amelia's wrist and pulled her along.

“W - wait… Linda, I'll fall.” Amelia pleaded as Linda dragged her down the hall.

“Isn’t it better if you fall? The ground is where you belong after all.” Linda’s lips curled into a smile and Amelia instantly knew what would happen next. Linda let go of her wrist and she slipped on the wet floor.

Linda held her belly as she laughed. “Oh my gosh. You look so pitiful like a heap of trash. I told you the ground looks better on you.”

Tears stung Amelia’s eyes but she dared not let them fall. She winced quietly as she helped herself up. Just then their parents arrived.

Alpha Donovan stared down at Amelia with a scowl on his face. “What are you doing there?”

Linda ran to her father with tears in her eyes. “Father, Amelia, did it again. I told her to make breakfast and she refused. She tried to splash water on me to wake her up but I moved away just in time.”

“She did what?” Donovan's tone rose in fury.

“I knew this trash was up to no good,” Mary turned to her husband. “I told you we need to get rid of her. She will kill my daughter the same way she killed her mother.”

“I won't get rid of Amelia. She might be useless to me but she is still my daughter.” Donovan inched forward and Linda unlinked arms with him.

Amelia didn't shrivel back or cower in fear as he approached her. The first time her father raised his hand on her, she was only 10 and had cried hours after he struck her. Suffering the same fate for 8 years made her get used to the pain.

She shut her eyes, bracing for impact and the slap came, throwing her off her feet to the floor.

“The next time you lay your filthy hands on my daughter, I will kill you.” Donovan warned.

“I’m scared, mommy,” Linda ran to her mother’s side. “What if she comes after me?”

Mary put her arms around her daughter. “She wouldn't dare.”

A whimper escaped Amelia’s lips as she took to her feet.

She hung her head in a low bow and whispered. “I'm sorry.”

“You better be,” Donovan shit back. “In fact, I have the perfect punishment for you, you wench.”

Amelia lifted her head with a gasp, praying it wouldn't be the same punishment as last time but it wasn't. They let her go instead. Paranoia sank in and she looked over her shoulder for the rest of the day in case of any incoming attack.

The following morning, Amelia was the first to wake up.

She made sure the gardens were tended to and made sure the compound was being swept.

A gentle wind brushed past her and she shivered. Her clothes were thin and torn. She decided she would have to mend them after sweeping.

As she swept, she heard an incoming bird whistle. Her heart fluttered as she looked up. It was Vincent.

“Vincent.” She exhaled a sigh of relief.

“Won't you give your best friend a hug?” he spread his arms open for her and she ran into his embrace.

“I've missed you so much, Amelia.” He rubbed circles on her small back.

They pulled away briefly and he cupped her swollen cheek. She shriveled away from the contact, thinking of which lie to tell him this time.

“I know your father hurt you.” He said, startling her.

Her eyes went round and she stuttered shyly. “N - no. It was my f - fault.”

“It wasn't.” Vincent took the broom from her and dropped it to the floor. “Why do they treat you this way? I still don't understand.”

“I'm fine, Vincent. Don't worry.” She bent down to pick the broom.

“Amelia.” he said with a worried look on his face.

Amelia turned in the other direction, resuming her sweeping. “I heard the war was successful.”

“Don't change the subject, Amelia. You know I don't like that.” Vincent took a seat on one of the benches by the water fountain.

Amelia smiled. “I hope you didn't sustain any injuries.”

Vincent heaved a frustrated sigh and gave in. “Fine. The war was short-lived. Our enemies ran for the hills when they heard we allied with Alpha Adrian.”

“Really?” Amelia gasped in surprise. How could the mention of a person's name send an entire army running? “Who is this Alpha Adrian?”

Vincent shook his head. “Trust me. You don't want to know. He's pure evil itself.”

“Okay.” As Amelia swept, she heard one of the maids call for her.

“Lady Amelia, your father wants you in the living room.” came the shrill voice.

“I’m on my way..” Amelia called back. Then she turned to Vincent. “I'm sorry but I have to go.”

“It's alright.” Vincent took to his feet. As she turned to leave, he caught her wrist. “Wait, I got something for you in the nearby city.”

He whipped out a golden bracelet and calsones it around her wrist. “It's beautiful.”

Amelia shook her head. “Vincent, this is too much. Consider this my gift to you to wear at the next mating ceremony.”

Mating ceremony. Amelia has never spoken those words ever since the day she failed to shift into her wolf. They became a thing of the past and she swore never to attend anyone ever again.

She unclasped the bracelet and gave it back to him. “I'm sorry I can't take this. I have to run. Bye.”

“Amelia!” Vincent called behind her but she ignored his calls. He heaved a sigh and stared at the bracelet. “She didn't even hear me say ‘I love you’.”

Amelia ran like her life depended on it. She clutched her chest as she arrived at the door of the living room. Her eyes went round when she found Linda also standing there.

“Took you long enough.” Linda said, rolling her eyes.

Then she pushed her door in and entered, Amelia following behind her.

“Ah, there she is.” Donovan said in a pleasant voice that made Amelia furrowed her brows. Her father had spoken to her. Maybe it was Linda.

“Come here, my sweet Amelia.” He said, extending his hand to her.

Amelia froze. She looked around, searching for the person he referred to.

Mary caught her arm and pulled her towards the fireplace. “Don't be a stranger, love. Aren't you our lovely Amelia again?”

Linda took a seat on one of the couches, her eyes trailing forward.

Amelia felt a sudden chill run down her spine as her stepmother walked her to the gentleman sitting with his back to them.

“Here is your bride, Your Highness.” Donovan said with a wry smile.

No one needed to tell Amelia that they were afraid. All of them. Even the maids were trembling.

Mary let go of her arm as they faced the strange gentleman. “Here you are, Amelia. This is Alpha Adrian, your soon-to-be husband.”

Amelia felt the ground slip from under her feet. “What?”