Amelia's POVEven though the room was cold from the air conditioning, I felt sweat pool on my forehead in horror. Damien looked back at me, waiting for a response calmly as if he did not just say to me that Cassius was here and wanted to take me back. It was too good to be true then. I could never escape Cassius. Because it was not more than twenty-four hours that I had escaped the bidding market and he had somehow traced me to this place and of course, he wanted me back. He would rather lose everything than allow me to have the tiniest bit of happiness. I remembered his last words to me the last time he had forced himself on me. 'You think you can leave me, Amelia? Know this. The only day you will be able to leave me is in a body bag. I'll kill you before I give you a chance to leave me, do you understand?' My blood chilled as I imagined facing him again and having to go back with him. The glee that would be on his face when he saw me. The way he would look so proud to have fou
Damien's POV Rage. Pure unadulterated rage filled my veins as I walked out of the room where Amelia was, slamming the door hard as I headed for my bedroom at the other end of the hallway. It was more than rage. It was agony. It was sadness and most of all, it was sorrow. "Let's go downstairs then." She had said so calmly like we had not been discussing having to hand her over to Cassius, the same man who had been brutalizing and abusing her for longer than she could even remember. I didn't even realize that I was capable of losing so much control like that and yet, I didn't have the slightest idea what had possessed me to try to do what I just did. Why did I kiss her when she had just all but rejected me with her choice? When she had looked me in the eye and decided that she would rather be with her oppressor than me, who would do anything, even kill for her? When did everything become so wrong? When did it start to feel like I never really had her? I had truly believed
Amelia's POV.I didn't know what Nathan had given me but if it was supposed to make me relax, then it was doing a completely shitty job because I could not seem to stay calm. I had stopped crying, only because it felt like there were no more tears left for me to shed but it still didn't stop my heart from feeling like I had stabbed it with a knife. Because I had. I was responsible for hurting not only Damien but also myself with my words and actions. And now he had stormed out of the room, believing that I would choose Cassius, who I would never in my entire life consider being with over him. I tried to close my eyes but all I could see were his blue jade eyes that had darkened in sadness as he looked at me before leaving. I knew that I could not just sit here and wish that he would come back. Because if I was the one who thought that I was not loved, I would not go back to the person responsible for hurting me. It made me stand up immediately and I rushed to the bathroom to was
Amelia's POVSlowly but gently, I opened my eyes from a peaceful sleep and as I yawned, I took in my surroundings and tried to remember where I was and then the events of yesterday hit me. The misunderstanding between Damien and me and my decision to find him to fix it. The last thing I remembered was Damien lifting me from the couch and tucking me into the bed before placing a kiss on my forehead. And then I remembered how it had felt yesterday knowing that I had hurt both of us and the guilt was gone. Instead, I felt relief that we were able to find our way back to each other, and even though it still felt unreal, like I was living a dream which was very valid because merely a week ago, I was still at mercy of Cassius and his ploys. It made me heave a sigh of relief that I was finally free from the shackles but a part of me missed Elizabeth and Elena briefly. Another part of me could not get over Tracy and Lydia's gazes as we were locked together in that room. Making a mental n
Amelia's POV"The Alpha has a specific type of woman. And not once has he ever deviated from that. You know what they say about taste."I didn't realize that I had remained standing where the beautiful woman had said those words to me like she knew something that I didn't and walked away, leaving me confused and wary until another man passed and stopped in front of me. "Are you alright, Luna?" He said and when I looked up at him, I snapped out of my troubling thoughts and smiled at him. "Yes, thank you," I answered slowly. "My pleasure, Luna." He said and as he walked away, I turned around to continue to Damien's room, my thoughts going back to those words. Every other person that I had met today had been so warm and welcoming and had addressed me as Luna like it was as easy as breathing. So why had that woman's first statement after seeing me insinuating that I was not Damien's type? Why had she smirked like that? Why had she given off such a cold attitude like she didn't approv
Amelia's POV"What are you thinking about? You're crying?" Damien whispered beside me and when I opened my eyes, I saw that he was looking at me with concern written all over his face. I looked at him with a bright smile. "I'm not sad," I answered with joy and as if he could see what was going through my mind, he nodded and smiled gently, taking a step back and allowing me to take my fill of the view. We were standing in an open clearing just outside the mansion and as I looked at the mass of trees that led into the deep of the woods, I remembered the very first time that I had seen the outside of the mansion and realized that there was more to life than the four corners of Cassius's home. It was the very first time I had seen what it was like to be free. It was the very first time that I started to plot my escape. And every time that he sent me to get blood bags in the hospital, knowing that I had no choice but to return, he knew that it broke my spirit. He knew that it destroye
Amelia's POVWhat was worse than experiencing something bad? It was the anticipation. That moment when everything was still good but you could not for the life of you shake off the feeling that something bad was about to happen. And it was like I could feel it on the tip of my tongue. Like I could taste it but couldn't for the life of me tell what it was. It made me feel nauseous, considering that only some minutes ago, I was staring in awe at the most beautiful sight that I had ever seen. I could not even relish in the fact that I had been piggybacked back to the pack the same way I came here, because the look on Damien's face told me that whatever had made us go back to the pack not up to an hour after we left, it was something important. I looked at the time and realized that it had been over three hours since Damien had left and he was not back yet. Coupled with the way his countenance had changed, he had vaguely told me that he needed to take care of some things and had lef
Amelia's POVThe temperature in the room had dropped considerably and the few moments of guilt that I felt after slapping this stranger hard turned to rage because I didn't understand why she was so mean to me.I didn't even know her name and in all of the two times that she had met me, she had tried her hardest to bring me down. She had reminded me of the life that I had no choice but to endure and tried to make it look like it was somehow my fault for being a slave. Who was she to talk to me like she knew what I had gone through all my life and why did she think that she had a right to judge me for something that I had no control over?The more I thought about it, the more my face hardened in anger and I felt like slapping her hard again. I felt like doing worse. Like flinging her against the wall and hitting her over and over again until she begged me to stop. I felt like wringing her neck. She looked at me in shock, holding her hand to her face, and suddenly, her eyes glowed an
Dear wonderful readers, I cannot thank you enough for taking the time to read my book! Your support and enthusiasm mean the world to me. Without you, book one could not have been the success that it is. I am grateful to have such amazing, dedicated readers like you. It thrills me to announce that there will be a book two! I am so excited to continue this journey with you and bring you more of the characters you have grown to love (and certainly some new ones too!). I promise to keep you on the edge of your seat with even more twists and turns. Again, thank you for all that you do. I appreciate every kind word, review, and recommendation. You are the reason I write, and I cannot wait to share more of my stories with you. With love and gratitude, H.B Temilorun
EPILOGUE*Six years later Amelia's POVDreams did come true, I thought as I walked into the woods and stood far away from where my mate was playing with our daughter, Kiara, watching them with a wide smile. She was the spitting image of her father, took his hair, his eyes, everything, and even his smile. The only thing that she probably got from me was my creamy skin and I had not one complaint at all. In fact, it made me smile every time I watched the two of them bicker about something which was almost every time these days, quickly reminding them that they could settle it since they looked very much alike. She threw a punch in the air at Damien which he evaded with ease, but not too much ease that made me realize that he was actually letting her off easy. She tried again and this time that I saw that she was so close to landing a punch but he caught her hand and shook his head, squatting as he ruffled her hair. "Listen to me, Kiara, we have been over this time and again. You are
Amelia's POVI did not think that I would be able to pull this off but looking at the table now, I was proud of what I was able to achieve. The dining hall was large enough to take over fifty people and with the chairs that we added, it was large enough to take almost everybody interested in enjoying this banquet.I had learned that Damien's mother as Luna used to organize something like this and I could see how it was going to help to foster togetherness.Damien had been skeptical about allowing me to do it, quickly reminding me that I was pregnant and that I did not need to do any heavy lifting but I had made sure that it didn't matter, not when I knew that it would be something that people would remember me to, with fondness in their hearts.I felt a sense of pride when I saw everyone digging into their breakfast and having looks of approval. I turned to glance at Blair and she was wearing an equally proud smile on her face. We had done this together with the help of some maids of
Amelia’s POV“How about this one?” Elena asked, her eyes bright as she held up a black sleeveless blouse and a skirt that was probably going to stop mid-thigh, her eyes bright with excitement. “Nope,” I answered, my eyes fixed on the television as I chewed away yet another bag of chips. My appetite had returned with a vengeance after the last couple of weeks that had consisted of vomiting spells and zero appetite. Elizabeth had said that it was because I had passed the first trimester of pregnancy and was now in my second. “Okay, this one is perfect. Why don’t you wear this one?” She came to stand in front of me, holding up a short blue dress that was probably as lovely as the rest but I was not interested, the same with all of the other options that she had chosen for me. I already knew what I was going to wear from the beginning, since the moment she entered the room and told me that I was going out with her and that it was going to be in thirty minutes. “Oh come on, Amelia, so w
Damien's POVI knew that Amelia would probably roll her eyes if I said this to her but she was hands down the most beautiful woman that I had laid eyes on. Perhaps it was the mating bond speaking but it didn't matter. I was hopelessly irrevocably in love with her. She sat beside me, the first aid box on her lap, and opened her hand for me to give her my bruised knuckles. I fought the urge to tumble her on the bed and kiss her senselessly because she looked less than pleased at my injuries even though they didn't hurt and would heal on their own. "It was nothing serious," I said again. When I had told her the first time, she had raised her eyebrows at me in a scolding fashion. It would have looked really threatening if I was not a big bad werewolf that was probably two times her size and towered over most people in the pack, including her. I stifled my amusement at how adorable she was because I knew that she would not appreciate that sort of thing. "I heard you the first time, Al
Amelia's POVThe silence in the kitchen was deafening and the entire atmosphere was very tense after my statement. I was well aware that if I did not do so something to diffuse this, things were going to escalate beyond measure but I had had enough of Nikki, from her passive-aggressive behavior to hurting people like they were not human beings and looking at others from beneath her nose like she was higher than every one of them. Her momentary shock at my statement was quick to fade and she pulled her arm away from my grasp and frowned at me. "Oh and what do we have here? So you really think that just because people have accepted you that you can go around calling yourself Luna and expect people to do what you want? I rolled my eyes, almost chuckling to myself.She continued, "It seems that you have forgotten your place, have you not? You are a slave like her, perhaps that is why you feel so strongly that I am teaching her a lesson." "You bitch!" Elena roared and tried to reach he
Amelia's POVIt had been one month since I moved back to the pack. There was a calendar in the bedroom which I marked every day once I woke up and when I did today, the smile on my face widened as I circled the date. One whole month had passed since I returned with Damien. It had been one month since Cassius was finally defeated.It had been a whole month and even though I had had a couple of nightmares between now and then, whenever I woke up, it was with Damien by my side, holding me tight and reminding me that I was no longer stuck back in that mansion. That I was no longer a slave to a vampire lord that was obsessed with me. That I was no longer living in bondage but free. Being Luna was wonderful here. Everyone had been nothing but so pleasant and supportive, allowing me to ease into the role at my own pace, no matter how slow that was. I was still adjusting to being a very important member of the pack and fortunately, my mate was the most patient and wonderful teacher one coul
Amelia's POVAs the girl, whose name I still did not know but whose face I would never forget wrapped her hands around Damien's neck and pulled him in for an intimate hug, all I could think about was the way she had been with me when I first came to the pack. The very first time that I had fled from Cassius and the words that she had said to me when everyone else had been nothing but caring."Oh? You don't want to know what I know about you? You don't want to know that I know how you were Cassius' slave for many years before you were brought here? You don't want to know how I know that you were not just a slave, but one used solely for sex?"We both know that you don't deserve him, sweetheart. So why are you still here, ruining my plans and making life difficult for everybody?" "Why? We both know that you are nothing but trash. And have you heard where the trash gets one ounce of happiness?" Her words still hurt every time I remembered them but now that I was mated to Damien and ha
Amelia's POV Bliss. I didn't know any other words that could adequately describe how I was feeling and bliss seemed to encapsulate all of my emotions being around Damien these past few days. It was nothing but bliss. It made me wonder if I was no longer dreaming and if this was just a really long dream that I was going to wake up from soon. "Am I dreaming?" I asked him as he cut an apple and fed me a piece. We were having a mini picnic in the woods and for the first time since I was forced to move to this new city, I didn't feel wary about being outside. I didn't feel a strange sense of panic thinking that this happiness could be snatched away from me at any time. The bane of my entire existence was dead and every time I remembered that he would no longer be able to trouble us again, I could not contain my joy. Finally, I would have a shot at happiness. Finally, I could begin life anew and start a family just like I had always wanted with the man that I loved wholeheartedly. I