Chapter 18 - Amelia

I’d been so nervous about how his family would react to my past. My stomach was in knots. Even the aroma of the meal Signora Walterson cooked turned my stomach. 

Thankfully I didn’t have to tell the story. It had been hard enough to write it to tell it back at the hospital in Incubi. I don’t know if I could do that again. 

I’d thought hearing about Ignazio would affect me more. He had been my mate even if neither of us accepted it, and I broke the bond to be with Stephen. I’d thought something would twinge for Faith or me.

I was relieved when Stephen told me Ignazio was dead. But all I felt was rage. Rage at what he’d done to me. But I didn’t feel pain or loss. Does that make me a bad person? 

As soon as Stephen finished telling his family the story, I braced myself for all the questions. But what happened wasn’t something I’d considered a reaction.

Without a word, Signora Walterson had pushed out of her chair and rushed around the table, pulling me from my chair and into an embrace that I think even Ivan would feel his bones crushing under. 

‘Dear Goddess….your mother is stronger than Ivan.’ I gasped at Stephen in our link.

“Oh, you poor sweet thing. I’m not one to approve killing, but I’m glad that butcher is dead.” Signora Walterson snorted, squeezing me tighter. 

We must be an odd sight as I’m at least fifteen centimeters taller than her. I had to hunch for her to have me pressed to her chest like this, and it’s getting uncomfortable.

‘Sorry. Mom forgets her strength sometimes.’ Stephen apologized as he stood up.

“Let her go, mom. You’re crushing her.” Stephen sighed, managing to pry her arms from around me.

“Oh… I’m sorry, dear.” Signora Walterson apologized sheepishly.

“Why don’t you sit back down, Edith. Then we can eat. Now that we know Amelia can communicate through the family link, the conversation can flow naturally.” Signore Walterson suggested. 

He smiled at his mate with that same warm smile that Stephen gave me. Stephen really is like his father.

“Of course. And Suzie, that doesn’t mean you get to ask inappropriate things.” Signora Walterson warned the little girl as she went back to her seat.

Suzie pouted as she stuffed a fork full of pot roast into her mouth. Stephen chuckled, pulling my chair out for me to sit before retaking his seat. 

‘Now that you and Stephen are mated, I assume you plan to move here. We’ll have to go apartment hunting since I can’t imagine any newly mated pair wants to live with their parents.’ Signora Walterston kicked off the family link conversation.

I blushed because I could only imagine the reasons for that. I mean, I can’t be loud during sex in the aspect of crying out, but there are still noises I would rather Stephen’s parents and sister not hear. 

‘Yes, mom. I wanted to get over jet lag and start looking for a place closer to work and school while still accessible to public transit in a couple of days. I’ll also have to see about buying a car.’ Stephen sighed.

‘Yes, you can’t keep relying on Clement or us to give you a ride. And Amelia will need to get her license and transfer to the school here.’ Signore Walterson nodded.

Stephen and I both frowned at the mention of Clement. ‘Why are you both frowning? Being independent is a good thing for your couples.’ Signora Walterson questioned.

‘Clement was one of the wounded sent home first. He lost a leg during the last fight.’ Stephen explained.

‘Oh, that poor boy. I know he’s a bit troubled, but Hale did the best he could raising him alone.’ Signora Walterson frowned. 

‘No wolf, least of all a pack warrior with aspirations, wants to lose a limb.’ Signore Walterson nodded.

‘Clement’s a jerk. He always says mean and sexist things.’ Suzie scoffed.

‘Suzie.’ Signore Walterson sighed.

‘She’s not wrong. I only interacted with Clement once, and it was not a pleasant interaction.’ I chimed in, feeling someone should say it.

I blushed as the rest of the family looked at me. I looked down at my plate with a sigh. Great, I’m probably coming off as some heartless person.

‘I’m not going to say he deserved losing his leg. But the Goddess, like all deities, does punish people.’  I tried to explain.

‘I’ll say it. Clement deserved what he got. He broke formation and paid the price for it. Do I feel bad for him? Sure to some degree. But he proved too many times while in Incubi he needed to be brought down a peg.’ Stephen snorted.

‘Stephen.’ Signora Walterson scolded.

‘No, he did. Mom, he messed up a lot. First, he slapped the Beta’s daughter on the ass and propositioned her when she and the Beta female, her mother, were showing us our rooms.’ Stephen shook his head.

‘The Beta’s daughter turned him to stone, and Captain Darren put him on house arrest so he couldn’t leave his room without permission.’ Stephen started to list Clement’s errors.

‘Then he insulted the Alpha heir, not once but twice. He called the Alpha heir a slur about being gay. He even got his ass kicked in front of everyone but the Alpha heir after nearly losing his head to Captain Darren’s wolf for that one.’ Stephen shook his head.

‘He got his arm broken by the Beta heir because he almost attacked civilians sent as decoys.” He frowned.

‘And then when I brought Amelia to my room after her stay in the hospital, he insulted her and said some derogatory things that got him punched by me and turned to stone by the Beta’s daughter when she overheard him.’ 

I reached over, taking Stephen’s hand in mine as I felt him getting angry and saw how tight he was gripping his fork. 

“Suffice to say, mom, while I feel bad that our pack is down a warrior, it couldn’t have happened to a more deserving wolf. He needed to be humbled, and the Goddess saw to it. Maybe this will actually get through to him. Maybe this is why Alpha Logan even sent him. The Goddess willed it so.’ Stephen shrugged.

Suzie nodded in agreement with her brother, and honestly, I agree with him too. I believe the Goddess always has a plan. It’s the only way I can wrap my head around my life. 

She had a plan for me. Ignazio may have been the mate she originally intended for me, but when that witch sent him down a different path, the Goddess was prepared, and she sent Stephen to me.

‘I think that’s enough conversation about Clement. Amelia, why don’t you tell us more about yourself.’ Signore Walterson smiled kindly at me.

The rest of dinner passed pleasantly with typical conversation. Stephen’s family asked about my aspirations, and I talked about how I wanted to go to University for early child development and work with children.

But as the dinner was starting to end, I didn’t feel good. My head felt funny, and I felt hot. I thought maybe it was jet lag or something. 

Stephen stiffened next to me, and I felt his eyes on me with a look of worry and hunger that confused me. His parents exchanged a look before Signore Walterson got up and took a set of keys from a drawer.

“You can take my truck. Go stay at your grandparents’ cottage at the farm. Your mother will bring you clothes and some supplies.” Signore Walterson instructed.

I was still confused, but maybe it was because I felt a fire starting to boil in my stomach. 

‘We’re going into heat.’ Faith whimpered though not exactly in pain. 

Oh crap. I didn’t think I’d go into heat because Stephen is a chosen mate. 

But I guess it’s not really covered. Mamma only said a she-wolf goes into heat a day up to a week after their mate marks them based on their rank.

“Come on, Amelia. Looks like we are going into quarantine.” Stephen helped me up, wrapping his arm around my waist.

The touch sent intense sparks through me, making my knees weak. ‘Okay.’ I nodded, trying to keep my head as an urge to jump him hit me strongly.

We didn’t grab any of our things. We just went out the kitchen door and to an old red truck in the driveway. Mamma had given me a basic idea of what heat would be like. 

I’m emitting a pheromone that would attract every unmated male nearby. And worse, I could get so out of my head with desire I would sleep with anyone. So I understood why we were being quarantined.

Faith was trying to help me, but she was far worse than I was, as heat is a wolf thing. I tried to hold it together while we were driving. 

‘Stephen…’ I whimpered, unable to stop myself as I reached to try and unzip his jeans. 

‘We’re almost… oh fuck….’ Stephen groaned as my hand wrapped around his length.

‘We’re almost there.’ He panted, taking a hand off the wheel to reach under my dress. 

It was probably not the safest thing to do while driving, but at least him fingering me in time with my strokes was helping. It wasn’t enough, but it was at least enough for us to reach the little cottage. 

I barely paid attention to anything as Stephen parked the truck, unbuckling our seatbelts as he pulled me into a feverish kiss. We didn’t make it into the house. Removing or a more accurate description would be ripping off what clothes necessary for him to enter me. 

Unlike any previous times, this wasn’t sweet and loving. We fucked well like animals fogging up the windows of the truck cab, claws tearing the worn leather bench seat. 

With my first bout of heat finally sated, we went into the small cottage. I was blushing at what had just happened.

‘I’m sorry.’ I apologized.

I felt I should because we just damaged his father’s truck. And we’ll have to pay for the repairs, or at least I’m assuming and planning to pay for them.