~ A M E L I A ~Without hesitating, Everett ripped my dress from the hole where the wound was located. I gaped down to see he only made it slightly larger, but I knew the dress was ruined beyond repair. A stupid thing to care about in the grand scheme of things, but I needed to think about anything aside from the burning sensation of the wolfsbane coursing through my veins.Grazing a finger around my wound, Everett breathed in deeply, ‘Don’t move. I need to wash the wolfsbane out of your wound to give you a chance to heal.’Staying silent, tears were still streaming down my face as I watched the serious and worried expression on his face. I could tell he was trying to mask it, to keep a brave face for me, but it was obvious I needed more medical attention than what I was accepting. If I weren’t seriously hurt, Everett would probably be scolding me for acting so stupid. Everett leaned over to the dainty pool, rolling up his sleeve as he rummaged through rocks and shells. Finally, he p
~ A M E L I A ~I couldn’t even process it. Everett… kissing me…… ME?And it felt… good.Snapping back to reality, I shoved my palms into his chest, pushing him away from me. His sweet and spiced piney aroma lingered in my nostrils, making me feel half-starved for more. We both were panting. It was the second time I had ever seen Everett breathless. ‘You…’ I couldn’t catch my breath, ‘You kissed me.’Everett stepped closer towards me; his face was serious. That darkness in his eyes had dissipated away. ‘It was better than the alternative option I had in mind.’Holding back a snarl, ‘Kiss or kill? Seriously, those were your two options?’ I rolled my eyes. He snarled, taking another step closer, ‘Roll your eyes at me again,’ he hated it when I did that.This time, I took a step forward, looking up at his irritatingly perfect sculpted face. I couldn’t help but smile smugly at him, taunting him just like he always taunted me, ‘Or what?’ I tilted my head to the side slightly as I purr
~ A M E L I A ~Lower… lower! I begged in my mind. He was already lower as my mind begged, feathering his tongue around my nipple before lowering his whole mouth over it and sucking as he caressed my other breast with his free hand, gently pinching and twisting my nipple to make them harden in an instant. Then he swapped, giving equal attention to the other breast.Releasing a soft cry, my core became even more saturated with every touch from Everett. He moved back up to my neck, kissing it and dragging his tongue from the nape of my neck towards my earlobe as he rubbed my clit through my underwear, ‘Well, aren’t you soaked, darling, is that all for me?’Ignoring his growing ego, I tugged on his underwear. No clothes. I need no—clothes! On my demand, Everett yanked his underwear, followed by mine, tracing my legs purposely with his fingers to set my body on a fiery thrill more than it already was. His head tilted as he drew himself up my legs again, admiring my glistening centre.
~ A M E L I A ~That may have been the best night’s sleep I have ever had. None of the recurring nightmares appeared, no fears, no anxiety… nothing. Just complete and utter stillness and bliss. I was in dire need of all that rest. My body ached all over like I had been running for a thousand miles. How much did I drink and dance last night?What a strange dream I had, though: The Luna… wolfsbane poisoning… a stab wound… Everett…Everett.As if I would ever actually do that with—A soft groan from beside me caught my attention. No, not beside me. Under me.My eyes slowly peeled open, feeling weighed down by my drowsiness. A soft light beamed through, ever so slightly lighting my surroundings as I examined them. My brows furrowed.I was in a… cave?Oh my god.Turning to face the source of the groan, on whom I had been resting myself. I slept on him all night?Everett’s eyes flickered open, and as his eyes adjusted to the light, they met mine, but he stayed silent. He was watching me s
~ A M E L I A ~I was in the shower for so long that I ran out of hot water, which gave me the cold shower I desperately needed. Scrub, scrub, scrubbing with my luffa so much that my skin almost felt raw. Thank goodness that my werewolf healing had been restored. I used an entire bar of soap, yet I could still smell Everett’s scent on me like it was burned inside my nostrils. His sweet and spiced aroma… Fuck. No, don’t think about him. After multiple attempts, I gave up scrubbing and just let the cold water freeze my fired-up skin as I rested my palms on the wall, trying to think about anything but Everett. Trying and failing. Eventually, I hauled myself out of the shower and wrapped a towel around me, rolling it at the top of my chest to allow it to sit comfortably like a dress. Resting my palms on either side of the sink, I tried to balance my breathing, just a simple thought of last night was driving my mind wild. It must be my inner wolf. I could still feel his hands grazing
~ E V E R E T T ~Fuck.The cold shower did nothing. On top of that, I could still smell her all over me. Could still feel her soft touch all over my skin. Could still hear her purring my name in my ear… Fuck.What did I do? Why did I do that? I was going to kill her. I wanted to kill her. But then… when we… that feeling just went away. That urge to hurt her withered away. Why?After gathering myself together, I made my way downstairs and sat at the dining table where breakfast was being served, not bothering to look or greet anyone. ‘You got in late last night,’ Gabriel mumbled into his mug of coffee before indulging in a large sip, ‘or should I say this morning.’Darting a glare at him, ‘Shut it.’Carissa gasped dramatically, ‘Were you out… with a girl?’ ‘No,’ I snarled at my sister. Looking up at my parents at the other end of the long dining table. They weren’t even paying attention to any of us, engrossed in their silent conversation down their mental bond, I was sure of i
~ E V E R E T T ~My eyes widened for a moment when the realisation hit. If she had been stabbed by my mother, then she would not be safe here. Not in the pack. Not if my mother really did have anything to do with it. I needed answers. Searching around, I couldn’t physically see Amelia anywhere, but her scent was so potent it was almost like she was right next to me. It was like she was pulling me towards her. Shit. I needed to ingest that beautiful scent of hers, but I also needed to ensure my mother didn’t catch her. She needed to keep thinking Amelia was dead. Why did she want Amelia dead?Then, her scent blew at me in a gust of wind. I turned towards the scent, and she looked so calm and relaxed as if she was oblivious to who she was walking towards. Glancing back at my mother, she hadn’t noticed Amelia. Neither of them had noticed each other, which only made me feel more ruffled about what to do. Amelia was with her friends, Sammy and Kaylee. The two girls hated my guts ever
~ A M E L I A ~Moron. That’s what I was—a total moron for thinking that faking amnesia was the best option. I could’ve faked my death. But that would’ve caused issues in my werewolf training at school, trying to research the curse, and trying to find out more about my parents…Faking amnesia means I can hide in plain sight. I thought to myself. It meant I could hide in plain sight and allow my enemies, well, the Luna, to let her guard down enough that I could gain some intel on why she did what she did. Time. That’s all I needed: time. I needed time to learn the ways of the wolf and find out about my birth parents. My birthday was a month and a half away, so I could do this. I can do this.Could I…?Staring at the ceiling in my bedroom, lying on my bed, listening to the birds singing their morning melodies, I truly felt more lost than ever. I felt disconnected from everyone in my life. My parents and I would call every week to talk, but I missed them more and more every day. It f
~ A M E L I A ~Within those first few seconds, I knew that his fighting tactics differed from Everett’s—where he would wait for his opponent to come for him to then take them down, Draven was a head-on type of fighter. That only made him more unpredictable for me and lowered any advantage I could have even more. Focus. My mind hissed. Locking in on the situation before me, I stood still and waited for the right moment. Draven clenched his hands into fists. Watching closely, I spotted his right hand draw back ever so slightly. That was my mark. I waited for him to get closer and closer, to make a move. As he pushed with his left foot and lunged closer as he drew his right fist back, it was time for me to dodge and counter. I leant back as his fist moved for my face, grabbing his wrist and arm, pushing his punch away from me to miss my head. Using that momentum, I twirled around and skidded back, dropping to my hands and knees. Not having time to think things further, I pushed fo
~ A M E L I A ~All my friends tried to keep me busy and distracted during the day. We played board games, watched movies, and even had a picnic in the forest. However, I was struggling to eat and ended up watching the sun move in the sky, teasing me with what was to come. There was no more avoiding the inevitable.‘I’ll be right back,’ I said quietly, pushing myself to my feet and making my way back into my cottage. I’d become so comfortable with this home, and the chances were, win or lose, I’d not be returning to this home.I poured myself a cold glass of water and took a couple of sips before tipping the rest down the sink. Resting my hands on the kitchen counter, I tried to hash out a strategy to help me with the upcoming battle, but everything I thought of always resulted in the same thing: me losing.Draven was an Alpha werewolf, and before then, he was a powerful Beta. He had always been strong, and though I had strength, they were too limited. There was no hope.‘Hey,’ Sammy
~ A M E L I A ~To nobody’s surprise, I couldn’t sleep at all.It got to the point where I had to start pretending that I was sleeping just to stop everyone from shouting at me to rest in preparation for the battle, so I could gather my strength. We had all stuck together in the living room, moving the coffee table and the sofas to allow more space for us all to sleep on the floor. The guys brought the mattress from my bedroom and the guest bedroom to lie on the ground so they all had something comfortable to sleep on. Gabriel and Kaylee were on one mattress, while Sammy and Theo were on the other—they all had fallen asleep not long after I pretended to. I was lying on one of the sofas. Peeling my eyes open slowly, I noticed the other sofa was still vacant, and two people were not in my line of sight. I searched the room carefully to see where they had gone off, too, trying not to get caught for being awake. Both Everett and Hudson were standing by the back door, looking out to the
~ A M E L I A ~Everyone decided they were going to stay over at my place; they all collectively felt more comfortable being with me, and to be honest, knowing they were there made me more comfortable, too. Having them all here was extra reassurance and security. Besides, even if they did leave, I knew at least two people who would not want to leave my side. I watched Everett and Hudson both be civil with each other; they were doing it for me, and I was so thankful for it, even though I knew they wanted to tear at each other’s throats. It was safe to say that all my friends were partially traumatised by everything I told them, but they all believed me and supported me. Even Gabriel did, which I hadn’t exactly doubted, but part of me did wonder if his loyalty to his family could cause issues, but the Shaw brothers both appeared to be willingly there for me. ‘You know what, it makes perfect sense now,’ Gabriel chuckled.Furrowing my brows, I tilted my head as I poured out the massive
~ A M E L I A ~Hell had broken loose. At least, that was how everyone reacted to the news of another Battle for Alpha set to commence. I knew well enough that it was rare for such a battle to be evoked these days, but considering one happened 18 years ago. Draven challenged my birth father, his best friend, all those years ago, and here I was, ready to fight for my father’s honour.People around us were whispering and uttering words about the fight consisting of two Alpha-heirs. The former Alpha’s daughter and current Alpha’s son, head-to-head, until death…No. It didn’t make sense. Everett was not yet an Alpha.‘Father,’ Everett rushed beside him, leaving Kali sitting on the ground beside my friends, who were watching the scene in utter disbelief. He continued speaking to his father, ‘What are you talking about? I’m no—’‘Silence!’ Draven snarled. Though Everett wasn’t affected by his father’s demands, even through the Alpha’s roar, he chose to stay silent. I almost felt like I cou
~ A M E L I A ~We were running back towards the dungeon. Once I saw my name, I knew that was what she was talking about. Kali knew that if I were who I said I was, I would be able to get inside that room with no troubles, and being inside, I’d be able to find out my birth name for myself, and she was right. I had to tell her I knew. I had to thank her for it. Even in her state of fear and delirium, she was still willing and able to help me. I was over the moon with joy.Venturing back into the depths of the dungeon, Everett followed behind me. I rushed to her cell, calling for her name, but then I froze instantly. My smile faded. ‘Amelia, what is it?’ Everett asked as he caught up with me. His expression became the same when he looked into the cell. She was… gone.I swung the door open, ‘Where is she?!’‘Breathe,’ Everett held his hands up in defence, even though he wasn’t to blame. ‘Maybe she left. She saw us just stroll in and out, maybe she decided to make a run for it.’I shoo
~ A M E L I A ~It felt like a dream had finally come true. I finally found her. I found her.A sharp gasp escaped from my mother’s lips as she pulled herself away from our embrace. I frowned, ‘Are you oka—’‘Y-You!’ Kali whimpered, dragged herself back into the corner, moving away from us. ‘Me?’ Everett’s eyes widened.’D-Draven… P-Please, no…’Shooting to a stand, I looked at him, then back to Kali, ‘No, this is his son, Everett—’’NO!’ She shrieked, ‘This is just another trick, isn’t it?’ She cried as she pulled at the hair on her head. Kneeling in front of her, I watched her as she flinched at my touch. Even placing my hands on her shoulders gently was enough to make her cower and spiral. She shrivelled into herself and silently cried, muttering words to herself. The trauma she had been through was too much. I wasn’t going to be able to save her from it in one day; it was going to take time, and I knew exactly how I was going to make that time for her. I gently took hold of
~ A M E L I A ~Everett was almost left speechless when I told him everything the Moon Goddess had shown me. I could see the pain in his eyes. He didn’t want to believe it, and I didn’t blame him at all. No one wants to discover that their loved one, especially a parent, is one of the reasons behind so much darkness and bad things within the pack. ‘Wait, of all the things she told you, she didn’t tell you how to break the curse?’ Everett raised a brow at me. I huffed, poking my head around a tree to see if the area was clear around the castle for us to get inside, ‘She said that I had all the information I needed to break it.’‘And do you?’As I saw a clear area, I stepped forward to make my way to the castle, but Everett pulled me back. ‘We don’t have time for all these questions right now,’ I snipped at him. He shook his head and jerked his chin towards the castle. Following his gaze, two pairs of guards appeared from nowhere, scanning the area. My shoulders slumped, ‘Where did
~ E V E R E T T ~‘What the hell is going on?’ I asked in a panic as the candle flame began to burn more aggressively, melting the wax representing Amelia’s life force that much faster.Sybil watched the candle in amazement. ‘Her journey through the spirit world has been far too impactful on her body. She’s too weak.’‘No,’ I cooed as I looked back at the small amount of wax that remained of the candle. Squeezing Amelia’s hand, I looked at her and hoped she could hear me in her state of unconsciousness, ‘Listen to me. You are not dying, do you hear me? It’s not your time. It’s not your—‘The room became eerily chilled as the candle flame was snuffed out. I refused to turn around to confirm, hearing Sybil’s saddened sigh was confirmation enough. ‘No… Amelia,’ I cupped a hand on her cheek, ‘wake up. Wake up!’‘Alpha-son, she’s gone.’ Sybil stood and lowered her head, staring at the ground. She also looked heartbroken by this loss. Stepping away from Amelia and towards Sybil, I snapped,