13.

Amelia



The bright light of the morning sun should have been the one to wake me up but it lost its position to my guilty conscience. I hurt him.

He caught me off guard by his second declaration. A virgin. To any girl that would be laughable right. No one would ever think a young millionaire not to mention awfully handsome would have no sexual experience.

'He's all about loyalty and devotion to the one who rightfully owns his heart' Layla said whimpering. She was crying out for Angelo and Lykos last night but I couldn't find the strength in me to go after him. I felt too ashamed to face him I literally threw his love back in his face.

'That's what they want to do. Love us.' Layla mentioned again. I knew she was right but deep down I felt resentment towards it, I didn't deserve it. After he hears what has been done to me I would look like the filthy little thing I knew I was. His mate has been used so many times by men he won't hesitate to reject me. No man wants to play with used toys.

'You don't know that' my wolf shouted.

'I know so. Bryan said it. My stepfather said it. Plus I don't think I would really fit in with his family they all sounded so perfect in his stories and then there's me his sex toy of a mate' I snapped at her, tears running freely down my cheek. I would admit the stories that he told me captivated me it all sounded like a fairy tale, stories that you can only read in books. I don't deserve all of this.



I made my way down to the kitchen where I was met with the scent of bacon, sausages, and pancakes. The kitchen table was filled with men heartily eating their meal as a young woman was flitting about the kitchen.

"Good morning you must be Amelia. I'm Natalia. Come sit," she called out when she noticed me by the doorway.

"Good morning everyone" I greeted going to the seat she motioned me too. It was right next to Angelo who was talking to his uncle and the young alpha.

"Good morning your majesty," I said softly bowing in respect when he turned to me. I have to keep up the cover I said to myself. He nodded with a small smile then turned back to the conversation at hand. Why did I feel nervous? I wasn't like this with him before, maybe I anticipated him being cold towards me after last night.

A plate was set before me and I quickly dug in before my forgotten hunger takes over me.

'You look lovely today sweetheart,' his voice inside my head caught me off guard causing me to drop my fork on the floor. "Sorry. Didn't have a good grip" I mumbled out about to reach for the fork but Angelo held my hand halting me then reached for it himself. His voice and his touch were so gentle and loving towards me tears pricked at the back of my eyes. Why was he being so ..... normal to me? I hurt him last night. Threw his declaration back into his face.

"Here have mine. I can get a clean one" He said in his soft calm voice that I grew to love.

"Thank you," I said looking away from him.

Natalia offered to get him a clean one which made him hold my hand a bit longer while he traced small circles in my palm.

'You can let go now,' I snapped at him.

Crap.

I didn't mean for it to come out that harshly but the sensations I was feeling just by his actions made me uneasy and even more unworthy of it. He was already treating me like the love of his life. I was no perfect little mate with the perfect life worthy of a prince. I wasn't princess quality.

He tensed at my words over our link and slowly let go of my hand, Layla whimpered at his withdrawal but I steeled myself and continued eating.

Everyone was through with their breakfast before me and left to go on about their duties but Angelo stayed by my side and waited till I was through. We said not a word to each other as I ate then carried my dish to the sink.

"What is it?" He simply asked not looking at me as he spoke.

"Nothing. Can we go to whatever training you have for me now?" I kept my tone void of any emotion not to betray my conflicting feelings towards this man.

He let out a bitter laugh then looked at me. "Stop lying. I can see how much turmoil you are going through. Its one of my gifts to control and erase emotions also to use them and their memories at my advantage" he said.

That part of him he didn't tell me yesterday he mentioned his family's gifts but not his. He can get into anyone's head without approval.

"So, in other words, I have no privacy around you."

Why were these words keep making their way out of my mouth?

"Amelia... I did not invade your mind. As my mate, I felt how confused and complicated your emotions were. I will never invade your privacy. I don't need to mark you to feel your emotions nor talk to you over our mindlink," he said with a bit of hurt in his voice.

"Angelo..... about last night..... words were said but mainly the words on your part. I appreciate them... Really I do but....."

I stopped my explanation when I saw that look in his eyes, the tears I held came flowing down, the look of disappointment and pain, and I was the cause of that.

"You are not ready. I get it. Ummmm.... do you want to leave, go back to your protector? I can arrange for you two to come back and train with them. Also to have your wolf well exercised. My men will be around you to protect you just in case of any threat. Your job with me is still there but if you wish to be relocated that can be arranged....." He was rambling now while fiddling with his phone and trying to avoid me.

Did I want what he was offering? Time away from him? We have established this thing of being mates for probably three days and he was already proclaiming his loyalty and devotion to me even his protection. Maybe it would be for the best right?

Layla was crying her heart out I winced visibly as she began to howl she kept on begging me to stay, to stay with our mate but I needed time to really take it all in. Last night was an eyeopener it was going to fast and I didn't deserve it. "Amelia, please calm her down. Please." I heard Angelo begged in the most painful voice.

"I'm sorry, Angelo" I cried stumbling out of the kitchen heading to the familiar woods from the day before.

'Layla, please. You don't understand. I need to think about this. I was just thrown into all of this mate stuff. How do I know all of this romantic shit would last? How do I know he won't turn just like Bryan. After all, he could be lying about being a virgin for me to feel sorry for him' I snapped at her. She immediately stopped her crying.

'How dare you think like that. Our mate would never hurt us. He truly needs us just as we need him. Amelia, please don't let us hurt him anymore. Go back to him.' She begged. I sat on a tree stump holding myself while the tears flowed harder. My last memories of Bryan came into play for some reason it was of the day he threw me out in the middle of the night with me dressed in nothing but my nightgown. He simply said he got a new toy who was willing and much livelier in bed. I had a right to be cautious even though Angelo's initial actions seem genuine.

"Sweetheart?"

I didn't look up but fixed my focus on the ground beneath my feet. His presence was intoxicating I wanted to be wrapped up in his arms but resisted the urge.

"Amelia. Please look at me. " The pleading in his voice made me look up. I took that time to memorize his tall lean body, his lovely green eyes and that long black hair of his. His normal pink lips were now tightly pursed in concentration as he open and closed his fists.

"Tell me what has brought you to this. I-I thought we were making progress. Is it because of my lack of experience? Or is it my need to protect you or keep you happy? Are you regretting your acceptance of me?"

He was calm but I knew he was holding back, by the way, his jaw was clenched tight and his effort of not looking at me.

"It's not any of those things. It's me, " I said softly.

"You? What is wrong with you?" he asked utterly confused.

"I-I-I.....I'm no good for you"

Before I can get a handle on what was happening I was being pulled roughly to the deeper part of the woods until we reached a clearing. We stopped and Angelo pulled me close to his chest.

"Don't you ever say that to me again. If you weren't good for me then why the fuck the moon goddess gave me you for a second chance for a life with a mate" he growled lowly.

"Maybe she made a mistake," I countered trying to get out of his hold.

"Mother never makes a mistake. Our mates are chosen to balance each other out. I know you are good for me. Do you know what you have done to me? My family? in the past few days you came into my life?"

Lost at what he was coming at I shook my head. " You brought their son out of the darkness he hid in since he was seventeen," he said kissing my head then trapping me in his arms.

We stayed quiet for a moment, not wanting to disrupt the calm we were in but it didn't stop me from thinking what he darkness he spoke off.

"I won't let you go, Amelia. If you need space I will give you that but it won't stop me from showing you how much I need you in my life" he said kissing my head once more. I held him tighter knowing he won't stop.

Should I tell him? I'm sure he would change his mind when he hears what I have to say.

'You wanted him to be with a girl who can help him through his battles right?! This is the time, No matter how painful' Layla said.

I stayed quiet loving the way he swayed us slowly from side to side as he stroked my hair lovingly and kissing my head randomly, I can hear how fast his heart was racing his arms grew tighter around me not wanting to let me go. I never had this.

Never had someone see me so important in their life, wanting to cherish me and love me. I never had someone like him in my life. The tears came flowing again but this time he was there to wipe them away. With each tear, he wiped them away with his thumbs as he cradled my face. "My baby should never cry nor do I want to ever see it again," he said softly before kissing them away. That loving gesture broke me through and through.

"How can you want someone like me? Used and beaten. How can I also give myself to you when little parts of me have been taken away from me in the cruelest way. How Angelo? Tell me. Do you want to give yourself to a girl who has been raped and abused countless times since she was 16." I cried angrily pounding at his chest to let me go.

But he wouldn't.

"I'm too used to be the girl who you can be devoted to. Sooner or later you would get tired of looking at me. Tired of knowing other men had your lovely princess in a way you have been longing for." I gave up my fight, he said nothing but just held me, held me as I cried for my lost childhood. My stolen innocence. My loss of being able to be loved.

"Who did it?" he asked hoarsely before looking at me directly in my eyes.

His eyes were dark with anger, I saw his fangs making an appearance he was shifting slowly without him realizing it.

"Tell me now Amelia, " he said but it wasn't in the calm voice of my Angelo I think it was Lykos. This voice was deep and filled with venom but as he said my name a hint of affection was heard.

"Bryan" I breathed out. His grip on me tighten as he put his mouth next to my ear.

"Don't you ever speak of yourself in that manner ever again. You were mine from the first day I laid eyes on you and you're going to stay as mine till my last breath. I will show you how much you mean to me even if it takes me a hundred years to let you see that. I will kill every fucking leech who made you feel this way starting with that cunt Bryan Melding. You're mine. No matter how dark your past was. You are mine. Say it." he growled lowly in my ear. Every word that left his lips sent a bolt of pleasure, comfort, and reassurance through my body settling in my heart. In more ways than one, he claimed my heart then and there.

"I'm yours," I said strongly.

"Damn right you are. Just as I'm yours" he growled once more before stepping back and shifting into his dark wolf.

'He won't take you away from me. I won't allow him to take my happiness away from me. I WON'T.' All this was said to me as he harshly paced in front of me growling and snapping at the air. I winced at the harshness and anger in his words. He was truly worked up what do I do?

I don't think it's good for him to be in this state.

'Hold him. Just hold him' Layla said.

'Say what now?' I asked in disbelief watching how Angelo was baring his fangs and growling as if he was about to attack.

'He needs his mate.'

Releasing a deep breath I cautiously approached him, his attention was quickly turned to me, his eyes soften immediately. I went to my knees to show him I was there for him while opening my arms wide beckoning him to come towards me.

'Amelia' Angelo's calm gentle voice reached me sending waves of contentment through my body.

"Angelo," I said out loud with my voice breaking. He bounded up to me nestling his head atop my breast as my arms circled his large neck, his body calmed instantly while I ran my fingers through his fur.

"How stupid was I doubting your acceptance of me. I'm sorry, baby. I'm sorry for ever thinking of leaving you. It all came in too fast. Now I see how badly we need each other"

He huffed and gently pushed me down to the grassy area, I was now beneath him gazing at how bright his green eyes shone against his black fur. He used his snout to nuzzle between the space between my neck and shoulder, slowly he licked that spot sending shivers down my spine.

'Soon you will wear my mark showing the world that you have truly been claimed by the quiet prince' he said to me.

With that statement registered in my mind, I wasn't scared of the future with Angelo.