16.

Angelo

"Stop. Angelo. I. Can't. Take it anymore." Amelia was currently below me trying to wiggle free and keeping up her protests as I tickled her. To be honest, I have no idea how we moved from comforting each other to wild play. The easy conversations I have with her had me thinking more of a future with her.

I smirked and continued my torturous tickles to her sides loving the sounds of her laughter and the bright sheen of joy in her eyes. Her melodious laughter slowly took away my anger and tension that seem to take up space in my body since back in Brentwood.

She really doesn't know how much a simple smile or touch from her affects me greatly. To her satisfaction, I stopped but didn't remove my self from her. I couldn't. I couldn't tear my gaze away from her, every time I look at her those bright blue eyes of hers keep me in a trance, her hair always beckon to me numerous times I had to hold my self back from running my fingers through it. My Amelia was a siren calling to my most hidden emotions, she brought them out every minute and every hour. I was pleased yet scared of her undoings but I didn't care. I took a step out of my shell and I wasn't going back.

"You're so precious to me my love," I said softly before lowering my lips to hers. There was no hesitation from her as she lifted her own lips to get rid of the space between us.

When our lips met I went wild with lust, I immediately deepen our kiss. How can one person drive me to the brink of ecstasy, make me feel like free-falling over and over again? Her arms circled my neck as she moaned against my lips, her heart was beating like a drum, I was the one who made her feel this way. I was the one who brought out the passion deep from inside of her.

I was the one who made her break down the walls I knew she had up in the past. My hands roamed her body, gently squeezing every curve have my fingers skim her bare skin below her t-shirt, her breath hitched when I first did. My touch left a trail of goosebumps, her body shuddered against mine, slowly I pulled away from her lips and simply looked at her.

But I didn't see my Amelia, I saw Elise. My first mate. My first love. "Elise?" I mumbled jumping away from her. I stood as far away as possible, this couldn't be. She died, I saw her die in my arms... My head felt heavy, fierce mutterings can be heard when it's only us two in the room. Us? Elise and I? It can't be.

"Angelo. It's me, Amelia. Who's Elise?" the blonde beauty said to me.

"N-No. I saw her. Elise, what are you doing here? " I shouted at her. Where was Amelia? My Sunflower. Where was she?

Why was Elise pretending to be Amelia? Is she mad at me for moving on? Maybe I shouldn't have moved on so fast.

I looked back at her hoping to see my Amelia but I didn't. I saw Elise. What the fuck is going on?

She made her way towards me with her hand stretched forth towards me. "No. Stand back." I shouted again.

"Angelo. You're scaring me. What is wrong with you?" That voice was even just like Elise's. Smooth and sultry.

"Are you mad at me Elise? Are you mad that I've moved on? Baby, I'm sorry. I tried to reject the bond but I couldn't. I needed her as much as she needed me. I'm sorry. I'm sorry," My heart was in pain as I saw the sad look on her face. I never wanted her to be sad because of me.

"Ang... I'm Amelia. your... mate. " Elise was now crying she was trying hard not to make a sound but failed.

"I hurt you again. It seems like that's all I ever did. I was the reason you died. Now I broke my promise to you. Please don't cry, El. You know it hurts to see you cry." I said slowly going towards her. I reached out to dry her tears but everything around me changed. I was no longer in the living area of my apartment I was back at Elise's pack. Looking around I saw the dead bodies of both wolves and humans. Families crying over the dead I walked forward and stumbled over someone's feet, I took in the corpse carefully and recognized the lifeless grey eyes.

"Cay? Cay? Dude this is not funny. Get me out of here. Stop playing. I hate it when you trap me in memory. Caiden!" I was yelling at the corpse of my brother hoping that all of this is a stupid dream.

"Caiden can't help you just as he couldn't help me. What took you so long Angelo? I waited so long for you to find me. I called out to you. I begged you to stay with me but you had to play the role of the big strong prince. YOU LEFT ME!"

"Elise No! I didn't. I-I was protecting you.... and your pack. I thought you were at the safe house. I-I-I am sorry, baby. It's all my fault." I said giving into my painful emotions and turned to her. She was standing among the dead dressed in white, a claw mark marred her from the left side of her neck to the right shoulder. A few scratches were visible but I couldn't bear to watch her for long.

"Why did you even bother to have a second mate? She will soon die because of you. Do it for her own sake. Reject her Angelo. You and I both know if you continue with this charade she too will die a painful death just like me. Do you want that?"

"No," I answered hoarsely. Amelia couldn't be a result of my lineage. It's all my fault Elise died. They wanted me because of my wolf. They can't have Amelia also. I must protect her.

"Then reject her. I'm sure she would be happy and alive with someone else" Elise taunted. The thought of Amelia being touched by another man, made my blood boil, my wolf wasn't too pleased by Elise's words.

"No. She's my second chance and I will protect her. This is my chance to make things right. To be happy. Don't you want me to be happy, Elise? I loved you but now I have a second chance at that love," I said to her. Her face contorted in anger.

"You didn't fight for me. Why would I allow you to give her a life that was meant to be mine? Just look at her. She will be happy with her hybrid boyfriend," she snapped while gesturing to her left. There she was, my Amelia in the arms of a blonde short haired muscular guy smiling up at him, the way she did with me. Somehow I knew this was man who deeply hurt my real mate.

"No. That isn't right. Amelia hates him. He's gonna hurt her again. I won't allow it. Elise, please stop this foolishness. I said I was sorry but I must move on." I cried out.

"NO! YOU ARE MINE. ALWAYS HAS AND ALWAYS WILL BE" she screamed at me. Everything became darker Elise began to laugh menacingly just as Amelia's screams broke through the darkness, she was in trouble. He got her. "Why are you fighting it, baby. You know you like it," the voice was dark and cruel. My instinct was to strike out into the darkness hoping it hit Bryan.

"Amelia? Where are you?" I screamed into the darkness.

"Awwww lost your mate.... again? A bit pathetic for such a celebrated prince don't you think?" Bryan's voice reached me again as he came into the little light that surrounded me.

"Shut Up!!!" Again I struck out into the darkness while creating a force field around me, I heard groans of pain close to me, then the faint calling of my name. It was hurting my ears, I covered them hoping to drown out the callings but they came louder. The mixture of the new voices, Bryan's, and the ones of repeated incantations was making it hard for me to focus. The room began to spin along with bloody images of that morbid night. I just wanted them all to stop.

"Do it now or we will lose him." That voice sounded familiar but I didn't dare take down my shield nor look around.

"Oh, Angelo" Elise voice sang through my head. "Why are you doing this to me?" I asked.

"Because you will always be mine. No other," she said coldly.

"NOW!" another familiar voice yelled out before I felt electricity flow through my body. Lykos and I screamed out in pain, I opened my eyes to be met with green eyes just like my mother's.

"Uncle," was the only thing I was able to say before the darkness took over me.









Amelia



I was trying hard not to let his screams get to me but they sounded too tortured to be ignored. I didn't even know what to do as I paced outside his room door. It has been four hours since he fainted before me. At one time I was listening to him talking to me with pain in his eyes calling me Elise then he crumbled at my feet in a matter of seconds. Not knowing what to do I called out for his uncles, they too were at a loss of what to do until we saw his body shaking violently mumbling his brother's name. Jonah got him stable before the two of them carried him to his room. We stayed in there for an hour listening to him muttering words we couldn't piece together.

A fever took hold of his body while his wolf attempted to come to the surface, with a heavy heart his uncle Jonah shackled him to his bed with silver handcuffs. I had to leave, not wanting to see how tortured he was, I nearly turned back when I heard him scream out my name but was pushed out just before something went crashing into the wall.

"Stay out here goldilocks. We will find out what's wrong soon," Jonah told me with a grave look on his face.

I was sitting on the floor opposite his bedroom door trying to piece together his words to me. He thought I was this Elise and was apologizing profusely. He blamed himself for her death. Layla whimpered as realization set in for both of us. That was the reason why he was so withdrawn, such a recluse.

Someone close to him died and he was lost in self-hate. Holding myself tighter I sat there waiting for any good news of my Angelo.





The banging of the front door caused me to come back to reality, the heavy footsteps of not one but maybe four people sounded through the hallway coming up to the rooms. Someone alighted from Angelo's room in a hurry, it was Noah, he didn't stop to acknowledge me but went straight to the newcomers.

"You always have great timing huh," Noah said in a somewhat amused but hopeful voice. I stood pressed against the wall looking down the hall, coming towards me was a tall medium-built man with short brown hair spiked at the top, dressed in an immaculate navy blue suit his white shirt was unbuttoned at the collar showing a bit of perfect tanned skin. His lips though not set in motion looked like it was in a permanent smile, which caused me to stare longer, were his eyes. Those vivid green eyes. So similar to Angelo and his mother's. It made him even more so exquisite. He walked with the same cocky confidence as my mate and had the aura of authority.

The light in the hall caused a glimmer to reach my eyes, my focus immediately went to the object, it was a gold ring with a ruby nestled in a crown of moonstone. No one can miss the intricate design in Latin on the band.

I knew who he was by the sighting of the ring. Angelo had an identical one to his.

"Crowned Prince Caleb," I said out loud.

He turned and smiled at me before disappearing into my mate's room.

Why was he here? Doesn't he live in England?

Muffled voices along with Angelo's screams were heard again, I wanted to be in there beside him but I was held back by three men who shook their heads at me with one saying "You can't be in there just yet." Tears flowed down my cheek as Angelo screamed again.

"What is going on?" I cried again struggling in their hold. A few minutes later Noah and Jonah came out, motioning for the three men who came with Prince Caleb to leave.

"Is he alright?" I asked preamble.

"He is now. We need you to stay away from him for a while until he's back to his right mind" Jonah said softly.

Noah stayed quiet his face in deep concentration. "What? Why? He needs me," I protested.

"Just trust us. Someone played a horrible trick on our boy and it caused him to be violent, we can't risk you getting hurt"

"Trick what do you mean?" I asked stopping at the end of the hall.

Jonah and Noah looked at each other and released a tired sigh together. "From what Caleb was able to tell us, someone trapped him in his painful memories and guilt. It's called memory walk....." Jonah started.

"Only one person we know can do this but he won't hurt his only brother like that. That leaves us with another possible person...." Noah continued.

"A dark witch." The hard demanding voice completed the twins' statement.

Turning around I was face to face of the man who was admired by Angelo greatly. The man who I've heard fought alongside Queen Emma to save our kind against his own father.

"You must be Amelia. Angie's mate. My cousin has been gushing about you even though she hasn't met you," he said to me smiling warmly down at me.

My cheeks heated by his statement, the wolf Queen gushing about me? A nobody?

"Yes. I'm his mate. How is he?" I asked twisting my fingers nervously.

"He just needs to sleep it off. I have taken care of it. Though I still can't fathom why they need to play games on him." Caleb said his brow in confusion.

"A witch is easy to find and for them to do a memory walk they need to be close to their victim. I will start a search." Noah said gruffly before turning to leave.

We stayed quiet for a moment but I knew the two remaining royals were communicating through their mind links I guess it ended with a long sigh escaping Caleb.

"Wait, why are you here?" Jonah blurted out. Caleb's body tensed then he shifted uncomfortably, his gaze went to me then to down the hall where Angelo was.

"Shit. She gotta know now dude," Jonah said running his fingers harshly through his hair.

Caleb turned to me and held my hands, the smile on his face was meant to be comforting but his eyes gave away how uncertain he was of whatever he wanted to say to me. "Knowing Angelo he probably was waiting for the right time or he was probably scared of the outcome. I guess I should break the news now. Amelia, you're the only daughter of our high alpha in Russia, the sole heiress to Starkov Industries. To move to the part where we are all worried about, your father Nikolai Starkov is coming to New York for you," he said.

I didn't know how to feel. Scared. Happy. Shocked. Uncertain. So many emotions were running through me. The man who was my real father was coming. The man who wasn't there my entire life was coming to meet me. To make matters more unbelievable he was some important person in both human and wolf world. An important and wealthy person, someone who I knew had the power to find a missing person.

"What do you mean for me?" I asked after a moment of silence.

"He's coming to take you home," Jonah said softly answering my curious question.