(Lucian's pov)
I watched as Amelia bolted from the room, her fear palpable in the air.
My heart clenched, an unfamiliar sensation of concern and protectiveness surging through
me. I had to go after her, to explain, to assure her that everything would be alright.
But before I could move, Marku's voice, dripping with venom, halted me in my tracks.
"See? That's exactly why I'm harsh on her," Marku sneered, stepping closer. His eyes
gleamed with a twisted satisfaction, as if he relished the chaos he'd just witnessed.
"She's a brat, Alpha Lucian. Always doing stupid things, always running off without thinking.
If you don't keep her in check, she'll end up being more trouble than she's worth."
A low growl rumbled in my chest, my wolf straining against the leash I had on him. The
audacity of Marku to speak about Amelia that way, to justify his cruelty as if it were some
twisted form of discipline,it made my blood boil. I took a step forward, towering over him, my
eyes narrowing with barely contained rage.
"Careful, Marku," I warned, my voice a deadly whisper. "You might want to think twice before
you speak ill of your Luna in front of her mate. You've already crossed enough lines today."
Marku's smirk faltered, and I could see a flicker of fear in his eyes. He opened his mouth,
probably to say something snide, but I didn't give him the chance. "Don't test me again," I
said, my tone final, leaving no room for argument. "You will not touch her, and you will not
speak about her that way ever again. Do you understand?"
For a moment, we stood there, the tension between us thick and heavy. Marku's gaze
dropped, and he nodded stiffly, though I could see the resentment simmering beneath his
compliance.
Without another word, I turned and strode out of the room, my heart beating as I followed the
lingering scent of Amelia. It led me down the corridor, my pace quickening as I sensed her
distress. I had to find her, had to make her understand that she wasn't alone in this, that she
would never have to face Marku's cruelty again.
I followed her scent through the winding halls, my mind racing. The garden. Of course. It was
the one place that offered any ambiance of peace in this oppressive packhouse. I hurried my
steps, my pulse as I reached the garden's entrance. Pushing open the heavy door, I stepped
into the cool, night air.
There she was, crumpled on a stone bench near the roses, her shoulders shaking with silent
sobs. The sight of her like that,so fragile, so broken,made something inside me twist
painfully. I approached her cautiously, not wanting to startle her, but as I got closer, she
looked up, her tear-streaked face full of despair.
"Amelia…" I started, but she cut me off, her voice raw and trembling.
"Just reject me already," she whispered, her words like a knife to my chest. "Get it over with.
That's what alphas do, right? I'm not worth it. I'm not… I'm not strong enough to be anyone's
mate. You don't need someone like me."
Her words hung in the air, each one laced with a pain I couldn't bear to hear. I knelt in front
of her, reaching out to gently cup her face in my hands, forcing her to meet my gaze.
"Amelia, look at me."
She resisted at first, her eyes downcast, but I persisted, my thumb brushing away the tears
on her cheeks. Finally, she looked up, and the vulnerability in her gaze tore at my heart.
"I'm not going to reject you," I said firmly, my voice leaving no room for doubt. "I would never
throw away this second chance the Moon Goddess has given us. Do you understand me?"
Her lower lip trembled, and she shook her head slightly. "But… but why? I'm just a servant. A
nobody. I can't be the Luna you need, the Luna this pack needs. And… and what if you're
just like him?"
Her last words were barely a whisper, but they hit me with the force of a hammer. I knew
who she meant, though she hadn't said his name. The thought that she could even consider
me capable of treating her the way Marku had sent a wave of anger coursing through me,not
at her, but at him, for what he'd done to make her believe she was anything less than
extraordinary.
"Amelia," I said, my voice soft but insistent, "I am nothing like him. I swear to you, I will never
hurt you. I will never treat you the way he did. You are not just a servant. You are my mate,
my equal, my Luna. And I will protect you with everything I have. You don't have to be afraid
anymore. You don't have to run."
She stared at me, her eyes wide and searching, as if trying to find any hint of deceit in my
words. But there was none. I meant every word with every fibre of my being. After a moment,
she swallowed hard and spoke, her voice barely above a whisper.
"But… I don't know if I can trust again. If I can believe in this."
I nodded, understanding the depth of her fear. "I know," I said gently. "And I'm not asking you
to trust me right away. But give me the chance to show you that I'm different. That I'm here
for you, and that I will never, ever let you down."
Her eyes shimmered with fresh tears, but this time, there was a glimmer of something else in
them,hope, fragile and tentative, but there nonetheless. She didn't speak, but the way her
body relaxed slightly, the way she allowed herself to lean into my touch, told me that she
was starting to believe. Starting to hope.
"I won't rush you," I promised, my thumb brushing over her cheek again, wiping away the
last of her tears. "We'll go at your pace, whatever that may be. But know this, Amelia,I'm not
letting you go. Not now, not ever."
She bit her lip, her gaze dropping to the ground as she processed my words. The silence
stretched between us, heavy with emotion, until finally, she gave a small nod, her voice so
quiet I almost didn't hear it. "Okay."
Relief washed over me, and I felt the tension in my chest ease slightly. I knew this was only
the beginning, that there would be challenges ahead, but for now, this small victory was
enough.
"Thank you," I murmured, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. "We'll get through this
together, I promise."
But even as I said the words, a part of me couldn't shake the unease that had settled in my
gut. Something wasn't right. The way Marku had backed down so easily, the way he had
seemed almost… smug. It didn't add up. I had a bad feeling that this wasn't over, that Marku
had something up his sleeve, something that could jeopardize everything.
But I pushed those thoughts aside for now, focusing instead on the woman in front of me,the
woman I would do anything to protect. Whatever came next, I would be ready. We would be
ready.