AMELIA’S P.O.V

I didn’t recognize the man that Blake had asked to watch me. I didn’t even know his name, but the one thing I did know for certain was that he didn’t like Blake, not at all. As soon as Blake had left, he muttered a few choice words under his breath and said something about helping Blake get to where he is now and being treated like a slave.


I filed that away for future use and mainly stayed out of his way. He seemed like a temperamental person and it didn’t help that he was twirling a knife around in his hands like he was going to throw it at someone at any time. I knew that I didn’t want to be there when he finally decided to throw it so I stayed in the room.

I managed to avoid him for the rest of the evening. I ignored the hunger and my stomach growling every few seconds until the early hours of the morning. I wasn’t sure what time it was because the sky was still dark but I managed to tiptoe out of the bedroom and into the kitchen. Blake had told me that the cupboard was fully stocked. I had hoped to find a snack or something.

I had barely opened the fridge when the lights came on. I froze like a deer stuck in headlights and turned around to find the man standing in the doorway watching me. He was wearing a simple white tank and sweats.


“You finally came out of hiding,” he drawled crossing his arms over his chest. “Now that I can see you properly, I understand why Blake went through so much for you. You’re a pretty one.”

I swallowed the knot in my throat as I pulled out a packet of biscuits from the fridge. “Thank you, I guess.”


I made to walk past him but he stepped in my way. His finger tapped the bottom of my chin making me look up at him. His eyes looked like melted chocolate. It was pretty but in a disturbed kind of way. They were empty and cold, almost as if there was no thought behind them. It was almost terrifying to look at.

“You don’t love him, do you?” he asked and I cocked my head to the side in confusion. His response was to laugh. “Don’t give me that doe eyed look, I have seen enough women to know when a woman is in love and you are as far from it as they come.”

I pulled back from his hold. “I don’t know what you’re talking about and I would appreciate it if you didn’t touch me again.”

“You have not asked for him once,” he said simply. “You haven’t asked me to call him. You don’t even care that he is not here. A woman in love, a woman who had been separated from her love for months and was just reunited would not want to be parted from him.”

“What do you know about love or what I have been through?” I spat. “You know nothing and I would prefer it if you kept your stupid theories to yourself.”

“You are very defensive.”

“You are implying that I do not have feelings for Blake. We are mates.”

“Did you know he mated with your sister?” his words silenced me immediately. I knew already but hearing it out loud made it hurt more. “He chose her over you or he chose her to get to you. I am not really sure how it works. I suppose he cannot feel bad that you fell for another while he was fucking your sister.”

“I’m done with the conversation,” I kept my voice firm. “Have a good night, sir.”

“It’s Jamal- not sir.”

I walked away and with each step, my heart was pounding harder. If he had noticed in less than a day then I needed to up my game with Blake. The last thing I wanted was for Blake to believe this guy or to think that I wasn’t in love with him. I didn’t want to make things even more difficult than they needed to be. I still hadn’t found my way out.

I managed to eat the biscuits before falling asleep and the next time I woke up, it was to the sound of a slamming door. I knew that Blake was back. I remembered Jamal’s words from earlier and I steeled myself to receive him.

With slow and careful steps, I made my way out of the room. I could hear them whispering to themselves but as soon as they saw me, they fell silent. Blake was staring at me, a mixture of relief and awe etched on his face. I swallowed deeply as I crossed the length of the room and wrapped my arms around him.

I felt him tense up at first but it took him no time to wrap his arms around me and pull me closer. I vaguely heard Jamal mumble something before storming out leaving us alone. I wanted to pull back but I smelled something. It smelled like pine wood and home- it smelled like Kaden. I shut my eyes trying to fight the tears that had built up at the back of my eyelids. It was the closest I could get to my mate’s scent and I knew it.

“Don’t cry, Amelia,” Blake whispered. “I’m here now, and I am never letting go.”

It was good that he thought I was crying for him. I wasn’t sure how I would have explained it if he had asked why I was crying. I inhaled deeply, trying to get as much of Kaden’s scent as I could but it was already fading.

Blake pulled back, cupping my cheeks as he did and he kissed me. It went against my every instinct as I kissed him back. I tried to picture Kaden as I did, tried to remember the softness of his mouth and the warmth of his skin against mine. It was the only thing that made this slightly bearable.

Blake moaned as he pulled me flush against him and his hands trailed over my body. He was too quick, too rushed as he ripped my shirt open. Before I could even process what was happening, he had his mouth over my tits.

“Blake,” I managed out trying to push him away but he must have mistaken it for pleasure because he bit down on my nipple, hard enough that I winced. My eyes blurred with unshed tears but it was what I had to do.

“It’s okay, Amelia,” he whispered against my skin. “I’m here, I’m not leaving you.”