AMELIA’S P.O.V

I was done hiding.


If Blake was willing to leave his pack despite not having his wolf then he was a greater foe than I knew and I couldn’t just sit on my ass and wait for him to attack whenever he felt like.

He wasn’t backing down anytime soon, I knew that much. I saw the look in his eyes yesterday and I knew what it was. It was a look of pure determination. I knew that it wasn’t about what I wanted anymore or about what he presumed to be a mate bond, this was about an Alpha whose ego was just bruised.

I embarrassed him and made him look weak and he wanted me back to show that he wasn’t. I was the shiny trophy that he wanted to keep in a display and I’d be damned if I let him do that to me. He couldn’t control my life- not anymore at least.


For the first time since I returned, I woke up earlier than Kaden and made my way down to the kitchen to make breakfast. It felt so good to be back in my own house, barefoot in my kitchen and able to do whatever I wanted.

I had barely started making my breakfast muffins when I heard hurried footsteps down the steps and Kaden’s face popped into view. He was in grey sweats that looked like he had pulled them on in a rush and his eyes were wide with panic. When he saw me however, his shoulders sagged in relief and he rushed over to me.


“Fuck,” he whispered as he breathed in my scent. “I didn’t find you next to me when I woke up.”

“I’m sorry.”

It was easy to forget that I wasn’t the only one who suffered from my disappearance. He was just as panicked as I was, he just hid it for my sake and I had unknowingly triggered some of that anxiety in him.

I turned to him and wrapped my arms around his mid-section. He wasted no time in pulling me flush against him and pressing a soft kiss to the center of my head. We stood there for what felt like hours, just savoring each other’s scent.

“I’m sorry I scared you,” I told him. “I just- I don’t want to hide anymore. I want to go back to the way we were.”

He nodded slowly. “Don’t apologize, you’re right here. You shouldn’t have to apologize. What are you making?”

“Brownies,” I had no idea why it embarrassed me to say that. “I just woke up craving them and-”

“You don’t have to explain yourself to me, Amelia. This is your home and you can do whatever you want. How can I help?”

I hesitated before speaking. “Well I also want to eat some fruits so could you help me with that?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Our morning routine almost felt normal, there was no reminder of Blake or what had happened to me. We were just two mates having a good morning together and for a split second, I felt whole and normal- like a real family.

I ate only one brownie because after making it- I wasn’t craving it anymore. Kaden just laughed and kept the rest in the fridge before assuring me that I would want it later. I ended up having oats and fruits for breakfast which Kaden was happy to make for me.

“I have to go into the pack today,” Kaden said as we washed up and just like that, whatever bubble we had put ourselves in during breakfast was shattered.

I stared at him trying to assure myself that I would be fine on my own but I couldn’t bring myself to speak. My words were garbled in my own throat and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t get them out. All I could do was hum and nod.

I started to leave but he was quick to grab my arm. “Don’t walk away from me, Amelia, I want you to say something.”

“I knew you would have to return to work at some point,” I shrugged dumbly.

“Amelia, if you don’t want me to go-”

“I do,” I said quickly. That wasn’t the point, it never was. “I just-”

He lifted me onto the counter and settled between my legs. “Tell me, baby, what’s wrong?”

“I’m scared,” I said finally. “This is going to be the first time we’ll really be apart since I got back. You’re always close by and I don’t know, I just- I’m scared.”

“You can come with me.”

I shook my head. “No, I’ll be fine. I need to learn to be alone. Besides, there are some things I need to do. I was looking into something before I was taken.”

His eyes darkened. “You’re going to see Aaron. Amelia-”

“I’ll take guards with me if you want, but I can’t be useless anymore. All I do is sit home all day and do nothing. I need to make something out of my time and this is it.”

He muttered a small curse under his breath before pressing a kiss to my forehead. “You’re not useless, baby, but if you want to go, I have no issues with that. Caleb can go with you.”

“I want Clara, you can keep Caleb.”

“She’s not a soldier.”

I immediately knew what the issue was. The last time I was taken, I was with Clara and whether he wanted to admit it or not, a part of him blamed Clara. If she were a soldier then maybe she would have been able to fight Blake off long enough for me to call him or get to him.

“It wasn’t her fault.”

He sighed. “I know, but I want a guard with you.”

“Then give me as many guards as you want,” I knew I would regret that statement later but if it was going to make him calm down and reduce some of his blame towards Clara then so be it. “But I want Clara.”

“Okay.”