Chapter 2
Amelia’s POV
Tears burned my eyes as my gaze flickered between their faces. My lips trembled as I struggled to form words.
“How— how could you do this to me, Zach.” My voice came out as a whimper. “Why?”
Turns out my ex-best friend was the “something urgent” he had to attend to while I was here, being all so trusty and even thinking he was in danger.
“What are you doing here?” Ria asked casually as she got up to wear her clothes.
For a minute, I didn’t know if I should cry or laugh. Rage burned true me like a fiery furnace.
“How dare you?” I hollered furiously, struggling to push back the years that were threatening to fall.
I would never give them the satisfaction of hurting me.
Zach quickly leaped off the bed, slipped into a pair of trousers, and approached me. “Let’s just settle this amicably, okay? I can explain.”
I couldn’t believe my ears. Settle it amicably? He just cheated on me on our wedding day and he wanted us to settle this?
And if I was connecting the dots well, he also had something to do with the reason I and Ria had separated. Anger and pain seared through my heart as I recalled those painful memories.
Ria and I had been best friends in college and luckily after graduation, we got employed by the same fashion company.
Eventually, she stole my clothing designs and presented them as hers then later framed me for stealing them from her and when I tried to take action, she blackmailed me with my secret.
I shut out the hurtful memories as an incredulous scoff escaped my lips.
“You want to explain, Jack? Explain that you ditched me on our wedding day so you could sleep with Ria?” My voice crescendoed. “What other explanation do you have?”
“Shut your trap!” Ria yelled. “Do you actually think you deserve Zach? Do you want to be Luna when you couldn’t even satisfy his sexual desires? Don’t you think you’re selfish?”
Anger coursed through my veins and blinded me. How could anyone be as brazen as this? Sanity deserted me completely as I lunged at her.
“I’m selfish? Who are you to call me that?” I bellowed. “You destroyed my career and now, you slept with my mate but I’m the selfish one?”
My hands shot out impulsively towards her face and she shrieked in horror as her face turned red instantly.
“Amelia, how dare you lay your filthy hands on her?” Zach growled as he closed the distance between us.
“A filthy silver wolf like you had the guts to slap the Alpha’s woman?”
My heart leaped out of my throat and my face blanched immediately. Ria had finally exposed my secrets. The same secret I had sacrificed my career for.
But for some strange reasons, it out me at ease. I knew it could get me sentenced to death but I was just past caring.
“Yes, I slapped her!”
He suddenly grabbed my neck. “How dare you deceive me and still be so brazen? For that, I will make you suffer so much that you’ll beg for death!”
Before I could react, four burly guards came in, carrying heavy metallic chains.
“Bind the criminal!” He ordered them.
The men tackled me to the floor before binding my hands and feet with heavy chains then chained me to a chair.
The sharp edges of the chain tore at my skin and the spasm of pain shot to my head but I held it all in.
I refused to give them the pleasure of seeing me in pain. There was no use begging them.
“Do your worst! But, I’ll make sure you regret this!” I spat.
Both of them laughed mockingly and the next minute, Ria was kneeling before Zach and unzipping his trousers.
I squeezed my eyes shut as I realized what she was trying to do. The moment she had him in her mouth, I knew because my wolf groaned within me.
“Open your eyes, bitch!” Zach hollered. “Watch how I mark her!”
I didn’t open my eyes. The pain would be too much and I wouldn’t be able to hold in the pain.
He must have sunk his canines into Ria’s neck because the next moment, a sharp pain spasmed from my chest through my body.
Almost immediately, I felt a tug at my heart as the matebond snapped apart and my wolf let out a loud howl in my head.
The howl escaped my lips, followed by the sound of metal hitting the ground. I didn’t know how it happened but the chains had broken.
I didn’t need any more warning as I bolted out of the room and out of the hotel, literally jumping into the car and driving off at an insanely high speed.
I didn’t know how far I’d gone but I just kept driving. Anything to get away from the haunting environment.
Dusk had fallen now and I had no idea where I was. I sighted a bar just down the road and relief washed through me.
A few minutes later, I was sitting down at the counter, downing a glass of whiskey. It dampened my nerves and I finally felt my muscles relaxing again.
I gestured to the barman to bring me another glass and from the corner of my eyes, I saw someone settling into the seat beside me.
“You look like you could use my company.”
I heard their voices so close to my ears and the anger I felt towards Ria and Zach came flooding my mind. I might as well vent my anger on whoever it was who wouldn’t mind their business.
I turned now. “Who the hell do you—?”
My words caught in my throat as my gaze zeroed in on the man’s face. His ice-blue eyes pierced into mine relentlessly, sending a slight chill down my spine.
My gaze stole over his perfectly sculpted face, taking in his straight nose, high cheekbones, and made-to-kiss lips.
For a minute, I forgot the hurt and pain in my heart. Were men still allowed to be as perfect as this?
He was wearing a white shirt and it molded over him like second skin, marking out every muscle and giving him that perfect image of a Greek god.
I quickly caught myself and barely managed to suppress the urge to shudder as a knot tightened in my stomach.
“I don’t need your company, so fuck off!” I yelled angrily then turned back to grab my drink.
Suddenly, I felt his hand on my wrist as he held it in place, took the drink from me, and placed it in front of him.
Seriously? Oh moon goddess help me! This fucking nose poker had to be kidding me!
“Who the hell are—?”
“I think you want to use my company.” He cut me off bluntly, his voice brooking no further argument.
Wait a minute! His face looked so familiar but the alcohol had jumbled up my brain I couldn’t even remember where I had seen him. Was he a stalker or something?
“What the hell do you want from me?”
“Good question!” He said, smiling stiffly. “Because I would also like to know why you ran off with my car!”
Realization hit me hard in the face now. Good going! I berated myself.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t know it was—”
“You could keep your sorry to yourself!” He cut me off bluntly. “Just give me my key and I’ll be off.”
A frown immediately formed on my face. So, what if he helped me and I failed to recognize him, did he have to be so rude about it?
I scoffed silently as I dug into my pocket for his car keys but to my horror, I couldn’t find them. Now, This was more embarrassing.
With a tight smile, I faced him. ” I’m sorry but I can’t seem to find your keys.”
The silence that followed my words was almost deafening as something cold flashed in his eyes before his lips twitched into a sinister smile.
“I don’t know how you’ll do it, but I need my car key in thirty minutes.” He slipped a card onto the counter.
“I’ll be waiting in this room.” He finished, his voice brooking no further argument as he left.
My fuzzy brain cleared immediately. The man looked like someone who shouldn’t be trifled with.
I quickly went back to the car and the key was on the dashboard. I went back to the bar and traced the room number on the card.
Room 215. As soon as I saw it, I barged in without a second thought.
“I found your car keys. I’m so—”
And then everything changed the moment my gaze trained on the nearly nude man who had his tattooed back to me.
He turned now, anger evident in his face. But it wasn’t his anger that made my blood quicken in my veins— it was the way he was gazing at me like a beast about to devour his prey.
I quickly made to run but he was suddenly standing in front of me and staring down at me, his gaze lingering on my lips.
“Not so fast, honey.”
