My breath catches in my throat as I take in the sight of him, all tousled hair and piercing green eyes that seem to see straight through to my very soul. He’s clearly freshly showered and changed, the crisp scent of his soap mingling with the unique aroma that is purely him.
For a moment, we simply stare at each other, the air between us thick with a tension that has my heart pounding in my chest. Then his gaze rakes over me from head to toe, a frown tugging at the corners of his mouth as he takes in my appearance.
“Where are you going?” he asks, his voice low and rough with an emotion I can’t quite decipher.
“To see Lily,” I reply, reaching for the door handle once more.
But Nickolas is faster, his hand slamming against the wood and holding it firmly shut. “You’re not going,” he growls.
I suck in a sharp breath, frustration warring with the instinctive urge to submit to his command. “I understand this isn’t the best time for me to go out,” I try to reason, keeping my voice calm and even. “But I was planning on taking some guards with me. I don’t plan on getting myself kidnapped again anytime soon.”
Nickolas’s jaw clenches, his eyes flashing with a possessive sort of fury that sends a shiver down my spine. “Not good enough for me,” he bites out, his grip on the door tightening until his knuckles turn white.
I release a slow, measured breath, trying to think of a way to convince him to let me go. I know his concerns are valid that the risk of me being taken again is still far too high. But I also know that I can’t just sit here and wait for answers, not when Lily is the only one who can tell me if my family is gone forever or not.
“Come with me, then,” I suggest, holding his gaze steadily.
But Nickolas just shakes his head, his expression hardening into an implacable mask. “I have business to attend to,” he says flatly, leaving no room for argument.
Desperation claws at my throat; the need to see Lily, to know the truth, is overwhelming in its intensity. “Then let me go with guards,” I plead, hating the way my voice cracks on the words.
“No!” Nickolas snarls, his eyes flashing with a dangerous light.
“Nickolas, please-”
“No, Amelia,” he cuts me off, his voice like a whip crack in the tense silence. “And that’s final.”
He takes a step closer, crowding into my personal space until I can feel the heat of his body like a physical caress. His eyes bore into mine, dark and fathomless and filled with a fierce, protective sort of emotion I can’t name that steals the breath from my lungs.
“If I find out you disobeyed me on this,” he murmurs, his breath fanning hot against my cheek, “trust me, you won’t like the consequences.”
And with that ominous warning, he turns on his heel and strides out of the room, slamming the door behind him with enough force to rattle the hinges. I stand there for a moment, my heart racing and my mind whirling with a dizzying array of emotions.
Then, with a muttered curse, I lunge for the door, twisting the handle with a desperate sort of urgency. But it doesn’t budge, the lock clicking into place with a finality that has my stomach sinking like a stone.
“Fuck!” I scream, slamming my palm against the unyielding wood in a fit of impotent rage.
Whirling away from the door, I stalk towards the windows, yanking back the heavy curtains with a sharp tug. The sight of thick, silver bars crisscrossing the glass greets me.
“Seriously, Nickolas?” I mutter under my breath, shaking my head in disbelief. He’s really gone all out to keep me locked up tight like some sort of precious treasure he’s afraid will be stolen away.
Gritting my teeth, I unmask my scent and feel the familiar sensation of fangs elongating in my mouth. I reach out and wrap my hands around the bars, hoping to use my enhanced strength to break through the barrier. But the moment my skin makes contact with the silver, a searing pain lances through my palms, burning like acid as it eats away at my flesh. I yelp, snatching my hands back and cradling them against my chest as I stare at the bars in mute horror.
Oaktree venom!
He’s really thought of everything, hasn’t he? Every possible avenue of escape. But I’ll be damned if I let that stop me. Scanning the room with a critical eye, I wrack my brain for any possible means of escape. And then, like a bolt of lightning, it hits me.
The adjoining door to my own room.
Without a second thought, I lunge towards it, fingers scrambling over the handle as I yank it open with all my strength. The door crashes against the wall with a resounding bang that has me freezing in place, holding my breath. But no footsteps come rushing in response to the commotion.
Peering through the open doorway, I see only the dimly lit familiarity of my own room stretching out before me. No guards burst through to apprehend me for the abrupt disturbance. I send a silent prayer of thanks to the heavens.
Slipping inside, I make a beeline for the windows, my heart soaring as I realize they’re blessedly free of any silver bars oak tree venom. Without hesitation, I shift into my wolf form, snatching up my clothes in my jaws before leaping through the open window with a graceful bound.
I land lightly on the soft grass below, my paws barely making a sound as I dart behind a nearby tree to shift back into my human skin. As I hurriedly pull on my clothes, Marie’s voice filters into my mind, laced with concern.
“Do you really think this is a good idea?” she asks her presence a soothing balm against the frantic energy thrumming through my veins.
I pause, considering her words for a moment. “No,” I admit, my voice little more than a whisper. “But don’t you want to know how Dad is doing? If he’s even still alive?”
I can feel Marie’s hesitation, her fear for my safety warring with the desperate need for answers. “I do,” she says at last, her tone heavy with resignation. “But I don’t want us to get hurt in the process, Amelia. We’ve been through enough already.”
“Don’t worry,” I assure her, squaring my shoulders as I step out from behind the tree. “I’ve got it covered.”
And with that, I make my way back into the castle, my steps quick and purposeful as I head towards the one place I know I can find her.
The kitchens.
As I walk, I send up a prayer to the heavens, begging them to keep Nickolas occupied and away from my path. Luck seems to be on my side for once as I make it to the kitchens without incident, slipping inside and scanning the bustling space for a familiar face. And there, in the midst of the chaos, is Beatrice, her kind eyes widening in surprise as she catches sight of me.
“Beatrice,” I breathe, rushing over to her. “Do you have a minute?”
She frowns, her brow furrowing in concern as she takes in my disheveled appearance. “Is everything alright?” she asks, her voice low and soothing.
I shake my head, swallowing hard against the lump of emotion rising in my throat. “I wish to visit Lily, and I need someone Nickolas trusts to come with me, along with a few guards,” I explain, the lie slipping effortlessly from my lips.
“Oh,” she replies, believing my words, though I can’t help but feel a pang of guilt for deceiving her. Yet the urgency to see Lily, to find out the fate of my family, outweighs any lingering remorse. I nod in confirmation.
Beatrice wipes her hands on her apron. “Let’s go.”
Relief floods over me like a crashing wave, nearly buckling my knees. I reach out and grasp Beatrice’s hand, squeezing it tightly as I lead the way out of the kitchens. With each step, the weight of my deceit settles heavily in my stomach, the knowledge of betraying Nickolas’s trust gnawing at me. Yet, I cling to the desperate hope that Lily holds the answers I seek, and in this moment, that’s all that matters.