Chapter 9

After Amelia shifted from her wolf, she laid on the grassy land. Her bleary eyes flew open, connecting with the moon that shone across the cloudy sky.

It was a full moon, and in a way, it arose a feeling of security and courage. Her gaze still fixed on it, she stood to the ground.

The woods were the same—secretive, isolated and eerie. The chirping and rustling sounds had vanished; they were now replaced with snatches of voices lingering in the air. Curious as a cat, Amelia prowled forward, her legs thrashing with dewy grasses.

Some wolves were around the area—if found, she could be in grave danger. Scratching her itchy skin, she hid behind a giant tree and gazed across the dark area.

What were they seeking so late at night?

Hunting at night wasn’t so ideal in the pack.

What then?

Her head pondered on different theories; she searched her mind for answers, but nothing seemed to match the mysterious question.

She wanted to trail the husky voices, but she was too tired and famished. Reluctantly, she passed the opposite direction, vowing to investigate next time…

The next day wasn’t exactly rosy. Amelia had awakened to her mother’s chiding.

“You will remain locked up in your room!” Veronica had bellowed with a shrewd look in her eye.

The positive side was that she didn’t have to attend the embroidery class that day. The alpha king had called for a public holiday.

“I saw you leave the ballroom last night…” Rose began; she’d ran into the room and flopped on the bed earlier, “mother almost went berserk searching all over for you. I think Alpha William Hamburger wanted to have another dance with you.”

Amelia barked out a laugh; it’d been a while since she had a good one. Her eyes watered up as she tried to find her words.

“Why are you laughing?” Rose gazed at her innocently, her bulgy eyes in full display.

“It is Hamburg, Rose…Hamburg,” she uttered, recalling their horrific dance.

Rose formed her mouth in an oval and laughed for a moment. It twisted…and then something changed.

“I also saw you arrive in the thick hour of the morning,” She revealed, and Amelia froze.

It was logical; Rose’s room was right next to hers. She constantly climbed through the corners of the house whenever she sneaked in.

It’d be foolish to pass through the front door.

Amelia realized she hadn’t exactly been a good example to her little sister.

“I told mother that you were laying in your room after we arrived from the palace…” she continued, and Amelia listened as though it was the first time she had ever heard her speak. “You can’t possibly imagine the trouble I went through trying to pull it off. I had one of the handmaidens pretend she was you. I made her sleep on your bed, making mother believe you were there. The poor thing was frightened to death!”

Amelia stared at her agape. How had she managed to plan all of that?

How had she grown so fast?

She had thought escaping the ball was a smooth plan. It was a grand celebration, with hordes of guests and just the right amount of noise and confusion to allow her absence to go unnoticed for a good five hours.

“What a revelation, good heavens! You're a very clever little one.” she smiled at the sixteen-year-old. “You remind me of myself, and I’m not quite sure I fancy that.” She sighed, straightening her creased garment.

“Why do you say so, sister?” her eyes sparkled as though her favorite meal was approaching. “I love your courage…your charisma. I love how you care so much about our freedom as women. I want to be just as brave as you are, sister. I want to be exactly like you!”

She was distressed that she had ignored Rose for such a long time.

Amelia felt her eyes watering up; she felt like a mother having a little chat with her daughter. She didn’t understand what they could all see in her—well, basically everyone except her mother. She hadn’t accomplished anything in her years; the only thing she was good at was being rebellious and so damned stubborn.

“Oh Roselyn, you’re your own unique, wonderful self,” she whispered, “I reckon you’re much better than I am, not with everything you’ve just told me. But I don’t want you lying or covering up for me anymore. A strong woman never lies, she owns up to her mistakes.”

Rose smiled and nodded curtly, “I understand,” she uttered and wrapped her hands around Amelia’s waist. She gazed up at her, studying and admiring her features.

When the little moment of weakness died out, Amelia placed her hand on her churning stomach, muttering under her breath, “I am awfully famished!”

“Me too,” Emily chuckled.

After the maids served them breakfast on bed, they gobbled and chatted the entire time. Emily later leapt out of the room, leaving Amelia to her own company.

She spent some of the hour reading.

Time seemed to have slowed down, and the temperature was cool.

Grounded or not, Amelia decided to sneak out of the room. The weather was too fine to miss out.

Slowly, she slipped out of her robe and entered into a white dress. She peered around the dim room, her eyes connecting with the shelf that was situated at a corner. She raised her brows as she limped close to the antique shelf.

Trailing her hand on the wood, she dusted the dirty surfaces.

The maids had to do better at cleaning the room.

Her eyes shone as they connected with the revolution book. Instantly, her mind wandered.

How the book had survived all these years…

How had her great grandparents acquired it?

And why had her grandfather passed on something so dangerous to her?

Amelia recalled his last words.

“I’ll have you know that you have a glorious purpose, Amelia.” He’d said before handing her the book on his deathbed.

His tragic death had left her in shambles…devastation. In a way, he was the only one that could stand her—the only one that understood her.

Despite how long she’d read the book, there was still a lot she was yet to uncover in the dusty pages.

Meticulously, Amelia tiptoed towards the door. Her heart leaping to her throat, she peered through a small opening.

The hall was clear.

There were no maids roaming the place, and her mother wasn’t anywhere near the area.

She strode out of the room, racing across the hall and then the garden. It was the perfect place with a marvelous atmosphere. A place to clear and renew her mind, a place she could get the human and his country out of her mind.

Those thoughts vanished and suddenly got replaced with a lingering one.

The garden—the prince.

The prince had made a fool of her that night. She’d called him snobby right to his face—not that she wouldn’t dare to do it again.

She shut her eyes, recalling the waves that’d passed through her body when she attempted to dance with him. For years, she’d been without the company of a male, and now, she had encountered two different men.

It was exciting, yet…terrifying.

On the spur of the moment, Amelia heard a sound, it’d come from the other side of the garden. She limped discreetly, glancing and rotating her head. It was better to avoid being seen.

Her brows raised as it fell on a built body, a body she could recognize from any distance.

She hid behind the mini tree Veronica had planted last season, tucking and craning her head as she watched the scene play out.

It was Tony, and he was with someone…a maid—her handmaiden.

They seemed to have been arguing about something because Tony was holding her dress.

The problem was it didn’t seem like just any quarrel.

Amelia tried to wash out the ideas that were clouding her mind, but it continued to ascend till she was ready to admit it.

Even a fool could see through the crystal scene.

They were lovers.