Chapter 146
AMELIA
A group of joggers, nodding at me in acknowledgment before passing by me. They were shirtless, just shorts and sweatpants. Theia would have laughed as she ogled them if she was here.
“Amelia!”
I turned around to see Lucius marching in my direction, shirtless, as well, sweaty, yet all I could smell was the strong aroma of his werewolf scent. There was barely a scar on his abdomen, but what caught my attention was the tattoo on his chest, almost similar to a pentagram, but there were more symbols inside that I didn’t recognize. It was a sigil.
Ryden was ripped, yet Lucius was ripper, with pure bulging muscles. There was nothing soft about him, except for his lips, maybe.
“Do you always run shirtless?”
“And sweaty?” He smiled. He looked younger when he smiled. “Pretty much. Just don’t go hundred yards behind the cabins if you don’t wanna see naked asses.”
“Noted.” I paused as I somehow lost in my thoughts and guilt as I couldn’t look away from the reminder of what I did. “I received your note.”
“You came here by portal or what?” He gestured to walk with him.
“You left without telling me.”
“I supposed it would be awkward if I stayed longer while you and your mate—”
Shit. “You went there to say goodbye?” I felt my cheeks burning. I didn’t know why I felt conflicted and confused about my feelings when he was around.
I was sure, one hundred percent that I loved Ryden, without a doubt, yet when I was with Lucius, he made me confused where I stood between them despite me wearing Ryden’s mark.
“Yeah.” He looked away even if I could hear his racing heartbeat, and I was sure it didn’t happen from his run.
We entered his house. It was big and nice. His walls alone were well secured.
“Your mate’s first comment when they came, a career criminal must have paid well.”
I chuckled as we climbed upstairs. “You did a pretty good job with your territory with Area 51 security system.”
“Thanks. It took a while to build this entire community and I didn’t build this alone. I had a lot of help.”
We turned left and passed by rooms. At the end corner looked like a living area with pretty cozy furniture and sofas.
We reached the door, which must be his bedroom.
“I’ll wait on the couch.”
“Don’t be silly.” He pushed the door open and gestured. When I didn’t move, he smiled. “Amelia, I’m not gonna touch you. I swear, I never violated any women or touched them without their approval. Whatever you heard about me, half of them were false. Please, come inside.”
I drew a deep breath and walked in.
His room was expansive with a small sitting area in the corner. I went to the window, it reminded me of the view he showed me at the penthouse. Only this time, it was the pure beauty of nature with green tall trees and mountains in the distance.
“I’ll take a quick shower.”
I nodded.
“I’ll keep the door open if you wish to join.” I could hear the humor in his voice before he walked into the door on the other side.
I looked around as I heard the water running from the bathroom. There was nothing much to see than royal wallpapers on the wall and his four-poster king-size bed at the center, a bench at the foot, and the nightstands.
My curiosity brought me to his bed where there was a small photo framed and a golden locket.
I sat on his bed and smelled him. Then I picked the framed of a very old photo of a smiling couple. That must be his parents. I put it back and grabbed the golden locket. My mind told me not to open it, but I didn’t listen.
A picture of a young woman that clenched my heart, certainly not from jealousy or something but the young woman in an old photo looked like just me in my brown hair, it smiled like me, and it was me in every way, only I couldn’t remember the picture was taken.
Either it was some kind of magic or done by AI or Lucius was tricking me.
With a shaky hand, I dropped it on the nightstand and ran towards the door.
“Hey!” Lucius was fast to grab me by my waist, stopping me from running away.
“Let me go!” I struggled as he wrapped his arms around me, lifting me like I weighed nothing. “I don’t wanna hurt you, Lucius!”
“I know what you’re capable of, and you already did, Amelia. Can you calm down? I’ll put you down but promise me you’re not leaving.”
“I can’t do that. What kind of sick fuck are you, huh?” My chest was heaving. Pulse thrashing in my ears, and I was beyond furious.
“Sweetheart, my towel is falling. Unless you’ve been dying to see me naked, you behave, okay?”
“Fuck you!”
He laughed. His laugh was rich and free, unlike when he was brooding, he was scarier like a predator in the dark, watching and stalking his prey. “I wish I could. I really am.”
“You think you’re funny, you sick psycho!” With my anger brewing in my blood, I lost control. I turned around and slapped him hard. My palm was just a thread to his face when he caught me.
“Don’t do that again.” My wrist was still tightly in his grip when he narrowed his eyes at me. His nose flared. “I have an explanation for what you saw. Isn’t that the reason why you’re here? After you hear my story, you can slap me as hard as you can, you can even kill me, you have my permission to do so.”
I was still shaking, but at the same time, I was ashamed of my behavior.
He was an alpha king, stronger and fearless. He could have easily thrown me out of the window or ripped me apart. Instead, he let my wrist go with one hand still holding his towel, barely covering his groin. His thighs were strong with muscles. The veins on his V that ran down towards his pelvis were protruding, and the longer I looked down, the more prominent his bulge was getting.
“Amelia, look up, please?”
My ears were hot as I looked away. I didn’t even apologize. I guessed I was enjoying what I saw then I was pissed off. It was embarrassing.
“You better have a valid reason why that woman looks just like me.” I walked away from him, took off my gun and sword, and put them down on his nightstand. Then I took off my shoes and picked his throw pillows and threw them one by one so I could sit comfortably and pretty on his bed. Like I used to do or belonged there.
He went inside the other door, and I waited. What the hell did I just do? I just invaded his privacy and bed. Before I could get out of his bed, he walked out dressed in a black t-shirt and jeans.
“So?”
“Can I get you something to drink?”
“No. Sit down and explain.” I patted the space before me. “Is that why you’re obsessed with me?”
“Obsessed? I don’t think so.” He picked up the locket and sat where I exactly told him to.
“Then who is she? I’m sure I don’t have a twin sister. Dr. Gallagher would have mentioned about her. That picture is older, and I don’t remember anything about it. So, why does she look like me?”
He sighed deeply and looked at me. “There’s no easy way of saying this, sweetheart.”
“Stop calling me sweetheart and start explaining, Lucius or I’m leaving.”
“That is you, Amelia.”