Chapter 55 Content - Amelia’s POV
The days after our starlit date had felt like living in a dream, one I never wanted to wake from. Aleksandr and I had fallen into a rhythm that felt both new and somehow ancient, as if our souls had done this dance before. Every shared meal, every walk beneath the stars, every brush of his fingers against mine had built something between us that grew stronger by the hour. It wasn't just the romance of it all, though the goddess knew there was plenty of that. It was the way he listened when I spoke, really listened, as if my thoughts mattered. It was how he'd caught me staring at a particularly beautiful sunset yesterday and, instead of teasing, had simply said, "I know. I feel it too." Even Kaela had settled into a contented hum in my mind, her restlessness temporarily soothed by her growing connection with Skoll.
'You're getting soft,' Kaela teased as I absentmindedly traced the lip print I'd left on my coffee mug at breakfast. 'Four days ago you were ready to tear down his door, and now you're sighing over lipstick marks.'
"Shut up," I muttered, though without any real heat. My wolf wasn't wrong. I had gone soft, or perhaps just hopeful. The girl who had arrived at this castle, terrified and expecting to be sacrificed, seemed like a stranger now.
'I'm not complaining,' she clarified. 'Skoll says the Alpha's happier than he's been in decades. You're good for him.'
The thought warmed me from the inside out. I was good for him; the Alpha King, the most powerful werewolf in the kingdom. Me, the girl everyone had called wolfless, cursed, worthless. The irony wasn't lost on me.
Breakfast that morning had been particularly pleasant. Aleksandr had joined me in my suite's sitting room, bringing fresh pastries from the kitchen. We'd eaten by the window, watching the garden come alive with morning light. He'd been more relaxed than I'd ever seen him, his large frame sprawled comfortably in the chair across from mine, one hand absently playing with my fingers across the table while he told me stories about the castle's history.
"The west tower was actually built by a lovesick king," he'd said, his thumb tracing circles on my palm. "The story goes that his queen loved to watch the sunset, but winter in the royal city is brutal. So he built her a tower with glass walls that caught the evening light, heated by underground hot springs. Just so she wouldn't have to be cold while watching the sun go down."
"That's... incredibly romantic," I'd replied, trying to ignore the pleasant shivers his touch sent up my arm.
His eyes had held mine, deep and serious. "When you care for someone, you do what you can to make them comfortable. To make them happy."
The moment had hung between us, heavy with meaning, until a sharp knock interrupted. The messenger's apologetic expression had told me everything before he even spoke.
"The council requires your presence immediately, Your Highness," he'd said, eyes carefully averted. "Councillor Kane insists it's urgent."
I'd felt Aleksandr's frustration through our joined hands, seen it in the tightening of his jaw. "I'm sorry," he'd said to me. "I thought they'd give us the morning at least."
"Go," I'd told him, giving his fingers a gentle squeeze. "I'll be here when you're done."
He'd hesitated, then leaned across the table to press a kiss to my forehead. "I'll find you as soon as I'm free. The meeting shouldn't take more than two hours."
Now, alone in the sitting room, I gathered our breakfast dishes onto the tray. My red skater dress—one of the many new clothes that had mysteriously appeared in my wardrobe—was pretty but a bit formal for a quiet morning alone. I decided to change into something more comfortable before heading to the meditation garden. The idea had come to me yesterday; perhaps the peaceful atmosphere might help Kaela and me make progress on shifting.
In my bedroom, I slipped off the red dress and hung it carefully. Even after weeks, I still marveled at the quality of these clothes—the fabric soft against my skin, the stitching perfect, no holes or worn patches to be found. At Frozen Mountain, I'd been lucky to have clothing that fit, let alone matched or looked nice. My fingers traced the silky material of a blue tunic before selecting it and a pair of soft black leggings.
'Today might be the day,' Kaela said as I changed. 'I feel... different. Stronger.'
"You've been saying that every day this week," I reminded her, though not unkindly. I understood her desperation. We'd been trying every day, focusing our energy during quiet moments, attempting to trigger the shift that should have happened years ago. Sometimes I thought I felt something—a warmth spreading through my limbs, a prickling beneath my skin—but it never progressed beyond that hint of possibility.
'Today feels different,' she insisted. 'Trust me.'
I did trust her. More than anyone, really, since she'd been my only constant companion through the worst years of my life. "Then let's go try," I said, slipping on comfortable shoes.
The meditation garden welcomed me with its quiet serenity. Morning sunlight filtered through silver-leafed trees, casting dappled shadows across black granite paths. I chose a secluded spot near the circular reflecting pool, settling onto a stone bench carved with ancient pack runes. The air carried the gentle music of water trickling over moon stones, masking any sounds from the castle beyond. It was perfect—peaceful, private, protected.
I closed my eyes and took several deep breaths, feeling the tension leave my shoulders with each exhale. In our shared consciousness, Kaela moved forward, her presence stronger than usual.
'Focus on us,' she instructed. 'Not separate. Amelia and Kaela. Just us, together.'
I did as she suggested, visualizing the boundaries between us dissolving. Not human with wolf inside, but one being with two aspects. In my mind's eye, I saw her—massive black wolf with heterochromatic eyes that mirrored my own, one green, one blue. Beautiful, powerful, waiting to break free.
'Feel your skin,' Kaela continued. 'Imagine it stretching, changing. Your bones shifting, reforming.'
Heat bloomed in my chest, spreading outward through my limbs. My skin prickled as if tiny sparks danced just beneath the surface. My breathing quickened as the sensation intensified, not painful exactly, but strange—like my body was suddenly too small, too confining.
"It's happening," I whispered, eyes still closed, focusing on the feeling. "I think it's really happening this time."
'Push,' Kaela urged, her mental voice vibrating with excitement. 'Push through. Don't fight it.'