Chapter 216

Chapter 216
Samuel POV

I watched Amanda from the corner of my eye as the movie played. She had begun talking to me, but her body language screamed caution. She sat on the edge of the sofa, ready to bolt at any moment.

No matter what she said or how much she spoke, it was obvious she didn't trust me or my intentions. I couldn't blame her after what she'd been through. The things Maggie had shown me from Amanda's memories were enough to make anyone wary of others.

The movie was halfway through when I noticed her fighting against sleep. Her head would droop to one side before she'd jerk awake suddenly. Each time, her eyes would nervously dart in my direction, making sure I hadn't left the opposite sofa. The dark circles under her eyes told me she probably hadn't slept properly in days, maybe weeks.

Her efforts to stay awake proved futile. Eventually, exhaustion won the battle, and she slumped against the arm of the sofa, finally succumbing to sleep.

I quietly stood and walked toward the linen closet. Moving slowly to avoid making noise, I pulled out a soft blanket and returned to where Amanda slept. She didn't stir as I carefully draped the blanket over her.

Since she hadn't awakened, I decided to sit on the floor beside her. Max had been bothering me constantly, yearning for contact with his mate. I knew touching her in any way would terrify her, so he would have to be satisfied with just being near her. Her scent filled the air around us, a mix of cinnamon and vanilla that calmed something restless inside me.

I leaned my head against the edge of the sofa, finding a comfortable position. For the first time since Zoey died, I felt truly tired. Not tense, not agitated, not uncomfortable in my own skin—just tired. Sleep, something I had once taken for granted, had become elusive after I discovered I could barely manage a full night of rest.

I'm not sure how long I slept before I was suddenly awakened by Amanda tapping my face. The scent of her fear filled the room, immediately putting me on alert. She had curled herself into the corner of the sofa, knees pulled to her chest, staring fearfully down the hallway.

That's when I heard the doorbell and Solon's voice through our mind-link: Finally, Alpha. I couldn't wake you. I've been standing outside for ten minutes.

I stood up, telling Amanda, "It's my Beta. I'll be right back," before rubbing my eyes and heading toward the front door.

I pressed my hand against the panel, hearing the door unlock. When I pulled it open, Solon stood there holding several bags. Daylight spilled in from outside, and I realized I must have slept through the entire night. The birds were singing, and the quiet outside told me it was early morning.

"I was going to bring these over last night, but by the time I got back, it was past midnight," Solon explained, handing me the bags and my wallet. I stepped aside to let him in.

He walked straight to the kitchen as he always did whenever he visited. The man was seriously addicted to coffee—I swear 90% of his blood was coffee at this point.

Solon stopped in the doorway leading to the living room when he spotted Amanda. She seemed nervous about his presence, her eyes darting anxiously toward me.

"Luna," Solon addressed her with a respectful nod.

Amanda looked at me in confusion.

"This is Solon, Amanda. He's safe. He won't touch you. None of my men will," I assured her. Clearly, earning her trust would be a slow process.

Solon raised an eyebrow at me, then asked, "Coffee?" before walking into the kitchen. I nodded and followed him.

I leaned against the counter, trying to wake myself up properly.

"You slept," Solon observed, not bothering to hide his surprise.

I yawned. "Apparently."

"You look like shit. Definitely need coffee," he added, already preparing the machine.

From the hallway, my phone began ringing on the stand. The sound grew louder with each ring, so I walked out to answer it.

I crashed directly into Amanda in the hallway. My hand barely caught her before she fell backward. I managed to grab the doorframe to steady myself before standing upright. I pulled her toward me, her body pressed against mine.

Damn, she felt good against me.

"Your phone," she said, holding it out to me.

I realized she was trembling in my arms. I released her, and she immediately backed away to a safe distance.

"Thank you," I said, taking the phone and seeing Simon's name on the screen.

"Yeah, Simon," I answered.

"Have you heard about Dylan and Charles?" Simon asked, his voice tense.

"Should I have? Was Margaret at your place yesterday?"

"Margaret was taken in for an emergency C-section," Simon informed me. "I thought you should know."

My grip tightened on the phone. "Are the babies okay?"

"They're fine. It's Margaret who isn't doing well."

"I'll be right over," I said, hanging up.

Solon poked his head out of the kitchen. "Everything alright, Alpha?"

"No. I need to go see my sister," I replied, looking at Amanda and trying to figure out what to do with her.

I didn't want to force her to come, but I also didn't want to leave her alone if that would frighten her. I decided to give her the choice.

"Would you like to come with me, or would you prefer to stay here?" I asked her.