Chapter 189
Chapter 189
AMELIA
I remembered everything, even if I was in deep slumber.
“I thought I lost you again, ladybug.” Without hearing a word from me, I felt his body shake as he hugged me tight.
“Where the hell have you been?” Nora asked. I supposed she was asking the person who had the earth wolf.
“I was fighting demon entities like you, guys,” said the woman, a little defensive but I liked her already. “Then I heard of earthquake and tsunami in Hawaii. I followed your trail, then I ended up here.”
I felt so tired like I’d been running all day. My legs ached. Every muscle in my body was sore. The last thing I remembered was Ryden and everyone pulling me out of the portal, and I got stabbed.
I sucked in a breath and placed my hand on my chest.
“Amelia?” I heard Ryden’s tired and groggy voice as if he was trying to sleep but couldn’t.
“Beetle.” I licked my lips. My throat was dry like I’d been snoring the whole night.
“Goddess.” He chuckled and squeezed me into a tighter hug that trapped the air in my lungs. I could hear the relief and happiness in his voice that we finally put this chaos to an end. His heartbeat was racing. “You’re alive! You did it, ladybug. Did you hear me? It’s over now. No more demons. No more fighting.”
“I can’t breathe.” My voice was muffled, making him laugh.
“Sorry about that. I’m so glad you’re awake now.” When we pulled apart, he stared at me like he’d never seen me in years. I missed those eyes without looking at me like I was going to turn into a stone if he blinked. “I love you, Amelia. I didn’t get to tell you before—” He swallowed hard. “Never mind. It’s all in the past now. I love you, ladybug.”
I smiled. “I love you, too.”
He adjusted the bed so I would be sitting. “How are you feeling?”
“Like I have been crushed by a mother elephant.” I looked at myself. I was wearing what looked like a hospital gown, but I was sure I was in the infirmary. I checked the wound on my chest, where I got stabbed.
I remembered everything, including the agonizing pain I felt as an object penetrated my back through my chest, piercing my heart. I also felt when my heart stopped, yet I was here sitting and breathing, talking to the love of my life.
“You gave me the elixir. My father told me not to give it to anyone anymore.”
“I will take the blame, but you’re not anyone. You’re his daughter, Amelia.”
“Oh, shit.” I squeezed my eyes close. “Margaret. I’m so sorry. I wish I could have done something. How many have we lost?”
He only shrugged his shoulders and rounded to my left to pull the curtain open.
When I looked at the bed next to me, my mouth hung open. “She’s alive? How’s it even possible?”
“I don’t know, Amelia, but not only her, every fallen werewolf who had fought with us yesterday. Even the crack on the ground is gone. Everything went back to normal like nothing happened.”
“Yesterday.” I stared at him. “How long has I been out?”
He smiled, shaking his head. “You’re worried about sleeping the whole day when your heart stopped for a few minutes?”
I sighed and gestured for him to come to me. I hugged him tight, relieved and grateful for being alive again, but then, nothing would have happened to me if I hadn’t done what I did. If I wasn’t so egotistic about using my power and pushed it beyond my comprehension.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. Everything happened because of me.”
“Bullshit. Lucius has already told you that the evil had been there before you were even born.”
“Lucius? Where is he?” I asked in hesitation.
“I’m sure he can hear us. Do you wanna talk to him?”
I nodded, feeling ashamed. “Look—” I opened my mouth to apologize for what I did, but no words came out.
“It’s not important to me. I know you have feelings for him, even heartless and blind people can see it. It’s already written in the stars. It’s a twist of fate.” He kissed me on the forehead and stood up. “I’ll tell him to come. I’ll be right back.”
Once the door closed behind him, I pulled everything attached to me, then I slid off the bed and went to Margaret. She looked alive. She was even breathing. When I opened her shirt to check her chest, there was no scar just like mine.
“Amelia?”
I stiffened for a second as I heard Lucius call my name. I turned around, and he looked tired, but ruggedly handsome, nonetheless. He smiled tightly, but I saw the love and hope in those blue eyes.
“Hey.” I walked to him at a calculated pace.
“Fuck it.” He sprinted met me halfway and wrapped me in his strong arms. “I thought I was gonna have to wait for another twenty years to see you again, angel.” He must have cried. His voice broke, and his body shook.
“Me too.” I hugged him back as tight as I could. I was grateful he never left us to fight alone, and he stayed until I woke up. When I pulled away, I looked at him and smiled. “Are your men okay? Are you okay?”
A small smile broke his lips. “Everyone is okay, sweetheart. They’ve been waiting for you to wake up, including the new girl.”
“I have to tell Ryden.” I reached out for his hand. Before I could hold it, I suddenly felt dizzy. I almost fell if it wasn’t for him who was fast enough to catch me. I held on to his arms when he carried me a bridal style.
“You should not be standing. For once, listen to me, woman.” He grunted, but he wasn’t angry. “You’re not—” He clamped his mouth shut, but I knew exactly what he meant.
I lay back and bed and looked at him. “Hell no.” I reached to hold his hand. “I remember everything.”
“What do you mean?” There was a deep frown between his eyebrows.
“Before I died. My life flashed before my eyes. You brought me flowers, like daisies. White and yellow. You proposed to me under the tree, the very same tree I saw when I went inside the dream. You were chasing me, and I was laughing. I wore a white floral dress.”
“Whoa.” His eyes widened at me. “That’s exactly what happened.” Then his face fell, and a deep pain flashed in his eyes as if he knew something big was about to happen. “So, that means—”
“Yeah. If might have jabbed my memory when I got stabbed.”
“I’m sorry.” He squeezed my hand.
“No. Enough with apology. Are you okay?” I touched his cheek. “You look like you just swallowed broken glasses.”
“I’m fine.” He pressed his lips against my palm.
“I need to see everyone. Is my brother here?”
“Everyone is here, even some guys from my pack. You should see outside. You can open a flower shop and a bakery.” He laughed. His voice was rich and free like he wasn’t the man I met months ago, so dark, dangerous, and deadly.
“I want to meet everyone.”
He hesitated at first, but he should know by now that no one could stop me if I put my mind on something. “Okay. Just take it easy.”
After helping me put my clean clothes on, I stared at my sword and gun. “I don’t need these anymore.”
“I know, angel, but Amelia, the warrior wouldn’t be a warrior without them.”
He placed his hand on my lower back as we walked in the hallway. When we reached the open living room, he wasn’t kidding about the flowers and food baskets.
“Wow.”
“Oh, Goddess!” Out of nowhere, a shrieking voice echoed, and then someone ran across the living room in my direction and squeezed me into a hug. “Best friend. You still remember me, right?”
“Hey. Who are you?” I pushed her away, looking at her.
She stiffened, wide eyes stared at me. “I’m Theia, your friend. Remember when I stole your wallet and you only had a few cents in it.”
“It was twenty and five cents.” I broke into a smile.
“Bitch.” She hugged me again, making everyone laugh.
“Hi,” the woman said shyly. She could be a few years older than me, around Theia’s height with dark skin and Afro braid. “I remember you. The earth wolf. I would be in hell if it wasn’t for you. I’m Amelia.”
“Sorry for coming late. I helped some people to safety. Unlike you guys, I walk alone.”
“Not anymore.” I smiled. “I suppose you met everyone, the fire wolf is my mate, Ryden.”
“Yeah.” She nodded at me with curiosity flashing in her dark eyes. “What are you?”
“Human.” I smiled. “Thanks for the lift out of the hellhole. You saved us all.”
“Glad I could help even, though, it looks like you didn’t need my help at all. You have beautiful and nice people here, Amelia.” She looked at everyone. “I’m Gaia.”