Chapter 2 Second Chances

Amelia's POV:

Amelia woke up her back and body aching the most. She gritted her teeth as she put on another off white dress like sack, she had maybe four of them but two were now ruined from caked on blood and the one from last night, and went about her business of cooking and cleaning. She could not get what Liam had said out of her head his words echoing. "You are not worthy of being my mate." It stung but not as bad as her back. She found it hard to fall asleep and maybe only got two hours of restless sleep. She sighed at least everyone will be busy and she might be able to get some free time in once she is done with her work. Today she only had to cook because the Prince from the Imperial pack was coming and everyone was busy getting ready for him to arrive and there was going to be a ball. Amelia could care less. Who would want a unworthy slave, Liam made that very clear.

After finishing cooking she decided to grab one of the books that she had to sneak out of the library. It was a story about a girl who had nothing to her name, just like Amelia, and one day she fell in love with a prince and they had to defeat a witch to lift a curse that was on the prince. It was her favorite book of all times and she would always sneak out to read it. After making it back to her room she grabbed the book and sneaked out of the pack house into the Forest. She made her way through the forest until she got to a meadow surrounded by wild flowers of all colors. There was even a creek that passes by. This was her favorite spot to read.

Amelia sat down under a willow tree and began to read. She would always get lost in the pages. She had never gone to school but she did teach herself to read. She was told that slaves had no future and that school was not necessary for them to go to. Time went by slowly as she wondered if the Prince arrived yet. That was when the smell hit her. It was of cedar and peppermint. She wondered where it was coming from. She looked up from her book only to see a large black wolf with Sapphire eyes standing mere inches away in front of her. She dropped her book and backed away from it hitting her back against the trunk of the tree, making her wince in pain. The wolf took a step forward out of concern but then thought better of it seeing that the girl was scared of him.

Amelia got up as quickly as she could rushed off back to the pack house. The wolf just stood their watching before a man came walking up to him with some shorts. "Your highness we should be making our way to the Dark Moon Pack house." The black wolf transformed and threw the shorts on before picking up the book and looking at it. "That girl I think she was the one from last night."

Sebastian's POV: The night before

"Your Highness why are we a night early?" Sebastian looked at Ezra his Beta. "I wanted to see what this pack is like first. My father did not give me much information on them, only that they were having issues with rouge attacks and that I should look into it and help them where it was needed." Sebastian turned into a black wolf and made is way towards the edge of the forest. First the smell hit him Lilac and strawberries. Xavier growled in his head. "Mate." As he got even closer he saw a crowd of people cheering as a small and skinny girl is almost dragged from the pack house. Her head turned slightly in his direction and he had to back up.

Sebastian heard the Alpha speak. "Amelia because you were late in both cleaning my office and not being able to do the rest of your chores after you finished cleaning the rooms for the guests, you will receive fifty lashes with a whip. Chain her up." He watched as two warriors did as they were told and chained Amelia to a post her back towards the Alpha. "If you try to to talk back at all or scream I will just add ten lashes very time you do." Her dress from the back was ripped open to expose pale skin that had healing cuts from a previous lashing she had received. The crowd cheered as the Alpha handed the whip to one of his warriors. Sebastian gritted his teeth as he watched the girl get whipped. He wanted to do something but he was a day earlier and could not make his presence known, so all he could do was turn away.

"Why are you not doing anything that could be our mate." Exclaimed Xavier he was trying to take full control over his wolf body. "I don't want to assume anything. Though I don't think she deserves this punishment she is receiving but this is not our pack so my hands are tied I will tell my father what I saw here tonight and let him deal with it accordingly." When there was no whipping that could be heard. Sebastian turned around to look at the clearing. Everyone had gone back home or inside the pack house leaving the girl collapsed on the ground. He sniffed the air again because his mates smell had not disappeared this time though it was mixed with the metallic smell of blood. "Mate." Xavier growled once more. "She is our mate you fool and you let them hurt her."

Sebastian wanted to go help her but then she might go and tell everyone that he had arrived and that was not a good idea especially after what he just saw. He wanted to tare the Alpha and his guards apart for what they did but he had to control himself. He continued to watch as she struggled to get up he even took a step forward but hesitated as she finally got her footing and went back inside. He let out a deep growl. They were for sure going to pay for the pain they inflicted on his mate. He turned around and headed back to his pack.

The next day

Sebastian early in the morning got up and went for a run in his wolf form and on his way back he came across a meadow. That was when the smell of lilac and strawberries hit him. He looked over from where he was and saw her sitting under a willow surrounded by purple, yellow, white, and pink wild flowers she was lost in a book. He was mesmerized by her beauty she looked so pale though and that concerned him. He mind linked his pack to let him know where he was before he walked out into the open and slowly made his way towards where she was sitting. He was inches away when she looked over her book with her exquisite emerald eyes though they looked dull, at him only to drop it and back up hitting her back against the trunk of the tree.

Seeing her wince Sebastian took a step forward but then decided against it. The girl was already scared and he did not want to make it any worse. It worried him when she got up and began to quickly make her way back to the pack house. He had seen the bruise on her eye and the blood that was on her dress. Had she not been treated at all for any of this and where was her wolf? She would have been healed by now. He let out a low growl.He was going to get to the bottom of this. Ezra walked up with a pair of shorts "Your highness we should be making our way to the Dark Moon Pack house." Sebastian turned back to his human form and slipped them on.

Sebastian walked up to the front of the Pack house, now dressed in a suite and tie, where the Alpha Liam stood. "Ah, your highness I am so glad you could make it we have a lot of work to do if we want to put a stop to these rouge attacks." If only Sebastian could wipe that smile off that arrogant alpha's face. "I would also like to look around your pack house as well my Beta swore that he smelled blood when we arrived. His sense of smell is really good. So unless you have nothing to hide and it's just rouge blood we smell then everything will be fine." Liam's eyes widened hearing this but then composed himself. "No your highness, I think one of the servants cut themselves this morning while in the kitchen nothing to worry about."

Sebastian fought to keep himself composed. How could this Alpha lie to him. "Oh and by the way I saw a young girl out in the meadow near your pack house on my way here and she left her book behind. I think she had brown hair and emerald eyes." Liam gritted his teeth. This worried Sebastian a little bit. Liam plastered a fake smile on his face. "Oh her she is just a slave." Liam looked to one of his warriors who nodded his head and walked off. "She actually stole the book from one of the rooms that she was cleaning but thank you for returning it." The Alpha reached out his hand to take it but Sebastian held on to it. "I would love to meet the owner of this book and ask them myself if that is the case."

Liam gulped. "Well you see your highness the owner in question is out right now and won't be back for a few weeks." Another lie Sebastian was defiantly going to have a field when he got home and told his father what was going on here. "Please you highness let us go inside and I will have someone show you to your room so you can freshen up before we....." Sebastian put his hand up. "No I would like to look around and talk to some of your pack members if you don't mind." The Alpha looked around nervously . Liam finally nodded I would like to start with the kitchen if you don't mind." Liam nodded and lead the way.

Amelia's pov:

Amelia had managed to make it back to the pack house only to realize that she had forgotten her book. She mentally slapped herself. She made her way down to her room and laid down. She could not get those sapphire eyes out of her head. She thought she recognized them from the night before. But that smell the citrus smell of cedar freshly chopped mixed with peppermint that smelled sweet was heavenly. Why was she able to smell something like that and it had been coming from the black wolf she was so confused. She closed her eyes for a second picturing the black wolf with sapphire eyes when a hand was placed over her mouth. Her eyes opened wide realizing it was one of Alpha Liam's warriors.

He dragged her out of the room. "Alpha Liam is not happy with you. He said you are to be punished so you will learn your lesson this time." He drags her up two flights of stairs. As she was being dragged that smelled hit her once again only to disappear quickly as she was dragged into a room on the second floor. The warrior threw her up against the wall. Amelia stood their trembling knowing what was to come next. The first blow was to the stomach knocking the wind from her. She gasped for air as she collapses to her knees. the guard forced her to stand up before The second one was right to her nose causing her nose to bleed. She placed her hand on her nose to cover it but the guard just slapped it away and sent another punch to her stomach. This time it made her collapsed to the ground coughing. He walked around and placed his foot on her back and pressed hard. She cried out in pain which only made his press harder. Blood began to seep into her dress and it stuck to her back. She bit her lip which tasted of metallic for the blood.

The Warrior's eyes glazed over and he stopped. He removed his foot from her back and began to walk away but not before he gave her one last kick to the face making her eye swell just a little bit. "Clean up the Alpha is on his way up with the Prince he does not want him to know any of this is happening and if you say anything he will kill you." Amelia just looked down and nodded. She slowly got up but she was in a lot of pain so cleaning was very difficult but before she could finish she heard voices. Head down hair covering her face she left the room and as quickly as she could rushed out.

The voices were coming closer and her head was spinning she did not want to get in trouble again. She did not pay attention to where she was going and collided with what felt like a wall but then she noticed the shoes and she froze in place. She heard Liam speak. "I am so sorry your highness Amelia was just finishing clean the rooms up here. She can be clumsy and she needs to watch were she was going." Liam said through gritted teeth in the last part. Amelia took a step back and as she did though her nose was still bleeding she caught a whiff of cedar and peppermint. ~Mate~ Her breath hitched where did that voice come from. "I.....I'm sorry your....highness....it won't happen....again." With that she rushed off.

She made it almost to the basement stairs when she began to feel dizzy. Her vision blurred ~Hang in there Amelia I am with you but I am really weak.~ Who was that talking why was it in her head. She staggered down the stairs. She was so close to her room when her body just gave out and she collapsed to the ground. She tried to crawl the rest of the way and and as she reached her arm her vision blurred. Then suddenly the smell of cedar and peppermint. A soothing voice calling to her. "It's going to be okay just hang in there." Strong arms held her and as she was picked up she saw a pair of sapphire eyes through the blur. Darkness soon consumed her and she passed out.

Sebastian's POV:

Sebastian was getting bored of the tour but he had to make sure that he had enough evidence against the Alpha before he could make a case to his father. The kitchen was a bust an omega had cut their finger though there was a faint smell of lilac and strawberries mixed with blood but the girl he saw was no where to bee seen. The game room was not really that impressive the one back home was so much better. They had maybe a seventy inch TV and maybe a few gaming console the only thing that was though was an old school Mortal Kombat arcade machine. There was a pool table and Foosball table as well. They soon were done with the first level of of the pack house and started to make their way up to the second floor.

The smell of lilac was strong here but so was the smell of blood. He kept himself composed though he wanted to tare through each room until he found her and make sure she was okay. They made it half way through the second floor when a body collided with his. He looked down to see a scared looking girl her hair covering her face as if she was trying to hide something. Liam spoke up. "I am so sorry your highness Amelia was just finishing clean the rooms up here. She can be clumsy and she needs to watch were she was going." Liam said through gritted teeth in the last part. Sebastian was going to say something when Xavier started to jump ~Mate!~ through the smell of blood there was a distinct lilac and strawberry smell. Question is where was the blood coming from. "I.....I'm sorry your....highness....it won't happen....again." With that she rushed off.

Sebastian turned around quickly just in time to see the girls back. He was mortified. Her back was drenched in blood. He growled. "What has happened to her?" Liam was terrified the aura coming off the prince now was strong. "I don't know your highness she is very clumsy like I said she probably fell and cut her back outside or something. What is she to you though why does seeing her like that anger you? She is only a runt." The prince glared at Alpha Liam. "She is my mate. Ezra I want you to check each of these rooms to find out if something happened up here." Ezra nodded before making his way through the rooms.

Sebastian glared at Liam. "I will deal with you later." He rushes off after Amelia. Liam and the rest of the prince's men were right on his heals. He followed the scent of blood and found the stairs to the basement just in time to see Amelia collapse to the ground and start to drag herself towards the door that was in front of her. The prince raced down the stairs until he was by her side. He gently put wrapped his arms around her weak body. "It's going to be okay just hang in there." Sebastian picks her up and sees her eyes widen as if she realized something before they closed. He looked up at Liam. "Show me to my room now tour is over and have someone get me a doctor now." His eyes glazed over as Ezra mind linked him. He glared at Liam.

Sebastian was shown to his room before. Where he gently placed Amelia down on the bed. He got a better look at her. Her nose was bloody and bruised chances it could be broken busted lip probably from a different day, and her eye was nearly swollen shut and bruised. The pack doctor along with a nurse came in and took one look at her and immediately pushed Sebastian out the door as well as everyone else in the room. "I am sorry your highness but it's best that you are not in here right now. It's for everyone's safety." With that the doctor closed the door leaving a fuming Sebastian pacing. He was going to tare someone apart. Xavier was furious and wanted to be let out. A hand was placed on his shoulder and we was going to yell at them to go away when he noticed it was Ezra.

"Sebastian you are no good here and it would be worse if you allow Xavier out. I think you should go for a run and clear your mind I will let you know if anything happens and if she wakes up." Sebastian takes a deep breath before nodding. He quickly makes his way outside before transforming shredding his suite in the process. He did not care he needed to just get away and clear his mind. He ran to the forest and disappeared.