**THE NEXT MORNING**
Amelia stirs, her body a battlefield of aches, each movement a searing reminder of the night before. Her stomach twists into a knot of nausea, the events of the previous night flooding back with a force that makes her want to scream.
She's on her own bed. She's lying on the rumpled sheets, the scent of a man foreign yet undeniable - Jason - lingering strongly in the air. It's a sensation of betrayal, a horrifying proof of the violation she has endured.
Jason is still asleep beside her.
The emptiness in her stomach gnaws at her. She hasn't eaten since last night, the hunger a sharp, insistent pang that adds a new layer of discomfort to her aching body.
Each muscle protests with a dull ache as she tries to shift. Then it all rushes back – the force of his presence, his insistent touch, the way he looked at her… the cold, hungry desire in his eyes.
The memory of his words, his relentless pursuit – "This is how it's supposed to be" – echo in her mind. And the memory of his touch, the pressure, the power, the undeniable, unwanted heat of his desire.
Tears start to flow, hot and silent, leaving streaks on her cheeks. She hates him. Hates him for the force of his will, for the way he used the bond, for the way he made her feel helpless, vulnerable, violated.
The sobs wrack her body, silent and desperate, echoing the pain and confusion that swirls within her.
Jason stirs, his hand reaching out to brush her hair, his fingers touching her cheek. She flinches away, a silent cry building within her.
"Amelia," he murmurs, his voice rough with sleep. " Gosh! Why the heck are you crying?"
"So you don't know why I'm crying right?" she spits out, her voice trembling, her anger a fierce, sharp thing. "You're the last person who should be asking me that question.. Fine! If you really want to know what happened, I'll tell you. YOU FUCKING RAPED ME YOU MAD MAN"
She pushes away from him, her movements jerky, her body aching from the night's force.
Jason sits up, a smirk playing on his lips. "What's wrong? It was meant to happen. It's all okay now."
A wave of nausea surges through her, her stomach revolting at the memory of his touch.
"It's not okay," she says, her voice hard. "You violated me. You used the bond - you used me. You didn't care about me."
He looks at her, a puzzled expression spreading across his face.
"But we were mated. It's natural. It's how it is supposed to be."
His words are an insult, a betrayal of her soul. Her anger burns hotter, a flame fanned by the sheer callousness of his tone.
"You don't get to decide that," she says, her eyes blazing with rage. "I did not want this. I never wanted this."
"Honestly, I don't understand why you're so hung up on this mate bond. It's just a fancy way of saying we're tied together. To me, it's nothing more than a chain. You think it means something special, but to me, it feels like a burden. I don't care about the connection you think we have; I never asked for it, and I certainly don't feel it. It's just an illusion you've built up in your head."
He shrugs, his gaze unreadable. He simply gets up, wears his clothes, and walks away.
He has no apology.
No remorse.
He just leaves, his actions speaking his true nature loud and clear.
He doesn't give a damn.
He got what he wanted.
A chilling truth. And one that cuts to the core of Amelia's being. She is left to deal with the sheer brute force of her own disappointment and the deep betrayal - that he's left her with.
----
Jason walked out of the apartment, He reached the end of the porch, his shadow stretching long and thin in the early morning light as he pulled his coat tighter around him.
And then, his wolf was there, his presence a tangible, growling weight in his mind.
"You're a disgrace!! She's our fucking mate. How could you?" Zane's voice was a low growl, a tremendous anger that he could feel all the way to his bones.
"Don't you dare judge me," Jason counter attacked, his voice a whisper of defiance.
"She was a challenge. I needed to tame her. It was my right. She's my mate."
"It's not just your mate right. You're a monster, Jason!" His wolf growled. "A monster!"
"You were wrong to lock me out," Zane growled again.
"It was supposed to be special. You have to understand! It's a sacred bond. The Goddess has chosen her for you. You have violated her.. I'm damn sure she's going to reject you"
A wave of anger coursed through him. The thought of Amelia's rejection, of her hatred– it was a terrible thing to contemplate. He had never been rejected before, and he wouldn't tolerate the thought of her rejecting him. He had to control her, to threaten her, to destroy her totally
"Shut up," Jason said, his voice a rasp of discomfort,
"She won't reject me. She wouldn't dare"
As he turned back toward the car, the scent of pine needles and damp earth swirling around him. He needed to go back to the palace.
FEW HOURS LATER
The sunlight, a cruel mockery of hope, streamed through the dusty windows, casting long shadows that danced across the worn wooden floor.
Amelia didn't move, couldn't move. Her body felt heavy, her muscles aching. She felt as if a piece of her had been chipped away, leaving her hollow, empty.
The memory of Jason's touch, of his cruel and hateful words, felt like a brand on her soul, a searing, unrelenting torment. She'd been so vulnerable, so powerless. The bond, a supposed sign of destiny, had turned into a weapon against her.
Layla, her wolf, whined softly, her presence a fragile comfort, but even Layla couldn't take away the pain. The feeling of disgust, the shame, the heartbreak that Amelia felt.
She wrapped her arms around herself, trying to find some small measure of comfort, but the cold of the apartment seeped into her bones, mirroring the emptiness she felt within. The world felt empty. There was no light. Only the shadows of her pain.
She thought about the woods, the peace that had always been a comfort, the trees that had always been a refuge.
She thought about jumping into the mystic river, the water that always flowed with the power of the moon.
That was an easier way out.
For a moment, the image of the river became a beacon.
But then she thought of her grandmother. She would never be able to leave her grandmother alone. Her grandmother's grief would be unbearable to her.
The thought of her grandmother's pain filled her with a sorrow so deep that it almost broke her.
Her grandmother, the one person who always loved her, the one who had been there for her. She could never leave her grandmother, the one source of true warmth and unconditional love in her life.
She tried to remember the laughter they had shared, the stories her grandmother had told. But even the warmth of those memories could not ease the darkness that was consuming her.
She felt the need to escape that darkness, that pain. But she was trapped, in a cage of her own despair.
Her grandmother.
She had to be strong for her. She didn't know how she would do it but she would find a way.
She thought about the Moon Festival, about her grandmother's words about Amelia being a blessing of the Moon Goddess. But now it all felt empty, like a cruel joke. It was a story her grandmother told so she could find hope.
The darkness was too dark.
She felt the darkness weaken. It was a temptation, a promise of release.
She had to find a way to heal.
She had to find a way to go on.
Amelia's body ached with a dull, persistent ache. Her muscles screamed in protest with every movement, a constant reminder of the brutal violation she had endured.
The memory of Jason, his touch, his voice, his callous words, were a constant torment.
She got to her feet, but the moment she stood, her body felt like it was heavy with lead, every muscle in her body aching with fatigue.
Her feet felt like stones, unwilling to move. She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath.
Her body seemed to weigh a ton.
She needed a hot shower.
She needed to wrap herself in her soft, comfortable robe. She needed to sleep.
Perhaps then she could escape the nightmares that haunted her soul.
But as she started to move towards the bathroom, a wave of dizziness washed over her. She swayed, her vision blurring. The pain in her legs felt as if they were going to break.
She stumbled back onto the wall, her vision filled with spots. She felt as if she was going to pass out.
She stumbled to the bathroom, her legs a tangle of exhaustion and pain. The sight of her reflection in the mirror startled her. The girl staring back was a stranger: haunted, drawn, her eyes filled with a deep, unsettling sadness.
Her fingers trembled as she reached for pain relievers, her body desperately seeking a moment of soothing relief.
Her movements were sluggish, her mind filled with the shadow of yesterday's events, the horrifying memory of Jason and the cruel power of the mate bond.
She had tried to wash the shame from her skin, to scrub away the lingering scent of his wolf, but the darkness had seeped into her soul, a stain she could not erase.
She wanted to be alone, to disappear, to slip into the shadows and escape this tragic reality. She wished she could just vanish into the forest, to find comfort in the warm embrace of the trees.
The silence in her house was absolute. It was a heavy blanket that suffocated her, a constant reminder of the isolation she felt. She couldn't escape the feeling that her pain was a weight that only she could bear.
She needed to get out of this room. She needed to find a way to escape this nightmarish reality. She needed to find peace. But first, she needed to pick up her grandmother. That was her promise. She freshened up and set out to the old people's home.
////////************
The old people's home was a pale imitation of the warmth and comfort Amelia associated with her grandmother's presence. The air felt stale, the scent of antiseptic a stark contrast to the comforting aroma of woodsmoke and baking goods that filled the air.
Amelia walked down the sterile hallway, her steps heavy with a dread that had taken root in her soul since Jason's violation. She managed to walk properly. He literally destroyed her legs.
Her heart ached with the weight of what she had been through.
She reached the attendant's desk, a small desk that was filled with papers and files. The attendant she had specifically paid to ensure her grandmother was cared for looked at her with a tone of sympathy and regret.
Amelia knew the second she saw the look on the attendant's face that something was not right.
"Hi" She said to the attendant, trying to believe that everything was ok.
"Please I want to pick up my grandma. Are there any requirements?"
"I'm so sorry, dear," the attendant said. "But you can't pick up your grandma today "
" Is there something wrong?"
" I'm not gonna lie to you Amelia. But your grandma is dead"
Amelia could feel her legs giving way, her mind spinning, her body numb.
"I… I don't understand. She was fine, she was healthy. What happened?"
"Amelia," the attendant said softly, her voice comforting in a world that had suddenly turned cold.
"It was an attack. The robbers. They broke in last night…. They had no mercy."
Her breathing became shallow, a sharp pain ripping through her chest as if it were trying to escape.
"What do you mean 'attack' ?" She asked. She felt a wave of unyielding rage welling within her, a rage that was fueled by the feeling of helplessness and a desire to protect.
The attendant paused, her expression a mixture of sympathy and regret as she looked upon Amelia's distress.
"My dear," She said softly.
"We had a group of rogue wolves who broke into the home last night. They were seeking something. They attacked some of the residents - They took all our valuables but no one expected this kind of attack."
Amelia's world shattered into a thousand pieces. Her grandmother, her protector, her rock, gone. Taken from her. In such a violent way.
Amelia's gaze fell upon the desk. She knew that her grandmother was alone in her room, vulnerable to attack. Her grandmother must have been so scared.
What had they done? She could feel the rage boiling within her— a rage that was fueled by the thought of those robbers, those cowards who had taken the one person she loved most in the world.
She felt a powerful need to hunt them down— to bring them to justice. But she didn't even know them.
She could have come earlier. She should have visited more often. All because of her job.
She couldn't stop the tears from streaming down her face. She wanted to scream, to run, to find a way to escape this pain. But she felt trapped. She had no one to turn to.
The attendant reached out to Amelia, her hand gentle upon her shoulder - her touch filled with understanding and sympathy. But Amelia couldn't stop herself from shuddering back.
She needed to be alone. She needed to process this pain. She needed to heal.
Amelia strode towards the door, her body moving on auto-pilot. The world around her seemed to blur.
She could hear the sound of the attendant's voice calling after her, but she didn't stop. She didn't look back.
She had to escape.
She had to find a way to deal with the pain that was consuming her.
She had to get out.
She needed to go home.
Her world had turned upside down in the space of just one day.
The mate bond, - Jason, her tormentor - had caused her so much pain. Now, even the comfort of her grandmother, her protector, was gone as if swallowed by a terrible dread.
She was alone.