I approached Amelia, my heart a knot of hurt and love as I pulled her into a hug, emotions overwhelming me. Sudden tears rolled down my cheeks as I buried my face in her shoulder. "Don’t ever believe Liora over me," I choked out, my voice filled with sobs. The pain of her doubt only made those tears pour even more. Her arms tightened around me.
"I promise it won’t happen again," Amelia’s words sounded sincere. She pulled back slightly, her hands still resting on my shoulders, and her eyes, red-rimmed from her own tears searched mine. And then a slight smile appeared across her lips as she reached up to wipe my tears with her thumb. "You look horrible when you cry," she teased gently.
Immediately, a small laugh broke through my sobs, and I felt my cheeks flush as a smile curved my lips. Wiping at my face with the back of my hand, her words eased the ache in my heart. For a moment, it felt like we were kids again, her teasing me out of a bad day.
Just then, the door creaked open as my head snapped up, and there stood Liora. She’s carrying a tray of food and a cup of water. Then she glared at us, irritated as she spoke. "Have this," she said. "I’m being generous enough to remember Lucas needs food. Go feed him before he dies of hunger." She stretched the tray toward me as I collected it and before I could say a word, she turned on her heel and left without another word.
I stared at the tray in my hands as I set the tray down on the small table by the door. I walked to my bed side, where I’d left the gown earlier. I picked it up and turned to Amelia. "Here, you need to wear this," I said, holding it out to her.
Amelia’s brows furrowed. "What? Why? There’s nothing wrong with my dress," she said, glancing down at the oversized tomboy outfit she’s on. One that hid her curves. Her voice sounded stubborn, but I wasn’t having it.
I shook my head, stepping closer. "Amelia, if you want Lucas to see you, you need to do this. Your dressing right now? It’s not giving at all." I raised an eyebrow, my tone firm but teasing, daring her to argue.
She opened her mouth to speak but no words came, her cheeks flushing slightly in shyness. With a reluctant smile, she snatched the gown from my hands. "Fine," she muttered. She took the dress and headed towards the corner of my room where she changed. When she was done, the gown hugged her body perfectly, showing her beautiful curve. In fact, she looked so beautiful.
With a smile, I approached her. "Now that’s more like it." I gestured toward the mirror on the wall. "Go look."
Amelia hesitated, then walked over to the mirror. She tilted her head, staring at her reflection, and a shy smile spread across her face. "Okay, maybe you’re right," she admitted, smoothing the gown over her hips. She turned to me, her eyes filled with excitement. "This feels... different."
"Different is good," I said, picking up the tray of food again while she held the water. "Come on, let’s go."
We left my room, the tray balanced carefully in my hands as we made our way down the pack house’s narrow corridors as I glanced at Amelia, who was fidgeting uncontrollably in the gown. Halfway to the dungeon, I stopped abruptly. "Wait," I said, turning to her. "You didn’t put on any lip gloss."
Amelia blinked. "Lip gloss? Seriously, Iris, now?"
"Yes, now," I insisted, nudging her back toward my room. "You need to go apply it. Trust me, it’ll make a difference."
She groaned but didn’t argue, turning back with an exaggerated eye roll while I waited for her "You’re impossible," she called over her shoulder. She returned a few minutes later, her lips now glinting with a soft pink gloss. And I couldn’t help but smile.
"Perfect," I said, nodding approvingly. "Now let’s go."
She blushed, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
We continued toward the dungeon. Reaching the entrance, two guards stood, their expressions cold, their body blocking the way. One of them, a burly man with a scar across his cheek, eyed us coldly, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword.
I looked up to him, holding the tray. "We’re here to feed Alpha Lucas," I said.
The second guard, younger and less scary, glanced at the tray and the cup of water in Amelia’s hands. His gaze remained on her for a moment before he nodded, stepping aside.
We passed through the iron gate. Inside looked a bit dark as we walked deeper.
A few steps from Lucas’s cell, I stopped, turning to Amelia. "Here," I said, holding out the tray. "You take it. You should be the one to give it to him."
Her eyes widened, slight panic flashing across her face. "What? No, Iris, I can’t... I’m too shy."
I shook my head, pushing the tray into her hands. "You can, and you will." My voice was gentle but insistent, and I gave her a small, encouraging smile. "You’ve got this."
She swallowed hard, her fingers trembling as she took the tray. "Okay," she replied, her voice barely audible. She took a deep breath, squaring her shoulders as she walked toward the cell.
I stayed back, leaning against the cold stone wall, close enough to hear any conversation but far enough to give them space. The soft clink of the tray against the bars reached my ears as Amelia slid it under the bar. "I... I brought you some food," she stuttered.
"Thank you," Lucas’s voice came from the cell. "Amelia, right?"
"Yeah," she said, and I could hear the nervousness in her voice. "I’m sorry you’re going through this. I just... I wanted to make sure you were okay."
"You don’t need to apologize," Lucas said, his tone softening. "Thank you for caring. It means a lot."
Before Amelia could respond, Lucas’s voice cut through again.
"Where’s Iris? Why didn’t she come with you?"