Forbidden by Liliana Carlisle
CHAPTER 33
AMELIA
I dream.
I’m on the stage, Jakob’s eyes watching me in the crowd.
I’m in someone’s lap, words whispered in my ear as I bounce helplessly.
Teeth sink into my flesh just as the walls behind me explode, the sounds of screams filling the room.
Women cry.
I swim in their blood.
I struggle, desperate to keep my head above the sea of crimson.
But there’s a pressure in my chest, a feeling of hope that wasn’t there before. Slowly, I pull my way out of the madness.
I’m not alone.
I’ll never be alone again.
I sit up with a gasp, frantically looking around the room. I don’t realize where I am until I meet a pair of dark blue eyes.
“It’s me,” Jakob whispers, sitting on the edge of the bed. “I’m here, princess.”
His eyes are frantic, and he speaks to me as if I’m a wounded animal.
I’m back in his room, my body covered in soft comforters and blankets, supported by too many pillows to count.
A nest.
Dressed in an oversized black shirt and sweatpants, my body is clean, scrubbed of dirt and blood.
“You were asleep for twenty hours,” he says, his eyes haunted. “I thought you weren’t going to wake up.”
There’s a tremor in his voice as he speaks, and I frown, confused.
Then the memories come flooding back, and my hand reaches to the side of my neck, my fingers brushing over a bandage. He follows my hand, watching possessively as I touch the wound.
“You were there,” I say slowly. “At the auction.”
He leans closer on the bed, his face only inches from mine. “Yes,” he whispers.
“We’re mated.” I murmur.
He nods, his eyes burning into mine.
Confusion turns to anger. “But you said you found your mate,” I accuse. “After you told me you never wanted to see me again.”
He flinches. “I lied,” he admits. “There was a death threat made to Lucas’s mate. I couldn’t risk you being in danger.”
He lied.
He never found his mate.
I’m torn between being pissed that he lied to me and elated that there’s no other Omega involved.
But there are still questions that need to be answered.
“You bit me. Why? What about my mate?” I try to sound angry, but I don’t have the energy.
He saved my life.
“You matched with me,” Jakob says, and gives me a small smile. “You’re my mate.”
My mouth falls open.
“What?” I gasp.
He finally grins, his smile so wide I can’t help but smile back. “It was you the whole time,” he breathes, his forehead touching mine. “It was you.”
I’m in disbelief.
“Oh,” I whisper, overcome with emotion.
I can’t wait any longer.
I have to kiss him.
I lean in and press my mouth to his and he groans, cradling my face in his hands. It’s a desperate kiss, and I never want to stop.
“I’m sorry,” he whispers in between kisses. “I’m so sorry, Amelia. I fucked up.”
“You did,” I agree, and he smirks against my lips. “Don’t ever do that again.”
He pulls away from me, giving me a moment to breathe. “Your illness never bothered me. It was never too much for me. It was an incredibly fucked up thing for me to say.”
I nod. “Yes. It was.”
“And I was on my way to apologize when I found what happened.”
My heart skips a beat. “What do you mean?”
“I showed up at your apartment, but Lucy told me what happened.”
I shake my head. “You were coming to apologize?”
He growls. “I was coming to tell you I choose you. As a Beta. And that I love you.”
I freeze.
I feel the truth of it in my bones, through our connection.
He loves me.
Warmth rises in my chest.
Alpha loves us.
My newly awakened Omega perks up at his words, and any leftover animosity I had for him disappears.
“Say it again,” I demand.
He chuckles. “I love you, Amelia.”
Still wrapped in blankets, I bring myself forward to kiss him again. “I love you, too, Jakob.”
But as he kisses me tenderly, I can sense his want.
As if on cue, a violent cramp stabs my uterus. I double over in the blankets, and Jakob grasps me firmly in his arms.
“I’ve got you, Princess,” he says in a strained voice. “Your suppressant is wearing off.”
I inhale his scent, and it just sends off another wave of pain. “Oh, God,” I moan, squirming uncomfortably in the blankets.
“Your Heat is coming,” he says urgently, his voice pained. “You’ve already triggered my Rut.”
My eyes widen. “How have you been able to just sit there, then?” I grit out.
He smirks. “Powerful suppressants. I can be a patient man when I need to, Princess. And you’re worth the wait.”
“It hurts,” I whimper.
“I know,” he whispers. “But you’re being such a good girl. And I’m going to take care of you.”
I shiver at his words, and a gush of slick drips out of me. “Jakob,” I gasp, and he groans.
“Fuck, I can smell you already, baby. I can’t wait to knot you again.”
I moan at his words, kicking off the blankets, overheated.
I barely sit up before he lifts me up by my waist, pushing me back against the wall.