Fighting Fate (Runaway Angel book 3)

Birthday

**Amelia's POV**

I woke up today feeling no different. I looked in the mirror and saw nothing different. I was the same boring girl, just now a year older. I am fifteen today. A year closer to being forced into a future I am unsure I want. I wish I could talk to my mom about it since we have always been close, but I already know what she will say. She will tell me I am young, and that when I am older I will see that my place and home is here. She could be right, but how will I know this is truly home if I never leave? I go into the bathroom and take my morning shower. When I come out there is a box, gift wrapped on my bed. I open it and it's a new dress from my mom. She knows I prefer jeans, but I guess she wants me to look nice for my birthday. I slipped on the ivory colored sun dress and found some flats to match. I let my hair dry naturally and applied a coat of mascara and lip gloss. I actually looked nice for once. 

I head downstairs and hear hushed whispers coming from my dad's office. "Another threat?" My mom's voice whispered. 

"I'm afraid so, treasure. He won't give up." My dad's voice sounded so tired. "He said he knows today is her fifteenth birthday and we have one year to hand her over or we go to war."

"Then we go to war." Roman's voice boomed. "I will never let him have her. One thing I promised myself is that Amelia will be loved." His voice went quiet. "Even if its not by me." His voice broke and he sounded so defeated. 

I heard my moms heels clack against my dad's wood floors. "Oh Roman. The Moon Goddess paired you two together because she knows your hearts. Amelia is just young, it will take her time. It doesn't help that we have sheltered her so much."

"I love her, mom." Roman said. He has been calling her 'mom' since we were kids. "She literally turns my world. I just want to love her and protect her. I cherish her."

"We know you do, Roman." My dad's voice chimed in. 

"Maybe we should tell her everything. Then she will understand why we have been so strict with her." Roman said a little louder. What aren't they telling me?

"No. That will only cause her to be afraid. How do you tell your daughter that she is sheltered because another Alpha has declared her as his and will kill anyone who gets in his way?" My mother's voice cracked.

I took a few steps back, not able to listen anymore. I heard their footsteps coming toward me, so I rushed into the kitchen. "Can I talk to you?" Roman asked as he placed his hand on my lower back. 

We walked up to my room, and I sat on my bed. He closed the door and walked over to a chair that was situated by the double doors that lead to my balcony. "It isn't nice to eavesdrop." He said. His eyes glaring into mine. "Whether you believe it or not, you are my mate. I know when you are close by." He smiled sadly.

"You said that on purpose?" He nodded slowly. "Tell me everything, Roman. Please."

Roman took a few deep breaths and then nodded. "Let's get out of here. We can go to the lake and talk."

We headed back downstairs and I told my parents that Roman and I were going to go to the lake. They didn't mind too much that I skipped school a couple times a semester since my grades were impeccable. We got onto one of the four wheelers and made our way to the lake on Izzy's property. I have only met her a handful of times since she doesn't come to town too often. She is the same lady who helped me and my mom escape my real father. 

When we got to the lake, Roman helped me down and we walked over to the log by the water. I took off my flats and let my feet get wet when the waves would come up to us. It took Roman a while to start talking, but I would never be ready for what he was to tell me. 

"Did you know your mother is blessed by the Moon Goddess?" I nodded. My mom told me about when she half shifted and has a flame around her. I have never seen it for myself, but my dad has. "Well because she is blessed and fiercely strong, Alphas from other packs came to make treaties with our pack. Not wanting us as an enemy and having a strong pack with the Luna blessed as an alliance was smart. Well one of the Alphas wanted more than just a treaty. He wanted you to marry his first born son. Your marriage to his son would unite the packs. Your parents of course refused. Not just because you were already my mate, but because they would never use you in business dealings. Well when that Alpha found out that the pack would be passed to you, he was angry. He believes a human cannot run a pack. Your mother alone declared him an enemy and had him thrown out of the pack territory. Well every year on your birthday, they got a letter from him telling us that we need to hand you over on your sixteenth birthday or prepare for war. Well this year, the letter came from his son. The new ranking alpha of the blood moon pack."

Tears brimmed my eyes. I am just a young human girl, and my life is already so complicated. My best friend is in love with me, my parents want me to be Luna of the pack, and now I have an Alpha from another pack threatening war if I do not marry him. Why can't life just be easy for once!

"We keep you sheltered and under constant watch because he has attempted to kidnap you when you were four. You probably don't remember much, but you were so trusting, always believing that you were safe. You followed him into the woods and soon were off the pack territory. I felt you gone. I felt our bond strain. I don't feel the mate bond yet because I am only seventeen, but I feel something when I am near you. I can sense when you are too far. When we found you, you were okay but had a note clipped to your shirt. It said we should keep a better eye on our future Luna, that kidnapping you was far too easy and no fun at all." Roman took a few deep breaths trying to calm himself. "After that, your parents decided that your safety was the top priority."

I took a few minutes to process the news. On a girl's fifteenth birthday she expects a party, maybe some money. Not to find out that you have been suffocated because your life is in danger. I shed a few quiet tears as I let my face fall into my hands. Roman's arms wrapped around me protectively. I felt like my whole life was just a huge mess. I just wanted simplicity, but my life was anything but. 

"I understand. But why couldn't you all just tell me the truth? Why make me feel suffocated my whole life?" I cried. 

Roman looked into my tear filled eyes and then lowered his head. "You are such a good person, Amelia. We were afraid that you would surrender yourself in hopes to save others. The Alpha has threatened the whole pack. Women and children too. He was so determined to have you marry his son, and now it seems like his son will be just as ruthless. We do not want to lose you. These men are abusive, vile, and murderous. Who is to say he would not kill you after you gave him an heir?"

I shivered at the thought of carrying a violent man's baby and to be killed afterward. Again I understand their reasons for protecting me, but I hate that my life has been one huge secret. "I want to get away, Roman. I want to feel free for once. I am so miserable."

"Let's talk to your parents. They won't be too happy that I told you the truth, but you needed to know why I am so careful of who you are around. Anyone can betray your trust and I can't risk losing you. You may not love me like I love you, but I will always protect you. I just want you to understand why I seem so crazy sometimes. I see that you look at me with anger and even sometimes hate. You have no idea how much that hurts." Roman's voice cracked, and my heart broke a little. He really cherishes me like he says. 

We sat at the lake a little while longer before heading back to the pack house. My dad was in a meeting and my mom was volunteering in the pack hospital. Roman joined my dad, since he is supposed to be the future Alpha. He has been shadowing my dad and learning things since he turned sixteen. I went up to my room and took a nap. Madison and Brandon are still in school and will not be home for another four hours, so right now I have the house to myself. 

When I woke from my nap, I saw that everyone was still busy. I decided to go against my family's wishes and take a drive into town alone. I just need a couple of hours by myself to figure things out. I can't think when I am here, it just reminds me that my future was already decided. 

I take the four wheeler into town, since its a small town I can take a lot of dirt back roads. Once in town, I parked the four wheeler in the trees and walked into one of the cafes. I ordered a coke and a sandwich and sat by the window to eat. I watched as the people walked by, a few stared at me with curiosity. Like I said, I don't really go out much, so they probably think I am new. 

"Hey." A voice calls from behind. I ignore it thinking that they are probably talking to someone at another table behind me. "Um, Hi." Someone taps on my shoulder and I turn to see a tall slim boy standing there. "I'm Spencer."

I smile politely, nod and turn around. Something I always did when I was in town with Roman or another escort. I wasn't really allowed to be friends with other humans since I couldn't go out alone, and werewolves made the humans a little uneasy. 

"So, I haven't seen you around before. Are you new?" The boy named 'Spencer' sat down across from me. I stared at him confused. No one has ever tried to actually talk to me. Everyone just avoided me. Well it didn't help that my guards were intimidating. 

I shook my head no and stared out the window. "Not much of a talker are you?" He chuckled. 

"I'm sorry, but did you want something?" I asked rudely, a little annoyed. 

His smile spread across his face. His green eyes gleamed with humor as he ran his finger through his black spikey hair. "I just wanted to know you. You are a very pretty girl, and I saw that you were sitting here alone."

I looked over his appearance once more. He had on blue jeans and a white t-shirt. He was slim, but you could see the definition in his arms. He must play sports. He looks tall maybe around five foot ten. "What do you want to know?" 

He continued to smile as he leaned forward and rested his arms on the table. "I have never seen you around, but you look like you know you're way around here. Werewolf?"

I giggled. "No. I'm human."

He nodded his head. "Name?"

"Amelia Cruz." His face paled. Oh great, maybe I shouldn't have said my last name. 

"As in Alpha Cruz?" He whispered. 

I took a deep breath and nodded. "He's my dad." His eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "He adopted me when I was two."

"Ah okay." He looked behind me and then leaned back in his chair and gulped hard. 

"Amelia." An angry voice called from directly behind me.

Fuck. I turned to see Roman with three of our pack warriors. "Roman. Guys." I acknowledged boringly. I turned around to see Spencer sweating nervously. "This is my new friend, Spencer. Spencer this is Roman, Charles, Frank, and Malcolm."

Spencer still had not said a word and his eyes were fixed on the guy behind me. "Leave." Roman growled. Spencer ran away and out of the café. A few people were watching, but none made a move towards us. Roman sat in the now empty seat and stared daggers at me. "I tell you that your life is in danger, and you take off?"

I rolled my eyes. "I was perfectly sa-

Before I could finish my sentence, Roman grabbed my arm and yanked me out of the café. All eyes were on us, but no one dared to interfere. They knew what Roman and the guys were. "HOW DARE YOU!" Roman yelled. As he dragged me into the woods where the four wheeler was. He spun me around and continued to yell. "You dare say that you were perfectly safe! Do you know who that guy was!"

"He was just a human boy-"

"NO! YOU ARE NOT A WEREWOLF SO YOU WERE UNABLE TO CATCH HIS SCENT. HE IS A WARLOCK. A MALE WITCH AND HE WREAKS OF DARK MAGIC! FOR ALL WE KNOW HE COULD BE AN ALLY OF THE ALPHA WHO WANTS YOU!!!" Roman's voice echoed throughout the woods and his words sent a chill down my spine. 

How could I be so stupid? Almost everyone in the town knew who I was and always steered clear. Not because they were afraid of me, but of who my family is. "I'm sorry." I whispered. 

Roman's eyes snapped to me and he laughed. "You're sorry? YOU'RE SORRY!" He looked at the three warriors and they retreated into the woods, probably going back home. "You knew the danger and you left alone and unprotected and you're sorry!"

Tears started to blur my vision. I have been yelled at by everyone I love, except Roman. He never once raised his voice at me. He was always so sweet and understanding, but right now he was angry at me and I didn't know how to fix it. "I just needed to think." I whispered once more. "I feel so suffocated in that house. So caged in. I just wanted a couple of hours where I wasn't worried about my every movement being watched. I'm so sorry." I broke down and cried. 

Roman took a deep breath and cupped my face in his hands. He looked lovingly into my eyes and then he kissed the top of my forehead. "Amelia. I'm so angry at you. I'm angry because you do not understand how important you are to me. I can't lose you. You're my world. I need to know you are safe. I NEED YOU."

Roman hugged me impossibly close as he kissed the top of my head, and even though it felt a little too intimate to me, it also felt right. I felt like I fit, and that scared me. I can't love him like he loves me.