The Alphas Forgotten Daughter

Episode 6 - Chapter 5, Continued

Dacre's POV

Drathos had spent the last two days pining and practically tormenting me over Amaris. I was just as anxious to claim her as he was, but until my father was here, I was there, under Sylas' house and there, therefore, under his rule and he had forbade me from claiming Amaris. I just kept hoping and praying to the moon goddess that she would get her wolf soon and then I could take her away from all this.

I couldn't stop thinking about those horrible visions I'd been having of the things that had happened to Amaris. What made it worse was that those things had only happened since I had been able to sense her, so what else had happened before I could sense her? From what I was able to tell from her disconnected emotional state during my visions, these kinds of things were a daily occurrence for her. Drathos and I did not like that one bit.

Another thing that bothered me was having to be in the same pack house as the scum bags that had been doing these things to Amaris. Having to make small talk with the people who called themselves men around here made me want to take a back seat and let Drathos have a field day with their innards.

"Please, Brother. Let me." Drathos growled in my mind.

I kept looking for her at every opportunity I had, trying to pick up her scent and just catch a glimpse of her. My best guess was that the Alpha had her working as much as humanly possible so that she stayed distracted and, most importantly, away from me. He wasn't mated but he could probably tell that, with or without his blessing, I would claim my mate.

It was now coming up to the day before the full moon. I hadn't slept and I could sense morning's arrival. I was usually restless in the days leading up to a full moon, but this was different. It was like every sense and synapse was buzzing with alertness. I lay in bed staring at the ceiling trying to ignore the tingling of excitement for tomorrow night.

As much as I was excited about the full moon, I had serious things to deal with first. My dad would be arriving around lunch time, but I needed to speak with him before the Alpha had his reception dinner tonight. He needed to know about Amaris. I needed him to back me up against Sylas. She was going to change. I just knew it. Once she changed, we could claim each other and my father could acknowledge it, then Sylas would have no power to stop it.

What if she didn't change though? Sylas had made it clear he didn't want me claiming her. Something stuck in my memory though, "and when she rejects you" he had said. Why was he so sure she'd reject me?

"No. I can't let that happen." I thought to myself as I began to panic at the thought of her rejecting me.

Something suddenly clicked in my mind. I sat up in bed and checked the time on my phone, 4.06am. I felt compelled to take a walk. Not like the mood just suddenly struck me, no. Like my Alpha had commanded me to go for a walk almost. I had no control over my desires. I was so preoccupied that I forgot to dress properly. I just about remembered to put on trousers and a top.

I left my room and wandered down the hallway aimlessly. I breathed a heavy sigh when Drathos suddenly awoke in the back of my mind. I could sense how restless he was. I suddenly caught myself instinctually sniffing at the air. The scent hit me like a truck. The sweet smell filled my entire lungs and wrapped around me like a warm jumper. It smelled like someone had tried to recreate the smell of fire but like sweets. Cinder toffee, cinnamon, roasted marshmallows, melting chocolate and sweet Smokey bourbon all rolled into one.

I was following the scent for what seemed like forever until finally I saw her. Stood there at the door to Luna's apartment. I'm not creepy, I swear, I just remember the rough layout from the maps posted around the pack house. That, and Drathos and I may have passed this way a few times hoping that, as the Alpha's daughter, she'd at least be housed here but without hers or anyone's scent detectable in the area, we figured that the Lunas apartments had just been abandoned since the death of Amaris' mother.

I stood there for what felt like an eternity just taking her in. When she didn't think anyone was looking at her, she was so relaxed and that just enhanced her beauty ten fold. She was facing the door hesitating with her hand over the keypad.

Not wanting to risk scaring her, I cleared my throat loudly to try and get her attention. The sound was much louder than I had anticipated and it echoed off of the stone walls around us. I felt a sting of guilt as Amaris flinched and whirled at me looking terrified. I never wanted her to look at me like that again.

I looked into her eyes, willing her to see how sorry I was that I had startled her, but she stood there frozen like a deer in headlights. It finally dawned on me that no man in her life had probably approached her at 4am with good intentions or wanting a nice chat. She had every right to be scared of me; a stranger, for now.

I did the only thing I could think that might help in this situation. I dropped my shoulders and relaxed my stance, placing my arms by my sides, palms facing out towards her to show I meant no harm.

I willed myself to say something, anything, to just break the silence.

"Hi, um, I'm Dacre. I don't think we've met. You're Amaris, right? Uh, sorry about your mum and dad." I realised it was a stupid thing to say and, in an attempt to remember my manners and upbringing, I started by holding out a hand towards her for a handshake.

The moment our skin touched I could hear her thoughts. The mate connection.

I bet she didn't even know she was projecting.

"This is just grand!" she thought with a sneer. "Who just thinks to themselves, Hi I'm a handsome underdressed prince who just happened to be sneaking around your home at 4am so I thought I'd introduce myself, Oh and sorry about your dead parents orphan Annie" She pulled her hand away and the connection snapped shut. Damn.

I couldn't stop the grin that was now plastered across my face. SHE THOUGHT I WAS HANDSOME. I gave her a playfully flirty look in a feeble attempt to try and win her over.

"So you think I'm handsome, huh?" I said, cheekily.

She suddenly dropped her hand to her side like it was on fire or something and her mouth fell open in shock.

"What?" She blurted at me in confusion. Before I could answer her question, she had picked up her things and entered the apartment, slamming the door behind her and directly in my face.

I stood there dumfounded and embarrassed. "Nice going Dacre. Real smooth there pal" I said out loud to myself. I heaved a sigh and wandered back off to my room. Seeing as the time was getting closer to around 5am, I thought that I might as well have my morning workout an hour early, then get a shower and some breakfast before mum and dad arrived.