Chapter 520
The Past 14:
Gabriel was standing near the edge of the pond, its perfectly still water shimmering intensely under the brightness of the midday sun. He had been waiting for Amelie to arrive soon.
“Why hasn’t she come here yet?” Gabriel murmured, his brow furrowing slightly in impatience before he decided to bypass the wait and reach out to Amelie directly through their mate mindlink.
Just as he focused, he felt the unwelcome footsteps approaching on the gravel path behind him. He instantly turned, his posture shifting from relaxed to rigid, and his blood instantly boiled as he saw who it was.
Anaya’s presence was a physical contamination of his solitude. His hands instinctively clenched into fists at his sides.
“What the fuck are you doing on this place?” Gabriel snarled in a dangerous growl that carried the full weight of his Alpha power and fury.
“Calm down, Prince Gabriel,” Anaya cooed, deliberately keeping her voice light and casual in the face of his intense fury. “Why do you treat me like this? Why do you harbor such hatred for me? I simply asked to hear the answers from you p>
“Leave. Leave this property immediately before I kill you,” Gabriel told her, his intimidating gaze fixed on her.
“Kill me?” Anaya laughed that scraped against his nerves. “If you even attempt to touch me, Amelie will die,” she announced, the smile vanishing, replaced by a cold satisfaction.
Gabriel’s expression instantly shifted from fury to worry. His muscles relaxed not out of calm, but out of necessity. “Where is Amelie?” he demanded, taking a quick, threatening step toward her. He simultaneously attempted to form the mindlink, reaching out desperately for Amelie or her wolf, but found he couldn’t connect with either of them.
“Well, she’s safe for now,” Anaya drawled, maintaining that evil and triumphant grin.
“What exactly do you want?” Gabriel demanded, fighting the urge to tear into her. His mind was racing, trying to process the security breach. What were the spies doing? How could Amelie’s safety be compromised like this, right under his protection?
“Now, we have finally come to the business, Gabriel,” Anaya purred, her victorious smile widening. “I simply want you.” She pronounced the word with a possessive intent, taking steps toward him.
As she reached out her hands, intending to wrap them around his neck and embrace him, Gabriel’s hand shot out and tightened around her throat. He lifted her slightly off the ground, showing his rage.
“Show me where my mate is, you bloody witch!” Gabriel growled, the sound ripping from his chest. His eyes glowed into a deep shade of violet. “Or I swear by the Moon Goddess, I am going to rip you limb from limb right here, and no amount of black magic will put you back together p>
Anaya felt the suffocating pressure around her throat ease abruptly as Gabriel let go of her. She immediately collapsed onto the rough gravel pavement, coughing profusely, clutching at her bruised neck as she struggled to pull air back into her lungs.
Before she could even regain her breath, Gabriel violently grabbed her by the hair, yanking her head back and tilting her face up to meet his furious gaze.
“Where is Amelie?” he questioned again, his voice stripped of all patience.
“Kill me, and you’re never going to find her!” Anaya managed to choke out between gasps, clinging to the only leverage she had.
Just as Gabriel was about to lash out, a soft voice flared in his mind.
’Gabriel!’ Amelie’s faint voice reached him, sounding weak. He instantly reacted, his focus was now entirely to the link.
’Mate, where are you?’ Gabriel questioned instantly. He tried to reach for her scent through their bond, trying to pinpoint her location, but he couldn’t detect anything immediate. That meant she wasn’t physically nearby.
’It is dark here. I don’t know where I am,’ Amelie answered back through the faint link, her voice laced with fear. ’And I am unable to use the strength of my wolf. I am being locked away p>
’I am coming to you, Amelie. Don’t worry,’ Gabriel assured her instantly.
Gabriel glanced down at Anaya, who was now whimpering and struggling to breathe on the gravel. He knew exactly how to break her.
“Will you open your mouth if I kill your mother right in front of your eyes? Not just kill her, but burn her alive,” he ground out, his grip on her hair tightening until tears sprang to her eyes. “You dared to touch my mate, so you must see the consequences of infuriating me.” He threatened her this time not with her own life, but with Ophelia’s.
Anaya’s eyes widened with immediate terror. She had thought the entire situation was under her control, but in that instant, she realized how terribly wrong she was.
“Don’t do anything to my mother,” Anaya said.
“I won’t as long as you take me to Amelie,” Gabriel stated. He stood straight, letting go of his grip from her hair.
Anaya stood up, caressing her hair to straighten them. She still could feel her scalp throbbing with pain. “Follow me,” she said while Gabriel went after her.
After an intense hour’s journey, Gabriel and Anaya reached the remote spot where Anaya had kept Amelie captive. It was a small, dilapidated house hidden deep in the forest, featuring an underground basement.
Gabriel rushed in and immediately saw Amelie tied with thick ropes. As he reached out and touched the restraints, his hands instantly burned with a sharp pain.
“Gabriel,” Amelie mumbled, slowly opening her eyes. “Don’t. It’s wolfsbane,” she whispered weakly.
Gabriel ignored the pain, his powerful grip tearing the toxic ropes apart from her body.
“Amelie,” he called her name, pulling her into a tight embrace and caressing her back. “You’re fine now,” he stated simply. His hands were bleeding from the poisonous contact, but he paid them no mind.
As he helped Amelie stand, Anaya’s sharp scream erupted from behind them.
Both Gabriel and Amelie turned to see Anaya lunging at them, wielding a silver knife. Gabriel managed to catch her wrist, but Anaya used her newfound witch power.
Earlier, Gabriel’s strength had easily overpowered her magic, but now, she had somehow prepared herself. Her eyes glowed golden, and she wove a spell that hit Gabriel, causing him to freeze momentarily.
Amelie, seeing Gabriel momentarily paralyzed, feared Anaya would strike. She rushed forward with the remaining strength in her body and grabbed Anaya’s wrist to wrest the knife away. Anaya violently shoved Amelie back, then jumped over her, raising the silver knife high to strike Amelie down.
Gabriel broke free from the stunning effect of Anaya’s magic and instantly lunged forward, taking the knife from her and shoved it right into Anaya’s heart after grabbing her by her throat.
“Gabriel!” Amelie exclaimed in shock as she stood up.
“I told you not to test my patience,” Gabriel said and pulled out the knife before again piercing it right into Anaya’s heart. He gave her multiple stand when Amelie intervened, stopping him.
Anaya fell lifeless on the cold ground into a pool of blood while Gabriel turned to look at Amelie.
“She won’t trouble you anymore. I will do the same to Ophelia,” Gabriel stated with a determined gaze.