Mated To The Enemy (Previously TVKWP)

CHAPTER 2

"Done!" I exclaim into the wall of my room, grinning at my phone while letting my feet dangle in the air as I lie on my stomach. I've just finished the latest book in the Lord series by Shantel Tessier. When I came up to my room, I received a notification about its release and couldn't resist taking a peek, only to end up reading the whole thing.

Checking the time on the clock on my nightstand, my eyes widen. I didn't realize so much time had passed while I was engrossed in the story. Hastily, I shoot out of bed, heading to my closet to change. I hope the party isn't already over.

I slip into a colorful flowing line of embroidery, a strapless pink tulle dress with a twisted, draped bust. Stepping out of the closet, I check my phone for any missed calls from my family, and to my utmost surprise, there are none. I've been gone for a while, so I'm a little shocked they haven't called asking where I was. I try Caleb's cell to ask him how the party is going, but it goes straight to voicemail. Attempting a mind-link, I get no response. Maybe he's busy with his mate or something and has closed his link, not wanting to be disturbed. I quickly put on my shoes and head to the ballroom, praying that Dad and Mom won't have my head for disappearing for so long.

As I make my way to the ballroom, an intoxicating scent assaults my senses, a potent blend of earthy notes that transport me to the heart of the rainforest. It's unlike anything I've ever smelt, so much so that it immediately triggers Marie, my wolf, to open our connection.

"Oh heavens, it's happening," she exclaims, her excitement mirroring my own.

"Do you truly believe he's here?" I inquire, a surge of anticipation pulsating through my veins, urging me to hasten my steps. The prospect of discovering his identity sparks my curiosity – is he the son of an Alpha, or could he be an Alpha himself? The excitement building within me threatens to overflow.

"Yes, it's becoming more potent, Amelia. Pick up the pace," Marie urges, seizing control and guiding me forward.

"Finally," I breathe with a mixture of relief and excitement as I swing the door open to the ballroom.

A guttural scream tears through me the moment I swing the door open. Time stands still as I freeze, my gaze fixated on the floor transformed into a morbid canvas of crimson. The edge of my dress swiftly becomes saturated, the sheer volume of blood evident everywhere. Oh, Heavens! What in the world is happening? The shock courses through me, a surreal disconnection between the blissful anticipation of finding my mate and the horrifying reality before my eyes.

I can't fathom how I missed the smell of blood on my way over. But how could I have? My senses were ensnared by the alluring fragrance of my mate, leaving me oblivious to the pervasive stench of blood saturating the ballroom.

"Amelia, run, get out of here!" Dad's desperate scream forces my gaze upward. The scene that unfolds is a nightmare etched in crimson – a sea of vampires, mouths, and bodies adorned with blood. My heart sinks as I hazard a guess that some of that blood belongs to the werewolves strewn across the floor. Yet, that is only the surface of the horror.

A vampire, distinguishable among the blood-soaked crowd, drives his claws into Dad's chest with lethal intent, aiming for his heart. But this isn't just any vampire; it's my...

"Mate," Marie and I utter in unison, our eyes widening at the shocking truth. The weight of the revelation hangs heavily in the air.

"Run, Amelia, run," Dad pleads once more, his voice a desperate echo.

My mate turns away from my father, his eyes lock onto mine. The anger in his gaze is unlike anything I've ever witnessed, sending a shiver down my spine. My hair stands on end as he leisurely digs his claws deeper, savoring the gruesome act of extracting my father's heart.