Amora packed up her things again as she got ready to move to yet another place. She knew she couldn't just keep running forever, she had to get away for good.
"Greece? America? India?" She mumbled to herself as she got ready to shift again, nowhere seemed like a good place to go to her. Despite having left him, the thought of letting Epiales go for good sent an aching through her heart.
"France..." she mumbled as she started out her window. Ever since she was a little girl she had always wanted to go to France, she never considered living there but it seemed perfect now.
"I'm going to go to France," she giggled as she shifted into her wolf and ran through the woods.
She didn't have any way of getting there but she would eventually find a ship that was making its way to France and she would somehow get on it.
After a couple hours of running Amora grew tired and she settled down beside a large willow tree. She missed civilisation and she desperately wanted to visit a small town just to see other people. It was a great risk but she felt safe enough with a hood covering her face.
She shifted from her wolf in case she came across any humans and began walking ahead, hoping to come across a village of some sort.
Nervous chatter echoed beyond the trees, sending an anxious feeling through Amora. She picked up her pace as she approached a very small village with a group of people running around tensely.
She snuck behind a tree, listening into their conversations as her heart pounded.
"Rumour says the king died in battle! The palace has not revealed any details about him!" A young girl cried to her friend.
Amora stilled, almost dropping her basket in shock. She knew instantly they were talking about Epiales but she refused to believe it.
"There's no way! It's King Epiales. He is far too powerful to be killed," the young boy replied, shaking his head stubbornly.
"Perhaps it is because the first queen left... he hasn't been concentrating since, I heard."
Amora turned around and bolted back to the willow tree. Her face paled as she ran. Epiales couldn't be dead. He just couldn't.
All rational thoughts left her mind as Amora found herself dropping her basket and shifting at the tree, sprinting in the direction of the castle. She would not be able to live with herself if Epiales was dead. She had to know the truth.
Night was approaching fast and she realised how far away from the castle she had been. Hardly any packs were around and she was dangerously close to human land. The castle wasn't much further now, so Amora kept pushing herself to run as fast as she could.
Suddenly it came into view. The large palace illuminated in the moonlight. The lights sparkled in the dark and it looked like something out of a fairytale. As she shifted, pulling her dress back on, Amora found herself struggling to breathe as she returned to the one place she fought so hard to stay away from.
She ducked away from the guards as she ran up the steps. She could hear a lot of chatter from inside which only fuelled her fears that something truly was wrong with Epiales. She tried to step closer to the large doors when she was stopped by a guard.
"Excuse me miss, you cannot enter," he told her in a gruff voice.
"Oh no, I really have to see-"
"Are you here for the ball?" He asked her, looking at her dress in disgust.
The ball? She thought, tilting her head in confusion. She found herself nodding and the guard scoffed, walking away before saying, "just stay there a moment please." Before disappearing around the side of the castle.
The large doors opened and Amora's head shot up.
"Oh my goddess," she breathed out in a small voice, making his head shoot up too.
He blinked at her repeatedly, "there is no way..."
He stared at her in shock. The woman in front of him had changed so much in what seems such little time. Though a lifetime for them both.
Her eyes appeared more tired, permanent bags resided under them. Her clothes were ragged and torn. But she was the most beautiful woman in the world to him.
Neither of them could focus. All Amora could think about was how he was alive. He was alive and healthy. She kept chanting it in her head, trying to allow herself to breathe once again.
They didn't dare move, both of them terrified the other would vanish.
All of a sudden Amora sucked in a sharp breath before she flung herself into his arms and clinging onto him, whispering, "you're alright." Over and over again.
In his shocked state, Epiales wrapped his arms around her tightly, burying his face into her neck as tears leaked from his eyes slowly.
"Amora?" He whispered in a croaky voice, "are you really here right now?"
She pulled back to look at him, "I-I- someone said you had died, I had to come, I had to know you were alright."
"Are you alright?" He asked frantically, looking her up and down.
She laughed joyously and nodded, pulling him back into the hug. Suddenly her laughter died down as she came back to reality, she pulled away from him and took a step back.
He frowned, stepping forward to grab her again but she put her arms out in defence.
"Amora?" He asked nervously.
"Epiales... I had to know you were alright, I would not have been able to live with myself if there was even the possibility you were dead. But here you are, you are fine. I don't belong here-"
He cut her off, "of course you belong here! I have so much I need to tell you Amora, there is so much I have to say. I am so so sorry."
She waved a hand at him, "Epiales, you have your... queen now, someone who understands you and what you want. We never worked."
"She is not my queen! There is so much you don't know, Amora."
"You aren't married?" Amora asked shakily, squeezing her eyes shut as he grabbed her hands.
"No! The only woman I would ever marry is you. Please come inside."
She shook her head, "I can't..."
The doors opened and they both turned around rapidly. A slim figure emerged and the clacking of heels echoed.
"Epiales...come on the guests miss you! We can't- Amora?"
Amora lifted her head to make eye contact with a beautiful woman glaring at her with such hatred it made her wince.
Neither of them had the chance to reply before she was screeching. "Guards! Guards!"
A large group of guards came running their way and Alessa stomped her heel against the concrete, "this woman is an intruder! Take her away!"
Epiales stood in front of Amora as the guards made their way towards her.
He looked to the side to look at Alessa, "that was a mistake on your part." He looked back to the guards, "I am your king, Alessa is not your queen. You will not touch my mate or there will be hell to pay. Take Alessa to the dungeons."
The guards stood still, confusion and worry etched on their faces as Alessa stood still in shock.
"Now!" Epiales shouted, making them snap out of their trance and follow their orders.
Amora shut her eyes at the loud commotion and allowed Epiales to drag her inside.
"The ball is over, everyone go back to your packs," his voice bellowed throughout the hall.
"Epiales, you can't send Alessa to the dungeons..." Amora whispered quietly, ignoring the sharp pains in her neck that have returned with being so close to him.
He looked down at her, "she tried to have you imprisoned."
"Epiales... I am not staying. She is perfectly willing to help you lead. She can make you more powerful."
He dragged her into the dining room and sat her down in a chair, kissing her hands gently.
"I never wanted her to be queen. She used your safety to blackmail me and I couldn't risk anything happening to you, so I let her stay here and she just took over."
Amora opened her mouth to reply when a chilling laugh startled her. She looked behind her to see the man she feared most.
"Lincoln," she whispered.
"Amora... I am glad to see you back at the castle! Shame it took such a nasty rumour to ensure your return."
"You started that rumour?" She asked, "why would you do that?"
Lincoln shrugged, "I did not say that. Anyway I don't have time to stay and chat, I have many duties to attend to. I will see you both very soon."
Epiales stood up to go after him and she grabbed his arm, pulling him back down.
"Do not do anything that will lead to a war," she told him sternly.
He smiled at her softly, "I missed you so much."
"I missed you too Epiales, but you and I both know we are not a good match."
"Please, please stay with me, I cannot lose you again," he begged her.
She sighed at him, shaking her head, "I'm sorry Epiales, I won't put myself through that again."
"I want you to stay. I want you with me."
"This life isn't for me, I'm so sorry, I just can't. This lifetime just wasn't for us," she said quietly as she ran her hands through his hair.
"I will give it up! I understand now Amora, from the lies my parents had me believing my whole life to having to suffer without you for months, I understand it perfectly. Nothing is worth losing you over. I will give up the throne."
"I can't ask you to do that, Epiales. I could never ask you to give all this up, not for me."
"Please, at least stay a few days, let me show you how much you mean to me, then you can make your final decision," he pleaded once more.
She found herself nodding, praying that she wouldn't regret this decision. A few days, then she would never return to the castle again.