31 The Silver Test (Book 2)


    ~Leo~


    The look on Sylvester''s face when I told him about Amelia showed he wasn''t happy I kept that bit to


    myself, but I knew he would understand why. I knew they all could understand why.


    Amelia was mine to love, keep and protect. If her bloodline had been wiped away, then she


    shouldn''t be in existence.


    Whoever was looking for her would want her for the very reason Adrik was murdered.


    I wanted it to be a coincidence, so I remained in denial, but after seeing the coin and learning what


    Lucas Sidorov had to say about it and Sylvester''s deductions, I realised it was best to trust Amelia''s


    secret to my trusted friends and allies than to try to handle it alone.


    Deep down, I prayed she wouldn''t be able to pick up the coin or touch it. I have never wanted


    anything so badly as I did at this moment. I hated to think about it, but I wanted her to be normal.


    Exining that she had unusual abilities and might be a science experiment would be challenging.


    Being a Stepanov would also make her royalty, and I wondered how the world would take it.


    I feared they might call for her head because her family had already been condemned and wiped


    out. She would be an anomaly.


    I prayed Silverster would protect her secret. If not, I will go to war for her sake.


    With that determination, I opened the door of my room and walked in.


    Amelia was reading a book she had brought with her and sitting by the window.


    I noticed she wasn''t a television person and liked reading a lot. It was a healthy habit that kept her


    going.


    A healthy and active imaginative mind could help people cope with stress and difficulties.


    It provides an avenue for escape and optimism based on what the mind is fed, and seeing the book


    in her hand; I knew she had only read of happy endings.


    She looked at me and put down her book.


    "Leo, are you done with your meeting?" She asked with a smile, and I asked the goddess why I met


    Amanda and not her.


    I would have been happier if I had met her after losing Tamia.


    Seeing how Tamia and Sylvester were, I was pleased with all that happened and somehow realised


    we weren''t meant to be. They were perfect together, and I could swear the light and glow in Tamia''s


    eyes was like I had never seen before.


    The same glow was in Amelia''s eyes, and the best part was that it was for me.


    I suspected she would be my home eventually.


    However, I was still going to move gradually and love her to the best of my ability until I knew


    enough and was sure she wanted me and wasn''t driven by the bond or lust before Imit


    because once I did, I won''t be looking back.


    I returned the smile and went o squat in front of her.


    She was a bit surprised, and I knew my facial expression was intense, so I softened it with a smile


    and gently touched her delicate hand.


    It was hard to believe she had been through hardship. I kissed it and ced her palm against my


    cheek to feel it, and she gazed at me lovingly.


    "Leo," she said, blushing, and I smiled.


    "I know you are immune to silver," I blurted out, and her smile faded.


    "I also know you have been hiding it. Aurora came out because you had no choice that day in the


    service quarters. I also noticed how boldly you attacked those intruders in the woods. You did so


    because you knew the silver wouldn''t affect you the same way. Am I right?" I asked her, and tears


    welled up in her eyes. I knew she was afraid.


    One thing I hade to understand about Amelia was that she craved to be normal.


    Her childhood and life had given her a definition of normal; it had driven a standard into her mind. A


    standard she fell short of, so she always tried to hide those things that took her far from the


    standard just to feel normal, hence the hair dye, the contact lenses, the pretence of not being able


    to fight back, and her tolerance to silver. Those things weren''t normal for an average wolf. A wolf


    must be trained to fight, but she did it effortlessly in the woods that day. She was the goddess''s


    masterpiece, and she had to hide it because it did not meet the standards given to her all her life.


    " Leo, please," She said, tears streaming down her cheeks, not wanting to admit it.


    I touched her hand and squeezed gently.


    "I do not care about what sets you apart from the rest of us. It will never affect the way I look at you.


    If anything, Amelia, I am proud. I am happy that the goddess chose to bless me with someone


    special. Bond apart, You are a rare gem, Amelia, and you should be proud of it.


    You are beautiful and unique, and you have all the qualities I would have loved to be given. It won''t


    change how I look at you," I told her, and she nodded gently, but I knew she was scared.


    "It doesn''t burn me," she confessed, " But it slows down my healing, and I can''t fully shift, but I


    maintain all my wolf abilities, including strength and speed," She confessed quickly, and I stood up,


    frozen in shock.


    "Leo, Leo," she asked me.


    I heard her apprehension, but I wasn''t shocked about what she told me; I was surprised that Max


    had said precisely the same thing about Alexie. He said Alexie had ess to his wolf but never said


    the guy fully shifted.


    I looked at Amelia and softened my expression with a smile.


    "You might have just cracked a case for me, Amelia," I said, believing Alexie might be like Amelia.


    It was off that their back story was simr.


    Was he dyeing his hair too? But his eyes did not look like Amelia''s. Was he wearing contacts? I will


    find that out in due time.


    "Come on, Moonlight. Let''s go to the king''s lounge." I told her, and she nodded and stood up.


    She was nervous. I could feel it from her trembling hands, but I had no choice. I would be wrong not


    to return to the lounge without her. Besides, I trusted everyone there, and I knew Sylvester was a


    man of his word and would never do anything that would harm the woman I cared about.


    "Do not worry, Amelia; they are all on our side. If anything, I believe you will gain family today. A


    very powerful one," I said to try and help her rx, but she looked at me with a sad expression.


    "I already have family, Leo. I have you," she said, and her words cut me deep. Just like Tamia too.


    I was Tamia''s only family, and I let her down.


    I squeezed Amelia''s hands and ced her palm on my chest, promising myself not to repeat my


    mistakes.


    Thinking of it now, I could understand why she held on to our bond and stuck around.


    I was meant to be the light at the end of her tunnel. Her home and I had acted irrationally.


    I knew I could still im her without a blue moon because she held on to our bond, but I would


    make it special and surprise her with it.


    "Other than my missing parents, You are my family too," I responded and the smile she had warmed


    my heart. Amelia was a joy and easy to be with. Where was she all this while?


    We arrived at the lounge, and the men were talking and analysing different things and scenarios.


    The moment I entered with Amelia, everywhere went quiet. David walked towards Amelia.


    "Amelia Westwood, Is is an honour that you are joining us," He said, and I knew it was in a bid to


    calm her down and make the atmosphere less tense for her.


    David was the most sensitive of all his brothers, except for Vino, who was creepy and mysterious,


    but he seemed sensitive too.


    Dominic nodded and smiled at her, and everyone took turns greeting her. They did so with respect,


    and I was also grateful for the gesture because it helped Amelia rx and loosen up.


    "Amelia," Sylvester finally said, and she bowed her head.


    "Not here. Just like Tamia told you, those formalities are for public gatherings. Leonardo is a friend


    and more like family. We just want to determine maybe he will soon be our inw," Sylvester said,


    and everyoneughed, making it light.


    Amelia was blushing immediately, and soon she started giggling too.


    Sylvester motioned her to sit on the couch across from his, and she looked at me. I nodded, and


    she went ahead to do as he had requested.


    "You see, Amelia, we have long lost rtives that have superpowers of which everyone was


    envious," he said, and they all chuckled because he wasn''t lying. The Stepanov ability was


    incredible and limitless.


    "Well, Leo bragged that you might have those abilities too, so we want to know so that we can


    protect you better," He said on a light note.


    I was d he did not tell her her life was in danger if she was a Stepanov.


    Silvester ced the coin on the coffee table between them using a tissue.


    "I want you to pick up this coin with your hands, Amelia. It was built for a Delta, who is a Stepanov.


    Other than the DNA test Tamia took you for, this will prove if you have the same abilities as that


    branch of our lineage." he said, referring to Marcel and Theodore because they were a branch of


    the Volkov family too, and she nodded, then took a deep breath. She looked at me, and I smiled,


    urging her to proceed.


    Amelia reached for the coin with shaking hands and easily picked it up. It did not burn her at all.


    Everyone was silent, and they tried to act normal.


    "Can you ess your wolf?" Sylvester asked her with a broad grin. I knew he was worried, but she


    needed to befortable.


    Amelia nodded with a smile which meant she trusted everyone in the room.


    "Show me. Shift partially," Sylvester asked, looking slightly serious, and she nodded.


    Slowly I saw her ws grow out, and her eyes turned a brilliant shade of blue. Dominic stepped


    back. I knew he did not mean to, but it was a wonder unheard of and unseen.


    Everyone was in shock.


    "Shift back to your normal form," Sylvester said, trying to gather himself, and she did as he had


    asked and ced the coin on the table.


    "Thank you, Amelia; your secret is safe with us. Once the DNA result is out, we will know what to do


    and how best to protect you," he said, and I could see beads of sweat forming on his forehead.


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    It wasn''t just him; Marcel and Theodore too. It was a shocking revtion to everyone, and the room


    was quiet.


    Not wanting Amelia to figure out the difort, I gently offered to walk her back to my room. I will


    have to discuss this with Sylvesterter so we would know the way forward.