Chapter 2

She talked about her job as an employee in the Manhattan mayor's office and the problems she faced every day, mainly due to the political situation in the city government. She told him about all the guys who had tried to get her attention over the years and the friends she had made at work. Amelia met Stephen Parker, a handsome lawyer, through one of these interactions. He would later become her first real love. Soon after they met while working at an animal shelter, they started going out together. After only a year together, their fast-paced relationship hit a new level when they got engaged. Then something awful took place...

Stephen died out of the blue one night. Amelia knew it was more than just a bad accident where he fell out of bed without warning, even though it looked like he had been killed at first glance. She also had a sneaking feeling that the person in question was a friend. Because there was no proof or evidence to the contrary, Amelia couldn't do anything about what had happened other than mourn Stephen's death. She shut herself off completely, hiding her sadness beneath layers and layers of painful memories instead of facing the people who hurt her. She hid how she felt and, for a while after that, seemed fine, hoping that people would forget about her problems and move on. When she finally faced reality and decided to go back home, she found that everything was exactly as she had left it: eerily quiet and too still, with no one's words interrupting her at all times.

Stephen, Amelia's late husband, was the only person who truly understood how much she hurt and felt alone, but he died before she could tell him how much she missed and loved him every day. He hadn't lived long enough to help her get used to not having him around. He had always been there for her when things were hard and when she just needed someone to talk to, but now he was gone for good. At this point, she realised she had never really gotten over losing him. Her opinions were wrong, so why did she think they were right?

Gabriel felt better when he heard Amelia's smooth speech as she continued to talk about her old life in Manhattan. It showed that she had no doubts about being a part of this world. No, not yet. Hearing that she understood that they were destined to be together made him feel better and gave him hope, even though it broke his heart to think that he might have caused her so much pain by accident. They hoped to get back together one day.

As Gabriel looked out over Silverwood below, Amelia reached up and stroked his face.

She said, “I'm sorry I pushed so hard today,” in a soft voice over his skin.

Gabriel let out a deep sigh and rubbed his warm breath against her ear before moving away to talk. “There's no need to apologise, baby girl. In fact, I think it would be best if we didn't see each other again for a while.”

In an instant, he turned down her love, which shocked Amelia. This wasn't how things were supposed to go between them. They should not have fought over love.

“You're being irrational,” she said in a low voice as she reached up and gently grabbed his wrist. Her touch burned his skin, as if fire were taking away the extra heat he was giving off. She thought about how she felt for a while and then couldn't help but let go of him.

“And you're too soft-hearted, Amelia,” he said with a deep groan. He rubbed his face as if someone had hit him. As he slowly shook his head, the hair that had been falling in spirals over his eyes started to move easily. “But I'm not going anywhere without telling you this: your people are fortunate to have such an extraordinary woman leading the way for them. And my pack will always take care of yours... because you both mean everything to me.” He said with a bitter tone, “I guess it doesn't really matter now, does it?”

After being turned down, Amelia was so upset that she couldn't think of anything else but Gabriel's rude behaviour. After feeling so much passion on their trip together, she was very upset about having to be apart from him. It was almost too painful for her to accept that they could never be apart again after the truth came out. It hurt so much that she didn't know what to say or how to behave.

They stood there in silence, with Gabriel's strong face in Amelia's eyes and her hand still on his wrist. She begged him through tears, “Why did you decide we had to stop seeing each other? That we couldn't possibly stay together once this is over?” Her voice was a little tense as she asked him. A long time passed while they just looked at each other. Finally, she reached up and brushed a stray hair behind his ear. “Please tell me what happened today was just part of whatever magic trick you're pulling here—or else I'll go crazy trying to figure out how to make sense of everything!”

Gabriel slowly took his hand off Amelia's wrist and took a deep breath to try to cool down. He then thought about why they should be apart, even though she had told him how much she wanted their relationship to last. Turning to face Amelia, he took off his leather jacket and threw it away. Sadness filled his soft eyes.

The words were meant to strike her, but Amelia's eyes widened in surprise, as if she hadn't thought he would be so honest with her. “You've been deceived my entire life,” he continued bluntly, “and the truth will destroy you.” “I can never let you know the real reason I'm helping your people because the consequences could mean war between our species. You have no idea what kind of danger you're involved with, Amelia... none whatsoever! It isn't safe for you to be mixed up in this world at all; everyone who gets too close ends up dead or enslaved!” His face changed as he spoke, “If that happens, there won't be anything I can do about it.”

The only thing that kept Amelia grounded in such a terrible situation was the feeling of his warm skin on hers, so she tried not to pay attention when he talked. This was the most dedicated person she had ever known in a relationship before she met Gabriel. Hearing him say it shocked her. She gave herself one last kiss and then turned away, holding on to those memories as he spoke:

Gabriel was sure, and his face didn't change, even though it hurt him to say those things to the person he loved most. “All I want is for you to go back home and forget we ever met because I don't think you belong here,” he stated. Amelia only wanted what she said to be true, but she knew it wasn't going to happen. He gently stroked her cheek and said, “Once we've helped your people get back to where they belong on Earth, maybe one day our paths will cross again.” She felt her soul tear as she accepted the truth.

Amelia looked down at Silverwood, which was a forest full of live trees and lovely greenery, but with a sad heart. Gabriel had lived here before he met her, but he would never go back. They both learned more about themselves on their trip, but now that they were back in the real world, he wouldn't be able to share these new insights with her. This made everything seem impossible. The thought of never seeing him again after this was over hurt her almost too much to bear. It was going to break her heart. She couldn't find the right words or way to respond, so she just stared at her. He watched her in silence as tears slowly fell from her face until the time was up, and Gabriel came closer. He wrapped his arms around her to soothe her and then whispered something in her ear:

“I don't want you to go either, Amelia,” he said in a harsh voice. “But it doesn't change anything between us,” he said with a sigh. Gabriel sighed again, leaned against a tree next to Amelia, and said, “I should've been able to save everyone else instead of just one man because that's what he wanted to hear from me—how much I love him. I need to be able to give something back to someone other than myself.” “You have no idea how thankful I am that my brother is alive—that I was able to save him.” Instead, she begged him in her head, “Can't you just promise me that we'll see each other again?” as she stroked his cheek.

Gabriel shook his head slowly and looked up at the sky while he thought about what would happen when they got back home. He didn't answer her question. He had only told himself that there wouldn't be any more chances after what had happened today. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't find the resolve to make sure that their relationship ended happily. Things were not going to end well, but maybe they would cross paths again someday and pick up where they left off. Gabriel thought that even though their relationship was doomed, they shouldn't stop being friends. When he found out how Amelia felt about him, everything changed for him.