Chapter 139: Family Confrontation

Amelia's POV

My body tensed instantly. Every instinct screamed at me to retreat, to run from the open hostility radiating from the woman who had once slapped me across the face. I unconsciously shifted closer to Alexander, taking a small step backward.

Alexander's warm hand found mine, his fingers intertwining with my own as he steadied me. The simple gesture sent a wave of calm through my body.

"I invited her," Alexander replied, his voice firm and unapologetic. "Mother, Father, Amelia is currently working as my executive assistant at Westbrook Industries."

Assistant. The word echoed in my mind. Is that all I was to him? After everything we'd been through, after what had happened between us at the office, was that still how he saw me? The disappointment must have shown on my face because Alexander's grip tightened slightly.

"This is absolutely ridiculous!" Elaine shouted, her voice reverberating through the room. She pointed an accusing finger at me. "Everyone in this room knows she's the troublemaker who disrupted the Luna Festival, our decades of political planning have been ruined by her hands! And now you've made her your assistant?"

She turned to Alexander, her expression a mixture of disgust and disbelief. "She's obviously manipulated you somehow. You've fallen for her tricks, Alexander!"

Jonathan stood up now, his face grim. "Alexander, while I understand this Omega is your... mate," he nearly spat the word, "Your brother's proven herself to be deceitful. I must insist you remove her from our family gathering immediately."

The contempt in his voice was unmistakable. So Daniel had convinced them I was not only manipulative but also a liar. The injustice of it burned in my chest. After everything their son had done to me – the cheating, the attempted murder – I was still the one being villainized.

Elaine didn't wait for Alexander's response. She lunged forward, grabbing my arm with surprising strength. Her manicured nails dug into my skin as she attempted to drag me toward the door.

"You deceived my younger son, and now you've set your sights on my eldest. Get out of our home!" she hissed, pulling me away from Alexander.

Deceived Daniel? The audacity of her accusation made my blood boil. So this was what Daniel had told them – that I had somehow tricked him, that I was the unfaithful one. The unfairness of it all made me want to scream the truth.

The pain shot through my arm as her nails nearly broke skin. Before I could react, a deep, primal growl rumbled through the room. Alexander's eyes flashed golden, his Alpha essence suddenly filling the space like a physical force. The air grew heavy, making it difficult to breathe.

"Alexander, what is the meaning of this?" Jonathan asked, tension evident in his voice.

"How dare you touch her without my permission?" Alexander's voice was dangerously low as he addressed his mother.

A shiver ran down my spine. There was something primal and possessive in his tone that made my Omega instincts respond with immediate submission. Not to Elaine or Jonathan, but to Alexander alone.

Elaine immediately released my arm, taking an instinctive step back. The primal fear of an Alpha's rage momentarily overrode even maternal indignation.

"You ungrateful child!" she spat, her fury now directed at me. "What kind of spell have you cast on my son to make him speak to me this way?"

Spell? I almost wanted to laugh at the absurdity. As if I had any power over an Alpha like Alexander. Her words confirmed what I'd suspected – in their eyes, I was nothing but a conniving Omega who had somehow entrapped both their sons. The narrative Daniel had created was becoming clearer with each passing moment.

Alexander pulled me back to his side, and I could feel the possessiveness and protection radiating from him through our physical contact. My heart raced as I struggled to process what was happening. The way he positioned himself slightly in front of me, shielding me with his body, spoke volumes about his instincts toward me.

"You laid hands on her twice now—at the Luna Festival and again today," Alexander said, his voice controlled but seething with anger. "Daniel didn't get deceived by her. Your precious younger son cheated on her, then tried to kill her to cover it up. Your coddled child nearly murdered my mate!"

My mate. Those two words rang in my ears like a bell, drowning out everything else momentarily. He'd said it so definitively, so publicly – claiming me before his family without reservation. Not as his assistant or some temporary distraction, but as his mate. The word I'd longed to hear from him since that moonlit night when our souls first recognized each other.

Tears welled in my eyes. I couldn't believe Alexander was standing up for me against his family. The realization that he remembered and resented his mother slapping me at the Luna Festival hit me hard. And the way he called me his mate, without hesitation or shame...

He never rejected me, I thought, warmth blooming in my chest despite the tension. He's been my mate all along...

I watched Elaine's face contort with shock as Alexander revealed the truth. Her eyes darted between us, struggling to reconcile her son's version of events with Alexander's accusation. There was a flicker of doubt there – the first crack in her certainty that I was the villain in this story.

"If you can't accept Amelia," Alexander continued, his voice unwavering, "then perhaps I need to reconsider my position within this family."

The gravity of his statement wasn't lost on me. He was choosing me over his family, threatening to walk away from his birthright, his legacy, for me. No one had ever stood up for me like this – not since Nathan had been sent away. The thought made my chest ache with gratitude and something deeper, something I was afraid to name.

Jonathan's face paled. "Alexander, we're family. Let's sit down and discuss this rationally." He gestured toward the sofa, his tone conciliatory. "Your mother's illness hasn't recovered yet. Please, son."

I swallowed hard, my throat tight with emotion. "Maybe I should go," I suggested quietly. "I don't want to cause problems between you and your family."

Even as I said it, part of me hoped he wouldn't let me leave. That he would continue to choose me, to stand by me. The realization of my own neediness made me feel vulnerable and exposed.

Alexander shot me a glare that instantly silenced me. The fierce protectiveness in his eyes made me shiver.

Before anyone could respond, the front door opened. Heavy footsteps approached the living room, and a familiar figure appeared in the doorway.

"Bro—" Daniel froze mid-sentence, his eyes widening as they landed on me. "A... Amelia?!"