Chapter 140: Alpha's Declaration

Amelia's POV

Daniel's voice sent an icy shiver down my spine. I kept my face turned away, refusing to look at him.

"Daniel, you're home!" Elaine's voice brightened instantly, the maternal warmth she'd withheld from Alexander flowing freely toward her youngest son. She hurried across the room, designer heels clicking against the marble floor. "Join us for dinner. I had the chef prepare your favorites."

I glanced up briefly and caught Alexander watching me with that predatory gaze that made my insides liquify. The memory of what happened after he discovered my meeting with Daniel flashed through my mind—his possessive touches, the way he'd marked me as his—and I quickly looked away, heat rushing to my cheeks.

"Amelia," Daniel addressed me with unnatural gentleness, ignoring his mother's welcome. "What are you doing here?"

The false tenderness in his tone made my stomach turn. I could feel Elaine and Jonathan's surprised stares—they clearly expected their precious son to be furious with the woman who had "falsely accused" him. The injustice of it all made my wolf growl beneath my skin.

"Your brother invited me," I answered quietly, still avoiding his gaze, my fingers nervously twisting the hem of my blouse.

Daniel looked at Alexander. "Brother, it's been a while," he said politely, extending his hand in greeting.

Alexander completely ignored his gesture. Instead, his arm snaked around my waist, fingers splaying possessively across my hip. Through our mate bond, I felt waves of territorial possession radiating from him. He wasn't just holding me—he was marking me as his in front of Daniel.

Instinctively, I leaned back against his chest, allowing my head to rest against him. My wolf hummed with satisfaction at being claimed so openly by her Alpha. The steady rhythm of his heartbeat against my back gave me courage I didn't know I needed.

Daniel's mouth twitched before he forced it back into a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "Well, Amelia is an important guest at our family dinner. We should make her feel welcome."

He pulled out a chair from the dining table. "Please, join us for dinner. I'll get you another seat so you can sit next to me."

"No," I replied immediately, my voice sharper than intended. The thought of sitting beside him made my wolf bristle with alarm.

Daniel's smile faltered for a split second before he recovered, but I caught the flash of humiliation in his eyes. His fingers clenched briefly at the back of the chair—a tiny tell that revealed the rage simmering beneath his carefully constructed facade.

"Of course," he said tightly. "Perhaps you'd prefer to sit elsewhere."

I turned my head away, unable to stomach his fake pleasantries. Every word from his mouth felt like poison in the air.

Something dark flashed in Daniel's eyes at my dismissal. He reached forward, his fingers stretching toward my wrist. "Amelia, I—"

The sound of Alexander's palm connecting with Daniel's face echoed through the room like a gunshot. The slap was so hard that Daniel stumbled backward, hand flying to his reddening cheek, eyes wide with shock.

"ALEXANDER!" Elaine shrieked, rushing to Daniel's side, examining his face as if he were a child with a scraped knee rather than a grown man.

Jonathan stepped forward, face flushed with anger. "He is your brother! How dare you strike him over a lowly Omega?"

"Don't raise your voice at me," Alexander replied, his tone deadly calm but carrying an undercurrent of rage. "Before questioning my actions, perhaps you should question your precious son's behavior."

Jonathan's eyes narrowed as he turned to Daniel. "What is Alexander talking about? What have you done?"

Daniel hung his head in a perfect performance of remorse. "I lied to all of you," he whispered, voice trembling with artificial emotion.

I watched him transform into the picture of repentance—shoulders slumping, eyes filling with crocodile tears. It was the same act he'd tried to pull on me after I caught him with Vanessa.

"I betrayed Amelia," Daniel confessed, voice breaking strategically. "I cheated on her with her best friend. And when she found out..." He paused dramatically. "I lost control. I almost... killed her and her brother. Brother stopped me just in time."

Jonathan and Elaine stood frozen, faces a mixture of shock and disbelief. I could practically see the mental gymnastics happening behind their eyes—they were desperately trying to reconcile this confession with their image of their perfect younger son.

"That's not possible," Elaine whispered, shaking her head. "Daniel wouldn't—"

"But I did, Mother," Daniel interrupted, voice thick with false remorse. "I'm confessing now because I need to make things right."

I felt strangely detached watching this family drama unfold. Their dynamic was so clear to me now—parents who doted on their youngest while the eldest was always expected to be strong, to handle everything alone. No wonder Alexander had become who he was.

Elaine finally looked at me, her eyes conflicted. I could see she wanted to apologize, but pride stopped her. She'd been so quick to believe the worst about me, so eager to protect Daniel from consequences.

"Enough of this performance," Alexander said, his patience clearly exhausted. "I have no time for this nonsense."

He tightened his grip on my waist and started guiding me toward the door.

"What? You want to stay and watch their little drama?" he asked when I hesitated.

Jonathan's face hardened. "Watch your attitude, Alexander. Don't air our dirty laundry in front of outsiders."

Alexander stopped, turning slowly to face his father. "She is not an outsider to me."

Those six simple words made me tremble, tears springing unbidden to my eyes. In that moment, he'd elevated me from unwanted intruder to someone who belonged with him. After a lifetime of never quite fitting in anywhere, those words felt like coming home.

Without waiting for a response, Alexander took my hand and led me away from his stunned family, leaving the wreckage of Daniel's confession behind us. As we walked down the hallway, the sound of Elaine's quiet sobs followed us, but Alexander never looked back, his jaw set in determination.

The cool evening air hit my face as we stepped outside, and I took my first full breath since entering that house. The moonlight bathed the elaborate garden in silver, casting long shadows across the manicured lawn. Something fundamental had changed between us—a line had been crossed. Alexander had chosen me over his family, publicly claimed me in a way that couldn't be undone.

My wolf howled with satisfaction inside me, recognizing what my human side was still processing: whatever happened next, the Alpha had made his choice. And he had chosen me. The realization was both terrifying and exhilarating—like standing at the edge of a cliff, knowing you're about to jump, but trusting you'll somehow fly.