Chapter 166 Blood Money

Chapter 166 Blood Money
Amelia's POV

I stared at the check, the one-million-dollar sum making my vision blur for a moment. More money than I'd ever see in my lifetime. The amount that could solve every financial problem my family had ever faced.

My heart hammered against my ribs as I slowly reached for the check, feeling its weight between my fingers. The paper was thick, expensive – the kind used for important transactions. Transactions like buying someone's silence. Buying someone off.

Buying me.

I rose from my seat, the shock crystallizing into a white-hot rage that burned through my veins. "You think you can put a price on what Alexander and I share?" My voice trembled, not with fear, but with barely contained fury.

"I'm being generous," Elaine said, her voice eerily calm, the practiced tone of someone accustomed to getting her way. "I understand my son needs a strong woman to lead alongside him, not some obedient little Omega who blindly follows. Shadow Kingdom requires bloodlines that match the Westbrook legacy, not a commoner who happened to catch his eye."

Her words sliced through me like sharpened claws, each one targeting my deepest insecurities with surgical precision. I forced myself to stand taller, shoulders back, chin up – the posture Alexander always maintained when facing opposition.

"You don't know anything about me or what Alexander and I share," I said, steadying my voice despite the thundering of my heart.

"I know everything about you, Amelia Throne." She pronounced my name like it was contaminated, her lip curling in disgust. "Single mother working as a waitress, brother banished to the border after causing chaos at the Luna Festival, medical bills piling up. You're drowning, and my son is your life raft."

Something inside me snapped. How dare she reduce everything I'd fought for – everything I'd survived – to a pathetic grab for security?

"You're wrong," I snarled, my hands balling into fists at my sides.

Elaine stood, moving closer with predatory grace, the scent of her expensive perfume invading my space. "Think about it, Omega. With this money, your mother's medical expenses would be covered. You and your brother could live comfortably. Isn't that what you really want? Security? Protection?"

She pushed the check toward me again. My eyes flicked down to the obscene amount written in elegant script. The things I could do with that money... Mom's treatments, Nathan's future, a home without leaking pipes... For one treacherous moment, my fingers twitched with temptation.

That moment lasted only seconds before I felt something steel-hard form in my core. With deliberate slowness, I tore the check in half, then quarters, then eighths, letting the pieces flutter to the floor between us like confetti.

"The First Law of the Pack," I said quietly, each word like a bullet. "Do you remember it, Mrs. Westbrook? 'A wolf who rejects their mate faces exile or death. No exceptions—not even for Alphas.' Not even you can break what exists between Alexander and me. He can't leave me any more than I can leave him."

Her face turned ashen, then flushed with rage. "You manipulative little witch! You think I don't know what you're doing?" She leaned in, her voice dropping to a venomous hiss. "This so-called mate bond—it's a fabrication. A clever trick to trap my son. No true Omega from your background could possibly be destined for Alexander Westbrook."

I met her gaze steadily. "The moon goddess decides our mates, Mrs. Westbrook. Not bank accounts or bloodlines."

"How dare you!" Her eyes flashed dangerously. "You've somehow deceived him, made him believe in this false connection. But I won't let you use our sacred traditions to climb your way into our family."

In one fluid motion, Elaine snatched up the delicate porcelain teacup from the coffee table and hurled it directly at my face. I ducked instinctively, the cup sailing over my head and shattering against the wall. Fragments of china exploded outward, several pieces striking a young maid who had just entered with a fresh pot of tea.

The girl cried out in pain, dropping the teapot as she clutched her thigh where a large shard had cut through her uniform.

"Mother!" Alexander's voice thundered from the doorway.

Before I could even register his presence fully, he was at my side, his hands gripping my shoulders as his eyes frantically scanned my body for injuries.

"Are you hurt?" he demanded, his voice rough with concern. When I shook my head, his posture shifted. In one smooth movement, he positioned himself between me and his mother, his broad shoulders creating a protective barrier.

"What the hell is going on here?" he growled, one arm still reaching back to keep me close behind him. The scent of his anger filled the room—sharp, dangerous, and unmistakably Alpha.

Elaine's expression faltered for the first time, uncertainty flickering across her features as she faced her son's protective fury.

"Alexander, I was merely—"

"You threw something at her," he cut her off, his voice dropping to a deadly quiet tone that made the hair on my arms stand up. "At my mate. In my home."

The word 'mate' hung in the air between them, a declaration that left no room for argument.

"She's using you," Elaine tried again, her composure cracking. "This girl has fabricated—"

"Enough." The single word silenced the room. Alexander turned slightly, his eyes finding mine. "Amelia, are you sure you're not hurt?"

"I'm fine," I said, straightening my clothes and reaching for my purse. The concern in his eyes warmed me, but I needed space to process what had just happened. "I should go, or my mom will worry."

He looked like he wanted to object, but instead nodded. "James will drive you."

I nodded, walking past him toward the door. Behind me, I could feel the tension building as Alexander turned back to his mother, the maid still whimpering softly as she clutched her injured leg.

Outside, the cool morning air filled my lungs as I strode down the driveway. For the first time since meeting Alexander's mother, I felt something unexpected bubbling up inside me—satisfaction.

Not once but twice before, Elaine Westbrook had reduced me to tears, had made me question my worth. She'd humiliated me at the Luna Festival and tried to erase me from Alexander's life.

But not today. Today, I'd stood my ground. I'd taken her best shot—literally—and walked away intact. The torn check was still on her pristine floor, a symbol of my refusal to be bought or intimidated.

I couldn't stop a smile from spreading across my face. In the ongoing battle with Elaine Westbrook, I'd finally scored a victory.

"Ms. Throne."

I turned to find James approaching with the company car. "Mr. Westbrook asked me to drive you home."

Even in the chaos, Alexander was looking out for me. I slid into the back seat.

"Your phone, Ms. Throne," James said, handing back my cell. "You left it on the coffee table in the living room."

"Thank you." I hadn't even realized I'd forgotten it.

The screen lit up with multiple notifications. Several were from a name I hadn't thought about in weeks: Jason Cooper. My old project teammate from when I was with Daniel.

Amelia, could you help me with something? There's something I really need to talk to someone about.

Sorry to bother you, but I don't know who else to turn to.

It's complicated and involves Daniel. Can't say much over text.

I frowned, my triumph momentarily forgotten as I read his messages. Jason had always been nervous, especially around Daniel. He'd jump whenever Daniel addressed him directly, his hands shaking as he took notes. I'd written it off as social anxiety then, but now, with everything I knew about Daniel...

What's going on? Did Daniel do something to you? I texted back, concern rising.

His response came immediately: Can't talk on the phone. Can we meet at the coffee shop on Shadow Heights campus tomorrow? I need your help. It's important.

If Daniel was bullying Jason the way he'd controlled me, maybe I could help. Maybe I could prevent someone else from going through what I had. Fresh from standing up to Elaine, the thought of confronting another bully didn't intimidate me—it energized me.

I'll be there at 2 PM, I replied decisively. Whatever's happening, you're not alone, Jason.