Chapter 161 Confrontations and Commands

Chapter 161 Confrontations and Commands
Amelia's POV

I shifted my weight from one foot to the other, feeling like a deer caught in headlights. Wesley raised an eyebrow, waiting for my response with barely concealed amusement.

"It was truly a business meeting," I insisted, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. "But... other things happened too."

Isabelle closed the distance between us in two quick steps, her eyes narrowing as she studied my face. I held my breath, feeling my cheeks burn under her scrutiny. What could I possibly say? That Alexander and I had spent the night in a luxury suite? That things between us had changed in ways I couldn't even fully articulate?

"You're holding out on me," she whispered dramatically. "The Head Alpha of Shadow Kingdom takes you to another pack's territory, and you come back acting all mysterious."

"I'm not being mysterious," I protested weakly.

Wesley chuckled. "You kind of are, Amelia."

Isabelle stared at me for another long moment before dramatically flopping back into her seat. "Fine. I forgive you. But you will tell me everything—and I mean every single detail—when you're ready."

"Every single detail might be a bit excessive," I mumbled.

Wesley leaned back in his chair, arms crossed. "Don't mind her. She's just Shadow Kingdom's biggest Alexander-and-Amelia shipper."

"I am not!" Isabelle protested, then immediately backtracked. "Okay, maybe I am. But it's so romantic! The brooding Alpha and the girl who turned his world upside down."

Despite my embarrassment, I couldn't help but laugh. "You make it sound like some dramatic romance novel."

"Isn't it, though?" Isabelle wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.

I shook my head, grateful for friends who could make me laugh even when I felt cornered. "Let's get out of here. I've had enough interrogation for one day."

We gathered our belongings and headed toward the exit. The conversation shifted to summer plans as we walked across campus, the afternoon sun warm against my skin. For a moment, everything felt wonderfully normal—just three friends enjoying each other's company without the weight of pack politics or complicated relationships.

"Amelia, wait!"

The familiar voice sent a jolt of tension through my body. I turned to see Daniel jogging toward us, his expression a mixture of determination and something darker I couldn't quite identify.

"Can we talk?" he asked, barely acknowledging Isabelle and Wesley.

"I don't think that's a good idea," I replied, already taking a step back.

"Please," Daniel persisted, his voice softening. "We're friends, remember? Friends! I just want to talk."

I glanced at Isabelle, who was giving me a look that clearly said "absolutely not." But something in Daniel's expression—a vulnerability beneath the intensity—made me hesitate.

"Five minutes," I conceded reluctantly. "You guys go ahead. I'll catch up."

Isabelle stepped closer to me. "Are you sure?" she whispered.

I nodded, though I wasn't sure at all.

"Fine." Isabelle dramatically flipped her hair and shot Daniel a pointed look. "Don't keep her too long. Mrs. HEAD Westbrook has places to be."

Daniel's jaw tightened, his hands curling into fists at his sides. The subtle shift in his scent—from anxious to angry—made my wolf stir uneasily.

"Iz," I hissed, "just go. I'll text you in a few minutes."

Wesley gently took Isabelle's arm. "Come on. Amelia can handle herself."

As they walked away, I turned to face Daniel, keeping a careful distance between us. We stood in uncomfortable silence until they were out of earshot.

"What do you want, Daniel?" I asked, crossing my arms.

"Why are you avoiding me?" He stepped closer, and I instinctively moved back. "You agreed we could be friends, but you won't even look at me recently."

I sighed, noticing Vanessa hovering near a tree about fifty yards away, watching us with undisguised interest. So she also got a leave due to the exam.

"I've told you many times," I said, keeping my voice low. "I'm in love with your brother. And your brother doesn't like seeing me around you."

"He's controlling you now?" Daniel's eyes flashed with anger. "Dictating who you can and can't talk to?"

"It's not like that."

"Then what's it like?" Daniel's fists clenched tighter, his knuckles white. "He even broke up our study group! Did you know that? He called Professor Montgomery and had you moved to another group."

I hadn't known that, actually. The sudden change in my class schedule had been explained as a "balancing of sections," but Alexander's involvement made more sense. I couldn't decide whether to be annoyed at his interference or touched by his possessiveness.

"Daniel, I need to go."

"I can drive you," he offered quickly. "My car's right over there."

"No," I said firmly, taking another step back. His scent was growing more unstable by the second—waves of frustration and something darker rolling off him. "I'm taking the bus."

I could see a muscle twitching in his jaw as he struggled to control his emotions. My wolf was on high alert now, sensing the dangerous undercurrent beneath his seemingly casual offer.

"You used to trust me," Daniel said, his voice dropping to a near-whisper. "Before him. Before all of this."

"That was different," I replied, fighting to keep my voice steady. "We were different people then."

"Were we?" His eyes searched mine, desperation leaking into his scent. "Or did he just change everything for you? Make you forget who you really are? Who you belong with?"

The possessiveness in his tone made my skin crawl. My wolf growled deep inside me, bristling at his presumption. This wasn't just jealousy—this was something more primal, more dangerous.

Without waiting for his response, I turned and walked away, forcing myself not to look back despite feeling his eyes burning into me. Only when I reached the bus stop did I allow myself to breathe normally again.

My phone buzzed in my pocket. Pulling it out, I saw three missed calls from Alexander. My heart skipped as I quickly called him back.

"Amelia." His voice through the phone was deep and calm, sending a shiver down my spine.

"Hey," I replied, unable to keep the smile from my voice. "Sorry I missed your calls. I was finishing up with Isabelle and Wesley."

"How were your exams?"

The simple question—so normal, so thoughtful—made something warm unfurl in my chest. This was the Alexander few people got to see: the one who remembered the details of my day, who cared about the ordinary moments.

"I think I aced it," I said, leaning against the bus shelter.

"You're smarter than you give yourself credit for," he said, and I could hear the slight smile in his voice.

"Are you being nice to me, Alexander Westbrook?" I teased. "Do you miss me, Mate?"

The word slipped out playfully, but the silence that followed made me freeze. Had I overstepped? We hadn't really discussed what to call each other since that night at Azure Lake.

"Yes," he finally answered, his voice lower, more intimate. "I do."

Two simple words, yet they sent my heart racing.

"Come to my house," he said—not a question but a command.

My breath caught. "Now?"

"Now."