Chapter 21

I smiled at his words, secretly relishing the fact that he was hurt while defending me. Despite this, I pretended to be concerned for him. But deep down, why was I truly worried?

"Let's see how far you'll go to keep me safe, Alpha," I mused to myself.

"Let's head back to the castle," he suggested.

"Alright then," I agreed.

Upon our return to Wound Woods, he sought treatment in the doctor's room for his bleeding back. The wound was significant, yet it was only the beginning of the retribution he deserved for the wrongs he had committed against my family. My plans were unfolding accordingly, all in the pursuit of justice for my parents. This marked the start of his suffering for choosing to protect me, the woman who would ultimately drive him to madness. I was determined to manipulate him into submission, using his infatuation with me to my advantage. Deceiving him would be a simple task.

"Are you alright?" I checked on him.

"Yes, I'm fine. Don't worry about me," he replied with a grin.

"Just stay away next time so you don't get hurt," I advised gently.

"No, I will always protect you, Amelia," he insisted.

I gently expressed, "I don't want to witness you in that state."

"It's best for you to remain in the castle for now. You can explore the entire Woundwoods safely. I won't be able to be with you all the time, so please stay here," he pleaded calmly.

"I can't agree to that. I enjoy wandering in the forest," I stated seriously.

"Even if it's risky? Even after coming close to death a few times?" he asked with emphasis.

"If you try to confine me here and instruct the guards to keep me inside, I will never consider you as my mate," I warned him.

"Amelia!" I turned swiftly and left the room.

It was becoming challenging to understand his intentions because my plan was to give him a hard time and make him obey me like a slave. However, I paused when he unexpectedly spoke, leaving me surprised by his words.

I turned around confidently and faced him. With a smirk, I assured him that I am capable of protecting myself. Whether or not he chooses to protect me is entirely up to him. I purposely made him feel submissive to me.

I am aware that he will go to great lengths to win my affection and have me accept him as a mate. However, I am determined to toy with him until I witness his suffering and pain.

Later that night, I pondered over the vampire man's words to me before Alpha Damien interrupted. I contemplated his proposition. Did he suspect my betrayal of the Alpha?

A knock on my door startled me. Alpha Damien stood before me, and we locked eyes. He apologized for his earlier outburst.

"I apologize for my earlier tone. I hope you understand, Amelia," he expressed.

"I understand, but I hope you realize that I refuse to be controlled by anyone, even you, Alpha," I responded firmly.

He acknowledged my stance and emphasized his respect for me. He offered to accompany me whenever I desired, explaining that his protective nature stemmed from a desire to avoid a typical mate relationship.

I smiled at his words and agreed. It was effortless for me to soften the heart of a demon like him in the blink of an eye. He believed he could win me over with his kindness, unaware that I saw through his facade.

"He will wait in vain until his demise. Slowly but surely, mother, father. I will avenge your deaths," my thoughts whispered.

"Hey! How are you? Are we alright now?" he inquired.

"Uhmm, yes," I replied.

He smiled at my response and invited me to have dinner.

I agreed to join him and we walked down the hallway towards the dining room. He helped me to sit before taking his seat next to me. The table was filled with various dishes and bottles of blood, which we wolves needed. I had already come to terms with the fact that I was one of them ever since I made the decision to enter their world.

Everyone was enjoying themselves, but our attention was drawn to one woman - Dylan's wife, Romania. She had become a widow at a young age, losing her mate on the same night they were together.

I immediately approached her out of sympathy as a fellow woman. She was crying, so I hugged her tightly.

I bid farewell to the Alpha so that we could leave first and have a conversation. I invited Romania to the Tower to get some fresh air and calm down.

"Come with me so you can feel better," I said softly.

"Alright, thank you," she replied, still in tears. As we arrived at the tower, I could hear her taking deep breaths. She continued sobbing, and I gently stroked her back, reassuring her that everything would be alright.

"Just cry until you feel better," I calmly advised her.

"I know the pain you're going through because I've experienced the loss of a loved one too. It's so agonizing that you just want to sleep and never wake up," I added.

"It's so painful, Amelia. It's so painful because Dylan and I had so many plans. I wanted to start a family with him. But why did the Goddess take him away from me so suddenly? Why?!" she asked, crying.

I couldn't provide an immediate answer because I didn't have one myself. I didn't know why my parents were taken away from me too soon.

The only thing I knew was that there was one person responsible for all of it - the merciless Alpha. Fate is truly unfair, especially to me.

"We can't control everything, Romania. All we can do is accept reality. There are moments when time truly tests us, so you must always stay strong," I advised her.

"Why does everything have to happen? Why Dylan?"