Chapter 24

"Wait, wait for me!" I called out to him.

"Alpha!" he shouted.

He halted his steps and turned towards me. He took a deep breath and stared at me intently.

"I don't know what else to do to make you listen to me. I've told you multiple times, but you never listen!" he shouted.

"What do you want from me, Amelia?! Why are you doing all of this?" he asked with emphasis.

"I hope you'll just leave me alone if you're going to keep talking so much!" I firmly replied.

"That's it! You're always like this. You twist everything I say into something negative!" he said angrily.

"Let's make things clear. Why are you acting as if my life belongs to you? Remember, I am not your possession, and I am not your responsibility either!" I asserted strongly.

He claimed, "You are my responsibility because you are my mate."

"Do I really have to accept that?" I sarcastically questioned.

"Just a reminder, I rejected you as my mate," I added.

He sighed at my words and walked away. I didn't follow him. Despite feeling guilty, my anger towards him remained. I refused to submit and beg.

That's not who I am. I slammed my room's door, clutching my chest in pain and guilt.

Days passed without speaking to Alpha Damien. He was busy with wolf training and castle management. While walking with Alice, she inquired about my silence towards Alpha.

"We argued last week," I explained.

"Why the sudden change? I thought you two were getting along," she asked.

"I don't want to be controlled. Just because he's an Alpha doesn't mean I have to obey him.

I want to do what I want," I replied.

Impressed by my defiance, Alice marveled, "You're brave, Amelia. No one else would dare defy Alpha."

"I'm not afraid of him. I won't bow down to him just to get his attention," I asserted.

"But he still holds power over the castle. We're all under his rule," she pointed out.

I let out a sigh in response to her words and swiftly changed the subject, as I had no desire to discuss it any further. Right now, my focus was on finding a way to capture his attention. I mustered up a smile, hoping it would have the desired effect. Let's see how much he can handle our current situation.

The idea of approaching Troy, a gamma werewolf, crossed my mind. He was tall and white, but lacked a masculine presence. When he looked at me, I returned the smile, attempting to draw him in. "Hi!" I greeted cheerfully.

"H...Hi!" he stammered in response. I noticed his restlessness as he glanced around.

Leaning closer to him, I remarked, "I just realized how handsome you are up close," accompanied by a smile.

"H...Have you spoken to the Alpha?" he asked, stumbling over his words.

Curious, I inquired, "Why do you ask?"

"Because I noticed you weren't paying attention the other day," he replied.

With a smile, I asked, "Wait, why are you so tense?" "I just don't want him to have a negative opinion of us. I know how angry Alpha can get," he responded seriously.

"Yeah, because he's a demon!" my mind chimed in.

Asserting myself, I firmly replied, "Don't worry, I have no ulterior motives. I simply want to be friends with you.

And let me remind you, he has no right to be angry because I don't belong to him."

"Well, as long as I stay out of trouble. I have a great deal of respect for Alpha Damien. I also hope that you two can work things out," he said with a smile.

Irritated by his words, I rolled my eyes. However, both of us were taken aback when we heard the serious voice of Alpha Damien behind me...

He spoke my name softly, "Amelia."

I gathered my courage and swallowed before meeting his gaze. Uncertain of his feelings towards me, we locked eyes for a moment before he spoke with a serious tone.

"Can we talk?" he asked earnestly.

I stumbled over my words, "S-sure, why not."

I noticed the intensity in his eyes when he glanced at Troy, and a smile tugged at the corners of my lips. It was clear that he was jealous. He extended his hand, but I hesitated to accept it. I knew I had embarrassed him in front of Troy, and I heard him sigh.

"So, what's this conversation going to be about?" I asked sarcastically.

"Amelia, I know you dislike me, but we need to resolve this. I don't want things to end like this," he responded calmly.

"Who's the one angry here? Isn't it you?" I asked firmly.

"Amelia, please calm down. I just wanted to have a meaningful conversation with you," he replied gently.

"I've had enough meaningful conversations with you, Alpha. It's better if we just forget about it because what's done is done," I said seriously.

"I'm truly sorry if I hurt you with my words. I just want you to know that I'm still waiting for you to accept me as your mate," he replied sincerely.

"I thought you were going to give up on me," I asked, a smile forming on my face.

"I told you I'll wait for you no matter what," he answered seriously.

His words sent a thrill through me, but I pushed it aside and ignored it. What mattered to me was that he pursued me, not the other way around.

"Amelia, I want to make things right between us," he said, a smile gracing his lips as he held my hand.

We were both taken aback when we heard the thunderous growl of wolves outside the castle. Without hesitation, we dashed out of the castle and witnessed vampires attacking the wolf guards. Alpha Damien, growing up before my eyes, fearlessly charged towards the vampires to defend the castle. The vampires' fury was evident, but they were no match for Alpha's superior strength.

"Are you alright?" he asked me with concern.

"Yes, Alpha, I'm fine," I replied.

One vampire confronted us emotionally and plunged a dagger into Alpha Damien. The vampire's words clearly caught him off guard, fueling his anger. I could sense the pain that the vampire was experiencing in that moment.

"You're just like Conrad!" the vampire hissed.

"Don't you dare compare me to him!" he retorted angrily.