《The Mate He Hates》


 A strange man in the woods

    Amanda¡¯s POV


    ¡°I¡¯m tired. Is the river still far from here?¡± Elisa grumbled wearily and rested against a tree. She looked exhausted, as if she had journeyed a thousand miles.


    ¡°The river is just behind that mountain.¡± I pointed to a mountain a few steps away from us.


    She grumbled andzily moved away from the tree. ¡°I told you toe alone. Why must I join you?¡± She murmured, and I scoffed, rolling my eyes at her.


    We continued our journey while Elisa trailed behind, but I couldn¡¯t leave her, so I had to walk as slowly as she did. We were almost at the river when our feet halted for what we saw. Standing before the river was a young man who should be in his Early twenties. His back was turned against us, but what we noticed was the knife in his hand. Before we couldprehend what was happening, he stabbed himself right in the chest, and we gasped.


    He made a low sound of pain and fell to the floor while blood gushed out of his stabbed chest. ¡°Let¡¯s leave this ce.¡± Elisa held my hand as she tried to pull me away, but I refused to move, my eyes fixed on the young man who was slowly dying.


    ¡°We need to help him, Elisa.¡± I pleaded with my step-sister, and she frowned. ¡°Are you insane? Do you even know what you are saying?¡± She snapped at me, and I gulped. ¡°What if he is dangerous?


    As you can see, he was the one who tried to kill himself. Let¡¯s go.¡± She snapped at me, but her words were brushed aside as I pulled away from her grip and ran towards the young man.


    When I reached where he was lying, I knelt on the floor and saw his eyes were slightly closed, and his breath was seizing. ¡°Are you okay?¡± I asked in panic, and as if he heard my voice, he slowly opened his eyes and held my gaze. Goodness, he has the most amazing green eyes I have ever seen on anyone.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± I asked with concern, confused about what to do.


    He didn¡¯t respond to me; instead, he just closed his eyes, as if he were waiting for death to take him. ¡°No, no, please open your eyes.¡± I pleaded as fear gripped my entire being. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Elisa yelled from where she stood, but I ignored her and tore my dress. I took the pieces of my dress and ced them on the bleeding surface, but it was useless.


    Restlessly, I got up and looked around the wood. I remembered how Granny had told me about a particr type of leaf in the woods that helped sustain an injured person. ording to her, if the leaves are squeezed, and the substance from it is applied to the surface of a bleeding wound, the bleeding would stop and sustain the person until medical help is given.


    I remembered the leaves because Granny had shown me, and I had stored a picture of them in my head. Quickly, I began searching around for it, and luckily, as the goddess would have it, I found it just a few steps away from us. I hurriedly plucked it and ran back to the injured stranger.


    I rubbed the leaves with both my palms, took off the pieces of my clothes from his wound, and then applied the liquid substance to the wound. ¡°Ahhh¡­¡± the injured stranger grunted in pain while I gulped and kept pouring more of the substance into the wound. With expectation, I watched the bleeding wound, waiting for it to stop bleeding, but it didn¡¯t. Instead, more blood was gushing out of it.


    ¡°What should I do?¡± I murmured in panic as the fear of him dying gripped me. I didn¡¯t know who this stranger was, but somehow, I felt an ufortable feeling in my chest. My eyes were bing teary, and I wanted to cry.


    ¡°Leave. Don¡¯t help me.¡± He spoke weakly, with his eyes still closed, causing my heart to pound. ¡°No, I will help you. I won¡¯t let you die! Do you hear me? You won¡¯t die; I won¡¯t let you die.¡± I made those promises to him and hurriedly got up.


    I ran to where Elisa stood. ¡°Please stay here; I will be back. I have to go call someone¡­¡± I didn¡¯t allow Elisa to speak before I sped up and began running.


    I ran as fast as my legs could carry. As I ran, tears fell on my cheeks, and my whole body shook with fear. Despite not knowing him, I was just so scared of losing him. I ran out of the woods and went to the first home I saw.


    I knocked on the door, and the door opened, revealing Sir Timothy, the pack¡¯s famous carpenter. ¡°Hello¡­ Amanda¡­¡±


    ¡°Someone needs your help; he is injured in the woods. Please help.¡± I pleaded in fear, and he raised a brow at me. ¡°Someone is wounded in the woods?¡± He asked to be sure he heard me right.


    ¡°Yes¡­ we met him at the woods injured¡­¡± I lied. I didn¡¯t want to tell him that the young man tried taking his life. ¡°Please help!¡± I pleaded, with tears falling freely on my cheeks.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Sir Timothy closed his door.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± I led the way as I began running back to the woods, and Sir Timothy understood and followed suit.


    We ran back into the woods, but getting to the riverbanks, I realized we hadpanies. Three well-built men were with Elisa. One carried the injured young man on his shoulders, and the others talked to Elisa.


    ¡°What is your name?¡± One of the men asked, and Elisa swallowed in fear.


    ¡°We have to help her.¡± I tried going to meet up with Elisa, but Sir Timothy held me back. ¡°These men are warriors from the Snow Moon pack. Stay here.¡± He whispered.


    ¡°I won¡¯t harm you; just tell me your name.¡± The man asked Elisa in a calm and cozy voice.


    ¡°Elisa, my name is Elisa.¡± Elisa trembled with fear.


    ¡°Elisa, thank you for saving our young master. The leaves you used had stopped his bleeding.¡± He said, and my heart leaped with joy. ¡°You will be greatly rewarded.¡± He smiled at Elisa, and they all turned to leave.


    The moment they left, Sir Timothy let go of me, and I ran to Elisa. ¡°Are you okay? Who are those men?¡± I asked with concern.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know; they just came out from that side of the woods and immediately called the stranger ¡°young master,¡± Elisa exined, and I frowned and looked in the direction they had taken.


    ¡°Are we sure they are good people? What if they are lying and want him dead?¡± I muttered with concern, wishing I could do something.


    ¡°Why do you care? You almost put my life in danger.¡± She snapped at me and began walking away, while I didn¡¯t move an inch as I stared at the stain of his blood on the ground, and then I saw the pieces of my dress. I picked them up and stared at them.


    ¡°Amanda, let¡¯s leave,¡± Sir Timothy called out to me. ¡°Now!¡± He demanded, forcing me to move my feet. We walked out of the woods while Elisa keptining about my decision to help the stranger to sir Timothy. She continuedining until we exited the woods, bid goodbye to Sir Timothy, and began our journey back home.


    ¡°I will tell my mother about this,¡± Elisa threatened me with those words, but I didn¡¯t care. My mind was still on the injured stranger; I wondered if he was okay and if those men would help treat him or call for a healer.


    Soon, we arrived home and met my stepmother, Elisa¡¯s mother, in the sitting room knitting. When she noticed us walking in, she lifted her eyes from the knitted dress and looked up at us.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Where are you girlsing from?¡± She asked, and Elisa approached her. ¡°The woods, Mommy, and guess what happened?¡±


    Aunt Ana frowned and looked at me. ¡°I believe it was your idea to go to the woods, right?¡± She asked in anger, approaching me. Before I couldprehend what was happening, a hot pnded on my cheek.


    ¡°How many times have I told you not to take my daughter to the woods? She is fourteen, and so are you. What will you do if a rogue shows up? How can you two defend yourselves when you don¡¯t have your wolf yet?¡± She yelled at me, and another pnded on my face, forcing me to fall on my butts as tears fell from my cheeks.


    ¡°Mother, that wasn¡¯t all. She even tried saving a stranger who tried killing himself,¡± Elisa announced while I swallowed in pain.


    ¡°What!¡± Aunt Ana eximed in shock. ¡°Yes, Mother, see her dress; it¡¯s torn. She damaged her dress.¡±


    Aunt Ana red at me with gritted teeth. ¡°You,¡± she sucked in a deep breath to hold down her anger. ¡°You are grounded, Amanda. You are never to leave the house until I say so.¡±

 Taking my place

    Amanda¡¯s POV


    I have been grounded for the past two weeks; neither did I go to school nor leave home. My stepmother has imprinted so many lies about me on my father¡¯s mind, and he didn¡¯t bother to ask me or hear from me, but rather, he agreed with my stepmother¡¯s decision to keep me grounded.


    Sighing frustratedly, I sat on my bed, and my thoughts drifted to the stranger I had saved in the woods. It¡¯s been two weeks, and never a day has passed without me thinking about him. It goes as far as seeing him in my dreams. I have countless dreams of him, and when I wake up, I begin wondering why I think of him so much.


    Never a day goes by without me worrying about him. I was worried if he was okay, worried if he was being taken care of, and sometimes concerned if he had tried to attempt another suicide. I was so confused at how I agonized over a stranger who didn¡¯t even know I existed.


    Feeling thirsty, I left my room and went to the living room to get a water bottle from the fridge. On my way to the kitchen, a knocknded on the door, and I shifted my attention to it.


    ¡°Amanda, get the door,¡± Aunt Ana, my stepmother, shouted from the kitchen.


    Feeling reluctant, I went for the door, held the doorknob, and pulled it open. My breath seized in my chest at what stood before me.


    Standing before me was him! The young man I saved in the woods, the one who had upied my mind and thoughts for the past two weeks, the one I couldn¡¯t stop thinking and worrying about.


    Our gazes met, and I swallowed hard. He stood tall, dressed in a simple wear of ck jeans and a ck T-shirt. His ck hair was gelled backward, while his green eyes were captivating.


    ¡°Is she the one?¡± He asked, despite being a young man; his voice carried authority.


    ¡°No, my lord,¡± the man beside him responded, and I immediately recognized him. I recognized him as one of the men who took him that day in the woods.


    ¡°Are you sure we are in the right ce?¡± The green-eyed man asked, his piercing gaze not leaving mine.


    ¡°How long does it take you to answer the door?¡± I heard Aunt Ana¡¯s voice behind me. ¡°Who is there?¡± She said as she pushed me aside and stood before the visitor.


    I noticed my stepmother was silent for a moment, and immediately she bowed. ¡°It¡¯s an honor to have you, Alpha Edward, in my home.¡± Her words confused me, and I had to look at the young man, whose nk expression hadn¡¯t left his face.


    He looked at me one more time and then looked away.


    ¡°A young damsel saved me two weeks ago, and I was told she lives here. She goes by the name Elisa.¡± He spoke, and my eyes widened. That was me, not Elisa.


    ¡°Wow, Elisa is my daughter; pleasee in.¡± Aunt Ana stepped aside for them to walk in.


    The young man was the first to step in, followed by two men I recognized.


    Aunt Ana led them to the sitting room and offered them seats, which they took.


    Confused, I stood there and watched them.


    ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there; get refreshments for our guest,¡± Aunt Ana ordered, but the young man shook his head. ¡°That will not be needed; I need to see your daughter. Where is she?¡± The young man asked.


    ¡°She is in her room¡­¡±


    Aunt Ana turned to me, ¡°Go call Elisa.¡± She instructed, while I just remained numb, not attempting to make a move. I didn¡¯t see the need to call Elisa when I was the one who saved him, and Aunt Ana was fully aware of that.


    ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there; go call your sister,¡± Aunt Ana urged. I frowned and looked at Aunt Ana, who red back at me.


    ¡°You want to exhibit your stubborn character to the guests; bravo.¡± Aunt Ana sneered at me before looking away.


    ¡°Elisa darling, pleasee downstairs,¡± Aunt Ana called out to Elisa.


    Moving my gaze back to the young man, our gaze met, but he just looked away. There was something different about him. Back in the woods, he seemed like an innocent, broken young man, but right now, he seemed like an entirely different person.


    ¡°Yes, Mother,¡± Elisa responded while descending the stairs, and immediately, the young man got up and began making his way toward Elisa.


    I could see the stunned look on Elisa¡¯s face; I believe she must have recognized him.


    ¡°You are Elisa.¡± He asked, and Elisa nodded.


    The young man turned to his men. ¡°Is she the one?¡± he asked, and the two nodded. ¡°Yes, Alpha, she is the one who saved you.¡±


    My eyes widened, and I looked at Aunt Ana, who gave me a threatening look and ced a finger on her lips, signaling me to keep quiet.


    ¡°Do you remember me?¡± His voice sounded tender.


    ¡°Yes, you were the man in the woods,¡± Elisa responded shyly.


    ¡°You saved me,¡± the young man said to Elisa, and I thought Elisa would decline and say it was me, but surprisingly, she didn¡¯t; instead, she smiled and nodded.


    ¡°No,¡± I whispered in disbelief.


    ¡°I am Alpha Edward Parker,¡± he introduced himself.


    ¡°I¡¯m Elisa.¡± Elisa bowed with respect.


    Stunned and confused, I looked at Aunt Ana, who gave me a threatening look, and I gulped.


    ¡°Let¡¯s have a seat,¡± he led Elisa to sit beside him while I stood there like an outcast. In fact, I became invisible. My heart clenched, and I wished to speak; I wanted to scream that I was the one who saved him. It was me and not Elisa, but somehow, I realized my mouth was sealed.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I am here to make a proposal,¡± Alpha Edward spoke, which got my attention.


    ¡°I am just twenty-one and was made the alpha after the death of my father¡­¡± he announced, and Mother nodded. She seemed so excited.


    ¡°I will be leaving for China for my training, which might take four to five years, so I won¡¯t be around¡­¡± he paused and looked at Elisa, who smiled shyly at him.


    He looked at Elisa briefly and then at me, but he quickly looked away and then back to Aunt Ana.


    ¡°I want to swear my betrothal to your daughter, Elisa. I wish to get married to her and make her my Luna when I¡¯m done with my training,¡± he announced, and Mother jumped up on her feet with excitement.


    ¡°Really?¡± Mother asked, not able to control her excitement.


    ¡°I am not a man of many words; I have thought of this beforeing here. If not for the help of Elisa, then I wouldn¡¯t be alive, and besides, my seer had told me that the youngdy who saved me is destined to be my second chance mate in the future,¡± he revealed, and my eyes widened.


    I wanted to open my mouth to say something, but fear and panic couldn¡¯t let me. I just remained numb where I stood.


    He turned to Elisa, who was smiling widely. ¡°Do you agree to wait for me?¡± he asked. Without thinking, Elisa nodded, saying, ¡°Yes, I will wait for you,¡± with a shy smile, looking away.


    The air in the room was charged with excitement, but my heart sank as I realized the depth of the misunderstanding. Everything in me waspelling me to speak, to say the truth, but I just couldn¡¯t; I was so scared.


    ¡°Go check what I was cooking,¡± Aunt Ana ordered, and I gulped. ¡°Now!¡± shemanded, and my feet moved. Slowly and with heavy steps, I made my way to the kitchen. When I reached the kitchen door, I turned and looked at them, but none of them were looking my way. Edward was ncing at Elisa while Mother was smiling at them. He looked at Elisa with so much love and admiration in his eyes; it felt like Elisa was the most precious thing on earth to him.


    Tears gathered in my eyes, and I quickly walked into the kitchen, letting the tears fall on my cheek. I couldn¡¯t tell why I was crying or why my heart was aching so badly. It felt like my world was crumbling right before me. More tears fell freely on my cheek, and I didn¡¯t bother to wipe them away.


    I continued crying until I heard the sound of a car, and I had to peep through the window and realize they were leaving.


    My breath seized in my chest, and I ran out of the kitchen to the living room. I needed to speak to him; I had to tell him the truth. Reaching the living room, I met Aunt Ana, who red at me. ¡°We have to talk,¡± she demanded.


    I positioned myself in front of Aunt, meeting her stern gaze. ¡°Henceforth, Elisa is the one who saved Alpha Edward¡¯s life. You¡¯re never to disclose the truth to anyone. Understand?¡± she insisted, her threat lingering in the air as confusion and shock gripped me.


    ¡°But, Aunt, why¡­¡±


    ¡°Silence!¡± She interrupted sharply, and I nervously swallowed. ¡°If you breathe a word to anyone, I won¡¯t only kill you, but your father will cease paying your mother¡¯s hospital bills. And you know what that means.¡± She threatened.

 Mate

    Amanda¡¯s POV


    Four yearster¡­


    I woke up feeling ecstatic and happy. Today was my birthday, and I would be turning eighteen. I was super excited because not only would I be an adult, but I would also get my wolf and eventually find my mate.


    It¡¯s shocking that Elisa and I were born on the same day but by different mothers. My mother was my father¡¯s first wife, but she wasn¡¯t his mate. Two months after getting married to my mother, he met Elisa¡¯s mother, and she turned out to be his mate. That was how father ended up with two wives. ording to my mother, she and Aunt Ana, my stepmother, took in the same day, and as fate would have it, they gave birth on the same day. However, I was four hours older than Elisa.


    While growing up, I saw how much my father loved Aunt Ana and Elisa. Mother and I were just his spare family, and we were okay with it until she fell so sick and was forced to stay with her sister. I wanted to go with my mother, but my father kicked against it and forced me to stay here, where I basically lived like a ve.


    Releasing a heavy sigh, I climbed down from my bed, said my prayers, and went straight to the shower. After bathing, I dressed up in one of my best dresses, packed my hair into a bun, and left my room for Elisa¡¯s room. I wanted to wish her a happy birthday.


    Reaching her room, I knocked on the door, and she asked me in. When I walked in, I found her on a phone call, so I took a seat and decided to wait for her.


    ¡°When should I be expecting you?¡± Elisa asked the person on the other end of the phone. The person responded, and I saw her blush. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to see you, Alpha Edward. I can¡¯t wait to be in your arms.¡± She said and turned to look at me with a victorious smirk on her face.


    Realizing she was talking to Alpha Edward, my heart clenched, and I swallowed in pain. For the past four years, I have struggled with this torture. Elisa never ceased to call him or answer his calls in my presence. She always used any opportunity to rub my pain in my face. For the past four years, I have lived in total misery. I watched her do video calls with him, and he would send dozens of expensive gifts and jewels to her, and Elisa made sure to unt them in my face. I thought that maybe, as the years went by, I would forget about him, or perhaps I just had a childish crush on him, and with time, it would go away, but I was wrong. Every day, I go through his social media ounts. Although he posts a few pictures of himself, I find myself gawking over them.


    ¡°I love you more.¡± Elisa giggled before ending the call. With a victorious smirk ying on her face, she looked my way. It was obvious she was enjoying what she was doing.


    ¡°And how may I help you?¡± She asked, sounding not pleased to see me.


    I sighed and walked forward to her. ¡°Happy eighteenth birthday,¡± I said, and she scoffed before rolling her eyes. ¡°Stop with all this pretense.¡± She got out of bed and stood before me. ¡°Edward is back in the country, and he will be present at our shifting ceremony, or should I say my shifting ceremony¡­¡± She moved closer to me and ced both hands on her waist. ¡°I don¡¯t want you an inch close to him. If you do or even try telling him the truth about that, then be sure I will use Mother¡¯s ck magic on you, and you know what that means¡­¡± She threatened, and I gulped. Aunt Ana, my stepmother, was a witch. Members of the pack saw her as a good witch, but they never knew she was a wolf in sheep¡¯s clothing. When I was little, I thought my mother¡¯s sickness was natural, but as I grew up, I came to realize that my mother¡¯s illness wasn¡¯t natural. Aunt Ana was responsible for it, but I had no proof.


    ¡°I believe we are clear. Now, excuse me, I have to prepare for my shifting ceremony.¡± She pointed at the door, signaling for me to go out.


    I had a lot of things to say to her, but I decided to hold back my words and walked out of her room. Leaving her room, I took the stairs to the living room, and then I went to the backyard where the ceremony would be held. Father had hired a few people who would help decorate the backyard for the shifting ceremony.


    Feeling delighted, I moved my eyes around at the decoration, but my eyes fell on a write-up, and I frowned. Only Elisa¡¯s name was written, and mine was nowhere.


    Confused and curious, I went over to the man decorating the write-ups. ¡°Good morning.¡± I greeted him, and he turned my way. ¡°Good morning.¡± He responded. ¡°Please, where is the other name you will decorate with?¡± I asked, and he ceased his brows. ¡°Are there two people having a shifting ceremony? Sir Linus only gave me one name, which was Elisa. He told me it was his daughter¡¯s shifting ceremony. And I think you are not the one because I have seen Elisa.¡± He responded and went back to his work.


    Tears fell on my cheek. I couldn¡¯t believe my very own father would do this to me. For goodness¡¯s sake, I¡¯m his daughter. I might not be the daughter of his mate, but I am his flesh and blood. Why would he treat me in such a manner?


    Feeling heartbroken, I left the backyard and stormed up to my room. I shut the door and slumped on my bed, burying my head into the pillow, and cried profusely. I wished I could talk to someone or my mother, but she hardly spoke. She barely can say a word; that¡¯s how serious her illness was. I wished I had friends I could pick up my phone to call, but I had no friends besides my ssmates who weren¡¯t close to me.


    In my tears, I couldn¡¯t wait to turn eighteen. Firstly, I would leave this house and be with my mother. This time, father won¡¯t be able to stop me. I just wanted to leave the house and the memories I had here.


    My thoughts went to Alpha Edward. I thought of how my life would have turned out if he recognized me as the one who helped him. Perhaps I wouldn¡¯t be in my bed wallowing in pain. There have been rumors in the house about his return. I overheard Elisa telling Aunt Ana he was returning to ask for her hand in marriage. The thought of that broke my heart, but I put it aside. I couldn¡¯t question destiny and what it has in store for me.


    After hours of wallowing in pain on my pillow, I left the bed and went over to the sink. I washed my face and brushed my hair before staring at my reflection in the mirror. Today was my birthday, one of the most important days of my life, and I won¡¯t let the happenings in my life weigh me down.


    ¡°You will be fine,¡± I encouraged myself with those words and left the bathroom. I went to my dresser, picked up a lipstick, and just as I was about to apply it, the door of my room flung wide open, and Elisa walked in, gorgeously dressed.


    Our eyes met, and she red at me. ¡°Father had asked me to tell you not to attend the ceremony,¡± she announced, and my brow ceased. ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°You heard me right, Amanda. Father said you should stay in your room until he calls for you,¡± she repeated, her eyes challenging me. ¡°This is ridiculous! Why would father say that? What did I do?¡± I asked amidst tears.


    ¡°I won¡¯t obey father this time. I won¡¯t¡­¡± I was sharply cut off by a great howl in my head. ¡°Mate!¡± A voice echoed in my mind, enveloping my entire being in an unfamiliar sensation.


    I stared at Elisa, who looked back at me. ¡°Mate is here!¡± The voice spoke again, and this time, I realized it was my wolf.


    ¡°Why are you trembling? Is this an act?¡± Elisa asked, and I shook my head at her. ¡°My¡­mate¡­ is here¡­ my wolf just announced it,¡± I spoke with a trembling voice, and just then, a fascinating intoxicating smell hit my nose.


    ¡°Your mate is here?¡± Elisa sounded confused, but I didn¡¯t respond. Instead, I sniffed the air and realized the scent wasing from the window. ¡°The window¡­¡± I said and hurriedly went towards it. With a pounding heart, I looked down and was dumbfounded to see Alpha Edwarding out of a car.


    ¡°Mate!¡± My wolf howled loudly, announcing that it was him-Alpha Edward was my mate. ¡°Alpha¡­ Edward is my mate,¡± I screamed at the top of my voice, and just when I was about to turn around and run out of the room to go meet up with him, a solid metallic object hit my head, sending me to the floor unconscious.     I woke up to a terrific pounding in my head, grunting with difort. I opened my eyes, and it took three to four seconds to remember who I was and where I was. I groaned as I sat up, and then I looked around and realized I was in my room, but it was dark. I looked outside the window and realized it was night already. Confused, I stood up from the floor, and my memories returned.


    I recalled how my wolf announced my mate to me, and I realized it was Alpha Edward. But then, I was hit on the head, but by whom? ¡°Elisa.¡± She was the one with me. My head was buzzing with a tremendous headache, and when I touched it, I realized I was bleeding, but I wasn¡¯t bothered by it. Instead, I ran out of my room to meet with Alpha Edward. I have to tell him that we are mates.


    Reaching the stairs, I heard voices, and one of the voices was Aunt Ana. She was talking so excitedly with Elisa. When I got to the living room, I met my father, Elisa, and Aunt Ana, but there was no Alpha Edward, not even the scent of him.


    ¡°Where is Alpha Edward? Where is he?¡± I asked no one in particr as I searched around the living room. ¡°He has left. Is there any problem?¡± Father was the one who responded.


    ¡°He can¡¯t leave. I have to tell him we are mates,¡± I stuttered, and Elisaughed loudly. ¡°Mates?¡± She chuckled and walked over to me.


    ¡°And who told you he is your mate?¡±


    ¡°My wolf¡­ my wolf told me.¡±


    ¡°What wolf?¡± She mocked, and I raised a brow at her. ¡°I have gotten my wolf; she told me¡­¡± Elisa chuckled loudly and shook her head.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you try speaking to that wolf again?¡± She mocked, and I stared at her, confused. I couldn¡¯t understand what she was saying. ¡°Speak to it,¡± she urged.


    Perplexed, I took a deep breath. ¡°Hi,¡± I called out to my wolf but got no response. ¡°Hello!¡± Still no response; it was as if my wolf never existed.


    With panting breath, I looked at Elisa, who smirked. ¡°Sorry, sis, but I don¡¯t think you have a wolf, and for Alpha Edward¡­¡± She paused and tilted her left neck to me, revealing a fresh mark on the crook of her left neck. ¡°I now have his mark, and we are getting married,¡± she announced, and my eyes widened.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

 Pool of her blood

    Amanda¡¯s POV


    ¡°You are never going to tell anyone the truth,¡± Aunt Ana warned, but I shook my head stubbornly. ¡°No, Aunt, I won¡¯t keep quiet. I was the one who helped Alpha Edward, and I am also his mate. My wolf confirmed it to me,¡± I said amidst tears, and she chuckled.


    ¡°What wolf? If you two were mates, why did Alpha Edward not recognize you? Why did he recognize Elisa instead?¡± She asked, and I swallowed painfully. Everything that was happening seemed like a dream I couldn¡¯t exin.


    ¡°Now listen carefully, and listen well. You are never going to tell anyone that it was you who saved Alpha Edward, and neither will you mention being his mate. If you do, I won¡¯t hesitate to kill you and your mother. I believe you know my ck magic could do that, so don¡¯t tempt me,¡± she threatened, and a tear dropped on my cheek.


    I knew she meant every word she had said, but how could I keep quiet and watch so many things go wrong? ¡°Tomorrow, you will act like a happy sister for Elisa¡¯s wedding. If you think of doing anything stupid, be sure that you will pay for it,¡± with those words, she turned to leave my room, but I stopped her, and she looked my way.


    ¡°My wolf¡­ what about my wolf¡­¡± I asked. I was sure she knew what happened to my wolf; my wolf couldn¡¯t disappear just like that.


    A smirk appeared on the left corner of her cheek. ¡°If you behave like a good girl tomorrow, I can see what I can do.¡± She opened the door and left.


    Tears streamed down my cheek as I slumped to the floor and rested my back on the wall. I couldn¡¯t believe what was happening; I couldn¡¯t believe all this was happening to me, and I couldn¡¯t do anything about it.


    I thought of telling someone, but I was scared. People might not know, but I knew Aunt Ana was a powerful witch, and she could do what she had threatened to do. My thoughts went to my mother, and I couldn¡¯t bear the thought of her being dead, and then what about me? Aunt Ana was sure to kill me if I spoke a word.


    I was helpless, and I knew the only way was to let her have her way. I could get my wolf and move away from here and this town; I would build my life and see what destiny has installed for me. With that conclusion, I went to my bed andy on it.


    Throughout the night, I cried my eyes out until it was morning.


    I woke up the next morning, bathed, and went downstairs. Reaching the sitting room, I was shocked to see people busy with different tasks. Some were decorating the living room for the wedding; some were bringing in things that would be used in preparing meals. Everyone was so busy that I wondered if Aunt Ana had told them about the marriage long ago or if it was just yesterday.


    Moving my eyes around, I spotted Father instructing a man on what to do. Sucking a deep breath, I walked over to him, and when he saw me, he frowned. I wondered why my father would detest me this much.


    ¡°Alpha Edward and his people will be here soon, so everything has to be done quickly. Now go,¡± Father said, and the man nodded and walked away. ¡°I thought you would be in your room all day,¡± he said, and his words broke my heart, but I brushed it aside; I was already used to his hurtful words.


    ¡°Can we talk, father¡­¡± I thought of telling him the truth; maybe he could help me at least in getting back my wolf, as that was the most important thing to me.


    ¡°No, as you can see, I¡¯m busy, and you should be busy too. It¡¯s your sister¡¯s wedding; stop acting jealous and fix yourself on a task,¡± he muttered and walked away from me. Tears clouded my eyes, but I drew them back and sucked a deep breath; I have cried a lot, and now is not the right time to cry.


    I spotted Aunt Ana talking to a few women who I recognized as her friends. They all seemed busy, like time was against them. When Aunt Ana saw me, she left the women and walked over to where I stood.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I believe you remembered all I said to you,¡± she reminded me of her threat. ¡°Keep quiet, and I will help you get your wolf back. But if you do something stupid, then remember the consequences,¡± she shed a fake smile before walking out on me.


    Her threats hung in the air as I watched her walk away. A part of me wished I could scream, yell at her, and ask her to go to hell, but I was helpless. There was nothing I could do.


    Feeling unwanted and outcast, I ran to my room, got in, and shut the door. Burying my head in my pillow, I began to sob. My breathing wasborious, and it was as if I were about to die; life became frustrating to me, and all I wanted to do was just die.


    For hours, I wallowed in pain until I got tired of crying and sat back on the bed. I thought of Elisa and wondered how she could do such a thing to me; I was her sister, and it was shocking how she could make me go through such pain.


    ¡°I should go talk to her,¡± I said to myself and got out of bed. I knew talking to her would be useless, but I just wanted to give it a try. So I left my room and went to the next door, Elisa¡¯s room. Sucking a deep breath, I knocked on the door but couldn¡¯t get a response.


    ¡°Elisa¡­¡± I called out, but there was no response. ¡°Or has the wedding begun already¡­¡± I said to myself and pushed the door open to confirm that she wasn¡¯t inside the room. Stepping into the room, I realized no one was in the room, but then my eyes fell on something that seized my breath. Lying in a pool of her blood was my step-sister, Elisa.

 Accused

    Amanda¡¯s POV


    ¡°Elisa!¡± I screamed at the top of my voice and ran to her, falling to the floor as I carried her into my arms. ¡°Elisa!¡± I yelled as I shook her body, but she didn¡¯t respond to me; instead, blood was gushing out of her head. My whole body shook with fear as the thought of her being dead enveloped me, but I shook my head, not wanting to believe it. Elisa can¡¯t be dead; it can¡¯t be.


    ¡°Elisa, please wake up,¡± I pleaded with fear, but she was lifeless. Moving my gaze around, I saw a broken vase on the floor, which had the stain of Elisa¡¯s blood on it. ¡°What happened?¡± I whispered in fear, wondering who must have done this and why.


    ¡°Elisa,¡± I shook her again, but there was no response from her; she was already dead. I heard footsteps approaching, and I looked at the door in shock; it was Alpha Edward with Aunt Ana and Father.


    ¡°What is going on here?¡± Alpha Edward yelled as he rushed towards us and snatched Elisa away from me. While hot sweat formed on my forehead, I watched him check her pulse, and then his eyes widened as he looked back at me with anger filled eyes. ¡°She is dead!¡± He dered, but I shook my head. ¡°She can¡¯t be dead,¡± I responded, terrified.


    Aunt Ana shook her head in fear and checked Elisa, and suddenly, she let out a loud cry and fell to the floor. ¡°My daughter is gone!¡± She yelled at the top of her voice. With terrified eyes, I looked at Alpha Edward, who was still checking on Elisa; I could see him shaking his head with disbelief as he checked on her, and suddenly, he looked up at me, anger and pain shimmering in his eyes.


    ¡°What happened?¡± He asked.


    ¡°She killed my daughter; she has killed my daughter,¡± Aunt Ana used, and my eyes widened as I shook my head. ¡°No, I didn¡¯t; I saw her like this,¡± I defended myself, but the look on Alpha Edward¡¯s face showed he didn¡¯t believe me.


    ¡°You!¡± He grabbed me by the arms and pulled me up on my feet. Our eyes interlocked, and I could feel the intensity of his anger; his usual green eyes were now gray, and his grip on me tightened, causing my knees to quiver.


    ¡°You killed her!¡± He used me, but I shook my head. ¡°I¡­ didn¡¯t¡­¡± I tried defending myself.


    ¡°Lies, lies! I knew you were so jealous of your sister, but I never knew you would go to the extent of taking her life. You killed your sister!¡± Aunt Ana used, but I shook my head. ¡°I didn¡¯t, please believe me,¡± I pleaded while tears fell freely down my cheeks.


    I held the gaze of Alpha Edward, which was burning with anger and hate. He sneered at me and threw me to the hard floor before going to Elisa. I watched him check on her again, and this time, a tear dropped from his eyes, and he looked my way with anger and hate.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t kill her, I swear!¡± I pleaded, but no one seemed to believe me. Alpha Edward hugged the body of Elisa and I could hear soft sobsing from him. He was literally crying before us, which was something Alphas don¡¯t usually do.


    After a moment of pouring a few tears, he got up, wiped the tears off his face and stared at the body of Elisa; then he turned to Aunt Ana.


    ¡°The wedding will still take ce,¡± he announced, and my eyes widened. Was he going to get married to the dead body of Elisa?


    ¡°How?¡± Aunt Ana asked with tears.


    Suddenly, Alpha Edward turned to me and red at me. ¡°Prepare her; I will be getting married to her!¡± He announced, and my eyes widened with shock.


    ¡°What?¡± Aunt Ana asked, and he nodded his head.


    ¡°Prepare her for the marriage,¡± he uttered firmly and left the room. Everyone seemed confused, including Father, who was hugging the dead body of Elisa.


    ¡°You.¡± Aunt Ana grabbed my hair and pulled me by the hair. ¡°Bring my daughter back to me; give my daughter back to me,¡± she yelled in tears.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t kill her, please believe me,¡± I pleaded with tears.


    ¡°Lies. I was with my daughter a few moments ago, and the moment I left, you walked into her room and killed her just because you were so jealous of her; you decided to kill her,¡± Aunt Ana tightened her grip on my hair, and it felt like my hair would get uprooted.


    ¡°I will kill you; I will kill you,¡± Aunt Ana threatened as she bared out her two fangs, ready to strike me with them.


    ¡°Stop it,¡± Father stopped her.Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    ¡°What do you think you are doing?¡± He yelled at her, and my heart fluttered to know that he cared about me and wouldn¡¯t want me dead. Aunt Ana turned to him with anger and groaned. ¡°Why are you stopping me?¡± She yelled.


    ¡°Are you deaf? Didn¡¯t you hear what Alpha Edward said? He wants her to be given to him in marriage, and here you intend to kill her? What are we going to tell him?¡± Father muttered, and Mother groaned.


    ¡°So we are going to let her marry him?¡± Aunt Ana asked.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Father responded. ¡°We have no choice, but don¡¯t worry; I don¡¯t think he will let her live longer than a day,¡± Father answered, and my heart shattered. Here I was, thinking my father actually cared for me when he didn¡¯t but only wanted to hand me over to Alpha Edward, which he was sure would kill me.


    Aunt Ana red at me, and then she looked at the lifeless body of Elisa. A tear dropped on her cheek, but she wiped it off and red at me. ¡°Get ready; you are getting married to Alpha Edward, and if you dare to say a word or do anything stupid, be sure that I will kill you, and your mother will join you soon,¡± she threatened, causing my whole being to quiver with fear.¡±

 Married off

    Amanda¡¯s POV


    I was covered in a veil and was being escorted by twodies whom I had no idea who they were. As I walked down the stairs, tears fell freely on my cheek, and I didn¡¯t bother to wipe them off. Soon, I would be getting married to Alpha Edward, and heaven knows what would be my fate and why he would want to marry me.


    I knew his decision to get us married meant he had a n, and I wondered what it was and what he would do to me. Slowly, I was apanied by the women, and then we arrived at the sitting room, where I noticed a few guests were seated. The veil was transparent, allowing me to see smiles on the faces of the few guests. They hadn¡¯t gotten the news of Elisa¡¯s death, and they thought she was the one being escorted.


    The twodies led me to where Alpha Edward was seated and then helped me to the seat beside him. With panting breath, I looked his way and noticed he had a nk look on his face, which would make it hard for anyone to detect his mood. ¡°Let¡¯s begin,¡± he said to the priest, and my body shook with fear.


    The priest came forward and began performing the marriage rite. More tears fell on my cheek as I listened to the marriage rite, and then he brought rings for exchanging rings. Alpha Edward was the first to put the ring on my finger, and after that, it was my turn. With shaky hands, I put the ring on his finger, and a loud p erupted from the crowd. There were great cheers andughter, but suddenly, Alpha Edward got up and pulled the veil away, revealing my identity to everyone. Loud gasps left the lips of everyone as they all realized it was me and not my sister Elisa.


    ¡°Elisa is dead,¡± Alpha Edward announced, and everyone gasped. ¡°She killed her¡­¡± he pointed an using finger at me, and I shook my head. ¡°She killed her,¡± he used me, and I shook my head as tears fell freely on my cheeks. ¡°You!¡± He yelled and gripped both of my arms. ¡°You will pay for what you did; you will wish for death, but I, your husband, will make sure death is far from you.¡± He muttered those words as a promise while his anger-burning eyes red at me.


    ¡°Take her back to the pack,¡± he said, and two men took hold of me. ¡°No, please, No,¡± I yelled with tears, ¡°Please, I am innocent. I didn¡¯t do it.¡± I pleaded, but no one came to my aid; rather, they all looked at me with hate and disgust.


    I was being dragged by the two men out of the sitting room while everyone stood and watched. The men dragged me away and then to a car. Upon reaching the car, they opened the door and forced me in while the two men sat beside me. ¡°Please, I didn¡¯t do it,¡± I pleaded with them, but they paid deaf ears to me and asked the driver to move. The car moved, and I felt like screaming, shouting, or asking for help, but then I realized I was silent; I couldn¡¯t say a word, but rather, I just sobbed silently.


    I thought of my life and the words of Alpha Edward. His words weren¡¯t just threats, but they seemed like promises he would fulfil. I wondered what he was going to do to me; I feared that he was going to kill me or do something worse to me. Throughout the journey, I kept crying, but I would pinch myself, hoping everything was a dream and that I would wake up from it. But I was wrong; nothing was a dream, but they were all reality.


    After a few minutes drive, the car stopped in front of a big ck gate and honked at the gate. Soon, the gate opened, and the car drove in. Curious about where I was, I looked outside through the window and realized we were in a mansion. The men pulled me out of the car, and when I came out, I saw different men guiding each corner of the house.


    ¡°Move,¡± the men dragged me along with them, and I couldn¡¯t struggle, neither could I say a word. I was being dragged into the mansion, where I saw servants staring at me with confusion in their eyes, but none dared to stop the men or ask them where they were taking me. They pulled me up the stairs, and we got to a door, which they opened and took me in. Entering the room, I realized the room was empty; there was practically nothing in the room.


    ¡°You will stay here until Alpha Edwardes back,¡± one of the men said and turned to leave, while the other followed him out. I did not bother to beg or go after them; I was already exhausted, so I just fell to the cold ground and began to sob. As I sobbed, my whole body shook with pain. I was in so much pain; first, I lost my wolf, and then I was used of killing my sister, and now I¡¯m married to a mate who hates me, and heaven knows what he was going to do to me.


    I wished I had my wolf; maybe she could haveforted me and told me what to do, but unfortunately, she was no more, and I was left all alone in this.


    As more tears fell on my cheeks, I thought of Elisa and her sudden death. I wondered who would have killed her in such a brutal manner, and how did the person get into her room with no one noticing.


    I cried to God for hours until no tears were left in my eyes. I was exhausted and hadn¡¯t had anything throughout the day. Suddenly, I heard a click on the door, and then I quickly sat up. The door opened, and two men walked in. Without saying a word to me, they held my arms and pulled me up on my feet.


    ¡°Where are you taking me?¡± I asked in fear and panic, but they didn¡¯t respond; rather, they kept dragging me along. My whole body shook with fear at the thought of where they were taking me and what they would do to me. So many scary thoughts filled my head, and the thought scared me. We reached a door, and they knocked before opening the door, pulling me into the room with them and throwing me on the cold floor. My buttocks hit the hard floor, and I eximed in pain. Filled with unbearable pain, I slowly lifted my eyes, and my heart skipped when I saw Alpha Edward seated on the couch, his daggering eyes ring at me. ¡°Leave us,¡± he said to the men, and I swallowed in fear.Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.

 Two options

    Amanda¡¯s POV


    The room fell into total silence as the men left, leaving me alone with Alpha Edward. Looking into his eyes, I saw so much hate and anger directed towards me, and I couldn¡¯t bear to look anymore; instead, I averted my gaze as tears dropped onto my cheek.


    ¡°Why did you do it?¡± His voice was low, but the anger in his tone was palpable.


    With a hard gulp, I looked at him and shook my head. ¡°Answer the damn question!¡± He yelled and threw the ss of wine to the floor, making me flinch in fear.


    ¡°Why did you do it?¡± He yelled again, getting up from his seat. In the blink of an eye, he picked me up from the floor and mmed my back against the wall.


    ¡°Why? Why? Why did you kill her?¡± He continued to yell, his eyes glowing with anger. ¡°She was supposed to be my second chance mate, but you took her away. You made me lose another mate!¡± He spat with pain and anger. ¡°Why did you kill her? Why would you do that?¡± He demanded angrily, and all I could do was sob loudly. I couldn¡¯t form words; they were stuck in my throat.


    ¡°Answer me!¡± He yelled and hit the wall beside me, so close that I could feel the force.


    ¡°Goddess!¡± He yelled and moved away from me. With my eyes soaked in tears, I looked at the wall and realized his hit had caused a deep hole. My body trembled, and I nced his way to see him bleeding, but he seemed unfazed, ring at me like an animal ready to devour me. He was so different from the young man I had saved in the woods years ago.


    Swallowing my pain, I decided to speak. ¡°I¡­ didn¡¯t do it¡­¡±


    ¡°Lies! Your stepmother told me how you wanted me for yourself, and this is the extent you went to have me¡­¡± he pped his both hands. ¡°Congrattions, you now have me. We are now husband and wife. I believe you are now happy,¡± he yelled disgustingly, and I could only shake my head. My heart ached with a pain I couldn¡¯t exin.


    ¡°Damn it,¡± he grunted and closed his eyes. A tear fell on his cheek, and he didn¡¯t bother to wipe it away.


    Turning his gaze to me, our eyes met, and he red at me with so much hate. ¡°You killed her because you wanted me, right?¡± He asked, and all I could do was shake my head.


    He stepped closer, but I couldn¡¯t move away because my back was against the wall. ¡°Congrattions, now you have me. We are now married,¡± he chuckled bitterly and took onest nce at me before returning to his seat. I watched him take his seat, and then he held my gaze. ¡°Undress!¡±


    My eyes widened. ¡°You heard me clearly, dear wife, undress,¡± he demanded, and my whole being went numb. ¡°Don¡¯t make me repeat myself, strip!¡±


    I swallowed hard while my heart pounded with fear. I couldn¡¯t believe what he was asking and why he would ask that.


    ¡°You are my wife, and this is our wedding night. Don¡¯t you want us to consummate our marriage?¡± He asked, and I gulped in pain and fear. This was a disaster.


    ¡°These options are ced before you. Either you agree to perform the duties of a wife to her husband, or I¡¯ll send you to be hanged to death. The only thing keeping you alive is because you are my wife, so make your decision,¡± he urged.


    More tears fell on my cheeks. Not able to hold his gaze, I looked away and cried more. His two options were a nightmare for me.


    Firstly, I knew he would have a n. Being his wife would be a living hell; I could still remember his words of how he would inflict so much pain on me, and I feared what he would do to me.


    On second thought, I considered the second choice, hanging. I would be killed by my mate for a crime I nevermitted. I thought of epting the death penalty; at least, that would be better than living a life of hell. But then, I thought of my mother. How would she cope if she knew I was dead? It would break her heart, and she wouldn¡¯t be able to survive it.


    ¡°Don¡¯t keep me waiting,¡± his words snapped me out of my thoughts, and with teary eyes, I looked his way, and our eyes locked.


    He held so much emotion in his eyes, but the ones that stood out vividly were pain and hate. He was in pain for the death of Elisa, and I could feel his pain just by looking into his eyes. But why couldn¡¯t he feel the same for me?N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    ¡°You have ten seconds to decide, or I¡¯ll decide for you,¡± he threatened.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t do it. I swear it wasn¡¯t me. Why can¡¯t you believe me?¡± I pleaded.


    ¡°Five, four, three, two¡­¡±


    ¡°I choose to stay as your wife and perform the duties of a wife,¡± I blurted out in fear and pain.


    Silence enveloped the room as I waited for him to speak.


    ¡°Strip!¡± He demanded.


    I gulped and looked up at him with teary eyes. ¡°You heard me well, wife. Undress before your husband,¡± he urged, and a hard gulp passed down my throat.


    ¡°Don¡¯t keep me waiting!¡± He snapped, and I swallowed in pain as hot tears fell down my cheeks. I couldn¡¯t believe a day woulde when I would be this worthless before a man. I had always dreamed about my first time, fantasizing about how my mate would make love to me, telling me how much he loves and adores me. But it seems the Moon Goddess had another n for me.


    ¡°Amanda!¡± He yelled. This was the first time he called me by my name. I didn¡¯t know he knew my name.


    While tears fell freely on my cheeks, I reached for the zipper of my dress, unzipped it, and then went for the hands of my dress. With shaky hands, I pulled the dress down to my stomach, revealing my bra. While my heart ached with pain, I pulled the gown down to my feet and stepped out of it, leaving me in my underwear.


    Slowly, I lifted my gaze to look at him, and our eyes met. He stared at me with disgust, and my heart ached.


    ¡°Take them off,¡± he demanded, referring to my underwear.


    I swallowed in pain as more tears streamed down my cheeks. This day was supposed to be one of my happiest days; it was my first time with my mate, a day everydy dreamed of, including me. But today, that dream had turned into a nightmare.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like repeating myself,¡± he groaned, and I gulped in pain.


    Slowly, I went to the hook of my bra, unhooked it, and took the bra off my chest, revealing my breasts to him. I swallowed in pain as more hot tears fell on my cheeks, and with shaking hands, I went for the waistband of my panties. I gently pulled it down to my feet and then stepped out on it before dropping my underwear on the floor. A cold breeze hit my naked body and filled me with embarrassment. I couldn¡¯t lift my gaze to look at Alpha Edward; instead, I settled my eyes on the floor and wept profusely.


    ¡°Go over to the desk,¡± hismanding voice spoke, and I was forced to look around. I spotted a desk with a few books on it. ¡°Now!¡±


    With shaky legs, I walked over to the desk and stood by it. ¡°Turn over!¡± he ordered, and I obeyed, backing away from him.


    Hot tears fell freely on my cheeks as my whole body trembled with fear. Soon, I heard his footsteps behind me, and then I felt his presence so close to me that I had to swallow in pain, but I couldn¡¯t turn around.


    Suddenly, I heard him unzip his pants, and my body shook with fear. Before I couldprehend what was happening, forceful hands gripped my waist and forcefully parted my legs. Before I could think, I felt his length trying to invade my entrance, and out of panic, I wanted to pull away, but he mmed my head to the table and leaned in close to my left ear. ¡°If you don¡¯t want this, then say it,¡± he threatened, and my entire body went numb as his words reyed in my head. ¡°Not a move or a sound from you,¡± he demanded, and I went mute; even my sobs stopped. Silence filled the air, but then I felt him part my legs wider, and then I felt the tip of his member touching the entrance of my entrance.


    He yanked me closer to himself and forcefully inserted himself into me without preparation. ¡°Ahhhh,¡± I eximed in pain, but he kept pushing himself in until his full length was fully inside me, taking my virginity in such a brutal way.


    I heard him groan in satisfaction and anger, and then he pulled out of me and forcefully mmed in again. ¡°Ahh,¡± I cried out because the pain was unbearable, but he gripped my hair and pulled my head off the table.


    ¡°One more sound from you, and I will fuck you to death,¡± he threatened and mmed my head back to the desk.


    ¡°You wanted me. You wanted to have me. Well, this is me, have me,¡± he said as he pulled out and then plunged forcefully inside me. I muffled in pain and felt his member thrust in and out of me while he aggressively fucks me, and then he took hold of my hair and mmed harder. I could hear his grunts as he struggled to thrust in and out of me. I wanted to cry, shout, and scream, but I realized I was too weak even to say a word, and all I could do was close my eyes and weep silently while he had his way with me.


    He mmed harder for several minutes until he suddenly stopped and aggressively pulled out of me, leaving me copsed on the desk, muffled in tears.


    I heard the door open, which was closed with a loud m. With shaky legs, I tried to stand erect and then slowly looked between my thighs and realized I was stained with blood. My whole body shook with pain, not just physical pain but emotional pain, too. Never would I have thought that my first time with my mate would be in such a brutal way. Sobbing loudly, I tried to stand upright, but my legs were too weak, and I ended up falling to the floor.

 Already too late

    Alpha Edward¡¯s POV


    I dashed into my room and hit the wall with my fists. The wall made a crack, but I ignored it and kept hitting the wall, totally ignoring the pain I was feeling in my fists. As I punched the wall, it became stained with my blood, but I ignored it and continued punching the wall until I got exhausted and moved away from it. With trembling hands, I stared at the blood-stained wall and then nced at my wounded, bleeding hands. My whole body was racked with pain, but it couldn¡¯t bepared to the pain I felt in my heart.


    Yet again, I have lost another mate to the cold hand of death. Four years ago, I lost my first mate, Veronica, just three months after meeting her, and that day was the worst day of my life. I wanted to die and decided tomit suicide, but as fate would have it, I was saved by Elisa. The prophecy came that Elisa would be my second chance mate, and I would regain the voice of my wolf the moment her mark her. I have waited for this day to get married to Elisa, mark her and regain the voice of my wolf. I thought I had gotten another chance at happiness, but it was snatched away from me by a jealousdy.


    Anger and pain racked my entire body, and I wished I could kill her, but death would be an easy penalty for her. If I were her, I would have chosen death because she didn¡¯t know what was hitting her. Slowly, I sat on my bed and stared at my fists dripping blood on the floor. I thought of Elisa and the brutal way she was killed. She never deserved that, and I would make sure the person who took her away from me would be brutally dealt with.


    I thought of my prey and what transpired between us. I had never thought of having her, but just by seeing her, I wanted to inflict pain on her, and fucking her brutally was the first thing that came to my mind.


    I never imagined she was a virgin, but when I realized she was, I didn¡¯t care; all I wanted was for her to feel immense pain, and I think I achieved it.


    ¡°Goodness,¡± I groaned and closed my eyes. A tear dropped on my cheek. Just in a day, I was bing a monster; I couldn¡¯t recognize myself. I wiped off the tears that fell on my cheek and then triedmunicating with my wolf, but as usual for the past four years, he has been silent since the death of my first mate. A heavy sigh left my lips, and I opened my eyes. I was eventually breaking down, but I knew I had to hold myself up; I am an alpha, and so many people were looking up to me.


    A knock on my door got my attention, and I turned to it.


    ¡°Who is it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s me,¡± Aunt Victoria responded from the door.


    A sigh left my lips; I wanted to be left alone, but she was my favorite aunt, and I couldn¡¯t send her away.


    ¡°Come in.¡± The door was pushed open, and Aunt Victoria walked in.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    ¡°Oh my goodness,¡± she eximed and rushed to me. She took hold of my bleeding hands and shook her head. ¡°What are you doing to yourself?¡± she asked, but I didn¡¯t respond, rather I looked away. She let go of my hands and rushed out of my room.


    A few momentster, she barged into my room with a first aid box in her hand. She sat beside me and took my wounded hands, beginning to apply medication to it.


    ¡°I have sent for the pack healer, and he will be here soon,¡± she announced to me, but I didn¡¯t respond; instead, I was lost in thought. My thoughts went to my prey, Amanda, and what next I would do to her. I wanted to make life a living hell for her; I couldn¡¯t be the only one going through pain.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Aunt asked, and I looked away but didn¡¯t respond. Aunt Victoria pulled me into a hug and sighed.


    ¡°You can cry; no one is here; it¡¯s just the two of us,¡± sheforted, and suddenly, I burst out in tears. I cried profusely like a child. My whole body shook with pain, and all Aunt Victoria did wasfort me by patting my back, as she would always do when I was young. I¡¯m 25, but to my Aunt, I¡¯m still her little son.


    After crying for a while, I sniffed andposed myself before pulling away. I cleaned my face and took a deep breath to gather my emotions.


    Silence filled the air as neither I nor Aunt Victoria said a word, but after a moment, she spoke up.


    ¡°You married her; what are your intentions?¡± she asked, referring to my prey. I didn¡¯t give an answer. ¡°I know you don¡¯t intend to kill her for her crime because if you wanted to kill her, you would have done it a long time ago,¡± she said, and she was right. ¡°Tell me, what are your ns?¡± she asked, and still got no response from me.


    ¡°You intend to torture her,¡± she didn¡¯t express those words as a question. ¡°Torture is an understatement,¡± I muttered. Aunt remained silent, as if she was trying to reason with my words. Another long silence filled the room until she spoke. ¡°Will that give you peace?¡± she threw that unexpected question at me. I looked at her and then looked away. Truthfully, I had no response to her question. ¡°Will it?¡± she asked again, and I groaned and got up. I walked over to the window and stood by it.


    ¡°Alpha Edward?¡±


    ¡°What, Aunt?¡± I snapped with frustration and turned to her.


    ¡°What do you expect me to do? Should I let her go scot-free, or should I just imprison her? Never, I won¡¯t do that; I will make sure she goes to hell andes back,¡± I muttered those words as a vow, which I would fulfil.


    I turned my back to my Aunt and looked outside the window. I was fuming with rage, and I wanted to avoid an outburst.


    I heard Aunt¡¯s footsteps behind me, and when she got closer to me, she ced a hand on my shoulder, and I released a breath.


    ¡°I know how you¡¯re feeling, and I understand your pain, but I want you to think about this, Edward; you are not a monster, and I don¡¯t want you to be one,¡± she said those words, and then she left. Sucking in a deep breath, I closed my eyes for a moment and then opened them. ¡°Sorry, Aunt, but it¡¯s already toote.¡±

 Choose death

    Amanda¡¯s POV


    I woke up to a pounding sensation in my head. Slowly, I opened my eyes, but my sight was blurry, so I had to close them and reopen them again. This time, I could see clearly, although the room was a little dark.


    Slowly, I sat on the cold floor, looked around, and realized I was back in the cell, but I couldn¡¯t recall how I got there. Thest thing I remembered was copsing on the floor after Alpha Edward had his way with me. Remembering those memories brought tears to my eyes, and I began sobbing profusely. My thighs and privates felt sore. I was so weak that it felt like I would give up soon.


    I looked at myself and realized I was dressed in a strange gown, which I knew belonged to a maid. It looked like a uniform because I saw a maid wearing the same gown.


    I sobbed loudly as I imagined what would befall me next. Heaven knows what he would do to me.


    I heard footsteps approaching my cell and, curious to know who it was, I looked toward the gate and saw a guard in front of the cell gate. A te of food was in his hand, and then he passed it through the hole, along with water, without saying a word to me, and then he left.


    With a rumbling stomach, I stared at the te of food for a while, and then I crawled to it, picked it up, and returned to my initial spot. Slowly, I began eating but realized that despite my hunger, I didn¡¯t have an appetite.


    Sighing tiredly, I dropped the food and closed my eyes. Tears threatened to fall on my cheeks, but I held them back. How long would I continue crying?


    I stayed in that position for hours until a guard came to my cell, unlocked the gate, and pulled me up. I didn¡¯t question or struggle with him; instead, I allowed him to pull me along. He led me to a familiar door, announced our presence, and then took me in.


    Getting in, I wasn¡¯t surprised to see Alpha Edward seated on the couch with a ss of whiskey in his hand. My eyes fell on the desk where I was brutally taken by a man who was supposed to be my mate. Tears clouded my eyes, but I held them back from falling.


    He signalled the guard to leave, and after the guard left, our gaze interlocked. As usual, he had hatred in his eyes for me; those eyes I fell in love with the moment I saw them now stared at me with nothing but hate.


    ¡°Your two options are stillid out for you: death or live as my wife and face torture?¡± He asked, and I gulped in pain.


    ¡°I am still giving you another chance to make a choice and for you to know what you are getting yourself into,¡± he uttered, and I remained silent.


    ¡°Choose death, and you will be hanged, but if you choose to remain my wife, get ready to live a life of torture,¡± heid out the two options to me, and all I did was swallow in pain.


    ¡°Make your decision now,¡± he urged, and with teary eyes, I decided to speak. ¡°I want to stay alive because I didn¡¯t do it, and I believe one day my innocence will be proven,¡± I said to him and heard him groan as he stood to his feet and approached me, but I didn¡¯t make a move.


    When he got to where I stood, he gripped me by the neck, choking me with his grip.


    ¡°You are still lying and denying it,¡± he uttered, but I only shook my head in pain. His grip on my neck tightened, and I was almost passing out, but as if he noticed it, he let go of me. I fell to the floor, gasping for breath.


    ¡°Guards!¡± He called. Two guards rushed into the room and bowed. ¡°I believe you know what to do,¡± he said to the guard, who nodded.


    Terrified, I looked at Alpha Edward, who red at me and looked away. The two men lifted me from the floor and dragged me out of the room. I feared what they were going to do to me. ¡°Where are you taking me?¡± I asked in fear but didn¡¯t get a response from any of the men.


    They dragged me to a hallway, and then we appeared in a vast, empty yard. They led me to a wooden structure that was shaped like a cross. Terrified, I looked at the men, but they ignored me and ced me on the cross-like wood. They began tying both my hands to the woods and tied my legs together as if I were nailed to the cross.


    ¡°What are you going to do with me?¡± I asked, terrified of my fate.


    The two guards ignored me and walked away. I gulped in fear as I looked around the vast yard, but no one was in sight.


    I noticed a cage nearby. Suddenly, the cage opened, and two lions emerged, their eyes fixed on me. Instinctively, I recoiled in fear, but the chains tethering them prevented them from reaching me. My heart raced as I realized the precariousness of my situation, trapped between the impending danger of the lions getting to me. Sweat trickled down my forehead as I stared at the lions who were just a few inches away from me.


    The lions struggled relentlessly against their chains, their primal instincts driving them to reach me. With each tug, they came closer, their snarls and growls filling the air with menace. I could feel their hot breath on my skin as they strained against the limitations of their chains. Panic surged within me as the realization dawned that the chains might not hold them for much longer. My whole body shook with fear, while tears trickled down my cheeks.


    I wanted to scream out for help, but there was no need for it because I knew no one woulde to help.


    The lions struggled to get to me; I could see the desire to tear me up in their eyes. All they wanted was to get to me, but it seemed the chains held them tightly. I could notice them shaking their chains, their loud roars filling the air as they struggled more to reach me. In a situation like this, I wished I had my wolf; I would have shifted to my wolf, but unfortunately, I couldn¡¯t shift due to the magical choker wrapped around my neck, which would prevent me from shifting.


    My entire body shook with fear, and unable to hold up anymore, I closed my eyes, so I wouldn¡¯t be able to look at the lions.


    I could hear the growls and roars of the lions, but I didn¡¯t dare to open my eyes to look at them.


    They continued struggling and growling, but soon, I realized everywhere was quiet. Curious, I opened my eyes and realized the lions had been taken to their cage and locked up.


    I saw the guards walking back to me; they untied me, and I fell to the ground, weak and exhausted. Ignoring my state, they picked me up from the floor and dragged me back to the mansion. I went numb; my body and soul became lifeless.


    I was returned to my cell, and they locked the gate before leaving. Slowly, Iy on the cold floor as I drifted into space. I wasn¡¯t thinking or saying anything; I just went numb.


    I stayed in that position for a long time until I heard a knock on the gate, which brought me out of my reverie. I looked at the gate and saw an aged woman who appeared to be in her fifties. She was richly dressed, and I didn¡¯t need anyone to tell me she was rted to Alpha Edward.


    ¡°Open the gate; I want to go in,¡± she demanded.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think that is a bad idea, mydy?¡± the guard asked, but the woman shook her head. ¡°Just open up,¡± she demanded, and this time, the guard obeyed, and she entered.


    Slowly, I sat on the floor and looked up at her. She shed me a half-smile and then lowered her head towards me.


    ¡°You don¡¯t look well,¡± she said, and I gulped in pain.


    ¡°Amanda, right?¡± she asked, and all I could do was nod. I had already lost my voice.Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    I noticed she stared at me with pity and then shook her head.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you choose death?¡± she asked, and I stared at her in disbelief.


    ¡°Staying alive is much worst than death. If I were you, I would choose death,¡± she advised, and I shook my head. I didn¡¯t know who she was, but by the tone of her voice, it was obvious she cared for me.


    ¡°He will torture you so much, my dear¡­¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t ept death. I won¡¯t die for a crime I didn¡¯tmit,¡± I sobbed out in tears, and she looked at me with questions in her eyes.


    ¡°If you didn¡¯t, then who did?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know; I met her that way,¡± I exined, hoping she would believe me. I just needed someone to believe me.


    ¡°But the broken vase has your fingerprints,¡± she announced, and my eyes widened.


    ¡°Yes, the result just came in, and that is why Alpha Edward sent you to the lions¡¯ den. More torture is yet toe. I don¡¯t want my nephew to be a monster because of you.¡±


    ¡°But I didn¡¯t do it! How could the vase have my fingerprints?¡± I asked, confused and worried.


    She looked at me and then shook her head. ¡°I feel for you and the things you will go through. Just choose death,¡± she demanded, but I shook my head while tears trickled down my cheeks.


    ¡°I won¡¯t. I won¡¯t choose death,¡± I stated firmly.


    She looked at me for a moment before shaking her head and leaving the cell.

 No going back

    Alpha Edward¡¯s POV


    ¡°Where is she?¡±


    ¡°She is back in her cell,¡± my guard responded, and I nodded before signalling for him to leave. After he left, I took a long sip of the whiskey in my hand. A groan left my lips as I thought of my prey and the next torture I should inflict on her. I wanted her to see hell, and what I had just done was only the beginning.


    A knocknded on the door of my chambers, and without waiting for a response, the door was pushed open, revealing my beta, Matthew.


    ¡°I figured you would be here,¡± he said, and I sighed and took another sip of my drink.


    Matthew sat beside me and then looked at me with a worried gaze. ¡°Are you okay?¡± he asked, but I didn¡¯t give him a response.


    ¡°The Council of Elders sent their sympathy to you,¡± he announced, still not getting my response.


    We both remained silent, and I could feel his constant gaze, so I had to look at him. ¡°What?¡± I asked because I knew he had something to say.


    ¡°How have you been?¡±


    ¡°You already know the answer to your question,¡± I murmured and took another long sip of my drink.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about your loss,¡± he consoled me, and all I did was hum and take another sip of my drink.


    Silence filled the air for a while until he spoke again.


    ¡°The prisoner, what do you intend to do to her?¡± he asked, asking the same question Aunt Victoria had asked.


    ¡°So many things,¡± I responded and saw the worried look on his face. I couldn¡¯t tell if he was concerned about me or my prey.


    ¡°I met with your aunt a few moments ago,¡± he said, and I sighed.


    ¡°She is worried about you.¡±


    ¡°She shouldn¡¯t be,¡± I responded, ¡°I will be fine.¡±


    ¡°She is scared about what you will be because of your anger and pain¡­¡± he said while I remained silent.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you send her to the Council of Elders to be judged? I believe she will be given the death penalty.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± I cut him off. ¡°Death is not enough. How can she die while I am here, wallowing in pain for the rest of my life? No, I won¡¯t let her die. She will live but wish for death, and death will be far away from her,¡± I stated firmly.


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°No buts, Matthew. This is my decision. No one is allowed to kill her. Anyone who does will have to contend with me, not even you or my aunt,¡± I warned.


    Matthew remained silent for a moment before getting up and looking my way. ¡°I hope you know what you are doing, man,¡± he stated before walking out of my chambers.


    They were all worried about me, but it was alreadyte. The desire for revenge burned inside me, and there was no way to quench it.


    ¡°Alpha, there is someone here to see you,¡± my guard announced.


    ¡°Who is it?¡±


    ¡°She said she is the mother of Elisa,¡± my guard answered, and I sighed. ¡°Let her in.¡±


    The guard bowed and left.


    I took a long sip of my drink while waiting for her to arrive. Soon, the guard walked in with Mrs. Ana.


    ¡°Greetings, Alpha Edward,¡± she greeted me with a bow, and I nodded, gesturing for her to take a seat, which she did.


    She looked at me, and then she looked away.


    ¡°Where is her body?¡± I asked the first question that came to my mind. I was so consumed with pain that I didn¡¯t think of Elisa¡¯s body.


    ¡°She will be buried tomorrow. This is why I am here. I am here to inform you of her funeral,¡± she said to me, and I swallowed in pain and took another long sip of my drink.


    ¡°I can¡¯t attend the funeral. I won¡¯t be able to watch her being buried,¡± I said, and Mrs. Ana nodded.


    ¡°I will tell my beta to see you and give you some money¡­¡±


    She nodded. ¡°Thank you,¡± she said, and I sighed and sucked in a deep breath.


    Silence enveloped the whole ce before she spoke again.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°About Elisa¡¯s killer, what do you intend to do with her?¡± she questioned, and I took another sip of my drink before responding.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will make her pay for taking Elisa away from us,¡± I said, and Mrs. Ana nodded.


    ¡°Please make her pay, make her pay for killing our innocent Elisa,¡± she pleaded, and I nodded.


    We stayed silent for a moment, and then she rose to her feet. ¡°Can I see her?¡± she asked, and I knew she was referring to Amanda.


    ¡°Yes, you can,¡± I responded and called out for a guard who rushed in.


    ¡°Take her to see the new prisoner,¡± I told my guard, who nodded, and Mrs. Ana thanked me before leaving with the guard.

 She knew

    Amanda¡¯s POV


    I heard footsteps and, curious to know who it was, I looked and saw my stepmother in front of my cell gate with a guard. My eyes met hers, and she red at me with hate.


    ¡°Give us some privacy,¡± she said to the guard, who nodded and left. After the guard left, she red at me from head to toe and then sneered. ¡°If I had my way, I would have killed you right this moment, but then I think Alpha Edward has better ns for you,¡± she said with hate and disgust.


    Slowly, I got up from the cold floor and made my way to the cell gate, so I could be close to her. When I reached the cell gate, I locked eyes with her.


    ¡°Why do you hate me so much?¡± I asked what has been in my heart for a long time. ¡°I have never done anything to you. Despite all the terrible things you have done to me, I still see you as my mother¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not your mother!¡± She spat in my face. ¡°You know who your mother is, and that is not me,¡± she yelled, and I swallowed my pain.


    ¡°You and I know that you are aware that I am not capable of killing anyone, let alone killing my sister. You know I didn¡¯t do it. Why don¡¯t you tell everyone that?¡± I pleaded in tears, and she chuckled. ¡°Really?¡± She asked with raised eyebrows, and I gulped. ¡°Does it matter if you did it or not?¡± She asked, and my eyes widened. I was right; she knew I wasn¡¯t the one who killed Elisa, but she just didn¡¯t want to say it.


    ¡°You are going to suffer for the death of my daughter, and that is all that matters. My daughter can¡¯t be dead while you live your life freely. I won¡¯t let that happen,¡± she confessed.


    A strand of tears trickled down my cheek as realization hit me. She knew I didn¡¯t kill Elisa, but she just wanted me to suffer and live in pain. ¡°Why? Why do you hate me so much?¡± I sobbed in tears.


    Suddenly, she grabbed my hair and pulled my face closer to hers. ¡°You want to know why I hate you?¡± She asked as she tightened her grip on my hair, causing me to exim in pain. ¡°You always act like the special child, and my daughter is always behind you. Elisa was always behind you in everything. Your mother proudly showcases your aplishments and achievements in my face, and you think I will sit down and smile about it? No!¡± She spat while more tears trickled down my cheek.


    So, all this was because of how brilliant I was.


    ¡°Now I have lost my daughter, and here you are still alive. How fair is that?¡± She spat in anger and let go of my hair. I sobbed in pain and took a step away from her.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know what has befallen you, Amanda. Alpha Edward will inflict so much pain on you that you will wish for death, but it will be far away from you.¡±


    My heart ached, and I sobbed loudly. She turned to leave but stopped and turned back to me.


    ¡°And so you know, your whore of a mother is dead. She died this morning¡­¡±


    ¡°No, what?¡± I eximed in fear.


    ¡°You heard me right. Your mother is dead and gone,¡± she smiled evilly at me and got closer to me. ¡°This is just the beginning of your misery,¡± she chuckled before walking away.


    Hot tears trickled down my cheek. ¡°No!¡± I screamed at the top of my voice. ¡°No, no, no!¡±


    I screamed in pain, not wanting to believe what I had just heard. I didn¡¯t want to ept the fact that my mother was gone. I shook my head. ¡°No, she is lying to me,¡± I triedforting myself, but I knew it wasn¡¯t helping. I know my stepmother, and I know she will never lie about something like this. If she said my mother was dead, then my mother was dead.


    ¡°No, please, No,¡± I sobbed loudly and fell to the floor. Uncontroble tears trickled down my cheek as my whole body was filled with pain. I couldn¡¯t imagine that my mother was dead and gone. ¡°No, this can¡¯t be true,¡± I said, not wanting to ept it. But what if she was dead?


    More tears trickled down my cheek as I cried out my heart. I thought of my mother and the pain she had gone through in her illness, an illness I know my stepmother had a hand in. Despite her bedridden condition, I had the hope that one day, she would be healed, but now it seems she had left me without saying goodbye. ¡°Mother!¡± I yelled as memories of her yed in my head. Realizing that my mother was gone, I came to realize I was the only one left in this world. My mother was gone, leaving me all alone in this wicked world. The thought of dying filled my mind; I wished I could die and end this miserable life.


    I just wanted all this pain to go away. I cried out for hours until I got exhausted and fell asleep. I woke up when I heard the opening of my cell gate. Two guards walked into my cell room, picked me up from the floor, and carried me out of the cell.


    As they dragged me along, I didn¡¯t bother to say a word or ask them where they were taking me. At that moment, nothing else mattered to me, not even death. We reached a familiar door, and they announced our presence before entering. When we got in, I saw Alpha Edward seated on the bed, his anger-glowing eyes staring at me. He sent the men away while I just emotionlessly stood at the door. My eyes fell on the empty bottles of whiskey on the floor; it seemed he had had a lot.


    ¡°You!¡± He pointed a finger drunkenly at me. ¡°Undress!¡± He demanded, and I swallowed in pain. ¡°Don¡¯t make me repeat myself, undress.¡± He urged, and this time, I didn¡¯t hesitate; instead, I went for the zip of my gown, unzipped it, and took off the gown, leaving me in my underwear. He nced at me with disgust and took another sip of his drink.


    ¡°Guard, get a maid,¡± he called out to the guards standing by his door. He disgustingly red at me and then looked away, taking more sips of his drink.


    A maid walked in and bowed. ¡°Get her washed and bring her back to me,¡± he ordered, and the maid turned to me. I could see the concerned look in her eyes. She picked up my gown from the floor and handed it to me to put on. Slowly, I put back on the dress, and she led me out of the room. I followed her down the hallway while a guard apanied us. She took me inside a room and then to the washroom.


    ¡°Please take off your clothes,¡± she said politely. I nodded and took off my clothes. ¡°Can you bathe yourself?¡± She asked, and I nodded.


    With heavy feet, I walked towards the shower, turned it on, and began to bathe. As I bathed, tears trickled down my cheeks, mingling with the water cascading over my face. I sobbed quietly in the shower, not caring that the maid was watching me. She didn¡¯t say a word but continued to stare at me.


    After I finished, I stepped out of the shower, and she handed me a towel to dry myself. I took the towel and wiped my body.


    ¡°Come with me,¡± she said, leading me back to the room. She gestured for me to sit, then began drying my hair with a hairdryer. After she finished, she tied my hair into a ponytail and handed me clean underwear and a gown.


    ¡°I think you are ready to meet the alpha,¡± she said while I gulped nervously.


    ¡°You¡¯ll be fine,¡± she reassured me, and I nodded, rising to my feet.Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    She led me out of the room, where we met the guard waiting for us. She guided me back to the familiar door, announced our presence, and we were ordered in.


    Upon entering, I noticed that Alpha Edward was still in the exact position I had seen him in before.


    ¡°You can go,¡± he told the maid, who bowed before leaving.


    He fixed his gaze on me, scanning me from head to toe, making me feel like a prey standing before him.


    ¡°Undress!¡± His words came as amand.

 Light at the end of the tunnel

    Amanda¡¯s POV


    Obeying hismand, I stripped myself and was left naked before him. He nced over me, then looked away and sipped his drink.


    As I stood naked before him, I felt like a worthless rag. Maybe I made the wrong choice; I should have chosen death instead.


    ¡°Come closer,¡± he urged, and I swallowed hard before taking steps closer to him. When I got too close, I saw him settle his gaze on my breasts, and I felt so embarrassed that I had to look away.


    ¡°Goy on the table on your back,¡± he ordered, and my feet obeyed. I walked towards therge desk, and this time, the table was cleared; there was nothing on it.


    I climbed onto the table andy on my back, waiting for his next action.


    Soon, he got up from his seat, walked over to a drawer, took something out of it, and approached me. When he reached the table, he made me sit on the table, and our eyes met, but he ignored me and took out a blindfold.


    ¡°What¡­¡± I began, but he didn¡¯t respond; instead, he blindfolded me. Everywhere became dark because of the blindfold; I couldn¡¯t even see a thing.


    ¡°Lay back,¡± he ordered, and I obedientlyplied.


    With a pounding heart, I imagined what he wanted to do to me. I was so helpless that I couldn¡¯t even see a thing.


    Suddenly, I felt a harsh hand on my waist, and then the hands pulled me to the end of the table. I gulped in pain, and then I felt hands parting my thighs. I wished I could close my thighs, but I knew I couldn¡¯t.


    With fear and anticipation, I waited for what was toe next. Suddenly, I felt the tip of his length touching the entrance of my pussy. My breath seized as I realized what was happening.


    I heard him grunt as he tried thrusting into me, but I was too tight for his length. He grunted and plunged deeper into me. My whole body shook with fear, and the fact that I couldn¡¯t see a thing added to my fear.


    With a hard thrust, he plunged fully into me, and I gasped in difort. Despite not seeing his length, I could tell he was up to eight inches.


    My entire body was racked with difort. He pulled out and plunged in again, causing me to exim with pain, but then I felt a hand covering my mouth.


    ¡°No sound from you,¡± hemanded, and thrust in and out. I heard him release another grunt as he plunged in and out, and his thrusts became faster. I felt like shouting or moving away, but my body became so numb as he continued having me aggressively.


    Soon, I felt his hand squeezing my breasts aggressively while he continued thrusting faster into me. I felt immense pain, but the pain in my body couldn¡¯t bepared to the pain I felt in my heart. Here was my mate who was supposed to love and cherish me; he was supposed to be the one to give me so much joy and peace, but here he was, fucking me with anger and hate.


    Tears fell on my cheeks as I sobbed silently while he continued fucking me. The table creaked like it was going to break due to the force and speed of his thrusts.


    My misery came to an end when I felt him pull away, and I no longer felt his presence around me. With panting breaths, I closed my legs; I felt so dirty and used. My privates were so sore that I doubted I could walk properly.


    I could hear movement around, but I didn¡¯t know what was happening because of the blindfold on my eyes.


    ¡°Stand up and get out,¡± hismanding voice echoed in the room.


    Slowly, I sat on the table, loosened the blindfold, and blinked my eyes for a moment before opening them properly. I noticed him standing before the open window wearing just his long pants, and his back turned to me.


    ¡°Leave!¡± he spoke again, and this time I managed to stand to my feet.


    My eyes were teary as I went for my things, picked them up, and dressed. After dressing, I stole one nce at him before leaving the room.


    When I got outside, I met a guard waiting for me.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± he said and led the way.


    With shaky legs, I followed him. As we walked to my cell, I could see the eyes of the servants on me; some stared at me with disgust, some with pity, and some with questions in their eyes.


    When we reached my cell; I got in andy on the cold floor. Tears trickled down my cheeks. I was in so much pain, not just the pain in my body, but the one I felt in my heart. My sobs became louder when I thought of my mother. I wished I could see and speak to her; I just wanted to see her and hear her voice again.


    I cried for hours until I got exhausted and drifted to sleep.


    ¡°Ami¡­¡± I heard the familiar voice of my mother, and that forced my eyes open. Opening my eyes, I was shocked to see Mother seated on the floor before me. She had a big bright smile on her face; her ck hair was let loose on her shoulders, and her sea-blue eyes, which I got from her, looked lively, the way they were before she fell ill.


    ¡°Mother?¡± I called out excitedly as I sat on the floor.


    ¡°Yes, my dear, it¡¯s me.¡± She smiled and moved closer to me. I hugged her tightly and began sobbing loudly in her arms.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± sheforted as she gently caressed my back. I cried out my pain in her arms until my mother pulled me away and cupped my cheek with both hands.


    She smiled at me and kissed my forehead before wiping the tears off my cheek.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay¡­¡± she triedforting me, but I shook my head. ¡°Mother, I¡¯m tired; I just want to die.¡± I sobbed, but she shook her head. ¡°You can¡¯t die, my dear; I won¡¯t let you.¡± She caressed my cheek and smiled at me.


    ¡°I know you are going through a lot, but I want you to know this won¡¯t be forever, my dear. There is light at the end of the tunnel. All you have to do for me is to be that strong girl that I know you to be. Remember, I told you life is a battlefield, and the strongest warrior wins the race. You are strong, and I¡¯m sure you will win the race.¡± Sheforted me with her soothing voice while tears trickled down my cheeks.


    I looked at her and realized she seemed so happy, well, and beautiful, and that piqued my curiosity.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    ¡°Mother, you look so well,¡± I said, and she shed me a bright smile. ¡°That is because I¡¯m in a better ce,¡± she said, and I raised a brow, confused at her words.


    ¡°A better ce?¡±


    She nodded and ced another kiss on my forehead. ¡°I promise all this won¡¯t be long; just hold on,¡± she said, and I nodded.


    ¡°Now, close your eyes; I want to show you something.¡± Instinctively, I find myself obeying. I closed my eyes and waited for her to tell me to open them, but when she didn¡¯t, I was forced to open my eyes. When I did, I realized Mother was no longer in the cell room, and I was still lying on the cold floor. I sat on the floor, and it took me a few seconds to realize that what I just saw was a dream; it wasn¡¯t real. Tears clouded my eyes as the realization hit me that my mother was truly dead, and what I saw was her ghost.

 Knell under the sun

    Amanda¡¯s POV


    ¡°Wake up!¡± The loud voice of the guard woke me up from my sleep. Slowly, I opened my eyes and realized the sun was out, reflecting into my room through the window and giving my dim room a ray of light.


    ¡°Stand up,¡± he ordered as he opened the gate of my cell and harshly pulled me up. ¡°Where are you taking me?¡± I asked.


    ¡°You will know when you get there,¡± he said to me, and I gulped in fear. As he pulled me along, I felt like passing out; I was so hungry and thirsty. ¡°I need water,¡± I pleaded with the guard, but he ignored me and continued pulling me along.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    I thought he was taking me to Alpha Edward to have his way with me, but I realized I was wrong when I saw he was taking me to the top of the mansion. I was confused and scared at the same time.


    He took me to the rooftop, and when we arrived there, I realized two maids were already waiting for us.


    Confused, I stared at them, wondering what we were all doing here. ¡°Call me if anything goes wrong,¡± he said to the two maids, who nodded before he left us. Confused, I stared at the two maids, who looked at me with pity on their faces. ¡°You have to undress,¡± they said.


    ¡°Why?¡± I asked. ¡°Alpha Edward has ordered that we rub this grounded pepper on your naked body and make you kneel under the sun until he says otherwise, so please undress and let¡¯s do what we were asked to.¡± One of the maids spoke, and my heart sank. Tears clouded my eyes as I wondered what kind of a man Alpha Edward was; how could he think of inflicting such pain on me.


    ¡°Please undress,¡± the maid urged. With tears trickling down my cheek, I looked around the rooftop and realized no one was in sight apart from the three of us.


    Swallowing hard, I began taking off my clothes until I was naked. The maid picked up the pots of grounded pepper, moved closer to me, and started applying it to my body.


    My body shook at the impact of the pepper. As they rubbed it all over my body, more tears trickled down my cheeks; I wished I could die and end this pain, but it seemed it was already toote. Soon, they were through. They rubbed all parts of my body apart from my face.


    ¡°You have to kneel,¡± one of the maids said, and reluctantly, I fell to my knees and began sobbing. The scorching sun hit me hard, making the chilly pepper burn even more intensely. I couldn¡¯tprehend why Alpha Edward would subject me to such cruelty. As I knelt there, vulnerable and in agony, I couldn¡¯t help but feel a deep sense of pain wash over me. How could anyone derive pleasure from causing such pain to another human being? With tears streaming down my face, I silently prayed for this torment to end.


    It was as if the sun was against me because it began to heat up more; my whole body was burning with pain, and it felt like I would pass out. The pain was so unbearable; I had never imagined I would go through such torture.


    With tears-filled eyes, I looked at the maids who stood in a corner looking at me with pity. Painful tears trickled down my cheeks, while my entire body burned with pain. As the excruciating pain enveloped me, my vision blurred, and my head spun. I thought of the day I met and helped Alpha Edward in the woods. I wished that day never came; I wished I hadn¡¯t gone to the woods; I wished I had left just as Elisa had warned; maybe all this wouldn¡¯t have happened.


    Elisa would still be alive, my mother would still be alive, and I wouldn¡¯t be in such a miserable state. I cursed the day I met Alpha Edward and wished that day never came.


    The fiery sting of the pepper intensified, searing every inch of my exposed skin. I struggled to remain upright, my knees weakening beneath me. With each agonizing breath, the world seemed to tilt and sway until, finally, I could no longer fight the overwhelming sensation of nausea and torment. My body gave way, and I crumpled to the ground. The maids rushed to my side, their voices a distant echo as darkness consumed my consciousness.

 In her cell

    Alpha Edward¡¯s POV


    A knock came on the door, and I asked the person in. A maid rushed in and bowed.


    ¡°What is it?¡± I groaned, irritated by her presence. I didn¡¯t want to see or talk to anyone


    ¡°My lord, the youngdy has passed out,¡± she announced, and I looked her way.


    ¡°She fainted?¡± I asked to be sure I heard her right.


    ¡°Yes, she fainted, and we have woken her up, but she seems so weak. Should she continue to kneel under the sun, or should we send her in and clean her up?¡± The maid asked, and I went silent.


    Realizing she had fainted meant the punishment was severe, which was what I wanted, but I didn¡¯t want to push her beyond her limit so she wouldn¡¯t die. I can¡¯t let her die.


    ¡°Take her back in, clean her up, and send her back to her cell,¡± I instructed, and the maid nodded before leaving.


    After she left, I took a long sip of my drink. For the past three days, I have been wallowing in pain while getting drunk in my chambers. I couldn¡¯t sleep, nor could I attend to the duty of the pack. Losing a mate for the second time was a big blow to me, and no matter how hard I wanted to move on, I just couldn¡¯t. I was still stuck in my pain.


    A knock came on the door, and without waiting for a response, the door opened, and my beta, Matthew, walked in.


    ¡°Sorry for barging in, but I knew you wouldn¡¯t let me in,¡± he said as he got closer, took the ss of whiskey from me, and dropped it far away.


    I groaned and red at him. ¡°Your council of elders are worried about you, demanding to see you. They are in the throne room waiting for you.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to see them,¡± I grumbled.


    ¡°Too bad. They said they are not leaving until they see you and are sure you are fine. They are worried that you might harm yourself like you tried doing four years back.¡±


    I grunted and ran a hand through my already unkempt hair.


    ¡°Just meet with them and assure them that you are okay, that is all,¡± he pleaded, but I ignored him and closed my eyes. I wasn¡¯t yet ready to meet with anyone. I wanted to stay locked up in my room and drink myself away.


    ¡°Will you stand up and freshen up so we can see the council of elders, or do you want me to bring them in here and see their alpha in such a state?¡± Matthew threatened, and I red at him.


    ¡°I will be back in the next twenty minutes. Be ready,¡± he gave an annoying smile before leaving.


    After he left, I groaned and massaged my forehead. My head was pounding with a great headache. I rxed on the seat and closed my eyes.


    I wanted to ignore Matthew and his threats, but I knew he wasn¡¯t joking, and he meant all he had just said. Left with no choice, I opened my eyes and forced myself up from the seat. I began taking off my clothes, and after that, I went into the bathroom.


    After taking a cold shower, I returned to my chambers, opened the wardrobe, and took out a simple outfit of ck long sleeves and ck pants. I got dressed in the outfit, and then I gelled my hair backwards and arranged it. After that, I sprayed some deodorant and left my chambers.


    Getting outside my door, I met Matthewing my way, and when he saw me, a big smile appeared on his face.


    ¡°Now you are talking,¡± he smiled, but I eyed him and walked away while he followed me. Getting to the door of the throne room, the guard opened the door, and Matthew and I got in.


    As I walked in, my council of elders got up and bowed their heads while I nodded to their greetings until I reached my seat and asked them to take their seats.


    The hall was silent for a moment before Elder Steven rose to his feet. ¡°We are d to see you; you got us scared,¡± he said in a relieved tone. It was obvious they were really scared and worried about me.


    ¡°Thank you; I am fine,¡± I responded, and he nodded, took his seat, and another elder stood up.


    ¡°We are sorry for your loss,¡± Elder Joseph said, and I hummed. He took back his seat, and everyone remained silent as they all waited for me to speak.


    I sucked in a deep breath and looked their way. ¡°I¡¯m fine and better. You all shouldn¡¯t worry about me,¡± I assured them, and they all nodded. ¡°I know my duties are waiting to be attended to, and I will attend to them really soon.¡±


    They all nodded, and Elder Joseph stood up. ¡°We are happy to hear that. We also want to ask about the culprit who killed your mate. Are you sending her to be judged, or¡­¡±


    ¡°I have other ns for her. You guys shouldn¡¯t worry about that,¡± I said, and he nodded and took back his seat. Another elder stood.


    ¡°My lord, we know this is too early, but we were wondering, now that your second chance mate is gone, we are sure that you no longer have a mate. So we were wondering if you would want us to look for a fair maiden for you, one from a wealthy and ssic family?¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary. I don¡¯t need a wife, and if I do, I will get one myself,¡± I uttered firmly, and they all nodded.


    ¡°I think this is the end of the gathering. I will call for a meeting once I am fully back,¡± I said while getting up. They all rose to their feet and bowed their heads as I walked out of the hall, but my beta stayed back so he could conclude the meeting.


    I walked back to the mansion and wanted to return to my chambers, but then a certain someone came into my thoughts. ¡°Where is the prisoner?¡± I asked, referring to Amanda.


    ¡°She is back in her cell,¡± my guard responded.


    I hummed and tried entering my private chambers, but I was curious about her.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go to the cell,¡± I told my guard, who nodded and led the way.


    As we made our way to the cell, the servants who saw me bowed their heads respectfully, but I ignored them all. I wasn¡¯t in the mood to respond to greetings. Reaching the cell, the guard led me to her cell room, and when I arrived, I stood in front of her gate and looked inside her cell.


    She was lying on the cold floor; her eyes were closed as if she was sleeping.


    ¡°Open the gate,¡± I said to the guard, who immediately did as instructed. After opening the gate, I entered the cell and moved closer to her.


    Slowly, I squatted to her level, and my eyes settled on her fragile-looking figure. Despite being so close to her, she didn¡¯t feel my presence, neither did she move or open her eyes.


    I ran my gaze over her and realized her fair skin had red marks due to the effect of the punishment. My eyes went to her face, and I used that as an opportunity to take a good look at her. She was so beautiful, and I hate to admit it. She had puffy cheeks and a long, pointed nose that fit her V-shaped face. I moved down to her lips, and damn!


    I looked away and assessed her body. Just three days in the cell, she had lost a lot of weight; she looked like a shadow of herself, different from the charming little girl who opened the door for me four years ago.


    I could still vividly remember that day, the day I first visited their home, and she was the one who opened the door. When I first saw her, my heart leapt with joy at the thought that she was the one who saved me. But when I realized she wasn¡¯t, it broke my heart a little, but then I had to move on.


    I took a good look at her and realized she was sweating profusely. I knew the weather was hot, but I felt something was wrong. Curious, Iid my hand on her forehead and realized she was burning with a high fever. I sighed, took my hand away, and got up. I nced at her one more time before leaving the cell.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    ¡°Get the pack doctor to check on her or, better still, call for a healer,¡± I said to my guard, who nodded.


    As I walked back to my chambers, I couldn¡¯t exin the tinge of pity I felt in my heart for her. I wasn¡¯t supposed to feelpassion for her; she was a murderer, she killed my mate, and I was supposed to hate her. Then why was I feeling this strange feeling of pity in my chest?

 Framed

    Amanda¡¯s POV


    I jerked out of my sleep as a strange hand touched me. Curious about who it was, I opened my eyes and saw ady in her mid-thirties smiling at me.


    ¡°You are awake,¡± she said with a friendly smile, and my brow ceased.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± I asked, not believing she was real; maybe this was also a dream.


    ¡°I¡¯m a healer. I was sent to heal you by Alpha Edward,¡± she smiled.


    ¡°Alpha Edward?¡± I asked, and she nodded.


    ¡°Why would he do that?¡± I murmured to myself and slowly sat on the floor. I looked at my skin and realized the red dots were gone, and even the pain and difort I felt in my body were all gone.


    ¡°How do you feel? Do you feel difort anywhere?¡± She asked, and I shook my head.


    ¡°Good!¡± She smiled at me and got closer.


    ¡°You are eighteen, right?¡± She asked, and I nodded, wondering why she was asking.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t gotten your wolf yet?¡± She inquired, and I swallowed in pain.


    ¡°I had my wolf, but I no longer have her; she disappeared,¡± I exined to the healer, who stared at me with pity.


    ¡°Do you know your special gift?¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t,¡± I responded, and she nodded before getting up.


    ¡°There is a special feeling about you, but I can¡¯t just ce it,¡± she said, piquing my curiosity.


    ¡°A special force?¡±


    ¡°Yes, while healing you, I felt a special force, but I can¡¯t exin it,¡± she exined.


    ¡°Well, there is nothing special about me,¡± I murmured, but she shook her head. ¡°Don¡¯t be too sure,¡± she smiled and turned to the guard who was at the gate.


    ¡°Get her some food,¡± she told the guard, who nodded, then she turned my way.


    ¡°You will be fine.¡±


    ¡°You could have just let me die,¡± I grumbled and looked away. The healer didn¡¯t say a word, but rather walked out of the cell, and the gate was locked.


    After she left, I rose to my feet and began walking around the small room of my cell. Thanks to the healer, I felt better, but was hungry and thirsty. I looked up at the window and realized the day was dark, meaning it was already night. It¡¯s been three days since I have been locked up here. At first, I thought I wouldn¡¯t survive it, but surprisingly, I¡¯m still alive. But for how long? Who knows the next punishment he would give me.


    Tears gathered in my eyes, but I held them back. I won¡¯t let them fall. I was done crying; now it¡¯s to face my pain in any way ites.


    ¡°You!¡± A guard called my attention.


    ¡°Have it,¡± he passed my meal through the hole, and I hurriedly went for it. I quickly sat down and took a long gulp of the water before eating. I was so hungry that it took me about two minutes to finish the meal.


    A sigh of relief left my lips as I rested my back on the cold wall. I closed my eyes and thought of my life. I thought of my mother and wondered if she had been buried, where she was buried, and if my father even attended her funeral.


    I thought of my father and wondered what kind of spell Aunt Ana had him under because that could only be why a man would hate his wife and daughter. I was mad at my father, but I knew he wasn¡¯t himself, so I didn¡¯t me him much.


    Feeling tired, I decided to take a little nap.


    ¡­¡­¡­, ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    I felt fingers caressing my thighs while another hand squeezed my breasts, jerking me up from my sleep. Opening my eyes, I saw a guard smiling at me, his hand on my breasts.


    ¡°Stay away from me,¡± I eximed in fear and moved away from him.


    ¡°Come on, don¡¯t act like a little girl,¡± he smirked, and I red at him.


    ¡°Stay away from me!¡±


    ¡°Shhh¡­¡± he shushed me. ¡°I promise to make your stay here less of a torture if you will allow me to have my way with you. Listen, I¡¯m second inmand among the guards, and that will be a big advantage for you. All you have to do is let me have my way with you just this once,¡± he urged, and I frantically shook my head.


    ¡°No, go away, you bastard,¡± I cursed him, but he only grinned and moved closer to me while I stepped backwards.


    ¡°Come on, you will enjoy it; I promise I will do better than Alpha Edward,¡± he teased while I red at him with hate and disgust.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t leave, I will shout,¡± I threatened, and his expression changed to anger.


    ¡°So you don¡¯t want toply with me?¡± He asked.


    ¡°No! Get out!¡± I yelled at him.


    He groaned and red at me before leaving the cell and locking it.


    Tears gathered in my eyes at my predicament. I couldn¡¯t believe I was reduced to a mere ything that a guard would want to have his way with me.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Iforted myself and sat on the cold floor.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    I couldn¡¯t sleep anymore due to fear that the guard mighte in again. While pondering in my thoughts, I noticed the same guard came again, and this time, I hurriedly got up.


    He opened the cell gate and red at me. ¡°You will regret rejecting me,¡± he said, and before I couldprehend what was happening, I saw him bring out a knife and stab himself right through his chest, and I eximed in shock.


    ¡°Help,¡± he screamed at the top of his voice.


    ¡°In the blink of an eye, two guards rushed into my cell.


    ¡°What¡­¡±


    ¡°She wanted to escape and stabbed me, but I was quick to hold her,¡± he said to the guards, and my eyes widened in shock.


    ¡°What¡­¡± the two guards eximed, and one hit me right across the face, causing me to winced in pain.


    ¡°We wille back for you,¡± they said and took the injured guard away and locked my cell.


    I stood there, dumbfounded and confused. I couldn¡¯t believe what had just happened. I couldn¡¯t believe he would stab himself just to frame me up.


    My eyes noticed the stain of his blood in my cell, and I knew I was in trouble. I was in big trouble, and heaven knows what would befall me.


    I stood in my cell, waiting for what was next toe, and it didn¡¯t take long when two guards marched into my cell. They held my arms and dragged me out of the cell. I didn¡¯t bother to say a word or struggle with them.


    They didn¡¯t take me to Alpha Edward¡¯s chambers; instead, they took me to the mansion¡¯s backyard, where I met Alpha Edward standing with a man. When we reached where he stood, they threw me to the ground in front of him.


    I looked up at Alpha Edward and saw his eyes glowing with anger. ¡°You dare try to escape?¡± he asked, and I said nothing. There was no need to exin myself because he wouldn¡¯t believe me.


    ¡°You dare stab a guard?¡± He yelled at me, but still got no response from me. My silence might have angered him because he grabbed my hair and made me hold his eyes, which held nothing but hatred for me.


    ¡°You can never escape from me. You are tied to me until I make you pay for what you did to my mate,¡± He vowed before letting go of my hair.


    ¡°Tie her up and give her a hundredshes,¡± he ordered.


    With tears filling my eyes, I looked up at him, but he looked away. ¡°Take her away.¡± The two guards dragged me away. My eyes were soaked with tears, but I didn¡¯t let them fall.


    We got to the wooden structure, and they tied me to it. I watched as a guard picked up ash and then went behind me. Tightly, I shut my eyes as theshnded on my back. I eximed in pain, but I was yet to recover from the firstsh when anothernded on my back. I cried out in pain, but moreshes keptnding on my back. I yelled, cried, and wished for the pain to stop.


    I wished for death to take me; I just wanted to die and stop the pain, but unfortunately, it seemed death was so far from me.


    Moreshesnded on my back while I shook and screamed in agony. The pain was unbearable, eachsh tearing through my flesh like fire. I clenched my teeth, refusing to give them the satisfaction of hearing me beg for mercy.


    My body burned with pain, and I was sure my flesh was already peeling. My sight became blurred, and I knew in no time I was going to pass out. ¡°Stop!¡± I heard a voice before I fell unconscious.

 Begging for death

    Alpha Edward¡¯s POV


    Returning to my chambers, I grabbed a bottle of whiskey and gulped down arge quantity into my mouth. Groaning, I sat on the couch but realized I was restless. My mind kept drawing me to her, and no matter how hard I tried to ignore it, I couldn¡¯t.


    I sighed and took more sips, but I was still restless. I imagined the pain she would go through, and heaven knows what type ofsh my men would use on her.


    I panicked at the thought that she wouldn¡¯t survive the torture. What if she dies? The thought frightened me, and I had to jump to my feet. Dashing out of my chambers, I made my way to the backyard, and as I got closer, I noticed I wasn¡¯t hearing her cries or screams. The thought of that made my heart pound in my chest. What if she was already dead?


    Panicking, I hurried my steps. Reaching the backyard, I was surprised to see her in the arms of Matthew. He carried her and approached me.


    I raised a brow and looked at him, then at Amanda, who was in his arms. Her eyes were closed.


    ¡°What happened?¡± I asked.


    ¡°She has fainted, Alpha,¡± he responded and walked past me.


    I stood in ce and watched him carry her away. I looked at my men, who bowed their heads. ¡°He asked us to stop,¡± they said, but I ignored them and went back to the mansion.


    I didn¡¯t bother to look for Matthew; instead, I returned to my chambers and began pacing around. I knew I shouldn¡¯t be worried about her; she could die for all I care. I don¡¯t care about it, or maybe I was lying to myself.


    ¡°Damn it!¡± I kicked a stool away and ran a hand through my hair. I was not supposed to worry about her, but why was I worried about her? Why should I be concerned about ady who took my mate away from me? If nothing else, she deserved death.


    I kept pacing around my room as I fought with my thoughts.


    A few momentster, Matthew walked into my room. We looked at each other, but I did not say a word because I wanted him to speak.


    ¡°I had to ask the men to stop,¡± he said, and I didn¡¯t say a word.


    ¡°If they had continued, she wouldn¡¯t have made it¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care. I don¡¯t care if she dies,¡± I snapped at Matthew. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have asked them to stop. I gave the punishment, and if she couldn¡¯t endure it, then she should have died!¡± I yelled at Matthew. Somehow, it felt like I was lying to myself.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I just had to do it,¡± Matthew murmured, and I groaned.


    I took a long sip of my drink and stared out the window. Neither of us said a word for a long while until I decided to speak.


    ¡°Where is she?¡± I said, referring to Amanda.


    ¡°The maids were able to wake her up, and she is back in her cell,¡± he announced, and I frowned.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t call the healer, but I think we should. The bruises on her back are severe,¡± Matthew spoke, sounding worried.


    ¡°There will be no need to call the healer. I want her to feel the pain of the injury,¡± I said, and didn¡¯t get a response from Matthew.


    Turning my eyes towards him, I noticed a frown on his face, which showed he wasn¡¯t pleased with my decision, and that piqued my curiosity.


    ¡°You seem to be worried about her. May I know why?¡± I asked, sounding insecure.


    Matthew stared at me for a moment, and then he shook his head. ¡°I just don¡¯t want you to stain your hands with blood.¡±This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    I scoffed. ¡°Stop it, Matthew. You know I have killed before.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but those kills were justified, not this,¡± he responded, and I raised a brow at him.


    ¡°She is a murderer, Matthew. She killed my mate, and if I am to kill her, then it¡¯s also justified,¡± I uttered firmly, and all Matthew did was look at me like he had something to say, but he didn¡¯t say it.


    After a moment of silence, he spoke. ¡°I will be taking my leave. Goodnight.¡± He turned and left.


    A groan left my lips, and I went back to the couch. I picked up the bottle of whiskey and realized it was empty. I forced myself up and went over to the bar, took out a bottle of dry gin, opened it, and gulped arge quantity.


    The harshness of the whiskey hit my tongue, and I groaned and went back to the couch.


    My thoughts went to her, and I wondered how she was. I wasn¡¯t worried; I was just wondering about her.


    I tried to get the thought of her out of my head, but I couldn¡¯t. With each passing second, she would fill my thoughts, and unable to hold up anymore, I decided to go check up on her, at least to make sure she wasn¡¯t dead.


    Leaving my room, I made my way to the cell, and when I got there, I met her seated on the floor, her head buried between her knees.


    Loud sobs wereing from her, and all I did was stand there and watch until she noticed my presence and lifted her gaze to meet mine.


    Holding her gaze, I realized her eyes were bloated and full of tears. Her once sea-blue, fascinating eyes looked dull and lifeless. The pain in her eyes was so evident that somehow I felt it.


    Unable to hold her gaze, I looked away for a moment and then looked back at her.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you just kill me?¡± She pleaded in a trembling voice. ¡°Kill me and end all this.¡± She sobbed, and all I did was stand there and stare.


    ¡°This is too much; this is more than I can bear,¡± she cried, and I had to swallow in difort. I couldn¡¯t exin why I was feeling so much difort in my chest.


    ¡°Just kill me, will you?¡± She begged desperately for death. ¡°An eye for an eye, is that not better?¡± She asked and still got no response from me.


    My eyes scanned her body, and I noticed the cane marks on her hands, which made me wonder what her back would look like.


    Slowly, she got up and staggered towards me. When she got closer to me, she fell on the floor on her knees and ced both palms together.


    ¡°Please kill me,¡± she begged desperately. I could see the desire for death in her eyes. She wanted death so much, but it was something I would never give her.


    ¡°The pack healer will attend to you.¡± With those words, I turned and left.

 Spit on my face

    Alpha Edward¡¯s POV


    ¡°Thanks for joining me at the table,¡± Aunt Victoria said with a smile, and I nodded. She had pleaded with me to leave my room and join her for lunch, and I couldn¡¯t decline it.


    We began eating while I forced the food down my throat. I had no appetite to eat, but I had to because my stomach was empty. As I ate, I could feel Aunt Victoria¡¯s constant gaze on me, but I would ignore them and continue eating. When she realized that she wasn¡¯t getting my attention, she decided to speak up.


    ¡°About the prisoner, I went to check on her, and I must tell you she isn¡¯t doing fine,¡± she said, and I had to look her way.


    ¡°So?¡±


    She sucked in a deep breath, dropped her fork before answering. ¡°I was wondering if you could take her out of the cell and put her among the servants, at least let her talk to people, have fresh air, and bathe properly. If she continues staying there, you might wake up one day and find her dead.¡±


    I frowned at Aunt Victoria¡¯s words and shook my head. ¡°No,¡± I stated firmly; there was no way I would allow her such privileges.


    ¡°Please¡­¡± Aunt Victoria begged, but I shook my head. ¡°No, Aunt, I¡¯m not doing that,¡± I dered firmly before getting up. I left the dining table and went to my chambers. Seated on the couch, I thought of Aunt Victoria¡¯s words, which angered me. I hate the fact that she would want Amanda to live a free life while she brutally killed my mate. The fact that she would suggest that angered me even more.


    ¡°Guard,¡± I called out to a guard, and he walked in.


    ¡°Go check on the prisoner and tell me what she is doing,¡± I said to the guard, who nodded before leaving.


    After he left, I groaned and ran a hand through my hair. I was feeling angry; she was the reason I couldn¡¯t get back the voice of my wolf. I should be living happily with Elisa if she didn¡¯t kill her out of jealousy.


    I wonder how she could look so innocent, like one who wouldn¡¯t hurt a fly but could murder her sister in cold blood. I knew her innocent look would easily deceive anyone that she was innocent, but it was definitely not me. I have seen and judged murder cases, and most of them seem and look innocent.


    A few minutester, the guard returned. ¡°She is sleeping in her cell.¡±


    Hearing that she was sleeping made me jealous and angry; she had the privilege to be alive, but I wouldn¡¯t let her sleep.


    ¡°The firework festival is tomorrow night, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Alpha,¡± the guard responded.Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Good,¡± I nodded. ¡°Have the woods for the fireworks been cut?¡±


    ¡°No, Alpha, but we are about to do that.¡±


    ¡°No need, give the work to her,¡± I said to the guards and saw the shock and confusion in his eyes.


    ¡°Yes, give her an axe and take her to the yard to cut the woods. Make sure she doesn¡¯t stop until she finishes it, or she faints,¡± I said to him, and he nodded. I could tell that he didn¡¯t support my decision, but he wouldn¡¯t dare counter my words. ¡°Now go.¡±


    He obeyed and left. A sigh escaped my lips as I rxed back on the couch and closed my eyes. I didn¡¯t know, nor could I exin, what was going on with me. I was practically turning into someone I couldn¡¯t recognize. My taste for revenge had turned me into something else, but it wasn¡¯t my fault; she brought out the worst in me.


    To clear my head, I decided to bury myself with some paperwork that had piled up for me. So I got up and went over to my desk. I picked up a file and began going through it, but my thoughts constantly drifted to her. No matter how hard I tried to ignore her or the thought of her, I couldn¡¯t. It seemed she had upied my entire mind, and I couldn¡¯t concentrate.


    After minutes of struggling to work, I couldn¡¯t, so I decided to drop the file and check on her in the yard.


    I left my chamber and made my way to the yard. Upon reaching the yard, I saw her a few steps away, her back turned against me, so she didn¡¯t notice I was standing there.


    I watched her lift the axe, which seemed heavy for her. She hit it on the big wood, but it didn¡¯t break because of the little force applied to it. She sighed, lifted the axe, and hit it with a strong force; this time, it made a crack, but it didn¡¯t break. I heard her make an exhausted sigh, and then she looked at the guards with pleading eyes, but they urged her to continue.


    Weakly, she lifted the axe to hit the wood, but suddenly, instead of the axe hitting the wood, itnded on her leg, and she shouted in pain. I didn¡¯t know when I involuntarily moved towards her, but I realized myself and stopped.


    I watched her wail in pain as she fell to the ground while blood gushed out of her legs. Such a sight of her suffering was supposed to satisfy me, but strangely, I wasn¡¯t. There was this strange feeling I couldn¡¯t exin. I watched her crying as she held her legs, but the guards didn¡¯t do a thing; instead, they just stood and watched.


    Turning around, I wanted to leave, but my feet were stuck to the ground. I couldn¡¯t take a step, no matter how hard I tried.


    ¡°Please help, it¡¯s painful.¡± Her loud sobs rang in my ear, and I waspelled to turn around and walk towards her.


    Reaching where she was, she looked at me with tear-soaked eyes, and an ufortable feeling hit my chest, causing me to look away. ¡°Go get the mansion physician,¡± I told a guard, who hurried away.


    Feeling uneasy, I looked at her bleeding legs and was unsettled by the sight of it. The wounds on her legs were so deep, and I could imagine the pain she was feeling. Settling my gaze on her, I noticed she was sobbing silently, not wanting her cries to be heard, and neither did she look my way; instead, she kept staring at the wounded leg with tears-soaked eyes.


    Soon, the doctor came and began attending to her wounds while I watched her. I wanted to leave, but somehow, I found my feet glued to the ground. I watched as the physician cleaned her injury and bandaged it.


    ¡°I think a healer should be called. The injury is deep. It will take weeks to heal,¡± the physician suggested, but I ignored her, and she left.


    After she left, I looked at Amanda, whose eyes were closed for a moment, but after that, she struggled to get up and picked up the axe.


    My brow furrowed. ¡°What are you doing?¡± I asked, but she ignored me and went over to the woods.


    ¡°Stop!¡± I yelled at her, but she ignored me and tried lifting the axe. But, I was quick to grab the axe from her and throw it away. She looked my way and red at me. ¡°What the fuck is your problem?¡± She asked, gritting her teeth. ¡°You asked me to cut the woods, and I¡¯m doing just that, so fuck off!¡± She spat with anger.


    ¡°How dare you!¡± A pnded on her face, but I wasn¡¯t the one who did it, the guard did.


    He grabbed her hair. ¡°Go down on your knees and apologize this minute,¡± he ordered as he forced her to go on her knees. She winced in agony as his firm grip tangled in her hair.


    ¡°Apologize now,¡± hemanded. I observed her slowly raise her head, anticipating an apology from her, but instead, she stunned me by spitting on my face. ¡°Here is your apology!¡±

 Stabbed myself

    Amanda¡¯s POV


    I couldn¡¯t exin why I did what I did, but out of impulse, I acted, and I regretted nothing.


    Bam! A pnded on my cheek, sending a series of pains down my body, but I didn¡¯t care; I was already getting used to it. The guardnded another one on me, sending me to the ground.


    ¡°Stop!¡± Alpha Edwardmanded the guard, who wanted tond more hits. Feeling frustrated and tired, I looked at Alpha Edward¡¯s face, and our nces interlocked. The anger in his eyes was evident, and I knew I was in deep trouble, but I couldn¡¯t care less. What would he do to me that he hadn¡¯t done before?


    ¡°Take her back to her cell,¡± he ordered, but that was not what I expected from him. Obeying his words, the guard yanked me up from the ground and dragged me away, not minding that I was badly injured.


    I was thrown into my cell gate while the guard red at me before leaving.


    Sighing with difort, I slowly sat on the floor and rested my back on the wall. The pain from my wounded leg was tormenting, and I began sweating profusely, but that wasn¡¯t my major concern. My major concern was Alpha Edward and what he would do to me. I knew I had dug my grave by spitting at him, and I just hoped he would kill me and set me free from this miserable life.


    Seconds became minutes, and minutes turned into hours, but there was no reaction from Alpha Edward. No guard hade to pick me up for my punishment, and the thought of that got me worried. I knew something was wrong, but I couldn¡¯t ce it.


    Night hade, and my cell was dim; I could barely see a thing. I slowly closed my eyes to get some rest, but suddenly, my gate opened, and two guards walked in and dragged me out.


    I didn¡¯t bother to struggle or question them; instead, I let them drag me. This time, they didn¡¯t take me to his private chambers; instead, they took me to a room on the fifth floor and without knocking, they opened the door and dragged me in. Entering the room, I saw Alpha Edward seated on a couch with a ss of wine in his hand, but what piqued my curiosity was that he wasn¡¯t the only one in the room, but four guards were also standing in a straight line.


    My eyes met Alpha Edward¡¯s, and he red at me.


    ¡°You have the guts to spit on me,¡± his tone sounded soft, but I could still feel the anger in his voice. He scoffed and sipped from the ss of whiskey in his hand, then looked at me. ¡°I will give you a punishment you will never forget in your life and in the life toe,¡± he threatened, and a gulp formed in my throat.


    I looked at the four guards and wondered what kind of punishment he would want to give me.


    ¡°Do you see these guards?¡± he asked, pointing at the four guards lined up. And I looked at them, recognizing one to be the guard who wanted to have sex with me and frame me.


    ¡°They will each have their way with you while I sit and watch.¡±


    My eyes widened, and I looked back at Alpha Edward.


    ¡°Yes, you heard me right. Each will brutally fuck you while I sit and watch,¡± he dered, and my body went numb. I couldn¡¯t believe what I was hearing.


    ¡°Now, strip!¡± he ordered, and I shook my head in fear. Having him fuck me was one thing I could take, but having his guards, four different men, have their way with me was something I wouldn¡¯t be able to bear.


    ¡°I will not repeat myself; strip!¡± he ordered, and I shook my head as tears trickled down my cheek.


    ¡°Please, no, please don¡¯t. I can take any punishment. You can ask them to flog, hit, or even kill me, but not this. I won¡¯t be able to live with this memory,¡± I pleaded with tears and saw him chuckle.


    ¡°That is exactly what I want. I told you, you will wish for death, but death will be so far from you. I want these men to have their way with you so that you will live with this tormenting memory for the rest of your miserable days on earth. Now, undress, or I will ask them to take you at once,¡± he threatened, and my whole body shook.


    I looked at the four men, who all stared at me like prey; they seemed so ready to devour me. With panting breath and tear-soaked eyes, I looked back at Alpha Edward, whose eyes were glowing with anger as he awaited me to start undressing.Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Do you want us to do it our way?¡± one of the guards asked, and my breath seized. I could take any torture, but not this.


    Out of impulse, I scanned the room, and my eyes fell on a knife ced on a fruit tray right before Alpha Edward. It seems he wants to have the fruit while he watches.


    Without having a second thought about it, I rushed and picked up the knife from the tray, and before anyone could get to me, I stabbed myself right in the left part of my chest, making sure it went deep right through my heart.


    ¡°No!¡± he yelled and got up while I fell to the ground with a smile of pain.


    He rushed to me and knelt beside me with an expression of fear in his eyes, which I couldn¡¯t understand.


    ¡°Get the healer, contact the healer!¡± he yelled with panic, but all I did was smile bitterly as the pain striking my heart was increasing.


    I could see the terror of fear in his eyes as he looked at me; obviously, he feared losing me to death; he knew death was a better option for me.


    ¡°How dare you!¡± he yelled with anger as he ced his hands on my bleeding chest to apply pressure.


    I chuckled in pain and smiled at him. ¡°You¡¯ve lost.¡±

 Don鈥檛 want her dead

    Alpha Edward¡¯s POV


    ¡°What is happening?¡± I impatiently asked the healer who was healing Amanda.


    ¡°Her heartbeat is slow, Alpha, and the fact that she doesn¡¯t want to be healed is limiting my abilities. I wonder how she could do that,¡± the healer murmured.


    Feeling uneasy, I stared at the unconscious body of Amanda. The healer has been able to stop the bleeding, but she hasn¡¯t been able to wake her up from thea.


    Feeling uneasy, I began walking around the room while I ran a hand through my hair. I didn¡¯t know why I was panicking; I was supposed to feel at rest, at least if she dies. It¡¯s an eye for an eye, but strangely, I didn¡¯t want her dead.


    I never had the intention of allowing my men to touch her. I will never allow them to fuck her; all I wanted to do was scare her a bit and watch her beg for mercy, but I never knew it would end this way.


    Turning to where shey, I noticed the healer reciting some incantations. I looked at the lifeless body of Amanda and wondered if she really wanted death so much. She sees death as freedom and will do anything to have it.


    ¡°Any sess?¡± I asked the healer, who shook her head, causing me to grunt and kick a side stool.


    ¡°Should I get another healer?¡± I asked, running out of patience.


    ¡°Apologies, Alpha, but there is nothing any healer can do. She really wishes for death, and it¡¯s stopping me from bringing her out of unconsciousness,¡± the healer responded, and I groaned frustrated.


    ¡°Then do something. There is something that has to be done.¡±


    The healer didn¡¯t say a word but continued her incantations while I watched, hopelessly waiting for a positive result.


    The door opened, and Aunt Victoria walked in. She looked my way with a disappointed look and then settled her gaze on Amanda.


    ¡°Is there any improvement?¡± She asked the healer, who sighed and shook her head. ¡°She is preventing me from using my healing abilities on her. I¡¯m confused about how she was able to do it,¡± the healerined, and I frowned. It was obvious she really wanted to die.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you connect with her through the mind link and ask her what her problem is?¡± Aunt Victoria suggested a good idea, but the healer shook her head. ¡°She is wolfless, so I can¡¯t telepath with her.¡±


    That came as a shock to me; all this while, I thought she had a wolf.


    Silence hung in the air as everyone was lost in their thoughts; there seemed to be no way out, and the only solution was to let her die.


    ¡°Alpha Edward,¡± Aunt called out to me, and I looked her way.


    ¡°She is dying, so this is a good thing for you, right?¡±


    ¡°No¡­ I don¡¯t want her dead,¡± I said with an uneasy feeling. ¡°She cannot die; I won¡¯t let her.¡±


    Aunt and the healer stared at me, confused at my outburst. I was also confused at my uneasiness; I couldn¡¯t exin why I was overreacting over this.


    ¡°Damn it!¡± I yelled and walked out of the room.


    Wanting to take some fresh air and calm my nerves, I decided to go over to the garden, a ce I always go whenever I need peace of mind.


    Sighing heavily, Iy on the grass on my back and shut my eyes. I inhaled deeply and released an exhausted breath.


    My thoughts were filled with Amanda and the thought of her not wanting to be healed; she must have really desired death to make such a drastic move of stabbing herself. Anger and difort enveloped me. I wish she could wake up and look at me right in the face and tell me she wanted death; heaven knows I will strangle those words out of her mouth.


    ¡°Damn it, why am I so worried?¡± I grunted out and ran a hand through my hair. I couldn¡¯t exin what was happening to me, but one thing is for sure: I don¡¯t want her dead; I can¡¯t let her die.


    Getting up from the grass, I hurried back to the room and met her, still unconscious.


    ¡°Amanda!¡± I called out as I got closer and took her hand, which was freezing.


    Panicked, I looked at the healer, who shook her head. ¡°She is gradually going,¡± the healer murmured, and my heart raced.


    ¡°Amanda, listen to me, you hear me, you cannot die on me; you have no right to die; I own you; I¡¯m your owner and husband!¡± I yelled out in panic. My palms were sweating, and I was reacting in a way I never imagined I would.


    ¡°I believe you can hear me, and I¡¯m asking you toe out of thea or else¡­¡± my threat hung in the air because I had nothing to threaten her with.


    I looked at Aunt Victoria and then at the healer before looking back at the lifeless body of Amanda.


    ¡°Please!¡± I pleaded, not believing I was saying it.


    ¡°You can¡¯t die; I don¡¯t want you to die.¡± My words were now pleas and notmands. My heart sank in my chest, a feeling I couldn¡¯t exin.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    Suddenly, I felt a slight tremble in her fingers. My heart skipped a beat as hope surged through me. Could she be responding to my words? Was she finally awakening from her unconscious state?


    ¡°Healer,¡± I called the attention of the healer. ¡°Her fingers,¡± I said, and the healer quickly touched her forehead. ¡°She is recovering; she is getting back her consciousness,¡± the healer announced, and I inhaled deeply.

 Who do you belong to to

    Amanda¡¯s POV


    ¡°You can¡¯t die. I don¡¯t want you to die!¡± Those pleading words echoed in my head as I slowly opened my eyes. I blinked my eyshes as it took me a few seconds to recognize where I actually was. I recognized the woman seated before me as the healer who healed me in the cell, and then I noticed Alpha Edward¡¯s aunt standing beside the healer.


    ¡°You are awake,¡± the healer sounded relieved, and out of curiosity, my eyes moved around the room and met those of Alpha Edward, who was leaning against the wall.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    I gulped in fear as I recalled what had happened. Unable to hold his gaze, I looked away and inspected my wounded chest, only to realize the injury was gone. My eyes went down to my wounded leg, and I realized it was also healed; even the bandages were gone, and all that was left was a tiny invisible mark.


    ¡°You gave me a hard time healing you. How were you able to resist my abilities?¡± The healer asked, and I looked up at her. ¡°Resist your healing abilities?¡± I asked, confused by her words.


    ¡°Yes, I tried healing you, but you were preventing me,¡± she said, and I furrowed my brow. ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you are saying,¡± I responded, confused by her ims.


    ¡°I want to be left alone with her,¡± Alpha Edward demanded, and I gulped in fear. My eyes met with the healer, and she gave me aforting smile before standing to her feet. Panicked and restless, I watched the two women leave, leaving me alone with Alpha Edward.


    ¡°How dare you?¡± He asked as he tried approaching me, but I quickly jumped out of bed and tried to run away. But, he was swift to grab me, pinned me to the wall, and lifted both of my hands above my head. Our faces were so close, and my heart raced with fear at the thought of what he was going to do to me.


    ¡°How dare you try to kill yourself?¡± He asked through gritted teeth, his eyes glowing with anger. ¡°Who gave you the right to take your life?¡± He yelled in my face, and my knees shook with fear. I would have fallen if not for his grip.


    ¡°You belong to me! I own you. I only have the right to take your life,¡± He muttered, and those words of his angered me.


    ¡°I don¡¯t belong to you. You don¡¯t own me!¡± I yelled back at him, not minding the circumstances of my words.


    His brow furrowed, and his eyes glowed with anger. ¡°Really?¡± He asked through gritted teeth, but I didn¡¯t give a response. ¡°Let¡¯s see about that,¡± unexpectedly, he lifted me from the floor and made me sit on the desk. He yanked away the dress I was wearing, tearing it off my body and tossing it to the floor. My heart raced as he went for the hook of my bra, unmped it, and took it off my chest. He didn¡¯t waste a second to tear off my underwear, leaving me totally naked.


    I gulped in fear as his eyes locked with mine. ¡°Now, I will show you who owns you,¡± he threatened and parted my thighs. My thighs shook as I felt his finger invading my pussy, and before I could react, he slid his finger in, and I gasped.


    ¡°Look at me,¡± he demanded, and I was forced to look at him. Our eyes locked as he began fondling his finger inside me, and soon he added another finger, and I gasped, our gaze still interlocked.


    ¡°Now, who do you belong to?¡± He asked as he shoved his fingers deeply inside me.


    ¡°No one!¡± I responded and heard him groan. He fingered me aggressively, and I gasped with difort.


    ¡°Who do you belong to?¡± He asked again.


    ¡°No¡­¡± my words were cut short when he unexpectedly mmed his lips against mine. My eyes widened, and I tried to pull away, but his lips were tightly pressed to mine, and he wasn¡¯t letting go. His fingers shoved inside my pussy while he bit my lips, forcing me to involuntarily open my mouth for him to invade. This was my first kiss, and I never imagined it this way.


    He kissed me roughly and hungrily, invading every part of my mouth. He sucked my tongue, my lips, and every part of my mouth, but I didn¡¯t respond or kiss him back.


    I heard him groan and broke the kiss. His green, piercing eyes were filled with anger, hatred, and lust. He leaned closer to my neck and began cing kisses there while he rubbed his fingers in my pussy. ¡°Ahh!!¡± That came out as a moan to me, unknowingly. My moan must have triggered him because he moved his fingers faster inside me, and I gasped.


    Moving away from my neck, our gaze interlocked. ¡°Who do you belong to?¡± He asked, but I wouldn¡¯t give him the satisfaction of hearing what he wanted.


    ¡°No one!¡±


    Grunting, he took his fingers out of me and went for the zip of his jeans. As my heart raced, I watched as he pulled down his jeans alongside his underwear, revealing his massive dick to me. My heart skipped; it was the first time I was seeing his dick and, goodness, I was right when I imagined it to be eight inches.


    He didn¡¯t give me a chance to think when he parted my thighs wider and held his dick. At first, he was slow when he thrust inside of me, and the moment he was entirely in, I gasped; his length was too big that I felt my pussy walls mp against it.


    My eyes met with his, and we stared into each other¡¯s eyes. I don¡¯t know what he was thinking as he held my gaze, but I noticed the anger in his eyes had died down, and it was reced by something I couldn¡¯t ce.


    Unexpectedly, he crashed his lips into mine, begging for ess to go in, and voluntarily, I opened my lips for him. He kissed me hungrily and began thrusting. I groaned in between the kiss and felt him move faster as his two hands grabbed my boobs and squeezed them.


    The kiss was quick as he broke it and held my gaze. ¡°Who do you belong to?¡± He demanded but got no response from me.


    My silence triggered him, and he increased his pace as he squeezed my nipples, causing me to whine in difort. ¡°Who do you belong to?¡± He demanded and still got no response from me.


    Again, my silence angered him, and he increased his pace, his fingers squeezing my nipples. I eximed and gasped at the effect of his thrusts, but he increased it more that I felt the table would break due to the impact of his thrust.


    ¡°Who do you belong to?¡± He demanded, his thrust faster than ever. I knew I would pass out if I didn¡¯t give him what he wanted.


    ¡°Who?¡±


    ¡°You!¡± I choked on my words.


    ¡°Say it again!¡± He demanded, his thrust getting harder.


    ¡°I belong to you. I¡¯m yours Alpha Edward,¡± I cried out and heard him moan.


    ¡°Again,¡± he demanded, his grip on my boobs getting softer.


    I belong to you, Alpha Edward,¡± I gasped as he sealed our lips together. I opened my mouth, allowing him to have his way. But this time, the kiss was gentle and tender. It felt like he wasn¡¯t the one kissing, but rather, I was being kissed by someone else. He moaned between the kisses, and his thrusts became slower, rhyming with the pace of his kiss. He kissed so perfectly that for a second, I forgot everything around me and responded to the kiss. I kissed him back, moaning and wanting more of his lips. I wasn¡¯t a good kisser, but he sure was, and I couldn¡¯t stop myself from moaning as we deepened the kiss.


    Suddenly, he broke the kiss and pulled out of me. ¡°Fuck!¡± he groaned, beginning to stroke his dick as he poured his seed on the floor. This was the third time he had fucked me, but this was the first time he had released. He kept groaning as he released his cum, while I just watched, not believing what had just happened.

 Spell

    Alpha Edward¡¯s POV


    I groaned onest time as I released my seeds. The pleasure I felt was second to none, and I couldn¡¯t believe I experienced it from ady I hate. Looking her way, our eyes interlocked, but she swallowed nervously and looked away. I grunted and put back on my things. Then, I looked at her one more time before leaving the room.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    ¡°Tell a maid to get her a new dress. After she is dressed, you can take her back to her cell,¡± I told a guard, who nodded as he set to do the task. But I called him back. ¡°Don¡¯t drag her; allow her to walk to her cell,¡± I instructed before walking away.


    I arrived at my chamber and copsed on the couch. A tired sigh left my lips as I massaged my forehead. My head was buzzing with thoughts, making me go crazy. So many things didn¡¯t seem right, and one of them was the uneasy feeling I had in my chest when I thought she was dying. As if that weren¡¯t enough, I couldn¡¯t exin why my heart fluttered with joy when I saw her open her eyes; it felt unreal. Then, to worsen it all, was the pleasurable sex I just had. How could I feel so much pleasure fucking a woman I was supposed to hate? How could I enjoy the sex so much that I released as never before?


    ¡°Damn!¡± I groaned. Something doesn¡¯t seem right, or was I under a spell? Because that was the only exnation or excuse I coulde up with.


    My thoughts drifted to Elisa, and my heart broke. I wondered what she would think of me, her mate, fucking thedy who murdered her and enjoying it. She would be so disappointed in me, and I knew I had failed her. Rubbing my hand on my face, I groaned in regret and got up. I was sweaty, so I undressed and cooled off in the bathtub.


    Seated inside the bathtub, I eximed in relief as I rested my head on the headrest of the tub and shut my eyes. My mind was filled with a particr person, and no matter how much I wanted to forget her, I just couldn¡¯t; she kept tormenting me with images of her. I groaned, feeling guilty. My supposed mate was lying cold in her grave, but here I was, thinking of her killer. What kind of mate was I?


    ¡°Damn it!¡± I grunted, opened my eyes, and began washing myself. After I was done, I left the bathroom and dressed in a simple outfit. I got settled on the couch, but just then, a knocknded on my door, and I grunted, annoyed at the presence of the person knocking.


    ¡°Come in, Aunt,¡± I said; I had already picked up her scent.


    The door opened, and Aunt walked in. Our gaze met, but I looked away. She took the couch right across from me, and silence hung in the air for a while before she spoke.


    ¡°I noticed the way you reacted when you thought she was dying.¡±


    I raised a brow at her. ¡°It makes me feel relieved knowing your kind-hearted heart is still in ce.¡±


    I groaned and looked away.


    ¡°It was obvious you were really worried about her, and that¡¯s why I want to ask you again: why don¡¯t you take her out of that cell?¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± I interrupted Aunt Victoria.


    She shrugged her shoulders. ¡°Like I said, I don¡¯t think she will survive in that cell. If you truly want her alive, then why don¡¯t you ce her among the domestic servants? She can be a maid; at least that is better than being locked up in that terrible ce,¡± Aunt Victoria pleaded, but I shook my head. I have made a mistake, and I won¡¯t make another.


    ¡°My answer remains the same: I will not release her out of that cell,¡± I stated firmly.


    Aunt Victoria nced at me, and I knew she wanted to say something, but she held back her words and got up.


    ¡°I will leave you to think about it.¡± With those words, she turned and left my room.


    I frowned at her words, wondering why she was so bent on me releasing Amanda out of the cell, but there was no way I was doing that.


    Wanting to get my mind off the troubling thoughts, I decided to mind-link with my beta.


    ¡°Where are you?¡± I asked him the moment we connected.


    ¡°I am at thebat ground, having some sessions with the warriors,¡± he responded, and I nodded.


    ¡°I will be on my way,¡± I said and ended the mind link.


    I left my room, descended the stairs, and left the mansion. When the men guarding the mansion saw me, they all approached me.


    ¡°Clinton,¡± I called to my driver, ¡°take me to thebat ground,¡± I said to Clinton, who nodded and went for a car. He picked up the ck Ford and opened the back seat for me, but I declined and opened the front seat door. After getting in, Clinton closed the door, got into the driver¡¯s seat and started the car.


    As he drove out of the mansion, I realized that for the past four days, I hadn¡¯t been out of the mansion. I sighed and rested my back on the car¡¯s headrest; I wanted some fresh air, so I pulled down the car window before inhaling deeply.


    I closed my eyes, and all that had happened in the past four years reyed in my head. I wished everything was a dream and that I would wake up from it and realize everything was back like they were, but unfortunately, I knew these were no dreams but reality.


    We reached the training camp, and I got out of the car. Making my way into the camp, some of the warriors who saw me bowed their heads, and all I did was nod to their greetings as I went to look for Matthew.


    I met him talking to the head warrior, and when they noticed me, they bowed.


    ¡°Wee, Alpha,¡± Philip, the head warrior, greeted me, and I nodded.


    ¡°How are things going on here?¡± I asked. I have been away from the pack duties for a while, and I was curious to know how things were going.


    ¡°Everything is fine, Alpha; we just got recruits,¡± Philip announced, and I nodded.


    ¡°I will speak with them before I leave,¡± I told Philip and signalled Matthew to follow me.


    We walked to where the men were training; some were training in their wolf form, while some were in their human form. But for the past four years, I rarely shifted into my wolf, not because I couldn¡¯t but because I felt my wolf was dead since we don¡¯tmunicate.


    ¡°Is everything alright?¡± Matthew asked, and I sighed. ¡°Train with me,¡± I said and threw a spear to him, which he caught.


    I took off my shirt and was left with my jeans pants. Matthew and I stood before each other, and we began to train. Matthew is a good fighter, but unfortunately, he wasn¡¯t a match for me when ites to skills and tactics, and everyone knows that.


    We trained for several hours until I called it a day and went for my shirt. After putting it on, I addressed the recruits before heading back to the car, with Matthew tagging along.


    ¡°You don¡¯t seem okay,¡± he sounded concerned, and I sighed.


    ¡°I will take care of it, so don¡¯t worry,¡± I said to him, and he nodded, knowing I didn¡¯t like being bombarded with questions.


    ¡°The firework festival is tomorrow, and as usual, we allow the prisoners to celebrate with us. Are you still allowing it this year? So I could inform all cells to get their prisoners ready?¡± Matthew asked, and I nodded.


    ¡°It¡¯s the same as usual; just tell the men to take all precautionary measures.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    ¡°Alright, see youter.¡±


    Clinton drove me back to the mansion, and when we arrived, I walked into the sitting room, surprised to see Levi seated on the sofa with a ss of wine in his hand.


    ¡°Hello, cousin,¡± he greeted me with his usual annoying smile, and I groaned, irritated by his presence.

 Why is he here

    Alpha Edward¡¯s POV


    With a raised brow, I stared at him as I went to a couch, sat, and looked his way.


    He gave me that annoying smile he knew I hated so much. He surely knew I would never want him around me, but then he was my cousin, the son of my aunt.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± I asked, making sure I sounded displeased to see him.


    ¡°Come on, aren¡¯t you happy to see me?¡± He asked, and I groaned. He surely knew I never wanted to see him, and I was only putting up with his presence because of Aunt Victoria.


    ¡°I will ask you again, what are you doing here uninvited and unannounced?¡± I asked, already losing my temper.


    He smiled and took a sip of his drink before holding my gaze. ¡°It¡¯s been four years, man. Why can¡¯t you let go of it?¡±


    I groaned and clenched my fists while trying my best to hold myself from bursting out.


    ¡°Why are you here, Levi?¡± I demanded. ¡°Calm down, bro.¡±


    ¡°I am not your bro. Stop calling me that,¡± I yelled at him, and he lifted both hands in a sign of surrender.


    ¡°Apologies, Alpha Edward,¡± he said, and I groaned.


    ¡°I just came to attend the firework festival, and after that, I will return to my hole where I crawled from,¡± he smirked, and I sneered. Heaven knows I wish to punch him in the face and send him away, but then I had to hold myself; he was also from this pack and had the right to attend the fireworks¡¯ festival.


    ring at him, we held each other¡¯s gaze for a long time, and then I rose to my feet. ¡°Make sure you leave after that,¡± I warned before walking away.


    I took the stairs and walked into the room. With an exhausted sigh, I took off my clothes and took a cold bath. After bathing, I dressed casually and buried myself in some paperwork. But constantly, my thoughts would drift to a certain person in the cell, and I would groan.


    I thought of the softness of her lips, not believing I could kiss her. Up to this moment, I couldn¡¯t understand why I kissed her and why I enjoyed it so much. ¡°Damn it!¡± I groaned and ran a hand through my hair.


    ¡°What is wrong with you?¡± I sighed and shook off the thought of her.


    I continued working, and after hours of burying myself in work, I decided to stop for the day.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    A knocknded on my door, and a maid announced dinner was ready.


    Leaving my room, I took the stairs to the dining area and met Aunt Victoria and Levi. For a moment, I had forgotten that Levi was in the mansion. I took my seat, and Aunt Victoria smiled; she seemed happy to see me at the table.


    ¡°You look exhausted. Have you been working?¡± she asked, and I hummed.


    ¡°That¡¯s a good one,¡± she smiled, and we ate.


    I tried as best as I could to ignore the presence of Levi; at least, I had to do it for Aunt. We ate in silence until Levi broke the silence.


    ¡°ept my apology; I heard you lost your second chance mate.¡± I groaned at his words but ignored him while I continued eating.


    ¡°You are a special being, so I believe you will be privileged to get another mate. That will be mate number three, wow!¡± He eximed, and I grunted, dropped my spoon, and red at him. There were so many things I wished to do to him, but I looked at Aunt Victoria, who was giving me a pleading look, and I had to hold back myself.


    ¡°Good night, Aunt,¡± I said and left the table. I took the stairs and went back to my room. Reaching my room, I took a deep breath and calmed my nerves. After seeding in calming my nerves, Iy back on the bed and forced my eyes closed.


    The painful event that happened four years ago flooded my memory, and my heart ached. I wished I could turn back the hands of time and make everything right, but I knew that was impossible.     The next morning, after showering, I requested my breakfast to be brought into my room. After breakfast, I began working on some files and documents. Momentster, a knocknded on my door, and I asked the person in, already perceiving it as Matthew.


    ¡°Good morning, Alpha,¡± he greeted.


    ¡°Good morning, Matthew,¡± I responded, my eyes not leaving the file in my hand.


    ¡°I see you have resumed working, but won¡¯t youe to the office instead? It¡¯s still in the mansion, you know,¡± he requested, but I rolled my eyes and didn¡¯t respond. When he realized I wouldn¡¯t respond to his request, he let go of it.


    ¡°I came to inform you that Alpha Khalid is attending the fireworks; he wants to speak with you.¡±


    ¡°What for?¡± I asked, not interested in meeting him.


    ¡°The reason for his meeting is unknown; he says it¡¯s a private discussion between you two.¡±


    I scoffed and looked up at Matthew. ¡°What do you think?¡± I asked, and Matthew shrugged his shoulders before taking a seat.


    ¡°Maybe for a business deal?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± I responded.


    ¡°Well then, let¡¯s wait and see.¡± I nodded to his words and returned to the file in my hand.


    ¡°I saw Levi on my way here.¡±


    I sighed. ¡°He will be gone after the fireworks,¡± I told Matthew, who sneered.


    ¡°I wonder how he could still show up here, bastard!¡± He grunted. ¡°If I were you, I would have banished him from entering this pack.¡±


    ¡°You know I would have done that a long time ago, but I¡¯m letting him go because of my aunt. It will hurt her, and I don¡¯t want that,¡± I stated, and Matthew grunted.


    ¡°Lucky bastard,¡± he sighed and got up, ready to leave. ¡°I will alert the guards to watch him closely; heaven knows what ns he wants to hatch.¡± I nodded to Matthew¡¯s suggestion. ¡°I have a lot of things to attend to; see youter,¡± he said before leaving.

 Challenged

    Alpha Edward¡¯s POV


    The festival drew a crowd just as expected. Every member of the pack, even those from far away, came for the festival, and the field was so crowded.


    Making my way to where I would be seated with other deities, everyone who saw me bowed their heads, and I exchanged greetings with some childhood friends before getting to my seat. I exchanged greetings with my gammas and council of elders and then a few alphas who attended before taking my seat, which looked like a throne.


    After settling down, I dered the festival to begin, and drums began to y. It was a cultural festival, so only local drums and instruments were used. As the drums yed, dancers began to dance around the fire while people cheered and watched.


    After the dancers entertained us, the next set of people to entertain us were the warriors. They showcased their skills, and soon the wrestling began. Some fought in their human form, while some in their wolf form. The winners won prizes, which were given to them by Matthew.


    My eyes scanned around, and I noticed Levi standing in a corner, but he seemed lost as his eyes were fixed on something. Curious to know what he was staring at, I looked in the direction of his eyes, and that was when it dawned on me that he was staring at Amanda. For a second, I had forgotten that she would be out for the festival.


    She was standing where other prisoners were lined up. Her clothes were clean and neat, and her hair was neatly packed. Although she was wearing the clothing of the prisoners, and her both hands were chained, yet she still stood out among the crowd; her beauty was something that could easily spot her out in the midst of the crowd. Her eyes were lowered to the ground, and it was obvious she didn¡¯t seem interested in the festival.


    My eyes moved back to the direction of Levi, and I noticed he was still lustfully staring at her, his gaze fixed on her.


    A sudden rush of jealousy and possessiveness enveloped me, and I gritted my teeth while ring at him. For a long moment, his eyes never left her, and I knew that was not a good sign. I know Levi and the things he was capable of doing.


    ¡°Guard,¡± I called the head guard who was standing right behind me. ¡°Tell some guards to keep a close eye on my prisoner. They should make sure Levi doesn¡¯t talk or meet with her. If Levi insists on seeing her or getting close to her, tell him it is my order that he shouldn¡¯t get close to her,¡± I stated firmly, and the head guard nodded.


    I rxed back on my throne and tried to pay attention to the events of the festival, but I couldn¡¯t. Constantly, I would look in Levi¡¯s way and then at Amanda, who hadn¡¯t taken her eyes off the ground.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Finally, the important event of the night came, where I would have to fight anyone who would challenge. Rising to my feet, the crowd roared, and I began taking off my shirt, handed it to a guard, and then I took off my shoes, my wristwatch, and chains.


    I went to the center of the field, and the deration was made, challenging anyone tobat with me, but the field was silent as no one stood out. As usual, they knew I would win, so no one wanted to disgrace themselves bying out.


    ¡°I will challenge you, Alpha Edward,¡± Levi dered as he stood out of the crowd. I red at him, but I smiled within me; this was a good chance to teach him some lessons.


    The drums began to y as he took off his shirt and shoes. But as he made his way toward me, he was stopped by Matthew who stood before him, requesting that he has to be searched to make sure he didn¡¯t have anything with him. Levi red at Matthew, but Matthew ignored him and began searching Levi, making sure Levi had nothing on him before allowing him to get close to me.


    The fight began, and I picked up a spear, and Levi did the same. As the drums intensified their rhythm, I gripped the spear tightly, focusing on Levi, who stood before me, determined to prove himself, Which I knew was a silly act from him because there was no way I would let him win. With each step he took, I could feel the anticipation in the air, the crowd holding their breath as the sh between us seemed imminent.


    Levi lunged forward, his movements swift and calcted, but I anticipated his every move, dodging his strikes with ease. With a swift maneuver, I disarmed him, sending his spear ttering to the ground.


    The crowd erupted into cheers, but I remained focused, knowing that Levi was a smart fighter. Closing in on Levi, I seized the opportunity to demonstrate my skills. With a powerful thrust, I knocked him off bnce, sending him sprawling to the ground. I didn¡¯t rush to attack him like I would have done; I didn¡¯t want the fight to end so soon.


    Levi spat on the ground, stood on his feet, and red at me. I noticed he didn¡¯t go for his spear, which meant he wanted us to fight with our bare hands, which was another mistake from him; I wasn¡¯t named the Alpha of Strength for nothing.


    With a confident smirk, I epted his challenge to fight bare-handed. Levi rushed to make an attack, but I dodged it and hit him a blow on his back. He groaned and tried to return my blow, but I was swift to move away andnded another blow on his stomach.


    The crowd cheered at my moves. Levi¡¯s attempts to match my skill were futile, his attacks easily dodged and countered. With each blow Inded, the crowd¡¯s cheers grew louder.


    There were so many things I could have done to him, but I stopped myself from doing them because of my aunt.


    Getting fed up with the fight, I decided to wrap it up. So I allowed him to get close to me, and just when he was about to send a blow, I skillfully dodged and pushed him to the ground. Swiftly, I climbed on him, and I wrapped my hands around his neck. As Levi struggled beneath me, I tightened my grip, wishing I could strangle him to death for what he did years ago, but I held back my rage. The crowd fell silent, watching the intense struggle between us. Levi¡¯s eyes widened with panic, realizing he was at my mercy. He was a fool to think he could actually win me in a fight.


    ¡°Submit,¡± I growled, my voice low andmanding. For a moment, Levi hesitated, his pride warring with the reality of his defeat. But then, with a defeated nod, he acknowledged his defeat. Releasing my hold, I stood up and red at him.


    ¡°You were lucky this time, but next time you won¡¯t,¡± I said in a tone only he could hear. The crowd erupted into cheers once again, celebrating my victory. I nced over at Amanda, who held my gaze, but unlike the crowd, she didn¡¯t seem excited or interested in my victory.

 His cousin

    Amanda¡¯s POV


    I could hear the crowd¡¯s excitement when Alpha Edward was dered the winner, and I wasn¡¯t even surprised by it. I already knew in my heart that he would win from the beginning of the match.


    When our eyes met, I looked away, wondering why he was staring at me. When I was sure he wasn¡¯t looking my way anymore, I returned my gaze and realized he had returned to his throne. I saw him talking to a man, and I had to look away and scan my eyes around the multitude of the crowd. My eyes met with a few people, and they stared at me with disgust-not only me, but they stared at all the prisoners with disgust.


    Ignoring their hateful re, I looked away, and my eyes met with a strange man. He was staring at me, but not with anger; instead, he had a smug look, which I found odd. With a raised brow, I stared back at him, and he lifted a finger and waved it at me. Frowning, I looked away, wondering why he was waving at me. I focused my attention on the other events, making sure I didn¡¯t look in Alpha Edward¡¯s direction.


    Soon, the events ended, and everyone began to dance while some began to chat with each other. I sighed and wished I was somewhere else.


    ¡°Follow me,¡± two guards instructed, and I raised a brow at them because I knew it wasn¡¯t time for the prisoners to return to their cells. ¡°Come along,¡± they dragged me along, and I had to follow them. Maybe Alpha Edward wants me back in my cell. We were supposed to return to where the truck was parked that brought me here, but we didn¡¯t. Instead, they led me to a corner, a bit away from the crowd. ¡°Where are you taking me?¡± I asked, but they didn¡¯t respond.


    Panic rose within me, but I shook it off. What was the worst that could happen that hadn¡¯t happened before? I wasn¡¯t scared of anything, not even death. We stopped, and they let go of me.


    Wondering what was happening, I looked at the men, but they ignored me and looked away. We waited for a few seconds, and suddenly, I felt a presence behind me, I had to turn around only to see the strange man who had been staring at me standing before me. He revealed a smug smile and signalled the men to give us some privacy, which they obediently did. I stared at the men who stood a few steps away from us and then back at him, wondering who he was and why the guards would obey his words.


    ¡°Hi, Amanda!¡± He greeted me, and my brow creased; he even knew my name.


    ¡°Who¡­¡± I started, but he cut me off.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be quick with what I have to say.¡± He took steps closer to me, but I took a step backwards away from him.


    ¡°Rx,¡± he demanded, but I gulped.


    ¡°I heard you are a condemned criminal. You killed the mate of my cousin, Alpha Edward,¡± he said, and then I realized he was Alpha Edward¡¯s cousin. No wonder he couldmand the guards to bring me here.


    ¡°I can set you free,¡± he said, and I raised a brow.


    ¡°Yes, I can,¡± he repeated his words, and I stared at him with disbelief, wondering what he was driving at.


    ¡°And why would you want to do that?¡± I asked, confused by his words.


    ¡°Because I want you,¡± he dered, and I frowned.


    ¡°Want me?¡± I asked, confused by his words.


    ¡°Yes. I want you,¡± he dered, his brown eyes filled with lust and hunger for me. I shook my head and tried to take a step backwards, but he was swift to wrap his arms around my waist and pull me to himself.


    ¡°Let go of me,¡± I yelled as I struggled to free myself from his grip, but it was useless; I was no match for him.


    ¡°Calm down,¡± he demanded. ¡°I heard you are Edward¡¯s ything, but don¡¯t worry; I will satisfy you more than him. You know I¡¯m quite good in bed, and that¡¯s why he-¡±


    ¡°And what is going on here?¡± The familiar voice of Alpha Edward roared from behind me.


    I jerked in fear while he let go of me. Turning around, I met eyes with a furious Alpha Edward, staring right at me. Cold shivers ran down my spine, and I had to look away.


    ¡°Why is she here? Who brought her here?¡± He questioned the guards, and they all fell to their knees.


    ¡°Your cousin, Sir Levi,manded us to bring her here¡­¡±This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°And you did,¡± he grabbed one by the neck and punched him in the face. ¡°How dare you? How dare you disobey me? Didn¡¯t your head guard tell you of my instructions?¡± Alpha Edward asked with anger.


    ¡°We are sorry¡­¡±


    ¡°Keep shut. You two are going to pay for your disobedience and stupidity.¡± He let go of the guard and turned to look at me. Our gazes met, but I gulped in fear and looked away.


    ¡°Take her back to her cell,¡± he instructed the guards, who grabbed me and took me away. This time, I was put in a truck, and they drove me back to the mansion.


    The handcuffs were removed, and I was locked back in my cold, dark cell.


    I sighed and rested my back on the wall.


    My wrists were hurting due to the tightness of the handcuffs. I remained in that position, reflecting on my life and past events. I thought of Alpha Edward and wondered if he would one day recognize me as his actual mate, but even if that dayes, I don¡¯t think I will want anything to do with him anymore.


    The unlocking of my cell gate grabbed my attention, and two guards walked in. ¡°Alpha Edward demands your presence,¡± they said, taking hold of my arms. I was led to the door of his room, and they knocked before asking me to enter.


    Feeling uneasy, I grasped the doorknob and pushed the door open. Stepping inside, I closed the door and turned to see Alpha Edward standing on his feet, his back against the wall. Our gazes met, and I swallowed in fear.


    ¡°Who do you belong to?¡± he threw that unexpected question at me. I gulped and stared at him, wondering why he would ask such a question.


    ¡°Answer the damn question,¡± his voice raised. Feeling uneasy, I swallowed nervously, not knowing why he was asking this.


    ¡°Don¡¯t keep me waiting,¡± he demanded in an outburst.


    ¡°You, I belong to you,¡± I blurted out in panic, scared of what all this was leading to.


    ¡°And why were you with him? Why did you allow him to touch you? Why?¡± he yelled while I swallowed in fear. ¡°Do you also want him to fuck you? Are you that desperate for a dick? He used me, and I frowned. ¡°Since you are so desperate, why don¡¯t I give you one? Strip,¡± He ordered.

 Strange feelings

    Alpha Edward¡¯s POV


    I watched her gulp at my words as we held each other¡¯s gaze. I thought she would hesitate as usual, but surprisingly, she didn¡¯t; instead, she went for the zipper of her dress, zipped it down, and took it off, leaving her in her underwear. Without wasting another moment, she took off her underwear and stood naked before me.


    My eyes surveyed her naked form, and the thing between my thighs jerked in anticipation. Taking a deep breath, I sipped my drink and continued staring at her naked form while I recalled what had happened a moment ago. Seeing her with Levi got me so jealous that no matter how hard I tried to ignore it, I couldn¡¯t. So many silly thoughts were going through my head; I imagined them together, and the thought brought an ufortable feeling to my chest-a sense of possessiveness and protectiveness.


    ¡°Crawl on your knees to me,¡± I demanded, and I saw her go down on her knees with no hesitation, which was new. With raised brows, I watched her obediently crawl to me and stop when she reached where I stood.


    Slowly, she lifted her eyes and looked at me, allowing me to look into her beautiful eyes. As I stared at her, I realized I was so mesmerized by her eyes that I had to groan and look away.


    ¡°Unzip my pants,¡± I instructed. As if she already knew that was my next word, she quickly went for the zip of my pants, unzipped it, and waited for the next instruction. I looked down at her, wondering why she was acting so obedient. There was something strange about her obedient attitude, and I was a bit ufortable with it.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    I looked at her, and she looked back at me. ¡°Take it out,¡± I demanded, and obediently, she went for my dick and took it out of my pants. I watched her swallow uneasily when my dick was disyed to her. ¡°Suck,¡± I ordered.


    She obediently wrapped her hand around my dick, got closer to me, and then swallowed my dick into her mouth. A groan of satisfaction escaped my mouth at the wetness of her mouth. Slowly, she began to suck my dick while her hand stroked it. A moan of satisfaction left my lips, and I took hold of her hair while urging her to go faster.


    She increased her pace, but I groaned and began fucking her mouth while choking her with my length. My hardness grew, and I increased my pace while grunting and gritting my teeth in an attempt to stop myself from moaning. Realizing I was about to cum, I pulled out of her and groaned.


    ¡°Goy on the bed,¡± I told her, and she looked up at me, confused. ¡°The bed?¡± she asked, and I grunted.


    Impatiently, I lifted her from the floor and threw her onto the bed. Our gazes interlocked as I took off my shirt and pants, leaving me naked. Getting on the bed, I lowered myself above her and stared into her eyes. She looked a bit scared, but not as scared as I expected. Moving my gaze away, I settled them on her lips and saw her nervously lick them. ¡°Damn it!¡± I groaned and sealed her lips with mine. Willingly, she opened her lips for me to slide my tongue in. We kissed deeply, and I couldn¡¯t stop myself from moaning between the kisses. I savored every part of her lips, wanting more of it. Realizing she was out of breath, I broke the kiss and stared into her eyes. Damn, she has the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen on anyone. I became so mesmerized by her eyes that I found myself staring at her for a long time, but when I realized myself, I groaned and looked away.


    I didn¡¯t bother to go any further, but rather got down from her and sat on the bed. ¡°Dress and leave,¡± I said, my back against her. She left the bed, picked up her things, put them on, and without saying a word to me, she left.


    I ran a hand through my hair and grunted. I couldn¡¯t wrap my head around what was happening to me-the strange feeling and the sudden rush of emotion. This was a girl I was supposed to hate, a girl I was supposed to torture, but here I was, having the urge to kiss her. My sex with her was supposed to be nothing but torture, but what I was doing with her a moment ago was far from anything called torture; I was passionately kissing her and even moaning about it.


    ¡°Damn it,¡± I sighed and got up. I picked up my clothes and got dressed before leaving the room.


    Taking the stairs to the sitting room, I met Levi having a drink, and I frowned while making my way to him. ¡°Levi, we have to talk,¡± I demanded as I sat across from him. ¡°What is it, cousin?¡± he asked, his annoying smile stered on his face. I hated the mere sight of him and was trying to hold back my rage.


    ¡°What do you want from Amanda?¡± I asked, and he chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m not joking, Levi.¡±


    ¡°No one said you were,¡± he responded with another chuckle, and I got up, moved over to him, and pulled him up on his feet. Our eyes met, and I saw him staring back at me with a victorious grin.


    ¡°Stay away from her!¡± I demanded, and he chuckled loudly, causing my blood to boil. ¡°What, cousin? Why are you so bothered about a condemned prisoner?¡± he questioned, and I gnashed my teeth while holding my emotions from exploding. ¡°Or¡­¡± he raised a brow at me. ¡°Are you scared that I will take your little ything away from you, just like I took Veronica away?¡±


    ¡°Damn you!¡± I yelled and punched him right in the face.

 Veronica

    Alpha Edward¡¯s POV


    He freed himself from my grip and wiped off the bloodstain from his lips due to the cut my punch gave him. Burning with anger, I red at him, wishing I could kill him at that moment, but I knew that would be a grave mistake on my part.


    ¡°When will you ept it, cousin? When will you ept that Veronica never loved you? It was I she loved, and her death wasn¡¯t my fault. I didn¡¯t force her to go on that trip with me; she came on her own will. Why can¡¯t you ept that fact?¡± He spat in my face, and I lost control. Grabbing him by the cor of his shirt, I mmed his back against the wall and red at him, my fangs out and ready to strike.


    ¡°How dare you?¡± I yelled angrily, and all he did was chuckle at my words. ¡°And what will you do, dear cousin? Will you kill me?¡± He challenged with a sneer. I grunted with rage, anger boiling inside of me.


    ¡°What is going on?¡± I heard Aunt Victoria¡¯s voice behind me, and I grunted.


    ¡°Alpha Edward, Levi? What is going on?¡± She asked with uneasiness as she rushed towards us. When she got to where we stood, she held my hands and looked at me with pleading eyes. ¡°Can you please stop it? He is still your brother¡­¡±


    ¡°He is not!¡± I yelled. ¡°He ceased to be my brother when he betrayed me four years ago!¡± I yelled and let go of him. Grunting angrily, I left the sitting room and left the mansion.


    ¡°Are you going somewhere?¡± one of my men asked as I approached the gate, but I ignored him and walked out. It waste, and the night was freezing. Ignoring the temperature of the night, I walked into the dark woods. Upon reaching the woods, I removed my clothes and shifted into my wolf, something I hadn¡¯t done for months. I hated shifting into my wolf because I felt my wolf was dead. I couldn¡¯t im to have a wolf whom I couldn¡¯t feel ormunicate with.


    Howling loudly, I began racing around the woods with no particr direction. I continued racing as memories reyed in my head. I recalled the first day I met Veronica, my first mate. I was just 21, and Levi was 20. As cousins should be, we were so close and practically did everything together.


    That fateful day, we went to a birthday party, and at that party, my wolf alerted me that my mate was present. I met Veronica, and it was love at first sight. She had brown eyes, brown hair, and a fair, slender body. She was everything I wanted my mate to be, and the moment I realized she was mine, I was overjoyed.


    I loved her with everything in me, but I never knew such tragedy would befall me. Feeling exhausted, I stopped racing and returned to where my clothes were kept. After shifting into my human form, I put back on my clothes and walked out of the woods. Exiting the woods, I realized Matthew and a few men were waiting for me.


    ¡°Why are you here?¡± I grunted.


    ¡°The men informed me that you left with no guard, and you don¡¯t look well, so I had toe to make sure you are okay,¡± Matthew responded, and I frowned, walking away. Realizing that I wasn¡¯t in the mood to talk, Matthew remained silent until we got into the living room, where Aunt Victoria was seated on the couch waiting for me.


    ¡°You are back,¡± she sounded relieved to see me.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be in my room,¡± I murmured and began climbing the stairs. Upon reaching my room, I sat on my bed, and my eyes fell on a picture frame on my desk. I picked it up, and with teary eyes, I nced at the picture frame. It was a picture of my parents. A painful smile appeared on my face as I thought of them and how they were taken away from me by a ghastly car ident. Just three days after losing them, I also lost Veronica, and that made me go insane, to the point where I almostmitted suicide, if not for the help of Elisa.


    Taking a deep breath, I returned the picture and showered. After taking a cold bath, I put on my pajamas and climbed into bed.


    Forcing my eyes closed, I tried to get some sleep, but I couldn¡¯t. A particrdy kept messing with my head. I kept seeing her in my mind, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn¡¯t get her out of my head.


    For hours, I struggled to get her out of my head, and when I finally did, I could get some sleep.


    The following day, I was seated beside my desk, attending to some paperwork, when a knock came on the door. Perceiving it was Matthew, I asked him in.


    ¡°Good morning,¡± he greeted, and I nodded.


    ¡°You seem okay today,¡± he said, and I hummed. He took the seat across from me and nced at me for a long while, which got me curious.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    ¡°What is it?¡± I questioned.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± he trailed off, and that got me more curious.


    ¡°What is it?¡± I asked again.


    ¡°Lycan Ethan brought a proposal this morning.¡±


    ¡°A proposal? What proposal?¡± I asked, curious.


    ¡°Well, he is offering his first daughter¡¯s hand in marriage to you,¡± Matthew exined, and I sighed.


    ¡°Reject it,¡± I said without even having a second thought about it.


    ¡°How are you sure about this? I believe you know Lady Tonia; she is every man¡¯s dream. She is beautiful, intelligent, and smart. Many alphas and lords are asking for her hand in marriage, but she has refused and has only epted to be your wife. Why don¡¯t you think about it?¡± Matthew tried convincing me, but I bluntly shook my head.


    ¡°Listen, I know that you are hurt because of the death of your second chance mate, and I truly understand you, but you can¡¯t remain single forever. You have to get married, have a Luna, and have children. Why don¡¯t you tell them to give you time to think about it instead of rejecting it?¡± He pleaded, and I groaned, rxing back in my seat.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to give them hope, Matthew. It will take me years to be myself.¡±


    ¡°Then I will tell them that. I will tell them you need some time, but I won¡¯t reject this proposal,¡± he stated firmly as he got up.


    ¡°Matthew.¡±


    ¡°No, I won¡¯t listen to you. Apart from being your beta, I am also your friend, and I will not allow you to miss such a good opportunity,¡± he stated before leaving my study room. After he left, I groaned and got up from my seat. I picked up a ss of wine and sipped it, but just then, a knock came on the door, and I asked the person in. A guard walked in and bowed.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s your prisoner. She has been yelling, asking to see you. We have asked her to keep quiet, but she has refused.¡±


    My brow furrowed. ¡°She is yelling to see me?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Alpha.¡±


    ¡°Go get her.¡±

 I killed her

    Amanda¡¯s POV


    With teary eyes, I stared at the letter in my hand, which was sent to me by Aunt Lily, my mother¡¯s younger sister, who my mother lived with before she died. All this while, I thought my stepmother killed my mother, or maybe she died due to the news of my condition, but now I havee to realize that I was wrong. My stepmother didn¡¯t kill my mother, neither did her illness kill her, but Alpha Edward¡¯s men instead killed her. He sent his men to kill my mother.


    As tears fell freely on my cheek, I read through the letter sent to me by Aunt Lily, and through the letter, she told me all that had happened. She told me four men barged into her home, and before they cut off my mother¡¯s head, they dered that Alpha Edward sent them to kill my mother as payback for what I did to Elisa, his mate. My aunt went further to exin how my mother was butchered like an animal, and as I read through the letter, I couldn¡¯t contain my emotions. Pain and anger engulfed my entire being; the scenes yed in my head, and I imagined the amount of pain my poor, sick mother must have gone through before her death.


    Aunt Lily exined that they went away with Mother¡¯s head, and only her body was left to be buried. After reading through the letter, I fell into tears and yelled in anger. I could endure anything; I could take anything, but not the brutal way my mother was killed for a crime I nevermitted.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Guards!¡± I yelled as I shook the gate of my cell. ¡°Take me to Alpha Edward; I want to see him!¡± I screamed, and a guard came to me. ¡°Will you keep quiet? What is the noise about?¡±


    ¡°I want to see Alpha Edward; take me to him!¡± I yelled.


    ¡°You must be sick in the head,¡± the guard snapped at me.


    ¡°Take me to him; if you don¡¯t, I will keep shouting in here!¡± I screamed and shook the cell gate.


    ¡°Stop it, you are causing noise,¡± the guard yelled at me.


    ¡°I won¡¯t stop until I see that beast of a man; take me to him!¡± I yelled.


    The guard grunted and walked away, but that didn¡¯t stop me from yelling and shaking my cell gate. My entire being was consumed with so much pain that I just wanted to stare right at that monster and tell him how much I hated him.


    My yelling and shouting continued until the same guard approached me and unlocked my cell gate.


    ¡°Move out,¡± he demanded, and I obeyed. I exited the cell, and the guards led me to alpha Edward chambers. Entering the chambers, I met him seated on the couch, a ss of wine in his hand.


    ¡°Leave us,¡± he signalled at the guard, who obeyed and left.


    Our gaze interlocked, and I red at him with anger and hate. I couldn¡¯t believe such a beast could be my mate; what was the moon goddess thinking? How could she mate me to a man who would kill my mother and cause me nothing but pain?


    ¡°What is it? Why do you want to see me?¡± He asked, and I red at him, stepping closer to him.


    ¡°Why did you do it?¡± I demanded in anger, and he raised a brow at me. ¡°She is innocent; she did nothing. If you wanted to kill anyone, then you should have killed me. Why did you kill her in such a brutal way?¡± I yelled in tears.


    He seemed confused by my words. ¡°Are you going insane?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m going insane!¡± I yelled back at him.


    ¡°You are a beast, Alpha Edward; you are not human but a monster, a beast!¡± I yelled.


    ¡°Mind your words!¡± He warned as he got up.


    ¡°And if I don¡¯t, what will you do? Will you send your men to behead me like you did to my mother?¡± I asked with pain and anger. ¡°Well, I¡¯m not scared of death, Alpha Edward; I¡¯m not scared of you!¡± I spat in his face.


    ¡°You know what? I wished I had killed Elisa in the most brutal way that I could imagine. She and her mother deserved death, and the way I killed her was so peaceful. I should have chopped her head and chopped her body into pieces; I should have tortured her before killing her¡­ I should have¡­¡± My words stuck in my mouth when Alpha Edward gripped me by the arms.


    ¡°What did you just say?¡± He asked with anger and pain burning in his eyes. Realizing that my words had hurt him, I decided to go on with the lies.


    ¡°You heard me right, Alpha Edward; I killed your darling mate, Elisa. Bute to think of it, I now regret it. I should have given her a more painful death! Maybe I should have chopped her body into tiny pieces,¡± I spat in his face, not minding the consequences of my words.


    Alpha Edward¡¯s eyes glowed with anger and hate. I heard him grunt as his grip on my arms tightened. I realized the weight of my words and the consequences I would face, but the pain and anger inside me overshadowed any sense of regret. My heart pounded with the need tosh out, to make him feel even a fraction of the agony I felt knowing what he had done to my mother.


    ¡°What did you just say? Repeat it?¡± He demanded, not wanting to believe what I had just said.


    ¡°You heard me right, Alpha Edward; your mate, Elisa, deserves death, and I regret not killing her the way I should have,¡± I spat at him, and he pushed me away.


    ¡°How dare you!¡± He yelled with rage, his hand scattering his hair. He grunted and kicked the side stool away.


    ¡°I have been too lenient with you; maybe it¡¯s time to be that beast you truly called me. Guards!¡± He called, and two men rushed in.


    ¡°Put her in the water dungeon; she is to stay there until tomorrow morning, and if she doesn¡¯t make it out alive, throw her body in the forest where vultures will feed on it! Take her away!¡± He ordered, and the two men forcefully jerked me up from the floor.


    As they dragged me out of the room, my eyes met that of Alpha Edward, but I looked away and followed the guards, ready to face what awaited me.

 Saved you for the second time

    Amanda¡¯s POV


    I was dragged to an unfamiliar spot still saturated inside the mansion. The ce was like a yard, but the only difference was that they were underground cages. Gulping nervously, I looked around while the men dragged me to a particr cage. They let go of me and opened the cage. The moment they did, I peered through the bars and realized it was water-filled, causing my eyes to widen.


    ¡°Will you willingly go in yourself, or do you want us to force you in?¡± the guard asked, and I swallowed in fear. I wasn¡¯t a good swimmer, and I didn¡¯t know how long I would survive.


    ¡°Maybe we should put you in,¡± the guards grabbed me and forced me into the cage. As I entered, I realized my foot was touching the ground, and the water stopped at above my neck. The guards chained both my hands to a metal bar above my head, and then they closed the cage. I couldn¡¯t see anything as everywhere became dark.


    ¡°No, no,¡± I pleaded in panic at realizing what had befallen me.


    ¡°You brought this upon yourself,¡± one of the guards spoke.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think she will make it until tomorrow morning,¡± the other guard responded.


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t care. Let¡¯s leave.¡±


    ¡°No, please don¡¯t leave me here, I beg of you,¡± I cried out in panic and fear.


    The water beneath me was dark and cold, sending me to shivers. I struggled against the chains, but they held me firmly in ce. Tears streamed down my cheeks as I realized the gravity of my situation: trapped in this cage, submerged in water, with no way out.


    More tears streamed down my cheeks, and I had to close my eyes, wishing all this was a nightmare. I wished I could go back in time and rewrite my story. If I were given a chance to rewrite my story, I would make sure I abandoned him to die in the woods. I would have listened to Elisa when she had asked us to leave; I wouldn¡¯t have tried saving him. I cursed when I met Alpha Edward in the woods; I wish that day never came.


    As I wallowed in pain, I realized the temperature of the water was increasing, bing icy. I shivered in the cold as I struggled to keep my head above the rising waterline, fighting against the panic threatening to consume me.


    I had stayed in that position for more than three hours, and my legs and hands were bing weak, but there was nothing I could do other than stay in such a position.


    Hours passed, and I was numb; I couldn¡¯t feel my body. My body felt dead, and only a little life was left in me. Slowly, I closed my eyes and thought of Mother, recalling the dream I had of her. I began to doubt her words because I didn¡¯t believe there was any light in my tunnel. With every passing day, my situation became worse.


    Soon, I began having trouble breathing; my breaths were seizing, and I felt so numb, as if life was being drawn gradually away from me.


    With a tired sigh, I closed my eyes, hoping that this was death. It had to be death; I wanted nothing but death and hoped it woulde quickly.


    With my eyes closed, I drifted into a half-conscious state, waterpping against the cage echoing in my ears. Time seemed to stretch on endlessly, each moment feeling like an eternity as I battled against the darkness that threatened to engulf me. Memories shed through my mind, both bitter and sweet.


    ¡°Dear Moon Goddess,¡± I prayed in my state of half-consciousness. ¡°Please take my life.¡± I pleaded desperately. I wanted death so much and wished to escape all this suffering just by dying.


    But it seemed the Moon Goddess was silent to my prayers because so many minutes passed, and I was still breathing, although my breaths were faint.


    ¡°Just take me!¡± I pleaded silently, yet nothing happened.


    I remained lifeless as I waited for death to engulf me because I knew I wasn¡¯t far from giving up. Suddenly, I heard footsteps. At first, they were distant, but soon they became closer, and I had to open my eyes, but darkness greeted me.


    ¡°Open up,¡± an unfamiliar voicemanded, and before I couldprehend what was happening, I heard the cage clicking and opening. Light flooded in, blinding me momentarily as I squinted against the sudden brightness. Hands reached in and pulled me out of the cage, lifting me and setting me on solid ground. I gasped for breath, feeling the chill of the air against my skin after being submerged in the icy water for so long.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± the voice asked, filled with concern. I blinked, trying to focus on the figure in front of me. It was a familiar man, his face etched with worry as he examined me.


    With a furrowed brow, I looked at the familiar man kneeling before me, trying to remember where I had seen him, but I couldn¡¯t. Instead, I noticed my eyes were shutting down.


    ¡°She is going unconscious; pick her up,¡± the same voicemanded, and I felt hands carrying me before I drifted away.


    Two hourster


    I felt my body pressed against something soft; it didn¡¯t feel like the coldness and hardness of the cell floor but rtively soft, just like my bed at home. Slowly, I opened my eyes, and the first thing I saw was the ceiling. The ceiling seemed strange; I hadn¡¯t seen anything like it before.


    Confused about where I was, I looked around and realized I was in a room, not just a room, but a room that looked like that of Alpha Edward¡¯s chambers. The room almost looked identical to Alpha Edward¡¯s, but the setting and the decor differentiated them.


    ¡°Where am I?¡± I mumbled to myself as I sat on the bed, but just then, the door opened, and the familiar man walked in.


    ¡°I see you are finally awake. You¡¯ve been out for almost two hours,¡± he sounded relieved to see me awake, but I furrowed my brow as I nced at him, finding it difficult to remember where I had seen him.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± I blurted out.


    He chuckled and got closer to me. ¡°So you don¡¯t know me?¡± He scoffed, and I gulped in panic. He seemed so familiar, but I couldn¡¯t ce where I had seen him before.


    ¡°This is the second time I am saving your life, and yet you don¡¯t know me?¡± He smiled, and I stared at him with a confused brow, wondering who he was and why he would say he had saved me before.


    ¡°Who¡­¡±


    My words were interrupted when I heard the door fling open, and curious to know who it was, I moved my eyes to the door only to see Alpha Edward barging into the room.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

 Jealous

    Alpha Edward¡¯s POV


    It¡¯s been hours since I asked my men to lock her inside the water dungeon, and ever since then, I haven¡¯t been at ease. Every seconds of the day, my thoughts would be filled with her, and I would groan. I couldn¡¯t understand why I should be worried about a murderer, a woman who confessed to killing my mate. I should be thinking of other punishments to give her; she deserves nothing but a painful death for what she did. But instead, I was pacing around my study, worried about her.


    Grunting, I sat back in my seat and tiredly massaged my forehead. My head was pounding with a great ache, and regardless of what I did, it wasn¡¯t helping. Sighing heavily, I picked up a file and started working on it to distract myself, but it wasn¡¯t helping. Constantly, my mind would drift to her, and I would groan and ignore it.


    As I worked on the file, a silly thought came into my mind. I imagined her drowning and dying in the cage before the next morning, and I panicked. I could do anything to her, but I didn¡¯t want her dead.


    Curious to know how she was doing, I decided to check on her, at least to confirm that she was still alive. I left my room and went to the water dungeon while my guard followed.


    We were almost at the dungeon when I met a guard who bowed at me. I recognized him as the guard in charge of the water dungeon.


    ¡°How is the prisoner doing?¡± I asked.


    He seemed confused. ¡°You are not aware, Alpha?¡± he asked, and my heart skipped.


    ¡°Aware of what?¡± I asked, scared that it wasn¡¯t what I was thinking. Just the thought of it made my heart clenched in my chest.


    ¡°She has been released by Beta Matthew more than an hour ago. I thought you knew about it,¡± the guard exined, and I raised a confused brow at him.


    ¡°Released by Beta Matthew?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Alpha,¡± the guard responded, and my confusion piqued. I became so confused, wondering why Matthew would release her. It had been over an hour, and he hadn¡¯t informed me about it.


    ¡°Where is she?¡±


    The guard hesitated for a moment before responding. ¡°She is still in his room.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I blurted out.


    ¡°His room?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Alpha¡­¡± I didn¡¯t let the guardplete his words before I began to dash away.


    As I made my way to Matthew¡¯s room, I couldn¡¯t help but panic. I had known Matthew for years. I knew he would not take advantage of her or do anything to her that was against her will, but somehow, I was anxious and restless. I couldn¡¯t understand why he saved her yet again.


    Ignoring the greetings of the servants, I hurried towards Matthew¡¯s room, and when I got to the door, I pushed it open and dashed in.


    Dashing into Matthew¡¯s room, I met Matthew and Amanda in the middle of a discussion, but the moment they saw me walk in, they stopped and looked my way.


    I held my gaze on Amanda and could see the terrified look in her eyes, and out of panic, she looked away from me. Moving my gaze to Matthew, our eyes interlocked, and I shot him a suspicious gaze, wondering what they were talking about.


    ¡°You are here,¡± Matthew said and moved over to where I stood.


    ¡°And what is the meaning of this?¡± I asked, angered and jealous. For strange reasons, I was jealous seeing them talking, and I was so curious to know what they were discussing.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    ¡°Can we please talk outside?¡± Matthew pleaded, but I shook my head.


    ¡°I want to know what is going on. Why did you set her free without my permission?¡± I asked in an annoyed tone, and Matthew sighed.


    ¡°Can we please just talk outside?¡± Matthew begged, and I red at him before ncing in Amanda¡¯s direction, who had been avoiding my gaze since I walked in.


    Without saying a word, I walked out of the room while Matthew followed suit. When he got outside the room, I turned and folded my arms.


    ¡°Let¡¯s hear it.¡±


    Matthew sucked in a deep breath. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I couldn¡¯t let her die in there.¡±


    ¡°And who told you she was going to die?¡± I snapped.


    ¡°Come on, man, if I were one secondte, she would have been long gone,¡± he defended his action, which irritated me.


    ¡°And why do you care? If she dies, it¡¯s none of your business. She is my prisoner, and you have no right to set her free when I haven¡¯t,¡± I sneered with jealousy. I wasn¡¯t angry that he had set her free, but I was jealous because I met them discussing like friends, something I had never done with her.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Alpha,¡± Matthew apologized. Obviously, he didn¡¯t want to prolong the matter.


    I sighed and ran a hand through my hair before holding Matthew¡¯s gaze. ¡°Why do you care about her this much?¡± I threw that question at him and saw him go silent for a moment before he shrugged his shoulders. ¡°I don¡¯t know; I just don¡¯t want you to kill her.¡±


    I furrowed my brow at his words. ¡°Why do you care if she dies or lives?¡±


    Matthew sighed. ¡°I¡¯m just doing this for you.¡±


    ¡°Spare me that bullshit!¡± I cut him off. ¡°You are doing this for yourself and not for me. Tell me, do you have a thing for her? Do you also want to fuck her?¡± I used, and Matthew stared at me with a confused look.


    ¡°Excuse me? What do you take me for? That I will want to have a woman you already have? She is your sex ve; you have practically destroyed and broken that youngdy, and you think I will also want to do that to her?¡± He sounded pissed. ¡°I¡¯m not you, Alpha Edward, and I will never be like you. Please excuse me.¡± With those words, he walked away, leaving me to ponder his words.


    ¡°Will never be like you!¡± His words rang in my head.


    What does he mean by that? Does he mean what I¡¯m doing is wrong? She was the one who caused it; she killed my mate and felt no remorse about it. If he were in my shoes, would he have done much worse than I did, or would he have done things differently?


    I began questioning myself and my actions, and somehow, I became ufortable. I started to have this feeling that perhaps I might have gone too far. Maybe I should have sent her to the council of elders for a proper judgment. They would have either sentenced her to death or life imprisonment.


    Inhaling deeply, Iposed myself and wanted to go back to my chambers, but then I remembered that Amanda was all alone in Matthew¡¯s room, and Matthew didn¡¯t go back inside.


    I decided to go back to Matthew¡¯s room, so I could check up on her. As I pushed the door open, my eyes scanned the room, searching for any sign of Amanda. To my horror, I spotted Amanda perched precariously on the windowsill, her gaze fixed on the ground below.


    ¡°Amanda!¡± I eximed, my voice sounding rm as I tried to rush toward her.


    ¡°Stay back! If you take another step, I will grant you the privilege of watching me jump off!¡± she warned, and instantly I paused in my tracks.

 Scared of losing her

    Alpha Edward¡¯s POV


    My feet got stuck to the ground as I stared at her while my heart pounded in my chest.


    ¡°What do you think you are doing?¡± I asked in fear and panic.


    She chuckled bitterly and turned to me. ¡°What does it look like I¡¯m doing?¡± Her eyes were filled with pain, and I swallowed nervously.


    ¡°Stop it, Amanda,e down from there,¡± I urged in a frustrated tone.


    ¡°And why should I do that?¡± She responded with a scoff. ¡°Dying is the only way I will be at rest.¡±


    I shook my head, my palms sweating and my heart throbbing. I was so terrified that I didn¡¯t know what to do.


    ¡°I killed your precious mate, so why don¡¯t I die? That is the best solution to all this, isn¡¯t it?¡± She smiled bitterly, and I shook my head in fear. A sudden burst of anxiety and panic filled my entire being, and I didn¡¯t know how to exin it.


    ¡°Come down, Amanda,¡± I pleaded desperately. I couldn¡¯t exin why I was begging her to get down; I couldn¡¯t understand why I was so scared that my palms were sweating.


    ¡°I should get down?¡± She asked with a raised brow. ¡°So you will inflict pain on me? No, Alpha Edward, death is far better than being alive.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± I begged and saw a victorious smile appear on her face.


    ¡°You¡¯ve lost, Alpha Edward, you¡¯ve lost your game,¡± she smiled and turned away from me. ¡°Watch this, Alpha Edward¡­¡±


    Before she could leap into the abyss beyond the window, I lunged forward with a speed I didn¡¯t know I possessed, wrapping my arms around her just as her foot left the ledge. Our bodies collided with a force that knocked the breath from both of us, and we crashed back into the room in a whirlwind of chaos.


    My heart pounded with tension as I held on to her with all my strength, refusing to let her slip away. Her eyes, wide with shock, met mine. ¡°Let me go, Alpha Edward!¡± she screamed, her voice echoing off the walls. ¡°Let me end this!¡±


    But I couldn¡¯t. I wouldn¡¯t. Not when I wanted her alive, not when the thought of her dying scared me so much. With every ounce of determination I possessed, I held on to her, my heart pounding in sync with hers.


    Amanda struggled against my grip, her body thrashing with desperate urgency. ¡°Please, Alpha Edward,¡± she pleaded, tears streaming down her face. ¡°Just let me go.¡±


    She struggled more to free herself from my grip, which frustrated me and I had to make hery on the floor with her back while I climbed on top of her and pinned both her hands above her head.


    ¡°I won¡¯t let you die, you hear me! You won¡¯t die!¡± I yelled out my frustration while ncing into her tear-filled eyes.


    ¡°You have no right to die, Amanda. You are mine, and I am the only one who has the right to kill you. Apart from me, no one else has the right to take your life, not even you!¡± I spat out my frustration and fear.


    Amanda sobbed loudly. ¡°Just let me die; let¡¯s end all this, please,¡± she pleaded, and I shook my head. There was no way I was letting her die; just the mere thought of that was clenching my heart.


    ¡°What do you stand to gain by keeping me alive? I killed your mate, so why don¡¯t you just kill me and end all this¡­¡±


    ¡°Stop it!¡± I urged.


    ¡°I won¡¯t! Just kill me!¡± She begged desperately. ¡°Kill me and end all this.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± I stated firmly.


    She groaned and began struggling to free herself from my grip. ¡°Stay firm,¡± I ordered, but she didn¡¯t listen; instead, she kept struggling. ¡°Just let me die, I want to die, I can¡¯t be living such a life, why can¡¯t you¡­¡±


    Frustrated and impulsively, I leaned forward and mmed my lips against hers. At first, she struggled to break the kiss, but I didn¡¯t let her. I kept forcing my way into her mouth, and after a few struggles, she opened her lips and let me in.


    I kissed her roughly yet passionately, pouring out my fears, emotions, and frustrations into the kiss.


    I felt her rx as she let me kiss her, and then I let go of her hands. My left hand went to her left breast, and I squeezed it, eliciting a low moan from her, which triggered me. I held on to the other breast and squeezed it, and again, she let out a moan between the kiss.


    I let go of her breast, and with my left hand, I lifted her gown, and my hand traced her underwear. With a finger, I shifted her underwear, and my fingers traced her pussy.


    The moment she felt my fingers at the entrance of her pussy, I felt her quivering, and she released a soft moan.


    Deepening the kiss, I caressed the entrance of her pussy with a finger before slowly inserting a finger inside her. She gasped between the kiss, and I grinned. I stroked my finger inside her and added another finger before I began rubbing, making sure I was gentle with her.


    She released soft moans between the kiss we were sharing. As I fingered her, my dick aroused in my pants, but I ignored it and continued kissing her while I pleasured her with my fingers.


    She moaned as I felt her getting wetter on my fingers.


    A throaty groan left my lips as I felt her wetness on my fingers. I wished to pull off my pants and fuck her; damn it, she was so wet, but I kicked against it.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    We continued kissing while my fingers fondled inside her.


    Realizing that she was running out of breath, I broke the kiss and went for her left breast. I sucked on her erect nipple, and she moaned louder. I felt her fingers in my hair as she moaned in pleasure.


    Leaving her left nipple, I went for her right nipple and sucked on it while I yed with the left nipple with my left hand.


    While I pleasured her with my right fingers, I sucked on her left nipple and rubbed her right nipple.


    I felt her squirting as she moaned loudly while releasing on my fingers. Feeling satisfied, I pulled out my fingers from her wet pussy and then let go of her nipples.


    Withbored breath, we stared at each other.


    Looking into her eyes, I could see confusion and desire for me in her eyes. I held her gaze, and the desire to kiss her enveloped me, but I held back and kept staring into her eyes.


    As I stared at her, I couldn¡¯t exin what was happening to me. I couldn¡¯t understand why I was so scared of losing her. The thought of her dying scared the hell out of me. Here was thedy who killed my mate; I was supposed to kill her, torture her, and inflict nothing but pain on her, but here I was, lustfully staring into her eyes.


    We continued staring at each other as if we were mesmerized by each other¡¯s gaze until suddenly the door of the room opened, and I had to break eye contact with her and look at the door to see who wasing in. Looking at the door, I realized it was a female maid walking in.


    ¡°Goodness, apologies, alpha,¡± she lowered her head to the ground as she dashed out of the room and shut the door.


    Grunting, I looked back at Amanda, who had a nk expression in her eyes. As I stared back at her, I couldn¡¯t exin why I was being pulled by her when I was supposed to hate her. Realizing what I was doing, I grunted and moved away from her. Getting up, I arranged myself and noticed the bulge in my pants. Ignoring it, I looked back at Amanda, sitting on the floor, her eyes away.


    Silence hung in the air as I didn¡¯t know what to say or how to react. We remained silent for a long time until Iposed myself and decided to speak. ¡°This should not repeat itself,¡± I warned, referring to her trying to kill herself.


    She didn¡¯t say a word or look my way. I grunted out my frustration and ran a hand through my hair. I was confused and didn¡¯t know what else to say.


    Another moment of silence hung in the air until an idea came to my thoughts. ¡°Come with me,¡± I ordered. Without saying a word, she slowly got up. I nced at her one more time before leaving the room, while she followed me.


    We left the room, and I led the way to the kitchen while she trailed. Reaching the kitchen, I met with the head maid, who bowed.


    ¡°Greetings, alpha,¡± she greeted with her head bowed.


    ¡°This is Amanda. She will work as a pce maid and also as my maid. Make sure your eyes are always on her,¡± I instructed the head maid, who nodded obediently.


    I turned to Amanda and nced at her as she seemed confused by my new decision. ¡°You are to work as a maid here. If you think of doing something stupid like trying to escape or kill yourself, then be sure to see the beast in me,¡± I threatened and saw her gulp.


    I turned to the head maid. ¡°Keep a close eye on her,¡± I instructed before leaving the kitchen.


    Returning to my private chambers, I slumped onto the couch and shut my eyes. Memories of what happened a moment ago reyed in my head, causing me to question myself. I couldn¡¯t exin why I got so scared and panicked when I saw her trying to jump out of the window. There was a sudden sensation of fear that gripped me, something I hadn¡¯t felt before. Something doesn¡¯t feel right, and perhaps I should stay away from her for a couple of days to clear my head.

 Smell so familiar

    Amanda¡¯s POV


    It¡¯s been three days since I was assigned as a domestic maid in the mansion. During these three days, I¡¯ve been shown around the mansion and given my duties, but I¡¯ve never seen Alpha Edward. Not that I care about it; it just feels odd not to see him.


    I share a room with two other domestic maids, Cara and Lina. Cara is human, while Lina is a werewolf. My roommates are kind and friendly to me, unlike other servants who mockingly call me Alpha Edward¡¯s sex ve. Not that I even care.


    As I chop the carrots, my thoughts drift to Alpha Edward. I couldn¡¯t understand why he would release me from the cell and assign me as a maid. Was he genuinely bothered that I would kill myself? Was my life that important to him?


    ¡°What are you thinking?¡± The head maid¡¯s voice interrupts my thoughts.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± I respond and return to chopping the carrots.


    Life as a maid is much better than being in that cold, dark cell. At least now I take a good bath, and I eat good meals. For the past three days, the thought of death hasn¡¯t crossed my mind because I¡¯ve been preupied with so many duties. Every night, I go to bed feeling exhausted and achy, but it¡¯s far better than being locked up in that cell.


    ¡°Take this to Beta Matthew; he¡¯s in the study room, the second room on the third floor,¡± the head maid instructs as she hands me a cup of brewed coffee.


    Taking the coffee from her, I left the kitchen, following her instructions. I arrived at the study room, knocked on the door, and Beta Matthew asked me in.


    Entering the room, I find him seated beside the desk with a file in his hand, his eyes fixed on it.


    ¡°Drop it and leave,¡± he instructed without looking away from the file.


    Obeying his instruction, I moved closer to him and dropped the tea tray on his table. Suddenly, he lifts his eyes and looks up at me.


    ¡°You!¡± he sounds surprised to see me. We haven¡¯t seen each other since the day he saved me from the water dungeon.


    ¡°Good morning,¡± I greeted, unsure of what to say.


    ¡°You now work as a maid?¡± he asked, ignoring my greeting.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I whispered, my tone low.


    He raises a brow, seeming confused and surprised that I now work as a maid.


    He nces at me for a long time, and out of nervousness, I have to look away from him. I was so ufortable with his eyes on me, and I knew I had to leave.


    ¡°Can I leave?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± he responded without a thought.


    I look his way and see him get up. He pulls his seat away and walks over to where I stand. We¡¯re just an inch away, and I can perceive his manly scent.


    ¡°You¡­¡± he pauses and tries to get closer to me. When I try to step back, he grabs me by the arm and pulls me towards himself, causing my boobs to hit across his chest.


    ¡°What¡­¡±


    ¡°Stay calm,¡± he orders, and I obey hismand.


    Feeling nervous and scared, I stand there numb, wondering what he wants to do with me. The only thought thates to my head is that he wants to have his way with me, and if that¡¯s the case, there¡¯s nothing I can do but let him have his way with me. Perhaps this was all Alpha Edward¡¯s idea; maybe he was tired of me and had passed me on to his beta.


    Beta Matthew leans over to my left neck, and I close my eyes as tears gather in my eyes. I couldn¡¯t believe I had been reduced to a mere sex toy.


    Catching my breath, I wait for him to start cing kisses on my neck, but I¡¯m confused when he doesn¡¯t. Instead, he sniffs me, and my brow furrows.


    ¡°Why is your scent so familiar?¡± I hear him groan, and my eyes are forced open.


    Opening my eyes, I realise he has stepped away from me, and he has a confused look on his face.


    ¡°Were you about to cry?¡± he seems confused.


    I gulp and wipe off the strand of tears that had fallen on my cheek.


    He nces at me with confusion in his eyes. ¡°What were you thinking?¡± he asks, and I gulp.


    ¡°Goodness, were you thinking that I wanted to¡­¡± he scoffs and shakes his head. ¡°Unbelievable,¡± he scoffs again and returns to his seat.


    Standing there, confused and embarrassed, I look his way as I watch him pick up the cup of coffee, take a sip, and drop it back on the desk before looking my way.


    ¡°You can leave,¡± he says and goes back to the file on the desk.


    For a moment, I stand there, wondering if I should apologise to him for thinking he wanted to have his way with me or if I should leave.


    ¡°What are you waiting for?¡± his eyes are settled on the file in his hand.


    I gulp andpose myself. ¡°Thank you for saving me,¡± I whisper and dash out of the study before he responds.


    Returning to the kitchen, the head maid calls out to me.


    ¡°The Alpha requests your presence.¡±


    My eyes widen, and I look at the head maid. ¡°Me?¡± I ask, and she nods. ¡°He requires your presence; leave now. You don¡¯t keep the Alpha waiting,¡± she urges.


    I swallow hard and drop the knife I was holding.


    ¡°I believe you know your way?¡± she asks, and I nod.


    ¡°Then go. Don¡¯t keep the Alpha waiting.¡±


    I move my feet and leave the kitchen. Taking the stairs, I arrive at the fourth floor, which happens to be the private floor of Alpha Edward. Walking through the hallway, I get to the third door and halt.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    I swallow hard and take a deep breath before knocking on the door.


    ¡°The door is open,¡± his husky voicees from inside the room.


    Inhaling deeply, I hold the doorknob of the door, push the door open, and step in.


    Stepping inside the room, I meet Alpha Edward seated on the couch with a ss of wine in his hand. Our gaze interlocks, and I swallow nervously.


    ¡°Close the door ande in,¡± he urges.


    I close the door and stand beside it. I watch him take a long sip of his drink, and then he nces at me, but this time with a confused look.


    ¡°Come closer,¡± he urges, and slowly, I move closer to him but stop a few steps away.


    A big frown appears on his face, and he immediately gets up and walks over to where I stand. He sniffs the air with a frown, then nces my way with anger-filled eyes.


    ¡°Why do you have the smell of my beta on you?¡± he sounds furious.


    I gulp and step away from him, and his frown deepens. ¡°Answer me! Why is his smell all over you?¡± he demands, and my feet feel weak.


    ¡°Answer me!¡±

 Like a jealous lover

    Alpha Edward¡¯s POV


    Jealousy, anger, and uneasiness were what I felt the moment I perceived Matthew¡¯s smell on her. I couldn¡¯t understand why she would smell so much like him, and the only exnation was that their bodies collided. He must have touched her or¡­


    ¡°What did you do with my beta?¡± I demanded, my voice filled with jealousy. The thought of Matthew touching her was driving me insane.


    ¡°Answer me!¡± I yelled. Her silence was making me go insane.


    ¡°We¡­ did¡­ nothing¡­¡± she stammered in fear.


    I gripped her by the arms and yanked her towards me. Moving my nose to the left side of her neck, I perceived Matthew¡¯s scent and groaned.


    ¡°Fuck!¡± I grunted and made her look me in the eyes. ¡°What did you two do?¡± I demanded, jealousy and possessiveness boiling inside me.


    ¡°We¡­ did nothing¡­ I only served him a cup of coffee a few moments ago,¡± she choked in fear, and I grunted. Serving him a cup of coffee wouldn¡¯t make his smell be all over her unless he had touched her, not just any touch, but a close one.


    ¡°Get out!¡± I demanded as I let go of her.


    Without waiting a second, she opened the door and left the room. Grunting, I ran a hand through my hair and began pacing around my room. I couldn¡¯t exin why I was so jealous and restless about Matthew touching her. She meant nothing to me, and even if Matthew wanted to have his way with her, why should I care?


    ¡°Damn it!¡± I groaned and went back to my seat. Picking up the ss of wine, I took a sip and tried to get her and the thought of Matthew touching her out of my head, but I couldn¡¯t. Different silly scenarios kept ying in my head, making me so ufortable that I left my seat.


    Leaving my room, I went searching for Matthew. I needed to have a word with him. Following his scent, I found him in his study, attending to some paperwork.


    ¡°You are here. I was just about toe and hand over these documents to you for the final crosschecking,¡± Matthew said, oblivious to the storm within me.


    ¡°What did you do with her?¡± I demanded, my voice dripping with venom, unable to contain the jealousy wing at my insides.


    Matthew¡¯s expression shifted, betraying a hint of guilt before heposed himself. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you¡¯re implying, Alpha,¡± he replied cautiously, his eyes flickering with confusion.


    ¡°Don¡¯t y games with me,¡± I growled, jealousy and uneasiness taking the best of me. ¡°Her scent is all over you. Tell me the truth.¡±


    His gaze met mine as he seemed confused by my outburst. ¡°We had a brief interaction. She served me coffee, nothing more,¡± he exined, his words like a dagger.


    ¡°What kind of interaction?¡± I asked curiously, wanting to know what they were discussing.


    Matthew sighed, dropped the file on the desk, and rxed back in his seat. ¡°Nothing of great importance, Alpha. Is there a problem?¡±


    ¡°Yes, she has your smell all over her. May I know why?¡± I sounded like an insecure, jealous lover.


    Matthew chuckled, and it irritated me. ¡°This is not funny,¡± I snapped, but he didn¡¯t stop. Instead, he chuckled more loudly while I remained silent, waiting for him to speak and defend himself.


    Afterughing, he looked my way and raised his brow. ¡°Alpha Edward, are you jealous?¡± He threw that question at me, and I frowned.


    ¡°Jealous? For what? That¡¯s ridiculous,¡± I defended myself, but something tells me I was lying to myself.


    ¡°You are sounding and acting like a jealous man, Alpha Edward,¡± Matthew used, and my frown deepened. ¡°What nonsense! I¡¯m not jealous; I just want to know if you are also involved with her. That¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sleeping with her. I can¡¯t see myself doing that. I mean, she is yours. Why would I want her?¡± He sounded frustrated and hurt.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    He was making sense. I knew Matthew, and I knew he would never want to have anything to do with Amanda, but I was just clouded with possession and jealousy that I couldn¡¯t think straight.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, man,¡± I sighed and slumped into the seat.


    Matthew didn¡¯t say a word, but he handed a bottle of water to me, which I took, opened the cap, and gulped arge quantity into my mouth.


    A moment of silence hung in the air until Matthew spoke. ¡°Are you alright?¡± He sounded worried and concerned.


    I didn¡¯t respond; in fact, I had no idea what was happening to me.


    ¡°Should I send for the seer?¡± He offered, but I grunted.


    ¡°No, that won¡¯t be needed,¡± I grumbled and got up. ¡°I¡¯ll see youter.¡± I stumbled out of the room, feeling a mix of embarrassment and confusion swirling inside me. As I walked away, I couldn¡¯t shake off the unsettling feeling that this jealousy and possessiveness weren¡¯t just about Amanda, but something deeper than I could exin.


    On my way back to my chambers, I met up with Aunt.


    ¡°Great timing, Alpha Edward. May I have a word with you?¡±


    ¡°Sure, what is it?¡±


    I wasn¡¯t in the mood to listen to anyone, but it was her, and I had to give her a listening ear.


    ¡°Can we sit and talk about it?¡± She suggested, and I nodded. ¡°Come with me.¡± I led her into my chambers, and we took our seats.


    ¡°What is the matter? You seem worried.¡± She had so much worry on her face that it concerned me.


    She hesitated, and that piqued my curiosity because I knew something was wrong.


    ¡°You can tell me what is wrong, Aunt. Just say it, and I¡¯ll handle it,¡± I urged. I hate to see her looking troubled.


    ¡°It¡¯s your cousin, Levi,¡± she grumbled, and I frowned.


    ¡°What has he done this time?¡±


    She sighed and shook her head. ¡°He got involved in some dangerous deal and killed a man. He said the man¡¯s men are searching for him to kill him, and he has to go into hiding¡­¡± Aunt paused and looked at me with pleading eyes. ¡°Please, Edward¡­¡±


    ¡°No, Aunt,¡± I cut her off.


    She instantly fell to her knees, and I groaned. ¡°Please, let him stay here for a few weeks until the matter is settled. You know this mansion is the only secure ce for him.¡± Aunt begged, and I groaned. Levi was a bastard; he knew I wouldn¡¯t be able to say no to my aunt.


    ¡°I know he has hurt you in the past, but can you do this for me? He is my only child, and I wouldn¡¯t be able to survive if anything happened to him,¡± she pleaded desperately, and I groaned.


    Despite my frustration and reluctance, I couldn¡¯t ignore my aunt¡¯s plea. Deep down, I knew she was right  our family mansion was indeed the safest ce for Levi to hide until things cooled down. With a heavy sigh, I relented.


    ¡°Fine, he can stay here for a while,¡± I grumbled, feeling a sense of obligation to my family despite the trouble Levi always seemed to bring.


    My aunt¡¯s face lit up with relief. She quickly rose to her feet, gratitude evident in her eyes. ¡°Thank you, Alpha Edward. I promise this won¡¯t cause any trouble.¡±


    I nodded, though I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling of impending chaos. ¡°Make sure he stays out of trouble, Aunt. I won¡¯t tolerate any nonsense.¡±


    She nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll keep an eye on him, I promise.¡± As my aunt left my chambers, I sank back into my seat, feeling the weight of my decision. Allowing Levi to stay here was a big risk I was taking, not because of the men he was hiding from, but for the chaos I was sure he would bring.

 I can help you

    Amanda¡¯s POV


    ¡°Please don¡¯t leave me, mother!¡± I cried out to my mother, who had her back turned against me. Ignoring my pleas, she continued walking away. I tried to go after her but realized my feet were stuck to the ground. ¡°Mother!¡± I yelled bitterly, but she paid no heed to my cries and continued walking until she disappeared. ¡°Please, mother, don¡¯t leave me here!¡± I cried out and fell to the ground.


    Opening my eyes, I realized it was another of the usual dreams that I had been having for the past three days. The dream kept repeating itself, and I was already getting used to it.


    With a sigh, I sat on my bed, looked at the wall clock, and realized it was 2 a. m. ra and Lina were still fast asleep, unaware I had woken up.


    I felt something on my cheek, and when I touched my face, I realized there were tears. While crying in my dreams, I also ended up crying in reality. Inhaling deeply, I decided to leave the room and get some fresh air, at least to clear my head. Making sure not to make a sound, so I wouldn¡¯t wake ra and Lina, I left my bed and the room.


    I left the servants¡¯ quarters, a building attached to the main mansion. Getting outside the building, I realized the weather was chilly, and I should havee out with a jacket. Not wanting to go back to my room, I decided to go to the garden and breathe in the fresh airing from the flowers.


    Walking towards the garden, I met some guards patrolling the mansion. They questioned me, and I told them I wanted to get some fresh air since I couldn¡¯t sleep. After exining to them, they let me go. I walked into the garden, sat on the grass, and then closed my eyes, inhaling theforting feeling of the garden. Ever since I was a child, I have always foundfort in flowers. Whenever I feel lonely, sad, or troubled, I always visit the garden. It¡¯s miraculous how it calms my spirit and gives me peace.


    While in myforting embrace, I felt a presence around me. Curious to know who it was, I turned around and was shocked to see Beta Matthew standing a few steps away from me. Just like me, he had a surprised and confused look on his face.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Beta¡­¡± I stumbled to my feet.


    He only furrowed his brow and walked closer to me. When he got to where I stood, he nced at me with questions in his eyes, probably wondering why I was in the garden at such an odd hour. ¡°Emmm¡­ I wanted to get some fresh air,¡± I exined without being asked. He didn¡¯t respond; instead, he just kept gawking at me.


    ¡°I will take my leave now¡­¡± I mumbled as I tried to run away, but he was quick to hold my wrist and stop me. ¡°Stay, you don¡¯t have to leave,¡± his expression softened as he spoke, his touch gentle yet firm on my wrist.


    I hesitated, feeling a mix of surprise and uncertainty. Beta Matthew was someone I didn¡¯t interact with often, being from different circles within the mansion. But his presence here, in the garden at this hour, felt oddlyforting. ¡°Are you alright?¡± he asked, his concern genuine.


    I nodded slowly, unable to find my voice at first. ¡°Just¡­ couldn¡¯t sleep,¡± I finally managed to say, offering a weak smile. He nodded understandingly. ¡°I know the feeling. Sometimes, the night holds too many thoughts.¡±


    His words resonated with me, and for a moment, I felt a connection, a shared understanding that eased the weight on my shoulders. His presence felt so familiar andforting at the same time. We stood there in silence, the only sound being the gentle rustle of leaves and the distant chirping of crickets. It was as if the night embraced us, offering sce in its quiet embrace.


    ¡°Have a seat,¡± he finally let go of my hand and sat on the grass while I hesitated, watching him. ¡°Sit.¡± He tapped the space beside him, and I gulped before obeying his words, but I gave as much space as possible.


    An ufortable silence hung in the air as we both pondered our thoughts. Looking at Beta Matthew, I noticed his eyes were closed, but I knew he wasn¡¯t sleeping; he was just in deep thought. Unable to take my eyes off him, I kept staring at him. There was something about him, a force I couldn¡¯t exin. There was this familiar aura around him that I couldn¡¯t seem to ce.


    Suddenly, he opened his eyes and caught me staring, and out of nervousness, I looked away.


    ¡°Why can¡¯t you sleep?¡± He asked, and I gulped.


    ¡°I had a dream,¡± I responded.


    ¡°Me too,¡± he responded, and I looked his way, wondering what kind of dream would make someone like him unable to sleep. ¡°I asionally have these dreams, but for the past weeks, they have been frequent,¡± he sighed andy on the grass on his back, using his arms as a pillow.


    I watched him stare into the sky long before he finally looked my way. ¡°Tell me how it happened,¡± he urged, and I furrowed my brow, confused at his words.


    ¡°Tell me how she died,¡± he rified. I swallowed in pain and looked away. The memories of that day reyed in my head, causing my heart to clench in my chest. ¡°Tell me the truth,¡± he urged, and I remained silent. I contemted telling him about saving Alpha Edward and how my sister took the credit. The desire to confide in someone who seemed genuinely interested in understanding was strong. But I doubted if he would believe me. So, I hesitated, unsure of how much to disclose.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t kill her,¡± I finally admitted, the wordsing out in a whisper. ¡°I found her¡­ I found her already¡­ already gone.¡± The pain of that moment resurfaced, raw and unyielding.


    Beta Matthew nodded, his expression solemn. ¡°I believe you,¡± he said softly, his voice carrying a sincerity that eased some burden on my shoulders. Confused, I looked his way, wondering why he would believe me so easily, even without evidence.


    ¡°But why does Alpha Edward suspect you?¡± I sighed, the weight of my secrets pressing down on me. ¡°He walked in just as¡­ just as I found her,¡± I exined.


    He remained silent for a long time, and I wondered what he was thinking. Maybe he was having doubts about my innocence. ¡°Who do you suspect might have done it? Who do you think would want to kill her?¡± He threw that unexpected question at me, and I froze.


    I had been so consumed with my pain and suffering that I hadn¡¯t really thought about it. Since I wasn¡¯t the one who killed her, then someone else did, and they are roaming around freely while I am here paying for a crime I didn¡¯tmit.


    ¡°I can help you if you want me to,¡± Beta Matthew dered, his voice showing determination.


    ¡°But I need you to think, Amanda. Who do you suspect might have done it? Who do you think would want to kill her?¡±


    Dumbfounded, I nced his way, and he nced back at me. As I stared at him, I was confused, wondering why he would want to help me, why he would believe me so much that he offered to help me.


    ¡°Think, Amanda. Think. If you are truly innocent, then the guilty one is out there, living their life, and you can¡¯t just sit and watch. So, I want to help you, but you have to give me some clues. Tell me the names of people who you think could possibly kill her.¡±


    His words spurred me into action, forcing me to confront the reality of the situation. I knew I couldn¡¯t afford to dwell on my pain and suffering while someone else might be responsible for my sister¡¯s death. Taking a deep breath, I began to consider the people in our lives, trying to piece together any potential motives or grudges.


    Elisa was a free-spirited person. In school, she was pretty popr because she dated the famous dudes. She changed boyfriends every year. To her, no emotion was attached. She received so much attention from our peers, but that also made her a target for jealousy and envy from most girls who thought she was stepping in their way.


    Despite Alpha Edward dering his intention to marry her when hees back from his training, Elisa didn¡¯t stop dating; she secretly dated dudes until the day of her death.


    There were a few ssmates who seemed resentful of her sess and poprity, but I couldn¡¯t imagine any of them going so far as tomit such a heinous act. As I pondered these thoughts, Beta Matthew remained by my side, silently and patiently waiting for me to speak up.


    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m not sure,¡± I finally admitted, feeling a sense of frustration at my inability to provide answers. ¡°There are people who might have had reasons to dislike her, but I can¡¯t say for certain who would go so far as to¡­ to do this.¡±


    Beta Matthew chuckled loudly as if I had made a silly joke. ¡°This world is deeper than you can imagine, Amanda. Trust me, I have seen things. Mothers killing their children, husbands killing their wives, and even siblings killing each other. People you will never guess will do such.¡± He sighed and got up, while I also did the same.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry; I will look into the matter and see what I can do.¡± His words of assurance brought a glimpse of hope to me.


    ¡°Why are you helping me?¡± I asked, my voice filled with curiosity and gratitude.


    He paused, his gaze distant for a moment before meeting mine. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he admitted softly. ¡°I just¡­ feelpelled to. Sometimes, the heart knows things the mind can¡¯t exin.¡±


    His words resonated with me, and I nodded understandingly, though a part of me still puzzled over his sudden willingness to aid me in my plight.


    ¡°Have a good night¡¯s rest.¡±


    As he began to walk away, I called out to him, my voice tinged with uncertainty. ¡°Thank you¡­ for everything.¡±


    He nced back at me, a small, enigmatic smile ying on his lips. ¡°You¡¯re wee, Amanda. Take care of yourself.¡±


    And with that, he left, leaving me standing in the garden, feeling a glimmer of hope.

 Threats

    Amanda¡¯s POV


    ¡°Take this to the first room on the second floor,¡± the head maid instructed as she handed a tray of breakfast to me. Collecting the tray from her, I made my way to the room. Upon reaching it, I knocked on the door, and a male voice ordered me in. I knew the voice wasn¡¯t that of Alpha Edward or Beta Matthew, so I wondered who it was, as they were the only males in the mansion apart from the guards. Curious to see who was in the room, I opened the door, entered, and when I closed the door and turned, I was dumbfounded to see him seated on the couch, a cigar in one hand and a ss of whiskey in the other.


    Instantly, I felt uneasy, and to make matters worse, he had a victorious grin on his face, like a predator who had gotten hold of his prey. ¡°Will you just stand there? Come forward,¡± he urged, and with trembling steps, I approached him.


    When I reached the table, I ced the tray of food and wished I could leave, but I knew he would have to be the one to ask me to go.


    He grinned at me, but I looked away uneasily. ¡°You now work as a maid? Impressive,¡± he remarked.


    He got up from his seat and moved closer to me, and out of panic, I took a step backwards, and he chuckled. ¡°How far can you run away from me, huh?¡± he smirked while I swallowed in fear. ¡°Do you need anything else? If not, I would like to take my leave,¡± I mustered the courage to speak.


    He scoffed and stepped closer to me, but I shifted back. ¡°I want you, little one. I want to bury myself deep inside you. I want you to scream my name until you pass out. What do you say, huh?¡± he smirked, and a big frown appeared on my face. His vulgar intentions made my stomach churn with disgust and fear.


    Summoning the courage to speak, I said, ¡°I will not be treated as an object for your pleasure. Excuse me.¡± With that, I turned to leave, but his sudden grip held on to my ponytail and pulled me towards him. ¡°Ahh!!¡± I eximed in pain at his firm grip on my hair.


    He leaned towards my left ear, his breath sending my whole body into a great state of panic and fear. ¡°Listen, you girl. I always have what I want, and in no time, I will have you.¡± His threats sent chills down my spine. ¡°And if you dare mention this to anyone, be sure that I will kill you and give your body to the vultures.¡± He let go of my hair, and I stumbled out of the room. I hurriedly descended the stairs and arrived back in the kitchen. The maids were too upied with their tasks to notice my uneasiness.


    Inhaling deeply, I went back to my duty, but I couldn¡¯t concentrate. His threats would constantly ring in my head, and fear and panic would grip me. Of course, I knew I wouldn¡¯t be able to say this to anyone; not like anyone would care about it.


    The thought of being abused by him frightened me, and I wondered how I would get myself out of such a situation. ¡°Shit!¡± I quickly withdrew my hand from the tray of veggies.


    My exmation drew the attention of the head maid. Seeing my bleeding finger, she frowned. ¡°What were you thinking?¡± she asked as she took my bleeding finger and stared at it with anger. ¡°You can¡¯t be in the kitchen with bleeding fingers. Go to the mansion and find something else to do,¡± she spoke disappointedly and took the tray away from me. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry,¡± I apologized, but she ignored me and looked away while grumbling.


    Leaving the kitchen, I decided to go to the maid¡¯s quarters; I was sure a first aid box would be there.


    I was almost at the exit door of the mansion when I encountered Beta Matthew walking in. Our gazes locked, and I gulped and looked away. My eyes fell on his body, and I realized he was shirtless and wore only shorts. He was all sweaty and panting, which was a clear indication that he went out for a run in the woods.


    I quickly averted my gaze and stared at the floor. We stood there in awkward silence. I wished I could leave, but I couldn¡¯t because he was blocking my way. ¡°You are bleeding?¡± he broke the silence, and I looked at my finger, which was spilling out blood. ¡°Yes, I identally cut myself,¡± I exined.


    ¡°Seriously,¡± he scoffed in anger, and I had to look up at him and realize he had a big frown on his face. ¡°What are you? A kid?¡± he sounded angry, and I frowned, wondering why he was getting angry over such a little ident.


    ¡°Come with me,¡± he ordered and began walking away. I trailed behind him, and we arrived at his room.


    ¡°Sit,¡± he offered, but I hesitated for a moment before obeying. He went to the drawer, took out a first aid box, and returned to where I sat. I watched him squat before me and ce the box beside me. ¡°Your hand,¡± he requested, and awkwardly, I gave my wounded finger to him.


    As he cleaned and bandaged the wound, I couldn¡¯t help but kept staring at him. I had yet to exin why he was being so nice to me. We barely knew each other, but he had saved me twice and had promised to find Elisa¡¯s killer. Now, he was attending to my wounded finger. My heart fluttered in my chest. Apart from myte mother, he was the only person who had shown concern for me, something my destined mate couldn¡¯t provide. The thought made me tear up, and I didn¡¯t know when the tears started falling.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Hey,¡± he looked at me with concern. ¡°Why are you crying?¡± He sounded worried.


    I choked on my tears. ¡°Thank you, thank you so much for being kind to me,¡± I managed to say between sobs.


    Beta Matthew¡¯s expression softened, and he gently wiped away my tears with his thumb. ¡°Hey, it¡¯s okay,¡± he triedforting me, but I couldn¡¯t stop crying. My emotions were getting the best of me, and I was unable to control it.


    Unexpectedly, he pulled me into aforting hug, his arms wrapping around me gently yet securely. Strangely, I found sce in his embrace, feeling a sense of warmth and safety I hadn¡¯t experienced in a long time. I buried my face into his chest, letting out all the pent-up emotions I had held inside.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay; everything will be fine soon,¡± he assured me while I kept sobbing into his chest. I felt so at ease andforted in his familiar arms.


    ¡°Stop crying¡­¡± His words trailed off abruptly as the sound of the door opening interrupted us. Before I could withdraw from his arms, it was toote  Alpha Edward had already walked in on us.

 Way better than you

    Alpha Edward¡¯s POV


    Jealousy was the first thing I felt when I walked on them in each other¡¯s arms. As if caught in the act, Amanda pulled from Matthew¡¯s arms and got up. Unable to hold my gaze, she buried her eyes on the floor while I gritted my teeth and red at her.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°You are here? Do you need me to do anything for you?¡± Matthew asked, acting nonchntly as if me walking in on them in each other¡¯s arms was nothing.


    Clenching my jaw, I looked his way and noticed he was even shirtless and had just a short on. The sight of that red me up, but I had to control myself.


    ¡°Go to my chambers and be on your knees.¡± I directed those words to Amanda, who didn¡¯t hesitate and dashed out of the room.


    Returning my gaze to Matthew, I red at him, but he had a nk and calm look.


    ¡°Is not what you think.¡± Matthew tried defending his actions, but that angered me even more. ¡°What do you take me for? A fool, do I look dumb and blind to you, huh?¡± I spat with anger.


    ¡°Calm down¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me to fucking calm down!¡± I yelled. ¡°What do you want to exin, huh? What lies do you want to tell? I walked in on both of you in an intimate hug, and here you are telling me it¡¯s not what I think. Is that it? Am I that stupid!¡± I yelled out frustrated. The thought of the two of them being together was driving me insane. If they could hug this way, then heaven knows what they might have done that I am unaware of.


    ¡°This is why you haven¡¯t slept in your apartment for the past week. She is the reason you are spending the night in the mansion instead of going back home, huh?¡± I used and noticed the confused look on Matthew¡¯s face.


    ¡°You decided to pass the nights here all in the pretence that your home is lonely so that you could sneak her into your roomte at night, huh?¡± I used, unexinable anger and jealousy bubbling inside of me.


    ¡°Tell me, are you two now in love? Do you intend to set her free? Helping her escape and setting her free!¡± I yelled, but all Matthew did was remain mute as he stared at me.


    ¡°I need an answer; answer me, Matthew!¡± His silence was killing me.


    With panting breath and a throbbing heart, I waited for him to say something, deny my usation or say something to defend himself. I wanted him to tell me that what I was thinking were lies, but he didn¡¯t; instead, he turned around and walked into the bathroom.


    ¡°Damn it!¡± I kicked away a first aid box before dashing out of the room.


    Consumed with anger, I walked back into my chambers and met her on her knees just like I had ordered, the sight fueling my rage even further.


    Jerking her up the arms, I made her stand before me while I watched her exim at the tightness of my grip on her.


    ¡°Tell me, you slut, what have you been doing with my beta,¡± I demanded with jealousy. ¡°You two have been sleeping with each other. Tell me.¡± I spat, but just like Matthew, she was silent, and that raged me even more.


    ¡°Tell me, does he do it more than I? Does he satisfy you more than I do? Is he better than I¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± She spat. ¡°Beta Matthew is far better than you; you are a monster, and you will never be levelled with him!¡± She answered with no atom of fear in her. ¡°He is loving, caring, understanding and makes me feel like a human, unlike you, who has given me nothing other than pain!¡± She spat those words on my face.


    ¡°Beta Matthew is way better than you, and every woman in her right senses will choose him over you!¡±


    That was it; that was all it took to make me lose control. Pushing her onto the bed, I climbed on top of her and pinned both hands above her head.


    ¡°He fucks you more than I do, right? Let¡¯s see about that.¡±


    Letting go of her hands, I went for her dress and tore it off, revealing her underwear. In a swift motion, I tore off her underwear and flung them away, leaving her naked before me.


    Grunting, I unbuckled my belt, zipped my pants and took out my dick. With forceful strokes, I began stroking my dick, and when I realized it was hardened, I widened her legs and thrust in.


    She gasped at my forceful thrust, but that didn¡¯t stop me; instead, I began mming in and out of her.


    Holding on to her boobs, I squeezed them and aggressively thrust inside her, while she released a sound of difort and attempted to close her eyes.


    ¡°Eyes open; I want to see your eyes on me,¡± I demanded, and she obeyed.


    Our eyes interlocked as I mmed inside her even harder. She eximed in difort and sank her fingers into my shoulders, which I ignored and continued thrusting.


    I held her neck and increased my pace, causing her to choke, but that didn¡¯t make me let go; I continued choking her by the neck while my dick tortured her pussy. She held on to my hand, which was wrapped around her neck, but I didn¡¯t let go; instead, I fucked her even more aggressively.


    ncing into her eyes, I realized her eyes were soaked with tears, and it seemed like she was about to pass out, and out of concern, I let go of her neck and pulled out of her. With panting breath, I moved away from her and left the bed, zipped up, and without looking her way, I left my room.


    Running a hand through my hair, I walked through the hallway, took the stairs and met a maid.


    ¡°Go to my chambers and check on Amanda.¡± I was worried that she could harm herself.


    To clear my head, I decided to go to the gym room. Entering the room, I removed my shirt and went for the boxing gloves. After putting them, I hit the punching bag harder and harder, feeling mad. Thoughts about what happened kept bothering me, making me even more furious. But I kept going, trying to push those feelings away with each punch and lift.


    Amanda¡¯s Words were in my head, and no matter how hard I tried to wipe them off, I just couldn¡¯t; it felt like her words were stuck there. In times like this, I missed my wolf because he would have talked to me and suggested on what I should do.


    I kept punching the bag until I got exhausted and stopped. Taking off the gloves, I put back on my shirt and left the gym. Arriving at the sitting room, I called for a guard. ¡°I want you to keep a close eye on Amanda. If you see her anywhere with Beta Matthew or if she goes into his room, I want you to alert me immediately. Do you understand?¡± I instructed the guard, who nodded. ¡°Good.¡±


    I returned to my room, but she was no longer there, though her scent filled the entire ce. Inhaling deeply, I sniffed her scent and closed my eyes briefly before opening them. ¡°What is wrong with me?¡± I threw that question at myself. Why was I acting so jealous and possessive? Amanda is nothing but a ve, and even if Matthew wants to have his way with her, Why should I care so much about it? Is this jealousy or something else? My question was left hanging because I couldn¡¯t answer it.


    Entering the bathroom, I took a cold bath, dressed up, and decided to attend to some pack duties. At least that would help clear my head and make me think less of Amanda.


    A few hourster¡­


    ¡°Goodnight,¡± I told my driver as I exited the car. ncing at my wristwatch, I realized it was 10 PM, and I had only had breakfast as my meal for the day. Walking into the sitting room, I was furious to see Levi talking to a maid. I could have easily ignored it, but I realized the maid was acting ufortable.


    When the maid noticed my presence, she bowed and spun off. I settled my gaze on Levi for a moment before I spoke. ¡°This is a warning, Levi. If you want to stay here, then you must stay away from the maids. My staffs are important to me, and I will not let you trouble them,¡± I warned.


    Levi scoffed. ¡°I¡¯m not doing anything wrong here. I was just having a conversation with the maid.¡±


    ¡°I saw everything, Levi. She was so ufortable. I need to ask you to respect the staff¡¯s privacy and personal space. If you can¡¯t do that, I¡¯ll have to reconsider you saying here, I am allowing you to stay here because of your mother, don¡¯t push me.¡± I warned before walking away. Arriving at my room, I removed my clothes, bathed, and wore a shot.


    Feeling hungry, I asked the maid to get me some fruit. After I finished eating, I climbed onto the bed and tried to get some sleep, but my thoughts were filled with Amanda. The events that urred during the early hours of today flooded my mind, and somehow, I was starting to regret my actions. I wanted to send for her to make sure she was okay, but I groaned and forced my eyes closed. After much struggle, I was able to fall asleep.


    A soft knock at my door roused me from my light slumber. As an alpha, ingrained instincts kept me alert even in the depths of the night, sensitive to the slightest disturbance. ¡°Who is it?¡± I called out, my brow furrowing in curiosity.


    ¡°It¡¯s me, alpha.¡±


    I recognized that as the voice of one of my guards. My eyes fell on the wall clock, and I realized it was 1 am. Stepping out of bed, I approached the door and swung it open, concern flickering in my eyes. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I inquired, bracing myself for troubling news.


    ¡°Apologies for the interruption, alpha, but it¡¯s about Amanda. You tasked me with keeping an eye on her, and I¡¯ve done just that,¡± he began, his tone measured yet tense.


    ¡°And?¡± I pressed, my pulse quickening with anxiety.


    ¡°She¡¯s currently in the garden with Beta Matthew,¡± he revealed, and a knot formed in the pit of my stomach as I gripped the doorframe.

 Do you love her?

    Alpha Edward¡¯s POV


    Pain was what I felt hearing those hurtful words from her. I wanted to scream, yell, or do something to her, but I found myself numb, unable to believe what I had just heard. I wanted to urge her to tell me that all she was saying was a lie, maybe she just wanted me to get angry, but the look on her face showed that she wasn¡¯t joking about it. Unable to withstand her presence, I sent her away, and she dashed out of my room.


    Slowly, I slumped on my bed while her words buzzed in my head. I could vividly hear her words in my head, the way she said it when she dered her love for him, the way she talked about how he treated her. Everything was sending me insane. With a grunt, I ran a hand through my hair. I couldn¡¯t exin why I was feeling so restless because of her confession. I mean, this was ady I should hate. I was supposed to torment her and inflict pain on her, but I don¡¯t get why I have softened this much. Why was her confession having this effect on me? Why was I feeling jealous at the thought of her and Matthew being together?


    Sighing tiredly, I closed my eyes for a moment before opening them. I felt disappointed in myself. This was ady who killed my mate, and instead of making her pay, I was bothered about something else. Perhaps I have been too soft with her, and now I have to deal with her.


    Laying back on my bed, I closed my eyes and thought of Elisa. I knew wherever she was, she would be highly disappointed in me. I have failed her and the bond we shared, but it¡¯s not yet toote to fix things.     The next morning, after I went downstairs for breakfast and met everyone at the table, including Matthew, our gazes met, but I frowned and looked away.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Aunt asked, and I hummed. I knew she wasn¡¯t convinced, but she decided to let it slide.


    I noticed Amanda was among the maids serving our meals. I watched her carefully and tenderly serve Matthew like a wife would do to her husband, and the sight of that disgusted and angered me.


    As usual, I was served by the head maid, but as Amanda wanted to leave, I called her back. I could see how nervous she was as she walked over to my side of the table.


    ¡°Get me a cup of hot coffee,¡± I requested, and she nodded before leaving. My eyes met Matthew¡¯s, and I eyed him before looking away.


    Momentster, Amanda walked back to the dining table with a cup of coffee on a tray. She carefully dropped it before me but didn¡¯t leave. She knew she couldn¡¯t leave until I asked her to.


    Picking up the cup of coffee, I took a sip of it and frowned. ¡°Did you put sugar in this?¡± I asked and saw her gulp before nodding.


    I red up. ¡°How dare you,¡± I yelled and threw the hot coffee on her. Amanda flinched, her eyes wide with shock and fear.


    My heart pounded in my chest as I watched the hot liquid ssh onto her, staining her clothes and scalding her skin.


    Amanda trembled, her hands shaking as she tried to wipe the coffee off her face. I could feel the tension in the room escte as everyone watched in stunned silence. My aunt¡¯s expression shifted from concern to disapproval, and Matthew¡¯s gaze bore into mine with a mixture of confusion and concern.


    But at that moment, I couldn¡¯t care less about their reactions. All I could feel was the burning rage consuming me, fueled by Amanda¡¯s betrayal and my own conflicted emotions.


    ¡°How dare you put sugar in my coffee,¡± I spat out, my voice dripping with venom. ¡°Can¡¯t you do something right, you bitch!¡± I yelled, but she didn¡¯t say a word. With trembling hands, she wiped off her face, which had gotten red marks due to the hotness of the coffee.


    ¡°Get out of my sight!¡± Imanded, and watched her walk away, but strangely, I felt bad for what I did.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    After she left, my eyes met with Matthew¡¯s, who was ring at me. ¡°What? Do you have anything to say?¡± I challenged. But he didn¡¯t say a word; rather, he got up. ¡°Please excuse me,¡± he said and walked out of the table.


    After he left, an awkward silence hung in the air, and with a grunt, I got up on my feet. ¡°I have lost my appetite. I will be in my room.¡± Without waiting for a response, I stormed out of the dining, my fists clenched at my sides.


    As I made my way through the corridors of the mansion, I couldn¡¯t shake off the whirlwind of emotions raging inside me. Getting to my room, I restlessly paced around, my head was messed up, and it was driving me insane. Her words of loving Matthew kept echoing in my head, and no matter how hard I tried to wipe it off, it kept reying.


    Restlessly, I continued pacing around, and unable to hold it anymore, I left my room. I went searching for Matthew and met him in his room, getting dressed.


    ¡°How could you!¡± I spat in anger and saw him frown. ¡°Having sex with the same woman as me, huh?¡± I yelled and saw his brow furrowed. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± He seemed confused, and that got me more angry. ¡°Don¡¯t act dumb with me; you know what I¡¯m talking about!¡± I yelled and sucked a deep breath to control my emotions. My emotions were getting the best of me, and I knew I had to keep them in check.


    ¡°Stay away from her. Whatever you two have should end this very instant. There are many singledies in the pack; why not go for any? Why must it be Amanda, my prisoner?¡± I asked with jealousy. ¡°Whatever that is going on between you two should stop this minute,¡± I demanded and waited for him to speak, but he was silent for a moment before moving closer to me, his eyes never leaving mine.


    ¡°Have you fallen in love with Amanda?¡± he asked, his voice steady but carrying a hint of disbelief.


    The question caught me off guard, and for a moment, I was at a loss for words. Love? Me? Amanda? It seemed absurd, preposterous even. But as I stood there, facing Matthew¡¯s probing gaze, I couldn¡¯t deny the turmoil churning inside me.


    ¡°No,¡± I answered quickly, perhaps too quickly. But the words tasted bitter on my tongue, and I knew Matthew could see through it.


    ¡°How can I fall in love with ady who killed my mate? That is ridiculous. I¡¯m only telling you to let go of her. We can¡¯t be fucking the samedy!¡±


    He studied me for a moment, his expression unreadable. ¡°If that is the case, then sharing Amanda shouldn¡¯t be a problem. After all, I remember we shared girls while we were in school, and that has never been a problem. Then why should sharing Amanda be a problem? After all, she is a prisoner, so there is no big deal about it.¡±


    I stood there, stunned by Matthew¡¯s response. His casual attitude towards the situation only fueled my anger, but deep down, I couldn¡¯t deny the truth in his words. We had shared girls before without issue, but this felt different. Amanda wasn¡¯t just any woman; she was the one who had taken away someone I cared about deeply.


    ¡°You don¡¯t understand,¡± I growled, my fists clenched at my sides. ¡°This isn¡¯t about sharing. She¡¯s not just some random woman. She¡¯s¡­ she¡¯s¡­¡±


    But I couldn¡¯t find the words to articte the turmoil inside me. How could I exin the conflicting emotions of anger, betrayal, and yes, even a strange sense of protectiveness and possessiveness towards Amanda?


    ¡°Listen, Amanda has told me what is going on between you two,¡± I said, wanting to change the topic. ¡°She told me¡­¡± I groaned, I couldn¡¯t even say those words.


    ¡°You have to stop whatever is going on between you two,¡± I ordered, but Matthew shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Alpha Edward. I would have let go of her if you imed you were in love with her, but since you aren¡¯t, then I see no need to leave her.¡±


    His response left me dumbfounded.

 Sending me to china

    Amanda¡¯s POV


    While changing into a new uniform, I noticed the head maid¡¯s eyes on me. She stood at the door, staring at me with a questioning look. After I was done dressing, I turned to face her. ¡°I had no idea he doesn¡¯t like sugar in his coffee,¡± I defended myself, but she didn¡¯t say a word; instead, she just left.


    Inhaling deeply, I stared at the mirror and realized I had red marks on my face and arms from the hot coffee poured on me. I knew Alpha Edward overreacted; in fact, he would have just asked me to change it and get another one, but since he wanted to punish me, he decided to pour the hot coffee on me. I sighed in difort at the ache I was feeling in my body. The head maid had already given me an ointment I used to apply on my body, but I could still feel a little difort.


    Leaving the maids quarter, I returned to the mansion and arrived at theundry room, where I was assigned to do theundry. Two other maids were there, and I could feel their constant gazes on me, but I ignored them and continued with my task.


    ¡°Amanda, the alpha calls for you,¡± a guard announced, and I swallowed nervously. I looked at the guard, who had a nk look on his face. ¡°Is there something wrong?¡± I asked nervously.


    ¡°I can¡¯t answer that,¡± he responded, and I nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± I followed them out of theundry room. We took the stairs, and instead of going to his room, I realized we were going to the mansion¡¯s top. We reached thest floor and arrived at the mansion¡¯s rooftop, where I saw Alpha Edward staring into space, his back turned against me.


    ¡°You can leave,¡± he instructed the guards, who obeyed and left, leaving me alone with him. For a moment, an awkward silence filled the air as I waited for him to speak. But he didn¡¯t; instead, he remained quiet for a long time, which scared me. I knew he hadn¡¯t reacted to what I said yesterday, and the thought was scaring me; his silence was scaring me.


    Unable to bear it anymore, I had to speak. ¡°You sent for me,¡± I murmured, and as if my n worked, he turned around, and our gaze interlocked. He had a nk look on his face, which made it difficult to detect his mood.


    ¡°I¡¯m supposed to kill you¡­¡± he grunted. ¡°But I just can¡¯t see myself killing you,¡± he groaned frustratingly. He stared at me for a moment before moving closer to me, and suddenly, he grabbed me by the arms.


    ¡°You!¡± he groaned while I flinched with fear. ¡°Not only did you not kill my mate, but you are trying to cause a rift between my beta and me, huh?¡± he growled while I gulped in fear. ¡°You are a good maniptor; you have seeded in manipting Matthew, but this is the end!¡± he groaned and let go of me.


    ¡°I¡¯m sending you to a prison in China; you are tobor there for the rest of your life!¡± he dered, and my eyes widened. As Alpha Edward¡¯s words sunk in, my heart raced with fear and disbelief. China? Labor? For the rest of my life? The gravity of his decision crushed me, leaving me speechless and powerless. All my efforts to survive, to stay alive, and to prove my innocence were all in vain.


    I struggled to find my voice, to plead for mercy, but the fear paralyzed me. Tears welled up in my eyes as I realized this was my end. Probably, this was destiny for me. Alpha Edward¡¯s gaze bore into mine, his expression unreadable yet filled with a hint of satisfaction. He had made his decision, and there was no turning back.


    ¡°Let me see how you will be with Beta Matthew while you are in China; let¡¯s see how you¡¯ll see each other and have your affair!¡± he grunted, and that was when the realization hit me. He was doing this because of the lies I told!


    ¡°You will rot and die there,¡± he vowed, and all I did was stare at him. He had already decided, and no amount of pleading would sway him. With a heavy heart, I realized that my fate was sealed, condemned to a life ofbor in a foreignnd far away from everything I had ever known.


    ¡°Guards!¡± he called, and two guards approached us. As the guards came to take me away, a sense of resignation washed over me. I had fought so hard to prove my innocence, but in the end, it was all in vain. Tears blurred my vision as I nced at Alpha Edward onest time. I saw no remorse in his eyes; all he had was just a nk look.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Take her away; the jet is already waiting,¡± he told the men, who nodded and grabbed my arms, ready to take me away. As the guards tightened their grip on my arms, prepared to drag me away, a voice sliced through the tension like a knife.


    ¡°Stop!¡±


    I turned, hope blossoming in my chest as I saw Beta Matthew striding towards us with determined steps. His eyes zed with anger, his jaw set in a firm line.


    ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± Beta Matthew demanded, his voiceced with authority. The guards hesitated, caught off guard by Beta Matthew¡¯s sudden appearance andmanding presence.


    ¡°She is not going,¡± Beta Matthew stated firmly, his gaze unwavering as he locked eyes with Alpha Edward.


    Alpha Edward growled and stood before Beta Matthew. ¡°What did you just say?¡± he asked again, and Beta Matthew stepped forward, his anger-burning eyes staring at Alpha Edward.


    ¡°I said she is not going anywhere,¡± he repeated, his voice steady and relentless. ¡°Amanda is my mate.¡±

 His mate

    Alpha Edward¡¯s POV


    My entire being went numb at Matthew¡¯s deration. My mind raced, my heart pounding in my chest. The words echoed in my ears, reverberating through my thoughts like a thunderp. Amanda, my ve, the one who had killed my mate and I have brutally tortured, was Matthew¡¯s mate? That can¡¯t be true!


    ¡°You are lying, Matthew; she is not your mate; she can¡¯t be your mate!¡± I spoke with disbelief. There was no way he would trick me into believing such lies.


    ¡°Yes, she is my mate,¡± Matthew dered, his gaze not wavering from mine. ¡°I knew she was my mate the very first day I saw her, but I couldn¡¯t say it, I couldn¡¯t ept it. How can I tell everyone that my mate is a murderer? How can I look you in the face and tell you that thedy who killed your mate and brought you so much pain was my mate? I was too ashamed and heartbroken to say it to anyone, so I decided to keep it to myself and reject our bond. I even wanted you to kill her, so that was why, at first, I was urging you to kill her. But since you didn¡¯t, I became so drawn to her. I tried my best to ignore our bonds, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn¡¯t, and now I have fallen in love with her and won¡¯t let her go,¡± he dered.


    I remained numb, unable to believe what I had just heard. I looked at Matthew, who had a stern look, and then I looked at Amanda, who had a confused expression.


    ¡°Do you know about this?¡± I threw that question at Amanda.


    ¡°No, she has no idea that we are mates; she has no wolf, and I haven¡¯t told her yet,¡± Matthew responded, and I grunted.


    ¡°This can¡¯t be true!¡± I ran a hand through my hair. I didn¡¯t want to believe it; I didn¡¯t want to ept that she was Matthew¡¯s mate, that she belonged to him. Amanda is mine; she belongs to me and no one else.


    ¡°She is my mate, Alpha Edward. What makes you think I will be attracted to a woman who killed your mate? What makes you think I will keep saving her from your punishments? What makes you think I will still want her even when you asked me to stay away?¡± He threw those questions at me, and I went numb. ¡°She is my mate, Alpha Edward. I have known all this while. Do you know the amount of pain I went through when I realized you were with her? My mate was being involved with my best friend, but I couldn¡¯t do anything about it because I didn¡¯t want you to know we were mates. Every night, I go to bed feeling worthless. I could feel her pain and cries, but I was helpless to help. But not anymore, I can¡¯t bear it anymore.¡±


    Matthew stepped forward with tear-filled eyes. I could vividly see the pain and heartbreak in his eyes, and I needed no one to tell me that all he just said was nothing but the truth. It was surprising how Matthew and I have been friends since we were kids, and I could not detect something wasn¡¯t right with him. He must have hidden it so well that I couldn¡¯t even see a glimpse of his pain.


    ¡°We have been friends since childhood, and I have always been your loyal friend. I have never betrayed you or stabbed you in the back; neither have I asked anything from you. But today I have a request, just one request¡­¡± he paused and looked in Amanda¡¯s direction for a moment before returning his gaze to me.


    ¡°I want you to give my mate back to me; I want my mate, Alpha Edward. I havee to the realization that I won¡¯t be able to live without her. I know she has hurt you by killing your mate, but how sure are you that she was the killer?¡± He asked, and my brow furrowed.


    ¡°I have talked with Amanda, and I think she isn¡¯t Elisa¡¯s killer, and all I¡¯m pleading for is for you to give me some time. Give me some time, and I will prove my mate¡¯s innocence to you!¡± He vowed, and I remained stunned.


    ¡°Just give her to me, and I promise you I will prove her innocence,¡± he pleaded desperately.


    As Matthew¡¯s words sank in, a surge of jealousy surged through me, a raw, primal emotion wing at my insides. How could he expect me to hand over Amanda, the woman I thought belonged to me, to him? Despite his heartfelt plea, I couldn¡¯t shake the possessiveness that gripped me. It was irrational, I knew, but the thought of Amanda being with anyone else, especially Matthew, twisted my gut into knots.


    ¡°I can¡¯t just give her to you, Matthew,¡± I finally managed to say, my voice strained with the effort to contain my emotions. ¡°She¡­ she killed my mate, and until her innocence is proven, I can¡¯t hand her over to you.¡±


    But even as the words left my lips, doubt gnawed at me. Was I genuinely acting right, or was I holding on to her out of selfishness, out of fear of losing what I believed was mine?


    ¡°She is my mate, for goodness¡¯s sake!¡± Matthew red up. ¡°Can¡¯t you understand my pain? Do you think it is easy for me? To see you with my mate! Torturing her! Do you think it¡¯s easy? I have endured much, and this is the length I can go.¡± He yelled out his frustration.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    His words struck a chord within me, stirring a conflict of emotion. I didn¡¯t want to believe Amanda belonged to Matthew; the thought of that was driving me insane. Not only was I feeling bad for what Matthew might have gone through, but I was also feeling possessive and jealous. I couldn¡¯t ept the fact that she was slipping out of my hands.


    ¡°Say something, Alpha Edward. Will you still want to keep Amanda, despite knowing she is your best friend¡¯s mate?¡± Matthew questioned, and I swallowed in pain.


    ¡°I need some time to process,¡± I confessed, my voice barely audible. ¡°But I won¡¯t send her to China; she¡¯ll stay in the mansion while I figure things out.¡± With that, I turned and left, my heart burdened and a knot tightening in my stomach.

 The truth

    Amanda¡¯s POV


    I followed Beta Matthew into his room, and when we entered, he locked the door. He stood by the window while I positioned myself beside the door.


    ¡°Have a seat,¡± he gestured, and I sat on one of the couches.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    An awkward silence filled the air as I waited for him to speak, to exin why he lied to Alpha Edward. After several minutes of silence, realizing he wouldn¡¯t initiate the conversation, I decided to break it.


    ¡°Why did you lie?¡± I asked.


    He raised a brow and nced at me before sighing and moving away from the window. Sitting on the couch across from me, he locked gazes with me.


    ¡°You were the first to lie,¡± he remarked.


    I gulped nervously and tucked my hair behind my ears.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I understand why you lied. Maybe it was to spite him, and I¡¯m not angry at you. You did a good job,¡± he said with a smile. I furrowed my brow, confused by his words.


    ¡°Listen, I had to lie about us being mates. It¡¯s the only way I can set you free from Alpha Edward torture, and it¡¯s the only way I could stop him from sending you to China,¡± he revealed, and I gulped. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have survived there, trust me,¡± he exined.


    I took a deep breath and looked at him with worry. ¡°What if he finds out you lied? Won¡¯t that be a big problem?¡± I asked, feeling anxious.


    Beta Matthew scoffed, sounding nonchnt. ¡°Leave that for me to worry about,¡± he replied.


    ¡°That¡¯s not the only reason I called you in here,¡± he continued, piquing my curiosity.


    ¡°I made a discovery. I realized that Elisa had several boyfriends, one of whom caught my interest. His name is Anthony. Do you know him?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I do. He was Elisa¡¯s longtime boyfriend,¡± I responded, wondering where this was leading.


    ¡°Despite being betrothed to Alpha Edward, Elisa was still dating Anthony, right?¡± he asked, and I nodded.


    Beta Matthew gave me a suspicious look that made me uneasy. ¡°Is there something wrong?¡± I asked, feeling nervous.


    He didn¡¯t respond but continued staring at me intently, making me so ufortable that I had to look away.


    ¡°Tell me the whole truth,¡± he demanded. I raised a brow, still confused.


    ¡°Yes, I want to know the truth. I can only help you if you tell me everything you know,¡± he urged, but I remained puzzled.


    ¡°I¡¯ve told you all I know. I can¡¯t think of who might have killed her¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not talking about that,¡± he corrected, further adding to my confusion.


    ¡°I told you I would make some inquiries, so I went to your pack and began asking questions about Elisa to understand the kind of person she was. And guess who I met?¡± he trailed off.


    ¡°Who?¡± I asked, curious.


    ¡°Timothy, your pack¡¯s famous carpenter,¡± he revealed.


    My eyes widened, and I gulped.


    ¡°He told me a different version of the story about how Alpha Edward was saved in the woods. In that story, you were included. He imed that you ran to him for help. But I had never heard of such a thing. What I had been hearing was how Elisa single-handedly helped Alpha Edward in the woods, so that got me confused¡­¡± he paused, walking around the room for a moment before turning to me.


    ¡°You were the one who saved Alpha Edward, right?¡± It wasn¡¯t a question but a confirmation.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to lie to me, Amanda. Just tell me the truth,¡± he urged, and I felt a pang of pain as memories of that day flooded back. Recalling those memories brought tears to my eyes, and I couldn¡¯t hold them back.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. You can cry. Let out your emotions,¡± Beta Matthewforted me as I continued crying.


    My heart felt heavy as I recounted the events of that fateful day. Tears streamed down my cheeks as I struggled to find the strength to speak. ¡°Yes,¡± I finally whispered, my voice barely audible through my sobs. ¡°I was the one who saved him.¡±


    Beta Matthew¡¯s expression softened as he moved closer, offering me a tissue to wipe my tears. ¡°Tell me everything that happened, and don¡¯t hold anything back,¡± he urged, and I nodded, taking a deep breath.


    ¡°Elisa and I found him in the woods where he had stabbed himself. Out of fear, Elisa asked us to leave, but I disagreed and decided to help him. I tore a piece of my dress to try to stop the bleeding, but it didn¡¯t work. I also used a herb, but the bleeding wouldn¡¯t stop, so I got scared and asked Elisa to look after him while I went to seek help. I met Sir Timothy, and we returned to the woods, but upon arriving, we saw Elisa with some warriors from your pack. Sir Timothy asked us to stay behind and watched. Seeing Elisa with Alpha Edward, the warriors mistook her for the one who saved him and asked for her name, which she gave them. Dayster, Alpha Edward came to our home and mistook Elisa for the one who saved him.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you speak up?¡± Beta Matthew asked.


    I swallowed in pain. ¡°Because I was threatened not to.¡±


    ¡°By your stepmother?¡±


    ¡°Yes, she is a powerful witch.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Beta Matthew nodded and took back his seat.


    ¡°So, that means you are Alpha Edward¡¯s second chance mate?¡± He threw that unexpected question at me, and I swallowed in pain.


    ¡°Yes, right?¡± He urged, and I nodded.


    ¡°On the day of mine and Elisa¡¯s eighteenth birthday, Alpha Edward came to our home. I saw him through the window, and my wolf spoke to me for the first time, announcing him as my mate. Elisa was right there with me. I joyfully told her that Alpha Edward was my mate, but she struck me on my head, and I fell unconscious.¡± Tears welled in my eyes as memories of that day yed in my head, but I held them back and took a deep breath.


    ¡°Waking up hourster, I realized my wolf was gone, and Alpha Edward had marked Elisa as his mate. I discovered my stepmother had tampered with my wolf, making her silent and dormant. She also threatened to kill my mother if I dared to tell the truth to anyone.¡±


    Silence hung in the air as we tried to gather our thoughts, and after a moment, he spoke. ¡°So you decided to let them have their way, but unfortunately, someone killed Elisa, and the death was pinned on you?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± I mumbled.


    He nodded and went silent for another moment. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell Alpha Edward about it? You have the chance now; your mother is dead, so there is nothing you stand to lose.¡±


    I frowned and shook my head. ¡°I see no reason to tell him the truth. I no longer want him to know that I saved him, and neither do I want him to know that we are mates. All I want is to be proven innocent and be set free. I no longer want to be his mate. I can¡¯t be the mate of a man who ordered the killing of my sick mother, tortured me, and made me wish for death. I just can¡¯t,¡± I spat with hate. I could let go of anything, but not the death of my poor mother.


    ¡°Ordered the death of your mother?¡± Beta Matthew seemed confused.


    ¡°Yes, he ordered his men to kill my mother,¡± I mumbled in pain.


    ¡°Really? I wasn¡¯t aware of that.¡± He frowned and went into deep thought for a moment before he sighed.


    ¡°It¡¯s your decision, and I won¡¯t force you to do what you don¡¯t want, okay?¡± He assured me, and I nodded.


    ¡°Our main target is to find Elisa¡¯s killer, and the number one suspect is her longtime boyfriend, Anthony. My spies are already working on him, and if they find nothing, then we will look into the number two suspect,¡± he dered, and I became curious.


    ¡°And who might that be?¡±


    ¡°Levi, Alpha Edward¡¯s cousin.¡± He revealed.

 My wife

    Alpha Edward¡¯s POV


    Kicking everything in my way, I grunted and ran a hand through my hair. What Matthew had told me kept reying in my head, making me feel insane as I struggled to ept it. How could it be? How could she turn out to be his mate?


    A surge of jealousy, anger, and possessiveness washed over me. I couldn¡¯t exin the emotions bubbling inside of me.


    I thought of Matthew and wondered how much he must have endured. He must have gone through a lot until now he decided to speak. And he also made mention of loving her? Of course, he was supposed to love her; she was his mate!


    A frustrated groan left my lips as I ran a hand through my already scattered hair. I felt panicked, restless, and bothered. If Amanda was indeed Matthew¡¯s mate, then I have done a horrible thing to my best friend. Bute to think of it, it wasn¡¯t my fault. I never knew they were mates, and he never mentioned it. Ande to think of it, Amanda was my wife; we are married, and¡­


    ¡°Shit!¡± I had totally forgotten about our marriage. Remembering our marriage, I went to my drawer, pulled it out, and took out our marriage ring.


    Getting home that day, I dropped the ring in this drawer and never took it out. My thoughts went to Amanda and her ring. I can¡¯t remember seeing that ring on her finger. Where must she have kept it? Did she throw it away? That was a customized gold ring. I made it, especially for Elisa, and it cost a lot of money. Could she have thrown it away?


    ¡°Fuck! Why am I so worried about a ring!¡± I grunted and rubbed my hands on my face before sitting on the couch. I went into deep thinking and thought about something. Matthew made mention of Amanda being innocent and how he was going to prove it. Was that really true, or was he saying that because she was his mate? Come to think of it, I realized I never investigated the death of Elisa. But why should I do that? I met Amanda in the room, so what better exnation do I need to hear? Or is there a mix-up and misunderstanding?


    ¡°Goodness!¡± My head was bing messed up. I thought for an instant, what if Amanda was truly innocent? What if I have been wrong all this while? How do I pay for the terrible things I have done to her, and how do I release her to Matthew? She is my wife, for goodness¡¯s sake!


    ¡°I¡¯m going insane!¡± I grunted. Just then, a knock came on the door, and I frowned. I wanted to send the person away, but I realized it was Aunt; I had to let her in.


    ¡°The door is open.¡±


    Aunt pushed the door open, stepped into the room, and shut the door. Her gaze fell on me, concern etched on her face.


    ¡°What is wrong?¡± She seemed bothered as she took the couch right across from me.


    ¡°Is there something bothering you?¡± Aunt asked, and I didn¡¯t know what to say to her. Of course, a lot was bothering me, but how could I exin it to her when I couldn¡¯t exin it to myself?


    ¡°Son? You can talk to me.¡± She urged, and I sighed and took a deep breath. ¡°An issue was brought to me to settle, and I am confused on how to give my judgment.¡± I lied; that was the only way to tell her what was bothering me.


    ¡°A case? What kind of case would make you look so worried and restless?¡±


    I sighed and thought of a way to say it to her.


    ¡°Two best friends brought a case to me¡­¡± I trailed off.


    ¡°Yes, go on.¡± She urged.


    ¡°The first friend is married to a woman who isn¡¯t his mate. Thedy was indebted to him, so to pay him, the man asked the woman to marry him so she could pay off her debt by her body. He has been with this woman for a couple of weeks, and suddenly, the second friend is iming that the woman the first friend got married to is his mate.¡± I paused and saw that Aunt was confused.


    ¡°When he was getting married to the woman, was his friend not aware? Had he not seen the woman before?¡± Aunt inquired, and I sighed. Matthew was not there when I married Elisa. In fact, he was out of the country. If he were present that day, maybe he would have stopped me.


    ¡°The friend was out of the country; he only heard his friend was married, and when he came back, he realized the woman his friend got married to was his mate. At first, he was silent about it and didn¡¯t let anyone know, but now he has decided that he loves his mate and wants her.¡± I exined with a sigh.


    ¡°This isplicated.¡± Aunt shook her head and thought for a moment before she replied. ¡°What about the woman? What does she have to say in all this?¡±


    ¡°Obviously, she wants to be with her mate,¡± I grumbled.


    Aunt nodded and sighed. ¡°Then the friend should let thedy go; after all, she isn¡¯t his mate.¡±


    ¡°But they are married; what about their marriage? And also, she is indebted to him. What about the debt? Doesn¡¯t it mean something?¡± I was getting frustrated.


    Aunt nced at me for a moment before she responded. ¡°Their marriage wasn¡¯t based on love but on paying debts. The man nor thedy doesn¡¯t love each other, so why would the man not release thedy to his friend? If he really cares for his friend, he will let go of any debt thedy is owing and give her back to her mate; that is the right thing to do.¡± Aunt concluded, and I groaned inwardly.


    Aunt¡¯s words echoed in my mind, resonating with a truth I didn¡¯t want to face. If Amanda truly belonged to Matthew, then keeping her bound to me was selfish and unjust. But releasing her meant admitting my failures, my blindness to what was right in front of me.


    ¡°What if the debt is substantial?¡± I asked, grasping at straws for a reason to hold onto her.


    ¡°Debts can be settled in ways other than marriage,¡± Aunt replied calmly. ¡°If she truly wants to be with her mate, then the debt should not be a barrier. True love transcends material obligations.¡±


    I frowned and looked away.


    ¡°But you are the alpha, and any judgment you will give, I believe will be the right one.¡± She gave me aforting smile before getting on her feet. ¡°Don¡¯t overthink about it.¡± She pecked my cheek before leaving my room.


    After she left, I groaned and kicked the center table away; I was feeling frustrated and angered.


    ¡°Guards!¡± I called, and two guards entered my room.


    ¡°Get me Amanda.¡±


    They bowed and left. I didn¡¯t know why I had sent for her, but I just wanted to see her. Momentster, Amanda was escorted into my room by the guards.


    ¡°Leave us,¡± I instructed the guards, who bowed and left.


    My gaze interlocked with hers, and she didn¡¯t look away; instead, she stared back at me. My eyes roamed around her body. Despite the baggy dress she wore, I could still see her curvy shape, which made me ufortable in my seat as my dick jerked.


    ¡°Undress,¡± I demanded, my gaze holding hers.


    She frowned and shook her head. ¡°I am Beta Matthew¡¯s mate; I can¡¯t do what you ask of me,¡± she refused, and that got me up on my feet. I walked over to her and towered over her.


    ¡°You are my wife,¡± I asserted, my voice low andmanding. ¡°I have every right to you.¡±


    Amanda¡¯s gaze remained steady, her defiance evident despite the fear flickering in her eyes. ¡°I am his mate,¡± she countered, her voice trembling slightly. ¡°I belong to him, not to you.¡±


    My jaw clenched at her words, possessive rage bubbling up within me. Without another word, I grabbed her wrists and pinned them above her head against the wall, my grip firm but not harsh enough to hurt her. ¡°You are mine,¡± I growled, my breath hot against her skin. ¡°You are indebted to me, and until you are proven innocent, you still belong to me. Do not forget that.¡± With a frustrated growl, I released her wrists and stepped back.


    ¡°Now, as an obedient wife, you will undress andy on the bed.¡±Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.

 Make her moan my name

    Alpha Edward¡¯s POV


    Of course, I knew she wasn¡¯t going to refuse me. Obediently, I watched her slowly take off her clothes, including her underwear, and stand naked before me. Gazing lustfully at her nude body, I gulped and sipped my drink. As instructed, she went over to the bed andy on it like a motionless woman.


    The sight of it made me ufortable. I wanted her to be obedient but not motionless. So, I dropped the ss of wine in my hand and took a deep breath.


    ¡°Amanda,¡± I called, e over here.¡±


    At first, she was confused, but she obeyed and left the bed. She walked over to where I sat and stood before me, her eyes void of emotion.


    I gazed at her body, and unexpectedly, I pulled her to myself and made her sit on myp while I positioned her legs on each side. Our gazes met, and I feltpelled to look into her eyes. There was something about those eyes of hers that kept me locked in.


    As we exchanged nces, my eyes went to her lips, and out of impulse, I mmed my lips against hers. At first, she tightened her lips closed, but I didn¡¯t pressure her; instead, I held on to her left breast and began to caress it. Soon, I felt her begin to react to my touch, and willingly, she opened her mouth for me to slide in.


    A victorious smirk appeared on the left corner of my cheek as I realized how sensitive she was to my touch. I went further to her right breast and began ying with its nipple. Breaking the kiss, I tilted my head downward and took her left breast into my mouth, starting to suck while I yed with the nipple of her right breast.


    I heard her release a low moan, more like she was holding back her moans, and that frustrated me. I wanted to hear her moan my name; I wanted her to tell me how good I was, at least better than Matthew. I bet she moans Matthew¡¯s name whenever they¡¯re together; the thought of that made me so jealous. I wanted her to moan my name too. I wanted to show her that I was better than Matthew in bed.


    ¡°Goy on the bed and part your legs for me,¡± I demanded, seeing her gulp before she got up. As she walked over to the bed, my eyes settled on her ass, and I groaned. I wished to bend her over, smack her, and fuck her from behind, but not so soon; I had other ns.


    Just as I had instructed, shey on the bed with her back and spread her legs for me. Getting a glimpse of her neatly shaved pussy, my dick jerked, waiting for me to release it, but not so soon.


    Rising to my feet, I took off my shoes and climbed onto the bed. My gaze met hers, lingering down there as my hand moved from her leg to her inner thigh. I saw her let out a breathless gasp as I shoved my finger inside her, feeling her sloppy walls as I slid in deeper.


    ¡°Ooh, gooooodddd,¡± her eyes rolled in intense pleasure, and I smirked. I was getting there.


    She parted her legs open, wanting me to go deeper. She wiggled around as I began to stroke my finger in and out of her. Her eyes asionally kept rolling while my finger slid in and out of her, and my finger twirled around her clit, making her legs tremble.


    ¡°Ohh¡­ ah,¡± she moaned uncontrobly as I added more pressure to her clit and sped up my pace. She was so wet, and her juice began to spurt out while I thrust my finger in and out of her. She moaned loudly as the pleasure became unbearable due to my speed.


    Slowly, I drew my finger out of her, followed by her juice. A satisfying smile appeared on my face at the realization that she was so wet for me.


    Pulling her to the edge of the bed, I grabbed her hips with my hands and wanted to bury my face in her pussy, but she impulsively closed her legs, and I frowned, looking up at her.


    I could see her face flushed with confusion. ¡°What are you trying to do?¡± She seemed scared and confused.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t know what I¡¯m about to do? Has Matthew never eaten your pussy?¡± I asked and saw her gulp. Her reaction made me realize that Matthew hadn¡¯t eaten her, and that excited me to know that I would be her first.


    ¡°Rx, dear wife, and let me show you what real pleasure is,¡± I smirked and strode downward again. I grasped her hip in my hand and buried my face inside her. Her body shivered at the sensation of my warm breath, fanning her sensitive cunt.


    Inhaling the smell of her pussy, I released a throaty groan, stuck out my tongue, and parted her pussy open before I began stroking it up and down the length of her slit.


    ¡°Oh Goddd,¡± she moaned as waves of pleasure washed through her. I twirled my tongue around her pussy before I began flicking it up and down.


    Moaning, I pulled her closer and mouthed her while my tongue found its way into her entrance. I began to thrust deeper into her pussy, tasting her and licking her as I roamed my tongue around her.


    ¡°Ahhh,¡± she screamed passionately and gripped my head, wanting me to go deeper inside her, which I did. She began to grind her pussy against my face while I sucked her.


    I began licking her clit while she kept moaning constantly. Her moans were making me go wild as I licked and sucked on her sensitive clit. Her cunt tasted so amazing that I couldn¡¯t help but taste her more. I plunged my tongue inside her, tasting the sweet juice that was trickling out from her pussy, then snaked my tongue around her, savoring every creamy juice inside her over and over again while Amanda kept letting out a loud moan for me. She doesn¡¯t disappoint in having such an effect on me!


    I pulled my tongue out of her cunt, and she released another moan of frustration when she couldn¡¯t feel my touch.


    I raised my head from between her legs, looking up at her beautiful, flushed face. Amanda¡¯s eyes were closed, and she had a pleasurable, enthralled expression on her face, which showed just how much she was enjoying this.


    I grazed her clit with my thumb, and her legs shook wildly. I smirked, seeing how much my touch was having an effect on her, just as much as her moans were on me.


    I slid my thumb up and down her folds, and just like that, I began stroking them softly. I felt her whole body shake slightly as she began to give a low moan.


    I pushed her thighs apart, and as if she understood what I wanted, she obliged me by opening them even further. I ced my mouth on her cunt, and I began sucking and nibbling her clit while I slowly slipped two fingers into her pussy.


    Amanda moaned louder just as I did that. I began rubbing my tongue around her clit in a circr motion as I slowly thrust my finger inside her.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Mmmmh.¡± she kept moaning for me, and it pushed me to quicken my pace, stroking my finger in and out of her cunt while my tongue kept flicking her clit rapidly.


    Her breathing became heavier, and her moans kept getting louder. I knew she was close to climaxing. I could sense it, and it made me increase the rate even more, stroking my finger inside her as my tongue worked on her clit.


    Her leg jerked, and her hips began to buck. ¡°Alpha Edward!¡± She moaned my name for the first time in a loud squeal as she came hard like never before, while I grinned in satisfaction as her core released a gush of liquid, and it flowed down over my fingers.


    I pressed my face against her dripping, wet cunt to let it all into my mouth. I licked and sucked off all her juice, and just as I was done, I stood up and began taking off my clothes.


    I pulled down my pants, and they dropped to the floor, revealing my enormous dick. Amanda¡¯s eyes were closed all this time, so she didn¡¯t get to see me naked.


    I looked down at her fascinating nude body with a look of pure lust in my eyes and affection. After all these weeks, this was the first time I was actually admiring her body, this was the first time I didn¡¯t want to just fuck her, but I wanted to make love to her and hear her moan my name.


    Getting impatient to bury my dick inside her wet cunt I climbed on the bed and hovered above her.


    ¡°Get a taste of yourself.¡± I crashed our lips together, and Amanda opened her mouth for me. We kissed passionately for a moment before I broke the kiss and interlocked gazes with her. As I held her gaze, I realized my heart was panting in my chest, and a knot formed in my stomach, which made me so ufortable that I was forced to look away and began cing kisses on her neck while parting her legs.


    I held my dick and guided it through her entrance. I grunted as I felt the wetness of her juice coat me and wee me to go in deeper.


    I began to thrust in and out of her at a slower pace, causing her to moan louder in response to my sensitive pace.


    Slowly, Despite the burning desire in me, I mmed my lips against hers and continued to thrust in and out of her in slow motion.


    ¡±Arrrhhh.¡± She moaned and broke off the kiss. With pleasure, she dips her fingers into my bare back, urging me to move faster. Seeing her reaction, I knew what she desired and increased my pace. I increased my speed in her and moaned out loudly when I realized I was about to release my cum so soon.


    Pulling out of her, Iy beside her and raised her leg before thrusting inside her from behind. She moaned and squeezed the pillow while my hand went for her nipple, and I began caressing them.


    My thrust became faster, and I could hear her moan, almost like a cry, but I knew she wasn¡¯t crying. She was just overwhelmed with pleasure.


    When I  noticed I was about to cum; I grunted, pulled out of her, got down from the bed, and spilled mye on the floor.


    ¡°Fuck!¡± I groaned with satisfaction as I jerked off on the floor.


    I could hear Amanda panting breath as she tried to catch her breath from the unimaginable pleasure she just experienced, and I can bet Matthew could never get her to such a level.


    A proud smile appeared on my face, and I wished for a second round, but not so soon.


    Turning around, I realized Amanda was picking up her things, ready to get dressed and leave.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡± I asked while making my way towards her.


    She frowned. ¡°Back to my duty.¡±


    I shook my head, wrapped my arms around her waist, and pulled her closer. ¡°You are mistaken, dear wife. Your duty is to warm my bed.¡±

 Duty of my mate

    Amanda¡¯s POV


    I held his gaze, confused by what he had just said. ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°You heard me right, dear wife; your ce is right here with me,¡± he stated firmly, with no hint of humor in his voice.


    ¡°I¡¯m not your wife,¡± I shook my head and tried to release myself from his grip, but he tightened his arm around my waist and scoffed. ¡°Really? It seems you have forgotten our marriage vows; well, you might have forgotten, but I haven¡¯t. We are married, and you and Matthew will have to ept that,¡± he said, sounding serious, which made me frown and look at him with disbelief; he was acting strangely.


    ¡°Now tell me, where is your ring?¡± he questioned as he took hold of my hand and checked my finger. ¡°Where did you keep it?¡± He sounded displeased not to see it on my finger.


    ¡°Where is it?¡± he asked again, and I furrowed my brow, staring at him with confusion and questioning gaze. I couldn¡¯t believe he would ask about the ring after all this time.


    ¡°Where did you keep it?¡± he demanded, and I frowned. ¡°I can¡¯t remember.¡± I lied. Actually, I threw the ring in my cell, and I was sure it was still there.


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe that.¡± The expression on his face showed that he knew I was lying.


    ¡°Tell me where it is now.¡± Hemanded, but I remained silent.


    ¡°Men!¡± he called, and two guards came in.


    ¡°Go into her cell and search for a gold ring; when you find it, bring it to me,¡± he instructed the men while I just stared at him, dumbfounded.


    The men left, and Alpha Edward let go of me and sat on the couch. I watched him take a sip of his drink while I just stood there, fuming with anger and irritation.


    ¡°Have a seat,¡± he urged, but I found it strange. He had never asked me to sit before.


    ¡°I said, have a seat,¡± he demanded, and I was forced to sit on one of the single-seater couches.


    An awkward silence filled the room as neither of us said a word. I could see his eyes fixed on me, making me ufortable. I just wanted to leave; I couldn¡¯t even bear to stay in a room with him.


    The guards came back with the ring and handed it over to Alpha Edward, who stared at it for a moment before asking them to leave.


    After they left, I saw him get up from his seat and go into the bathroom. At first, I wanted to use that as an opportunity to leave, but I knew that would be a bad idea, so I had to stay back.


    A few momentster, he returned with the ring still in his hand and walked over to where I sat.


    ¡°Here, wear it,¡± he demanded as he stretched forth the ring for me. I looked at the ring for a moment before lifting my gaze to look at him. ¡°I should wear it?¡± I asked, confused, and he nodded.


    ¡°We are married, and this ring symbolizes our marriage,¡± he stated firmly, and I frowned. Something was definitely wrong with him; he had been acting weird.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I can¡¯t wear that, and besides, this marriage was forced.¡±


    He growled and took my hand, and I tried to withdraw my hand, but he held it firmly.


    ¡°It¡¯s either you allow me to put it on you peacefully, or I¡¯ll break your fingers and still put it on, so make your choice,¡± he threatened, and I swallowed in fear before giving in.


    He took hold of my hand and put the ring on me. Frowning, I stared at my finger before withdrawing my hand away.


    ¡°It should always be on you; don¡¯t even think of taking it off,¡± his words sounded like a warning.


    He stared at me for a moment before he returned to his seat. His eyes were constantly on me, making me ufortable. Everything seemed strange and weird.


    A knock came on the door, and he asked the person in. When the door opened, two maids walked in with trays of food in their hands. p


    ¡°Drop it over there,¡± he instructed the maids, who did as he had said. After the maids left, he turned to me. ¡°The food is for you;e over and eat.¡±


    I furrowed my brow at his words, wondering if I had heard him wrong.


    ¡°I believe I didn¡¯t speak Latin;e over here and eat your meal,¡± he demanded, and I still couldn¡¯t believe I heard him right.


    ¡°I should¡­¡± I trailed off.


    ¡°It¡¯s either you get up ande over here, or I¡¯ll do it my way,¡± he threatened, forcing me to stand on my feet.


    Shocked and confused, I walked over to the table and sat on a couch right across from him.


    ¡°Now eat,¡± he urged.


    At first, I couldn¡¯t pick up the spoon. Instead, I interlocked gazes with him, wondering if he was really Alpha Edward or maybe someone was impersonating him. I mean, why would he ask the maid to bring me a meal?


    ¡°Eat, Amanda; the food is getting cold,¡± he urged.


    Gulping nervously, I picked up the spoon, took a small portion of the food, and put it into my mouth. As I chewed, I realized his gaze was fixed on me, but this time not with anger, but with an expression I couldn¡¯t just ce.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    ¡°Keep eating, wife; you will need a lot of strength for the next round,¡± he smirked, and I frowned. Next round? Does it mean we would have sex again?


    ¡°Take off that frown on your face; I know you loved it,¡± he smirked, which I found irritating. His behavior was strange and new, and it was all thanks to Beta Matthew¡¯s n.


    ¡°Keep eating,¡± he urged.


    I forced myself to take a few spoons, and when I could no longer, I decided to stop.


    ¡°I¡¯m full. Can I go?¡±


    He scoffed and got up from his seat. He moved over to my side and lowered himself above me. ¡°Your husband is sweaty and would want you to bathe him, so join me in the bathroom,¡± he smirked and stood upright, with an annoying smug ying at the left corner of his cheek.


    ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± I murmured, feeling the weight of his gaze. ¡°I belong to your Beta.¡±


    I heard him scoff as he lowered himself onto me.


    ¡°In case you¡¯ve forgotten,¡± he began, his voiceced with bitterness, ¡°you killed my mate. It was supposed to be her duty-to love me, care for me, bathe with me, and satisfy my sexual urges. But you took her away from me because you were jealous and wanted me, didn¡¯t you? Now, you have me all to yourself. You¡¯ll perform the duties of my mate.¡±


    Those were hisst words before he left me, disappearing into the bathroom.

 Sex in the bathroom

    Amanda¡¯s POV


    I wanted to dare him and leave, but I feared the consequences. I was getting tired of the punishments and couldn¡¯t wait for Be¡¯s killer to be found. Once he or she is caught, then I will say goodbye to this life of torture and go to a faraway country, perhaps China, and begin my life anew.


    Left with no choice, I decided to join him in the bathroom. After all, what was the worst that could happen?


    Entering the bathroom, I met Alpha Edward, already naked, his back turned against me as he stood in the shower, a transparent ss separating us from each other. Despite not wanting to look, I found myself drooling over his well-structured body. He was perfect in everything: his height, his olive skin tone, his well-built muscles, and six-pack would make anyone drool. Just as mother would say, she called men as handsome as Alpha Edward the first seed of the goddess. She said they were the ones the goddess specially created with her hands, not that I believe those tales.


    ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there, undress and join me,¡± he urged, his back still turned against me.


    Taking a deep breath, I began undressing, and after I finished, I folded my clothes and kept them in a corner. This was actually the first time I was entering his private bathroom, and all I could say was, ¡°Wow!¡±


    ¡°Come in,¡± he urged, and with a nervous gulp, I opened the ss door of the shower and got in. Alpha Edward lowered the shower and turned to me, his gaze trailing all over my body, making me feel ufortable and wishing I could leave.


    ¡°Beautiful,¡± he mumbled and took both my breasts into his hands, squeezing them. ¡°Ahh!¡± An uncontroble moan escaped, a moan I never wanted to let out. A victorious smirk spread across his lips; it was as if he knew how my body submitted to him, no matter how hard I tried not to. Lowering his head, he took my left nipple into his mouth and began sucking on it while his hand yed with my right nipple, forcing me to let out a muffled moan. I was trying so hard not to get turn on; I just wanted to be numb, stand there emotionless while he did his things, but it seems my body never obeys my mind whenever his hands were on me.


    He continued torturing my nipples with his mouth, and while I bit my upper teeth as I tried to stop myself from moaning.


    Grunting with satisfaction, he let go of my breast, and our eyes interlocked. Without sending a warning, he mmed his lips against mine. He kissed me hungrily while his two hands pressed my ass cheeks, causing me to give out a moan.


    Suddenly, he pulled away from me and made me go on my knees before him. ¡°Satisfy me,¡± he urged, and I gulped, staring at his big erect dick.


    ¡°Go on,¡± he urged, and with a deep breath, I wrapped his dick with my hand and slowly put it into my mouth.


    ¡°Fuck!¡± He groaned and caressed my hair, which was already wet due to the water from the shower pouring on us.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Slow and steady, I began to suck his length, making sure I was careful, so I wouldn¡¯t choke. As I sucked on him, I heard him releasing moans of satisfaction while his dick hardened more into my mouth.


    ¡°Yes, baby, suck faster,¡± he urged as he wrapped my hair in his hair. Obeying his words, I increased my pace; I was almost choking, but I held on and continued sucking while his moans filled the entire room until he suddenly pulled out of my mouth and lifted me up on my feet, turned me around, and pressed me against the wall.


    ¡°Spread your legs,¡± he groaned, and I obeyed by spreading my legs for him.


    Within seconds, I felt the tip of his dick invading my wet entrance, and the feeling was so great that I let out a moan. He kept thrusting until he was fully inside me before he began to fuck me.


    At first, his pace was gentle and slow, but soon he increased his pace and mmed harder, hitting my G-spot with his dick.


    I moaned loudly and could feel my legs shaking out of pleasure, but he held me tightly so I wouldn¡¯t fall.


    As he fucked me, one of his hands yed with my nipples while the other kept spanking my ass, sending a different type of pleasure I hadn¡¯t experienced in my life.


    He leaned towards my left ear and moaned into it. ¡°You are so tight and wet for me, huh?¡± He moaned, and I responded with a moan.


    ¡°Say it, I want you to moan my name,¡± he demanded and mmed harder inside me. ¡°Say it!¡±


    ¡°Alpha Edward,¡± I moaned with intense pleasure.


    ¡°Again.¡±


    ¡°Alpha¡­ Edward¡­¡± I moaned loudly and felt him lick my ear and spank my ass even harder.


    ¡°Fuck!¡± He groaned and pulled out of me.


    With panting breath, I wanted to rest on the wall, thinking it was over, but I was wrong.


    Alpha Edward carried me out of the shower and made me sit on the vanity. He sealed our lips in a kiss but pulled away and lowered his head to my pussy.


    A gasp left my lips when I felt his tongue licking my clitoris. I closed my eyes in pure bliss and arched my head backwards, while cing my hands beside me for support.


    ¡°Oh my¡­¡± I moaned in intense pleasure. The pleasure I was feeling in my cunt radiated into my sexual organs. My nipples painfully hardened, and my breath raced. I began whooshing my breath as my chest simultaneously rose and fell.


    ¡°Stop.¡± I let out a long moan as I felt one strong finger invade my pussy, making me twitch at its size. ¡°Oh god, please make it stop.¡± It became painfully pleasurable as it went deeper inside me, making tingles erupt around my clitoral area as his tongue circled around there. I clenched my legs around his neck as he began thrusting in and out at a fast pace.


    ¡°Ohooo¡­ ahhhh.¡± I arched my back and closed my eyes tightly. I grasped the vanity tightly, hoping the painful pleasure might reduce, but it kept getting worse. I felt my stomach flustered, and something drained out of it through my pussy.


    Then I felt his soft tongue lick me, and his mouth on my cunt. His tongue thrust into me, encircling the walls of my core.


    I heard him mumble as he licked me clean.


    My legs were trembling when he lifted his head and met eyes with me. For a second, we nced into each other¡¯s eyes. He stared at me with lust before pulling me into an intense kiss. As we kissed, I felt the tip of his dick invading my wet entrance, and I moaned in the kiss as he thrust fully inside me.


    Soon, he began to move and broke the kiss. Our gazes interlocked as he fucked me. Uncontrobly moans left our lips as he became faster, hitting my sensitive spot.


    ¡°You are mine, Amanda!,¡± he moaned, his lustful gaze fixed on me. ¡°You belong to me. You are my wife, and we are bound to each other. I¡¯m never letting you go,¡± he moaned loudly and suddenly pulled out of me.


    With panting breath, I watched him release his semen on the floor while I rested my back against the wall, trying to catch my breath. The sound of the shower could be heard, and I focused my attention on it while Alpha Edward continued to release himself. Hisst words buzzed in my head, and it got me anxious. Did he mean what he said about not letting me go, or was he just caught up in the pleasure?


    He turned to me, and we locked eyes for a moment. He had a nk look on his face, making it hard for me to discern his mood. Without saying a word, he walked back into the shower and stood under the water. Confused about what to do, I stood up, picked up my clothes, and got dressed before leaving the bathroom. I arrived in his bedroom, put on my footwear, and then left his room.


    As I made my way back to theundry room, I began to arrange my wet hair, but suddenly encountered Beta Matthew on my way.

 A shocking discovery

    Amanda¡¯s POV


    Beta Matthew nced at me for a moment while I shamefully looked away. ¡°You were with him,¡± his word wasn¡¯t a question but a statement. ¡°I have been looking for you. Come with me.¡± He turned and began walking away, while I trailed behind him.


    We entered his room, and I stood by the door, watching as he walked over to his dresser and picked up the hairdryer. ¡°Come, have a seat,¡± he gestured, pointing at the chair for me. I was confused for a moment.


    ¡°Come, have a seat,¡± he urged, and I obeyed. I walked over to the dresser and took a seat. As I sat, I couldn¡¯t help but nce at my reflection in the mirror, seeing a shadow of my former self  tired, unkempt, and worn out.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    I looked horrible; my once spotless skin looked unkempt, and my sea-blue eyes, once filled with life, now looked lifeless. My puffy cheeks had gone down, and my lips looked dry. Also, I had lost a huge amount of weight; my neck bone was visibly showing.


    I was still ncing at myself in the mirror when I felt Beta Matthew¡¯s hand on my hair as he began using the hairdryer. Impulsively, I moved away and turned to him. ¡°What are you doing?¡± I asked, baffled by his action.


    I never imagined he wanted to dry my hair himself; I was thinking he would hand me the hairdryer. ¡°Why are you acting like I have done something wrong?¡± he raised his brow, and I frowned. ¡°I will do it myself.¡± I tried taking the dryer from him, but he moved away.


    ¡°Sit, I¡¯ll do it for you, and besides, you look so exhausted.¡±


    ¡°No, I can¡¯t let you do it,¡± I protested and heard him chuckle. ¡°And why is that, huh? Why won¡¯t you let me dry your hair? I¡¯m pretty good at it; I usually dry my mom¡¯s hair; I also braid her hair, so don¡¯t see me as a novice.¡± He chuckled, but I shook my head, refusing to allow him.


    ¡°I can do it myself; please let me,¡± I pleaded. I found it awkward that he would assist in drying my hair.


    He nced at me for a moment before he shrugged his shoulders and handed the dryer to me. ¡°Thank you.¡± I took the dryer and began drying my hair with it.


    Beta Matthew went over to the couch, sat on it, and began going through a paper in his hand.


    As I dried my hair, I looked at him through the mirror. He was nothing like Alpha Edward; although Alpha Edward might look more handsome than him in the face and a well-structured body, But Beta Matthew was absolutely attractive. He had ck, jet hair that he always neatly arranged. Just like me, he has gorgeous sea-blue eyes that carry warmth and, at the same time, power. Unlike Alpha Edward, Beta Matthew carries warmth around him; just by getting close to him, one would feel it. He was so different from Alpha Edward that I wondered how they turned out to be best friends; they were opposite in almost everything.


    ¡°Are you done staring?¡± he asked, his eyes still on the paper in his hand, snapping me out of my thoughts. I shamefully looked away, embarrassed that he caught me staring at him.


    As I finished drying my hair, I turned off the hairdryer and set it aside before taking a deep breath. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m done,¡± I replied softly, avoiding his gaze as I moved to sit on the edge of the bed, feeling a bit self-conscious under his scrutiny.


    Beta Matthew nced up from his paper, his gaze lingering on me for a moment before he folded the paper and set it aside. ¡°You know, Amanda, you don¡¯t have to go through this again,¡± he said gently, his voice carrying a sincerity that caught me off guard.


    I looked up, meeting his eyes, and for a moment, I saw something in them that I couldn¡¯t quite ce  empathy, perhaps, or understanding. ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.


    He sighed softly, running a hand through his hair before meeting my gaze again. ¡°I mean, whatever you¡¯re going through, you don¡¯t have to let Alpha Edward have his way with you if you don¡¯t want to¡­¡± He paused and took a deep breath before he continued. ¡°He thinks you are my mate now, so why don¡¯t you use that to your advantage? Whenever hees for you, tell him you now belong to me. I believe he will let you go,¡± Beta Matthew suggested, and I sighed. If only he knew that Alpha Edward doesn¡¯t care whether I am Beta Matthew¡¯s mate.


    Beta Matthew stared at me for a moment before he groaned. ¡°You reminded him that you are my mate, and he still had sex with you?¡± Beta Matthew asked, and I nodded. It seems my facial expression passed the information to him.


    Beta Matthew was silent for a moment before he spoke again. ¡°I think the mate bond is pulling him towards you. If you weren¡¯t his mate, Alpha Edward would never want anything to do with you once he realizes you are my mate, but he can¡¯t fight it. The mate bond is pulling him towards you, and in no distance time, I think he will realize that you are his mate.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± I felt tears pricking at the corners of my eyes as I struggled to hold them back. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t want him to know; I don¡¯t want to be his mate anymore.¡± I admitted, my voice trembling slightly.


    Beta Matthew¡¯s expression softened, and he moved closer, reaching out to gently squeeze my hand. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that right now,¡± he said softly. ¡°But just know that I¡¯m here for you.¡± He smiled at me before going back to his seat.


    ¡°Clean your tears; we have work on our hands,¡± he urged, and I nodded and wiped my tears.


    ¡°Good girl,¡± he smiled and stretched the paper he was holding to me.


    ¡°My men got some findingsst night; take a look.¡±


    I stood up and collected the paper from him, and then I began going through it.


    ¡°It seems Elisa met with Anthony the night before the wedding; they met in a fast food restaurant, and ording to the eyewitness, they had a series of heated arguments which made Elisa furiously walk out on him,¡± Beta Matthew exined while I read through the report.


    ¡°The report also states Elisa had an abortion a week before the wedding ceremony¡­¡± I gasped and looked at Beta Matthew, who nodded, confirming that my reading was urate. ¡°She did it at Olive Hospital, and your stepmother apanied her; I believe you didn¡¯t know about this.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t,¡± I shook my head in disbelief. ¡°I never knew Elisa was pregnant, although I could remember a time she was sick, but I thought she was just under the weather,¡± I exined in disbelief.


    Beta Matthew leaned back in his chair, watching me closely as I processed the information. ¡°This is surprising,¡± I murmured, my mind racing with many questions.


    He nodded gravely. ¡°It does. Elisa was pregnant, and the pregnancy didn¡¯t belong to Alpha Edward. He has never touched her and has never seen her physically for the past four years. They only talked on phone calls and video calls,¡± Beta Matthew exined, and he was damn right. Alpha Edward and Elisa never met, meaning the pregnancy was never his.


    ¡°The pregnancy belongs to Anthony,¡± Beta Matthew revealed, and I wasn¡¯t surprised at it; that was the same thought I had in mind.


    I scanned the report again, trying to piece together the puzzle. ¡°Do you think Anthony was aware of the pregnancy?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s possible,¡± he admitted. ¡°But we can¡¯t jump to conclusions. We need more information.¡±

 In love with Amanda?

    Alpha Edward¡¯s POV


    It¡¯s been more than an hour since she left, but her scent lingers in the room. What¡¯s more surprising is that she smells so different. A few weeks ago, she had this rusty, musty scent, but suddenly, she smells so fascinating. I couldn¡¯t really ce the scent, but it was alluring and fascinating.


    To get more of her scent, Iy on the bed and sniff the remnants of her scent, and god, it¡¯s turning me on. I could vividly feel my whole body reacting to it. ¡°Fuck!¡± I grunted and left the bed.


    Pacing around the room, I began to wonder what was actually wrong with me. Why was I acting differently towards Amanda, ady who killed my mate? Why was I not hating her like I should? For goodness¡¯ sake, she killed my mate! Why was I forgetting that all of a sudden? ¡°Something doesn¡¯t seem right,¡± I grumbled to myself, and just then, a knock came on my door, and through the scent, I realized it was Matthew. ¡°Come in.¡± He opened the door and stepped in.


    Our nces interlocked, and he frowned at me before marching forward. ¡°Her scent is all over here, Alpha Edward. Did you still fuck my mate despite knowing she is my mate?¡± Matthew asked in an angered tone, and I sighed. I wondered what was happening to me.


    ¡°How could you Alpha Edward? How could you still hurt me despite knowing the truth?¡± He snapped at me, and I looked away with shame. I couldn¡¯t exin my actions, I was unable to exin why I would still want her despite knowing she was Matthew¡¯s mate.


    ¡°I told you to give me some time and that I would prove her innocence, but you still went on to have sex with her. Who does that?¡± Matthew yelled, and my heart throbbed. I was ashamed of myself and my actions.


    ¡°Please stay away from her,¡± he pleaded, but I couldn¡¯t ept it. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, man, I can¡¯t,¡± I argued and held Matthew¡¯s gaze, who seemed surprised by my words.


    ¡°In case you have forgotten, she is my wife¡­¡±


    ¡°And she is my mate!¡± Matthew argued, and I frowned. ¡°I can¡¯t just let go of her, Matthew. She killed my mate, and until she is proven innocent, I can¡¯t set her free,¡± I stated firmly and saw the glow of anger in Matthew¡¯s eyes. I could see that he was so furious, and if I wasn¡¯t his alpha, then we would have been fighting by now. Matthew sucked a deep breath and shut his eyes for a moment; it seemed like a way to stop himself from exploding in anger. I watched him control his temper for a moment before he finally opened his eyes and held my gaze.


    ¡°Are you falling in love with Amanda?¡± His question sent a jolt through me, making me freeze in ce. Falling in love with Amanda? The thought alone is absurd, yet as I recall her scent, the way my body reacts to her presence, and the inexplicable pull I feel towards her, I can¡¯t deny there¡¯s something stirring within me, but I won¡¯t ept it; it can¡¯t be possible. ¡°How absurd,¡± I gave out a bitter scoff. ¡°I? Love Amanda? Ady who killed my mate? Impossible,¡± I shook my head with a scoff. Matthew stared at me with an unreadable expression on his face. ¡°So you are telling me that you are fucking her because you hate her?¡± His question left me unbnced. ¡°Your way of making her pay is by having pleasurable sex with her?¡± He interrogated me, and I grunted.


    ¡°I¡¯m not having pleasurable sex with her,¡± I tried defending my actions, and Matthew gave out an angryugh. ¡°Really?¡± He raised a brow at me, and I groaned. ¡°Tell me, what type of sex are you having with her? Are you fucking her for revenge? Because it doesn¡¯t seem like that,¡± he used me, and I frowned.


    ¡°What are you trying to say?¡±


    He scoffed and got closer to me. ¡°Enjoy while itsts because soon I will prove Amanda¡¯s innocence to you, and after she is proven innocent, you will have no right over her,¡± he dered those words as a promise before walking out on me.


    After he left, I sat on the bed and pondered his words. I couldn¡¯t exin why he would think I was in love with Amanda. I mean, how could I be in love with her? That was ridiculous. What was he thinking? Because I was having sex with her, it meant I would love her? That was absurd. I can never love Amanda; as a matter of fact, I hate her, and I was just using her to satisfy my sexual urge, something I can do with anydy. But then I thought of it, why was I getting so pulled towards her? Perhaps it was because she was the only one I have been having sex with for the past few weeks, and it was messing with my head, making me imagine things. If that be the case, then I will have to do something about it. I can¡¯t let her mess with my mind.


    Picking up my phone, I dialed a number, and after a beep, it was picked.


    ¡°What a pleasant surprise,¡± Felicia spoke from the other end of the phone.


    ¡°I want you in the mansion. Don¡¯t keep me waiting,¡± I said and ended the call before she could speak. Perhaps having sex with another woman would clear my head of silly thoughts.


    Getting up on my feet, I got dressed in casual wear and left my room. Making my way to the sitting room, I met Levi on the stairs.


    ¡°Hi, cousin, you don¡¯t look happy. Is everything okay?¡± He asked, but I ignored him and walked past him.


    Reaching my private sitting room, I sat on one of the couches and paid my attention to the TV; they were showing a movie, and I decided to pay attention to it, at least to get my mind off the silly thoughts in my head. I focused my attention on the screen of the TV, but suddenly, I fell asleep.


    ¡°Please forgive me, Amanda!¡± I pleaded while trying to take a step closer to her, but she lifted her hand up in the air and stopped me. ¡°Stay away from me, Alpha Edward. I hate you; you don¡¯t deserve me,¡± she muttered with hate and anger in her eyes.


    I shook my head, tears brimming in my eyes. ¡°Please forgive me; I was wrong¡­¡±


    ¡°I can never forgive you, Alpha Edward. You don¡¯t deserve my forgiveness¡­¡± ¡°Amanda¡­¡± I wanted to speak, but the voice of Matthew stopped me. Turning around, I saw him walk behind me, got to where Amanda stood, and wrapped his arms around her while sealing his lips with hers.


    While my heart throbbed, I watched them exchange a passionate kiss before Matthew broke the kiss and smirked at me. ¡°I told you, she belongs to me.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± I yelled and forcefully opened my eyes.


    Looking around, I realized I had fallen asleep, and what I just saw was a dream, but why does it feel so real? Something dropped on my cheek, and when I touched my cheek, I realized it was tears- tears had dropped on my cheek.


    ¡°Alpha, are you okay? I heard you scream,¡± a guard said to me, but I ignored him as I wondered what was happening.


    ¡°Alpha, you have a visitor. She says her name is Felicia,¡± he announced, and I sucked in a deep breath.


    ¡°Where is she?¡±


    ¡°In the waiting room.¡±


    ¡°Tell her I will be with her shortly.¡±


    The guard nodded and left. For a moment, I couldn¡¯t move from my seat. What I saw in my dream tortured me, and at the same time, it made me angry and jealous. I didn¡¯t care much about the dream, but all I cared about was the passionate kiss Amanda shared with Matthew. She seemed to kiss him in a way she had never kissed me, and the thought of that got me so jealous and frustrated.


    Grunting, I got up and made my way to the living room but met a maid on my way. ¡°Where is Olivia?¡± I asked curiously.


    The maid gulped and hesitated.


    ¡°Speak!¡± I felt something was wrong.


    ¡°She has been with Beta Matthew for the past few hours,¡± the maid revealed, and a surge of jealousy washed through me. I imagined what they might be doing together. Having sex? Cuddling or nning their future together?


    The thought made me so jealous and frustrated. I hated the way I was feeling and realized she should also feel the same way or even worse.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    ¡°Tell Amanda to meet me in my room this minute,¡± I ordered the maid, who bowed and left.


    Reaching the waiting room, I met Felicia seated, with a ss of juice in her hand. The moment she saw me, she shed me a seductive smirk which I ignored.


    ¡°I will go straight to the point,¡± I said, not wanting any further dy. ¡°I want to have sex with you,¡± I dered, and saw her seductively lick her lips.


    ¡°But in the presence of ady.¡±

 Sit and watch

    Alpha Edward¡¯s POV


    A knock came on the door of my room, and through the scent, I knew it was Amanda. ¡°Come in.¡± The door opened, and she walked in before closing it. She looked confused as she stood at the door. ¡°You sent for me,¡± she said, but I didn¡¯t respond.


    The door of the bathroom opened, and Felicia walked out, totally nude. She seductively walked to me and sat on myp while her hands were wrapped around my neck. I looked in Amanda¡¯s direction and could see confusion all over her face. She was probably confused about what was happening.


    ¡°Take a seat on the couch,¡± I instructed, seeing her raise her brow. ¡°Don¡¯t keep me waiting, Amanda, do as I ordered.¡± This time, she obeyed, leaving the door and taking a seat on the couch.


    ¡°What is happening here?¡± she seemed confused.


    ¡°Nothing much, just that I wish to entertain you, my dear lovely wife,¡± I smirked, and she frowned. ¡°Excuse me¡­¡±


    ¡°Keep quiet, Amanda, you are not allowed to speak,¡±


    she swallowed back her words.


    ¡°Good. Like I said, we will be entertaining you, so sit down and watch. If you dare stand up to leave or even dare to look away, then be sure that you will take her ce,¡± I threatened, seeing anger in her eyes, which I ignored.


    I knew what I was about to do was ridiculous, but I was just jealous and pained, and I wanted her to feel the same too.


    Moving my gaze away from Amanda, I looked at Felicia, who was already grinding herself on me. ¡°Get down to business,¡± I urged, and she nodded and got down from myp.


    Felicia got down on her knees before me and went for the zip of my jeans. She unzipped it and took out my dick. ¡°Huge as usual,¡± sheplimented before she began stroking it with her hand. As she stroked it, I locked eyes with Amanda, who had an unreadable expression on her face, making it hard for me to detect her mood. Her eyes were settled on me as she watched Felicia stroking my dick.


    Soon, Felicia swallowed my dick into her mouth and began to suck me. A groan left my lips as I looked at Amanda, who had a dead look in her eyes. The look in her eyes was that of a person who didn¡¯t care about what we were doing, and the realization of that made me jealous, and I knew I needed to spice it up.


    Closing my eyes, I groaned and held Felicia¡¯s hair as she sucked on me. ¡°Good girl,¡± I praised, while she increased her pace.


    ¡°Fuck!¡± I groaned and grabbed a handful of her hair, pushing my dick deeper into her mouth, not minding if she choked.


    As I fucked Felicia¡¯s mouth, I held Amanda¡¯s gaze and saw that she was bing ufortable in her seat, which was a good sign. With louder moans, I continued fucking Felicia¡¯s mouth while looking at Amanda, whose eyes had been on us.


    ¡°Fuck!¡± I groaned and threw my head backwards while I closed my eyes. I imagined it wasn¡¯t Felicia¡¯s mouth I was fucking but Amanda¡¯s. I thought of Amanda¡¯s erect boobs, the tightness of her pussy, and her soft moans.


    With a grunt, I pulled out of Felicia¡¯s mouth and released my seed on her face while she opened her mouth to me. As Felicia swallowed my cum, I nced at Amanda, who seemed ufortable in her seat. I smirked at her before looking away.


    ¡°Get on the bed and ass up,¡± I instructed Felicia, who obeyed, got up on her feet, and climbed onto the bed.


    Getting up on my feet, I undressed and climbed onto the bed. We positioned ourselves in a way that we were facing Amanda¡¯s direction. I nced at Amanda, whose eyes were on us, but her facial expression had changed to that of anger, which was just what I wanted.


    Taking out a pack of condoms from the drawer, I tore it and wore it on my dick before spanking Felicia¡¯s ass. For some silly reason, I wished this were Amanda¡¯s ass; her ass was much softer.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    While interlocking eyes with Amanda, I held my dick and directed it into the wet pussy of Felicia. As I thrust inside her pussy, I could hear Felicia releasing loud moans as she moaned out my name while my eyes were interlocked with Amanda¡¯s.


    Felicia¡¯s pussy wasn¡¯t as tight as Amanda¡¯s; in fact, I didn¡¯t feel that sweet sensation I would feel whenever I thrust into Amanda¡¯s pussy. The feeling I usually felt was second to none, and I wished Amanda were in Felicia¡¯s ce, but I didn¡¯t show it; rather, I moaned loudly. ¡°Fuck, you are so tight,¡± I faked a moan while interlocking gaze with Amanda, who didn¡¯t seem happy. It was obvious my moan got to her.


    I began thrusting in and out of Felicia while she released loud moans of satisfaction. It seems Felicia was enjoying the sex, unlike me, who wasn¡¯t enjoying the sex but couldn¡¯t show it to Amanda. I wanted her to feel like I was having the best sex of my life.


    ¡°You are incredible, I miss this juicy pussy.¡± I groaned, held Felicia¡¯s waist and thrust harder while she moaned loudly. ¡°So good, Alpha, fuck me harder, I¡¯m all yours,¡± she moaned, and I increased my pace.


    As I fucked her harder, I could hear her cry out in pleasure while she buried her head on the pillow. I kissed Felicia¡¯s neck, her back, and then I spanked her ass cheek before grabbing her hair.


    Fucking her harder, I held Amanda¡¯s gaze and noticed tears were brimming in her eyes, and they were about to fall down her cheek. The sight of that was supposed to make me satisfied; at least I was sure she was in pain, the exact feeling I felt when I imagined her in the arms of Matthew.


    ¡°I can¡¯t watch this anymore,¡± she got up and tried going for the door. ¡°Stop!¡± I ordered, and her step ceased, her back turned against me.


    Withdrawing from Felicia, I carefully removed the condom and took a seat on the edge of the bed. My gaze lingered on Amanda¡¯s back, her shoulders trembling as if she were silently weeping.


    ¡°Take the money in the drawer and leave,¡± I muttered to Felicia, who didn¡¯t seem happy with how quickly we finished.


    She got off the bed, got dressed, and took the wrap of money from the drawer. ¡°Thank you, Alpha Edward, I¡¯m always avable in case you ever need me,¡± she blew me a kiss before walking out of the room.


    I nced at Amanda and realized she was releasing silent sobs, and the sight of it was making me ufortable. Getting up, I tried approaching her, but I realized I was naked and reeked of sex, so I stopped.


    ¡°Stay here until I¡¯m back,¡± I instructed before leaving for the bathroom.

 How did you feel?

    Amanda¡¯s POV


    At first, I didn¡¯t care what they were doing; he was a monster, and I hated him. But as I watched, I began feeling a clench in my heart. Watching my mate, a man who is supposed to love, adore, and protect me, with another woman, moaning loudly in ecstasy was something I couldn¡¯t endure, no matter how hard I tried.


    I tried to suppress my emotions, but I couldn¡¯t. Instead, my eyes began brimming with tears. When I realized I couldn¡¯t stay and watch anymore, I decided to leave, but he stopped me, paid thedy, and asked me to wait until he returned.


    I wished I could ignore hismands and leave, but I was scared of the implications of my action. Inhaling deeply, I wiped the tears on my cheek andposed myself. He didn¡¯t deserve a single drop of my tears.


    A momentter, I heard his footsteps behind me, announcing he was out of the shower. He didn¡¯t say a word to me, but rather, I heard movement around, and after a moment, he spoke. ¡°Turn around,¡± his voice was low and tender.


    Swallowing my pain andposing myself, I turned around and met him seated on the bed. He was wearing just sweatpants, while his hair was dripping water. ¡°Come closer,¡± he gestured, and I obeyed, standing before him.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Our gazes interlocked, and he stared at me for a moment with an unreadable expression. Suddenly, he pulled me to himself, making me sit on hisp. ¡°Let go of me,¡± I murmured as I tried to get off hisp, but his grip around my waist was tight. ¡°Stay still,¡± he ordered, his toneced withmand, which I found myself obeying. I hated how his Alpha aura always had an effect on me.


    Settling down, I looked away from him, my eyes on anywhere but him. ¡°Look at me,¡± he instructed, and with a nervous gulp, I shifted my gaze and looked his way. Our eyes interlocked, and I realized his expression had softened. He didn¡¯t seem angry, but rather, he had this satisfied look on his face.


    ¡°How did you feel when you watched me with her?¡± He popped up that question, and I frowned. ¡°Nothing,¡± I lied without giving it a thought. Of course, I was never going to tell him that I felt miserable.


    He scoffed and held my chin with his fingers. ¡°Are you sure about that?¡± He raised a brow, and I swallowed hard. ¡°Yes, why should I care who you¡¯re with?¡± I murmured and saw a little frown appear on his face. ¡°Because you are my wife,¡± he stated firmly, and I raised a brow. The way he said it seemed like he meant it when he said I was his wife.


    ¡°A wife is supposed to feel miserable and jealous seeing her husband with another woman; is that not supposed to be it?¡± He asked, and I scoffed. ¡°That is a wife who loves you,¡± I responded, and the frown on his face deepened.


    ¡°Are you trying to say you didn¡¯t feel any form of pain or difort¡­¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t,¡± the lie easily slipped through my tongue.


    ¡°Then why were you crying and about to leave?¡± He questioned, and my words got stuck in my throat.


    ¡°Tell me,¡± he tightened his grip on my waist and pulled me so close to himself that we were just an inch apart.


    ¡°That is how I feel whenever I think of you and Matthew together,¡± he groaned, his hot breath fanning my face, causing my knees to weaken. ¡°You are my wife, Amanda. You belong to me. I am the only one allowed to touch you,¡± he dered possessively, and I frowned. ¡°I¡¯m not your wife. Our marriage was a lie and a means to carry out your revenge on me. Beta Matthew is my mate, and I love him. I want to be with him.¡±


    Alpha Edward growled, his eyes burning with rage. ¡°And you think I will let you go? Do you think I will let you be with your mate when you took mine from me? It seems you have forgotten that you took my mate from me. You killed Elisa and made me mateless!¡± He yelled through gritted teeth, and I frowned. Anger and hate boiled inside of me. The fact that he still saw Elisa as his mate got me angry, and I red up. ¡°Elisa is not¡­¡± I held back my words.


    ¡°Elisa is what?¡± He seemed confused. Inhaling deeply, I thought it wise not to say anything to him without solid proof. ¡°I didn¡¯t kill Elisa, and soon Beta Matthew will prove that. And when he does, you will have no reason to keep me.¡±


    The frown on his face turned to curiosity. ¡°So you are saying you didn¡¯t kill Elisa? You want me to believe that?¡± He questioned. He was having a hard time believing me, and I didn¡¯t have the time to exin things to him. ¡°Very soon, Beta Matthew will prove my innocence. Once he¡¯s done that, I will be free from you, and you will have no reason to keep me,¡± I stated firmly and heard him growled. His grip on my waist tightened as my words seemed to get to him.


    ¡°And what if he is unable to prove your innocence?¡± Alpha Edward asked, and my heart skipped a beat. The thought of that scared me. ¡°That means you will be bound to me forever,¡± a devilish smirk appeared on the left corner of his cheek, and I grunted. ¡°Unfortunately for you, Alpha Edward. Beta Matthew will prove my innocence, and there is nothing you will be able to do,¡± I stated firmly and saw him grit his teeth.


    ¡°Once the truth is revealed, I will be free from you and be with¡­¡± he didn¡¯t let those words leave my mouth before he mmed his lips against mine, his grip on my waist tightening.


    Shutting my mouth, I tried pulling away, but he pressed me to himself and tried to force his way into my mouth, but I refused as I sealed my lips tighter.


    ¡°Open up!¡± He grunted, but I refused. I heard him groan as he broke the kiss and held my gaze, his eyes filled with anger and desire for me.


    ¡°You asked for it,¡± he carried me and threw me on the bed while he hovered above me. With our eyes interlocking, I felt him lift my dress, and then I felt his fingers on my underwear. Just when he was about to shift my underwear, the door of his room flung open, and we looked toward the direction of the door to see Beta Matthew walking into the room.


    ¡°Stay away from her,¡± he growled and jerked Alpha Edward away from me.

 How do I pay back

    Amanda¡¯s POV


    With terrified eyes, I looked at Beta Matthew, confused by what he had just done. My heart pounded in my chest as I watched Beta Matthew and Alpha Edward ring at each other with eyes filled with anger. Fear gripped me, and I had to get down from the bed as I watched them exchanging daggering res.


    ¡°If you were not my beta and friend, I would have taught you a lesson,¡± Alpha Edward growled, and I gulped in fear.


    ¡°I told you she is my mate. Why do you still go after her?¡± Beta Matthew spat angrily, obviously not bothered by Alpha Edward¡¯s scary look.


    ¡°She is my wife!¡± Alpha Edward dered possessively.


    ¡°A marriage that was based on lies and deceit. You forced her into marrying you,¡± Beta Matthew sneered.


    Alpha Edward groaned and clenched both fists. I could see that he was fuming with rage and was doing his best to control it.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Stay away from her, Alpha Edward. I have told you that she is my mate, and soon I will prove her innocence,¡± Beta Matthew warned with no atom of fear in him. Turning towards me, he held my hand and led me out of the room.


    Still holding my hand, he led me into his room, closed the door, and released my hand.


    Confused and worried, I nced at him as he went over to the bar, took out a bottle of whiskey, and filled two sses before handing one ss to me.


    ¡°How was my acting skill?¡± he smirked, and I raised a brow. ¡°You¡­¡±


    He chuckled and shook his head. ¡°I believe I did well,¡± he smirked and sat on the couch. ¡°What? Why do you look stunned? Are you so impressed with my acting skills that you are left dumbfounded?¡± he teased while I just remained silent. I couldn¡¯t believe all that was an act from him, a dangerous act at that.


    ¡°I would have been a great actor, but unfortunately, I am called to serve these people,¡± he sighed and sipped his drink. As I stared at him, I was confused and curious about why he made such a risky move, a move that could have endangered his life.


    ¡°That was a risky move, Beta Matthew. You endangered your life,¡± I murmured. I didn¡¯t want him to get into any sort of trouble for my sake.


    He lifted a brow at me. ¡°Were you worried about me?¡± he asked, but I didn¡¯t respond. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be scared. I know Alpha Edward and the things he can do, so don¡¯t worry about me. And the reason I did what I did is that I needed to convince Alpha Edward that we were mates. If I didn¡¯t act this possessive of you, he would think I was lying. I hope you understand?¡±


    I frowned. ¡°But that was risky,¡± I murmured and heard him chuckle. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me. Have a seat. I have something to discuss with you,¡± he gestured, and I sat on one of the empty sofas.


    ¡°My men came with information,¡± his words piqued my curiosity.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°When you met Elisa¡¯s dead body, she was alone, right?¡± he asked, and I nodded.


    ¡°Which is not supposed to be. Elisa was with three of her friends. They were helping her get dressed, and suddenly, she got a call and told them to leave the room and give her some privacy. She didn¡¯t tell thedies the person she wanted to speak to. I believe after thedies left, that¡¯s when the killer came into the room, and perhaps he had a heated argument with her, and that led to him killing her,¡± Beta Matthew exined, and my mouth was left open.


    ¡°I got this information from one of Elisa¡¯s friends, but she doesn¡¯t know who was meeting with Elisa because Elisa didn¡¯t tell them,¡± he exined further, and I sighed.


    ¡°Do you think it¡¯s Elisa¡¯s boyfriend?¡± I asked, and Beta Matthew remained silent for a moment before he shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know yet, but I believe we are so close to unmasking the killer and proving your innocence,¡± he assured me, and my heart fluttered. It was heartwarming to know that I wasn¡¯t alone in my plight, but I had someone like Beta Matthew willing to help me.


    ¡°Thank you. I can¡¯t thank you enough,¡± I was tearing up. ¡°Thank you so much,¡± I sobbed.


    ¡°Stop crying. Now is not the time to cry. Wipe off your tears,¡± he urged, and I obeyed by nodding my head and cleaning my face.


    ¡°Are you hungry?¡± he asked, and I nodded.


    ¡°Dinner will be brought soon,¡± he assured me, and I smiled. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°You are wee,¡± he responded and returned to his drink.


    As we sat in silence, I nced at him, wondering why he was doing all this. Why would he help me without gaining anything in return? Just a few moments ago, he put his life in danger just for my sake, something not everyone could do.


    As I nced at him, I thought of a way to pay him back, at least to show him how grateful I am, but I realized I had nothing to offer him except for one thing.


    ¡°Do you have a mate or a girlfriend?¡± My words got his attention, and he looked up at me. ¡°Unfortunately, I haven¡¯t met my mate, and secondly, I am too busy to have a girlfriend,¡± he responded, and I hummed.


    ¡°Why do you ask?¡±


    ¡°Nothing,¡± I responded, but he gave me a suspicious look, and I had to look away.


    Soon, the meal arrived, and he asked me to eat. ording to him, he wasn¡¯t hungry.


    ¡°You will have to spend the night here,¡± he announced, and I shifted my gaze from the food and looked at him. ¡°We have to make it look real. I believe Alpha Edward will call for you, and once the maid tells him you are with me, he will have no doubt that we are mates,¡± he exined further. I nodded and returned to my food, but a silly thought came into my head.


    I knew he had done a lot for me, and I had to show him my gratitude, and the only way I could do that was to offer myself to him. At first, I kicked against the idea, but then I realized him asking me to spend the night in his room could mean he also wanted the same thing but didn¡¯t want to say it.


    Sucking in a deep breath, I left the food and stood on my feet. I approached him and stood before him and noticed him nce at me. ¡°Is there something wrong?¡± he asked, confused about why I was standing before him.


    ¡°I want to show my gratitude to you for all you have been doing for me,¡± I whispered, and he raised a brow, confused by my words.


    Swallowing nervously, I took another step closer to him and sat on hisp, my eyes locking with his. ¡°I¡¯m willing to offer my body to you, Beta Matthew. You can have me for the night.¡± Gosh, I sounded like a slut.

 Turned down

    Amanda¡¯s POV


    He seemed confused by my actions, but he didn¡¯t push me away, which was a sign that he wasn¡¯t against my offer. Wrapping my hands around his neck, I looked into his eyes and smiled. ¡°You are not forcing me, neither am I doing it against my will. I¡¯m willingly offering myself to you tonight; you can have me as much as you want,¡± I dered. I couldn¡¯t believe I was actually doing this, but what is the harm in it? I would prefer Beta Matthew, a man who believes my words and wants to help me, to a mate who has caused me nothing but pain.


    I noticed he wasn¡¯t making a move to touch me, but rather, he just kept staring at me, which gave me a clue that maybe he wanted me to make the first move.


    So I took off the blouse I was putting on and was left only in my bra. His eyes settled on my boobs for a second before he looked back at me.


    Smiling awkwardly at him, I went for the hook of my bra, but he suddenly got up from his seat, and I wrapped my legs around him while he carried me and walked over to the bed. Reaching the bed, he gentlyy me on it and hovered over me.


    A nervous gulp passed down my throat as I realized he was about to ept my offer and make love to me. Our gaze interlocked, and I swallowed nervously as I anxiously waited for him to begin. I have never been with anyone besides Alpha Edward, and the thought of that made me anxious and worried if I would meet his standards and demands.


    ¡°Amanda,¡± he called, his voice hushed and deep, sending shivers down my spine. ¡°I think you need to go to sleep,¡± he said, and I furrowed my brow. ¡°Yes, you need to sleep, and by tomorrow, I¡¯m sure you must have regained your sanity because right now, you are not yourself,¡± he said and suddenly left the bed. ¡°The room is yours for the night; I will see you tomorrow morning.¡± With those words, he walked out of the room and closed the door, leaving me shocked and dumbfounded.


    It took me a moment to wrap my head around what had just happened. Feeling a rush of emotions, Iy there on the bed, my mind racing with confusion and humiliation. I couldn¡¯tprehend why he had rejected me so abruptly after seeming to entertain the idea moments before. Doubt crept into my mind as I reyed all that had happened, wondering if I had misread his intentions or if there was something about me that had put him off.


    ¡°Maybe my body was not sexy enough,¡± I grumbled to myself, but I knew that wasn¡¯t the case. I might not have the best body, but I was sure I was sexy. ¡°Or perhaps he only wanted to help and wanted nothing in return,¡± I said to myself, and it made sense.


    ¡°Shit! How could I be so stupid!¡± I groaned and sat on the bed. Of course, Beta Matthew would never want to have anything to do with me; he is fully aware that I¡¯m the mate of his alpha and best friend. How stupid of me not to realize that.


    I felt disgusted and ashamed of myself; I couldn¡¯t believe I had offered myself to a man like a slut. What was I thinking? What was going through my head? Feeling ashamed, I got off the bed and went for my blouse. After putting it on, I went over to the couch and sat on it while I thought of a way to face Beta Matthew and apologize to him.


    He must have gotten a bad impression of me, and I didn¡¯t want that to happen. I couldn¡¯t afford to have him hate me; he is my only hope in proving my innocence, and yet I have ruined it. I wanted to look for him to apologize for my silly actions, but I decided to wait for him. For hours, I waited for him, but he never returned until I fell asleep.


    ¡°Amanda ,¡± I heard the familiar voice of Beta Matthew, which forced my eyes open. Rubbing my eyes with my fingers, I noticed he was standing before me with a nk look.


    ¡°Iid you down on the bed and asked you to sleep. Why did you leave the bed and sleep on the couch?¡± he asked, his tone low but harsh, which worried me if he was still mad at my actionsst night.


    I scrambled for words, feeling a mix of embarrassment and regret swirling inside me. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m sorry, Beta Matthew,¡± I stuttered, trying to find the right words to exin myself. ¡°I¡­ I felt ashamed of what I did. I didn¡¯t mean to¡­ to offer myself like that. I was just¡­ confused and lost at the moment.¡± My cheeks flushed with embarrassment as I avoided his gaze, unable to meet his eyes.


    He sighed softly, his expression softening with understanding. ¡°Amanda, you don¡¯t need to apologize,¡± he said gently, crouching down to my level. ¡°I understand you¡¯re going through a difficult time, and emotions can be overwhelming. But offering yourself like that¡­ it¡¯s not the solution. You deserve respect and understanding, not to feel ashamed¡­¡± he paused and shed me a reassuring smile. ¡°I want you to see me as a friend, and as your friend, it is my duty to help you without wanting anything in return. So, Can you do that? Can we be friends?¡± He offered, his eyes sparkling with genuine kindness.


    Tears welled up in my eyes as his words sank in; it was rare to meet someone like him. ¡°Thank you, Beta Matthew,¡± I whispered, my voice choked with emotion. ¡°I¡­ I appreciate your kindness, and yes, I want to be friends with you.¡±


    He reached out and gently brushed a tear from my cheek, his touchforting and reassuring. ¡°You¡¯re not alone, Amanda,¡± he said softly. ¡°We¡¯ll get through this together, I promise.¡± I nodded and hugged him; he hugged me back, and I rxed in his arms, which felt familiar and safe.


    I stayed in his arms longer before I pulled away, and he smiled at me.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    ¡°How old are you again?¡± He asked with amusement in his voice. ¡°I¡¯m eighteen,¡± I responded, unsure of why he was asking. ¡°The same age as my kid sister,¡± he revealed, and I raised a brow. You have a sister?¡± He never made mention of it.


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± he got interrupted by the ringing sound of his phone and he excused himself.


    ¡°Speak up.¡± He said the moment he picked up the call.


    ¡°Yes,¡± he spoke, his voice carrying a weight of relief and determination. As he listened to the voice on the other end, he hummed softly, nodding in agreement. Finally, he ended the call, a victorious smile spreading across his face as he turned to me. His expression piqued my curiosity, and I couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°What is it?¡± Drawing closer to me, he gently lifted my chin with his fingertips, his eyes filled with excitement. ¡°Elisa¡¯s killer has been unmasked, Amanda,¡± he whispered, his words tinged with a mix of triumph and relief. ¡°In just a few minutes, you¡¯ll be cleared of the charge of killing Elisa.¡±

 Confession

    Alpha Edward¡¯s POV


    I felt the bed creaking, which made me realize someone was getting into my bed. Getting alerted, I opened my eyes, yanked the figure, and mmed it on my bed while I hovered above it. Taking a better look, I realized it was Amanda, and my brow furrowed.


    ¡°What are you doing¡­¡± My words got stuck in my mouth when she mmed her lips against mine for a passionate kiss. Responding to the kiss, I let go of her and deepened the kiss. She moaned in between, then suddenly pulled away. Our gaze interlocked, and she smirked at me.


    ¡°Why are you here? I thought you were with your mate?¡± I murmured, with jealousy. She scoffed and wrapped her hands around my neck. ¡°It is you I want, not him.¡± She flirted by licking her lips with her tongue. A throaty groan left my lips as I felt my dick jerk in anticipation


    ¡°You said you didn¡¯t want me, that you preferred him to me,¡± I murmured, and she smirked. ¡°Are you jealous?¡±


    ¡°No!¡± I answered though I knew it was a lie.


    ¡°Are you angry?¡± She raised a brow, and I looked away. She moved her hands away from my neck, trailing her fingers on my chest, down to my stomach, and then grabbed my hardened dick, which was in my shorts.


    ¡°Let me render my apology to you,¡± she whispered seductively, causing my dick to harden more. ¡°Lay back on the bed, Daddy, and let me pleasure you.¡±


    Obediently, Iy back, and she smirked, climbing on me. I watched her loosen the rope on my shorts, slowly pulling them down to my knees, taking them off, and throwing them on the floor.


    ¡°Is Daddy ready?¡± She asked, and I responded with a groan. Bending her head, she began cing kisses all over my stomach. When she got to my hardened dick, she licked it like a lollipop, and I groaned.


    ¡°Fuck!¡± As she licked, she yed with my balls before stroking my dick with her hand.


    ¡°Good girl,¡± I moaned. She smirked, then asked, ¡°Do you like that, Daddy?¡±


    I was too far gone to respond. ¡°Go harder,¡± I managed to breathe out before she licked me again. ¡°Beg for it,¡± she taunted, her eyes still glued to mine, her hand still pleasuring me.


    ¡°Damn it, please, Amanda,¡± I breathed out. And just like that, she wrapped her mouth around the tip, taking in my dick until it hit the back of her throat.


    She began sucking me, giving me the best blowjob of my life. Moaning with satisfaction, I grabbed her hair and began fucking her mouth while she took me in like a good girl.


    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m cumming,¡± I croaked out when I felt I was about to topple over. She pulled her mouth off and immediately ced my dick between her perfect breasts. I moved up and down slowly as my cum started to cover her breasts.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    The loud beep of my rm forced me out of my sleep, and when I opened my eyes, I realized it was morning and Amanda wasn¡¯t in my bed. Confused, I sat up and looked around the room, but there was no sign of her, not even a whiff of her scent. Taking the nket off my body, I noticed my erection in my shorts, and then realization hit me¡­ Everything was a dream.


    ¡°Fuck!¡± I groaned and got out of bed. I walked into the shower and stood in the cold water. Memories of the dream yed in my head; it seemed real, vivid, and hot. My dick was getting hard just at the mere thought of it.


    Shaking her off my head, I took my bath, got dressed, and sat behind my desk in my study as I began to work on some documents that needed my attention.


    ¡°You need to hear this,¡± Matthew said as he entered my study. I nced his way with anger, still recalling what had happenedst night. I hated the fact that he took Amanda away, and it took everything in me to stop myself from attacking him. If he were someone else, I would have beaten him half-dead.


    ¡°Are you here to apologize for what you didst night?¡± I asked while resting in my seat.


    Matthew scoffed and shook his head. ¡°Far from that, Alpha,¡± he responded, and my brow raised. ¡°I want you to meet someone.¡± He said, without waiting for my go-ahead, he asked the guard to open the door.


    When the door opened, I saw Amanda walk in with two other unfamiliar young men. Firstly, I nced at Amanda, who had a satisfied look on her face; she was almost smiling, and then I nced at the two young men whose faces were lowered to the ground.


    ¡°What is this?¡± I demanded, sensing that something serious had urred.


    Matthew inhaled deeply before he stepped closer to me. ¡°Remember I told you I will prove Amanda¡¯s innocence.¡± He smiled, and I raised a brow. ¡°Well, now is the time¡­¡± He paused and turned to the men. ¡°They have a confession to make.¡± He signalled the guards to bring the men forward, which they did.


    ¡°Speak,¡± Beta Matthew demanded.


    The first young man trembled in fear as he nced at me. ¡°I didn¡¯t kill her,¡± he spoke, and I furrowed my brow. ¡°She was only pregnant for me, and I wanted her to keep the baby, but she refused because she wanted to get married to you.¡±


    My eyes widened, and I was forced to get up. I nced at Beta Matthew, who nodded, confirming what the young man had said was true.


    ¡°Elisa and I have been in love, but she couldn¡¯t be with me because she wanted fame and royalty, and only you could give her that¡­¡± The young man sobbed. ¡°I pleaded with her not to kill our unborn baby, but she refused and did the abortion.¡± He stuttered.


    I clenched my fists. I couldn¡¯t believe my mate, Elisa, a woman who was betrothed to me, was seeing another man, got herself pregnant, and had an abortion. Anger coursed through my veins. I wish she was right here; I would haveshed my anger out on her.


    ¡°But you weren¡¯t the one who killed her,¡± Matthew questioned, and the young man shook his head. ¡°I didn¡¯t kill her¡­¡± he paused and pointed to the other young man beside him. ¡°He did.¡±


    My eyes widened as I stared at the young man, who had a nk look on his face. Unlike the first guy, this man didn¡¯t look scared or bothered; rather, he just stood numb before me.


    ¡°Speak!¡± Beta Matthewmanded.


    The young man sucked in a deep breath and looked at me straight in the eyes with no atom of fear in them.


    ¡°I killed her,¡± he dered, his voice cold and harsh. ¡°I hit her with the flower vase.¡± He revealed, and my eyes furrowed. Was this some sort of joke? Was Matthew trying to y pranks with me?


    Looking in Matthew¡¯s direction, I groaned. ¡°What are you trying to do, Matthew?¡± I red with anger. ¡°Did you bring these men to say these lies to me so that you could save her?¡±


    I looked in Amanda¡¯s direction and noticed tears trickling down her cheek, but something caught my attention. She didn¡¯t seem like she was crying because of pain; rather, she looked like someone who was shedding tears of joy.


    ¡°I¡¯m saying the truth, Alpha Edward,¡± the young man proimed, and I looked back at him. ¡°What did you just say?¡± I gritted my teeth as I began to make my way towards him.


    ¡°You heard me right, Alpha Edward. I killed Elisa, and I would do it again if I had another chance to,¡± he dered, his eyes brimming with anger and pain.


    Dumbfounded, I stared at him, not believing anyone could say this in my presence right before me. What kind of guts would he possess to stand before me and dere he killed my mate?


    ¡°And why did you kill her?¡± Amanda asked with a sob. The young man moved his gaze away from me and nced at Amanda. ¡°Because that bitch was my mate.¡±

 Hard to believe

    Alpha Edward¡¯s POV


    I stood there, stunned by his deration. The words echoed in my mind, refusing to sink in. ¡°What did you just say?¡± I demanded through gritted teeth, and the young man looked my way; his eyes zed with anger. ¡°You heard me correctly, Alpha Zach; that bitch was my mate!¡± He repeated his words, and I staggered back, shaking my head. ¡°That cannot be,¡± I murmured in disbelief. Elisa was my mate; she was supposed to be my mate. That¡¯s what the seer said. She said my second mate was the young girl who saved me, and once I marked her, I would regain the voice of my wolf.


    I would have marked Elisa the day I saw her, but she was just fourteen, so I decided to mark her when she turned eighteen. On her birthday, when I arrived at their home, I felt a sudden aura the moment I stepped out of the car. Despite the quietness of my wolf, I knew the aura confirmed that Elisa was my mate.


    When I walked into the sitting room and met Elisa, I felt a sudden pull toward her,pelling me to mark her. After marking her, I thought my wolf would start speaking to me immediately, but he didn¡¯t, so I concluded that perhaps the mating bond hadn¡¯t beenpleted since we hadn¡¯t had sex.


    I focused my attention on the young man, who was still staring at me with anger and pain in his eyes. ¡°How dare you say she is your mate? What makes you think she is your mate?¡± I demanded; perhaps he was going insane.


    ¡°Because my wolf announced it to me, and Elisa¡¯s wolf also announced it to her,¡± he dered, and my eyes widened.


    ¡°Tell us everything that happened,¡± Matthew demanded impatiently. The young man hesitated for a moment, ncing at everyone in the room before looking my way.


    ¡°I am not from here. I lived in Spain and had only visited my aunt when my friend asked me to apany him to Elisa¡¯s shifting ceremony.


    Arriving at the ceremony, I discovered Elisa was my mate, and she also knew, but she pretended and hid away from me. I wanted to tell my friend about it, but I decided to keep it to myself and have a talk with Elisa.¡± He paused, hesitating for a moment as if trying to recall what had happened. ¡°I was able to get her number and make a call to her. I told her I was standing outside their gate and that I wanted to talk to her, that we were mates, and that I couldn¡¯t let her get married to someone else. Elisa agreed and asked me toe through the window.


    Getting into her room, I realized she was already dressed for the wedding ceremony, which made my wolf furious¡­¡± He paused while an intense silence filled the room as we waited for him to continue.¡± I told her that I would not let her get married and that we were mates, but Elisa bluntly refused. She said she wasn¡¯t going to call off the marriage and that she would get married to you at all costs. Her words made my wolf jealous and angry¡­¡± I noticed tears standing at the corners of his eyes. ¡°I pleaded with her; I begged her to cancel the marriage, but she bluntly refused. Rather, she threatened me. She told me her mother was a powerful witch, and I was lucky she hadn¡¯t told her mother about me because if she had, I would have been a dead man already. She threatened me to leave and nevere back, saying that if I did, she would tell her mother about me, and I would be a dead man. There was no sign of remorse in her. We were mates, and yet I could sense that she was going to kill me once I left that room. I could see it in her eyes. She was going to tell her mother about me, and I would be killed, just so Alpha Edward wouldn¡¯t know that she wasn¡¯t his mate. When I realized it, I didn¡¯t have a second thought about it when I picked up the flower vase and struck her on the head. She fell to the floor, and I hit her more times until I noticed she was finally dead. That was when I realized what I had done, but I felt no remorse about it. Even until now, I don¡¯t regret killing her.¡± He spat with hate.


    I went numb where I stood. I couldn¡¯t believe what I had just heard. Everything suddenly seemed confusing. ¡°I escaped through the window and traveled back to Spain. A few days ago, I returned to get something, and that was when Beta Matthew¡¯s men captured me. I didn¡¯t know how they knew I had killed Elisa because I told no one.¡± The young man spoke with no sign of remorse. He sounded as if killing Elisa wasn¡¯t a crime but the right thing to do.


    I turned to Matthew, who had a nk look on his face. ¡°How did you find him?¡± I asked, still not able to believe what I had just heard.


    ¡°For the past few days, I sent some agents to look into the death of Elisa. They asked questions, and that was when one of Elisa¡¯s friends told us that she had gone to the backyard to pick up a call when she saw him jumping down from Elisa¡¯s window. She thought he was one of Elisa¡¯s boyfriends who hade to say goodbye to her, but when it was announced that Elisa had been murdered, she knew he was the one who killed her. She told Elisa¡¯s mother about it, but Elisa¡¯s mother warned her never to tell anyone about what she saw. Elisa¡¯s mother imed that it was Amanda who had killed Elisa, and it should remain like that. That woman is evil. She was fully aware that Amanda was innocent, but she refused to speak up.¡± Matthew grunted, and I shook my head in disbelief. I couldn¡¯t believe what I was hearing. How could Elisa not be my mate? She was supposed to be my second chance mate. She saved me, and the seer rified that thedy who had saved me was my second chance mate. Or was the seer lying?


    I nced in Amanda¡¯s direction and saw her crying profusely. Our gazes interlocked, and I felt a pang of pain hit my chest. If all this was indeed true, that means Amanda was innocent, and I had inflicted pain on her for a crime she didn¡¯tmit.


    ¡°All this is a lie; you all are lying to me.¡± I couldn¡¯t bring myself to believe what I just heard.


    ¡°Really?¡± Amanda scoffed with anger as she moved closer to me, tears and pain filling her eyes. ¡°Is it that you don¡¯t want to believe the truth, which is right in front of you because you can¡¯t ept the fact that you have been inflicting pain on an innocent girl? You tortured me for a crime I nevermitted.¡± She spat with bitterness. ¡°I have been suffering for a crime I never did, and even though the truth is right before you, you don¡¯t want to ept it!¡± She yelled while I shook my head in disbelief. I couldn¡¯t ept it; there was no way all this was true. It can¡¯t be true; they were all lying to me.


    Turning to Matthew, I groaned. ¡°This is definitely your n to free Amanda, right?¡± I used, and Matthew scoffed. ¡°I think you should go visit your seer; she has a lot of things to tell you,¡± Matthew responded calmly, with no glimpse of nervousness in him. I had known Matthew for a long time now, and I could tell that he was so sure of all this. The look on Matthew¡¯s face showed that all this was true, but how could I bring myself to believe it?


    ¡°The seer was clear with her prophecy. Her prophecy has always been urate. Then howe Elisa wasn¡¯t my mate? She was the one who saved me in the woods.¡±


    ¡°Elisa didn¡¯t; she wasn¡¯t the one who had saved you.¡± Elisa¡¯s ex-boyfriend blurted.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.

 How do I start apologizing

    Alpha Edward¡¯s POV


    ¡°What did you say?¡± I wanted to be sure I wasn¡¯t hearing wrong. The young man held my gaze and looked me straight in the eye. ¡°Elisa wasn¡¯t the one who saved you in the woods; she told me herself.¡± He repeated his words, and I shook my head in disbelief.


    That was impossible. That cannot be. The men who rescued me from the woods told me her name was Elisa. I even took them to their house, and they pointed at Elisa, confirming it was she. Then why would he stand here and look me straight in the eyes, telling me Elisa wasn¡¯t the young girl who saved me?


    Grabbing him by the cor of his chest, I red right into his eyes, anger boiling inside of me. ¡°Are you trying to fool me?¡± I asked through gritted teeth. Maybe he was lying to me.


    ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± the young man said, shaking his head. ¡°I¡¯m telling the truth, Alpha. Elisa wasn¡¯t the one who saved you. She told me herself. Besides, I know Elisa very well. Elisa cannot see a wounded man in the woods and wants to help. Rather, she will run away,¡± he muttered with all seriousness.


    ¡°No!¡± I didn¡¯t want to believe it. Why isn¡¯t it her? If it¡¯s not her, then who? It¡¯s not even making sense. ¡°The guards confirmed to me that they saw Elisa with me.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean she was the one who stopped your bleeding,¡± the young man countered.


    ¡°Elisa told me she wasn¡¯t the one who helped with your injury. Alpha Edward, you know nothing about Elisa,¡± he said, and I grunted.


    ¡°Elisa is afraid of blood, especially someone¡¯s blood,¡± he added, and my heart pounded in my chest. If Elisa wasn¡¯t the one who saved me, then who? Who was the one who had helped me in the woods? ¡°Who is she? If Elisa wasn¡¯t the one who saved me in the woods, then tell me who did.¡± I urged. Everything was bing confusing. Everything I thought I had known now seemed like a lie.


    ¡°I have no idea; she refused to tell me.¡± His response made me clench my fist and grit my teeth as I let go of him and ran a hand through my hair.


    ¡°This can¡¯t be true,¡± I murmured under my breath as I paced around my study. Their words kept echoing in my head, and no matter how hard I didn¡¯t want to believe it, it seemed that it was the truth. Elisa wasn¡¯t the one who saved me. That means Elisa isn¡¯t my mate, which means my second-chance mate is out there.


    Looking in Amanda¡¯s direction, my eyes met hers, and I furrowed my brow and walked over to her. I stood before her, curiosity filling my being.


    ¡°You know who saved me, right?¡± I asked curiously, but Amanda shook her head without a second thought.


    ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± she responded coldly.


    I furrowed my brow as I stared at her in disbelief, finding it difficult to believe that she didn¡¯t know who the actual girl who had saved me that day was. ¡°You are Elisa¡¯s sister; you live in the same house with her. How can you tell me you don¡¯t know who actually saved me?¡± I spat in frustration.


    A big frown spread across Amanda¡¯s face as she red at me with anger shimmering in her eyes. ¡°Elisa is my half-sister. Secondly, we hardly talk to each other, so I know nothing about her. Bute to think of it, Alpha Edward, is this the only thing that bothers you? Your mate? Finding out who your actual savior is? Is that the only issue here?¡± She spat angrily while I furrowed my brow, confused at her words.


    ¡°Have you forgotten the part where Elisa¡¯s mate just confessed that he was the one who had killed Elisa, which means I am innocent, and you have brutally punished me for a crime I nevermitted?¡± She yelled at me, and I went mute. I had totally forgotten about that.


    How could I forget the wrong I have done? How could I forget the pain I had inflicted on innocent Amanda? And how would I be able to make up for what I have made her go through? What do I do? What do I say?


    ¡°Alpha Edward, has the cat got your tongue, or you still don¡¯t believe what the young man said and want more proof?¡± Amanda asked.


    ¡°Alpha Zach wants more proof, we can give that to him,¡± Matthew said, and that piqued my curiosity. I looked his way, and he nodded at me. ¡°We will get Elisa¡¯s mother here, and we will make her tell the truth,¡± he stated, and I swallowed in fear. Despite how much I didn¡¯t want to believe it, I couldn¡¯t deny that the facts were right.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    The young men didn¡¯t seem to lie, and they wouldn¡¯t lie to me when they knew the implications of their lies.


    Confused, I stared at everyone in the room, and then I settled my gaze back on Amanda, whose gaze hadn¡¯t left me. ¡°I believe you have something to say, Alpha Zach.¡±


    My lips were heavy, as I didn¡¯t know what to say. Memories of what I did flooded my head-the brutal sex I had with her, the punishments, the dark cell, the water torture, the flogging-everything was reying in my head and was driving me crazy. I couldn¡¯t believe all this while Amanda was innocent, yet I made her endure all those terrible things. Where do I start? How do I start apologizing? How will she be able to forgive me? And even if she does forgive me, how can I wipe off those painful memories I have inflicted on her? All this made me speechless, as I didn¡¯t know where to begin.


    My mind was a whirlwind of confusion and guilt. How could I have been so blind? How could I have punished Amanda unjustly? The weight of my mistakes pressed down on me, suffocating me with remorse and guilt. I took a deep breath, trying to steady my thoughts.


    ¡°I was so enveloped in the pain that I didn¡¯t know what I was doing. I lost my first mate, and thinking that I had lost the second one made me go insane. It turned me into something I wasn¡¯t.¡± I paused and looked at Amanda, whose eyes were filled with pain and anger. My heart clenched in my chest as I imagined the kind of pain she must have gone through at such a young age, and all for a crime she had nevermitted. If only I were wise enough, if only I had believed her when she said she was innocent and investigated the matter, I would have found the truth, and Amanda wouldn¡¯t have gone through such cruelty from me.


    ¡°Amanda, I don¡¯t even know where to begin¡­ I don¡¯t know where to start apologizing.¡± My words were cut short as, in a swift motion, Amanda pped me across the face, the sound echoing in the room.


    ¡°You can begin your apology by bringing my mother back to life!¡± She yelled.

 No Redemption

    Amanda¡¯s POV


    I could see the stunned look on his face the moment Inded the p across his face. I could see disbelief in his eyes as he stared at me, not believing I had pped him. But I didn¡¯t regret pping him; in fact, I would do it again and again.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    ¡°Can your apology bring back my mother?¡± I yelled with bitterness. ¡°Will it be able to bring my innocent mother back to life?¡± I spat with anger as my whole body shook with pain. How dare he think of apologizing? How dare he think a simple apology could fix everything? He has practically destroyed my life, and nothing on earth could pay for that.


    ¡°Your mother?¡± Alpha Edward furrowed his brow at me. He didn¡¯t seem angry that I had pped him like I had expected him to be; rather, he seemed confused. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± He acted confused, and that fueled my anger even more.


    Clutching my fists, I red at him. ¡°Do you now suffer from short memory that you don¡¯t remember ordering the killing of my mother?¡± I spat with hate.


    ¡°What?¡± He blurted out, shocked. ¡°I did no such thing; I don¡¯t even know who your mother is. I¡¯m only aware of your stepmother,¡± he responded, confusion evident on his face.


    I scoffed in anger and shook my head. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you can¡¯t own up to your own actions, Alpha Edward. You ordered men to kill my sick mother!¡±


    ¡°I did no such thing,¡± he defended himself, his eyes filled with confusion. Alpha Edward turned to Beta Matthew. ¡°What is she talking about? I sent no one to kill her mother,¡± he sounded so confused that one would think he was actually telling the truth, but of course, I wouldn¡¯t let him deceive me.


    ¡°You sent men to kill my mother, Alpha Edward; they chopped off her head,¡± I yelled in outburst, hot tears trailing down my cheeks. The fact that my mother had to die for a crime I nevermitted was so painful, and the most torturous part of it is that my supposed mate ordered her killing.


    Alpha Edward shook his head. ¡°I did no such thing. I know I have done many things to you, but believe me, I did not do this. I don¡¯t have a hand in your mother¡¯s death. Who was it? Who told you I ordered her killing?¡± He asked desperately.


    Looking into his eyes, I caught a glimpse of sincerity. It felt like he was telling the truth, but I wouldn¡¯t be easily deceived.


    ¡°Elisa¡¯s mother said it to me; even my aunt sent me a letter confirming you sent men to kill my mother,¡± I announced and saw Alpha Edward grit his teeth while his eyes glowed with anger.


    He turned to Beta Matthew. ¡°Get some men; go over to their pack and get me Elisa¡¯s mother. She has a lot of things to say,¡± Alpha Edward instructed, while Beta Matthew nodded and looked my way. ¡°I will be back,¡± he gave me aforting smile before leaving.


    After he left, I turned to Alpha Edward, who seemed angry and confused. He nced at me with desperation in his eyes. ¡°I didn¡¯t do it, Amanda; I didn¡¯t order the death of your mother. Why would I do that?¡± He pleaded, desperately wanting me to believe him, which I would never. I wondered why he was denying his action.


    Ignoring his plea, I looked at Elisa¡¯s supposed mate. I walked over to him and pped him across the face, the sound of the p echoing in the room. ¡°This is for killing Elisa,¡± I said bitterly andnded another p across his face. ¡°And this is for the pain I had gone through while paying for your crime!¡±


    He didn¡¯t move an inch or say a word; rather, he stared at me with no emotion in his eyes. There was no sign of regret in his eyes; he seemed satisfied in killing Elisa, and I wondered how a man could have the heart to kill a woman he was fully aware was his mate.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry that you have to suffer for my actions, but I do not regret killing Elisa. In fact, I will do it again if another chance is given to me,¡± he spoke while I red at him with disbelief, wondering what kind of psychopath he was.


    ¡°Guards!¡± Alpha Edward called, and two guards marched forward. ¡°Lock them up,¡± Alpha Zach ordered, and the guards held the two men.


    ¡°I did nothing,¡± Anthony pleaded as he was being taken away, but Alpha Edward ignored him and settled his gaze on me.


    Our gaze was interlocked, and I could see regret, pain, and remorse in his eyes, but all that didn¡¯t matter to me; it was alreadyte now.


    ¡°Amanda¡­¡± he gently called as he took a step forward toward me. ¡°What can I do to pay for the things I did to you?¡± He asked desperately, and I groaned. ¡°Really?¡± I raised a brow, anger bubbling inside of me. ¡°You think you can be able to pay for the things you¡¯ve done to me?¡± I spat with pain. ¡°Alpha Edward, you tortured me; you brutally took my innocence; you have inflicted memories in my mind, memories that I will never be able to wipe out of my mind for the rest of my life!¡± I spat with pain as uncontroble tears fell on my cheeks. I remembered the brutal sex, the punishments, the tortures, the dark cell. Everything reyed in my head like a memory I will never be able to wipe off.


    ¡°You practically destroyed me, Alpha Edward, and there is no redemption for it.¡±


    Tears gathered in Alpha Edward¡¯s eyes, and he tried holding me, but I moved away and frowned. ¡°Don¡¯t you daree close to me, Alpha Edward; you are a beast, and I will always see you as one.¡±


    He shook his head, a strand of tears falling on his cheek, which surprised me; I didn¡¯t expect to see him cry. Was he really regretting his actions? Even if he was, there was no need for it.


    ¡°Believe me, Amanda, I never meant to do all I did to you; I was just consumed by pain,¡± he pleaded desperately while I scoffed in anger and folded my arms. ¡°I don¡¯t care what you are, Alpha Edward; my innocence has been proven, and once my stepmother confirms it, then I will be free to leave and never to see you again in my life,¡± I muttered, pain striking my chest. This man standing right here before me was supposed to be my protector, my better half, a man who was supposed to bring me so much happiness, but rather, he inflicted so much painful memory in my mind that I will never forget in my lifetime.


    ¡°I regret meeting you, Alpha Zach,¡± I muttered, referring to the day I had met him in the woods. If I had known, I would have let him die; who knows, my mother would still be alive, and I wouldn¡¯t have to go through such pain and torture.


    As Alpha Edward stood there, tears staining his cheeks, I couldn¡¯t help but feel a twinge of pity despite how angry I was at him. He didn¡¯t seem like the rigid, brutal man I knew him to be; rather, he seemed like a broken man who wanted redemption for his deeds. But even pity couldn¡¯t erase the scars he carved into my soul.


    He stepped closer, his tears falling ufortably on his cheek, while he didn¡¯t feel ashamed or bother to wipe them off.


    ¡°Please forgive me, Amanda. I won¡¯t be able to live knowing I have punished an innocent girl for a crime she knew nothing about. Tell me, Amanda, tell me what to do. There has to be something I could do,¡± he pleaded desperately while a big frown spread across my face.


    ¡°There is no redemption for your actions, Alpha Edward. I will never forgive you for all the things you¡¯ve done to me,¡± I muttered and walked away before he could respond.

 Can鈥檛 let go

    Alpha Edward¡¯s POV


    I paced in the living room as I waited for Matthew to arrive with Elisa¡¯s mother. I needed her confession and to make her look me in the eyes and confirm all that I had just been told.


    The door of the sitting room opened. Matthew walked in with the men who apanied him. But Elisa¡¯s mother wasn¡¯t with him.


    ¡°Where is she?¡± I asked with a raised brow.


    ¡°She has run away. I believe she knew we woulde for her, so she ran away,¡± Matthew responded, and I growled. ¡°Then we will have to send men to look for her; she cannot hide from us.¡± I grunted, and Matthew nodded.


    ¡°I have already talked to the airport security; she hasn¡¯t left the country yet, and if she attempts to leave, she will be caught,¡± he announced, and I nodded. ¡°I will send hunters to go look for her. I believe she is not far.¡±


    I sighed and sat back on the couch; My head was pounding with a great headache.


    ¡°But we brought someone,¡± Matthew announced, and I lifted my brow. ¡°Who?¡± I asked curiously.


    ¡°Go get him,¡± he said to the guard, who nodded and left. I patiently waited, and in a few moments, the guard walked in with a man I recognized.


    ¡°This is Amanda and Elisa¡¯s father,¡± Matthew introduced while I got up. I approached the older man, who bowed his head to me.


    ¡°Good day, Alpha Edward,¡± he greeted, which I ignored.


    ¡°Where is your wife?¡± I demanded, and I saw him lift his head and look at me. ¡°I have no idea, Alpha. She left even before I woke up; I woke up and met an empty house,¡± he responded, and I groaned. ¡°Have you tried making a mind link with her? Ask her where she is,¡± I urged, and he lifted his head and looked at me. ¡°No, Alpha¡­¡±


    I grunted and held him by the cor. I would have hit him, but he was old enough to be my father, so I was forced to hold myself back.


    ¡°You knew Elisa didn¡¯t save me that day in the woods. You were also aware that Elisa isn¡¯t my mate, yet you nned with your wife and daughter to deceive me into thinking she was my mate!¡± I yelled through gritted teeth and saw him shake his head in fear. ¡°No, Alpha Edward, I have no idea she wasn¡¯t your mate; I knew nothing¡­¡±


    ¡°Liar!¡± Amanda yelled from behind, and I turned to see her walking towards us. ¡°You are lying, father; you were fully aware of everything happening; you knew I¡­¡± She paused and swallowed nervously. ¡°Take a grip on yourself,¡± Beta Matthew, standing beside her, whispered, and I saw her nod.


    ¡°You knew I didn¡¯t kill Elisa; you knew I would never kill her, but you stood there and allowed me to suffer for a crime I nevermitted,¡± she spat in pain, tears trickling down her cheek. ¡°You were my father, but you never treated me as your daughter; right before your eyes, I was being maltreated, and you didn¡¯t do anything; you just sat and watched!¡± She choked on her tears, and my heart clenched at the sight of them. Looking at her, I could sense that she had gone through a lot at the hands of her family, and as if that weren¡¯t enough, I inflicted more pain on her for a crime she nevermitted.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Amanda. I think I¡¯m under a spell. He tried defending himself, but Amanda cut him off.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care. I don¡¯t care if you were under a spell or not. I have ceased to be your daughter from the first day you allowed them to take me away. Right now, you have only one daughter, and that daughter is Elisa, who is dead,¡± Amanda spat and turned towards me, her eyes filled with anger and pain. ¡°My innocence has been proven, so I see no need to be here,¡± she stated, and an ufortable feeling hit my chest. ¡°I believe you do not doubt my innocence, right?¡± She questioned while I remained numb, not knowing what to say.


    I knew she was innocent, which meant she was free to leave.


    ¡°I will be leaving tomorrow morning; you have no right to keep me here any longer, Alpha Edward,¡± she dered, and a hard gulp passed down my throat. I knew she was right; I had no right to keep her here, and the thought of it was killing me.


    ¡°Good luck in finding your savior and mate.¡± With that, she turned and left.


    As I watched her leave, a torrent of emotions surged through me. Guilt, anger, regret-they all mingled in my chest, creating a heavy burden I couldn¡¯t shake off. I had been so focused on inflicting pain on her that I didn¡¯t realize I had grown fond of her presence. The thought of her leaving and probably never seeing her again was a hard pill for me to swallow.


    Right now, I wasn¡¯t bothered about my mate or savior like I should have been. I wasn¡¯t so eager to find my mate, but all I thought about was Amanda leaving and not being able to see her again.


    I was so worried about it and couldn¡¯t hold myself from asking. ¡°Where is she going?¡± I threw that question at Matthew, who was quiet for a moment before he spoke. ¡°We haven¡¯t decided yet; is there a problem?¡± He raised a brow, and I swallowed. How do I tell him that I don¡¯t want Amanda to leave? How could I tell him that the thought of not being able to see her again was driving me crazy?


    ¡°Why doesn¡¯t she stay here? You are her mate, and you live here. Do you want her far from you?¡± I suggested, hoping Matthew would agree to it. I just wanted her here.


    ¡°The ce holds painful memories for Amanda, and I can¡¯t let her stay here,¡± he stated firmly, and I sighed. Of course, I knew this would be his response.


    ¡°I will take her to my home,¡± he stated, and I sucked in a deep breath. Staying in his apartment meant she was still nearby, which was a good thing, but then I wasn¡¯t at rest; I didn¡¯t want to let her go.


    Turning to Amanda¡¯s father, I frowned. ¡°What am I hearing about sending men to kill Amanda¡¯s mother?¡± I questioned and saw him swallow in pain.


    ¡°Answer me!¡± I demanded when I didn¡¯t get a quick response from him.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t send those men?¡± He asked, and that got me red up. ¡°Of course, I didn¡¯t. What makes you think I would ask you if I did?¡± I spat.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Amanda¡¯s father seemed confused as he stared at me. ¡°It was rumored that three men sent by you invaded her apartment and beheaded her,¡± he mumbled, and my eyes widened.


    ¡°I? Who said such a thing? I sent no one,¡± I yelled.


    ¡°The men said it; they said it was your order to kill Amanda¡¯s mother for the sin of Amanda; the eyewitness who was with her told us.¡±


    My blood boiled with anger; I could endure anything but be used of something I never did was a big No for me. ¡°Who was the witness?¡± I asked. ¡°Ste, Amanda¡¯s younger sister,¡± he replied.


    I turned to the head of my guard. ¡°Take him with you; he is to show you where thedy is, and once you get her, bring her here.¡± My head guard nodded and left with Amanda¡¯s father.


    Matthew and I locked gazes, and I didn¡¯t know what to say to him. I didn¡¯t know how to start apologizing for what I did to Amanda, his mate. I believed he must have gone through a lot of watching me torture her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I apologized sincerely, and he nodded. ¡°I will forgive you only on one condition,¡± he stated, and I raised a brow. ¡°Which is?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Set Amanda free from this marriage; you can¡¯t remain married to my mate.¡±


    A hard gulp passed down my throat as his words sank into me. Of course, I was supposed to free her from our marriage, but why was it making me restless? ¡°Can you do that?¡± Matthew asked, and I swallowed again. ¡°She has to be set free,¡± he demanded.


    ¡°I see no need in doing that; our marriage wasn¡¯t real,¡± I tried giving an excuse.


    Matthew scoffed. ¡°You two took the holy vows and exchanged rings before the servants of the goddess. What makes you think it isn¡¯t real and sacred?¡± He questioned, and my words got seized in my mouth.


    I stared at Matthew, who was waiting for me to say something, but I couldn¡¯t say a word. My mind was messed up; I couldn¡¯t bear letting Amanda go despite knowing she belonged to another.


    ¡°Matthew, I have a question for you,¡± I muttered, and Matthew raised a brow. ¡°What is it?¡±


    I sucked in a deep breath before summoning the courage to speak. ¡°Matthew, do you love her?¡± I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. Matthew didn¡¯t respond immediately; instead, he nced at me with a curious yet cautious expression. ¡°Why do you ask?¡± he countered, his tone guarded. I hesitated, grappling with my own emotions before finally admitting, ¡°I think I have fallen in love with Amanda,¡± I confessed and saw Matthew¡¯s eyes widen from my confession.


    ¡°So, if you don¡¯t love her, why don¡¯t you let her be with me?¡± I pleaded desperately, sounding so stupid and insane.

 Why he tried killing himself

    Amanda¡¯s POV


    Beta Matthew walked into his room and found me seated on the bed. We exchanged nces, and he smiled at me. ¡°Are you okay?¡± he asked, and I could only respond with a sigh. Everything was bing exhausting for me. The truth about Elisa¡¯s death had been discovered, but somehow, I didn¡¯t feel at peace. I constantly had the feeling that something was going to go wrong.


    ¡°What are you thinking?¡± Beta Matthew asked as he sat on the other side of the bed. ¡°Are you thinking of telling him the truth?¡± he asked, and a frown spread across my face. ¡°What truth?¡± I feigned ignorance. ¡°There is no truth to tell, Beta Matthew. The truth he needs to be told has already been said to him,¡± I murmured beneath my breath. There was no way I was letting him know that I¡¯m his mate and the one who saved him in the woods. I saw no need in telling him.


    ¡°If you wish so,¡± Beta Matthew sighed and went silent for a moment before he spoke again. ¡°What country would you like to live in?¡± He threw that unexpected question, and my brow furrowed. ¡°You know you can¡¯t stay here. If you do, he will discover that we are not mates, and that will be a disaster. So, I will tell him I¡¯m sending you away to study and forget all that had happened,¡± he exined, and my heart fluttered. I couldn¡¯t exin why he held me so close to his heart, why he cared for me so much, knowing he was putting himself at risk.


    ¡°Will you like France? My god sister lives there,¡± he suggested, but I couldn¡¯t say a word. Instead, I just nced at him, wondering what I did to deserve such help from him.


    He held my gaze and shed me aforting smile. ¡°I know what¡¯s going on in your head, and you shouldn¡¯t think about it, Amanda, okay? I consider you as a friend, and I will do anything for my friends.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I whispered, my voice breaking down with emotion. I didn¡¯t know what would have be of me if not for his help. Perhaps I would still be paying for a crime I knew nothing about.Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Now, tell me, do you like France?¡± he raised a questioning brow, and I nodded. ¡°Good,¡± he smiled. ¡°I will arrange for your journey.¡± He got up and held my gaze. ¡°Don¡¯t worry; you will be fine,¡± he assured me, and I nodded, having full trust in him.


    ¡°I have to attend to some duties; I will be back,¡± he turned to leave but stopped and looked back at me. ¡°Alpha Edward said something to me downstairs,¡± he said, and that got my attention. ¡°What did he say? Does he suspect anything?¡± I panicked.


    ¡°Not really,¡± he paused and got closer to me. ¡°He ims that he has fallen in love with you,¡± Beta Matthew announced, and my eyes twitched. ¡°In love with me?¡± I asked in disbelief. ¡°Yes, he told me to leave you for him if I don¡¯t love you,¡± Beta Matthew confirmed his words, and I scoffed. ¡°How absurd,¡± A wave of anger flooded my entire being. Such news was supposed to make me happy, but rather, it irritated me. He knows nothing about love; he doesn¡¯t love me, but just loves having sex with me. There are two different things.


    ¡°And what did you say to him?¡± I was curious to know his response.


    Beta Matthew shrugged. ¡°I told him you are my mate, and I love you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. Don¡¯t listen to him; he is just after my body. Alpha Edward doesn¡¯t love me.¡± Beta Matthew seemed to want to say something, but he decided not to and nodded. ¡°Have some rest; I will be back soon.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± I waved goodbye at him and watched him leave. After he left, I began pacing around the room as his words buzzed in my head. I couldn¡¯t ignore the fact that Alpha Edward had confessed to being in love with me. Despite how much I didn¡¯t believe it, I just couldn¡¯t stop thinking about it. What if he really meant it? What if he has actually fallen for me?


    ¡°No, it can¡¯t be,¡± I cautioned myself. ¡°He just loves having sex with me, and that is all. A man who loves a woman will not have sex with another woman and force her into watching them. His words were lies, and I won¡¯t fall for them.¡±


    I noticed the door opening, and thinking it was Beta Matthew, perhaps he must have forgotten to say something to me. But when the person stepped in, I realized it was Alpha Edward. A frown appeared on my face as our eyes met.


    ¡°Amanda,¡± he called to me so softly as he moved closer to me.


    ¡°What do you want, Alpha Edward?¡± I sounded annoyed to see him.


    ¡°Can we talk?¡± he spoke so gently that I marveled at how the truth had changed him into someone else.


    ¡°What is there left to talk about?¡± I replied, my voiceced with anger.


    Alpha Edward sighed, his eyes pleading for understanding. ¡°I know I have wronged you in so many ways, but I want to make things right. I want to apologize for everything I¡¯ve put you through.¡±


    My brow furrowed, unsure of what to make of his sudden change in attitude. I wasn¡¯t prepared to see this side of him.


    ¡°Please forgive me, Amanda. All I did, I did because I was consumed with pain. I lost a mate, and thinking I have lost another one made me go crazy and do things I never imagined I could do,¡± he pleaded desperately. ¡°Amanda, please forgive me,¡± he pleaded. He seemed sincere, but I couldn¡¯t bring myself to forgive him, if not for anything but for the death of my mother.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t send men to kill your mother; I can¡¯t do that,¡± he lied, and that got me red up. I hated that he was still denying killing my mother.


    Alpha Edward took a step closer, his gaze unwavering. ¡°There is something I think you should know,¡± he said, and I raised a brow, wondering what he has to say to me.


    ¡°I believe you may not know this, but that day in the woods, I triedmitting suicide,¡± he announced, and I looked away. Of course, I knew he had triedmitting suicide; I saw him stabbing himself with the knife, but what I didn¡¯t know was why he had attempted to kill himself.


    ¡°I believe you must be wondering why I wanted to kill myself,¡± he sucked in a deep breath, while I patiently waited for him to speak.


    ¡°That day, I found out that my first mate had drowned while going on a romantic trip with my cousin Levi,¡± he paused and closed his eyes for a second before opening them again. When I held his gaze, I could see so much pain in his eyes. Such memories must have really hurt him.


    ¡± That very day, I found out that my mate had been having an affair with my cousin, Levi. In fact, she never loved me but had always wanted Levi. They were secretly involved with each other, and I had no clue about it. In fact, my wolf didn¡¯t sense it, perhaps because she didn¡¯t have my mark yet. I just can¡¯t exin it,¡± He sighed and ran a hand through his already tousled hair.


    ¡°That very day, she lied and told me she was going to visit her aunt in another pack, and I believed her, only toter hear the news of their boat capsizing, and she ended up drowning. The truth then came out that she never loved me and was nning to reject our bond¡­¡± he paused, and our eyes met. I could feel the pain and anger in his eyes.


    ¡°I lost my wolf, who was so consumed with the pain of betrayal and the death of his mate. My wolf no longer speaks to me, and that got me depressed, and I decided tomit suicide in the woods but was saved by a stranger¡­¡± he gulped in pain. ¡°When I arrived back home, our seer told me that the young girl who saved me was going to be my second chance mate. She told me I would get back the voice of my wolf the moment I mark and mate with her. I was so happy that I was given another chance to be happy. My men told me the girl told them her name, and that was how we came to your home, and I believe you know the remaining part of the story,¡± he sighed and stepped closer to me. ¡°When I thought you killed Elisa, I became angry and frustrated. Not only was I not going to get back the voice of my wolf, but I had lost a second mate. The thought of that turned me into someone else that I wasn¡¯t; it turned me into a beast. I wanted you to feel the same pain I was going through, but I ended up¡­¡± he paused and stepped closer to me, and as I tried moving away, he grabbed me by the waist and pulled me to himself, our eyes locking with each other. ¡°In the process of hating you, I didn¡¯t know when I fell in love with you, and I don¡¯t think I can let you go.¡± His confession left me speechless.

 He knows the truth

    Amanda¡¯s POV


    I didn¡¯t know what to say. I never expected him to say such to me and to say it so inly. Despite how much I hated those words from him, I couldn¡¯t deny the fact that those words actually had an effect on me. I felt nervous and had to gulp before looking away. His grip on my waist tightened.


    ¡°I know it¡¯s hard for you to believe me, but that is true. I have fallen in love with you, and I can¡¯t let you go, Amanda,¡± he dered once more. I frowned and freed myself from his grip.


    ¡°Enough!¡± I grunted. ¡°Have you no shame, Alpha Edward? I¡¯m your beta¡¯s mate,¡± I snapped.


    ¡°But he doesn¡¯t love you¡­¡±


    I scoffed and shook my head. ¡°And you do? You love me?¡± I asked with a raised brow and saw him run a hand through his hair. ¡°Really? You love me and made me sit and watch while you fuck another woman? Is that love to you? You tortured me both emotionally and physically. Is that love to you? You sent men to kill my mother and inflicted pain on me. Is that love to you?¡± I questioned and saw him go silent. ¡°Answer me, Alpha Edward. Is that what you call love?¡± I demanded and saw him run another hand through his hair as he shamefully looked away.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous, Alpha Edward. You don¡¯t love me, but only want my body. You can¡¯t stand your favorite sex ve leaving,¡± I gritted my teeth. ¡°I¡¯m leaving, and you have no right to keep me here,¡± I said before walking out on him.


    I took the stairs to the living room; I wanted to go to the garden and breathe fresh air. But while descending the stairs, I met with Levi, Alpha Edward¡¯s cousin. Hate and anger filled my entire being because of him. I recalled how he had betrayed Alpha Edward, and my hate for him increased.


    ¡°Great, I have been wanting to see you,¡± he stood before me and blocked my path.


    A disapproving frown appeared on my face. ¡°What do you want?¡± I asked with hate and disgust.


    ¡°I want you,¡± he smirked, which I found annoying. ¡°Excuse me?¡± I said and tried walking away, but he didn¡¯t move as he blocked my path. ¡°I know you were the one who saved Alpha Edward four years ago,¡± he blurted, and my eyes widened.


    ¡°Oh yes!¡± He chuckled and moved closer to me. ¡°Actually, I was also in the woods. I had followed him to apologize to him, but he had no idea that I was following him. After he got to the riverbank, I saw him stab himself, and I wished he could have died. I wished you had minded your own business and walked away like your stepsister Elisa suggested, but you didn¡¯t; rather, you went on to save him,¡± he grunted with anger glowing in his eyes.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I watched how you left to go call for help, and while I was thinking of what to do, warriors from our pack arrived and took him away,¡± he revealed, and my eyes widened. My mouth was left open at what I had just heard.


    ¡°When I realized they had mistaken your stepsister for you, I decided to keep quiet and allowed him to make a fool of himself. But I didn¡¯t know it would turn out to be a tragedy, and you would be med for her death¡­¡± he smirked while anger rose within me.


    ¡°You knew, you knew that I was innocent, and you never said a thing,¡± I spat out in pain.


    ¡°Why should I? Why should I say the truth?¡± He scoffed and got closer to me so that I could perceive the odor of beering from his breath. ¡°I wanted him to feel pain. I wanted him to think he has lost another mate while he tortures his actual mate,¡± he chuckled evilly while I red at him, wondering how he could be so evil.


    ¡°I heard the truth is out, but not all the truth,¡± he said, and I swallowed nervously. ¡°You still haven¡¯t told him that you were the one who saved him in the woods. Rather, you are lying that you are Beta Matthew¡¯s mate,¡± he scoffed and then leaned towards my left ear. ¡°I can keep my mouth shut, but that wille with a price,¡± he whispered, and a cold chill ran down my spine. ¡°I want to see you in my room tonight. Let¡¯s talk about it, okay?¡± He moved away and smirked at me before walking away.


    I stood at the spot, unable to make a move. His words hung in the air as I pondered on his words. His words sounded like a threat, and I worried he would tell Alpha Edward about it. I knew telling Alpha Edward about it would be a disaster; not only would it put Beta Matthew in trouble, but it would also spoil my n of leaving because Alpha Edward would never let go of me.


    ¡°I need to speak with Beta Matthew,¡± I mumbled and went in search of him. A male servant told me he had left the mansion, and I decided it was best I waited for him.


    While in the garden, I heard a car drive in, and thinking it was Beta Matthew who had returned, I left the garden to the gate and watched the car park. Two guards came out of the car, and then the back door opened, and I saw my aunting out of the vehicle.


    ¡°Aunt!¡± I called out as I ran towards her.


    ¡°Amanda,¡± she called in a relieved tone, and we hugged each other. ¡°You are alive,¡± she eximed in relief, and I nodded while staying in her arms. Her embrace was the closest to what felt like mom¡¯s. She has almost the same aura as myte mother.


    Tears trickled down my cheek, and I had to pull away and hold her gaze. ¡°Where is mother? Where was she buried?¡± I asked while choking on my tears.


    Tears stood in Aunt¡¯s eyes as she shook her head and nced at me with pain in her eyes. ¡°Your mother wasn¡¯t buried; she was thrown away,¡± she announced, and my heart clenched. ¡°After she was beheaded, the people didn¡¯t want her to be buried. They say her body was taboo and can only be thrown away.¡± Aunt exined, and I fell to the ground. ¡°No!¡± I yelled in pain.


    A surge of agony and anger overwhelmed me as I heard those words. How could they treat my mother like that? The woman who had raised me with love and care, now discarded like garbage? It was unfathomable.


    Aunt knelt beside me, trying to offer somefort, but the pain was too deep. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Amanda,¡± she whispered, her voice filled with pain.


    More tears trickled down my cheek at the thought of all that had happened to me. Firstly, I paid for a crime I nevermitted; my mother was killed for that exact reason. And as if that weren¡¯t enough, they threw her body away. How could life be so unfair to me?


    What is going on?¡± I recognized Alpha Edward¡¯s voice behind me and turned to see him staring at me with confusion in his eyes. ¡°You!¡± I gritted my teeth and made my way towards him. ¡°Because of what you did, my mother¡¯s corpse was thrown away. My innocent mother paid for a crime I nevermitted.¡± I spat on his face and saw remorse in his eyes. ¡°I didn¡¯t send those men to kill your mother,¡± he lied bluntly, and I groaned. ¡°Own up to your actions, Alpha Edward. You did it.¡± I used, but he shook his head and looked in Aunt¡¯s direction.


    ¡°You must be the one who imed to have seen all that happened?¡± He questioned Aunt, and she bowed before nodding. ¡°I was with my sister when three men came to my home. They imed you sent them, and before we could know what was happening¡­¡± Aunt paused for a second as if gathering herself for what she was about to say. ¡°Right before me, they beheaded my sister and took her head.¡± She mumbled, her voice breaking. My heart clenched. How could my mother die in such a painful manner?


    ¡°If you see any of the men from that day, will you recognize them?¡± Alpha Edward asked, and Aunt nodded.


    ¡°Assemble all the guards here,¡± alpha Edward instructed the head guard, who nodded and left.

 Risking all for me

    Amanda¡¯s POV


    I watched as Aunt scanned the men lined up before her. Carefully scrutinizing each one, she turned to me and shook her head. ¡°None of the men are here,¡± she announced, and I frowned. ¡°Are you sure about it?¡± I urged. Aunt nodded. ¡°I can vividly remember their faces. None of them are among these men.¡± Aunt confirmed her words, but that still didn¡¯t mean anything to me. He could have hired a serial killer; they must not be his men, or he could have even sent his warriors.


    ¡°This doesn¡¯t change a thing, Alpha Edward. You could have sent your warriors or, better still, hired an assassin,¡± I used, seeing his eyes twitch. He nced at me for a moment before sighing and signalling the men to leave.


    After they left, he turned and looked my way. ¡°What must I do to make you believe that I didn¡¯t send those men to kill your mother? I would have told you if I did, but I didn¡¯t. Why can¡¯t you believe me?¡± He pleaded desperately that one could think he was innocent, but that would not be me. He can¡¯t fool me so easily.


    Ignoring him, I turned to Aunt, who had been quiet. ¡°Do you know where she was dumped?¡± I asked with a breaking voice. The thought of my mother dying brutally and her corpse being dumped was something I couldn¡¯t imagine. My heart was bleeding with pain, and tears stood in my eyes, ready to fall.


    ¡°In the abandoned forest. I believe the vultures might have fed on her body,¡± Aunt answered, and a strand of tears fell on my cheek. Pain racked my entire body, and I red at Alpha Edward, who stared back at me with remorse in his eyes. I wished I could hit him. I wished I could make him pay for his crime, but I was helpless.


    ¡°Aunt, you can go back to your home. I wille to see you,¡± I told Aunt, who nodded and hugged me before she left.


    After she left, I turned to Alpha Edward with anger burning in my eyes. ¡°I hate you so much, Alpha Edward. If I was given a chance to kill you, I would do that without even thinking about it,¡± I spat with hate. ¡°I don¡¯t want to ever see you again in my entire life. Stay away from me and nevere close,¡± I ordered before walking away.


    I went back to Beta Matthew¡¯s room and sat on the bed. Tears trickled down my cheek as waves of emotions flooded my being. How could all this happen to one person? Why do I have to suffer all this? Firstly, I lost my wolf, and then I was tortured by my mate, and as if that wasn¡¯t enough, my mother was killed, and her body was dumped in the abandoned forest. I could look past everything, but the death of my mother was a hard pill I couldn¡¯t swallow.


    The door opened, and it was Beta Matthew. Seeing him, I sighed in relief and wiped off the tears from my cheeks.


    ¡°Were you crying?¡± he asked, worry etched on his face.


    ¡°No,¡± I assured him and got up. ¡°I need to tell you something.¡± I got closer to him. ¡°Levi knows the whole truth. He knows that I was the one who saved Alpha Edward. He is also aware that I¡¯m Alpha Edward¡¯s mate, and he has threatened to tell if I don¡¯t dance to his music.¡±


    Beta Matthew groaned and clenched his fists. I could see anger in his eyes after hearing what I had just said. ¡°What do we do?¡± I asked worriedly.


    ¡°Nothing, just rx. I will handle Levi,¡± Beta Matthew assured me, and I nodded,pletely trusting him.


    ¡°I have arranged your flight to France. It will be taking off by 9 am tomorrow,¡± he announced, and a wave of relief washed over me. ¡°Thank you,¡± I spoke sincerely. ¡°Thank you for all you do,¡± I said sincerely and hugged him while he wrapped his arms around me.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± he gently patted my back while Ifortably remained in his arms, which felt so soothing and familiar. My rtionship with Beta Matthew was unreal. I mean, how could I be sofortable with him, and why was he so loving and caring to me after just a few weeks of knowing each other? It felt like we had known each other for ages.


    I pulled away and held Beta Matthew¡¯s gaze, who smiled at me. ¡°You will begin a new life there. You will forget all that had happened here, go to the university, and be a sessful woman with or without your wolf, okay?¡± He assured me, and I nodded.


    ¡°Once I get hold of that witch, I will make sure she undoes whatever spell she has cast on your wolf, okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± I nodded, havingplete trust in him.


    He shed me aforting smile and sat on the bed while I did the same. I noticed he was pondering, and I became curious about his thoughts.


    ¡°Is there something the matter?¡± I asked and saw him hesitate for a moment before he spoke. ¡°It¡¯s Alpha Edward. He will be so mad at me when he learns the truth.¡± Beta Matthew sounded worried, and I felt pity for him. I knew he was taking a big risk to help me, a risk that could strip him of his title. It seemed like he was betraying his friend for my sake.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to cause trouble for you,¡± I said worriedly, but Beta Matthew shook his head and looked up at me. ¡°You are not causing trouble for me, Amanda. Don¡¯t worry about that.¡± He got up and smiled at me. ¡°I need to go take care of Levi. Have some rest.¡±


    I nodded and watched him walk away.


    After he left, Iy on the bed and thought of Beta Matthew and the sacrifice he was willing to make for me. He was risking himself for me, something not everyone could do.


    I wished I could pay him back for what he had done, but nothing on earth can make up for the things he had done for me. Perhaps I might not be able to pay him back for all he had done, but I believe that in years toe, I will be able to do that.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Feeling exhausted, I closed my eyes and drifted to sleep.


    Waking up hourster, I saw a note on the bed written by Beta Matthew, informing me that he had gone out for some pack duties and would be backte at night.


    Yawning tiredly, I left the bed and decided to leave the room. I took the stairs to the living room, left the sitting room, and went to the garden. I wanted fresh air and could only get that in the garden.


    Reaching the garden, I sat on the ground and inhaled the nice smell of the blooming flowers. As I nced at the flowers, I wished I were one of them who had no worries or troubles in them; instead, they were well cared for.


    I thought of France and the new life that awaited me. I was nervous, wondering if everything would turn out well.


    The rustling of footsteps behind me got my attention, and I waspelled to turn around, surprised to see Alpha Edward standing a few steps away from me.

 The Garden

    Alpha Edward¡¯s POV


    I could see the stunned look in her eyes when she saw me standing in the garden. Actually, I never expected to see her in the garden; I had no idea she was there. I only wanted to get some fresh air, and the garden was the right ce to be.


    I could see how she stared at me with anger burning in her eyes, and then she looked away and turned her back against me. I wanted to leave, to give her the privacy she wanted, but I couldn¡¯t, as I found myself moving closer to her.


    Arriving where she stood, I stood beside her and heard her groan. ¡°What is it you want this time, Alpha Edward?¡± Her words were filled with so much hate for me, and I didn¡¯t me her for that. Her hate and anger are justified. I was also angry at myself for the things I did.


    Inhaling deeply, I nced at her, but she wasn¡¯t looking my way; instead, her eyes were fixed on the sky.


    Staring at her, I realized how beautiful she was. She was a beauty to behold, and this wasn¡¯t the first time I had taken notice of it. I had noticed her beauty four years ago when she opened the door for me. For a moment, I prayed she was the one who had saved me in the woods, but I got disappointed when I found out she wasn¡¯t.


    ¡°Is it not wrong to be staring at your beta mate in such a manner?¡± Amanda taunted, and I felt my heart shatter. Realizing she was never going to be mine was a hard pill for me to swallow, and the fact that I had ridiculously fallen in love with her made matters even worse.


    ¡°I heard you will be leaving for France tomorrow,¡± I murmured, wishing I could stop her. But after much thinking, I realized I couldn¡¯t hold her back. Firstly, she is the mate to my best friend and beta, and I can¡¯t betray him by taking his mate away from him. I thought of using our marriage to keep her to myself, but I knew it wouldn¡¯t make sense and wasn¡¯t valid. Matthew could easily win against me on that.


    ¡°Do you intend to stop me?¡± She threw that question at me as she looked away from the sky and nced in my direction.


    ¡°I wish I could,¡± I responded truthfully, and her brow raised. ¡°But you can¡¯t.¡± She shed a victorious smile at me before looking away.


    ¡°Will you ever forgive me?¡±


    ¡°No, never,¡± she responded without hesitation. ¡°What you did is imnted in my head, so how could I ever forgive you?¡± She scoffed bitterly and turned to me. I held her gaze and noticed her eyes were glittering with tears.


    ¡°I wish never to see you again in my life. I do hope our paths never cross, not in this world or another¡­¡± She made an attempt to leave, but I grabbed her by the waist and pulled her to myself so that we were just an inch apart.


    As I held her close, I could feel her tense against me, her breath catching in her throat. Despite her resistance, I couldn¡¯t help but admire the way her eyes sparkled, even with tears threatening to spill over.


    ¡°I know I¡¯ve caused you pain, Amanda,¡± I whispered, my voice barely above a murmur. ¡°But please forgive me.¡±


    ¡°And what? If I forgive you, what else?¡± She urged, and my words got stuck in my mouth. I had so many things to say, but it seemed I was lost for words.


    ¡°Just like I thought,¡± she shook her head, her lips pressed into a thin line, but she didn¡¯t push me away. For a moment, we stood there in silence, the only sound being the soft rustle of leaves in the garden.


    ¡°While torturing you, I have grown to love you, Amanda,¡± I confessed, and saw her eyes flicker with anger. ¡°You don¡¯t love me, Alpha Edward, you don¡¯t know what love is¡­¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± I countered. ¡°I have loved and fallen in love twice. The first person was my first mate, and I almost died when I lost her, and then you¡­¡± I paused and swallowed my pain. ¡°I¡¯m practically dying.¡±


    There was a flicker of concern in her eyes, but it was quickly reced by anger. ¡°I have to go. Let go of me,¡± she tried to release herself from my grip, but I held her tighter.


    ¡°Can I kiss you?¡± I blurted out. ¡°Can I please kiss you for thest time?¡± I pleaded, and saw her gulp. ¡°Please, for thest time¡­¡± I pleaded, but she shook her head. ¡°Why should I kiss a man who¡­¡± I didn¡¯t let her finish her words before capturing her lips.


    At first, she struggled to pull away, but I pressed my lips against hers and tightened my grip on her waist. Her lips were pressed tightly together, but I didn¡¯t give up; rather, I continued kissing her lips, begging for entrance, and with a soft sigh, she opened her mouth and gave in to the kiss.


    I deepened the kiss, and it became so intense that soon we found ourselves moaning between the kisses. Gently pulling her to the grass, I made hery on the grass while I hovered above her and continued the kiss.


    Slowly, my hand went for her gown, and I lifted it up, shifted her underwear with my fingers, and slowly inserted a finger into her wet pussy. Realizing she was extremely soaked for me made me go crazy as I kissed her hungrily while adding another finger.


    She gasped and moaned between the kisses, her breath panting as she struggled to keep up with the pace of my kiss.


    Feeling my dick hardened in my pants, I took my fingers off her pussy and went for the zip of my pants. Swiftly unzipping my pants, I took out my hardened dick, and while still kissing her, I guided it into her wet slippery entrance.


    ¡°Mmmm,¡± she moaned in satisfaction at the sudden invasion of my dick and held on to my face as she deepened the kiss.


    I slowly pulled my rock-hard dick out and then thrust deep inside her, causing Amanda to moan loudly at the sudden invasion. I took that as a sign that she enjoyed it and began pounding inside her. I felt her body rx, and her moans of pleasure became constant as she finally began to feel the sensations.


    ¡°Alpha Edward,¡± she moaned between the kisses, and I broke the kiss to take a look at her face. I kept my eyes on her face the entire time, enjoying the pleasurable look that turned me on. I felt her legs open wider for me, and it was clear that she was enjoying every inch of my dick moving inside her.


    I grunted loudly as I increased my pace, forcefully thrusting inside her. I was getting close to my climax, and it caused me to increase my speed.


    Her moans turned into screams as I prated her with an emphatic speed continuously. Her core began squeezing my cock, and it made me growl as it pressured me to go hard on her because I knew she was close.


    I increased my pace and began thrusting into her harder and harder.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Damn you,¡± she moaned as she came on my dick, but that didn¡¯t stop me from moving my dick inside her. FUCK! I knew I was close, but I didn¡¯t want to stop any time soon.


    I growled out just as I was ready to cum, and I squeezed her thighs hard. I didn¡¯t pull out, rather I offloaded my cum in her pussy and continued pounding her until I began slowing down my pace and finally stopped.


    With panting breath, I pulled away and mmed my back on the grass while I tried to catch my breath.


    The experience was unreal. It was undoubtedly the best short sex of my life, and it was with a woman I truly love.


    Sighing in relief, I turned to face her. As our gazes met, I noticed tears welled up in her eyes. She didn¡¯t say a word, rather she made her way to leave the floor, but I stopped her by holding her arm, and that got her furious. ¡°Take your hand off me! We are done!,¡± she yelled and pushed me away and ran out of the garden.

 Leaving

    Amanda¡¯s POV


    Going back to Beta Matthew¡¯s room, I shut the door and sat on the bed. My eyes were clouded with tears as memories of what I did in the garden flooded my mind. I felt so disgusted with myself. How could I let him have sex with me, and why did I want it so much? Why did it feel like a goodbye? Why couldn¡¯t I reject him and push him away when he touched me? At least now I have the right to push him and say no, but no, I didn¡¯t do that. Instead, I loved it and wanted more.


    Frowning, I sniffed myself and realized I had his smell all over me. If Beta Matthew finds out about this, he won¡¯t be happy. So quickly, I undressed and went into the shower. Standing in the shower, I began to scrub my body, almost as if peeling it. I wanted everything about his touch and smell taken off from me.


    After several minutes in the shower, I decided to turn it off and go back to the room. I put my gown back on and theny on the bed before switching off the lights. My mind wandered to Alpha Edward. Were the words he said in the garden really true? Had he really fallen for me, or was it because he loves having sex with me? The thought of him actually loving me made an ufortable feeling hit my stomach, but I frowned and shook my head. Even if he loves me, it doesn¡¯t change a thing. That man has inflicted so much pain on me, and those memories are stored in my head, never leaving. There was no way I would want to be with such a man. All I needed was to go to France and start a new life, forgetting all that happened here.


    Waking up the next morning, I took my bath, and while returning to the room, a knocknded on the door. Knowing it was Beta Matthew, I went for the door and opened it. He smiled at me with a shopping bag in his hand.


    ¡°Here, I got itst night but couldn¡¯t give it to you because I didn¡¯te back home.¡±


    ¡°Where were you?¡± I asked while quickly ncing at him. He looked so tired and worn out.


    ¡°Is something wrong? Please tell me,¡± I pleaded in panic, praying that he wasn¡¯t going through problems because of me.


    ¡°Calm down.¡± He ced his hand on my shoulder. ¡°It has nothing to do with you.¡± He tried assuring me, but I wasn¡¯t convinced.


    ¡°Please tell me what is going on.¡± I pleaded, and he sighed and gave me a weak smile.


    ¡°I¡¯m searching for someone, andst night I got a lead,¡± Beta Matthew confessed, his eyes revealing a mixture of hope and exhaustion. ¡°It¡¯s a personal matter, but nothing for you to worry about, Amanda.¡±


    I frowned, not entirely convinced. His attempt to reassure me only heightened my anxiety. ¡°Are you sure? If there¡¯s anything I can do to help, please tell me.¡±


    He shook his head gently, squeezing my shoulder with aforting grip. ¡°I appreciate that, Amanda, but this is something I need to handle on my own.¡± He handed me the shopping bag, changing the subject. ¡°Here, I hope you like it.¡±


    Reluctantly, I took the bag, forcing a small smile. ¡°Thank you, Beta Matthew.¡± I peeked inside and saw a beautiful dress, a deep shade of blue, soft and elegant. ¡°It¡¯s lovely.¡±Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    He nodded, looking somewhat relieved. ¡°I want you to wear it for your journey. We will be leaving in an hour.¡± His eyes searched mine, and for a moment, it felt like he wanted to say something more, but he stopped himself. ¡°I have to go out again, but I¡¯ll be back soon. Get ready, okay?¡±


    I nodded, watching him leave with a heavy heart. The room felt colder without him, and I was left alone with my thoughts once more. I knew Beta Matthew was hiding something, and it troubled me deeply. I longed to help him, to repay him for his kindness, but it seemed I could only stand by and watch as he struggled.


    Sighing, I sat back on the bed, holding the dress against me. The fabric was soft andforting, a small distraction from the worry inside me. My mind wandered back to the garden, to Alpha Edward, and the confusing emotions he stirred within me. Was it possible for someone to inflict so much pain and yet still im to love? The thought was unbearable, and I shook my head, trying to erase the memories.


    No, I needed to focus on my n. France was my escape, my chance at a new beginning. I had to be strong and not let these emotions cloud my judgment. I nced at the clock, realizing I had spent too long wallowing in my thoughts.


    Inhaling deeply, I stood up and decided to try on the dress. As I slipped it over my head, the fabric hugged my curves perfectly, making me feel a little more like myself again. I put on the shoes that came with it before standing in front of the mirror. Staring at the mirror, I realized I looked so different in the dress. One wouldn¡¯t know I was once a ve and had gone through a lot.


    While admiring my look in the mirror, Beta Matthew walked back in and nced at me, a small smile appearing on his face.


    ¡°You look so beautiful,¡± he said, and I smiled. ¡°All thanks to you. Thank you.¡± He nodded at my words.


    ¡°I have to take you to the airport. My god sister will receive you.¡± I nodded to his words, and he smiled at me. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, everything will be over soon.¡± I nodded at his reassurance.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go. Don¡¯t take anything with you; you will get everything you need in France.¡± I obediently nodded.


    ¡°We should leave.¡± He opened the door, and we both left his room. Reaching the sitting room, I met Alpha Edward seated on the couch with a ss of whiskey in his hand. It was as if he were waiting for me. Our gazes interlocked, causing memories ofst night to flood my mind, and I nervously looked away.


    ¡°She is leaving,¡± Beta Matthew announced to Alpha Edward, who got up and approached me. When he got to where I stood, he gently took my hand in his, causing my heart to race uncontrobly. The intensity in his eyes made it hard for me to breathe.


    ¡°Amanda,¡± he began, his voice low and filled with emotion, ¡°I know I¡¯ve done terrible things to you, things that can never be undone. But I need you to understand that what I feel for you is real. It¡¯s not just about desire.¡±


    His words were a knife twisting in my heart. How could he speak of love after all he had put me through? I tried to pull my hand away, but his grip tightened, though not painfully, just firmly enough to keep me in ce.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear it, Alpha Edward,¡± I said, my voice trembling. ¡°All this doesn¡¯t matter, Alpha Edward. I¡¯m your beta¡¯s mate, and you should respect that.¡± I spat.


    His face fell, a look of genuine pain crossing his eyes. ¡°Amanda, please. Just give me a chance to prove myself to you. I can be better. I will be better, for you.¡±


    Beta Matthew cleared his throat, stepping closer to us. ¡°We need to go, Amanda. The car is waiting.¡±


    Edward¡¯s eyes never left mine, even as Beta Matthew spoke. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry for all the things I did. I hope you can forgive me one day.¡±


    ¡°I can never forgive you, Alpha Edward, not in this life or the next.¡± I spat with pain while holding his gaze. His eyes looked weak and dull, it seemed he didn¡¯t get any sleep throughoutst night.


    ¡°Alpha Edward, I will have to ask you to let go of my mate,¡± Beta Matthew urged, acting angry and annoyed.


    He let go of my hand, and I turned to follow Beta Matthew out the door. As we walked to the car, I could feel Alpha Edward¡¯s eyes on me, a heavy weight that I carried all the way to the vehicle.


    The drive to the airport was silent; the tension between Beta Matthew and me was consuming. He nced at me asionally, as if wanting to say something but deciding against it each time.


    When we arrived at the airport, Beta Matthew finally spoke. ¡°Are you sure about this, Amanda? If you stay, I can protect you. You don¡¯t have to be afraid of him anymore.¡±


    I shook my head, a sad smile on my lips. ¡°I appreciate everything you¡¯ve done for me, Beta Matthew. But I need to do this. I need to find myself again, away from all the pain and memories. France is my fresh start.¡±


    He nodded, seemingly satisfied with my decision. ¡°Take care of yourself, Amanda. If you ever need anything, you know how to reach me.¡±


    I hugged him tightly, feeling a sense of gratitude and sadness. ¡°Thank you, Beta Matthew. For everything.¡±


    With that, I turned and walked towards the terminal, ready to leave my past behind and embrace whatever the future held. But as I boarded the ne, a part of me couldn¡¯t help but wonder if I was truly leaving everything behind, or if the memories would follow me wherever I went.

 A hope for a new life

    Amanda¡¯s POV


    Arriving at the airport, I was able to find Beta Matthew¡¯s god-sister. Just like him, she seemed weing and friendly. We got into her car, and after a few minutes¡¯ drive, we arrived at her home, a three-story building.


    ¡°This is where I live,¡± she announced while getting out of the car, and I followed suit. ¡°You have a nice ce,¡± Iplimented, and she smiled before leading me into the apartment.


    Entering the apartment, I was greeted by a warm and inviting atmosphere. The decor was tasteful, with a blend of modern and rustic elements that made the space feel cozy yet stylish. Beta Matthew¡¯s god-sister, Sophia, guided me through the rooms, showing me where I would be staying. My room was on the second floor, a lovely space withrge windows that let in plenty of natural light.


    ¡°This will be your room, Amanda,¡± Sophia said with a kind smile. ¡°I hope you find itfortable.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s perfect,¡± I replied, taking in the soft pastel colors and the plush bed that looked incredibly inviting after the whirlwind of torture I had been through.


    Sophia left me to settle in, and I sat on the edge of the bed, feeling a mix of relief and anxiety. The past was still fresh in my mind, and I knew it would take time to heal. But for now, I had a safe ce to stay and the promise of a new beginning.


    My thoughts drifted back to Alpha Edward. His words reyed in my mind, and I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling of his grip on my hand. Despite everything, a small part of me wondered if he could truly change. But I quickly pushed the thought away. I couldn¡¯t allow myself to be swayed by his words; he had hurt me in a way that deserved no forgiveness.


    After settling down, I joined Sophia in the kitchen, where she was preparing a meal. The delicious aroma of home-cooked food filled the air, making my stomach rumble.


    ¡°Can I help with anything?¡± I offered, eager to distract myself from my thoughts.


    ¡°Sure,¡± Sophia said, handing me a cutting board and some vegetables. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve hadpany, so this is nice.¡±


    We worked together infortable silence, asionally chatting about random things, and I was d she didn¡¯t ask anything personal. It felt good to engage in such a normal activity, something I hadn¡¯t experienced in a long time. The simple act of chopping vegetables and stirring pots was oddly therapeutic.


    Dinner was a nice, filled with light conversation andughter. Sophia had a way of making me feel at ease, and for the first time in a long while, I felt genuinely happy.


    As the evening wore on, I retired to my room, exhausted but content. Iy on the bed, staring at the ceiling, and allowed myself to dream about a future free from pain and fear. France was my chance to rebuild my life and discover who I was beyond the hurt and the trauma. Even if I couldn¡¯t have my wolf back, at least I could live a happy life.


    The following day, I woke up early, feeling energized. I dressed quickly and headed downstairs, where Sophia was already up, sipping coffee and reading the newspaper.


    ¡°Good morning,¡± I greeted her.


    ¡°Good morning, Amanda. Did you sleep well?¡±


    ¡°Yes, thank you. I feel¡­ different, in a good way.¡±


    Sophia smiled warmly. ¡°I¡¯m d to hear that.¡± She picked up a box and handed it to me. ¡°Beta Matthew says I should give this to you.¡±


    Opening the box, I realized it was a cell phone. ¡°His number is already stored in it, and he says you should call him once you have received it.¡± I nodded and shed a grateful smile at her. ¡°Thank you, thank you for everything.¡±


    ¡°You are wee.¡± She smiled and got up on her feet. ¡°Today, I thought we could explore the city a bit. I want to show you some ces I think you¡¯ll like.¡±


    I nodded eagerly, grateful for her kindness. ¡°That sounds wonderful.¡±


    ¡°Let me dress up; I will be back,¡± she said before leaving.


    After she left, I went through the phone and realized it wasn¡¯t just a smartphone, but one of those expensive phones-a phone I would never dream of having.


    Going through the phone, I saw Beta Matthew¡¯s number, which was already stored, so I dialed it and ced it to my ear. It would have been easier tomunicate with him if I had my wolf; I would have easilymunicated with him through the mind link.


    After a few beeps, the call was picked up.


    ¡°Amanda,¡± he called, already knowing it was me.Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    ¡°Beta Matthew,¡± I responded.


    ¡°How are you, and how do you see France?¡±


    I smiled. ¡°I think I will like it here; your sister seems so nice.¡±


    Beta Matthew chuckled from the other end. ¡°Yes, she is, and she is happy to have you. I believe you two will make good friends.¡± He muttered, and it seemed he was right. It¡¯s just a day of knowing her, and I¡¯m alreadyfortable around her.


    ¡°By Monday, she will help you with your school,¡± he announced, and my heart fluttered with joy and gratitude.


    ¡°Thank you so much. How will I be able to pay you for all you¡¯ve done for me?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to pay me, Amanda. You are my friend, remember?¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°You are wee, Amanda. A new life awaits you. I want you to forget all that has happened and focus on yourself.¡±


    ¡°I will.¡± I nodded.


    ¡°And don¡¯t worry about Alpha Edward; he won¡¯t be disturbing you. I will make sure of that.¡± He assured me while I swallowed nervously.


    ¡°What if he gets to know the whole truth?¡± A flicker of fear sparked within me, a gnawing sense that something might go terribly wrong


    ¡°And who is going to tell him? Your stepmother, who has gone missing? The seer, who is unable to see anything? Or Levi, whom I have taken care of?¡±


    ¡°Taken care of Levi? How?¡± My curiosity was piqued.


    Beta Matthew sighed. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that or anything else. Just focus on the new life ahead of you, okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± I responded, havingplete trust in him.


    ¡°Very good. I must go now, but I will call youter.¡±


    ¡°All right, bye.¡±


    ¡°Take care.¡± He ended the call while I sucked in a deep breath. Beta Matthew was right; it¡¯s time for me to leave all my worries behind and move on to a better life.


    Sophia returned, already dressed and ready to leave. ¡°Are you set?¡± she asked, and I nodded while getting up.


    As we stepped out into the bright morning sun, I felt a sense of freedom. The memories of Alpha Edward and the pain he caused were still there, but they were beginning to fade, reced by the promise of new experiences and the hope of a brighter future.


    Walking through the city¡¯s bustling streets, I allowed myself to smile, to feel the joy of simply being alive and free. This was my chance to start over, and I was determined to make the most of it.

 Apologies

    Alpha Edward¡¯s POV


    I flung away the files stacked up on my desk. My mind was a mess. Ever since Amanda left, I have never been myself. It felt as if a part of me left with her. I couldn¡¯t exin how I became so attached to her. I thought it would be easy to forget about her. In fact, I have had countless sex over the weeks, thinking that perhaps it would help me forget about her, but s, I was wrong. I couldn¡¯t take my mind off her. I thought of her every single day. I imagined her in my head. I thought of the sex we had in the garden. Those images were unable to leave my mind; it seemed they were stuck there forever.


    I wished I could have her back. I wished I could go over to France and bring her back, but I didn¡¯t have any right to do so. She was the mate of my best friend and beta. How could I fight for her? What would people say? That I was fighting over a woman who is the mate of my beta? Sighing exhausted, I leaned on my seat, but just then, a knock came on my door. Sensing it was Matthew, I asked him in. Walking into my study, I could see the baffled look on his face when he nced at the scattered files and documents on the floor.


    ¡°Is everything okay?¡± His voice was filled with concern, but I didn¡¯t give him a response. Instead, I closed my eyes and thought of Amanda. Somehow, I wished she was mine and not his. I know I wasn¡¯t deserving of her, but then everyone deserves a second chance. I deserve a second chance.


    ¡°Are you okay? Do you want me to send for the physician or a healer?¡± Matthew suggested, but I groaned outwardly. The only person I needed was Amanda. Noticing I wasn¡¯t in a good mood, Matthew decided to stop asking questions. An awkward silence hung in the air until I had to ask out of curiosity.


    ¡°How is she?¡± I asked, referring to Amanda. Matthew was silent for a moment. ¡°She is doing great. I spoke with her a moment ago,¡± he responded, and a surge of jealousy stirred within me. I wished I could talk to her too. I wanted to see her, hear her voice, and hold her once more in my arms, but I couldn¡¯t. She belonged to another, not just anyone but to my best friend and beta. Opening my eyes, I held gaze with Matthew, who was staring back at me.


    ¡°How are you able to do it?¡± I popped up the question and saw him furrow his brow, probably confused by my question. ¡°She is your mate. How could you stay away from her?¡± I questioned. She wasn¡¯t mine, but staying away from her was driving me insane.


    Matthew sighed and took a deep breath. I noticed him pondering in thought for a moment before he looked up at me. ¡°I have no choice but to send her away. This ce and country hold so many hurtful memories for her, and as her mate, I have to do what is best for her. The best for her is by sending her away¡­¡± he paused and swallowed hard. ¡°I wish to be with her, but as you know, I can¡¯t neglect my duty. But I will go visit her from time to time.¡±


    As Matthew spoke, a pang of guilt hit me. Here I was, wallowing in self-pity over my own desires, while Matthew, despite his own longing, was prioritizing Amanda¡¯s well-being above all else. His words echoed in my mind, reminding me that I wasn¡¯t fit for her and would never be. Yet, despite that, I couldn¡¯t shake off the feeling of wanting Amanda for myself. It was selfish and irrational, but my heart refused to listen to reason. She had be a desire, a constant presence in my thoughts that I couldn¡¯t escape.


    ¡°I will take my leave,¡± Matthew bowed before leaving. After he left, I got up and began strolling around my study. I walked over to the mini-bar, took out a bottle of whiskey, poured it into a ss, and had a long sip of it. It was surprising how I hadn¡¯t really thought of finding the girl who had saved me, who might turn out to be my mate. Ever since knowing the truth that Elisa wasn¡¯t my mate, my thoughts had been fixed on Amanda. I couldn¡¯t get her off my mind.


    A knocknded on my door, and I asked the person in. The door opened, and it was Levi. Our nces interlocked, and I red at him. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± I groaned. He was thest person I wanted to see.


    ¡°Calm down, cousin. I¡¯m not here to fight,¡± he lifted his hands as a sign of surrender. ¡°Then what do you want? Say it and get out!¡± Levi moved over to where I stood, his eyes interlocking with mine. He had a nk look on his face, which made it hard for me to detect what he was up to.


    ¡°I came to inform you that I am leaving; everything has been settled,¡± he announced, and my brow furrowed. I was confused about why he was telling me this and why his voice sounded softer. I shrugged. ¡°Good for you.¡± I walked away from him, went over to my desk, and sat behind it. I expected him to leave, but he didn¡¯t. Rather, he remained where he stood, and that made me raise a questioning brow at him.


    ¡°Is there something else you want to say?¡± He nodded and took another step closer to me. I watched him hesitate for a moment before he took a deep breath. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he apologized, and I had to lift my brow at him. Perhaps I heard him wrong.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for causing you pain and breaking the bond we had as brothers.¡± His words were filled with so much sincerity. ¡°Believe me, I never wanted all this. I never wanted anything to do with Veronica, but¡­¡± he hesitated for a moment before he continued. ¡°She was the one who seduced me herself. She told me that despite being mated with you, she didn¡¯t want you. It was me she wanted. She said she knew you were going to be an alpha, and you would be too busy to even be with her, and she didn¡¯t want such a life of bondage. She didn¡¯t wish to be a Luna; she didn¡¯t want to be a leader with people watching over her. To her, she felt caged being with you.¡± A lump formed in my throat, and a sudden pain struck my chest. It was heartbreaking to know all this.


    ¡°I should have told you. I shouldn¡¯t have kept it to myself, but I didn¡¯t want you to feel bad, so I decided to keep it to myself while I continued rejecting her, but¡­¡± he inhaled deeply. ¡°I fell into her seduction, and we had sex. I thought you would feel it, but surprisingly, you didn¡¯t, so we continued having secret affairs.¡± I gritted my teeth and clenched my fists.


    ¡°That faithful day we boarded the boat, I had no idea she didn¡¯t know how to swim. If I had known, I wouldn¡¯t have let here on board with me. Everything happened so fast that I still can¡¯t exin it¡­¡± I noticed tears welling in his eyes. It seemed he was having an emotional breakdown, which made me wonder what had gotten into him and why he was acting this way.


    ¡°After she was confirmed dead, and you came to know the truth, I wanted to plead with you and tell you the whole truth, but I held back¡­¡± I noticed him swallowing in pain. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, cousin. I¡¯m not asking you to forgive me; I just want you to know how truly sorry I am¡­¡± He closed his eyes for a moment before opening them. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I have turned into something else. I can¡¯t believe this is me¡­¡±


    I was baffled by his sudden remorse. What had gotten into him? Was he in some sort of trouble and needed my help? That was the only exnation I coulde up with.


    ¡°I will be taking my leave¡­¡± He wanted to leave, but I stopped him. ¡°Are you in any sort of trouble?¡± I asked with concern. No matter what, he was still my cousin, and if anything happened to him, it would really affect my aunt, and I can¡¯t bear that.


    ¡°You think I¡¯m saying all this because I might be in some sort of trouble?¡±


    I groaned. ¡°Lay down your pride and just tell me what is wrong. What trouble are you in this time?¡± I demanded.


    Levi shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m not in any sort of trouble. In fact, someone was kind enough to help me out of my situation.¡± I furrowed my brow at his words.


    ¡°Yes, cousin, I¡¯m no longer in trouble. In fact, I¡¯m a free man.¡± He gave a bitterugh which worried me. I was concerned about him; something didn¡¯t seem right.


    ¡°My ride is already waiting, so with your permission, I will take my leave.¡± With that, he turned and walked over to the door. I watched him grab the doorknob, but he stopped and looked back at me. ¡°Sometimes what we are searching for is right with us; all we have to do is look deeper and carefully.¡± With those words, he opened the door and left the room.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Confused, I pondered his words, wondering what he meant by his parable, but I couldn¡¯t make any meaning of it.

 Pregnant

    Amanda¡¯s POVProperty ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    ¡°Go on, read it,¡± Sophia urged, but out of panic, I couldn¡¯t. Instead, I stretched the test results to her. ¡°Please read it yourself,¡± I mumbled in a shaky voice. For the past few weeks, I had been feeling strangely, and when I told Sophia, she asked me when Ist saw my monthly flow. That was when it dawned on me that I didn¡¯t see my monthly flowst month. Panic surged through me, but Sophiaforted me, telling me that it might just be a change in my system and urged me to go run a general test.


    A few minutester, I went to the clinic and got my result, but I couldn¡¯t open it because of fear of the unknown.


    ¡°You want me to open it?¡±


    ¡°Yes, please.¡± I nodded.


    She took the envelope from me, carefully opened it, and began reading through the content. With a pounding heart, I watched her, trying to get answers from her facial expression, but she had a nk look on her face, making it hard for me.


    ¡°What does it say?¡± My palms had be sweaty.


    Sophia took a deep breath and lifted her gaze to meet mine, her eyes void of emotion. ¡°I think we will have to call Beta Matthew.¡± My breath seized in my chest. ¡°You are one month and two weeks pregnant.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± I eximed in pain.


    ¡°Calm down, Amanda. You are just pregnant, not carrying a disease.¡±


    This was worse than a disease. How could I be pregnant? Why should I be pregnant? Why now, when it seemed everything was falling into ce for me? I had just settled in France and had been sessfully admitted to the university. My life seemed perfect, and I had decided to move on and forget the past, and now this! I¡¯m pregnant, not for anyone but for a man who has caused me nothing but pain.


    Tears trickled down my cheeks as I regretfully remembered the sex in the garden. I was sure that was what led to this pregnancy. How could I be so stupid and naive?


    ¡°You should call Matthew, and you have to call him now, okay?¡± Sophia suggested, and fear gripped me. Beta Matthew would be so mad if he found out that I had sex with Alpha Edward. He would be so disappointed in me.


    ¡°Amanda,¡± Sophia called gently as she sat beside me. ¡°Get a grip on yourself. Being pregnant is not the end of the world.¡±


    ¡°It is the end of the world for me,¡± I choked out in tears.


    Sophia shook her head, her voice gentle but firm. ¡°Amanda, listen to me. You have options. You can decide what you want to do next. But first, you need to calm down and think clearly.¡±


    I shook my head, the tearsing faster now. ¡°How can I think clearly when my life is ruined? Everything I worked for¡­ my dreams¡­ it¡¯s all over.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not over,¡± Sophia insisted. ¡°You¡¯re strong, and you¡¯ve faced worse than this. Remember, you¡¯ve gone through a lot, and this is just another challenge you can ovee.¡±


    I wanted to believe her, but the weight of my situation pressed down on me, making it hard to breathe. ¡°But what about Beta Matthew? What will he think of me?¡±


    Sophia sighed. ¡°Matthew cares about you. He might be upset, but he¡¯ll understand. He knows you¡¯re not perfect, and he won¡¯t abandon you because of this. You have to trust that the people who love you will stand by you.¡±


    I wiped my tears with the back of my hand, trying to steady my breath. ¡°I can¡¯t face him.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to do it alone,¡± Sophia said, squeezing my hand. ¡°I¡¯ll be with you every step of the way. We¡¯ll get through this together.¡±


    Her words were a smallfort, at least what I needed at the moment.


    ¡°Okay,¡± I whispered, my voice barely audible. ¡°I¡¯ll call Beta Matthew.¡±


    Sophia handed me my phone, and I stared at it for a moment, my heart pounding. Taking a deep breath, I dialed Beta Matthew¡¯s number, my hands trembling. The phone rang, each second stretching into an eternity.


    Finally, he answered. ¡°Amanda? Is everything okay?¡±


    His voice was calm, reassuring, and it gave me the strength I needed. ¡°Beta Matthew, I¡­ I need to talk to you. It¡¯s important.¡±


    There was a pause, then his tone shifted to one of concern. ¡°What is it? What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    I closed my eyes, mustering the courage to speak. ¡°I¡¯m pregnant, beta Matthew. I¡¯m so sorry. I didn¡¯t mean for this to happen.¡± I choked on my tears, my heart racing with fear.


    The silence on the other end of the line was suffocating, and I held my breath, waiting for his response.


    Finally, he spoke, his voice steady but tinged with emotion. ¡°We¡¯ll figure this out. I will be in France by tomorrow.¡± He announced, and my eyes twitched. ¡°You¡¯reing?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I have toe.¡±


    I furrowed my brow, wondering why he wanted toe, but I didn¡¯t say a word about it.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I whispered, my voice breaking. As I ended the call, Sophia pulled me into a tight hug. ¡°See? It¡¯s going to be okay. One step at a time, Amanda.¡±


    THE NEXT DAY


    It was six p. m. when Beta Matthew arrived at the apartment. Sophia opened the door while I stood in a corner, fear and panic gripping me.


    He walked into the sitting room, and our nces met, but I couldn¡¯t look at him.


    ¡°I will excuse you two,¡± Sophia said, giving me aforting smile before leaving.


    After she left, Beta Matthew took the couch and looked my way. ¡°Come have a seat.¡± His tone wasn¡¯t harsh, which was a good thing, right?


    Swallowing nervously, I moved away from where I stood and sat on the couch across from him.


    An awkward silence hung in the air as I anxiously waited for him to speak, and it seemed he was taking forever to speak.


    ¡°I knew you had sex with Alpha Edward, the night before you left,¡± he announced, and my eyes widened.


    ¡°I happened to walk into you two kissing in the garden, and I had to leave¡­¡± My eyes widened at the realization. I never knew, I had no idea.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be Amanda. Despite all that has happened, Alpha Edward is your mate. This news should be a thing of joy if only everything wasn¡¯t this way.¡± He sighed while I swallowed in pain.


    Silence hung in the air for a moment before he spoke again. ¡°What is your decision? Do you want me to tell Alpha Edward about it? I don¡¯t have to tell him that you are his mate if you don¡¯t want me to. All I have to let him know is that you are carrying his baby, but once he knows that, he will not let you go. You will have toe back to California and stay in the pack house until you deliver. This child is his first seed, and he wouldn¡¯t joke with it.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± I shook my head without even having a second thought about it. I don¡¯t want to go back to him. I can¡¯t be with a man who has inflicted so much pain on me and ordered the killing of my mother. I would rather die.


    Beta Matthew sighed. ¡°And you know I can¡¯t let you abort that pregnancy. That is my friend¡¯s blood. The baby will have to stay.¡±


    Fear gripped me as tears trickled down my cheeks. I thought I had escaped from my past, but it seemed I would be going back to it.


    Beta Matthew stared at me with worry and concern. ¡°You don¡¯t want to go back to him?¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to go back,¡± I sobbed loudly.


    I heard him release a heavy sigh and go silent while I anxiously awaited his decision. I knew whatever he decided was final, and I would have to ept it.


    ¡°I have a n,¡± he announced to me, and I lifted my gaze to him.


    ¡°A n?¡±


    He nodded. ¡°A good one at that.¡±


    ¡°What n is that?¡± I asked, having full trust in him.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± he paused. ¡°Firstly, I won¡¯t be leaving by tomorrow. I will have to stay here for at least three days.¡± My brow furrowed at the kind of n he had that would make him stay back, but nevertheless, I trust him and believe his n is what will be best for me.

 A father soon

    Alpha Edward¡¯s POV


    Going through the file in my hand, I tried to concentrate, but my thoughts constantly drifted to Amanda. Despite it almost being three months since she left, I haven¡¯t been able to take her off my mind. I craved to see her beautiful face, hear her voice, and sniff her scent. I wished I could go over to France and meet with her, but I knew I couldn¡¯t; she wasn¡¯t mine in the first ce, and I had to respect that.


    A knock came on my door, but before I could respond, the door to my study opened and Matthew walked in, excited and smiling widely.


    I furrowed my brow and closed the file in my hand, casting a suspicious nce at him. It had been a long time since I had seen him this happy.


    ¡°And what is the good news? You seem so happy.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m really happy.¡± He took the seat across from me and smiled widely, which made me so curious. Whatever was making him happy must be really big.


    ¡°Tell me.¡± I urged, eager to know what the news was.


    ¡°I will be a father soon!¡± he announced happily, and I furrowed my brow, confused at his words.


    ¡°You?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Amanda just called. She is pregnant.¡± He announced, and my heart clenched in my chest. My throat suddenly became dry as a lump formed in it.


    ¡°I thought it was a prank, but it¡¯s true. Amanda is indeed pregnant. I will be a father soon. I can¡¯t believe it.¡± He smiled happily while I zoned out. The thought of Amanda being pregnant was something I found difficult to take. I didn¡¯t need to ask him how it was possible that she got pregnant; I presumed he must have gotten her pregnant during his visit to her in France a month ago. He stayed in France for over four days, so they must have had countless sex which resulted in the pregnancy. The thought of it made me so jealous and pained, but I had to hide my emotions. Matthew was my friend, and this was a happy moment for him.


    ¡°Congrattions.¡± I congratted him, making sure my emotions were not felt through my voice.


    ¡°Thank you, I will celebrate with the men.¡± He spoke excitedly, and I nodded. ¡°So, is sheing back?¡± I asked curiously, eager to know if I would be seeing her soon.


    ¡°No, I asked her to stay back in France. She is already in school, and she likes France, so I let her stay there.¡±


    I nodded, feeling relieved about it. At least I would be spared the torture of seeing her with a baby bump that wasn¡¯t mine.


    ¡°Congrattions, my friend.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± He stood up. ¡°I will go celebrate with the men.¡± He turned to leave, but I called him back. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for what happened between Amanda and me. You know I would never have done the things I did if I had any idea she was your mate.¡± I apologized sincerely.


    He nodded. ¡°I understand. I should have told you she was my mate, but I thought she was a killer and decided not to speak, so we are all at fault.¡± He responded, and I sighed. Typically, Matthew easily let go of things.


    ¡°Thank you. You should go to France and spend a few days with her. This news should be celebrated together.¡± He nodded at my words. ¡°Thank you.¡± He bowed before leaving.


    After he left, I leaned back into my seat and shut my eyes. A wave of pain washed through me as I grappled with the news. The idea of Amanda being pregnant with Matthew¡¯s child was a reality I had toe to terms with, even if it felt like a knife twisting in my chest. The jealousy and longing were almost unbearable, but I had to stay strong. She was never mine and never would be.


    Despite my pain, I had to acknowledge that Matthew deserved his happiness. He had been a loyal friend and a dedicated supporter. If being with Amanda makes him happy, then I have to step away, even if it meant burying my own feelings deep within.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Realizing that I needed a distraction to take my mind off the news, I decided to put a call through to one of my sex submissive. After picking up the call, she happily announced that she would be at the mansion soon.


    I left my study and went to my sex room where my BDSM stuff was kept. I took my bath and waited for the submissive to arrive. As she had promised, she arrived earlier than I expected, and a guard walked her to my room.


    ¡°Greetings, Alpha Edward.¡± She greeted me with a bow, which I ignored.


    ¡°Are you ready?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Master.¡± She whispered in a low, seductive, submissive voice that triggered the dominant spirit in me.


    ¡°Undress.¡± She obliged and seductively undressed while I nced at her. She might have the perfect body, nice boobs, and ass, but I would always see Amanda¡¯s as the best.


    Inhaling deeply, I stood up and went for the blindfold and blindfolded her eyes. I filled up my ss, took a sip of my drink, and stared at the naked submissive.


    ¡°Nita.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Master.¡± She replied excitedly.


    ¡°I might be a bit rough with you, but I will triple the pay.¡± I assured her with a warning.


    ¡°Yes, Master.¡± She replied, nodding her head in agreement.


    ¡°Go over to the bed.¡±


    I took another sip of my drink and went to my drawer. I opened it, went for the condoms, and took out a few packs. I strolled back to the bed and stroked her hair.


    ¡°Say your safe word if I¡¯m beyond your limits.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Master.¡±


    I tore the condom and put it on my dick beforeying on the bed on my back.


    ¡°Come.¡± I ordered and took her hand in mine, ¡°Ride on me.¡± She climbed on me and slowly sat on me, taking my whole dick in her wet, pussy. She moaned in satisfaction as my entire dick went inside her. I ced my hands on her waist and pulled her more closely. She moaned in pleasure as I took hold of her breasts with my mouth and started sucking them. I closed my eyes to enjoy the pleasure, but my thoughts constantly drifted to Amanda.


    Groaning softly, I left her breast andid back on the bed, allowing the sub to fuck me at her pace. She was indeed a good rider, better than the rest.


    I moaned and began fucking her at my pace. She whimpered in pleasure while I closed my eyes and tried to enjoy the pleasure, but then the passionate sex I had with Amanda in the garden flooded my mind, causing me to be angry and frustrated.


    Forcefully, I pulled out of the submissive and left the bed. ¡°Come.¡± I took her out of the bed and made hery on the desk. She spread her legs wider for me so that I could have a clear view of her pussy. Groaning, I ced her two legs on my shoulders and slid my dick in her. Her pussy was tight, but not as tight as Amanda¡¯s.


    I groaned, frustrated, and began fucking her to ease myself. She moaned while her body shook with pleasure. I ignored her moans and kept fucking her, trying to take memories of Amanda out of my head, and it somehow worked. I lowered my head and took her sizeable breast in my mouth and sucked it roughly while I fucked her, not minding that she was now screaming. I left her breast, took hold of her hair, and increased my pace. The table creaked, and her moans could be heard all over the room, but the room was soundproof, so no one could hear a single sound outside.


    I roughly caressed her body as I fucked her before I forcefully pulled out of her. ¡°Turn over and ass up to me.¡± I ordered. Quickly, she turned around with shaking legs and knelt on the table with her ass up to me.


    I spanked her ass before putting my two fingers in her wet pussy. She gasped with pleasure and buried her head on the desk.


    I stuck my fingers in her for a while before pulling out the condom from my dick and putting on a new one. I spanked her ass again and roughly inserted my dick inside her in a swift motion, which made her gasp and shiver with pleasure. I took hold of her hair and pulled her to me before I started fucking her with all the frustration I was going through. I mmed in and out of her with aggression. To me, this wasn¡¯t sex; I was just trying to get myself distracted.


    ¡°Are you my bitch?¡± I asked, as I roughly fucked her.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m Master¡¯s bitch.¡± She moaned in pleasure.


    I tightened my grip on her hair and increased my pace. ¡°Do you enjoy my big dick inside you?¡± I asked in a dominant voice.


    ¡°Yes, Master, I enjoy your big dick inside me.¡± She mumbled with pleasure mixed with pain.


    I groaned in satisfaction and closed my eyes, but this time there was no Amanda; my thoughts were nk of her. I eximed in relief and opened my eyes while I continued fucking Nita until I noticed I was about to cum. Quickly, I pulled out of her and took off the condom.


    ¡°Pleasure me.¡± I demanded. She quickly turned around, while I removed the blindfold from her eyes. She took my dick in her mouth while I fucked her mouth before spilling out my cum in her mouth. She swallowed everything and gently licked my dick clean with her tongue.


    I closed my eyes in satisfaction and roughly took hold of her hair and stroked it before I pulled my dick out of her mouth. She stared at me and seductively licked her lips in.


    ¡°Good girl,¡± Iplimented. I strolled to the couch, sat on it, and took a deep breath before closing my eyes. Unfortunately, as I closed my eyes, I realized that I couldn¡¯t actually forget about Amanda. The only way I could forget her is by finding my mate, which has been nearly impossible for the past three months. It seems only Elisa¡¯s mother knows where I can find my mate, but it seems she has disappeared into thin air.

 Back

    FIVE YEARS LATER,


    Amanda¡¯s POV


    As Liam tightly sped my hand, we strolled out of the airport while Sophia walked beside me. Our eyes scanned the bustling waiting area until theynded on Beta Matthew, patiently waiting for us.


    ¡°Father!¡± Liam yelled and ran towards Beta Matthew, who also ran to him and picked him up off the floor before hugging him,


    ¡°How are you, my boy?¡± Beta Matthew asked tenderly as he kissed Liam¡¯s forehead before setting him down.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, father. I¡¯m so happy that we will now be staying with you.¡± A big smile spread across his face as he hugged Beta Matthew again.


    My four-year-old son, Liam, has thought of Beta Matthew as his biological father. Beta Matthew has been an incredible stand-in father for Liam, and I didn¡¯t know what I would have done without him. Liam wished for his family to live in one home, but it was impossible. I stayed in France while Beta Matthew resided in California. Liam has pleaded with Beta Matthew and me to live together, but we always bring up excuses as to why we can¡¯t live together.


    As if the moon goddess had been listening to Liam¡¯s prayers, a war broke out in France just a few days ago, and France was no longer safe for us. I had suggested we go to another country, but there was no guarantee that the country would be safe, and unfortunately, the only safe ce was the Snow Moon Pack.


    When Matthew brought up the suggestion for us toe over, I kicked against it because I didn¡¯t want to see Alpha Edward. It¡¯s been five years, and I haven¡¯t forgotten about him, but how could I? He was my mate.


    After getting enough assurance from Beta Matthew on how Alpha Edward has given up finding his mate and how my stepmother was still missing. He had gotten tired and decided to leave everything behind, I decided toe back, at least for the safety of my boy.


    ¡°Matthew,¡± I greeted Beta Matthew, and we hugged before pulling away. He also hugged Sophia, and his men took our luggage and led us to the car.


    Reaching where the cars was parked, Liam decided to join Sophia in the other car while Beta Matthew and I entered the SUV, and the driver drove off.


    Inhaling deeply, I looked outside the window, staring at the familiar town as we drove through it. Memories flooded back, both bittersweet and nostalgic. I couldn¡¯t help but wonder how much had changed in the past five years.


    ¡°Amanda, I have to tell you something,¡± he said, and I looked his way, curious about what he wanted to say to me. I noticed he hesitated for a moment, which piqued my curiosity even more.


    ¡°My home is under renovation, so that means you all will be staying in the pack house. I have already talked to Alpha Edward, and he had no problem with that.¡±


    My brow furrowed. ¡°Tell me you are joking.¡±


    He sighed. ¡°I know you may not like this, bute to think of it, the pack house is the safest ce, and besides, within a week, the renovation at my ce will be done, and you all can go there.¡± He tried persuading me, but I only grunted and looked outside the window. I didn¡¯t want to say anything to him because I was annoyed, and I might re up if I began speaking.


    As we neared the Snow Moon Pack territory, my heart pounded in my chest. I could feel the tension building within me, the anxiety of seeing Alpha Edward again. Beta Matthew, sensing my unease, ced a reassuring hand on my shoulder.


    ¡°It¡¯ll be alright, Amanda,¡± he said softly. ¡°Things have changed here, and you¡¯ll see that Alpha Edward isn¡¯t the same man he was, and besides, he has forgotten about you.¡± Beta Matthew tried assuring me.


    I nodded, but the knot in my stomach didn¡¯t loosen. There was a strange feeling in me telling me something would go wrong.


    Soon, we arrived at the pack house, arge, imposing structure that had always seemed like a fortress to me. We exited the car, and I could see Liam¡¯s joy as he walked over to us.


    ¡°Is this the alpha¡¯a mansion?¡± Liam asked excitedly, his eyes scanning the whole area.


    ¡°Yes, son, and you will be staying here for a while,¡± Matthew announced to Liam, who smiled happily.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go in.¡± Beta Matthew gestured, and I inhaled deeply before following him in. I exchanged nces with Sophia, who seemed surprised that we were staying here, and as she questioned me with her eyes, I only shrugged and looked away.


    Entering the sitting room, the workers greeted us, and Beta Matthew took us upstairs to show us our rooms. The first stop was Sophia¡¯s room, and after she got settled, we went over to Liam¡¯s room.


    Liam¡¯s room was beautifully decorated-a mix of blues and greens-with toys and books arranged on shelves. In just short notice of our arrival, Beta Matthew went all the way to do this. Liam¡¯s eyes lit up with excitement as he explored his new space.


    ¡°Wow, Mom, look! They have all my favorite books!¡± he eximed, pulling a storybook from the shelf.


    I smiled, watching him. ¡°Yes, your father really thought of everything.¡±


    Beta Matthew, standing in the doorway, smiled warmly. ¡°I wanted to make sure Liam felt at home here.¡±


    I nodded, grateful for his efforts. ¡°Thank you.¡± He was just the perfect father for Liam.


    Matthew¡¯s eyes softened. ¡°Anything for my son.¡± I could feel the sincerity in his voice. He has grown to love Liam as his son, and Liam will forever be.


    Leaving Liam to settle into his room, we walked down the hallway and reached a door; Beta Matthew stopped. ¡°This is your room,¡± he announced, and I took a deep breath before opening the room.


    The room was spacious and elegantly furnished, but it was the view from the window that caught my attention. The forest stretched out as far as the eye could see, a sea of green that brought back memories of my time here.


    ¡°I hope you find thisfortable,¡± Matthew said softly.


    ¡°It¡¯s perfect,¡± I replied, my voice tinged with gratitude and nervousness. There was this strange aura in the mansion, probably because of the painful memories it held in my heart.


    Matthew nodded, lingering for a moment. ¡°If you need anything, my room is just down the hall.¡±


    ¡°I still remember your room. ¡± He smiled. ¡°Thank you, Beta Matthew,¡± I said again, genuinely grateful for all he has done for me.


    Beta Matthew moved closer and shed me a reassuring smile before touching my shoulders. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about Alpha Edward finding out the truth. Even if someday he does, I¡¯m right here, and I will protect you. Besides, you are no longer that broken and weak girl, Amanda; you have grown into a strong-willed woman, and Alpha Edward won¡¯t be able to toss you around.¡±


    His words offort gave me strength, and I took a deep breath before nodding. ¡°Thank you, Beta Matthew¡­¡±


    ¡°Matthew, I have told you to drop the title,¡± he groaned, and I smiled and nodded. ¡°I will have to leave, but I will see you at dinner.¡± He shed me his usual charming smile before leaving.


    As he left, I closed the door and leaned against it, letting out a shaky breath. Being back here was overwhelming. Memories of Alpha Edward flooded my mind: his intense gaze, the warmth of his touch. But I wouldn¡¯t forget the torture and pain I went through. It had been five years, but the memories were not something that could be easily forgotten.


    Trying to push the thoughts aside, I started to unpack. Each item I ced in the room felt like a step towards epting this new reality. But no matter how much I tried to focus on the task, my mind kept drifting back to Alpha Edward. It had been five years, and I hadn¡¯t heard or seen him. There were times I thought he would call or try to meet with me, but he didn¡¯t. Instead, he stayed away from me all this time, which should be a good thing, right?


    I was so anxious to see him; there was still an uneasy feeling bubbling in my stomach about meeting him.


    It felt like every second seemed suffocating. My thoughts drifted to Beta Matthew¡¯s words about Alpha Edward really forgetting about me, and I wondered if it was really true. Would he really have forgotten about me? Could he have moved on so easily, while I had spent every day thinking about him?This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Lost in my thoughts, I didn¡¯t hear the knock on the door at first. When it came again, louder this time, I quicklyposed myself and opened it, thinking it was a maid. But surprisingly, it was Alpha Edward standing before me, looking as imposing and powerful as ever. Time had only made him more handsome, his features more defined. His eyes, however, were the same piercing green that had haunted my dreams for the past five years.


    ¡°Amanda,¡±


    ¡°Alpha Edward,¡±

 A striking resemblance

    Alpha Edward¡¯s POV


    My breath hitched, and for a moment, I couldn¡¯t breathe as I stared into the most alluringly beautiful set of sea-blue eyes that had tormented my mind and dreams for the past five years. Staring at her, I could easily call her perfection. It seems the past five years have drastically changed her. Thest time I saw her, those sea-blue eyes of hers looked weak and lifeless, but the one staring right at me was so full of life. Her face, which I would call perfection, was glowing, and without being told, I knew she had lived her best life for the past five years, while the past five years have been hell for me.


    My eyes fell on her full lips, and I couldn¡¯t help but stare, wishing I could pull her into my arms and kiss her while confessing to her, telling her how much I missed her.


    My heart pounded in my chest as I tried to gather myposure, but it was a losing battle. She was right there, the woman who had haunted my every waking moment and every dream, standing before me with an aura of confidence and serenity that made her even more captivating than I remembered. Her transformation was undeniable. The fragile girl I once knew had evolved into a woman of striking beauty and undeniable strength.


    I struggled to find my voice, my thoughts racing. Five years of regret, longing, and anguish wed at me, but the sight of her soothed some of that torment. She was real, and she was here. I had to say something, anything, but the words caught in my throat.


    She tilted her head slightly, a small frown ying on those perfect lips. ¡°Alpha Edward,¡± she said softly, her voice like a melody I had longed to hear. ¡°Good afternoon.¡± She respectfully bowed her head before locking eyes again with me.


    My name on her lips broke the dam. ¡°Amanda,¡± I blurted out, ¡°you look so beautiful,¡± I confessed unknowingly to me. Her eyes widened slightly, but she didn¡¯t move, didn¡¯t speak. I took a hesitant step forward, desperate to close the distance between us.


    ¡°How have you been?¡± Her gaze softened, and for a moment, I thought I saw a flicker of warmth in her eyes, but it was quickly reced by a small frown. ¡°I have been doing well,¡± she replied coldly.


    An awkward silence hung in the air as we both stared at each other, not knowing what to say.


    Again I was lost for words and could spend all day staring at her.


    ¡°You are here? Is there something you want to say to me?¡± She asked, and I had to quicklypose myself. ¡°I just came home and was informed you guys have arrived, so I decided toe see you.¡± I said, sounding stupid. Actually, I could have seen her during dinner, but I was so eager to see her and couldn¡¯t stop myself froming over.


    My eyes ran over her body, and I noticed she had gained a little weight, not so much, but enough to give her a beguiling body and shape. I couldn¡¯t help but notice her curvy figure in the sleek dress she wore; she was perfect.


    ¡°Thank you for allowing us to stay here.¡± I nodded. How do I tell her that she was actually the one doing me a favor by agreeing to stay here? I have missed thisdy so much, and it took everything in me not toe for her. Whenever I thought of going after her, I would think of Matthew and feel guilty. Even though they are not yet married, they have a son together, a perfect family I didn¡¯t want to disturb.


    Staring into her eyes, I could see that she still held anger for me, the pain that I caused her five years ago still there in her eyes. She still hates me as much as she did five years ago, and it pained me that I had to speak about it.


    ¡°Amanda, I will still apologize for what I did to you five years ago. I know it¡¯s hard for you to forgive me, but I just want you to know that I regret all I did to you, and here I am still saying to you that I didn¡¯t send any men to kill your mother. I have no idea who did that and still investigating the matter.¡±


    A big frown spread across her face, but just as she was about to respond, a voice spoke behind me.


    ¡°Mother!¡±


    Turning around, I met a boy standing before me, his eyes glued to mine, and for a moment, I felt my breath hitch. Staring at him was as if I was staring at my mini self; his green piercing eyes looked exactly like mine. He looked everything like me except for his brown hair. The world seemed to fade as I stared at the striking resemnce. Does he really look so much like me, or am I imagining things? Perhaps it was just a coincidence; people seem to look alike.


    ¡°You must be Alpha Edward.¡± He broke the silence, and I found myself nodding, my gaze still fixed on him.Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    ¡°Wow, it¡¯s nice to finally meet you.¡± He bowed his head before lifting it up to hold my gaze. ¡°I have heard so much about you, and it¡¯s a privilege to meet you in person.¡± I furrowed my brow at his words and how smart he was with his words. Kids tend to tremble whenever I hold their gaze, but here was the kid speaking so casually with me while holding my gaze.


    ¡°Forgive my manners,¡± he apologized, and I raised a brow. ¡°My name is Liam Matthew Greeks, your beta son. It¡¯s a privilege to meet you.¡± He paused and offered his small hand, a gesture that seemed both innocent and incredibly mature for someone his age. I reached out to shake it, feeling the warmth of his palm against mine, and the resemnce struck me even harder.


    ¡°How old are you again?¡± I asked, despite knowing. ¡°I will be five in a few months.¡± He responded smartly, so smart for his age.


    ¡°You are so smart, little boy.¡± I couldn¡¯t help butpliment. A half-smile spread across his face. ¡°I tend to receive suchpliments on regr asions.¡± His innocence and intelligence caught me off guard. Amanda watched our interaction silently, her expression unreadable, but I could sense the tension in the air.


    ¡°He¡¯s quite a remarkable child,¡± I said, trying to keep my voice steady. Amanda¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, as if she were trying to decipher my thoughts.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she replied coolly. ¡°Liam has always been very exceptional.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I can see that,¡± I murmured, still captivated by the boy¡¯s uncanny resemnce to me. It was more than just his eyes; there was something in his demeanor, his confidence, that felt eerily familiar.


    I forced myself to look away from Liam and back to Amanda. ¡°I will take my leave now.¡± I turned to Liam, shed him a half-smile before attempting to walk away, but he stopped me. ¡°Father.¡± I heard him call me, and for a moment, my breath hitched as I turned around, confused about what I heard.


    ¡°What did you just call me?¡± I questioned, perhaps I heard him wrong.


    ¡°Father?¡± The boy confirmed his words, and my eyes widened.


    My heart skipped a beat as my mind raced with thoughts. ¡°Why did you call me that?¡± I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.¡±


    Liam smiled innocently, his green eyes shining with a mix of mischief and sincerity. ¡°Because you¡¯re my godfather,¡± he said simply, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.


    I blinked, trying to process his words. ¡°Godfather? How could I have forgotten that I was his godfather?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know? Father told me you are his best friend and my godfather,¡± the little boy spoke, smiling at me, and I nodded. For a moment, I had a silly thought in my head.


    ¡°That is correct, son,¡± I nodded, the word ¡®son¡¯ing so naturally from my lips. Liam¡¯s smile widened, and he reached out to take my hand again. ¡°Does that mean you¡¯ll spend more time with me?¡± he asked, his voice filled with hope.


    I nced at Amanda, who was watching our interaction with a frown on her face. ¡°Definitely,¡± I assured him.


    Amanda stepped forward then, cing a gentle hand on Liam¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Liam, why don¡¯t I take you round the pack house?¡±


    Liam nodded obediently but not before giving me onest, hopeful look. ¡°It was a pleasure to meet you, Alpha Edward,¡± he said formally, before walking away with Amanda, while all I could do was stare as my heart fluttered in my chest, a knot formed in my stomach.

 Don鈥檛 feel the same way

    Amanda¡¯s POV


    ¡°Mother, I look so much like him,¡± Liam muttered as I led him away.


    ¡°No, you don¡¯t, Liam. You are just seeing things wrongly,¡± I corrected him immediately, even though I knew he was right. This had been my initial fear abouting here. I was worried about Alpha Edward meeting Liam because Liam was his exact look-alike. I knew Alpha Edward would notice the resemnce, and it was beginning to trouble me.


    ¡°Mother, look properly. I look so much like him, Mom, his eyes, his¡­¡± Liam argued more.


    ¡°No, you don¡¯t.¡± I shunned him, and he frowned before looking away. Luckily, we met Beta Matthew, who took him from me and offered to show Liam around the mansion.


    After Liam went with Beta Matthew, I made my way to Sophia¡¯s room and found her still arranging her things.


    ¡°Hi,¡± she greeted me, and I smiled before sitting on the bed.


    ¡°Are youfortable here?¡± I was concerned about her. The war had made her leave many things behind.


    ¡°I think that question is supposed to be for you. Amanda, are you okay living here?¡± She raised a concerned brow at me, and I inhaled deeply.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s not like I have a choice,¡± I murmured and saw her leave what she was doing to sit beside me.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you scared that he will recognize Liam as his son?¡±


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t have his wolf yet, so there is nothing to be scared of,¡± I assured Sophia, who didn¡¯t seem okay with my words.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s risky. You are taking a big risk by staying here.¡±


    I nodded. She was right. Staying here was a big risk, but I had no other choice. ¡°It will be just for a week. After a week, we will leave,¡± I assured Sophia and, at the same time, assured myself.


    Sophia shrugged her shoulders and went back to unloading her things. ¡°I¡¯m just worried about you. Hell will break loose if Alpha Edward gets to know the truth,¡± she spoke, reminding me of my greatest fear.


    ¡°He won¡¯t,¡± I assured her and, at the same time, reassuring myself.


    Sophia nced at me for a moment before shrugging her shoulders again. ¡°I pray so.¡± She went back to unpacking her bags while I pondered in thought. I knew what Sophia said was right-hell would break loose if Alpha Edward got to know I had kept his son away from him for so many years. He would be furious, and heaven knows what he would do. A wave of fear flooded me, but Iposed myself. Now wasn¡¯t the time to get frightened.


    Leaving Sophia¡¯s room, I went back to my room. Feeling exhausted, I decided to take a nap. The only person who flooded my memory was Alpha Edward. Despite how much I hated him, I couldn¡¯t stop thepelling attraction towards him. It was as if my body recognized and submitted to his touch and presence.


    After five years of staying away, I thought I had gotten over him, but I was wrong. Seeing him again made me realize his effect on me was still there. And damn, he was still fucking hot. Age had nothing on him.


    Sighing heavily, I forced myself to sleep and was awoken by a knock on my door. Grumbling from my sleep, I left the bed and went to the door to find a maid announcing dinner was ready.


    ¡°Thank you. I will be down shortly.¡± I closed the door and went to the washroom. After washing my face, I applied some face cream before heading to Liam¡¯s room. When I got there, he wasn¡¯t there, so I presumed he was still with Beta Matthew.


    I continued to the dining room and was shocked to see Liam with Alpha Edward alone at the dining table.


    My breath caught in my throat as I took in the sight of Liam sitting next to Alpha Edward at the dinner table. They were deep in conversation, and Liam wasughing at something Alpha Edward had said. My heart pounded in my chest, and I had to remind myself to breathe. Alpha Edward¡¯s eyes flicked to mine as I entered, and for a split second, he held my gaze before returning his gaze to Liam.


    ¡°Greetings.¡± I greeted with unease, wondering what they must have talked about.


    ¡°Amanda,¡± Alpha Edward responded, his voice calm and collected. ¡°Join us. Your son has been keeping me entertained.¡±


    I forced a smile and walked over to them. ¡°I hope he hasn¡¯t been too much trouble.¡±


    ¡°Not at all,¡± Alpha Edward replied, his gaze lingering on Liam before returning to me. ¡°He¡¯s quite a smart young man.¡± Heplimented, and I frowned inwardly. I believed that was a trait Liam took from him.


    I took a seat opposite them, trying to calm the whirlwind of emotions inside me. Liam looked up at me with a grin, oblivious to the tension. ¡°Mom, Alpha Edward was telling me about his adventures. Did you know he once fought off a group of ten men by himself?¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± I said, trying to keep my voice steady. I nced at Alpha Edward, who was watching me intently. ¡°That was impressive.¡±


    Alpha Edward chuckled. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t call it impressive, just another day in the life of an Alpha.¡±


    I swallowed nervously and looked around, wondering where Beta Matthew and Sophia might have gone.


    ¡°Beta Matthew is attending to some duties and the maids told me Sophia went for a walk around the pack and isn¡¯t back yet,¡± Alpha Edward muttered, as if he was reading my thoughts.


    ¡°Oh!¡± Was all I could say.


    As dinner progressed, I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling of unease. Alpha Edward¡¯s eyes kept drifting to Liam, and I knew he was seeing the resemnce too. My mind raced with ns to keep Liam upied and away from Edward for the rest of our stay. Thest thing I needed was for him to start asking questions.


    After dinner, I quickly made an excuse to leave the table. ¡°Liam, it¡¯s time for bed. You¡¯ve had a long day.¡±


    ¡°Already?¡± Liam whined, but I gave him a look, and he knew better than to argue. He said goodnight to Alpha Edward, who smiled and ruffled his hair, sending another jolt of panic through me.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take him up,¡± I said, standing and taking Liam¡¯s hand.


    Alpha Edward stood as well. ¡°I¡¯ll walk you to your room.¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not necessary,¡± I said quickly, but Alpha Edward was already leading the way. I had no choice but to follow, my heart racing with every step.


    When we reached Liam¡¯s room, Alpha Edward leaned against the door frame, watching as I tucked him in. ¡°Goodnight, Liam.¡±


    ¡°Goodnight, Alpha Edward,¡± Liam said sleepily, already half-asleep.


    I kissed Liam¡¯s forehead and turned to find Alpha Edward¡¯s piercing gaze on me. ¡°Amanda, can we talk?¡±


    ¡°I know what you want to talk about, but my response remains the same, Alpha Edward. I will never forgive you,¡± I muttered firmly before walking away, not giving him a chance to respond.


    Getting back to my room, I took off my clothes and went into the shower. After taking a warm bath, I got dressed in my nightgown andy on the bed, but I realized I couldn¡¯t sleep as my mind was buzzed with thoughts.


    Unable to sleep, I left my bed and decided to go over to the garden to get some fresh air.


    I walked into the garden, the cool night air refreshing against my skin. I needed to clear my head and think of a way to get myself out of this mess. As I made my way to a bench, I stopped. Alpha Edward was standing there, his back to me, seemingly lost in thought.


    He turned as if sensing my presence, his eyes locking onto mine. ¡°Amanda,¡± he said softly, his voice carrying a hint of the calm authority he always exuded.


    ¡°Alpha Edward,¡± I responded, my voice taut. I had no idea he would be here. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°I could ask you the same,¡± he replied, stepping closer. ¡°But I suspect you couldn¡¯t sleep either.¡±


    I crossed my arms, trying to maintain a calmposure. ¡°I came for some fresh air. To clear my head.¡±


    ¡°Is that all?¡± His eyes bore into mine, and I felt a familiar spark, the one I had been trying to suppress since I saw him again.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s all,¡± I said, but my voice wavered, betraying my unease.


    Alpha Edward took another step forward, his presence making my heart race. ¡°Amanda, we need to talk. I haven¡¯t been at peace for the past five years. For the past five years, I have been tormented by the horrible things I did to you. Every night I go to bed, and you haunt my dreams and sleep¡­¡± He sounded so frustrated.


    ¡°Please, Amanda, what can I do to make you forgive me?¡± He pleaded, and a surge of anger rose within me. He thinks he could make me forget all he did to me just by apologizing?


    ¡°Bring back my mother to me¡­¡± I spat with hate. ¡°Bring my mother back to life and then I will forget all you ever did to me and forgive you.¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°Believe me, I didn¡¯t send any men to kill your mother. If I did, I would have epted it a long time ago!¡±


    ¡°Then who did?¡± I spat.


    He took a step closer. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    I grunted. ¡°You will never ept it, will you?¡±


    ¡°I would have, if only I had done it,¡± he responded, and I red up. ¡°I hate you, Alpha Edward, I hate you!¡± I yelled at him and turned to leave, but he held my wrist and pulled me to himself, my chest crashing against his, our eyes interlocking. For a moment, I lost my senses as I stared into his alluring green eyes. ¡°Amanda, I didn¡¯t do it,¡± his voice was low and calm, and I felt myself clinging to him, ridiculously wanting him to touch me. ¡°You¡­¡± he lifted a finger and gently caressed my face. ¡°What did you do to me? What did you do to my head, Amanda? It¡¯s been five whole years and yet I can¡¯t get over you.¡±


    A lump formed in my throat.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Amanda.¡±


    ¡°No, Alpha Edward, no¡­¡± my voice was breaking down from emotion. Memories flooded my head, bringing back pain I had long buried. ¡°Let me go.¡± I struggled to release myself from his grip, but it was just too tight.


    ¡°Tell me, Amanda, don¡¯t you feel the same way I feel?¡± he questioned, while I raised a brow at him. ¡°I can¡¯t be the only one feeling the surge of attraction towards you; I believe you do too.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t!¡± I lied.


    ¡°Really?¡± He raised a brow at me. ¡°Then there is only one way to find out.¡± Before I could think, he sealed his lips with mine.

 His touch

    Amanda¡¯s POV


    My head was telling me to push him away, to stop this madness, but my heart and body were saying otherwise. Moaning softly, I pulled him closer and deepened the kiss, wanting more of him. It had been five whole years, and I missed his touch so much; it felt like a sleeping giant in me had awakened.


    Moaning between the kisses, he pulled me towards a direction, and my back hit a tree. He groaned into the kiss, kissing me like a starved beast, while I tried to match the pace of his kiss. Damn, I was losing my senses.


    I felt his hands lift my nightgown, and his fingers brushed against my sensitive skin, sending cold shivers down my spine. His other hand folded around my breast, still under the nightdress.


    I moaned and kissed him deeply, wanting more of him. His fingers shifted my underwear aside, brushing against my entrance, causing me to moan as I parted my legs for him. He rubbed the entrance of my pussy with his fingers before inserting two fingers in, which made me gasp.


    ¡°Fuck!¡± he grunted and plunged deeper. ¡°So fucking tight,¡± he moaned loudly, and I responded with a moan. Of course, I should be tight; I hadn¡¯t had sex in the past five years. ¡°So fucking wet,¡± he growled and began moving his fingers inside me, while I pulled him closer for a deeper kiss.


    The kiss intensified, and his fingers moved faster inside me, causing me to moan loudly. His lips left mine, and he began cing kisses on my neck, then went for the straps of my nightgown and pulled it off my shoulders, exposing my breasts to him. ¡°Fuck, they seem bigger,¡± he grunted and took one into his mouth while the other hand yed with my nipple. I moaned and tilted my head back while he worked magic with his fingers, still inside my pussy. I could feel his hardened dick pressing against me, and the urge to beg him to fuck me was intense.


    His fingers moved faster inside me, and I grunted loudly, pulling him for a kiss as I came hard on his fingers. Realizing I had reached my climax, he slowed down his pace and removed his fingers, kissing me passionately and slowly until he stopped and pulled away.


    Panting, we held each other¡¯s gaze as he lifted his fingers and licked them, causing my breath to hitch in my chest. For a moment, we didn¡¯t move or say a word; we just continued staring at each other until he broke the silence. ¡°It seems you want me just as much as I want you,¡± he smirked, and that annoyed me.


    ¡°Bastard,¡± I spat and adjusted myself. Without waiting a second, I walked out of the garden, feeling his piercing gaze on me.


    Returning to my room, I slumped on the bed and nced at the ceiling. The events of the night yed in my head, and I couldn¡¯t help but groan, feeling disappointed in myself for letting him touch me and enjoying it. But then, I couldn¡¯t me myself; I had been sex-starved for five years, and he had been the one man who had touched me, so my body involuntarily responded to his every touch.


    I grunted. I should have listened to Sophia when she suggested I go out and have a one-night stands, but I couldn¡¯t. I just couldn¡¯t see myself doing that.


    Covering myself with the nket, I turned off the lights and closed my eyes. I wanted to force myself to sleep so that I wouldn¡¯t think of him, but I ended up thinking about him until I drifted off to sleep.


    ¡°Amanda!¡± I heard a deep, hushed voice that forced my eyes open. The room was dim, but I could see a figure hovering over me. ¡°It¡¯s me. Don¡¯t make a sound; close your eyes,¡± I recognized the voice as Alpha Edward¡¯s, and obediently, I closed my eyes.


    ¡°Good girl,¡± he whispered and took the nket off my body, causing the coldness of the room to brush against my skin, making me shiver. Soon, I felt his fingers trailing all over my body, causing chills to run down my spine. Then, I felt his fingers ying with my left nipple while his warm mouth sucked on my other nipple, making me release a soft moan.


    ¡°Good girl,¡± he moaned with my nipple still in his mouth. Letting go of my breast, he ced kisses all over my stomach, then spread my legs apart.


    My eyes were closed, so I didn¡¯t know what he was doing, but I began to feel something wet and soft on my pussy, making me realize he was licking my pussy with his tongue.


    ¡°Mmm,¡± I moaned as I felt the tip of his tongue in my pussy. He began to lick my clit, prompting me to release a louder moan. I could hear him moan as he sucked on my clit and licked my entire pussy.


    Soon, I didn¡¯t feel his mouth on my pussy anymore, but I felt a finger trying to invade my pussy, and I gasped. He slowly inserted a finger into my pussy, and I moaned in satisfaction. Soon, he began fingering me at a slow pace, but he increased his pace and added another finger, prompting me to release a louder moan.


    ¡°So fucking tight,¡± he grunted, then I felt his free hand squeezing my breasts and pinching my nipples.Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    ¡°Alpha!¡± I moaned in pleasure.


    ¡°Call me that again,¡± he demanded, his voice deep and husky.


    ¡°Edward!¡± I moaned and heard him grunt. I felt him take his fingers out of my pussy, and suddenly, I felt something harder and bigger touching my pussy, trying to prate. Voluntarily, I widened my legs and felt him thrust inside me, gasping as his full length filled my pussy.


    ¡°Fuck! Amanda!¡± he grunted and plunged out, then in again, harder, causing me to gasp and open my eyes.


    Opening my eyes, I realized there was no one in my room. It was morning, and the sun was already out.


    Inhaling deeply, I sat on my bed and nced around my room, realizing there was no one there. Then it hit me-I had just had another wet dream of him. This wasn¡¯t the first, but it felt like the realest.


    Moving my hand under the nket, I traced my fingers over my pussy and realized I was wet.


    ¡°Fuck!¡± I groaned and fell back on the bed. Another night of dreaming of a man I was supposed to hate. I was supposed to hate him, not have sex dreams about him.


    Sighing heavily, I took off the nket, got out of bed, and went into the shower. After taking a warm bath, I returned to the room and got dressed in a simple ck fitted gown.


    Leaving my room, I went to Liam¡¯s room and met him with Beta Matthew.


    ¡°Good morning, Mommy,¡± Liam greeted, and I ced a kiss on his cheek.


    ¡°Good morning, Matthew,¡± I greeted, and he smiled at me. ¡°I will be taking Liam to thebat ground; we will be spending all day together,¡± Beta Matthew announced, and I nodded.


    ¡°Mother, Father is going to teach me how to fight.¡± Liam seemed so excited, and I beamed at him. ¡°Be a good student and don¡¯t trouble your father,¡± I ruffled his hair, and he chuckled.


    ¡°Of course, I won¡¯t, Mommy,¡± Liam promised, his eyes sparkling with excitement. He looked so much like his father in that moment that it made my heart clench. ¡°I¡¯ll see youter, okay?¡±


    ¡°Yes, darling. Have fun and be careful,¡± I said, giving him a final hug before he ran off with Beta Matthew.


    As they left, I felt a pang of loneliness. Watching Liam¡¯s small figure disappear brought a bittersweet ache. He was growing up so fast, and yet, here I was, still tethered to a past that haunted me every night. Memories and dreams of Alpha Edward clouded my thoughts, making it impossible to move on.


    I decided to go talk to him. I needed to let him know that I¡¯m his beta mate and that what happened between us should never happen again.


    I asked a guard about his whereabouts and was told he was in his study. Reaching the door of his study, I knocked, and his deep, husky voice invited me in.


    Inhaling deeply, I pushed the door open and stepped in.

 Last time he touched you

    Alpha Edward¡¯s POV


    I was surprised to see Amanda walking into my study. Initially, I thought it was one of my guards or maids.


    Seeing that it was Amanda, I dropped the file on the desk and raised a brow as I watched her walk up to me and stand before me, the desk separating us. Staring at her, the memories ofst night in the garden flooded my thoughts. I could still hear her moans in my head, feel the tightness of her pussy wrapped around my fingers, and remember the hot, intense kiss we shared. Just the mere thought of it was already making my dick throb, and I had topose myself.


    ¡°Alpha Edward, we need to talk,¡± she demanded, and I gestured to the seat in front of her. ¡°Have a seat,¡± I said, already knowing why she was here.


    She reluctantly took the seat and faced me. ¡°What happened in the garden should never have happened,¡± she muttered, getting straight to the point. ¡°I¡¯m your beta¡¯s mate, and it¡¯s taboo to even touch me,¡± she spat. ¡°What we did was an abomination and should not happen again,¡± she demanded, trying to get up from her seat, but I stopped her with my words.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you have his mark yet?¡± I asked, rising to my feet. I watched her swallow hard before responding.


    ¡°It¡¯s none of your business,¡± she spat, and I chuckled.


    Walking over to her side of the table, I stood before her, both hands in my pockets while I settled my gaze on her face. Damn! She was so fucking hot and beautiful, which made me wonder why Matthew hasn¡¯t imprinted his mark on her or married her. How could he let his mate move freely?


    ¡°Are you both notpatible?¡± I questioned because that was the only thing I could think of. I have seen and judged cases of mates who don¡¯t find themselvespatible, and that might be the case for Amanda and Matthew. If not, I can¡¯t exin why he would let her live in France while he stays back here in California and only visits thrice a year. What kind of man will be able to stay away from such a hot, sexy mate as Amanda for that long?


    ¡°My personal life is none of your business, Alpha Edward. Please excuse me¡­.¡± She turned to leave, but I held her arm,pelling her to look my way.


    ¡°When was thest time he touched you?¡± Those words slipped out of my lips, and I didn¡¯t bother taking them back. I was so eager to know because from what I experiencedst night, it was obvious it had been a long time since hest touched her. The tightness of her pussy, her loud moans, and how eager she was for my touch were all the signs I needed to know that she has been sex-starved for a long time.


    She stiffened at my touch, her eyes narrowing as they met mine. ¡°That¡¯s none of your concern,¡± she hissed, trying to pull her arm free from my grasp. But I didn¡¯t let go. Instead, I tightened my grip, feeling the heat between us ignite once more. I leaned in closer, so close I could feel her breath on my skin.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t answer my question,¡± I said softly, my voiceced with a mix of curiosity and challenge. ¡°When was thest time he touched you, Amanda? Or did he ever after the pregnancy?¡±


    Her eyes shed with a mix of anger and something else-something more vulnerable. ¡°You don¡¯t know anything about us,¡± she said, but her voicecked its usual conviction. I could see the cracks forming in her tough exterior.


    ¡°I know more than you think,¡± I countered, my thumb brushing gently against her wrist. ¡°I know that he does not love you. I know that he hasn¡¯t touched you. And I know that what happenedst night was inevitable.¡±


    She pulled her arm free, stepping away and putting distance between us. ¡°This conversation is over,¡± she said, her tone final. ¡°What happened was a mistake, and it won¡¯t happen again.¡± She made to leave, but I grabbed her by the waist, lifting her from the floor and making her sit on the desk, my hands ced on either side of her to prevent her from escaping.


    ¡°Tell me¡­¡± I paused and leaned closer to her, her pounding heartbeat audible to my hearing. ¡°Whenst did he do this¡­¡± I paused and tilted my head sideways as I pressed a kiss on her corbone and heard her sigh. I moved away, and our gazes interlocked. ¡°Or this.¡± My hand grabbed her breast, and she released a soft sigh, her eyes still holding mine. ¡°Or this¡­¡±


    My lips captured hers in a slow, deliberate kiss, testing the boundaries of her resistance. For a moment, she hesitated, her body tensing against mine. But then, just as quickly, she melted into me, her lips parting and her hands clutching at my shirt as if to anchor herself.


    The desk under her creaked as I pressed her back slightly, deepening the kiss. I could feel the conflict in her every movement, the push and pull of desire and hate warring within her. When I finally pulled back, her breath came in short, heated gasps, her eyes dark with a mixture of anger and longing.


    ¡°Amanda,¡± I murmured, my forehead resting against hers. ¡°You can¡¯t deny what¡¯s between us. What we didst night wasn¡¯t a mistake. It was real, and you know it.¡±


    She red at me, her heartbeat pounding in her chest. ¡°I have to go.¡± It sounded like she was pleading, but I shook my head.


    ¡°Not until I¡¯m done,¡± I said and saw the nervous look on her face. ¡°Until you are done¡­¡± she asked, her voice trembling with emotion.


    ¡°Yes.¡± I whispered and pushed away the files on the desk, then made hery on the desk with her back. In a swift motion, I lifted her gown and ced her legs on the desk to give me a view of her pussy. A throaty groan left my lips as I stared between her thighs. I hurriedly shifted her panties to the side and lowered my head to her pussy, sticking out my tongue and giving her pussy a lick. She let out a loud moan, and that was all I needed for confirmation that she wanted me to continue.


    I continued by sticking out my tongue again, but this time targeting her clit and licking it. Her hands moved to attach themselves to my hair as she pulled me closer. My licks got even bolder until I was full-on sucking at her clit, and she was moaning in ce.


    I got down on my knees on the floor in front of her and reached out with my hands to grab her thigh before drawing her down to me on the edge of the table. Her cunt was so enticing and slick with her juice. It made my dick so hard to see that she was wet for me. I kissed her soft thighs and slithered my tongue around her cunt, while Amanda let out a long moan as my tongue made contact with her pussy lips.


    I held her smooth white thighs apart with my palm as I slid my wet tongue between her tight pussy, then up to gently touch her clit with the tip of my tongue, caressing it and causing her to let out another moan. It made me realize just how extremely sensitive she was to my touch. I was so proud, proud to see that my touch was having such an effect on her.


    With a throaty groan, I began licking her clit while she kept moaning constantly. Her moans were making me go wild as I licked and sucked on her sensitive clit. I used my fingers to spread her cunt apart before inserting my tongue into her pussy as my palms still held her smooth white thighs apart. Her cunt tasted so amazing that I couldn¡¯t help but taste her more. I plunged my tongue inside her, tasting the sweet juice that was trickling out from her core, then snaked my tongue around her, savoring every creamy juice inside her over and over again while Amanda kept letting out a loud moan for me. She doesn¡¯t disappoint in having such an effect on me!


    I pulled my tongue out of her cunt, and she released another moan of frustration when she couldn¡¯t feel my touch.


    A smirk appeared on my face and I raised my head from between her legs, looking up at her beautiful face. Amanda eyes were closed, and she had a pleasurable, enthralled expression on her face, which showed just how much she was enjoying this just as I was.


    I stared at my hardened dick and a groan let my lips, I wished I could just bury my dick deep inside her, but I didn¡¯t want to rush things.


    I went back to her pussy, grazed her clit with my thumb, and her legs shook wildly. I smirked, seeing how much my touch was having an effect on her, just as much as her moans were on me. I slid my thumb up and down her folds, and just like that, I began stroking them softly. I felt her whole body shake slightly as she began to give a low moan.


    I pushed her thighs apart, and as if she understood what I wanted, she obliged me by opening them even further. I ced my mouth on her cunt, and I began sucking and nibbling her clit, while I slowly slipped two fingers into her tight pussy. Damn, it was so tight. For how long did Matthew not touch her?


    Amanda gasped and tried to close her legs, but I stopped her and buried my head in between her thighs.


    I began rubbing my tongue around her clit in a circr motion as I slowly thrust my fingers inside her.


    ¡°Mmmmh,¡± She kept moaning for me, and it pushed me to quicken my pace, stroking my finger in and out of her cunt while my tongue kept flicking her clit rapidly.


    Her breathing became heavier, and her moans kept getting louder. I knew she was close to climaxing. I could sense it, and it made me increase the pace even more, stroking my finger inside her as my tongue worked on her clit.


    Her leg jerked, and her hips began to buck. ¡°Alpha Edward,¡± She moaned my name in a loud squeal as she came hard like never before, while I smirked in satisfaction as her pussy released a gush of liquid. It flowed down over my fingers.


    I pressed my face against her dripping, wet cunt to let it all into my mouth. I licked and sucked off all her juice, gosh she tasted so amazing.


    Smiling with satisfaction, I lifted my head and moved over to her, her breath was panting, and her eyes were closed. Her face was flushed with so much pleasure and satisfaction. ¡°Have a taste of yourself.¡± I said and sealed our lips for a passionate kiss.


    She kissed me hungrily while running her fingers through my hair. I could hear her moans as she deepened the kiss and grinned herself towards me. While kissing her, my hand went for her ass and I squeezed them and got a louder moan from her.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Just then a knocknded on the door.

 Blonde hair girl

    Alpha Edward¡¯s POV


    I could see the terrified look on Amanda¡¯s face as she quickly arranged herself and got up from the table. She looked so worried, and the sight bothered me. ¡°Calm down,¡± I said to her, but she eyed me and nced at the door.


    ¡°Who is there?¡± I questioned.


    ¡°Alpha, it¡¯s I.¡± I recognized the voice as one of my men. ¡°Yes, what is it?¡±


    ¡°Alpha, it¡¯s time for your private meeting with Alpha Linus.¡±


    ¡°Prepare the car. I will be out shortly.¡±


    ¡°Roger that, Alpha,¡± he said and left.


    Turning around, I met with a furious-looking Amanda, and before I could say a word, a pnded on my cheek. It was shocking, but somehow, I wasn¡¯t angry; I just felt numb.


    ¡°How dare you?¡± she spat with anger while I raised a brow at her. ¡°You¡­¡± Her voice broke with rage, and I saw her inhale deeply, close her eyes, open them and then re at me. ¡°Stay away from me, Alpha Edward. If youe anywhere close, I will tell this to Matthew.¡± She threatened, and I raised a brow at her. ¡°Is that to scare me?¡± I questioned and saw her fuming with anger.


    I took a step closer to her so that we were just an inch apart. ¡°Thest time I checked, you are still my wife. Or have you forgotten that?¡± I raised a brow and saw her eyes widen in shock.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± she retorted, her voice trembling with a mix of rage and disbelief. ¡°How dare you even mention that after everything you¡¯ve done? You think you can just control me because of a title? Because of a stupid fake marriage?¡±


    Her words cut deep, but I kept myposure, stepping even closer until I could feel the heat of her anger radiating off her. ¡°Amanda, listen to me,¡± I said quietly, my tone steady. ¡°I¡¯m not trying to control you. I just need you to understand¡­¡±


    ¡°Understand what, Alpha Edward?¡± she interrupted, her voice rising. ¡°That you think you own me? That you can do whatever you want without any consequences? Well, guess what? I¡¯m not afraid of you. And I will report this to Matthew if you keep pushing me. Let him know the kind of man you are, a friend who wants his best friend¡¯s mate!¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    The mention of Matthew¡¯s name ignited a spark of jealousy and frustration within me. ¡°Matthew can¡¯t take you from me, Amanda,¡± I dered, my voice low and dangerous. ¡°You are mine, and no one can change that.¡±


    Sheughed bitterly, a sound that echoed painfully in the room. ¡°You don¡¯t get it, do you? I¡¯m not some possession for you to im. I¡¯m a person, Alpha Edward. I have my own life, my own choices.¡±


    Before I could respond, she turned on her heel and stormed out of the room, leaving me standing there, seething with a mixture of anger and helplessness. I watched her go, the m of the door echoing in my ears, and clenched my fists.


    ¡°Prepare the car,¡± I barked to the guard who had been waiting outside. ¡°I¡¯m leaving now.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Alpha,¡± he replied, scurrying away to follow my orders.


    As I made my way to the car, I couldn¡¯t shake the image of Amanda¡¯s furious, defiant eyes from my mind. This wasn¡¯t over. Not by a long shot.


    We arrived at the hotel where the meeting would take ce, and I got out of the car. I walked into the hotel, and while at the entrance, I spotted Matthew. His back was turned, but I could easily recognize him. He was standing at the reception, talking to the receptionist while ady stood beside him, clinging to him like they were lovers.


    My brow furrowed as I watched Matthew take the keys from the receptionist and walk away with thedy. Confused, I watched them enter the elevator and vanish from my sight.


    For a moment, I didn¡¯t move from the spot I stood. I was confused about why Matthew was here. From what I remembered, he should be at thebat ground and not here. He wasn¡¯t even aware of the meeting I was having here.


    Seeing Matthew with the unfamiliar woman raised countless questions in my mind. Why was he here? Who was that woman? And what was he doing in a hotel, especially when he was supposed to be at thebat ground?


    ¡°Jack,¡± I called the attention of one of my men. ¡°Keep an eye on Beta Matthew,¡± I said, and he nodded.


    I met with Alpha Linus in the room he had booked, and we began the private meeting. But constantly, my thoughts would drift to Amanda, and then Matthew and the blonde-haireddy. Suspicion rose within me, and I hoped it wasn¡¯t what I was thinking. Matthew couldn¡¯t be having an affair; it couldn¡¯t be possible.


    ¡°Beta Matthew spotted leaving the hotel with the same woman, heading towards the city outskirts,¡± the man I asked to check on Matthew told me through the mind link.


    I clenched my jaw, my suspicions intensifying. What the hell was Matthew up to? And why was he sneaking around behind my back?


    Alpha Linus called back my attention, and I tried to focus on the meeting until we were through and shook hands. Leaving the hotel room, I made a call to one of my trusted men.


    ¡°I need information about a blonde-haired girl. I saw her with Matthew, and I want to know who she is and what her rtionship with Matthew is.¡±


    ¡°Roger that, Alpha.¡±


    I ended the call, got into the car, and asked my driver to take me back home. Inside the car, I began pondering the possibility of Matthew cheating on Amanda. The thought seemed ridiculous; why would any man in his right senses cheat on Amanda when she¡¯s the most amazing woman anyone could ask for? It didn¡¯t add up.


    Arriving at the mansion, I entered the living room and met Amanda making her way towards the stairs. Our gaze interlocked, and she red at me.


    ¡°Amanda,¡± I called, but she ignored me. ¡°Where is Liam? I haven¡¯t seen him today,¡± I asked curiously, wondering why I hadn¡¯t seen the charming kid around.


    ¡°He followed his father to thebat ground. Do you have any problem with that?¡±


    ¡°Matthew?¡± I asked, and she raised a brow. ¡°Who did you think I was talking about?¡± She stared at me with questioning eyes, but I nodded and walked away.


    Arriving at my study, I began pacing around, not wanting to believe what I was thinking in my head. But why would he lie that he was at thebat ground when actually he wasn¡¯t, and where did he keep that kid.


    Curiously, I made a mind link to the head warrior, and he connected.


    ¡°Greetings, Alpha.¡±


    ¡°Is Beta Matthew there?¡± I asked.


    ¡°No, Alpha, he was here but has left about an hour ago,¡± the head warrior responded, and I wasn¡¯t surprised by it, but then my curiosity piqued. ¡°Is there a little boy there? Did hee with his son?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Liam is here with me,¡± the head warrior responded, and I frowned. ¡°Keep an eye on that kid, make sure he doesn¡¯t injure himself, and don¡¯t tell Beta Matthew that I asked of his whereabouts.¡±


    ¡°Roger that, Alpha.¡±


    I ended the mind link and ran a hand through my hair. Matthew was up to something, and it better not be what I¡¯m thinking.

 Findings

    Alpha Edward¡¯s POV


    For the past three days, Amanda has been making sure to avoid me. She ensured our paths didn¡¯t cross. Despite my busy schedule, I made sure to eat at the table to see her, but she never showed up. Only Sophie and Liam appeared at the table.


    My thoughts drifted to thest time I saw her, when we made out right here in my office. I could recall how she moaned for my touch, making me wonder if she was also feeling what I felt.


    A knock on my door interrupted my thoughts, and I asked the person toe in. Walking in was one of the spies I had sent to investigate Matthew.


    ¡°Any news?¡± I asked, eager to know what Matthew had been up to.


    ¡°Greetings, Alpha.¡± He bowed his head, and I gestured for him to speak.


    ¡°Sire, ording to my findings, I am 100% sure that Beta Matthew is having an affair with a woman named Lina.¡±


    ¡°Her name is Lina?¡± I raised a brow, and he nodded. ¡°Yes, sire. Inside here is all the information you will need.¡± He stepped forward and handed me a brown envelope.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    He bowed before leaving and shutting the door. After he left, I hesitated for a moment, unsure if I should open the file or not. I knew I shouldn¡¯t be monitoring Matthew¡¯s private life, but I couldn¡¯t help it. I was curious and eager to know if he had been cheating on Amanda.


    Taking a deep breath, I unsealed the envelope and took out the first document. The contents felt heavy in my hands. The first item was a photograph. Lina was a striking woman with long blonde hair, standing close to Matthew in a dimly lit bar. The next few photos showed them together in various intimate settings: romantic dinners, bars, and even at the park. He was moving freely with this woman, not fearing Amanda might catch him.


    Feeling enraged, I set the photographs aside and read the typed report. It detailed their meetings, times, and locations, confirming my suspicions-Matthew was having an affair with Lina.


    I thought back to Amanda, remembering herugh, her smile, the way she felt in my arms. A part of me wanted to protect her from this pain, but another part of me wanted to confront Matthew directly and demand answers.


    I realized my suspicions were correct. Amanda hasn¡¯t been touched by Matthew; in fact, they might just be co-parenting and nothing more. This exins why they were able to live away from each other withoutints.


    My heart ached for Amanda, imagining what she must have gone through, having a mate who doesn¡¯t love her and hasn¡¯t touched her for years. It pained me to know that after leaving me, I thought she was going to be happy with Matthew, that he would show her love and make her happy. But it seems I was wrong; Matthew never loved Amanda. He was just drawn to her by the mate bond.


    Grunting angrily, I mmed my fist onto the desk, causing a few papers to flutter to the ground. My emotions were a turbulent mix of rage, sorrow, and confusion. How could Matthew do this to Amanda? He was supposed to give her all the happiness in the world, he was supposed to love her and make her forget all I ever did to her. Why this?


    I picked up the photos again, staring at them with renewed rage. The sight of Matthew¡¯s carefree smile next to Lina¡¯s made my blood boil. Amanda deserved better than this. She deserved someone who would cherish her, someone who would love her unconditionally. Someone like me.


    I pushed the thought away, knowing it was selfish. Amanda had made her choice, and she had chosen Matthew. But seeing these pictures, reading this report, made me question everything. Did she know about the affair? Was she suffering in silence? Or had she epted this as her fate, believing she had no other options?


    A knocknded on my door, and I quickly put the stuff back into the envelope before asking the person toe in.


    The door opened, and Liam stepped in, a big smile spreading across his face. ¡°Liam, you are here?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Alpha Edward, can Ie in?¡± he sought permission, and I chuckled at his words. ¡°You are already in my office, Liam.¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡± He smiled and walked closer to me.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Who showed you here? How did you find your way?¡± I asked, and he shrugged and took the seat before me.


    ¡°I was just moving around and spotted this door. I remember father told me this was your study, so I presumed you would be here.¡±


    I smiled at his smartness and fixed my gaze on him. He looks so much like me, it was as if I was staring at the younger version of myself. His striking resemnce to me was so much that a silly thought came to my head, but I brushed it off-it couldn¡¯t be possible.


    ¡°Is there something you need, Liam?¡± I asked, trying to keep my tone light despite the storm brewing inside me.


    He looked down for a moment, his small hands fidgeting with the hem of his shirt. ¡°I just wanted to see you, father. You¡¯ve been busy.¡±


    Calling me his father brought a wave of emotions over me. I knew he was referring to me as godfather, but hearing him address me as father was overwhelming.


    Gathering my emotions, I decided to speak. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Liam. Things have been hectic,¡± I said, reaching out to ruffle his hair. ¡°But I¡¯m always here for you. Do you want to go out and y for a bit?¡±


    His eyes lit up, and he nodded eagerly. ¡°Can we? That would be great!¡±


    I chuckled and rose to my feet. ¡°Where do you want us to go?¡± I asked, not knowing what he would love us to do. It was funny how I had a lot of work in my hands, but I was willing to leave it all behind just to spend time with this kid.


    ¡°I heard you have a game room. Can we go there and y some games?¡±


    I smiled at his enthusiasm and nodded. ¡°Of course, we can go to the game room. Follow me.¡±


    As we walked down the hallways, Liam¡¯s small hand slipped into mine, and the warmth of his touch sent a wave of unexpected tenderness through me. The worries and questions in my heart all vanished, and all that mattered was this kid. Currently, he was all that mattered.


    When we reached the game room, Liam¡¯s eyes widened with delight at the array of games and toys. ¡°Wow, this is amazing!¡± he eximed, rushing over to a racing car simtor. ¡°Can we try this one?¡±


    I chuckled and nodded, helping him into the seat and setting up the game. As he raced virtual cars, hisughter filled the room, a sound so pure and innocent that it made me forget my worries, if only for a moment.


    ¡°You¡¯re really good at this,¡± I said, watching him expertly navigate the track.


    ¡°I y a lot of this,¡± Liam replied, not taking his eyes off the screen. ¡°But it¡¯s more fun with you here.¡±


    His words struck a chord deep within me. Despite all that had been happening in my life, these moments with Liam felt right and lovely. It was as if a missing piece of my heart had finally been found.


    ¡°Pick your team, father,¡± Liam urged, and my heart fluttered. Just that word from him was making me react in a way I couldn¡¯t exin.


    Smiling at him, I picked up the controller, and we began selecting our yers. I watched how skillfully he chose the yers.


    Soon we began ying, and I noticed how skillful he was with the controller.


    ¡°You¡¯re really good at this, Liam,¡± I said as he scored yet another goal against me.


    He beamed at thepliment. ¡°Thanks, father! You¡¯re pretty good too, but I think I¡¯m better!¡±


    Iughed at his confidence. ¡°You might be right about that.¡±


    As we continued ying, I nced at him every now and then, feeling a strange mix of emotions. The resemnce between us was uncanny, and his calling me father stirred something deep within me.


    Suddenly, the door of the game room opened, and Matthew barged in. ¡°Father!¡± Liam dropped the controller and ran to give Matthew a hug, who in return hugged him and kissed his head.


    ¡°How are you doing, son?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Doing great, Dad! Alpha Edward and I were ying this awesome game,¡± Liam said, his excitement obvious as he clung to Matthew.


    Matthew smiled, but there was a flicker of something in his eyes when he nced at me. ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re having fun, Liam,¡± he said, ruffling the boy¡¯s hair affectionately. ¡°But it¡¯s gettingte. You should be heading to bed soon.¡±


    Liam pouted but didn¡¯t argue. ¡°Okay, Dad,¡± he said reluctantly. Then, turning back to me, he added, ¡°Thank you for ying with me, Father. Can we do this again sometime?¡±


    I forced a smile, trying to mask the turmoil within. ¡°Of course, Liam. Anytime you want.¡±


    Liam beamed at me before reluctantly letting go of Matthew and heading toward the door, where a maid was waiting to take him. ¡°Goodnight, father. Goodnight, Alpha Edward.¡±


    As the door closed behind him, Matthew turned to me with anger-filled eyes. ¡°Why did you send spies on me?¡±

 Mind your business

    Alpha Edward¡¯s POV


    The look in Matthew¡¯s eyes tells me he has found out about the spies I ced on him, and I wasn¡¯t surprised. Matthew was smart, so I was sure he would find out soon enough.


    ¡°Alpha Edward, I demand an answer from you,¡± Matthew urged, his temper threatening to re up.


    ¡°Not here. Let¡¯s talk in my study,¡± I said and made my way out of the game room while he followed me.


    Once in my study, I walked over to the bar, took out a bottle of wine, and poured it into a ss before taking a sip.


    ¡°Why?¡± I threw the question at Matthew as I sat on my desk. His gaze furrowed, and he took a step closer to me.


    ¡°I should be the one asking you why. Why did you send spies on me?¡± he sounded angry, which annoyed me even more. He was the one at fault, yet he was acting this way.


    ¡°Why are you cheating on Amanda, Matthew?¡± I asked in a low tone, trying my best to control the bubbling emotions inside me.


    ¡°It¡¯s none of your business,¡± he snapped at me with no sign of remorse, and that got me red up.


    ¡°Can you listen to yourself?¡± I yelled in anger. ¡°Amanda is your mate. You are supposed to love and cherish her, not be with another woman behind her back.¡± My anger was rising to its peak.


    Matthew scoffed bitterly and red at me. ¡°Has Amanda everined to you?¡± he asked, and my eyes twitched. ¡°Does she tell you shecks care and love?¡± He asked with no sign of guilt, and I clenched my fists.


    ¡°How could you?¡± I asked with anger. ¡°You took Amanda away from me despite knowing I had fallen in love with her. I thought you also loved her, but you never did!¡± I spat with pain as my thoughts went to Amanda. I thought these past few years she was happy with Matthew, but it seemed I was wrong. Matthew was never a good mate to her.


    ¡°You don¡¯t deserve her. You don¡¯t deserve to be her mate,¡± I yelled.


    ¡°And you do?¡± Matthew challenged. ¡°Would you have done better if you were her mate?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± I responded without even thinking about it. ¡°If Amanda were my mate, heaven knows that I would love and cherish her. I would give her all the happiness in the world.¡± I said truthfully and saw something flicker in Matthew¡¯s eyes which I couldn¡¯t quite understand, but it was soon reced by his angry look.


    ¡°Unfortunately, Amanda is not yours but mine,¡± he said the painful truth to my face. ¡°But I believe you have your mate, the woman who saved your life, so why don¡¯t you go look for her? Why did you stop searching for her?¡±


    ¡°Because¡­¡± I gulped in pain. ¡°I don¡¯t think I will love her. Even if I find her today, I don¡¯t think I will love her like I should¡­¡±


    ¡°Because of Amanda?¡± he asked, but I remained silent, not wanting to admit it.


    ¡°You have fallen in love with Amanda, and you think you won¡¯t be able to love your mate?¡± Matthew questioned while I grunted and emptied my ss. He didn¡¯t seem angry or bothered that I was still in love with Amanda, which proved my suspicions were right. He doesn¡¯t love Amanda; they were just co-parenting.


    ¡°This has nothing to do with me, Matthew. We are talking about your affair. Don¡¯t change the topic,¡± I grunted, and Matthew chuckled, not seeming angry.


    ¡°My rtionship with Amanda is none of your business, Alpha Edward. Amanda and I are perfectly fine.¡±


    ¡°You mean she is fine with you having an affair with another woman? You mean she knows?¡±


    ¡°With all due respect, I will ask you to stay out of this.¡±


    ¡°Matthew,¡± I said, my voice barely holding back my anger, ¡°you can¡¯t expect me to stand by and watch you hurt Amanda. She deserves better.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not your business, Edward,¡± Matthew retorted, turning to leave. ¡°Stay out of it.¡±


    I grabbed his arm, forcing him to face me. ¡°Don¡¯t walk away from this conversation. Amanda deserves to know the truth.¡±


    Matthew pulled away, his eyes cold. ¡°She doesn¡¯t need to know anything. Our rtionship is ours to deal with, not yours.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re making a mistake,¡± I warned, feeling the frustration boiling inside me. ¡°You¡¯re risking everything for what? A fling?¡±


    Matthew paused at the door, a slight smirk forming on his lips. ¡°You should focus on your own life, Alpha Edward. Maybe it¡¯s time you started looking for your mate again. She¡¯s out there somewhere, waiting for you. Instead of meddling in my affairs, go find her and also get back the voice of your wolf. You don¡¯t want the pack members knowing that their alpha¡¯s wolf has been silent for years.¡±


    His words hit me like a p in the face. As much as I wanted to argue, he was right about one thing: I had stopped searching for my mate. But it wasn¡¯t because I didn¡¯t care; it was because my heart was still entangled with Amanda.


    ¡°I¡¯ll find my mate when the time is right,¡± I said, my voice firm. ¡°But right now, I¡¯m concerned about Amanda. She deserves to be happy.¡±


    ¡°And you think you¡¯re the one to give her that happiness?¡± Matthew asked, his tone mocking. ¡°Dream on, Alpha Edward. She¡¯s my mate, and nothing you do will change that.¡±


    With those final words, he left, leaving me standing alone in my study. Anger and pain boiled within me as his words reyed in my head. Matthew was right; I needed to find her. I needed to know who my mate was, even though I might not be interested in her presently. But I believe with the help of the mate bond, I will learn to love her and forget about Amanda.


    Taking out my phone from my pocket, I dialed a number. After dialing, I ced the phone to my ear and waited for it to be picked up.


    After a few beeps, it was picked up. ¡°What a pleasant surprise. I¡¯m getting a call from Alpha Edward,¡± Augustine chuckled, but I frowned.


    ¡°I need your help, Augustine. I heard you have the best witch hunter team, and I would really need their services,¡± I said and noticed he went silent for a moment before he spoke.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°What kind of witch do you want us to catch?¡± he asked.


    ¡°A female strong witch. She has been hiding for over five years,¡± I exined, and Augustine went silent again while I waited for him to speak.


    ¡°Do you have any of her personal belongings and a picture? We will use the scent from her personal belongings to trace her and the picture to know if we have gotten the right person.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I have her picture and a dress of hers.¡± I responded. Good thing is that the first set of witch hunters I asked to search for her five years ago returned her belongings when they couldn¡¯t trace her, and I have kept it safe for future use.


    ¡°Alright, but it will cost you¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind,¡± I interrupted desperately.


    ¡°Very well, send me the belongings, and I will forward the charge to you.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± I ended the call and sucked in a deep breath. Hopefully, Elisa¡¯s mother is caught. Once she is found, I will get my answers from her.


    Leaving my study, I decided to retire to bed, but something came into my mind, and I decided to go downstairs.


    ¡°Where is Beta Matthew?¡± I asked the head guard.


    ¡°He has gone home,¡± the head guard responded, and I furrowed my brow.


    ¡°Gone home? He doesn¡¯t spend the night in the mansion?¡±


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t, Alpha. He hasn¡¯t been spending the night in the mansion for the past two weeks,¡± the guard announced, and my eyes twitched as the realization hit me. Matthew has not been spending the night with Amanda. I felt concerned about Amanda. I was worried if she knew about his affair. Was she okay with it? Was she doing okay emotionally?


    Feeling concerned about her, I decided to go check up on her. Taking the stairs, I arrived at her room and paused outside her door. The light filtering through the cracks hinted that she was still awake. Gathering myself, I knocked gently.


    ¡°Who is it?¡± Amanda¡¯s voice called softly from the other side.


    ¡°It¡¯s Alpha Edward,¡± I replied, hoping she would let me in. ¡°Can Ie in?¡±


    A moment of silence followed before the door creaked open. Amanda stood there, her eyes weary yet curious. ¡°Alpha Edward, it¡¯ste. Why are you here?¡±


    ¡°Can Ie in?¡± I pleaded.


    ¡°No, you can¡¯t. Beta Matthew will be here any moment now,¡± she lied, and that was all I needed to confirm that she knew about his affair.

 Because of me

    Amanda¡¯s POV     ¡°You are lying to me, Amanda,¡± he grunted, seemingly annoyed by my words.


    ¡°Lying to you?¡± I asked with uneasiness. Does it mean he has noticed that Matthew doesn¡¯t sleep in the mansion, let alone share the same room with me?


    ¡°Yes, let me in first,¡± he demanded.


    I wanted to deny him entry, but the look on his face showed that he wouldn¡¯t be taking no for an answer. Left with no other choice, I stepped away and watched him enter the room. I closed the door and leaned against it. He turned, and we held each other¡¯s gaze for a moment before he looked away, then back at me.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± His question got me confused, and I furrowed my brow. ¡°Tell you what?¡± I asked, puzzled.


    ¡°That you and Matthew aren¡¯t together; you guys are just co-parenting,¡± he grunted, and I swallowed hard. How did hee up with such a conclusion?


    ¡°I know that he doesn¡¯t want you as his mate; you don¡¯t have to hide it,¡± he added, and I swallowed nervously. At least he is still unaware that I am his mate.


    ¡°Tell me, what happened? I thought you two would be together.¡± He questioned me, and I frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you are talking about¡­¡±


    ¡°Of course you do, Amanda, you know what I¡¯m talking about.¡± He paused and took a step closer to me. ¡°Amanda, you haven¡¯t been touched for years; you can¡¯t deny that,¡± he said, and I swallowed hard. How could he be so smart yet can¡¯t solve the puzzle that I am his mate, the one who saved him in the woods? Not that I wanted him to know, even.


    ¡°And how is that any of your business, Alpha Edward? What happens in my life is none of your business.¡±


    ¡°It is,¡± he grunted, and took another step closer to me so that we were just inches apart, his consuming aura enveloping me. ¡°You are still my wife, Amanda, have you forgotten that?¡± he dered possessively, and a surge of anger bubbled inside me. ¡°I am not your wife! That marriage was fake!¡± I spat.


    He chuckled bitterly and showed his fingers to me, and shockingly, I noticed the wedding ring was still wrapped around his fingers. ¡°Is it?¡± He asked with a raised brow. ¡°Amanda, do you know I stopped looking for my mate? Do you know I haven¡¯t bothered searching for her?¡± He asked, and my curiosity was piqued. I wanted to know why he suddenly lost interest.


    ¡°Do you want to know why?¡± He grunted while I remained silent, waiting to hear him. ¡°You!¡± He dered. ¡°You are the reason I haven¡¯t bothered finding my mate, Amanda. I have hopelessly fallen for you, and even after all these years, I still can¡¯t get you out of my head. Amanda, you have consumed my entire existence, and I can¡¯t seem to stop thinking about you. Despite all these years, I thought I would be able to get you out of my head, but I couldn¡¯t!¡± He grunted frustratingly while I remained numb, not knowing what to say or do.


    Suddenly, Edward took another step forward, closing the gap between uspletely. His eyes burned with an intensity I hadn¡¯t seen before. Before I could react, his hand cupped my cheek, his thumb brushing against my skin. ¡°You don¡¯t understand, Amanda,¡± he whispered, his voice hoarse with emotion. ¡°I¡¯m not asking for your permission anymore.¡±


    His lips crashed against mine in a fierce, desperate kiss. The world seemed to spin around us as I melted into him, my hands gripping his shirt for support. But I suddenly realized myself and pulled him away from me.


    ¡°Get off me!¡± I spat and moved away from the door.


    ¡°Amanda, Why can¡¯t you just ept it? ept it, Amanda; you feel what I feel for you, and there is nothing wrong in there¡­¡± He pleaded, and I groaned. ¡°I have a mate, Alpha Edward¡­.¡±


    ¡°A mate who doesn¡¯t love you!¡± He cut me off. ¡°A mate who has no desire for you and is having an affair with anotherdy.¡± He blurted, and my eyes twitched.


    ¡°Yes, Amanda, Matthew is seeing another woman, so why can¡¯t we be together?¡± He pleaded frustrated, and a lump formed in my throat. Matthew should have been careful with his dealings, but I can¡¯t me him. He has sacrificed and done a lot for me.


    ¡°Even if Matthew is having an affair, which I don¡¯t believe, I won¡¯t be yours, Alpha Edward. You caused me pain, tortured me, and killed my mother for a crime I nevermitted.¡± I yelled with pain and anger.


    He walked over to where I stood, his eyes filled with pain and regret. When he got to where I stood, he tried taking my hand, but I moved away from him.


    ¡°Tell me, what must I do? What can I do to have your forgiveness? Amanda, I have spent thest five years regretting my actions, I wish I had acted differently¡­ I wished¡­¡±


    ¡°Enough, Alpha Edward, I don¡¯t want to hear it,¡± I said with anger. ¡°I think it¡¯s time for you to please leave.¡± I walked over to the door and opened it.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    He looked at me, and it was obvious he wanted to say something, but he held back his words and nced at me for a long while before walking over to the door. When he reached where I stood, he held my gaze, but I looked away, not wanting to hold his gaze.


    ¡°I¡¯m not letting go of you this time, no matter what.¡±


    With that, he turned and walked out of the room, leaving me alone with my thoughts. As the door closed behind him, I walked over to the bed and sat on it.


    I knew I was in big trouble. His knowledge about Matthew¡¯s affair, which I don¡¯t even know about, was a disaster. I just fear that he doesn¡¯t start noticing things.


    Sighing heavily, Iid on the bed and pondered in my thoughts. His words kept echoing in my head; his confession of love was still echoing in my head, and no matter how hard I want to tell myself that he was lying, perhaps it¡¯s because he just wants to fuck me, but I can¡¯t stop myself from thinking about it. Does he really mean what he said? But even if he does, I shouldn¡¯t care about it.


    The next morning, I had taken my bath and was already ready to leave the room when a knock came on my door. I went to the door and saw that it was Matthew.


    ¡°Good morning, Amanda.¡±


    ¡°Good morning, Matthew.¡± I stepped aside for him to walk in, and when he did, I closed the door.


    ¡°We need to talk, Amanda.¡± He sounded worried and concerned.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s talk.¡±


    He took a deep breath, and then a smile spread across his face. ¡°I have found my mate.¡± He announced, and my eyes widened. ¡°Really!¡± I asked, surprised and also happy.


    ¡°Yes, I met her two weeks ago, Amanda.¡± He sounded so excited. I haven¡¯t seen him this happy, and it ddens my heart to see the man who has given me so much joy and a new life so genuinely happy.


    ¡°I¡¯m so happy for you; this is good news.¡± I said excitedly, but the smile on his face faded away and worry was etched on his face, which got me concerned.


    ¡°There is a problem, Amanda.¡± Matthew sighed and looked away. ¡°What is it?¡± I asked, fear and worry clouding my entire being. The look on Matthew shows that something was wrong, and whatever it was, it was really serious.


    I noticed Matthew hesitated for a moment before he sighed. ¡°She doesn¡¯t want me to hide her anymore?¡± He murmured, and I furrowed my brow, confused. ¡°Yes, Amanda, my mate doesn¡¯t want me to hide her anymore. She has asked me to announce to everyone that we are mates. She has given me three days, and if I don¡¯t do it, then she will opt for rejection. She thinks I love you, and despite telling her the truth; she still doesn¡¯t care.¡± He muttered, and my heart pounded in my chest.


    Now this wasn¡¯t good news!

 Traits

    Amanda¡¯s POV


    A cold chill ran down my spine, and for a moment, Beta Matthew and I remained silent as we pondered our different thoughts. I knew this day woulde. Every moment of my life, I dreaded this day, and now that it has arrived, I know I have already decided about it.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Amanda. I will talk to her¡­¡±Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    ¡°For how long?¡± I said and looked at Beta Matthew, who had a worried look etched on his face. ¡°How long will you decide to keep her secret? She is a woman and would love to have your attention in public. How long will you hide her?¡± I said while Beta Matthew sighed and ran a hand through his hair.


    ¡°I¡¯m just so confused,¡± he muttered, and I stared at him with a weak smile. He seemed so worried about me; it was evident in him. But I think it is time I stop thinking about myself and think about the man who has helped me over the years.


    ¡°You will have to announce her,¡± I said, and Beta Matthew stared at me like I was insane. ¡°Then what do we tell Alpha Edward? He will be so mad to know that you weren¡¯t my mate and I lied to him. He might even suspect Liam is his son. Amanda, everything will go wrong if I tell him that we weren¡¯t mates,¡± Beta Matthew spoke worriedly. I knew he was right, but I wouldn¡¯t let him have issues with his mate just because of me.


    ¡°We can¡¯t keep hiding your mate, Beta Matthew.¡±


    ¡°Let it be; I will look for other alternatives.¡±


    ¡°No, Beta Matthew, I won¡¯t rob you of your happiness just because of my messed-up life,¡± I argued and heard Beta Matthew grunt as he got up.


    I watched him pace around the room as he pondered his thoughts. ¡°I know telling the truth will be disastrous, but Alpha Edward won¡¯t know I am his mate. We can keep that away from him,¡± I suggested, and Beta Matthew sighed and looked my way.


    ¡°Alpha Edward has sent witch hunters to look for your stepmother,¡± Beta Matthew announced, and my eyes twitched. ¡°Yes, and the people he hired are good at such jobs,¡± he added, and a nervous gulp passed down my throat. ¡°I wish I could buy them off like I bought your father into not telling the truth, but I can¡¯t buy them off. They are professionals, and if I dare mention bribing them, they will inform Alpha Edward, and you know what that means.¡± Beta Matthew exined while I remained silent as thoughts buzzed in my head.


    ¡°If your stepmother is alive, then I am sure they will find her, and once Alpha Edward gets her, she will spill the whole truth to him.¡±


    I swallowed in fear as worry gripped me. Alpha Edward finding out the whole truth will be a disaster. Not only will he be furious, but he will also take Liam away from me.


    ¡°Amanda, I have something to tell you,¡± Beta Matthew paused, and I looked up at him, curious about what he wanted to say.


    ¡°It¡¯s about Alpha Edward,¡± he said, and my curiosity piqued. ¡°What about him?¡± I was eager to hear it.


    Beta Matthew hesitated for a moment before he sighed. ¡°You know I will never lie to you,¡± he said, while I nodded, wondering where all this was going. ¡°Alpha Edward and I have been friends for a long time, and I know so much about him. I can easily predict all his moves. I know when he means his words and when he doesn¡¯t.¡±


    I raised a brow, and my curiosity piqued.


    ¡°Amanda, Alpha Edward is in love with you.¡± He announced, and my eyes widened. ¡°He has been in love with you for over five years now, and the reason he didn¡¯te for you in France is because of the respect and love he has for me. He thought we were actually mates and together, and that single reason was the only thing that kept him away from you.¡± A lump formed in my throat, and I didn¡¯t know what to make of it.


    ¡°Amanda, Alpha Edward is genuinely sorry for what he did to you. I shouldn¡¯t say this to you, but I just have to do it. Every day, he regrets all he did to you, and he would give up everything he has to turn back the hands of time and rectify his mistakes.¡±


    I remained silent, not knowing what to make of what he had just said to me. I was having mixed feelings about this. But then I recalled the death of my mother, and I frowned. There was no way I was forgiving him for that.


    ¡°Amanda¡­¡± Beta Matthew wanted to speak, but his phone ringing stopped him, and I watched him go for the phone. He picked up the call and listened to the person on the other end, and suddenly, a big smile spread across his face.


    ¡°Thank you. I will be there immediately,¡± he said excitedly, ending the call. He looked over at me, and his smile widened. It seemed he had received good news, and I was eager to know what it was.


    ¡°What is going on?¡±


    His smile broadened. ¡°I have found my lost sister.¡± He said, and I raised a brow at him. ¡°Sister?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I have a sister who was lost just two days after her birth. It¡¯s a long story, but for the past six years, I have been searching for her, but all the clues have been useless until now. I just got a call that they have found the midwife who stole my sister from my sleeping mother, and she has confessed and agreed to show us the family she gave my sister to.¡± Beta Matthew spoke excitedly, and a big smile spread across my face.


    ¡°I have to go, Amanda. I will be back soon.¡± He smiled at me before hurrying out of the room.


    After he left, I sat back on the couch and began pondering the words he had told me. If Beta Matthew had said it, then I knew it was the truth, but why should it matter? And why was I having a tingling sensation in my body just at the mere thought that Alpha Edward loved me? This was a man I was supposed to hate, and his feelings for me shouldn¡¯t change that.


    A knocknded on my door, and it was a maid informing me breakfast was ready.


    Leaving my room, I went downstairs to the dining table and met Alpha Edward, Liam, and Sophie, already seated.


    ¡°Good morning, everyone,¡± I greeted as I approached my seat.


    ¡°Good morning, Momma. How was your night?¡± Liam asked with a smile spreading across his face.


    ¡°It was fine, dear. How was yours?¡± I replied, trying to muster a smile.


    ¡°It was great! I dreamt about you, me, and Godfather,¡± Liam said enthusiastically, making my heart pound.


    ¡°What did you dream?¡± Alpha Edward asked, seemingly interested in Liam¡¯s dream, but I wouldn¡¯t let Liam talk about it.


    ¡°Liam can tell us after the meal; we should obey table manners,¡± I said with uneasiness, while wondering what Liam had dreamt this time.


    I could feel Alpha Edward¡¯s eyes on me, but I refused to meet his gaze. The revtion from Beta Matthew still swirled in my mind, creating a storm of emotions I couldn¡¯t quite handle yet.


    ¡°Good morning, Amanda,¡± Alpha Edward greeted, his voice calm and steady. I nodded in acknowledgment, focusing on the food in front of me.


    The maid helped Liam dish out his meal, but Liam shook his head as he called for her attention.


    ¡°Excuse me, miss, I don¡¯t eat gizzard.¡± He announced to the maid, who nodded as she tried to take the gizzard out of his meal.


    ¡°You also don¡¯t eat gizzards?¡± Alpha Edward asked, his voice filled with curiosity, and I fixed my gaze on him.


    ¡°Yes, Father, it makes me want to throw up whenever I do,¡± Liam responded, and I swallowed hard.


    Alpha Edward¡¯s gaze was fixed on me. His eyes flickered with a mix of amusement and something deeper-something I couldn¡¯t quite ce.


    ¡°I also don¡¯t eat gizzard,¡± he announced, his suspicious gaze on me, and I couldn¡¯t hold his gaze; instead, I looked away. It seemed Liam had shared many traits with him.


    The air was thick with tension, and I could feel Alpha Edward¡¯s gaze burning into me. It was obvious his curiosity had been piqued, and it would only take a matter of time before he started asking questions.


    ¡°Liam, what month and year were you born?¡± Alpha Edward popped that question out of nowhere, and my eyes widened.


    ¡°Really? You don¡¯t know, Father?¡± Liam asked in disbelief. ¡°No, I don¡¯t. Why don¡¯t you tell me?¡± Alpha Edward urged, his questioning gaze on me. It seemed he had suspected my greatest fear.


    ¡°I was born¡­¡± Liam¡¯s words were cut short when he noticed Beta Matthew walking towards us. ¡°Father.¡± He greeted Beta Matthew, who had an unreadable look on his face. Beta Matthew smiled at Liam before looking my way. ¡°Amanda, could you please excuse me for a moment?¡±


    I nodded and got up on my feet.


    ¡°What is going on?¡± Alpha Edward asked, looking curious and concerned.


    ¡°It¡¯s a family matter,¡± Beta Matthew responded and gestured for me to leave with him, but I looked at Sophie, signalling her to make sure Liam didn¡¯t say a word.


    Leaving the dining room with Beta Matthew, we arrived at the sitting room, and I was shocked to see my aunt, my mother¡¯s younger sister, there.


    ¡°Aunt,¡± I smiled widely and tried to approach her, but the entrance door opened, and my eyes widened at what I saw. Walking into the sitting room was my stepmother, Elisa¡¯s mother, chained with a magical cord. Our eyes interlocked, and she frowned at me.


    ¡°Where is Alpha Edward? Tell him his present is here!¡± One of the men who escorted my stepmother spoke, and my breath hitched.

 Confess

    Amanda¡¯s POV


    For a moment, I moved my gaze across everyone. My eyes met with Alpha Edward¡¯s, and I could see the relieved look on his face. It was obvious the presence of Elisa¡¯s mother was a relief to him, but it wasn¡¯t for me. I knew I was in big trouble. Confused and panicked, I looked in Beta Matthew¡¯s direction, and just like me, he wasn¡¯t in a good mood. He looked worried and confused.


    ¡°You have been hiding for years,¡± Alpha Edward spoke as he walked closer to Elisa¡¯s mother. He stood just an inch away from her, his anger burning in his eyes as he stared at her.


    ¡°First, you are going to tell me how you made my wolf think your daughter Elisa is my mate, and secondly, you are going to tell me the name of thedy who saved me, and you will do it now!¡± he demanded, while my stepmother scoffed bitterly, ncing my way. Our eyes met, and she red at me with hate and disgust. The hatred in her eyes was so consuming that I wondered what I had ever done to make her hate me this much.


    ¡°Why are you staring at her?¡± Alpha Edward questioned, and Elisa¡¯s mother red at me one more time before looking back at him. ¡°I have already been caught, so I will just go straight to the point,¡± she said while my heart pounded in my chest. The fear of the truth spilling out was frightening, and I had to turn to Beta Matthew, but he looked at me with a strange expression, one I hadn¡¯t seen before.


    ¡°That day in the woods, you were saved by Amanda here,¡± my stepmother announced, going straight to the point, and a lump formed in my throat. I wanted to deny her ims, but I knew it was useless. The truth was out, and there was no need to hide it.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Amanda?¡± Alpha Edward raised a questioning brow before looking my way. Our eyes interlocked, and I frowned and looked away.


    ¡°Yes, she was the one who saved you in the woods, not my daughter,¡± Elisa¡¯s mom confirmed, and I swallowed nervously as I looked at Beta Matthew, who had a nk look on his face. It seemed like he wasn¡¯t really bothered by Elisa¡¯s mother¡¯s words; he seemed to be deep in thought about something else.


    Moving my gaze away from Matthew, I looked in Alpha Edward¡¯s direction and could see the dumbfounded look on his face as he struggled to believe what Elisa¡¯s mother had just said.


    ¡°You?¡± he asked, confusion evident in his eyes. ¡°You were the one who saved me? How¡­¡± He paused, then his eyes widened. ¡°Shit! How could I not have thought about it¡­ The first day I saw you, you looked so familiar even though I was sure I hadn¡¯t met you in my life¡­¡± He paused and took a step closer to me. ¡°Amanda, you were the young girl who saved me?¡± He was still processing his thoughts, finding it difficult to believe what he had just heard.


    ¡°You? It¡¯s you? You¡­¡±


    ¡°What do you want?¡± I asked with a raised brow. ¡°I¡¯m the girl who saved you, but I wish I never did. If I could turn back time, I would have listened to Elisa¡¯s advice and left you to die in the woods!¡± I spat with hate. ¡°I regret saving you, Alpha Edward.¡±


    His brow furrowed as he stared at me with disbelief and questions. ¡°Does that mean we are mates?¡± he asked, puzzled, and I couldn¡¯t respond.


    ¡°Yes, she is. She is your mate, Alpha Edward,¡± Elisa¡¯s mother announced.


    Alpha Edward stood there, stunned. The room fell silent as the weight of Elisa¡¯s mother¡¯s words sank in. His eyes bore into mine, seeking answers, searching for a truth he had been blind to for years. The anger and confusion that had been radiating off him now shifted to something moreplex, something I couldn¡¯t quite understand.


    ¡°Amanda, is this true?¡± he asked, his voice a mixture of disbelief and something else-hope, perhaps?


    I nodded slowly, my heart pounding in my chest. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s true we are mates,¡± I said, there was no need to hide it anymore.


    His eyes widened as he stared at me, then he looked at Matthew, who had been oddly silent. ¡°Then what about Matthew?¡±


    ¡°Amanda is not my mate,¡± Beta Matthew spoke up for the first time, and I looked at him. ¡°As a matter of fact, she is my sister,¡± he announced, and my brow furrowed.


    ¡°Your sister?¡± I asked, totally shocked and confused. Beta Matthew stared at me for a long moment before he looked in the direction of my aunt, who had been quiet, and I had totally forgotten she was even present.


    ¡°I think your aunt has something to say to you,¡± Beta Matthew said, and my curiosity piqued as I stared at my aunt, who had a worried look on her face.


    ¡°Aunt, is there something you want to say to me?¡±


    She nodded and took a step closer to me. ¡°I want you to listen to all I have to say,¡± she said, sounding so serious, and I became more restless and curious. ¡°What is going on, Aunt?¡±


    She hesitated for a long moment before taking a deep breath. ¡°Your mother is not your biological mother,¡± my aunt announced, and my eyes widened. ¡°Yes, Amanda, you were stolen by me from Alpha Beta¡¯s mother,¡± she added, and my breath hitched in my chest. ¡°I¡¯m a senior nurse in the pack hospital. My sister gave birth to a dead child, and she was so scared that her husband would leave her for his mate, since the only thing keeping him with her was the baby. She was scared that once he knew about the dead child, he would abandon her. When I noticed that she was really worried and in pain, I decided to do something foolish¡­¡± She paused, her voice trembling with the weight of her confession. ¡°I decided to switch the babies. I took you from Alpha Beta¡¯s mother and gave her the dead child instead. Your real mother knew the truth. She wanted to object, but when she heard that Elisa¡¯s mother had delivered a baby girl, she decided to keep you too. My sister raised you as her own, hoping that no one would ever find out.¡±


    The room fell into a stunned silence. I felt like the ground had disappeared beneath my feet. All my life, I believed I was someone else, only to find out I was stolen, lied to, and thrust into a life that wasn¡¯t mine.


    ¡°You stole me?¡± I whispered, my voice barely audible.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Amanda, I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± my aunt apologized while I swallowed in pain, struggling toe to terms with what I had just discovered. I couldn¡¯t believe that the woman I had known all my life wasn¡¯t my mother, and the man I thought was my father wasn¡¯t either.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not a new thing for me. I knew all along, and so did my husband,¡± Elisa¡¯s mother spoke and nced my way. ¡°We found out you were stolen, but I asked my husband not to say anything about it because I knew we would have good use for you.¡± Elisa¡¯s mom said with a soft chuckle. ¡°This is why you were treated like trash, and your father couldn¡¯t say anything about it¡­¡± Her words got stuck in her mouth when Beta Matthewnded a p across her cheek. My eyes widened at what he did, and I stared at him in disbelief. ¡°How dare you have the mouth to talk after all you¡¯ve done!¡± he yelled in anger.


    Alpha Edward¡¯s anger zed as he looked from Beta Matthew to Elisa¡¯s mother. ¡°Enough!¡± His voice echoed through the room, silencing everyone. He turned to Beta Matthew, his face a mask of barely controlled rage. ¡°If Amanda is your sister, does it mean you two¡­¡± He paused, unable to finish his words. Rather, he looked at me with so much confusion and so many questions in his eyes. ¡°What is going on here?¡± Alpha Edward asked, and neither I nor Beta Matthew knew what to say.


    ¡°Matthew? I need you to speak,¡± Alpha Edward demanded.


    ¡°Amanda isn¡¯t my mate, and we never had sex,¡± Beta Matthew revealed, and a gulp passed down my throat.

 Lied to

    Alpha Edward¡¯s POV


    I couldn¡¯t believe my ears. My eyes widened as I stared at Matthew, waiting for him to joke and tell me all this was a prank, or he was just pulling my leg. But the look on his face showed that he wasn¡¯t joking. He was damn serious about it.


    ¡°Are you kidding me?¡± I asked in disbelief.


    ¡°No, Alpha Edward, I am not,¡± Matthew responded, and my heart pounded in my chest. My hands suddenly became sweaty, and I looked at Amanda, who had a nk look on her face. Our eyes met, but she swallowed nervously and looked away. I couldn¡¯t believe what he was saying. How could he say he hadn¡¯t had sex with Amanda, and she wasn¡¯t his mate? Then, if that is true, that means¡­ my eyes widened as realization hit me.


    ¡°Liam? Who is the father of Liam?¡± I asked with uneasiness.


    ¡°You are the father,¡± Elisa¡¯s mother responded, and I looked her way. She scoffed and raised a brow at me. ¡°You are so dumb and blind, Alpha Edward,¡± she mocked, and I stood there numb and dumbfounded.


    ¡°I think I should just spill the truth,¡± Matthew murmured, and I nced his way. His eyes met mine, and he didn¡¯t look away. Instead, he stared directly into my eyes. ¡°I realized that Amanda wasn¡¯t the one who killed Elisa, and also I knew that she was the one who saved you, but it was already toote to tell you the truth. You had already tortured and inflicted so much pain on her, and she begged me not to reveal the truth about her being your mate to you¡­¡± he revealed, and my eyes widened as I stared at Amanda and then at Matthew. Everything didn¡¯t seem real; it couldn¡¯t be true.


    ¡°Amanda couldn¡¯t stay here with you; she was slowly dying, and I needed to help her. So, I lied to you that she was my mate so you would let her go, and it worked. After she went to France, a few weekster we realized she was carrying your baby. She was scared of telling you oring back into your life, so I had to lie to you about Amanda having my baby.¡±


    I felt the room closing in on me. Each revtion struck like a hammer, shattering the foundation of everything I thought I knew. I could barely breathe, my chest tightening with each word Matthew spoke.


    ¡°Liam was actually born on January 6th, not March 6th like I told you,¡± Matthew added, and my head swirled. Realization struck me as I realized Liam was my son. The striking resemnce, the allergies, everything were signs to tell that he was actually my son, but I was too blind to see it. And Amanda is my mate? Thedy who had saved me was Amanda, and yet I inflicted so much pain and torture on her.


    A series of emotions bubbled inside me. A part of me felt guilty and broken about the way I had treated Amanda. How could I be so blind not to see it? Why couldn¡¯t I see that she was my mate? I felt broken and pained, but another part of me was angry. How could Matthew and Amanda y me? How could they keep my son away from me? How could they do such a thing to me?


    ¡°Alpha, we found another thing,¡± the witch hunters who had caught Elisa¡¯s mom spoke.


    ¡°What is it?¡± I asked curiously, scared of what would be revealed this time.


    ¡°Amanda¡¯s mother was killed by a group of rogues hired by Elisa¡¯s mother here. She asked them to act like they were sent by you,¡± they revealed, and I nced at Amanda, whose eyes were filled with disbelief and tears. She didn¡¯t look my way, but instead stared at Elisa¡¯s mom, who had no form of guilt in her.


    ¡°You sent men to murder my mother?¡± Amanda asked with a trembling voice. Elisa¡¯s mother scoffed and nodded her head.


    ¡°Yes, the n was to cause you pain after the death of my daughter, and the only way I could cause you so much pain was by killing your supposed mother,¡± she spat with hate. Out of impulse, Amanda rushed at her, but Matthew was quick to grab her and stop her from reaching Elisa¡¯s mom.


    The room fell into a tense silence as the gravity of the situation settled in. Everyone held their breath, waiting for the next move, the next revtion. I felt a surge of anger boiling within me, almost blinding. I had been manipted, lied to, and now faced the harsh reality of my actions and the consequences that followed.


    I looked at Elisa¡¯s mom, who looked nonchnt, with no atom of guilt or remorse in her. I felt like strangling her, but I held back and took a deep breath.


    ¡°What did you do to my wolf?¡± I demanded, and she scoffed.


    ¡°Nothing much. The spell I made to make your wolf think Elisa is your mate has already been broken without you knowing,¡± she said, while I raised a brow at her. ¡°The only spell remaining is to release Amanda¡¯s wolf. Once that is done, your wolf will speak and announce her as your mate,¡± she revealed while I nced at Amanda, who was shimmering with rage.


    ¡°What did you do to my wolf? How did you suppress her?¡± Amanda demanded angrily.


    Elisa¡¯s mother chuckled and looked in Amanda¡¯s direction. ¡°It was very simple. After Elisa hit you, and you passed out, she told me that your wolf recognized Alpha Edward as your mate. So, I cut some strands of your hair and quickly did a spell to suppress your wolf, so Alpha Edward¡¯s wolf wouldn¡¯t realize you are his mate. But before that, I had already made a spell and cast it on Elisa, so Alpha Edward would feel connected to her, although the spell wouldst for only a year,¡± she revealed, and a cold chill passed down my spine as I couldn¡¯t believe what I had just heard.


    ¡°So tell me, how do I get back my wolf? Give me my wolf back,¡± Amanda demanded while the witch chuckled crazily. It was obvious she wasn¡¯t herself. The witch hunters must have cast a spell on her to make her talk so freely and not hold anything back.


    ¡°To get your wolf back, Alpha Edward will have to mate and mark you. Once he does that, he will get back the voice of his wolf, and your subdued wolf will be released,¡± she announced, causing Amanda and me to exchange nces.


    Our nces interlocked, but she looked away, and I looked back at Elisa¡¯s mom. ¡°You will pay for what you¡¯ve done. Not just to Amanda and her mother, but for every deceitful act you¡¯vemitted.¡±


    She met my gaze with a defiant re, unrepentant and cold. ¡°Do your worst, Alpha Edward. Nothing you do can bring back what you¡¯ve lost.¡± She chuckled. ¡°You tortured and inflicted pain on your mate, and nothing will change that!¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Her words stung, but Iposed myself and turned to my guards. ¡°Take her away. She will face trial for her crimes. Make sure she is securely held.¡±


    As they moved to take her, she spat on the ground and red at Amanda before being dragged away by the witch hunters.


    Turning around, my eyes met with Matthew, and impulsively I rushed to him and punched him in the face, causing him to bleed from the nose. ¡°How could you? How could you betray me!¡± I yelled with pain and anger and grabbed his cor. ¡°You knew Amanda was my mate. You knew I had fallen in love with her, and yet you lied and took her away from me. As if that were not enough, you kept my son away from me. I have a son, and I had no idea about it! You made me miss four years of my son¡¯s life!¡± I spat with rage and pain. If he were someone else, I swear I would have sent him to meet his ancestors.


    ¡°Alpha Edward, you have to calm down,¡± Amanda spoke, and I was forced to let go of Matthew and face her.


    ¡°And You? How could you?¡± I asked in pain and anger. ¡°How could you keep a child from his father? How could you¡­¡±


    ¡°Please stop all this, Alpha Edward. Don¡¯t act like a saint because you are not,¡± she responded hastily. ¡°It might be true that you had no hand in my mother¡¯s death, but do you think I have forgotten how you tortured me, physically, emotionally, and mentally? Do you think I would want to stay with you after all you¡¯ve done to me?¡±

 Kept him away

    Her words hit me like a punch to the gut, and I staggered back, the weight of her usations pressing down on me. The memories of every hurtful word, every act of cruelty I had inflicted on her came rushing back. I wanted to protest, to argue that I hadn¡¯t known, that I had been deceived too, but the truth was, nothing could excuse the pain I had caused her.


    ¡°Amanda, I-¡± I began, but she cut me off, her eyes shing with anger and hurt.


    ¡°Do you know what it¡¯s like to live in constant fear, Alpha Edward? To wake up every day wondering what fresh hell awaits you? You took everything from me: my dignity, my peace, my hope. And now, you expect me to just forgive and forget because you were also a victim of deceit?¡± Her voice cracked, but she held herself with a strength that made me realize just how much I had underestimated her.


    ¡°I don¡¯t regret lying to you, and for the mate bond, I don¡¯t want to be your mate. I¡¯d rather be wolfless than bear your mark and be your mate!¡± she yelled, and I frowned at her words.


    Amanda, you¡­¡± I stopped when I noticed Liam making his way to the living room.


    A gulp formed in my throat as I stared at Liam; he was my son, my flesh, and blood, and he doesn¡¯t even have a tiny knowledge about it. Liam¡¯s eyes widened with curiosity as he looked around the room, sensing the tension. My heart ached as I watched him, a boy who had no idea of the storm swirling around him. I wished I could hug him and announce to him that I¡¯m his father and he was my son, but I knew that would be too rational, so I held back myself and swallowed my pain.


    Amanda quickly moved towards Liam, shielding him. ¡°Liam, sweetheart, why don¡¯t you go y in your room for a little while?¡± she said gently, her voice strained. Liam nodded slowly. ¡°Okay, Mama.¡± He nced at me curiously before he walked out. My heart fluttered in my chest; Liam was my son, my first seed.


    As soon as he was gone, Amanda turned back to me, her expression hardening. ¡°We can¡¯t tell Liam the truth, at least not now.¡± She demanded, but I shook my head. ¡°I¡¯m not in this with you; I¡¯m telling my son that I¡¯m his father¡­¡± I stated firmly, and Amanda chuckled bitterly, her angry gaze interlocking with mine. ¡°His father? You call yourself his father? Do you even know one thing about Liam? Do you know his likes and dislikes?¡± She mocked while I clenched my fist with anger and pain. ¡°You just happen to be Liam¡¯s biological father, but you are not his dad. You haven¡¯t earned that title. You don¡¯t get to just im him because of blood.¡±


    Her words were like knives, cutting deep. I took a step back, my mind reeling. She was right. I had no idea about the boy¡¯s life, his joys, his fears. I had been robbed of those moments, but could I really be med for it?


    ¡°And it¡¯s all your fault! Not mine! You two kept my son away from me!¡± I yelled.


    ¡°Yes, I did! My son deserves a good father and not one as brutal and heartless as you. What will you teach him? Huh? How to torture and inflict pain on people without a proper investigation?¡± She spat, and I red at her. ¡°I¡¯m not a monster; circumstances turned me into what I turned out to be!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care, just stay away from my son¡­¡±


    ¡°Our son, you mean?¡± I stated firmly, and Amanda stared at me with anger and hate, but I wasn¡¯t bothered about it.


    ¡°Listen, you can decide not to be mates with me, but we will have to figure a way how to tell Liam the truth; he is my son, and I¡¯m not letting go of him.¡±


    Amanda looked at me, her eyes hardening again. ¡°The only thing we need to figure out is how to keep you out of his life. You¡¯ve caused enough damage, Alpha Edward.¡±Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    ¡°I won¡¯t stay away from him, Amanda. He¡¯s my son, and I have a right to be in his life. I¡¯ll fight for that right if I have to.¡±


    She shook her head, a bitterugh escaping her lips. ¡°You think you can just demand to be a part of his life? After everything? You think you can waltz in and im him like a prize?¡±


    ¡°What happened between us has nothing to do with Liam. Liam is my son, and there is nothing you or anyone could do about it.¡± I stated firmly.


    Amanda gave me a daggering re; it was obvious she hates me so much and the sight of that pained me. It pained me to know that she hates me this much. We locked gazes, and I could see that she wanted to say something, but she held back her words and walked out of the sitting room.


    After she left, I turned to Matthew, who had been quiet. ¡°How could you?¡± I asked with pain and anger. ¡°How could you betray me in such a manner, Matthew? I¡¯m not just your alpha, but we are best friends!¡± I demanded with pain.


    Matthew looked down, his face a mixture of regret and guilt. ¡°I did what, I thought, was right, Edward. You were blinded by rage and grief, and Amanda was suffering because of it. She was dying inside, and I had to save her, even if it meant betraying you. And about Liam¡­ I was trying to protect him too.¡±


    ¡°Protect him from what? From his father?¡± I spat, my voice trembling with anger and hurt.


    ¡°From the man you had be,¡± Matthew replied quietly. ¡°You were not in your right mind. The rage, the grief, the maniption by Elisa¡¯s mother-they had turned you into someone unrecognizable. I couldn¡¯t let that version of you destroy everything. I hoped that, given time, you would see the truth ande back to your senses. But until then, I had to keep Amanda and Liam safe.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± I scoffed in pain. ¡°So I¡¯m the bad person here!¡± I spat in anger. ¡°Do you know or realize what I was going through? Believe me Matthew, if you were in my shoes, you would have done worse. Don¡¯t y that saint card on me!¡± I yelled before storming out of the living room.

 Knowing myself

    Amanda¡¯s POV


    I stormed into my room and began pacing around. My mind was messed up, and it felt like my brain was about to explode. All the revtions reyed in my head. The thought of being stolen by my aunt and realizing that a woman who has loved me all my life and whom I have considered a mother was actually not my biological mother was a hard pill to swallow. But I knew this might be the truth. This exins why I felt so connected to Beta Matthew, why his arms felt so familiar, and why he was not sexually attracted to me. This exins everything!


    A heavy sigh left my lips as I remembered the day I wanted to give my body to him. Shit! That would have been an abomination, but thank Goddess, he rejected me.


    The thought of being Beta Matthew¡¯s younger sister was overwhelming, and I didn¡¯t know how to take it. My thoughts drifted to the death of my mother and my stepmother¡¯s confession about how she sent men to kill my mother. The revtion proves that Alpha Edward was telling the truth when he said he had no hand in my mother¡¯s death. But if it weren¡¯t for the confession from my stepmother, I would never have believed it.


    My thoughts turned to all she said about how I would get my wolf, and I shook my head. I can¡¯t have Alpha Edward¡¯s mark on me; I can¡¯t be his mate, not after all he has done to me. Fear gripped me as I thought of Liam. The look in Alpha Edward¡¯s eyes showed that he would do anything to have Liam, and the thought of that scares me. I can¡¯t lose my son! Liam is my life.


    A knock came on the door. ¡°Amanda, it¡¯s me.¡± I recognized the voice as Beta Matthew¡¯s and asked him in.


    When he came in, he shut the door and stood by it while we exchanged nces. I could see the relieved look on his face as he stared at me. ¡°Our Mother will be so happy to meet you,¡± he said, and I furrowed my brow.


    ¡°Your mother is alive?¡± I asked, confused. I thought they were dead.


    ¡°Yes, Amanda, our parents are alive,¡± he announced, and my eyes widened.


    ¡°Really? Where are they? Why don¡¯t you talk much about them?¡± I asked, eager to know more about my family.


    Beta Matthew left the door and walked into the room. He took a seat and asked me to take the seat across from him, which I did. A moment of tense silence hung in the air as I waited for Matthew to tell me everything I needed to know because now it seemed like I didn¡¯t even know myself.


    ¡°Our father is Alpha Henry. He is no longer the alpha since our stepbrother has taken over from him.¡±


    ¡°Stepbrother?¡± I asked with a furrowed brow.


    Beta Matthew nodded. ¡°Yes, we have an elder stepbrother,¡± he announced, and a lump formed in my throat. ¡°Our Mother is the mate and first wife of our father, Alpha Henry, but unfortunately, she had difficulties getting pregnant. After six years of marriage, no child wasing forth, and as an alpha, our father needed an heir, so he waspelled to get another wife. Fortunately for his new wife, she conceived and gave father an heir. Three years passed, and I miraculously came, but it was already toote; our stepbrother had already been dered heir to the throne¡­¡± He took a deep breath before continuing. ¡°Four yearster, Mother miraculously conceived again and had you. Your delivery wasplicated, so mother had to be admitted to the hospital. I was with her throughout herbor, and when you were born, I held you in my arms. He smiled at me, and I smiled back at him. I could see the genuine love for me in his eyes.


    ¡°My personal maid took me back to the mansion to get some sleep, but the next morning, we realized that you were dead. It was so confusing, but mother kept saying that the dead child wasn¡¯t hers. Mother kept saying her child was exchanged, but no one believed her. They thought she was just finding it hard to ept your death¡­¡± Beta Matthew revealed, his voice breaking down due to emotion.


    ¡°Your disappearance made mother lose her senses as she kept saying her daughter was stolen. Father did everything to make her well again, but it was useless. Mother had gone insane.¡±


    I stared at Beta Matthew, my mind spinning with the new information. So, my birth mother went insane because she knew I had been stolen? The pieces of the puzzle began to fit together, but there were still so many gaps.


    ¡°Is she still alive?¡± I asked, my voice trembling.


    ¡°Yes,¡± he replied softly. ¡°She is alive, but notpletely well. She has good days and bad days. But she will be overjoyed to see you.¡±


    Tears welled up in my eyes as I thought of the woman who had gone mad with grief over my disappearance. ¡°I want to see her,¡± I whispered, my voice choked with emotion.


    ¡°You will,¡± he assured me. ¡°I promise.¡±Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    ¡°Where is she?¡±


    ¡°Still in our pack. I wanted to bring her here with me, but father refused. She was his mate, and he was not letting go of her.¡± He exined, and a smile appeared on my face. At least, it was good to know that my biological father loves my mother.


    ¡°And you? What are you doing in this pack? How did you be the beta?¡± I asked with curiosity.


    Beta Matthew sighed and took a deep breath. ¡°I had issues with our stepbrother, and it resulted in a fight where I almost killed him. So father decided to send me to live with his brother, who was beta to Alpha Edward¡¯s father. Our uncle had no child, so he took me as his son, and that way, I got to know Edward. We became friends, and after the ghastly ident that killed both his parents, he was made the alpha and chose me as his beta.¡±


    ¡°Wow!¡± I eximed. I couldn¡¯t believe I was from a royal family. I have a real family.


    ¡°Mother will be so happy to see you, but I will still conduct a DNA test just so there won¡¯t be any mistakes,¡± he suggested, and I nodded.


    ¡°I¡¯m so happy to have finally found you. You were a promise I made to our Mother. I believed her even when no one did, and I told her I would find you and bring you to her¡­¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s go see her,¡± I said worriedly.


    ¡°We will, but after the DNA results are out. We need to do it and confirm because I¡¯m certain Father will demand it.¡± Beta Matthew exined, and I nodded, fully understanding him. Silence hung in the air as we both pondered our thoughts.


    ¡°Amanda, there¡¯s so much more you need to know, and I promise to tell you everything. But first, we need to focus on what¡¯s happening now. Alpha Edward is not going to give up easily. He wants Liam and will do everything to have him,¡± Beta Matthew muttered, and I frowned.


    ¡°He will not take my son away from me. Liam is my son!¡± I dered firmly.


    Beta Matthew released a soft sigh before speaking. ¡°What will you do about your wolf? You heard what the witch said. Don¡¯t you want her back?¡± He asked, and I frowned.


    ¡°Of course, I want my wolf back, but not at the expense of having Alpha Edward¡¯s mark on me.¡± I sighed, feeling the weight of the situation pressing down on me. ¡°I need another way to get my wolf back without submitting to him. There has to be another way.¡±


    Beta Matthew¡¯s eyes softened with understanding. ¡°We will find another way, Amanda. I won¡¯t let him force you into anything,¡± he assured me.


    I nodded, appreciating his support. ¡°Thank you, Matthew. It means a lot knowing you¡¯re here with me.¡±


    Matthew reached out and took my hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. ¡°We¡¯re family, Amanda. We look out for each other. I promised Mother I¡¯d bring you back to her, and I won¡¯t stop until that promise is fulfilled.¡±


    He got up on his feet. ¡°I have to see my mate and tell her the news.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± I smiled and watched him go to the door, but he stopped and turned around to look at me.


    ¡°Amanda, I have to tell you this. You know I will never lie to you,¡± he said, while I nodded, curious to know what he has to say.


    ¡°What is it?¡± I asked curiously.


    ¡°I want you to know that Edward is not a monster as you know him. He was just driven by rage and circumstances. I¡¯m not asking you to forgive him. All I want you to bear in mind is that Edward is not as bad as you know him to be.¡± He said before opening the door and leaving the room, leaving me pondering his words.


    I¡¯m

 Prove your love

    Alpha Edward¡¯s POV


    Storming into my room, I walked over to the bar, took out a bottle of dry gin from the shelf, and poured myself a generous amount. The burn of the alcohol as it went down my throat was a wee distraction from the turmoil inside me. My hands trembled as I clutched the ss, my mind racing with a storm of emotions. How did ite to this? The question echoed in my mind. I had lost so much-my mate, my son¡¯s childhood, the trust of my best friend. And all because of the rage and deception that had blinded me. My reflection in the mirror behind the bar looked haunted, a man broken by his choices. The memory of Amanda¡¯s words pierced me again. She had every right to hate me. I had been a monster, driven by pain and a misguided sense of justice. But underneath it all, I was still a father. Liam was my son, and I won¡¯t let go of him, not now that I knew the truth.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    I drained the ss and poured another, trying to drown my guilt and sorrow. But no amount of alcohol could erase the reality of what I had done or the pain bubbling inside of me. I knew I was wrong; I had made terrible mistakes, but it wasn¡¯t my fault. I¡¯m human too, and can be driven by emotions. But I understand that if I wanted any chance of being a part of Liam¡¯s life, I had to change. I had to prove to Amanda, Liam, and myself that I was worthy of being his father.


    The door creaked open, and Matthew stood there, a look of deep regret etched on his face. ¡°Edward,¡± he began softly, but I held up a hand to stop him. ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± I said, my voice rough. ¡°I know you did what you thought was right. But it doesn¡¯t change the fact that you kept my son from me; you fucking betrayed me, and I will never forgive you.¡± I yelled angrily.


    Matthew nodded, his eyes filled with remorse. ¡°I know, and for that, I am truly sorry. But Edward, you have to understand you were not yourself. The grief, the anger-they consumed you. I had to protect them.¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± I sighed, the anger in my voice reced by a weary eptance. ¡°But now, I need to make things right. I need to be there for Liam.¡±


    ¡°Then prove it,¡± Matthew said, stepping closer. ¡°Show Amanda that you can be a father to Liam. Show her that you¡¯ve changed.¡± I nodded, knowing he was right. This was my chance to start over and make amends for the past. It wouldn¡¯t be easy, and it wouldn¡¯t happen overnight. But for Liam, I would do whatever it took. ¡°Amanda is my sister, Alpha Edward, and you know what that means?¡± He said, and I raised a brow at him. ¡°She is royalty, and since you two are not married, she can give the child to my family, and there is nothing you can do about that¡­¡±


    ¡°Never! I won¡¯t let that happen,¡± I muttered, fear gripping me. ¡°Amanda doesn¡¯t know about this now, but I think she will know soon,¡± Matthew said while I groaned and emptied the ss into my mouth. ¡°Just for the sake of our friendship, I won¡¯t let her know, but that doesn¡¯t guarantee that she won¡¯t find out soon, so if I were you, I would look for a way to win her heart, make her love you, and if she does, you can have your son. You don¡¯t need to start fighting over Liam; let your focus be on getting your mate¡¯s love. Or don¡¯t you love her anymore and want to be with her?¡± He asked while I swallowed hard. Of course, I love her. I have fallen more deeply in love with her after knowing the truth.


    ¡°Despite my anger, I still love her,¡± I confessed, and Matthew nodded. ¡°Good. Then fight for her love, make her see why you love her, and I will help you in any way I can,¡± Matthew said while I sighed and refilled my ss.


    Winning Amanda is not as easy as it seems. Thatdy hates me so much.


    ¡°I will take my leave now.¡± With that, he turned and left. After he left, I began pondering my thoughts as I thought of a way to get Amanda¡¯s forgiveness. I knew it would be a hard one, but I won¡¯t give up. For hours, I stayed up in my room drinking and pondering in thoughts until I got tired and fell asleep.


    Waking up, I realized it was night already, and I had been asleep for more than four hours. Getting out of bed, I went over to the sink, washed my face, and left my room to speak with Amanda. I knew I had to apologize to her, and hopefully, she understood me. But on my way to Amanda¡¯s room, I decided to check on Liam to see how he was doing.


    Entering his room, I found him sleeping soundly, and I quietly closed the door before making my way towards him. Gazing at Liam¡¯s innocent face, a wave of tenderness and regret washed over me. My son. My flesh and blood. The reality of how much of his life I had missed hit me with full force. I reached out, gently brushing a lock of hair from his forehead. He stirred slightly but didn¡¯t wake, his soft breaths steady and calm.


    ¡°I promise you, Liam,¡± I whispered, my voice trembling with emotion. ¡°I will make this right. I will be the father you deserve.¡±


    Leaving Liam¡¯s room, I went over to Amanda¡¯s room. I ced a knock but got no response; I knocked again, and when I didn¡¯t get any response, I decided to go in. Pushing the door, I stepped in and shut the door, but just then, the door of the bathroom opened, and a naked Amanda came walking out. ¡°Shit!¡± She eximed and went for something to cover herself with, but I didn¡¯t look away; rather, I was lustfully staring at her. Fuck! There was no way I was letting go of this woman.

 One month

    Amanda¡¯s POV


    Luckily, I found a towel and wrapped it around myself before turning towards Alpha Edward, only to see him shamelessly gawking at me. A big frown spread across my face, seeing that he didn¡¯t feel remorseful over walking into my room and finding me naked.


    ¡°And what are you doing here?¡± I asked angrily. He didn¡¯t respond; he just kept staring at me with his piercing gaze, which made me so ufortable.


    ¡°Alpha Edward, may I know why you are here?¡± I asked again with anger. This time, he sucked in a deep breath and moved away from the door, getting closer to me. ¡°I want to have a word with you.¡± His tone was soft and gentle.


    ¡°Well, now isn¡¯t the right time. As you can see, I just bathed and need to dress for sleep. Can you please leave?¡± I demanded and saw him raise a brow at me. ¡°Leave?¡± he questioned, and my frown deepened. ¡°Yes, I want to change,¡± I responded, and an annoying smile crept out from the left corner of his cheek. ¡°And why should I leave?¡± he questioned. ¡°Thest time I checked, you are my mate and wife. Also, don¡¯t forget that we have seen each other naked, so what is there to hide?¡± he teased, and I got annoyed. ¡°I¡¯m not your wife, nor am I your mate,¡± I spat, but he didn¡¯t get offended by my words; rather, the smug smile remained on his face.


    ¡°Well, you can think whatever you want to think, but I¡¯m not leaving, or¡­¡± he paused and ran a quick gaze over my body. ¡°Are you shy to dress in front of me?¡± he teased, and that got me agitated. ¡°I¡¯m not shy¡­¡±


    ¡°Then dress before me, unless there is something you are trying to hide from me,¡± he challenged.


    I grunted and wanted to go over to the bathroom and change, but since he had challenged me, I decided to take up his challenge.


    ¡°And what do you think I might be hiding from you?¡± I challenged and saw him shrug his shoulders. ¡°I don¡¯t know, you tell me,¡± he teased again, and that got me more annoyed.


    ¡°Fine, stay and watch.¡±


    ¡°With all dness.¡± He smirked while I eyed him and went for my nightgown.


    I grabbed my nightgown from the dresser, feeling his eyes burn into my back. The challenge in his gaze was unmistakable, and I wasn¡¯t about to back down. I turned to face him, letting the towel drop to the floor. His eyes darkened as he took in the sight of me, but I refused to look away.


    ¡°Enjoying the show?¡± I asked, my voice steady despite the rapid beat of my heart.


    ¡°More than you can imagine,¡± he replied, his voice low and rough, sending a shiver down my spine.


    I lifted the nightgown over my head, slowly pulling it down over my body. His gaze was intense, following every movement, making the air between us feel electric. The silky fabric caressed my skin, and I could feel his eyes tracing its path. His intense gaze on me made all the hair on my skin stand up, but Iposed myself and braced up.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Happy now?¡± I asked, my tone dripping with sarcasm as I finished dressing.


    His eyes met mine, and for a moment, I saw something flicker in them-something softer, almost vulnerable. But then his usual smugness returned. ¡°Very.¡± His voice was a mix of satisfaction and something deeper, something that made my breath catch.


    ¡°Now that you¡¯re decent, we need to talk.¡±


    ¡°About what?¡± I snapped.


    ¡°About us.¡± He stepped closer, his expression serious. ¡°Amanda, I¡¯m sorry.¡± He apologized, and I scoffed.


    ¡°Sorry? You are sorry?¡± I scoffed. ¡°For what exactly?¡± I asked with folded arms.


    He went silent for a few moments, his alluring green eyes on me as if they wanted to pierce through my soul. ¡°For the pain I caused you.¡± He took a step forward, but I didn¡¯t move back. ¡°For not recognizing you as my mate when I should have, for the torture and the-¡±


    ¡°Enough!¡± I raised my hand to stop him. ¡°I have had enough, Alpha Edward, and I don¡¯t want to hear any more of it,¡± I demanded. ¡°Then forgive me.¡± He pleaded.


    I scoffed bitterly and shook my head. ¡°After forgiving you, what¡¯s next? We mate and be one big happy family?¡± I asked bitterly but didn¡¯t get a response from him. ¡°You think being sorry will erase the pain and torture you put me through?¡± I spat bitterly. ¡°Do you know what it felt like to be tortured and hated by your mate? That one person who was supposed to love and protect you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Amanda. I wasn¡¯t myself, I was consumed with pain-¡±


    ¡°Fuck you, and fuck the pain you were going through. I don¡¯t care about it.¡± I stated firmly and saw his eyes twitch with pain, which I ignored. ¡°We should just reject each other.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not rejecting you, Amanda. I will not reject you.¡± He dered possessively and took another step, so close to me. ¡°I know I have messed up big time, but I will do everything to gain your forgiveness and love.¡±


    ¡°Love?¡± I scoffed. ¡°Don¡¯t be delusional, Alpha Edward. I will never love you.¡± I dered and, at the same time, tried to convince myself because it sounded like I just lied to myself.


    ¡°Really?¡± His tone wasced with challenge. ¡°You think you can¡¯t forgive me and fall in love with me?¡± he dared, and I scoffed. ¡°Make me!¡± I challenged and saw his brow furrow. He seemed to think for a moment before he took another step closer to me, making us stand just an inch away from each other.


    ¡°I dare you to give me a month.¡±


    I stared at him, my mind racing. A month? What could he possibly do in a month to change how I felt?


    ¡°You dare me?¡± I asked, skeptical.


    He nodded. ¡°One month, Amanda. Let me show you I¡¯m not the monster you think I am.¡±


    I folded my arms, trying to stayposed. ¡°And if I don¡¯t fall in love with you?¡±


    He leaned closer. ¡°Then I¡¯ll walk away, and you¡¯ll never have to see me again.¡±


    His words hung in the air. Part of me wanted to reject his offer, but another part was curious to see how the challenge could go. Could I ever see him as anything other than the source of my pain? And besides, I was sure that he was going to lose, which meant he wouldn¡¯t ever get to worry me ever again.


    ¡°Fine,¡± I said firmly. ¡°You have one month. But it won¡¯t be easy.¡±


    He smiled genuinely this time. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t expect anything less.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± I replied, turning away from him. ¡°Now, if you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯d like to get some sleep.¡±


    He nodded, backing towards the door. ¡°Of course. Goodnight, Amanda.¡±


    ¡°Goodnight, Alpha Edward,¡± I said coldly, not meeting his eyes as he left the room.


    As soon as the door closed behind him, I let out a long breath I didn¡¯t realize I¡¯d been holding. This was going to be one hell of a month. But if he thought he could waltz back into my life and make everything right, he was sorely mistaken. I would make sure he felt every bit of the pain he¡¯d put me through.

 Spar

    Amanda¡¯s POV


    ¡°So fucking tight, baby,¡± he moaned, thrusting at a slow pace. Pleasure washed over me, and I parted my legs wider while he increased his pace. My moans grew louder. As he fucked me, he reached for my breast and began sucking my left nipple while he mmed harder into me. My eyes rolled back in pleasure as I felt myself cumming, but suddenly, he pulled out of me.


    ¡°Turn your back and get on your knees,¡± he instructed. I turned over, knelt on the bed, and lifted my ass to him.


    ¡°Perfect,¡± I heard him groan behind me, and then I felt kisses on my ass as he moaned. He began spanking my ass with his hands while trailing kisses all over my back and down to my ass.


    ¡°You are so perfect,¡± he grunted, and then I felt his dick thrusting inside me again. A louder moan left my lips this time, as he didn¡¯t go in slowly. Rather, his thrusts were aggressive, and somehow, it turned me on.


    He spanked my ass and moved his dick inside me. I moaned, and he mmed into me again and gave me another spank. I buried my head into the pillow while he gave me the best fuck of my life. His thrusts became faster, the pping of our skin and loud moans echoing throughout the room.


    ¡°You are mine, Amanda,¡± Alpha Edward moaned and mmed harder inside me, causing me to release a louder moan.


    The sound of the rm clock jolted me awake. I gasped, my heart racing, and for a moment, I was confused, still caught in the throes of the vivid dream. My eyes blinked open to the familiar sight of my bedroom. I sighed, the heat of the dream still lingering on my skin, but reality settling in quickly. It was just a dream.


    ¡°Fuck!¡± I groaned and sat up in my bed. This was the third sex dream I had had, and they felt so real. Myck of sex was taking a big toll on me, making me imagine and see things I didn¡¯t want to see.


    Sighing heavily, I left the bed, took my bath, and dressed up before heading to the dining table.


    We were all seated at the dinning table, and Liam was cheerfully talking to Alpha Edward. I could see how Alpha Edward stared at him with love and admiration. As Liam spoke, he would smile, ruffle his hair,ugh at Liam¡¯s jokes, and ask Liam many things about himself. It was breakfast, but not the usual boring breakfast. This breakfast was filled with Liam¡¯s giggles and Alpha Edward¡¯s genuineughter. I had never seen Alpha Edward this happy; his usual piercing green eyes were now filled with love, directed at Liam.


    ¡°Godfather, when will you spar with me?¡± Liam asked, and Alpha Edward raised a brow at him.


    ¡°Can you spar with me?¡± Alpha Edward teased, and Liam smiled and looked my way.


    ¡°My mother will fight in my ce instead, right, Mother?¡± Liam suggested, and I raised a brow.


    ¡°You want me to fight with Alpha Edward?¡± I asked, and Liam nodded.


    ¡°Come on, Mother, you are good with knives. I have seen you train, so why don¡¯t you show Godfather how skillful you are?¡± Liam suggested, and I swallowed hard as I nced at Alpha Edward, who raised a brow at me.


    ¡°So what do you say? Do you ept the challenge?¡± He raised a challenging brow at me. Despite wanting to reject it, the hopeful look on Liam¡¯s face made me go against my will. Besides, I wanted to prove to Alpha Edward that I was no longer that fragile little girl.


    I took a deep breath and gave a small nod. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll ept the challenge.¡±


    Liam¡¯s face lit up with excitement, and he pped his hands together. ¡°Yes! This will be so much fun!¡±


    Alpha Edward leaned back in his chair, a smirk ying on his lips. ¡°Well then, Amanda, let¡¯s see what you¡¯ve got. How about we meet on the training grounds after breakfast?¡±


    I nced at Liam, who was practically bouncing in his seat with enthusiasm. There was no turning back now. ¡°Okay, it¡¯s a deal.¡±


    Breakfast continued with lively energy. Liam chattered away, and Alpha Edward asionally nced my way with an amused, curious look. I couldn¡¯t help but feel a mix of nerves and determination. This was my chance to show that I had grown, that I was strong and capable.


    After breakfast, we entered the car, and the drive to thebat ground was lively. Liam giggled and teased Alpha Edward about me winning. He was so sure that I would win, but how could I tell him that I was no match for Alpha Edward? He could easily win within a minute.


    Finally, we arrived at thebat grounds, which were filled with warriors training among themselves. When they saw us, they stopped and bowed to Alpha Edward, who gestured for them to continue.


    ¡°So what do you fight with?¡± Alpha Edward asked as he approached the training weapons.


    ¡°Sword,¡± I responded, and he nced at me with admiration and picked up a sword.


    ¡°Here you go.¡± He threw the sword at me, and I skillfully caught it.


    ¡°Impressive.¡± He chuckled, his eyes sparkling with a mixture of yfulness and admiration.


    I checked the sword, and after confirming it was okay, I nodded at Alpha Edward, who also picked up a sword.


    We moved to a separate area of the training ground, away from the sparring warriors. Alpha Edward and I faced each other, the air crackling with tension. Liam watched eagerly, his eyes bouncing between us.


    Alpha Edward made the first move, his movements swift and calcted. We engaged in a dance of des, each of us trying to outsmart the other. It was a disy of skill but also a silent battle between our unresolved emotions.


    As we circled each other, our eyes locked for a brief moment. In his gaze, I saw a mix of regret, longing, and determination. It was a silent plea for forgiveness and understanding.


    But I wouldn¡¯t let my guard down. Never.Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    As we continued to spar, both of us fought with determination. The intensity grew as we exchanged blows, trying to prove our skills. Eventually, exhaustion started to take its toll on me, and I stumbled backward, losing my bnce. Alpha Edward seized the opportunity and pushed me to the ground, ending up on top of me, our faces inches apart and our lips slightly touching.


    I could feel his breath against my lips, my heart pounding in my chest. For a moment, the world seemed to stand still.

 Worst nightmare

    Alpha Edward¡¯s POV


    ¡°Kiss her,¡± that was the first thing that came to mind as I stared at those alluring lips of hers, but I didn¡¯t. Instead, I got lost staring into her enchanting sea-blue eyes. While holding her gaze, I could see so many emotions in her eyes: pain, anger, and hatred, all directed at me.


    Swiftly, she pulled me to the ground and climbed on top of me, cing the edge of her de on the crook of my neck. ¡°It seems I won,¡± she said, while I smirked and watched her get up on her feet.


    ¡°That was incredible, mother,¡± Liam eximed happily, giving Amanda a high five, which she epted and followed with a kiss on his forehead before handing the de to one of the fighters.


    With admiration, I nced at her. During the past five years, Amanda had transformed into a different woman. She seemed so different in almost every aspect, and I loved it so much. I love the woman she has grown to be.


    ¡°I will go get us some water,¡± she said and walked away, while I sat on the ground, staring at her until she was out of sight.


    ¡°Godfather, you lost. Alpha Edward lost to a woman,¡± Liam mocked, and I scoffed, pulling him to the ground and roughly tousling his neatly arranged hair with my hands.


    ¡°Father, stop it,¡± he murmured, and I chuckled, stopping. I turned him to look at me before saying, ¡°Sometimes, the wins of our loved ones are all that matters.¡± He smiled. ¡°Do you love mother?¡± he asked, his green eyes staring at me, waiting for an answer.


    I didn¡¯t know what response to give. Liam is a kid, and he is unaware of my rtionship with Amanda; certainly, I can¡¯t tell him I love his mother.


    ¡°I love you,¡± I answered sincerely, and his smile widened.


    ¡°But do you love mother?¡± he pressed on, and I swallowed hard, wondering why he was so bent on getting my response. ¡°Were you and mother friends before she left for France?¡± he asked while I smiled but didn¡¯t know what to say.


    ¡°I see the way you look at her. You like my mom,¡± he said, and my eyes twitched. ¡°Unfortunately, mother belongs to my father. Sorry.¡± He winked, and I chuckled and ruffled his hair again. ¡°How old are you again?¡± I asked with admiration. ¡°Four but will be five soon,¡± he responded, and my smile widened. The kid was so smart and intelligent.


    ¡°How do you want your birthday to be celebrated?¡± I asked, feeling excited to witness his first birthday with me. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± he shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Anything pleasant will do.¡± He sounded so much like an adult, and I couldn¡¯t help but praise Amanda for bringing him up in such a way.


    Amanda returned with bottles of water. She reluctantly handed one over to me, gave one to Liam, and took the other for herself.


    ¡°So what do we do next?¡± Liam asked.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t I train you?¡± I offered and saw him excitedly get up. ¡°I will go get the wooden swords,¡± he said excitedly before running off. ¡°Be careful,¡± Amanda cautioned him.


    After he left, I nced at Amanda, who frowned at me and looked away.


    ¡°You are pretty good with the sword. Who trained you?¡±


    ¡°None of your business,¡± she responded harshly, but I didn¡¯t take it to heart. ¡°I¡¯m proud of you,¡± I said sincerely, and she scoffed but didn¡¯t say a word; rather, she looked away from me.Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    Liam came back with the wooden swords, and we began training while Amanda sat and watched us. After minutes of practice, we decided to call it a day and return to the mansion.


    Arriving at the mansion, I entered my room, took off my clothes, and stood in the running shower. My thoughts drifted to Amanda, and I wondered how and when to begin winning her heart. Amanda didn¡¯t seem like the usualdy who would get swept off her feet by romantic gestures and gifts. I have hurt her so much, and gifting her can never make up for it.


    Leaving the shower and going back to my room, I continued pondering until an idea came into my head-a first step on my road to apology.


    Quickly, I picked up my phone and dialed a number. After speaking to the person over the phone, I ended the call and sighed in relief. This was just the first step, and I feared if it would even make any difference.


    I remembered a certain person and decided to go see her in the dungeon. Arriving at the dungeon, I walked up to her cell, stood at the gate, and looked into her cell. She was seated on the floor. A magical cord wrapped around her, which prevented her from using her witchcraft power or shifting to her wolf.


    ¡°You are here,¡± she chuckled as she lifted her head and nced at me. I growled and stared at her with anger. I wish I could kill her and make her pay for all she did, not just to me but especially to Amanda. If not for her, I would have been living a happy life with Amanda and my son.


    ¡°You came to pay me a visit, huh?¡± She smirked devilishly, and I grunted, anger shimmering inside of me. ¡°You will pay for all your deeds.¡± I dered those words as a promise which I would fulfill.


    She chuckled loudly, her eyes filled with amusement, which angered me even more. ¡°And so what if I get punished for my deeds?¡± She chuckled. ¡°But the deed has already been done. You will never get Amanda¡¯s forgiveness.¡± She spat while I groaned and clenched my fists. ¡°Amanda will never forgive you, and besides, you can never have her back, not when yourpetitor is on the way,¡± she dered, and I raised a confused brow at her.


    ¡°Competitor?¡±


    She chuckled and nodded. ¡°Yourpetitor is on the way. The man who will take Amanda from you is on his way!¡± she dered, and my eyes twitched.


    My eyes narrowed as I tried toprehend her words. ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked, my voice low and dangerous. She smirked, enjoying my confusion and frustration.


    ¡°You¡¯ll find out soon enough,¡± she said, her voice dripping with malice. ¡°He¡¯sing for Amanda, and there¡¯s nothing you can do to stop it.¡±


    I clenched my fists, feeling a surge of anger and helplessness. ¡°Who is he?¡± I demanded, but she onlyughed, a cold, mocking sound that echoed off the dungeon walls.


    ¡°Your worst nightmare. He has always been your nightmare,¡± she replied cryptically before turning her back on me.

 Isn鈥檛 enough

    Amanda¡¯s POV


    A knocknded on my door, and when I opened it, a maid stood there. ¡°Greetings, miss. Alpha Edward asked me to deliver this to you and also requests that you meet him on the rooftop.¡± The maid bowed and handed me a box.


    Confused, I took the box from her and closed the door. Returning to my room, I ced the box on the bed and, with growing curiosity, opened it. To my surprise, I found a red fitted dress, shoes, a purse, and jewelry inside. Stunned, I stared at the items before noticing a note. Picking it up, I began to read.


    The note was elegantly written in Edward¡¯s unmistakable handwriting:


    ¡°Amanda,


    Please wear this and join me on the rooftop. I have something important to discuss with you.


    Yours, Alpha Edward¡±


    I scoffed and folded the paper. Obviously, this was one of his attempts to make me forgive him, but I won¡¯t fall for it. Dropping the note, I left the items and went back to myptop. I had to finish a design and send it to a client.


    A few minutes passed, but I couldn¡¯t concentrate on my work. Constantly, I would stare at the box, wondering what was on the rooftop. ¡°I don¡¯t care,¡± I murmured to myself and tried to focus on work, but it was useless. My mind kept drifting to the items on the bed, and no matter how hard I tried to ignore it, I just couldn¡¯t.


    Sighing heavily, I gave up and stood to my feet. I quickly changed into the red dress, slipping on the shoes and fastening the jewelry. The dress fit perfectly, entuating my figure in a way that made me feel both confident and a bit nervous. I grabbed the purse and took a deep breath before heading out of my room.


    As I made my way to the rooftop, my mind raced with possibilities. Was this a romantic gesture? A formal event? Or something else entirely? I reached the door to the rooftop and hesitated for a moment, then opened it and stepped outside.


    The rooftop was transformed into a stunning scene. Twinkling lights hung overhead, casting a soft glow over a beautifully set table for two. Alpha Edward stood by the edge, looking out over the city. When he heard me approach, he turned and smiled, his eyes lighting up as he took in the sight of me in the red dress.


    ¡°Amanda, you look stunning,¡± he said, walking over to me.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I murmured, while stealing a quick nce at him. He was formally dressed in a well-tailored ck suit, unlike his usual jeans and shirt. No matter how much I hated to admit it, Alpha Edward was looking handsome and breathtaking.


    ¡°Please have a seat.¡± He pulled out a chair for me, which I took, and watched him move to the other side of the table, taking the seat across from me.


    My eyes settled on the dishes on the table, which looked mouthwatering, and to top it off, they were all my favorites. I wondered how he knew so little about me yet managed to pick them.


    ¡°I made them myself, with the help of the cooks,¡± he announced, and I raised a brow at him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, they taste good.¡± He smiled widely at me, but I frowned and looked away.


    ¡°Let¡¯s eat.¡± He stood up and served me each portion of the meal before cing the te in front of me. ¡°Thank you,¡± I murmured, unsure of how to feel about this gesture. This was supposed to be a gesture to excite me, to make my heart flutter, but I wasn¡¯t as excited as I should have been.


    ¡°Come on, taste it,¡± he urged, and reluctantly, I picked up the fork and took a bite. The food was indeed delicious, much to my surprise. I couldn¡¯t help but nce up at Edward, who was watching me with hopeful eyes. Quickly, I looked down at my te, trying to hide the small smile that crept onto my face.


    ¡°Okay,¡± I murmured, noticing his eyes light up. ¡°Thank you, I¡¯m d you like it,¡± he said, and we continued eating in silence but constantly stealing nces at each other.


    After the meal, he served dessert, and as we ate, he decided to speak. ¡°I want to get to know you, Amanda.¡±


    I raised a brow at him.


    ¡°Yes, I want to know everything there is to know about you-your likes, your dislikes, what life was like for you growing up. Can you please tell me?¡± he pleaded, and inwardly, I scoffed and red at him. It was a joke to think that this dinner would make any difference to how I felt.


    ¡°You want to know everything about me?¡± I asked, folding my arms, and he nodded.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± I paused, scoffing, anger rising within me. ¡°I was living a decent life until I saved a certain young man in the woods,¡± I muttered, noticing Alpha Edward¡¯s eyes twitch with guilt. ¡°After saving that young man, my life became a living hell. I was used of killing my supposed stepsister, and this man forcefully married and tortured me. He made me his sex ve and showed me nothing but pain and misery¡­¡±


    I paused, noticing Alpha Edward¡¯s eyes filled with guilt, but that didn¡¯t stop me. ¡°I begged and pleaded, telling him that I was innocent, but he never listened to me. And you know the painful part of all this? This man was my damn mate!¡± I yelled bitterly, tears clouding my eyes. ¡°He was supposed to love me, cherish and protect me, but what did he do?¡± I scoffed bitterly. ¡°He inflicted permanent pain in my heart that cannot be repaired! He didn¡¯t just torture me emotionally but physically and mentally!¡± I muttered bitterly, sucking in a deep breath to calm my nerves before standing up. ¡°If you think this silly romantic dinner gesture will erase all the pain you inflicted on me!¡± I scoffed in anger. ¡°Then you must be joking!¡± I yelled, turning to leave, but he quickly got up and grabbed my wrist.


    ¡°Amanda,¡± he whispered, his voice heavy with regret, ¡°I know I¡¯ve hurt you, and I don¡¯t expect you to forgive me easily. But I want to make things right. Tonight is just the start.¡±


    ¡°Forget it, Alpha Edward! Nothing you do can make up for what you did! Do you even remember what you put me through?¡± I yelled, tears streaming down my face.


    He winced at my words, his grip on my wrist tightening for a moment before he let go. His eyes were filled with regret, but I couldn¡¯t bring myself to care. His remorse did nothing to erase the scars he had left on my heart.


    ¡°I remember everything,¡± he said quietly. ¡°And I live with that guilt every day.¡±


    ¡°Well, good. You should,¡± I snapped, stepping back and ring at him. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean I have to forgive you. It doesn¡¯t mean I have to y along with this charade.¡± I gestured angrily to the beautifully set table, the twinkling lights, the meticulously prepared food. ¡°This doesn¡¯t change anything.¡±


    He opened his mouth to speak, but I cut him off. ¡°You can¡¯t just throw a nice dinner at me and expect everything to be okay. You ruined my life, Edward. You don¡¯t get to wash that away with a fancy dress and a nice meal.¡±


    With that, I turned on my heel and walked away, my heart clenching in my chest. I could feel his eyes on me, but I didn¡¯t look back.

 Birthday

    Alpha Edward¡¯s POV


    As she left, I had the urge to go after her, to plead and ask her to forgive me, but just as she had said, sorry was never enough. Romantic dinners and presents would never match up to the terrible things I did to her. Inhaling deeply, I left the rooftop and went back to my room. As I paced around with a ss of whiskey in my hand, my thoughts turned to memories. I could still recall all the painful things I did to her, and just the memories of them were driving me insane. I couldn¡¯t believe how I had turned into such a beast. How could I have allowed my pain to turn me into such a monster? What was I thinking, doing all those unimaginable things? Why didn¡¯t I regain my senses and stop? Why couldn¡¯t I control my pain and anger?


    Guilt and pain consumed me, and I wished I could turn back the hands of time; I would have done so many things differently. A knocknded on my door, and when I allowed the person in, I realized it was a guard.


    ¡°Alpha, your cousin is here, and he is badly injured,¡± the guard announced, and I furrowed my brow. ¡°Levi?¡± I asked, confused.


    ¡°Yes, Alpha, he is downstairs.¡±


    Immediately, I rushed out of my room, descended the stairs, and arrived at the sitting room. There, I found Levi badly injured, his right arm wrapped in bandages. ¡°What happened to you?¡± I asked as I approached him.


    ¡°Just get me a healer,¡± he pleaded, and I gestured for a guard to fetch one. ¡°What trouble have you gotten involved in this time?¡± I asked, knowing Levi¡¯s penchant for trouble.


    He didn¡¯t respond, instead gritting his teeth with pain until the healer arrived. Fortunately, she was able to tend to his wounds, but his arm was already broken and would take a while to heal.


    ¡°How long will it take for his broken arm to heal?¡± I asked the healer after she was done.


    ¡°A maximum of three weeks,¡± she responded before departing.


    After she left, I nced at Levi, who seemed rtively okay apart from the broken arm, which was now immobilized. ¡°What happened?¡± I asked again. I hadn¡¯t seen him in the past five years, and here he was, showing up badly injured.


    Levi¡¯s eyes were heavy with pain and exhaustion. Despite my questions, he remained silent, only shaking his head.


    ¡°I just need to rest, Edward,¡± he whispered. ¡°We¡¯ll talk in the morning.¡±


    Frustrated and concerned, I could see how worn out he was. I nodded, signaling a guard to help him to a guest room.


    ¡°Make sure he has everything he needs,¡± I instructed the guard, who guided Levi away.


    I sat on the couch, contemting the trouble he had gotten himself into this time, worrying not only for him but also for my aunt, who I suspected knew nothing of this.


    ¡°Father, are you still awake?¡± I heard the soothing voice of Liaming from the stairs. When I looked up, I saw him descending with a smile stered on his face.


    Getting to my feet, I made my way to him. ¡°Why are you still awake?¡± I asked, ruffling his hair.


    ¡°I woke up thirsty, and there was no water in my room,¡± he murmured, and I nodded. ¡°Come with me.¡± I led him to the kitchen, took a bottle of water from the fridge, poured it into a ss, and handed it to him. ¡°Thank you, Father.¡± Being called ¡°Father¡± by him made my heart flutter, and I couldn¡¯t wait for the day to tell him that I was really his father and not just his godfather.


    After he finished drinking, I escorted him back to his room, tucked him in, and kissed his forehead.


    ¡°Did you know that tomorrow is Mother¡¯s birthday?¡± he asked, and I shook my head. I had no idea.


    ¡°Tomorrow is Mother¡¯s birthday. Don¡¯t forget to buy her a present,¡± he urged, and I smiled and nodded. ¡°But I don¡¯t know what she wants or likes,¡± I voiced my worry.


    ¡°I know my mother very well; I can list out things she would love,¡± he offered, and I smiled. ¡°Tell me.¡±


    Liam listed several things he was sure Amanda would love, and out of the numerous options, I decided on one.


    ¡°Thank you, Liam. You were really helpful.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wee, Dad,¡± he smiled, and my heart fluttered more. ¡°Goodnight, buddy.¡± I kissed his forehead again before switching off the lights and leaving his room.Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    Feeling exhausted, I returned to my room, took a shower, and fell back into my thoughts. They wandered to Amanda, and I wished I could throw her a birthday party, but I knew that would be the wrong move. Amanda was angry with me, and throwing a party would only worsen things. I would stick to the present I had in mind.


    The following day, after getting dressed, I arrived at the dining table to find everyone already seated, including Matthew. A cake was ced on the table, and they were singing the birthday song to Amanda.


    Amanda¡¯s eyes sparkled with a mix of surprise and delight as she nced around the table. Liam was grinning from ear to ear, clearly proud of having managed to keep the surprise. Even Matthew, who usually kept his emotions guarded, seemed genuinely happy. I could tell he had yed a part in organizing this small celebration.


    ¡°Godfather is here!¡± Liam eximed excitedly, drawing everyone¡¯s attention to me, including Amanda, who held my gaze briefly before looking away.


    ¡°Make a wish and cut your cake,¡± Matthew urged, and Amanda nodded, closing her eyes. Her wish was short, and within a few seconds, she opened her eyes and blew out the candles.


    ¡°Yay!¡± Liam eximed happily. ¡°Mother, we are all going to feed you, and then you¡¯ll do the same,¡± Liam said excitedly, while Amandaughed a genuine and heartfeltugh.


    Liam was the first to cut a small piece of the cake. He fed Amanda, who smiled and ate before she fed him in return and kissed him. Matthew did the same by feeding her, and she also fed him. Then it was Sophia¡¯s turn. She fed Amanda a piece of cake with a broad smile, and Amanda reciprocated and hugged her.


    It¡¯s Godfather¡¯s turn,¡± Liam spoke excitedly. All eyes turned to me, and the room¡¯s energy shifted slightly. I took a deep breath and approached Amanda with a small piece of cake in hand. As I reached her, our eyes met for a fleeting moment. The tension was intense, but I was determined to make this moment count despite everything.


    ¡°Happy birthday, Amanda,¡± I said softly, my voice betraying the myriad of emotions I felt. She hesitated for a second before nodding, allowing me to feed her the piece of cake. She took a small bite, her eyes never leaving mine. Then, with a slight tremble in her hand, she took another piece of cake and fed it to me. Her touch was light, almost hesitant.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she whispered, her voice barely audible.


    ¡°You¡¯re wee,¡± I replied, stepping back to give her space.


    The birthday celebration continued, but I excused myself to go get Amanda¡¯s gift.

 A better bear

    Amanda¡¯s POV


    I was going through some designs for a client when a knock came on my door. Inviting the person in, the door opened, and a maid entered, carrying arge white teddy bear bigger than Liam. My brow furrowed, and I stood up.


    ¡°Miss, this is for you,¡± the maid said, and I furrowed my brow. ¡°From whom?¡± I asked, my excitement rising. I had always longed for such a gigantic teddy bear, especially for cuddling at night. In the past five years of loneliness, I often felt the need for someone or something to cuddle.


    ¡°I have no idea, miss. A delivery man brought it, and your name was on the note,¡± she replied, handing me a note, which I opened and read aloud. ¡°Happy birthday, Amanda. I hope this teddy bear brings you the warmth andfort you deserve. You¡¯ve been through a lot, and I hope this brings a smile to your face. Always remember you are loved.¡±


    I reread the note, staring at the beautiful teddy bear. ¡°You can keep it on the bed, thank you,¡± I told the maid, who gently ced it on the bed before leaving.


    Alone again, I looked at the bear and wondered who could have sent such a thoughtful gift. I considered Matthew, but he had already given me a set of expensive jewelries. Sophie had also gifted me a designer bag, and Liam had gifted me a bracelet. So who could it be?


    As I pondered, realization suddenly hit me. It dawned on me that this was Alpha Edward¡¯s doing-it could only be him. In fact, I was quite certain about it.


    Realizing he was the one who had sent the gift, a frown appeared on my face as I stared at the expensive, gigantic bear. Liam must have mentioned my desire for a stuffed animal to Alpha Edward, prompting him to get it for me.


    My mind swirled with thoughts about Alpha Edward and why he would send me such a personal gift. I didn¡¯t want to ept it, yet I couldn¡¯t deny thefort the bear brought just by being in the room. I returned to my desk, attempting to focus on my designs, but my eyes kept drifting back to the bear.


    A mix of gratitude and frustration filled me. Gratitude because someone cared enough to fulfil a small, meaningful desire of mine. Frustration because it was from Edward-it could have been anyone else, but not him.Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    Trying to refocus, I continued working until another knock interrupted me. I asked the person in and realized it was Beta Matthew.


    ¡°Amanda, I have good news,¡± Matthew said, cing an envelope in my hand. ¡°The DNA results just came in, and they¡¯re positive. We¡¯re siblings!¡±


    ¡°This is incredible news!¡± I eximed, hugging him tightly. He hugged me back before pulling away.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe it, Amanda. You¡¯re my sister-same blood runs through us.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe it either,¡± I replied, wonder in my voice. ¡°All those years of feeling like something was missing¡­ and now this. It¡¯s overwhelming but in the best way possible.¡±


    Matthew¡¯s eyes softened with a brotherly affection I had never experienced. ¡°Amanda, you don¡¯t have to feel alone anymore. You have me now. And we¡¯ll figure everything out together.¡± He took both my hands and kissed them tenderly. Tears welled up in my eyes. ¡°I need to take you to mother and father. Can youe with me this weekend?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± I answered without hesitation, excitement, and nervousness swirling within me at the thought of meeting my real family.


    ¡°Mother will be so happy to meet you,¡± Matthew said with relief while smiling at me. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to meet her, too,¡± I whispered.


    We hugged again, longer this time. When he pulled away, his eyes fell on the teddy bear on the bed. ¡°Wow, it¡¯s big and beautiful,¡± heplimented.


    ¡°Yeah, but I think it¡¯s a gift from Alpha Edward,¡± I murmured, frowning.


    Matthew didn¡¯t respond immediately; he simply stared at the stuffed animal for a long while before returning his gaze to me. ¡°What do you think about Alpha Edward?¡± he asked, and I hesitated, unsure of what to say.


    ¡°Will you ever forgive him?¡± he inquired gently.


    ¡°No.¡± I cut him off without hesitation. ¡°I won¡¯t forgive him, brother. I see no reason to,¡± I murmured, seeing Matthew nod in understanding. ¡°Then it¡¯s alright. I will stand with you in whatever decision you make.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I shed him a grateful smile.


    ¡°I have to run along, sister. Happy birthday,¡± he said, nting a kiss on my cheek. ¡°Get dressed; I¡¯ll take you out for dinner tonight.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± I smiled and watched him leave.


    After he left, I stared at the teddy bear, yearning to cuddle it, but I restrained myself and returned to work. I remained in my room for hours before I decided to check on Liam. When I reached his room, I noticed he wasn¡¯t there, and a servant informed me he had been seen with Alpha Edward.


    I didn¡¯t like the idea of them being alone together, but I brushed it off and went searching for them. After several minutes, I found them in the library-Liam was seated beside Alpha Edward, who held a book and was reading to him.


    ¡°Mother,¡± Liam noticed me. Alpha Edward looked up from the book, and our gazes locked briefly before I looked away.


    ¡°Come sit with us, Mother. Father was reading to me,¡± Liam said, tapping the space beside him. I forced a smile and took the seat, with Liam in the middle and Alpha Edward and me at each end.


    ¡°Continue, Father,¡± Liam urged, and Alpha Edward cleared his throat and resumed reading the book.


    As he read, I couldn¡¯t help but notice Alpha Edward¡¯s soothing, alluring voice. He read each line with such perfection that I found myself captivated. His voice had a calm, almost mesmerizing quality, and as he continued reading to Liam, I begrudgingly acknowledged his ability tomand attention effortlessly.


    Despite not wanting to ept it, I couldn¡¯t deny there was apassionate and different side of Alpha Edward that I hadn¡¯t seen five years ago.


    Soon, Liam fell asleep, and Alpha Edward chuckled softly before nting a tender kiss on Liam¡¯s forehead. ¡°I should take him to his room,¡± I offered, moving to lift Liam in my arms, but Alpha Edward shook his head.


    ¡°Please, let me do it,¡± he pleaded in a tone I couldn¡¯t refuse.


    I watched him carefully carry Liam in his arms, and we left the library. Reaching Liam¡¯s room, he gently ced Liam on the bed and tucked him in, while I just stood and watched. The sight before me stirred emotions inside me, but I shrugged it off and looked away.


    ¡°All set,¡± Alpha Edward said. I nodded and left the room. Walking through the hallway, I noticed he was right behind me; in fact, he was following me.


    Frowning, I turned around and red at him. ¡°What do you want?¡± I asked, my voiceced with annoyance.


    He remained silent for a moment before he spoke. ¡°Did you like your gift?¡± he inquired, moving closer until our bodies were just inches apart.


    ¡°And what if I said I didn¡¯t like it? Would you take it back?¡± I sneered.


    Alpha Edward chuckled softly, his intense gaze unwavering as he looked down at me. I despised how his gaze always made my skin prickle.


    ¡°Well, in that case, I suppose I¡¯ll have to find you a better teddy bear,¡± he teased, his voice low and velvety, sending a shiver down my spine. ¡°One you can cuddle with all night long.¡±


    My cheeks flushed with irritation and something else I couldn¡¯t quite ce. I couldn¡¯t deny the maic pull of his presence or the unexpected charm in his voice. Despite my efforts to walk away, his yful suggestion stirred a strange flutter in my chest.


    ¡°And what would that be?¡± I managed to ask, attempting to maintain myposure despite the sensations tingling through my body.


    Edward¡¯s eyes gleamed as he leaned in closer, his breath grazing my ear. ¡°Me,¡± he murmured, and my breath hitched.

 Pool

    Amanda¡¯s POV


    A hard gulp passed down my throat as his intense gaze on me made my skin prickle. I hated how just his gaze made me act this way. His smirk widened.


    ¡°What do you say?¡± he asked while I furrowed my brow, confused. ¡°Do you want the better and bigger bear?¡± he teased.


    I scoffed and rolled my eyes. ¡°Fuck you,¡± I grunted and walked away, and thankfully he didn¡¯t stop ore after me.


    Back in my room, I rested on the door and breathed deeply. ¡°Get a grip on yourself, Amanda,¡± I murmured to myself. ¡°You can¡¯t let him know he¡¯s having such an effect on you,¡± I grumbled and left the door.


    Trying to focus on work was impossible, so I decided to get some fresh air in the garden. Leaving my room, I made my way there, but my eyes spotted the swimming pool, and I walked over to it. It had been so long since I¡¯d had a good swim, so I decided to dive in and calm my nerves.


    After removing my clothes, I slipped into the water and sighed in relief as the cold water enveloped me.


    ¡°Perfect,¡± I sighed and began swimming, enjoying thefort the cold water provided.


    Hearing footsteps, I turned around to see Alpha Edward, and a big, disapproving frown appeared on my face. It seemed this man had been following me around.


    ¡°Enjoying the water?¡± he asked.


    ¡°You¡¯re supposed to be an alpha. Don¡¯t you have duties to attend to?¡± I spat, but he only chuckled and began unbuttoning his shirt, making me furrow my brow. ¡°Excuse me? What are you doing?¡± I asked with disapproval.


    ¡°As you can see, I¡¯m trying to take off my clothes, so I can join you. Or can¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°No, you can¡¯t!¡± I snapped, but he ignored me and took off his jeans, leaving him in just his underwear. My eyes fell on his bulge, and I swallowed nervously, looking away. Turning my back to him, I began swimming to the other side of the pool to get far from him.


    I noticed him jumping into the water, the ssh making me frown, but I decided to ignore him. The pool was big enough to swim without crossing each other¡¯s paths.


    As I continued swimming in onene of the pool, Alpha Edward swam in the other. Our eyes would meet, and he would smirk, which I responded to with a frown. Suddenly, I noticed he was no longer swimming. In fact, he seemed to have left the pool, which was strange because I didn¡¯t see him leaving.


    Suddenly, Alpha Edward emerged from under the water right before me, making my heart hitch with fear.


    ¡°Holy shit!¡± I blurted out, and he began chuckling loudly, his green eyes sparkling with excitement.


    ¡°Fuck you!¡± I grunted and tried to move away, but he trapped me by cing his hands on either side of me.


    ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡± I grunted and red at him, but he didn¡¯t seem bothered. Instead, he just kept staring at me, which was awkward.


    ¡°You are beautiful,¡± he murmured, and I hated how those words made my body tingle. ¡°You have the most alluring and fascinating eyes I have ever seen on anyone,¡± he whispered while I swallowed hard. ¡°A beautiful, pointed nose¡­¡± he paused, and then his hand went to my lips as he trailed a finger on them, causing my heart to pound in my chest. ¡°Sexy and soft lips¡­¡± his voice was now husky and low. Our eyes locked, and everything in my head was screaming for me to move away, but I couldn¡¯t. Instead, I remained mesmerized by his gaze, feeling his hand caressing my thighs under the water, making me gasp and swallow hard.


    With our eyes still interlocked, I felt his hand making its way to my panties. Everything was urging me to pull away, but I remained numb. With hitching breath, I felt his fingers shift my panties aside and brush my pussy with a finger. I bit my lips, hating how I couldn¡¯t resist his touch. Perhaps it was the mate bond pull.


    His fingers caressed the entrance of my pussy under the water, but he didn¡¯t push them in. Instead, he kept teasing me, which made me desperate and turned me on even more.


    ¡°Tell me, Amanda, should I go in?¡± he asked, but I didn¡¯t say a word. I couldn¡¯t say it. He leaned over to my left ear and licked my earlobe. ¡°Tell me to go in, Amanda,¡± he whispered, his husky voice driving me crazy. ¡°Just say it,¡± he urged, continuing to rub his fingers at my entrance.


    I wanted him, I wanted his fingers inside me, but I would never say it. ¡°Take your hands off me,¡± I spat, ignoring the heat of desire bubbling inside me.


    Alpha Edward moved away from my ear and held my gaze, his fingers still rubbing my entrance, almost making me moan. But I held back and gathered my emotions. ¡°Take your fingers off me,¡± I murmured, and just as he was about to respond, we heard footsteps. I quickly tried to move away, but he trapped me, and I frowned and red at him.


    ¡°Apologies, Alpha, but there is a problem.¡± I realized it was a guard.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Alpha Edward asked, his fingers still brushing my entrance.


    ¡°We received some messages from the border guards, and they aren¡¯t good news.¡± The moment the guard made that statement, Alpha Edward took his fingers away and kissed me on the cheek before jumping out of the pool and leaving with the guard.


    After he left, I released a deep breath and groaned before diving back into the water. After a fewps, I came out of the pool and sat on the floor while my feet remained in the water. Thinking about what had happened a few moments ago, it dawned on me that I was crazy about his touch, and I knew I had to do something about it.


    I heard footsteps approaching me, and thinking it was Alpha Edward returning, I ignored it and looked away. But when the person came forward, I realized it wasn¡¯t Alpha Edward but a familiar, unpleasant face. His cousin.


    ¡°Amanda, we meet again,¡± he smiled while I red at him, remembering my encounter with him.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± I asked.


    He looked at me, his expression softening. ¡°I wanted to apologize, Amanda. I know we¡¯ve had our differences, but I don¡¯t want us to be enemies. I want us to be friends.¡±


    I scoffed. ¡°Is this some sort of joke?¡± I asked, but he smiled and shook his head.


    ¡°No, Amanda, this isn¡¯t. I¡¯m sorry for what happened in the past between us. I hope you can look past it and forgive me,¡± he said, sounding sincere and genuine.


    I scoffed in disbelief and looked at him, wondering what was happening. Was he acting this way because he now knew my real identity? That could be the only exnation.


    ¡°Please,¡± he urged.


    I took a deep breath, still skeptical but sensing his sincerity. ¡°Alright,¡± I said reluctantly.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    He smiled before walking away, leaving me confused about his attitude.


    ¡°Miss, Alpha Edwards calls for you, and it¡¯s really urgent.¡± The tense look on the guard¡¯s face indicated something was wrong.

 War

    Amanda¡¯s POV


    The maid led me into his study room. Walking in, I met a few men with him, and as soon as Alpha Edward saw me, he sent them away. After they left, I looked his way and saw that his yful and teasing mood had changed into something else. He now wore a more serious look, which told me something wasn¡¯t right.


    ¡°Is something wrong?¡± I asked and heard him sigh before he took a seat on the couch and asked me to take the one across from him, which I did without hesitation. A moment of silence hung in the air as I watched him pondering in thoughts, indicating all was not well, and it was getting me worried.


    ¡°Is something wrong?¡± I asked again, and Alpha Edward sighed before responding. ¡°Not really, it¡¯s just that the Stone Pack has dered war against us, and it starts tonight.¡± He announced, and my eyes widened.


    ¡°A war?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but don¡¯t worry. It will be fought on neutral ground. They can¡¯t get into the pack.¡± He assured me, but that didn¡¯t ease my worry.


    ¡°Why the fight?¡± I asked, feeling troubled.


    ¡°Arge piece ofnd, the one at the riverbank. They im we should share it with them, but I am not going to do that.¡± Alpha Edward groaned angrily. ¡°Over my dead body will I allow that to happen.¡± He said through gritted teeth while I swallowed hard as worry enveloped my entire being. War wasn¡¯t something to take lightly; it had destroyed so many packs and so many would lose their lives in the process.


    ¡°Is there no way this war can be stopped?¡± I asked, fear gripping me.


    ¡°We have held countless meetings with the Stone Pack, but they are adamant. Thend carries a lot of mineral, so they are just greedy¡­¡±


    ¡°Does thend really belong to you?¡± I cut Alpha Edward off, and he chuckled bitterly.


    ¡°You are having doubts.¡± He said while I shook my head.


    ¡°Not really, it¡¯s just that¡­¡±


    ¡°I swear on my life and with everything that is dear to me, thatnd has belonged to this pack for generations, and the Stone Pack has never imed it until their current alpha, who is a fool, wanting to reap where he did not sow.¡± Alpha Edward grunted while I remained silent and looked away.


    An awkward silence filled the air as we both waited for who would talk next.


    ¡°I have sent an official statement to my council of elders about Liam being my son.¡± He announced, and I looked his way as we held each other¡¯s gaze.


    ¡°I have to do it, Amanda. We don¡¯t know what might happen in the war. I might get killed and¡­¡±


    ¡°No.¡± I abruptly cut him off. ¡°You are not getting killed.¡± I said in a panic. The thought of it was making a knot form in my stomach.


    Alpha Edward nced at me for a moment before he shook his head. ¡°This is a war, and anything can happen.¡±


    ¡°But not your death.¡± I stated firmly, ¡°Be positive.¡± I murmured and looked away so he wouldn¡¯t see the unease in me.


    Alpha Edward remained silent for another moment before he spoke again. ¡°In case they need a DNA test, my toothbrush and personal belongings are in the bathroom.¡±


    ¡°Stop saying all this.¡± I said with fear and anger. ¡°You will return, nothing will happen to you.¡± Now I was beginning to panic. The thought of him dying was already taking a toll on me, and I couldn¡¯t take it.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to go,¡± I whispered, my voice trembling. ¡°There has to be another way.¡±


    Alpha Edward¡¯s eyes softened as he looked at me, and he reached out to take my hand. ¡°Amanda, I have to protect our pack. Thisnd is rightfully ours, and I won¡¯t let them take it away from us.¡±


    I squeezed his hand tightly, trying to draw strength from his touch. ¡°Just promise me you¡¯lle back. Promise me you¡¯ll stay safe.¡±


    He gave me a small, sad smile. ¡°I promise I¡¯ll do everything in my power to return to you and Liam. But you need to be prepared for anything.¡±


    I nodded, even though my heart was breaking. ¡°I¡¯ll be here, waiting for you. No matter what happens, I¡¯ll be here.¡±


    He smiled and let go of my hand, and I noticed my fear came crumbling back. ¡°Beta Matthew will be here, he won¡¯t be going to the war.¡± He announced while I nodded. ¡°He will make sure you and Liam and every member of the pack are protected.¡± Alpha Edward added while I just remained silent. This was more than I could take, I never wanted this, not this.


    ¡°I will have to go now, there is much that has to be done.¡± He said while getting up on his feet, and I followed. ¡°Will I see you before you leave tonight?¡± I asked, wanting to see him again.


    ¡°Sure.¡± He shed me a weak smile before turning around and leaving.


    As I watched him leave, I felt a difort in my chest. Fear gripped me as I began to imagine the worst. I knew Alpha Edward was gifted with incredible strength, but what if something goes wrong, what if¡­


    I couldn¡¯t even imagine it, the thought of it was making me panic.


    Leaving the study room, I noticed everyone in the mansion was busy with one task or another, as if preparing for the war.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Amanda, thank goodness, I have been looking for you. I believe you have heard about the war.¡± Sophia spoke worriedly while I nodded and looked away.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± She asked, but I shook my head.


    ¡°Is it because of Alpha Edward? Are you worried about him?¡±


    I didn¡¯t respond, rather I rested my back on the wall and closed my eyes. A intense sudden fear was gripping me, it was making me panic.


    ¡°Amanda?¡± Sophia called, but I didn¡¯t respond, rather I just opened my eyes and looked her way.


    ¡°Are you in love with Alpha Edward?¡± She asked while I furrowed my brow. ¡°You are acting as one whose lover is going to war.¡± She used, but I ignored her and looked away.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay to feel this way, but you don¡¯t have to worry. This isn¡¯t Alpha Edward¡¯s first war. I heard he fought a war when he was just sixteen and won, so you shouldn¡¯t be scared.¡±


    I opened my eyes and looked at Sophia. ¡°Really?¡±


    But before she could say anything more, the sound of hurried footsteps approaching caught our attention. It was Beta Matthew. His expression was grim, and it sent a shiver down my spine.


    ¡°Amanda, you need toe with me. Alpha Edward wants to see you before he leaves for the camp, and after that, they are going for the war,¡± he said, his tone urgent.


    ¡°Now?¡± I asked with unease.


    ¡°Yes,e with me, sister, we don¡¯t have time.¡± Matthew took my hand and led the way.


    My heart raced as I followed him through the bustling halls of the mansion. The preparations for war were in full swing, and everyone seemed to be moving with a sense of purpose and urgency. When we reached the courtyard, I saw Alpha Edward in his battle attire, looking every bit the formidable leader he was.


    He turned to me as I approached, and for a moment, the world seemed to stop. ¡°Amanda,¡± he said, his voice softer than I had ever heard it. ¡°I wanted to see you one more time before we head out.¡±


    I swallowed hard, fighting back the tears that threatened to spill. ¡°Please be careful,¡± I whispered, my voice trembling with emotion. I didn¡¯t know a day woulde when I would be so scared of losing him. I mean, I have grown to hate this man.


    He reached out and gently cupped my face in his hands. ¡°I will, Amanda. I promise,¡± he said, his eyes locking onto mine with an intensity that made my heart ache. ¡°Remember what I said. Your brother will take care of everything here. You and Liam will be safe.¡±


    I nodded, unable to find the words to express the pain inside me. He leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss to my forehead, and I closed my eyes, memorizing the feel of his touch.


    ¡°Take care of Liam,¡± he whispered against my skin. ¡°And take care of yourself.¡±


    With that, he turned and walked away, joining his warriors who were waiting for him. I watched him go, feeling a part of me break with each step he took. Sophia came up beside me, cing aforting hand on my shoulder.


    ¡°He¡¯lle back,¡± she said softly. ¡°He¡¯s strong, and he will win this.¡±

 Worried for him

    Amanda¡¯s POV


    It was 11 PM, and I still hadn¡¯t heard any news about the war. I nced at Liam, who was fast asleep. Being a smart kid, Liam knew something was wrong, but I lied to him, saying it was nothing serious. He didn¡¯t believe me, but he pretended to for my sake.


    Gulping nervously, I wished I had my wolf. At least I could have connected with Alpha Edward to see if everything was okay. But I couldn¡¯t, and I regretted it deeply. Feeling anxious and scared, I left Liam¡¯s room and took the stairs to the living room, where I met guards stationed at each end of the sitting room.


    ¡°Where is Beta Matthew?¡± I asked a guard, who told me he was outside. Stepping outside, I found Matthew talking to a few guards. When he saw me, he dismissed them and walked over.


    ¡°You¡¯re unable to get some sleep?¡± he said, and I nodded.


    ¡°How is the fight going? Have you heard anything from them?¡± I asked.


    Matthew nodded. ¡°The fight is going pretty well in our favor, Amanda. Don¡¯t worry yourself,¡± he assured me, but his words didn¡¯t ease my worry.


    ¡°What about Alpha Edward? Any word from him?¡± I asked.


    Matthew nodded again. ¡°I just spoke to him through the mind link. He is fine,¡± he reassured me, and I inhaled deeply.


    ¡°Go in and rest. Everything is fine,¡± he insisted, but I shook my head.


    ¡°I can¡¯t. My mind is troubled.¡±


    ¡°Because of Edward? You¡¯re worried about him?¡± Matthew asked, and I nodded, no point denying it.


    ¡°Alpha Edward is fine. Trust me, he is okay,¡± Matthew said again, but I knew I wouldn¡¯t be at rest until he came back.


    I tried to calm myself with a deep breath, but my mind kept imagining the worst. ¡°Thank you, Matthew,¡± I said with a forced smile. ¡°I¡¯ll try to rest.¡±


    Matthew nodded and went back to the guards, leaving me standing there. I walked back inside, stopping outside Liam¡¯s room to listen to his soft breathing. Realizing he was still fast asleep, I decided to go to the living room and wait for Alpha Edward.


    In the living room, I sank into an armchair, staring into the mes of the fire, trying to calm down. My thoughts kept drifting to Edward and the battle. I wished I could reach out to him through the mind link, but that was impossible, and I felt very alone. I hugged myself, trying to fend off the chill.


    Minutes turned into hours, and soon the first light of dawn broke through the windows. I hadn¡¯t slept; my mind was too restless. The house began to stir as guards changed shifts and morning routines started. I stood up, stretched my stiff muscles, and headed to the kitchen. I needed to keep busy. The smell of coffee filled the air, and I tookfort in the familiar routine.


    As I sipped my coffee, I heard footsteps. Matthew entered the kitchen, looking tired but hopeful. ¡°Good morning, Amanda,¡± he said softly. ¡°I have some news.¡±


    My heart raced. ¡°What is it? Is everything okay?¡±


    He nodded with a small smile. ¡°Alpha Edward and the others are on their way back. They should be here within the hour.¡±


    Relief washed over me, and I felt tears in my eyes. ¡°Thank you, Matthew. Thank you so much.¡±


    He nodded again. ¡°You¡¯re wee. Now, why don¡¯t you go and get Liam? He¡¯ll be happy to know Alpha Edward ising home.¡±


    I nodded and hugged Matthew before leaving for Liam¡¯s room. When I got there, I noticed he was already awake, and the maid in charge of him had helped bathe and dress him.


    ¡°Good morning, mother¡­¡± Liam paused, a frown appearing on his face. ¡°You don¡¯t look well, mother. Is everything okay?¡±


    I shed a weak smile at him. ¡°Yes, my darling, everything is fine,¡± I assured him with a kiss on the cheek. ¡°I¡¯ll go take my bath and join you for breakfast, okay?¡± Liam nodded.


    After taking a warm bath and getting dressed, I went downstairs. At the dining table, I found Sophia and Liam already seated.


    ¡°Mother, where is godfather? I haven¡¯t seen him since yesterday,¡± Liam asked worriedly.


    I gave him aforting smile. ¡°He went out but will join us soon,¡± I assured him. Liam nodded and went back to his food.


    The meal served to me couldn¡¯t pass my throat, as I was still worried. I wanted to see Alpha Edward, to be sure that he was okay, then I could be fully at rest. As I forced myself to eat, I noticed the gate to the mansion open and cars driving in.


    ¡°Alpha Edward is here.¡±


    I bolted from my seat, nearly knocking over my chair in my haste. Liam looked up, wide-eyed, and followed me as I rushed to the front door. My heart pounded in my chest, a mix of relief and anxiety swirling within me.


    The cars pulled up, and guards stepped out first, with relief on their faces. Then, finally, Alpha Edward emerged. He looked tired but unharmed, and the sight of him brought tears of relief to my eyes.


    ¡°Edward!¡± I called, my voice breaking. I ran to him, my steps quickening as I closed the distance between us. He turned towards me, his face lighting up with a weary smile.


    ¡°Amanda,¡± he replied, his voice gentle yet strong. As I reached him, I threw my arms around him, holding him tightly. For a moment, all the fear and anxiety melted away, reced by the sheer joy of having him back.


    He hugged me back just as tightly, his hand gently stroking my hair. ¡°I¡¯m okay,¡± he whispered in my ear. ¡°We¡¯re all okay.¡±


    I pulled back slightly to look at him, tears streaming down my face. ¡°I was so worried,¡± I admitted. ¡°I couldn¡¯t sleep, couldn¡¯t stop thinking about you.¡±


    He wiped a tear from my cheek with his thumb, his gaze soft and reassuring. ¡°I¡¯m here now. Everything¡¯s going to be alright.¡±


    Liam, who had been standing a little way off, finally approached. ¡°Godfather!¡± he eximed, running up to Alpha Edward.


    Alpha Edward released me and crouched down to Liam¡¯s level, scooping him up into a big hug. ¡°Hey there, champ,¡± he said warmly. ¡°Did you take good care of your mom while I was away?¡±


    Liam nodded enthusiastically. ¡°I tried my best. But I¡¯m really d you¡¯re back.¡±


    Alpha Edward ruffled his hair with a chuckle. ¡°I¡¯m d to be back, too.¡±


    Matthew joined us, a satisfied smile on his face. ¡°Wee home, Alpha,¡± he said with a respectful nod.


    Edward stood up, still holding Liam. ¡°Thank you, Matthew. And thank you for looking after everything here.¡±


    Matthew nodded again, his eyes showing a hint of pride. ¡°Just doing my duty.¡±


    Alpha Edward looked at me, and I looked away, feeling awkward and emotional.


    ¡°We should go in,¡± Matthew suggested, and we all nodded and headed inside with Liam still in Alpha Edward¡¯s arms.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    When we got into the sitting room, Alpha Edward sat down while Liam sat on hisp. The weight of my worry had started to lift, but as I looked at Alpha Edward¡¯s weary face, a new wave of anxiety washed over me. Something doesn¡¯t seem right.


    ¡°The war has been paused, but it will resume tonight. We have a brief window to rest and regroup.¡± Alpha Edward announced, and My heart sank at his words. The thought of the battle resuming filled me with worry. I thought the war was over.

 Sudden change

    Amanda¡¯s POV


    Liam kept asking Alpha Edward about the battles, and Alpha Edward made sure to answer all his questions until I signaled Sophia to take Liam away because Alpha Edward looked exhausted and might need some rest. I don¡¯t know why I even cared about him.


    After everyone had left the sitting room, I was left with Alpha Edward, who looked my way, and we held each other¡¯s gaze with neither of us looking away. We were so mesmerized with each other¡¯s gaze that neither of us wanted to look away, even when he stood to his feet and made his way to me. I still didn¡¯t look away. Reaching where I sat, he squatted before


    ¡°I feared not seeing you again,¡± he whispered, while a lump formed in my throat. ¡°The thought of wanting to see you and Liam kept me fighting all night. I thought of you, imagininging back to you and seeing the smile of relief when you see me. Amanda, you were the only person in my head as I fought,¡± he confessed, causing my heart to flutter as a hard gulp passed down my throat. His words were so heartwarming that I felt like pulling him in for a kiss, but I held back and looked away.


    A moment of awkward silence hung in the air until Alpha Edward spoke again. ¡°I don¡¯t know what will be of me tonight,¡± he whispered, and a sudden unease filled my entire being. The thought of something happening to him was making me panic, but I controlled my emotions and put on a rigid expression.


    ¡°I might die, Amanda. I don¡¯t know yet,¡± he said, and fear gripped me, but I stillposed myself while still looking away. ¡°Amanda, I want to get your forgiveness. If I fall during this war, I want to die with the satisfaction that I have your forgiveness,¡± he pleaded, and my heart clenched. ¡°I beg you, Amanda, please forgive me. I want to have your forgiveness,¡± he pleaded desperately while I swallowed in pain as memories reyed in my head, those painful memories that have forever been imprinted in my mind.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to ept me as your mate. In fact, I don¡¯t deserve you. You deserve someone better, someone who will bring so much happiness into your life. Maybe that man is out there, and I won¡¯t force myself into your life after all I did to you,¡± he said while my brow furrowed. Why was he sounding this way? Was he giving up already? I thought he wanted me? I thought he was pursuing me? Why was he giving me up so easily?


    Taking a deep breath, I steadied the whirlwind of emotions inside me and finally gathered the courage to look back at him, meeting his pleading eyes. ¡°Alpha Edward¡­¡± I began, my voice trembling. ¡°This isn¡¯t about forgiveness. It¡¯s about what you¡¯ve done and the consequences of those actions. But¡­¡± I hesitated, my heart racing. ¡°But I can¡¯t deny that you¡¯ve changed, that you¡¯re trying to make amends.¡±


    His eyes softened, hope flickering in them. He reached out, gently taking my hands in his. ¡°Amanda, I know I¡¯ve made mistakes, but I¡¯ve realized how much you and Liam mean to me. I¡¯m willing to do anything to make things right.¡±


    I squeezed his hands, feeling the roughness of his skin against mine. ¡°You need to promise me something, Edward. If you truly want my forgiveness, you have to fight not just for me or Liam, but for yourself. You need toe back alive, no matter what.¡±


    The thought of not seeing him again was frightening.


    He nodded, ¡°I promise, Amanda. I¡¯ll fight with everything I have. For you, for Liam, for us.¡±


    Tears welled up in my eyes, but I held them back. ¡°Then you have my forgiveness, Alpha Edward,¡± I said in a whisper and saw a weak smile spread across his face.


    He leaned in closer, his breath warm against my cheek. ¡°Thank you, Amanda. I will forever cherish this.¡± I noticed he stared at my lips, and for a moment, I thought he was going to kiss me, but he didn¡¯t. Instead, he got up and shed another weak smile at me. There was something about his smile that I found really odd.


    ¡°I have to go prepare. We are returning to the battleground soon,¡± he said while I nodded, and he nced at me briefly before leaving.


    After he left the sitting room, I remained in my seat, pondering his words. I wondered if he didn¡¯t want me anymore. I thought his n was to chase after me; what changed?


    Feeling restless, I stood up and walked to the window, gazing through the space. I found myself questioning everything. Why did I care so much? Why did his words affect me so deeply? Did I really forgive him, and did he truly deserve it?This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    The thought of losing him now, after all we had been through, filled me with a deep sense of dread. Despite the pain and torture, there was a part of me that couldn¡¯t imagine life without him. The thought of him dying made my heart race with fear.


    ¡°Amanda, are you okay?¡± I heard Matthew¡¯s voice behind me and turned to see himing my way.


    ¡°Not really,¡± I said, trying to steady my racing heart.


    ¡°What is it? Is it about the war?¡± he asked while I shook my head and looked up at Matthew with fear. ¡°Is there something I need to know?¡± I asked and saw Matthew¡¯s brow furrow.


    ¡°What is it, Amanda? Tell me what is going on?¡± Matthew was getting more worried. ¡°It¡¯s Alpha Edward. He isn¡¯t sure ofing back alive, and the most shocking thing is that he isn¡¯t interested in our mate bond anymore. He¡­¡± I swallowed my fear and pain.


    ¡°Calm down, Amanda,¡± Matthew rubbed my shoulders. I sucked in a deep breath and tried to gather my emotions. ¡°Amanda, Alpha Edward is facing a lot right now. The pressure of the battle, the uncertainty of survival-it¡¯s all weighing heavily on him. It¡¯s not that he doesn¡¯t care about you or the mate bond. Sometimes, in the face of potential loss, people push away the ones they love to protect them from more pain.¡±


    I nodded, trying to make sense of it all. ¡°But he seemed so determined to pursue me before. Why the sudden change?¡±


    Matthew sighed, ¡°Fear can do strange things to a person. It can make them doubt their worth and their decisions. But it doesn¡¯t change what he feels for you. He just needs reassurance, like you do.¡±


    I sighed and looked away. I couldn¡¯t exin why I cared so much about him not wanting to pursue me anymore; at least that was what I wanted.


    ¡°Amanda, this war is stronger than we had imagined. Our opponents have alliances, and they are vampires, Amanda, skilled vampires,¡± Matthew revealed, and my eyes widened. ¡°Is this why he is doubting his return?¡± I asked, and Matthew nodded. ¡°Yes, Amanda, this is why he has set you free and wants your forgiveness.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± I shook my head, not wanting to ept it. ¡°He is not going to die. He cannot die,¡± I blurted out in pain before darting out of the living room.

 Don鈥檛 leave

    Amanda¡¯s POV


    For the past hours, I have been in my room, consumed by my thoughts. I couldn¡¯t exin why I suddenly felt ufortable with Alpha Edward letting go of me. Why was he suddenly giving up on me so easily?


    A knock came on my door, and when I asked the person in, I realized it was Alpha Edward. Our gazes interlocked, and I swallowed nervously, trying topose myself.


    ¡°I¡¯m about to leave for the battlefield. I just finished saying my goodbyes to Liam, so I thought ofing to say my goodbyes to you¡­¡± he paused while I swallowed in pain, holding myself back from tearing up.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about your safety or that of Liam. I have arranged everything, and¡­¡±


    ¡°What about you?¡± I cut him off and saw his brow furrow. ¡°What about your safety? Have you thought about it?¡± I asked, taking a step closer to him. ¡°Must you fight this war? You are the Alpha and can decide to stay back! Why don¡¯t you stay back?¡± I pleaded, but the look on Alpha Edward¡¯s face showed that I was asking for the impossible.


    ¡°Amanda, I¡¯m the Alpha of this pack, and my duty is to protect everyone in this pack¡­¡±


    ¡°What if something happens to you? Matthew told me this fight is so dangerous. Why don¡¯t you stay back?¡± I pleaded, taking his hand into mine and interlocking gazes with him. Fear gripped my entire being. The thought of not seeing him again was driving me crazy.


    ¡°Amanda, I have to go,¡± he stated firmly, and I knew no amount of pleading would change his heart. A sudden rush of tears fell down my cheeks, and no matter how hard I wanted to hold them back and hide them from him, I couldn¡¯t; they kept flowing ufortably.


    ¡°Amanda,¡± Alpha Edward called gently before pulling me into his embrace. Being in his embrace felt like the safest ce in the world, and I would rather not leave it yet. For a moment, I had forgotten all he had done to me, and all I wanted was for him to stay back. I wanted him alive, not dead.


    ¡°Amanda, please stop crying. It breaks my heart to see you cry,¡± he pleaded while gently stroking my hair. But I didn¡¯t stop; instead, I continued crying, soaking his shirt with my tears.


    We remained in that position for a long time until I got a grip on myself and pulled away. Sniffing deeply, I looked up at Alpha Edward, whose eyes were surprisingly red, and it seemed he was on the brink of shedding tears himself.


    ¡°I have to go, Amanda,¡± he whispered, his voice breaking, but I shook my head.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to. Please stay,¡± I said selfishly. Alpha Edward held my gaze for a moment before cing a kiss on my forehead and then leaning toward my left ear. ¡°I love you,¡± he whispered, and a knot formed in my stomach.


    Pulling away, he shed me a weak smile and turned to leave, but I stopped him. ¡°About your wolf¡­¡± I paused and saw him turn look my way. ¡°Have you been fighting in your wolf form?¡± I asked, and he nodded. ¡°I mostly fight in my human form. My wolf isn¡¯t that strong because we don¡¯t speak to each other¡­¡±


    ¡°Then you can mark me,¡± I blurted out without rethinking it. ¡°If you mark me, your wolf will reach its full potential, and you can fight better, right?¡± I said with unease and saw his brow furrow.


    ¡°You want me to mark you?¡± He found it difficult to believe.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Yes, let¡¯s mark each other. It will help you a lot in the war.¡± I paused, feeling nervous but determined to convince him. Alpha Edward stared at me for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Finally, he spoke, his voice barely above a whisper, ¡°Amanda, I thought you never wanted this.¡±


    I nodded, swallowing hard. ¡°I know. But if it helps you in the war, if it keeps you safe, then I want to do it.¡±


    He sighed deeply, his gaze searching mine as if trying to read my soul. ¡°You are doing this because you are worried about me, right?¡± He questioned, but I couldn¡¯t respond.


    ¡°My perfect woman.¡± A smile appeared on his face, and then he moved closer to me and swiftly sealed my lips with a kiss. Without hesitation, I kissed him back. The kiss was short as he pulled away and smiled weakly at me. ¡°I can¡¯t mark you,¡± he dered, and a lump formed in my throat.


    I don¡¯t deserve you, Amanda. You deserve someone else, and instead of marking you, I am going to reject you,¡± he dered, and my eyes widened as I took a step backward away from him.


    ¡°Reject me? You want to reject me? Why?¡± I blurted out in pain.


    ¡°Because this is the right thing to do, Amanda. Rejecting you will give you a chance to get a second-chance mate, a man who is ten times better than me. And if I unfortunately die in the war, you won¡¯t feel as much pain because our bond has been broken. So, Amanda, this is the right thing to do,¡± he said, and my frown deepened as I red up.


    ¡°You have no right, Alpha Edward. You have no right to make this decision,¡± I stated firmly. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to mark me, then fine, but I won¡¯t let you reject me!¡± I yelled before storming out of the room.


    Tears fell down my cheeks as I descended the stairs to the living room. When I arrived at the sitting room, I met some warriors waiting for Alpha Edward, including my brother, Beta Matthew.


    ¡°Leave us,¡± Beta Matthewmanded the warriors, and they obeyed.


    ¡°Amanda¡­¡± Matthew pulled me into a hug while I sobbed in his arms. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± He triedforting me while I kept on crying until I felt Alpha Edward¡¯s presence and had to sniffle my tears.


    ¡°Amanda,¡± Edward¡¯s voice was soft behind me, filled with concern. I turned, tears still streaming down my cheeks, unable to mask the pain and confusion in my eyes.


    ¡°I can¡¯t let you go like this,¡± I managed to say, my voice trembling with a mixture of hurt and anger. ¡°You can¡¯t just decide for me, Edward. We¡¯ve been through so much together.¡±


    He approached cautiously, his eyes pleading with me to understand. ¡°Amanda, please try to see it from my perspective. This war, it¡¯s not just about me. It¡¯s about our pack, about everyone¡¯s safety.¡±


    ¡°Then mark me,¡± I choked out the words, desperation wing at my throat. ¡°Mark me and get your full potential.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t, Amanda. What if anything happens to me in that war? Do you know the amount of pain you will go through? You will literally feel the same amount of my pain, and I won¡¯t let the woman I love go through such!¡± he dered firmly and turned to Matthew. I noticed they stared at each other, and without being told, I knew they weremunicating through the mind link.


    Alpha Edward turned to look at me, and our gazes interlocked for a moment. ¡°I have to go.¡±


    With those words hanging heavily in the air, Alpha Edward turned away, leaving me standing there, broken and helpless.

 Scared

    Amanda¡¯s POV


    With a cup of hot coffee in my hand, I sat on the couch, staring at the firece. It was past 2 a. m., and yet there was no news about the war. I was so worried and scared. I wished I wasn¡¯t so helpless, wished I could do something, wished I could connect with Alpha Edward, at least to know what was happening to him. But I was helpless, and all I could do was sit and pray that he was safe, at least for Liam, who had no idea that Alpha Edward was his father but was still so worried.


    I heard footsteps, and when I lifted my gaze, it was Matthew. Quickly, I stood up and rushed to him. ¡°Any news? How is he? Is he stillmunicating with you?¡± I asked with a pounding heart.


    ¡°Yes, he is fine,¡± Matthew assured me, but I was unconvinced. ¡°Tell me, how is the fight going?¡±


    Matthew sighed and ced his hands on my shoulders. ¡°The fight is heroic, but we are still on the winning side.¡± He shed me a weak smile, which still didn¡¯t convince me. Swallowing hard, I went back to the couch and sank into it. I hated how helpless I was. I wished I could do something rather than just sitting and worrying. I wished I had my wolf. I wished I couldmunicate with Alpha Edward. I just wanted assurance from him that he was doing alright.


    ¡°Alpha Edward arranged with ady who has a teleporting ability,¡± Matthew announced, and I lifted my gaze to look at him. ¡°For what?¡±


    ¡°To teleport you and Liam out of the pack in case things get sour,¡± he exined, and anger zed in my eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere. He has to win ande back to us,¡± I yelled in fear while Matthew nodded. ¡°Of course, it¡¯s just that he got everything prepared just in case.¡± Matthew said, while my frown deepened. I looked away from him and settled my eyes on the firece. I was so scared and panicked. I wished there was something I could do.


    ¡°I will leave now,¡± Matthew said before leaving.


    The moment I was left alone, tears trickled down my cheek, and I quickly wiped them off. I never knew a day like this woulde when I would be scared of losing Alpha Edward.


    For hours, I remained in that spot, worrying and praying that Alpha Edward woulde back.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± I heard a familiar voice behind me, and when I lifted my gaze, it was Levi, Alpha Edward¡¯s cousin. He couldn¡¯t fight because of his broken arm, which I heard also affected his wolf¡¯s forelegs.


    ¡°You need to go in and rest. It¡¯s past 5 a. m., and you have been here all night.¡± He sounded genuinely worried for me, but I ignored him and looked back at the fire. There was no way I would go to bed knowing Alpha Edward¡¯s life was in danger.


    Realizing I wouldn¡¯t respond to him, he walked over to me and sat on the couch across from me.


    ¡°You are so worried about him. I can see it in your eyes,¡± he muttered, and I didn¡¯t argue with him. Instead, I kept staring at the fire.


    ¡°Do you want me to speak to him? To know how he is faring? I can connect with him through the mind link?¡± he asked, and instantly, I nodded my head and looked his way. ¡°Please do,¡± I begged.


    Levi closed his eyes, focusing on establishing the mind link with Alpha Edward. I watched him intently, my heart racing with anticipation. Momentster, Levi opened his eyes, a soft sigh escaping his lips.


    ¡°He¡¯s holding up,¡± Levi said, his voice calm yet strained. ¡°The battle is fierce, but Edward is leading well. He wants you to know he¡¯s thinking of you and Liam. He¡¯ll do everything in his power to return safely.¡±


    I felt a slight wave of relief wash over me, but the worry still gnawed at my insides. ¡°Thank you, Levi,¡± I whispered, my voice shaky. ¡°It means a lot to hear from him, even if it¡¯s through you.¡±


    Levi gave me a small nod. ¡°You should try to get some rest, Amanda. Staying up and worrying won¡¯t help him or you. He needs you to be strong.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± I replied, my eyes returning to the flickering mes. ¡°But I can¡¯t shake this feeling of dread. I need to be here, just in case¡­¡±


    Levi reached out, gently squeezing my hand. His gesture was surprising, but I didn¡¯t pull away.


    ¡°I understand. But promise me you¡¯ll take care of yourself, too. Edward needs you and Liam to be safe and strong.¡±


    I nodded, though I wasn¡¯t sure how I could manage to sleep with so much on my mind. ¡°I promise,¡± I said, though the words felt hollow.


    ¡°Can I stay here with you? I can¡¯t get any sleep myself. I should be on the battlefield fighting, but¡­¡± He paused and frowned at his broken arm. ¡°It affected my wolf, or else I would have fought in my wolf form.¡± He sighed while I stared at him. Levi seemed nice, so why was he acting like a different person five years ago? What changed in him?


    ¡°Do you want more coffee?¡± he asked, and I nodded. He called a maid and asked her to make us some coffee.


    Levi stayed with me for a while longer, offering silent support. Eventually, exhaustion began to take its toll. I leaned back against the couch, my eyes growing heavy despite my anxiety. Thest thing I saw before sleep imed me was theforting glow of the fire and Levi¡¯s reassuring presence.


    I woke with a start, the first rays of dawn filtering through the windows. My neck ached from sleeping on the couch, but I barely noticed as I quickly scanned the room. Levi was gone, but a nket had been draped over me. Perhaps it was a gesture from Levi.


    Rubbing my eyes, I sat up and tried to gather my thoughts. The house was eerily quiet, and I wondered if there had been any news while I slept. Just as I was about to get up, the door creaked open, and Matthew stepped inside, his expression grim.


    ¡°Amanda,¡± he said softly, his voice filled with concern. ¡°The war is over.¡±


    My heart lurched. ¡°In whose favor? Is Edward okay?¡±


    Matthew hesitated before speaking. ¡°In our favor, and Alpha Edward is alive, but¡­¡±


    ¡°But what?¡± I asked, terrified.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.

 Back home

    Amanda¡¯s POV


    ¡°But what, Matthew?¡± I asked, while getting closer to him. My heart was thumping in my chest.


    ¡°Alpha Edward was shot by poisoned arrows, but he is fine.¡± He tried reassuring me, but my heart dropped at his words, and my body froze in ce. ¡°Poisoned arrows? What do you mean, is he fine?¡± I demanded, my voice trembling.


    Matthew sighed deeply, running a hand through his hair. ¡°The poison was strong, but Edward is a fighter. The healers are working on him as we speak.¡±


    I swallowed hard, trying to process the information. The relief that he was alive battled with the fear of the unknown.


    ¡°Where are they?¡± I asked in panic.


    ¡°They are almost here¡­¡±


    I heard the sounds of cars driving into the mansion, and I quickly ran out of the sitting room. Getting outside, I noticed some warriors getting out of the car, but there was no Alpha Edward. ¡°Where is he?¡± I asked in panic, but just then, I noticed the men went to one of the cars, and someone was brought out of it. Instantly, I recognized him as Alpha Edward. My eyes widened when I realized he was put on a stretcher while the men carried him on their shoulders and approached us.


    ¡°What¡­¡± I stuttered in fear as I almost fell to the ground, but a hand gripped me, and when I turned, I realized it was Levi. ¡°He is not dead,¡± Levi whispered to me, and I gulped in pain and fear.


    The men carried him into the mansion, and we followed behind. They carried him up the stairs until we arrived at his room, and he was taken off the stretcher andid on his bed. Panicked, I tried going to him, but Levi stopped me. ¡°Not now. The healers need to work on him without interruption,¡± he said, and I swallowed my tears and settled my gaze on Alpha Edward.


    I noticed he had no bruises on his body but realized there were arrow holes in his knees. My heart clenched in pain, and tears threatened to fall down my cheeks, but I held them back. I didn¡¯t want to seem weak before everyone.


    The healers continued their incantations while everyone just stood aside and watched a half-conscious Alpha Edward, who hadn¡¯t opened his eyes since he arrived. But I could tell he was alive because of his shallow breathing.


    Soon, the wounds on his knees disappeared, and I sighed in relief. The healers didn¡¯t stop, but continued with their incantations until I noticed Alpha Edward slightly opened his eyes, and I inhaled deeply. I could hear the relieved sighs from everyone in the room as his two eyes were finally open.


    Impulsively, I rushed to Edward¡¯s side. ¡°Edward,¡± I whispered, my voice shaky. His eyes met mine, and for a moment, it was just the two of us in the room. He was pale and weak, but alive.


    ¡°Amanda,¡± he murmured, his voice barely audible. I could see the pain etched on his face, but there was also a glimmer of joy in his eyes.


    I was so scared,¡± I confessed, tears welling up in my eyes. ¡°I thought I¡¯d lost you.¡±


    Edward reached out, his hand trembling as he took mine. ¡°I¡¯m still here,¡± he said softly. ¡°I promised you and Liam I¡¯de back.¡±


    The healers moved closer. ¡°Alpha, can you feel your legs?¡± One of the healers asked and I furrowed our brows. Why would they be asking that?


    ¡°Please move your legs,¡± they suggested. I watched Alpha Edward trying to move his legs, but he couldn¡¯t. In fact, his legs felt so heavy for him.


    ¡°What is wrong with his legs? Why can¡¯t he move them?¡± I directed these questions to the healer, but they didn¡¯t respond. Instead, they ced their hands back on Alpha Edward¡¯s knees and began their incantation.


    Alpha Edward¡¯s breathing grew morebored, and I could see the strain on his face. The healers worked tirelessly, their incantations growing more intense, but the worry in their eyes did little to ease my fear. Matthew, who had been standing nearby, stepped closer and ced a reassuring hand on my shoulder.


    ¡°He¡¯s strong, Amanda. He¡¯ll pull through this,¡± Matthew whispered, though his voice was thick with concern.


    I clung to his words, desperate for hope. The minutes stretched into an eternity as the healers continued their work. My mind raced with thoughts of what might happen if Alpha Edward couldn¡¯t walk again. What would that mean for him, for the pack, for us?


    Finally, one of the healers stepped back, her face pale. ¡°The poison was potent, and it has affected his nervous system. We have neutralized it, but it will take time for his body to recover fully. He will need rest and rehabilitation.¡±


    I nodded, trying to absorb everything. ¡°But he will walk soon, right?¡±


    The healer hesitated before responding. ¡°It¡¯s too soon to say for certain. We have done all we can for now. The rest is up to him and his will to recover.¡±


    I frowned at her words and looked at Alpha Edward, who couldn¡¯t look at me; rather, he looked at the healer. ¡°Stop beating around the bush and go straight to the point. Don¡¯t lie or keep anything from me,¡± he demanded. The healer bowed and hesitated for a moment. ¡°The poison on the arrow was a dangerous one, and despite healing you of it, it had already poisoned your bones¡­¡± She paused while I swallowed in fear. ¡°Go on,¡± Alpha Edward urged, his voice strained.


    ¡°Alpha¡­ I doubt you can use your legs again,¡± she announced, and my heart hitched.


    The room fell silent, the tension thick and suffocating. Edward¡¯s hand tightened around mine for a moment before he let go.


    He closed his eyes, taking a deep, shaky breath. ¡°An alpha who can¡¯t walk¡­ what kind of leader am I? What kind of protector?¡±Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    ¡°You¡¯re still the same strong, brave alpha,¡± Matthew spoke up, and tears welled up in my eyes. ¡°And we¡¯ll find a way. There are other healers, other remedies. We¡¯ll keep searching.¡±


    Edward¡¯s eyes met mine, and I saw the pain and vulnerability he rarely showed. ¡°And if we don¡¯t? What then?¡±


    Matthew went silent, and I swallowed in pain.


    ¡°Everyone out,¡± he ordered, his voice low and filled with anger. ¡°Now!¡±

 You can leave

    Amanda¡¯s POV


    At first, I wanted to stay back, but Matthew held my hand and signaled for me to leave with him. We walked out of the room but didn¡¯t leave; instead, we remained outside the closed door while the healers were left with him. Tears stood in my eyes, but I held them back and swallowed my pain. Matthew¡¯s grip on my hand tightened, and I looked up at him.


    ¡°Take a grip of yourself,¡± he said, cing a kiss on my forehead before letting go of my hand. ¡°I have to look for other healers,¡± he said before leaving. Swallowing my pain, I looked at the door, wishing I could go in. I wanted to hear what the healers were saying to him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, he will be fine,¡± Levi, who stood across from me, assured me, and I nodded.


    ¡°Damn it!¡± I heard the loud voice of Alpha Edward from inside the room, and I swallowed my pain.


    ¡°Get out!¡± The angry voice of Alpha Edward erupted from the room, and suddenly the door opened, and the two healers walked out.


    ¡°What is wrong with him?¡± I asked, and the healers shook their heads.


    ¡°He is angry with the news of his inability to walk,¡± one of the healers exined, and I swallowed hard.


    ¡°I want to go in,¡± I suggested, but Levi shook his head.


    ¡°I will go instead,¡± he said, and I frowned.


    ¡°Yes, Amanda, Edward cannot bear to see you in his condition. It will kill him,¡± he said while my frown deepened.


    ¡°That is correct, miss. He has to see you only when he wants to,¡± the healers said, and I looked away. I wished I could go in; I just wanted to see him.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go in now,¡± Levi said, and I watched him open the door and go in, then he closed the door. After he closed the door, I turned to the healers.


    ¡°What is the way forward? At least there has to be something that can be done,¡± I said hopefully, and the two healers stared at each other before looking my way.


    ¡°The poison was a dangerous one, and it was luck that he is well and alive, but we doubt that he can use his legs ever again,¡± they announced the bitter truth to me, and I swallowed my pain.


    ¡°At least there can be something that can be done,¡± I said hopefully, but the two healers sighed.


    ¡°Only a miracle will make him use his feet again, mydy.¡±


    I stood there, feeling helpless. My heart ached for Edward, and I wished there was something-anything-I could do to change his fate. The healers¡¯ words echoed in my mind, each syble a hammer striking at my hope.


    The door opened again, and Levi stepped out, his face somber. He walked over to me and sighed. ¡°He really wishes to be alone, and we have to respect his decision,¡± he announced while I looked at the door, contemting if I should go in or not.


    ¡°He really wants to be alone. Please don¡¯t go in,¡± Levi pleaded as if he was reading my thoughts.


    I heard footsteps and looked up to see Matthewing with an aged man who, I assumed, was a healer.


    ¡°How is he?¡± Matthew asked, and I let out a tired sigh.


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t want to see anyone,¡± Iined, and Matthew nodded.


    ¡°It¡¯s normal for him to feel that way,¡± he said to me before turning to the healer he came with, who was conversing with the other healers. ¡°Let¡¯s go in,¡± he told the healer, who nodded and followed him into Alpha Edward¡¯s room.


    Anxiously, I waited to hear anything from the room, but I heard nothing. Rather, everywhere was silent, which made me more tense. The silence stretched on, thick and heavy, each passing second adding to my growing unease. I leaned against the wall, my mind racing with worry. I knew I shouldn¡¯t be feeling this way due to all the terrible things he had done to me, but I couldn¡¯t help it. I couldn¡¯t help feeling this pain.


    Levi and the other healers exchanged quiet words, their faces etched with concern. Matthew and the aged healer had been inside for what felt like an eternity. I nced at Levi, who offered a reassuring smile, but it did little to ease the knot in my stomach.


    Finally, the door creaked open. Matthew stepped out first, his expression unreadable. The aged healer followed, his eyes grave and tired. My heart pounded in my chest as I searched their faces for any sign of hope.


    ¡°How is he?¡± I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.


    Matthew looked at me, his eyes softening with worry. ¡°He¡¯s stable for now,¡± he said slowly. ¡°But it¡¯s as the other healers said. There¡¯s very little chance he¡¯ll walk again.¡±


    The healer nodded, stepping forward to speak. ¡°We¡¯ll continue to monitor his condition and provide care, but the damage is severe. It will take a miracle for him to regain the use of his legs.¡±


    I swallowed hard, the healer¡¯s words a bitter pill to swallow. Tears threatened to spill over, but I blinked them back, refusing to break down in front of everyone. I didn¡¯t want them to know how much I was caring for him, I didn¡¯t want them to know that his condition was affecting me so severely, I mean this was a man I was supposed to hate.


    ¡°Can I see him now?¡± I asked, my voice trembling.


    The healer hesitated before shaking his head. ¡°He¡¯s resting. It might be best to let him have some time to process everything, but if you must, then go in quietly.¡±


    ¡°I have to speak to him,¡± I said and made my way to the door. My hand trembled as I reached for the handle, but I took a deep breath, pushed the door open, and stepped inside.


    Alpha Edwardy on the bed, his eyes closed, his face pale and drawn. The sight of him like this made my heart ache even more. I walked over to his bedside, careful not to make any noise.


    ¡°Alpha Edward,¡± I whispered, reaching out to take his hand. His eyes fluttered open, and for a moment, he looked at me, but then he frowned and took his hand away from me.


    ¡°You have to leave,¡± he murmured, turning his eyes away from me.


    ¡°Why? Why are you sending me away?¡± I said, pained.


    ¡°Because¡­ because I don¡¯t want you to see me this way, Amanda,¡± he grunted, and I frowned.


    ¡°What way?¡± I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.


    ¡°Like this,¡± Edward replied, gesturing weakly to his legs. ¡°Weak and helpless. I don¡¯t want you to see me like this, Amanda.¡±


    I shook my head, stepping closer to the bed. ¡°You¡¯re not weak, Alpha Edward. You¡¯re the strongest person I know. This doesn¡¯t change that.¡±


    His eyes met mine, filled with a mix of pain and frustration. ¡°It does change things. Everything. I can¡¯t lead, I can¡¯t protect¡­ I can¡¯t even stand.¡±


    Tears welled up in my eyes, but I fought to keep myposure. It hurt to see him this way.


    ¡°We¡¯ll find a way. We¡¯ll get through this together.¡± I didn¡¯t know when that left my lips, but I didn¡¯t regret or take it back.


    Alpha Edward turned his face away, his jaw clenched. ¡°You deserve better than this. Better than me.¡±


    I frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t care about that. I care about you.¡±


    He was silent for a moment, and then he sighed deeply. ¡°Amanda, you need to leave. Please. I need to be alone.¡±


    I felt a wave of helplessness wash over me, but I nodded, knowing that pushing him wouldn¡¯t help. ¡°I¡¯ll be right outside if you need anything,¡± I said softly.Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    As I turned to leave, I heard him whisper, ¡°You are free to leave.¡±


    I paused at the door, looking back at him. ¡°What did you mean?¡± I asked with unease and saw him hesitate for a moment before he sucked a deep breath and closed his eyes.


    ¡°You are free from this bond, Amanda. You are free to go. I give up. You can leave with Liam. Just go away!¡±


    Anger surged through me, hot and fierce. How dare he push me away like this? After everything we had been through, how could he dismiss me so easily?


    ¡°Fine!¡± I snapped, my voice trembling with anger. ¡°If that¡¯s what you want, then I¡¯ll go. But don¡¯t think for a second that this is what I wanted.¡± I turned on my heel and stormed out of the room, mming the door behind me.

 Time

    Alpha Edward¡¯s POV


    My heart clenched in my chest as I watched her leave. I wished I could ask her to stay, I wished she could hold my hands and say thoseforting words to me, but I couldn¡¯t bear it. I couldn¡¯t bear her seeing me this way.


    Gulping in pain, I tried to move my legs, but they felt heavy. In fact, from my knees downward, I couldn¡¯t feel anything nor could I move them. ¡°Damn it!¡± I spat in anger and closed my eyes. I couldn¡¯t imagine not walking again. How could I be a crippled Alpha to my people? How do I protect them and Amanda? She can¡¯t possibly end up with a crippled man; she deserves better.


    The door to my room opened again and this time it was just Matthew. ¡°You can¡¯t send me away; I¡¯m your Beta,¡± Matthew said. I sighed and looked away from him. I hated the look of pity in his eyes.


    ¡°You should be busy with things, why are you here?¡± I grumbled, clearly not wanting to see him or anyone.


    ¡°I came with news,¡± he muttered, and though I wasn¡¯t interested, I knew I had to listen.


    ¡°Go on,¡± I urged.


    ¡°As you know, Alpha Silk is dead, and his people have surrendered to us. Also, his brother, who is emerging as the next Alpha, has sent an apology letter and promised they will nevere for thend,¡± Matthew announced, and I released a deep breath. ¡°He has called for peace and I think we should ept,¡± Matthew said, while I nodded, still not able to look his way.


    A moment of awkward silence hung in the air as Matthew spoke again. ¡°You can¡¯t lose hope just yet, Alpha Edward. There are incredible healers all over the world and we have employed search parties for them. I believe one of these healers might be able to heal you, and you will be able to use your legs again.¡± He triedforting me, but it was useless. I knew what was wrong with me was permanent.


    ¡°Matthew,¡± I called softly. ¡°You have to send Amanda and Liam away, send them to your parents.¡±


    ¡°And why do you want me to do that?¡±


    ¡°Because¡­ because I can¡¯t bear her seeing me in such a state. I can¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°Amanda isn¡¯tining, is she? Why are you sending her away? I thought you wanted her, I thought you wanted her forgiveness, I thought you loved her¡­¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± I interrupted Matthew. ¡°I do love her and that is why I can¡¯t bear to see her in such conditions,¡± I spat with pain.


    ¡°This doesn¡¯t make sense, Edward. Have a rethink. You love Amanda, so why drive her away when clearly she wants to stay?¡± Matthew argued, but I shook my head and closed my eyes.


    ¡°If she stays, then what will be of her?¡± I asked while Matthew remained silent. ¡°I have caused her so much pain, Matthew, but I won¡¯t let her end up with a crippled man. Matthew, she deserves better. Perhaps this is me paying for what I did to her. Maybe losing my legs was the price I have to pay, but I won¡¯t let her share in my pain. So Matthew, arrange for her and Liam to leave,¡± I dered and heard Matthew sigh.


    ¡°If that is what you want, then I will obey yourmand,¡± he said before leaving the room. The door clicked shut behind him, and I was left alone with my thoughts.


    The room fell into a tense silence and only my heavy breathing could be heard. I closed my eyes, trying to block out the pain, both physical and emotional. Memories of Amanda flooded my mind-her smile, herughter, the way her eyes sparkled even when she was angry. I loved her more than anything, but what kind of life could I offer her now? How could I protect her when I couldn¡¯t even stand on my own two feet?


    Tears stung my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. An Alpha doesn¡¯t cry. An Alpha doesn¡¯t show weakness. But right now, I felt anything but strong. I felt broken, lost, and utterly defeated.


    The days ahead seemed bleak, filled with uncertainty and doubt. I had always been the one to lead, to protect, to fight for my people. Now, I was the one who needed protection. It was a hard pill to swallow, one that left a bitter taste in my mouth.


    I could only hope that the search parties would find someone who could heal me. I hope that Amanda would understand why I needed her to leave. I hope that one day, I could be the man she deserves to be with.Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    For hours, I remained in my room and no one came to see me due to my request to be alone. Suddenly, I felt pressed; I wanted to use the restroom, but I couldn¡¯t move my legs, and it dawned on me that I was reduced to a vegetable, an Alpha who would need the help of others to do almost everything.


    A knock came on my door and I quickly drew back my tears. Without waiting for my response, the door opened and Matthew walked in and closed the door. ¡°We have found three healers, and they are outside, also a doctor is here,¡± he announced and all I could do was frown and look away. I was badly pressed, but how do I say it to Matthew?


    ¡°Alpha Edward?¡± he called out to me as he made his way towards me. ¡°Are you okay?¡± he asked, but I couldn¡¯t give a response. Instead, I swallowed my pain.


    ¡°You are pressed?¡±


    His question caught me off guard, and my face flushed with embarrassment. How could I admit such a weakness? I was the Alpha, the one who was supposed to be strong and unyielding, not someone who needed assistance for even the most basic of tasks.


    ¡°Matthew, just¡­ just get them in here,¡± I muttered, trying to divert his attention from my predicament.


    He hesitated for a moment, clearly sensing my difort, but then he nodded and left the room. Momentster, he returned with the three healers and the doctor. They approached me and when they got to where I stood, they bowed their heads while I frowned and looked away.


    The doctor stepped forward first, examining me with a clinical eye. ¡°Alpha Edward, we will do everything possible to help you,¡± he said, his voice calm and reassuring.


    One of the healers, an older woman with silver hair and piercing blue eyes, stepped forward. ¡°We need you to trust us,¡± she said softly. ¡°Healing takes time and patience.¡±


    I nodded, though I felt anything but patient. Every second that ticked by felt like an eternity, a constant reminder of my helplessness.


    They began their work, the room filled with a mix of modern medical equipment and ancient herbs and incantations. The process was long and arduous, and I could feel every minute of it dragging on. Pain surged through my body as they worked, but I gritted my teeth and bore it, refusing to show any sign of weakness.


    After what felt like hours, the healers stepped back, their faces etched with fatigue. ¡°We¡¯ve done all we can for now,¡± the doctor said. ¡°It will take time to see if any progress is made.¡±


    I nodded, though my heart sank. Time. It always came back to that. Time was the one thing I didn¡¯t feel like I had.


    Matthew stayed behind as the others left the room. Our gazes locked for a moment before he turned. I thought he was leaving, but I was confused when he went into my bathroom and came back with a bucket.


    Getting to the bed, he kept the bucket and held my gaze. ¡°I¡¯m your friend, Edward. You can act strong and keep things away from others, but not from me, Edward. I won¡¯t let you do that,¡± he uttered firmly while I swallowed back my tears. ¡°Now you will let me help you.¡±


    I felt my resolve crumble. I couldn¡¯t keep pretending to be invincible, not to him.


    ¡°Fine,¡± I whispered, barely audible. ¡°But hurry.¡±


    Matthew moved with a gentle efficiency, positioning the bucket next to me. He carefully lifted me. The humiliation of needing this kind of help burned inside me, but Matthew¡¯s steady presence offered sense offort. For a moment, I allowed myself to lean on him, to ept his support.


    Once the immediate crisis was handled, Matthew made sure I wasfortable before stepping back. ¡°This isn¡¯t forever, Edward. You have to believe that.¡±


    I nodded, though I wasn¡¯t sure if I believed it. The room fell silent again, the weight of my situation pressing down on me. Matthew didn¡¯t leave, instead he pulled a chair up beside my bed and sat down.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to let you give up,¡± he said after a long pause. ¡°We¡¯ll find a way through this.¡±


    ¡°I appreciate it, Matthew,¡± I replied, my voice hoarse. ¡°But you have your duties. You can¡¯t spend all your time here.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re my duty too,¡± he countered. ¡°Being your Beta means being here for you, no matter what.¡±


    I sighed, a mix of frustration and gratitude swirling within me. ¡°What if the healers can¡¯t fix this? What if I¡¯m like this forever?¡±


    ¡°Then we adapt,¡± Matthew said simply. ¡°We find new ways to lead, new ways to protect. You¡¯re still our Alpha, Edward, with or without your legs.¡±


    His words hit me hard. I wanted to believe him, to cling to that hope. But the fear of a future where I was dependent on others, where I couldn¡¯t fulfill my role, loomedrge.


    A knocknded on the door and I wanted to send the person away, but before I could do that, the door pushed open and Amanda walked in. Our eyes met for a moment and I could see a flicker of anger in them. ¡°Your son wants to see you,¡± she murmured, and my heart sank. This was the first time Amanda was referring to Liam as my son. I swallowed my pain and looked away. ¡°I can¡¯t see him, at least not now,¡± I murmured.


    ¡°Suit yourself,¡± she spat before storming out of the room and mming the door.

 Care for him

    Amanda¡¯s POV


    Entering my room, I felt anger, pain, and heartbreak all at once. I hated the fact that after all he had done to me, I still cared for him, yet he was driving me away. He had no right to do that.


    Pacing around my room, my emotions bubbled inside of me, and no matter how hard I tried to control them, I just couldn¡¯t. Pain, anger, heartbreak-they all surged through me. I was pained that he was sending me away, asking me to leave his room. I was his mate, for goodness¡¯ sake. I was supposed to be by his side, not him sending me away. I was angry not just at him but at myself for feeling so much concern over a man who had been brutal to me, a man who had made me wish for death. I was angry that despite all he had done to me, I couldn¡¯t hate him like I should. I was heartbroken seeing him in such a fragile condition. Alpha Edward was a leader, and not being able to walk was a brutal blow to him. I knew he was going through a lot, and that was why I wanted to be by his side andfort him. But he had to send me away!


    A knock came on my door, and when I asked the person in, the door opened to reveal Matthew.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± he asked, and I frowned and looked away from him.


    ¡°I know you are angry, but you have to understand what he is going through,¡± Matthew said while I still ignored him.


    A moment of silence hung in the air before Matthew continued. ¡°He has asked me to send you to our parents,¡± Matthew said, and I raised a brow at him.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± I spat with anger. ¡°What gives him the right to send me away?¡± I yelled, fuming with rage.


    Matthew sighed, running a hand through his hair as he closed the door behind him. ¡°Amanda, he¡¯s doing this because he cares about you,¡± he said, his voice calm but firm.


    I scoffed, crossing my arms over my chest. ¡°Cares about me? By sending me away? That¡¯s a funny way of showing it.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s trying to protect you,¡± Matthew continued, stepping closer. ¡°He doesn¡¯t want you to see him like this. You know how much his pride means to him. Being unable to walk is tearing him apart, and he doesn¡¯t want you to witness his struggle.¡±


    I shook my head, tears stinging my eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t care about his pride. I care about him. I want to be there for him, to support him. But he keeps pushing me away.¡±


    Matthew reached out, gently cing a hand on my shoulder. ¡°I know, Amanda. I know it¡¯s hard. But maybe some time away will help you both. Give him a chance toe to terms with his situation. And give you a chance to heal from everything that¡¯s happened.¡±


    I pulled away from his touch, the anger bubbling up again. ¡°I don¡¯t need time away. I need to be here. He needs me, whether he admits it or not.¡±


    ¡°Amanda, please,¡± Matthew pleaded. ¡°Just consider it. Go to our parents, take a break. You both need it.¡±


    I turned away from him, staring out the window. I couldn¡¯t exin why I couldn¡¯t just leave; I had always wanted to leave, so why can¡¯t I now?


    ¡°Amanda¡­¡±


    ¡°I will leave only when I want to,¡± I stated firmly.


    Matthew released a soft sigh. ¡°Alright, but I have told Dad about you, and he really wants to see you. For Mother, I haven¡¯t said anything to her. It¡¯s better she sees you herself,¡± Matthew muttered while I remained silent. I wanted to see my biological mother and perhaps my father, but not now-now wasn¡¯t the right time.


    ¡°Tell him I will see him when I want to,¡± I murmured, and heard Matthew hum before leaving.


    After he left, I turned around and sat on the bed, unable to exin the emotions bubbling inside of me. My mind was a mess.


    Momentster, Sophia entered my room with worry etched on her face. ¡°Are you okay?¡± she asked, and I couldn¡¯t respond. Instead, I sighed and frowned.


    Sophia sat on the bed beside me and settled her gaze on me. ¡°Matthew told me Alpha Edward had asked you to leave. Is that what is bothering you?¡± she asked, and I couldn¡¯t respond.


    ¡°And you don¡¯t want to leave¡­¡±


    ¡°Why should I?¡± I murmured. ¡°I will only leave when I want to, but until then, I am not going anywhere,¡± I stated firmly.


    ¡°You care for him, right? That is why you can¡¯t leave him in such situations¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± I said firmly. ¡°I just¡­ I just feel pity for him,¡± I managed to say while Sophia looked at me, clearly not believing my ims.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Well, he doesn¡¯t want you to feel sorry for him. He wants you to leave, so why can¡¯t you leave unless you care and worry for him?¡± she used while I groaned and looked away. There was no need lying to Sophia-it¡¯s obvious she could see right through me.


    ¡°If you care for him, then why don¡¯t you tell him? Tell him that you care for him and that is why you are not leaving,¡± she said, while I scoffed and got up. ¡°I think something is wrong with me¡­¡±


    ¡°Nothing is wrong with you, Amanda. You just care for him, and it is pretty normal seeing that he is your mate and in such conditions.¡±


    I sighed and shook my head. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t be feeling this way, Sophia. I shouldn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Feeling something you think you shouldn¡¯t doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s wrong,¡± Sophia said gently. ¡°It just means you¡¯re human, Amanda. Your emotions are valid, and it¡¯s okay to feel conflicted.¡±


    I turned away, crossing my arms over my chest. ¡°But why do I care so much? After everything he¡¯s done to me, why can¡¯t I just hate him like I should?¡±


    Sophia ced aforting hand on my back. ¡°Because he¡¯s your mate. The bond between mates is powerful, and despite everything, it¡¯s natural to want to protect and care for him. It doesn¡¯t mean you forget or forgive what he¡¯s done, but it means you¡¯re connected in a way that¡¯s hard to break.¡±


    I sighed deeply, feeling the weight of her words. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can do this, Sophia. I don¡¯t know if I can keep going when he keeps pushing me away.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to decide everything right now,¡± Sophia said. ¡°Take it one day at a time. Focus on what you need to do for yourself. And remember, it¡¯s okay to seek help. You¡¯re not alone in this.¡±


    I nodded, though the turmoil inside me didn¡¯t lessen. ¡°Thanks, Sophia. I appreciate it.¡±


    ¡°Anytime,¡± she replied with a soft smile. ¡°And if you ever need to talk or just need someone to listen, I¡¯m here.¡±


    With that, Sophia left the room, and I was alone again with my thoughts.


    Deciding to leave my room, I met Levi, who seemed to be on his way out.


    ¡°Are you going somewhere?¡± I asked, and he nodded. ¡°I feel suffocated in here, so I want to go for a walk,¡± he said, and I nodded. I wanted to walk away but stopped. ¡°Can Ie with you? I also feel suffocated in here,¡± I pleaded, and he agreed without hesitation.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°I should be the one thanking you for yourpany,¡± he said while I smiled and began walking with him.


    We left the mansion on foot and began walking around the streets of the town. Sucking in a deep breath, I tried to calm my emotions and let go of all that was disturbing me.


    ¡°You know you need to have some rest,¡± Levi sounded worried, and I sighed.


    ¡°I can¡¯t sleep,¡± I murmured.


    ¡°Is it because of my cousin?¡± he asked, and I didn¡¯t give a response.


    ¡°He is so lucky,¡± Levi muttered, causing me to look his way with a raised brow. ¡°Why?¡±


    Levi smiled. ¡°Because you still care for him despite all he has done to you,¡± he said, while I swallowed hard and looked away. It seemed everyone could read through me, and I hated it.


    We continued walking in silence for a while, the only sound being our footsteps on the pavement. The fresh air and gentle breeze helped calm my mind, and I felt a sense of gratitude towards Levi for suggesting this walk.


    After a few minutes, Levi broke the silence. ¡°Amanda, may I ask you something?¡±


    I turned to him, curious. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Why do you think Edward is pushing you away?¡± Levi asked, his eyes filled with genuine concern.


    I sighed, unsure of how to answer. ¡°I don¡¯t know, Levi. I thought it was because he didn¡¯t want me around, but now¡­ I¡¯m not so sure.¡±


    Levi nodded thoughtfully. ¡°I think he¡¯s scared, Amanda. Scared of his own vulnerability and the fact that he needs you.¡±


    I sighed, and we continued walking until I spotted an ice cream spot. ¡°Let¡¯s go in,¡± I suggested, and Levi agreed.


    We walked into the ice cream parlor, and the sweet aroma of freshly made waffle cones and ice cream filled my senses. I couldn¡¯t help but smile as we approached the counter.


    ¡°What vor would you like, Amanda?¡± Levi asked, his eyes scanning the options.


    I hesitated, unsure of what to choose. ¡°Surprise me,¡± I said finally, and Levi grinned. He ordered two scoops of mint chocte chip and handed me a cone. I took a lick, and the cool, creamy texture melted in my mouth. It was exactly what I needed.


    We sat down at a small table by the window, and I savored my ice cream, feeling a sense of peace wash over me. Levi watched me with a warm smile, and I knew he was happy to see me enjoying myself.


    ¡°Thanks, Levi,¡± I said, my voice soft. ¡°This is really good.¡±


    ¡°Anytime, Amanda,¡± he replied. ¡°I¡¯m just d I could help take your mind off things.¡±


    I nodded, taking another lick of my ice cream. We sat infortable silence for a few moments, enjoying our treats and the quiet atmosphere of the parlor. Then, Levi spoke up again.


    ¡°Amanda, may I ask you something else?¡±


    I looked at him curiously. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Do you think you¡¯ll ever be able to forgive Edward?¡± Levi asked, his eyes serious.


    I hesitated, unsure of how to answer. Forgiveness was aplicated thing, and I didn¡¯t know if I was ready to consider it. But as I looked at Levi, I knew he was genuine in his concern.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Levi,¡± I said finally. ¡°I want to, but it¡¯s hard. He¡¯s hurt me so much.¡±


    Levi nodded understandingly. ¡°I get it. Take your time.¡± He smiled at me and went back to his ice cream. I watched him for a moment and realized he had changed a lot. He was so different from the man I met five years ago. This Levi seated before me seemed kind, warm, and so different. When he caught me staring at him, I had to awkwardly look away.


    We left the ice cream shop and decided to stroll back to the mansion. We walked infortable silence until I decided to speak. ¡°When will your cast be taken off?¡±


    ¡°In a few days,¡± he responded, and I hummed, trying to bring up another conversation. ¡°Do you have a mate?¡± I suddenly asked out of curiosity, but Levi shook his head.


    ¡°Unfortunately, I haven¡¯t met my mate yet,¡± he responded, and I nodded. ¡°If I can¡¯t find her soon, then I will have to choose someone else,¡± he said, and I nodded and looked away.


    We continued walking in silence until we arrived at the mansion and bade goodbye to each other.


    It was already dark, so I decided to go check on Liam. But strangely, I feltpelled to check up on Alpha Edward instead. I knew it was a bad idea; he didn¡¯t want to see me, but a strong force waspelling me to go to him. Left with no other option, I made my way to his room instead, and arriving at his door, I hesitated for a moment before holding the doorknob.


    Taking a deep breath, I slowly opened the door and stepped inside. The room was dimly lit, and I immediately spotted Edward on the floor, wounded. My heart clenched at the sight, and I rushed towards him.


    ¡°Edward!¡± I called out, my voiceced with worry.


    He looked up at me, his eyes filled with pain and frustration. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± he growled, trying to push himself up but failing.


    ¡°I came to check on you,¡± I said, ignoring his anger as I knelt beside him, reaching out to help him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch me!¡± he snapped, his voice rough and desperate. ¡°I told you to leave!¡±


    Ignoring his words, I tried helping, but he p my hand away. ¡°You¡¯re hurt, Edward. Let me help you.¡±


    ¡°Get out!¡± he yelled, his voice breaking. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to see me like this! I don¡¯t want your pity!¡±

 Thought she cared

    Alpha Edward¡¯s POV


    ¡°Leave!¡± I yelled frustrated, but she didn¡¯t move an inch. Instead, she just stood there, and I felt my frustration and embarrassment rising. I just couldn¡¯t stand her seeing me in such a condition.


    ¡°Amanda¡­¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t leave. It¡¯s either you let me help you, or I will remain here,¡± she stated firmly, and I groaned.


    ¡°Guards!¡± I yelled, and within seconds, the door to my room opened, and two guards rushed in.


    ¡°Alpha¡­¡± they hurried to me. ¡°Should we help you up on your feet?¡± they asked. Out of shame and embarrassment, I looked Be¡¯s way and realized she was staring right at me.


    ¡°Alpha¡­¡± one of the guards called, clearly not happy to see me on the floor.


    ¡°Help me to the bed,¡± I urged.


    ¡°Yes Sir¡­¡± one of the guards repeated, his voice carrying a note of concern. They each took one of my arms and lifted me up, my legs refusing to support my weight. Every movement sent a jolt of pain through my body, and I clenched my teeth to keep from crying out. As they guided me to the bed, I could feel Amanda¡¯s eyes on me, her gaze never leaving me.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Once I was settled on the bed, I waved the guards away. They hesitated for a moment, clearly torn between following my orders and their duty to protect me, but eventually, they stepped back, leaving the room quietly.


    Amanda remained by the door, her gaze unwavering. I wanted to yell at her, to make her leave, but the words stuck in my throat. I hated being seen like this, weak and helpless.


    ¡°What do you want? Why are you still here?¡± I murmured, frustrated and tired.


    Amanda chuckled and moved closer to me, a hint of satisfaction in her eyes. ¡°What I want?¡± She asked with a raised brow. ¡°Do you want to know what I want?¡± She asked again, and I furrowed my brow. ¡°I want to watch you suffer, Alpha Edward,¡± she stated, and my eyes twitched. ¡°I will remain here and watch you suffer. I won¡¯t leave, but rather I will watch you suffer from the punishment of causing me pain, Alpha Edward. I won¡¯t leave, I¡¯m not leaving.¡± She mocked, and I felt a pang of pain in my heart. For a moment, I thought she wanted to stay because she cared, but it seemed I was wrong.


    I stared at Amanda, trying to find a trace of the woman I once knew beneath the anger and bitterness. Her words cut deep, but I couldn¡¯t deny that I deserved them. I had brought this upon myself with my actions, and now I had to face the consequences.


    ¡°You think this is punishment?¡± I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. ¡°Watching me suffer? Is that really what you want?¡±


    She crossed her arms and took a step closer, her eyes zing with anger. ¡°It¡¯s a start,¡± she replied coldly. ¡°But don¡¯t think for a second that it makes up for what you¡¯ve done.¡±


    I closed my eyes, trying to block out the pain and the reality of my situation. The physical pain was nothingpared to the agony of seeing the hatred in her eyes. ¡°Amanda, I-¡±


    ¡°Save your breath,¡± she interrupted. ¡°I don¡¯t want your apologies or your excuses. I want you to understand what it feels like to be helpless, to be at someone else¡¯s mercy.¡±


    I opened my eyes and looked at her, truly looked at her for the first time in a long while. She wasn¡¯t the same woman I had hurt; she was stronger now, and in a way, that made her even more formidable.


    ¡°Do you think this will make you feel better?¡± I asked, my voice steady despite the pain inside. ¡°Watching me suffer?¡±


    She didn¡¯t answer immediately. Instead, she walked over to the chair by the window and sat down, crossing her legs and looking at me with an unsettling calm. ¡°Maybe it won¡¯t,¡± she said finally. ¡°But at least you¡¯ll know what it¡¯s like to be powerless.¡±


    Silence filled the room, the tension between us consuming. For a moment, I thought she was genuinely worried for me. I could see the pain and torture in her eyes when I was brought back from the battlefield, but now it seems I had seen wrongly. Amanda truly hates me.


    ¡°Amanda, please leave me alone.¡± I pleaded desperately. ¡°Just leave.¡± I pleaded, but Amanda was adamant. Rather, she remained where she was seated, a triumphant smile on her face.


    ¡°Now tell me, Alpha Edward, how does it feel?¡± she asked while I swallowed my pain and shut my eyes. ¡°How does it feel to know that your pain is the happiness of another?¡± she asked, and I remained silent, stopping myself from shedding tears.


    A moment of awkward silence hung in the air until I heard footsteps, and then the door opened and closed, indicating she had left.


    Slowly, I opened my eyes, and the tears I had been fighting came down my cheeks, and I didn¡¯t bother to wipe them off. I knew I had made a mistake, and perhaps I deserved it. If this was really my punishment, as Amanda had said, then it was justified. I truly deserve it, and I will live with it.


    A knocknded on my door, and I frowned. ¡°Go away. I don¡¯t want to see anyone,¡± I yelled at whoever was at the door, but the door opened, and Matthew walked in with Liam. A hard gulp passed down my throat, and I had to wipe off my tears, but it was already toote; they had seen it.


    ¡°Father? Are you crying?¡± Liam asked worriedly as he made his way towards me and sat on the bed beside me.


    ¡°What happened, Father? Why are you crying?¡± Liam asked worriedly, his eyes filled with genuine concern for me.


    ¡°Nothing, I wasn¡¯t crying, buddy. Something got into my eyes,¡± I lied, but the look on Liam¡¯s face showed he didn¡¯t believe me.


    ¡°Father, you know it¡¯s okay to cry. We are humans too, and it¡¯s okay to let out your emotions.¡± Heforted, and my heart fluttered in my chest. He was so little yet spoke so wisely.


    Lifting my hand, I gently caressed his hair, and he smiled at me. ¡°Thank you, buddy,¡± I said with a smile.


    ¡°You are wee, Godfather, and don¡¯t worry. I believe you will walk again.¡± He said, sounding so confident, and I raised a brow at him.


    ¡°Really?¡± I asked, and he nodded and then leaned closer to me. ¡°Last night in my dream, I saw you, Mother, and I having fun in a pack. I think it¡¯s a revtion, Father. You will walk again, and I will be here to support you,¡± he whispered, and this time, I couldn¡¯t stop my tears from falling down. ¡°I love you,¡± I whispered, pulling him into a tight hug.


    ¡°I love you too, Father.¡±

 Worried

    Amanda¡¯s POV


    For the two hours since I left Edward¡¯s room, I haven¡¯t been myself. I couldn¡¯t exin what came over me, why I would lie and say such horrible things to him, but it seemed desperate times called for desperate measures. Realizing that Alpha Edward was sending me away because he felt I was in pain and heartbroken to see him this way, I decided to say those hurtful words to him to let me stay. But now, I was regretting everything, wondering what he might be going through.


    A knock came on my door, and when I asked the person in, Matthew stepped in, checking up on me. ¡°Hi! I wanted to say goodnight,¡± he said, while I nodded and watched him move closer to me.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± he asked, and I couldn¡¯t respond. I didn¡¯t know if I should tell him what I did; I was scared of how he would take it.


    ¡°Nothing, I¡¯m fine,¡± I lied, and I could tell that Matthew didn¡¯t believe me, but he decided to let it be. ¡°Alpha Edward¡¯s wheelchair will be brought tomorrow, and I don¡¯t know how he is going to take it,¡± Matthew murmured, and I swallowed in difort. I couldn¡¯t imagine how he would feel when he saw it.


    ¡°What about other healers? There has to be something that can be done,¡± I said desperately. I couldn¡¯t give up just yet.


    ¡°Amanda, there are only two ways Alpha Edward could walk again: it¡¯s either a miracle or you both mark each other, so his wolf could be stronger,¡± Matthew exined, and I swallowed hard. ¡°If you two mate and mark each other, his wolf, and his abilities will reach their peak, and that will help in his healing,¡± Matthew paused and sighed. ¡°But Alpha Edward will never agree to it, even if you do,¡± Matthew murmured, and I wasn¡¯t surprised by it. ¡°He wants you to be free; he doesn¡¯t want you to be bound to him because of pity,¡± Matthew exined, and I just remained silent, not knowing how to feel about it. I knew I should be happy. This was what I wanted. I didn¡¯t want his mark, I didn¡¯t want anything with him, but now, why does it seem so different? Why was I having mixed feelings about it?


    ¡°Amanda, what is troubling you?¡± Matthew asked, and I sighed, not knowing what to say or do.


    ¡°I should let you sleep. Goodnight.¡± He kissed my forehead before leaving my room and shutting the door.


    After he left, I sank onto the bed and stared at the ceiling. My mind was clouded with thoughts; I was so confused about my feelings and the whole situation. After hours of tossing around in bed, I finally drifted to sleep.


    Waking up the next morning, I took my bath, got dressed in a simple dress, and then left my room for Liam¡¯s room. I met him already dressed by a maid, and then we both made our way to the dining table to have breakfast. While having breakfast, I noticed Liam had a sad look on his face, and I had to ask him what was troubling him.


    ¡°It¡¯s Godfather,¡± Liam murmured, and I swallowed hard. ¡°Father took me to himst night. Mother, he is in so much pain. Do you know that we caught him crying?¡± Liam whispered in pain, and I felt my heart being torn apart. The thought of Edward breaking down in tears made a pang of pain strike my chest.


    ¡°Mother, will he not walk anymore?¡± Liam asked.


    I took a deep breath, trying to steady my emotions for Liam¡¯s sake. ¡°We don¡¯t know yet, sweetheart,¡± I said softly, forcing a small smile. ¡°But we¡¯re doing everything possible to help him.¡±


    Liam nodded slowly, his little face etched with worry. ¡°I don¡¯t want him to be sad, Mother. He always looks so strong and brave. I don¡¯t want him to be different.¡±


    I reached across the table, taking his hand in mine. ¡°Alpha Edward is still strong and brave, Liam. Sometimes, even the bravest people need help. And it¡¯s okay to cry. It shows that he cares and feels deeply.¡±


    Liam looked down at his te, pushing the food around with his fork. ¡°Will I be allowed to see him?¡± Liam asked eagerly, and I nodded. ¡°Just ask your father to take you, and he will,¡± I said, and Liam nodded before going back to his food. I couldn¡¯t continue eating because I had lost my appetite. I was so worried about Alpha Edward, and I wanted to see him to be sure he was okay, but what excuse would I use to go to his room?


    Still deep in my thoughts, I noticed a maiding back with a tray of breakfast in her hand, and I had to call her back.


    ¡°Whose meal is that?¡±Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    ¡°It¡¯s for Alpha Edward, but he rejected the meal. He said he wasn¡¯t hungry,¡± the maid exined.


    ¡°Mother, he has to eat,¡± Liam murmured worriedly, and I nodded and got up. ¡°Watch over Liam; I will take the food back myself.¡± I didn¡¯t wait for the maid to speak before taking the tray of breakfast from her.


    Taking the stairs to his room, I took a deep breath and braced myself. I needed to put up an act if need be. Reaching his door, I didn¡¯t bother to knock; instead, I opened it, stepped in, and closed the door before turning around to see him seated on the armchair, his gaze fixed on me.


    ¡°You need to eat,¡± I said coldly, walking over to him with the tray.


    ¡°I told them I wasn¡¯t hungry,¡± Edward replied, his voice equally cold.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s too bad because I¡¯m not leaving until you eat something,¡± I snapped back, setting the tray down on the table in front of him. ¡°You might think you¡¯re doing everyone a favor by starving yourself, but all you¡¯re doing is making things worse.¡±


    Edward¡¯s eyes narrowed, a flicker of anger crossing his face. ¡°Why do you care, Amanda? You made it pretty clear you hate me.¡±


    ¡°Maybe I do,¡± I shot back, my heart pounding. ¡°But right now, I care more about Liam than I do about your pity party. So, eat the damn food.¡±


    For a moment, Alpha Edward looked like he might refuse, but then he reluctantly picked up a piece of toast, his movements slow and deliberate. I watched him, pain and pity aching in my heart.


    ¡°Good,¡± I said after a moment, my voice softer but still firm. ¡°Now, let¡¯s get one thing straight. I¡¯m not here because I feel sorry for you. I¡¯m here because Liam needs you. So, pull yourself together and start acting like the Alpha you are.¡±

 Out With levi

    Amanda¡¯s POV


    My words must have really gotten to him because when he lifted his gaze to look at me, I could see pain in his eyes. I wished I couldfort him, tell him that I didn¡¯t mean all I said, but I held back and kept an emotionless face. I watched him force the food down his throat. When he was done, I called for a maid to clear the table but didn¡¯t leave; rather, I remained seated.


    ¡°What else do you want, Amanda?¡± he asked, his voice breaking with emotion. I had to frown to mask my emotions from him.


    ¡°I will leave when I want to leave, but before I do, I have to have a word with you,¡± I stated. His eyes narrowed slightly, but he didn¡¯t speak; he waited for me to continue.


    ¡°Liam is really worried about you, and you know what that means?¡±


    He looked away. ¡°You have to stop this self-pity and brush up yourself.¡± I saw him swallow in pain. Clearly, my words were having an effect on him, and I wished I could just stop, but I couldn¡¯t, not now.


    ¡°Matthew talked about your wheelchair¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sitting on that damn thing!¡± he grunted, and I felt my heart clench, but I masked it with a frown.


    ¡°Unfortunately, Alpha Edward, you have no choice in this! You can¡¯t remain in bed all day. You are an alpha, and you have duties to perform,¡± I stated firmly, and he frowned.


    ¡°I will not be reduced to that,¡± he growled, his voice trembling with both anger and vulnerability.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t about reducing you,¡± I replied, my tone harsh. ¡°It¡¯s about doing what you need to do to heal and to lead. Your pack needs you, Edward. They need their Alpha, and you can¡¯t be that for them lying here in bed.¡±


    He red at me, his eyes filled with a mix of anger and pain. ¡°Why are you doing this, Amanda? Why are you pushing me so hard?¡±


    ¡°Because someone has to,¡± I answered, my voice softening slightly. ¡°And because I care for Liam. It pains him to see you in such a state. You pushed everyone else away, but I¡¯m still here, aren¡¯t I? I¡¯m not leaving you, Edward. Not until you start fighting for yourself.¡±


    For a moment, silence hung heavily in the room. He turned his face away from me, staring at the wall, but I could see the conflict raging within him. He knew I was right but was too proud to admit it.


    ¡°Please leave,¡± he pleaded, and as much as I wanted to stay, I knew it was best to go. Standing up, I walked to the door, pausing before I left.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back,¡± I told him. ¡°And when I return, I hope to see you out of this bed and making an effort. For your sake, and for everyone who depends on you.¡±


    With that, I left the room, my heart heavy with emotions. In the hallway, I met Levi, who seemed to be on his way to see Alpha Edward. ¡°Good morning,¡± we exchanged greetings.


    ¡°How is he?¡± Levi asked, and I shrugged my shoulders. ¡°Still the same, but I¡¯m talking sense into him. I think we shouldn¡¯t coddle him.¡± I said, and Levi nodded.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, he will be fine,¡± Levi assured me, and I nodded and tried walking away, but he stopped me.


    ¡°Today happens to be my birthday.¡± He announced, and a smile spread across my face. ¡°Happy birthday to you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you¡­¡± he paused and ran a hand through his hair. ¡°I was wondering if you would like to go out with me? It¡¯s my birthday, and I don¡¯t want to go out alone. I understand if you say no.¡±Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    ¡°Levi, I¡¯d love to go out with you!¡± I sighed, ¡°But are you sure you want to spend your birthday with me? I¡¯m not exactly a fun person.¡± I murmured.


    Levi chuckled and shook his head. ¡°You¡¯re the only one I want to spend my birthday with, Amanda. Besides, I think we could both use a break from this ce. Let¡¯s go out and have some fun!¡±


    I grinned, feeling a spark of excitement. ¡°That sounds amazing! What do you have in mind?¡±


    Levi¡¯s eyes lit up with a mischievous glint. ¡°I was thinking we could go out of the packnds and into town. I heard there¡¯s a great restaurant that serves amazing food. And maybe we can even catch a movie or something.¡±


    I smiled, feeling a sense of adventure wash over me. Don¡¯t me me; it¡¯s been ages since I went out. ¡°That sounds like so much fun! Let¡¯s do it!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll meet in an hour,¡± he suggested, and I nodded before walking away. Back in my room, I began going through my things until I found a perfect fitted dress. After sliding it on, I sat before the dressing mirror and began applying some makeup on my face. Somehow, I felt like I was overdressed, but I shrugged it off and finished my makeup.


    While arranging my hair, a knock came on my door, and when the door opened, it was Matthew. He seemed surprised to see me getting dressed. ¡°You look so beautiful. Where are you going?¡± he asked, his admiring eyes on me.


    ¡°Levi asked me to go out with him. Today is his birthday,¡± I announced and saw Matthew¡¯s eyes lower slightly. ¡°You¡¯re going out with Levi?¡± he seemed surprised about it.


    ¡°Yes, today is his birthday,¡± I said, and Matthew went silent again. I knew he wasn¡¯t happy about my sudden friendship with Levi, but everyone makes mistakes, and people change. Besides, Levi did nothing to me.


    ¡°I know he is trying to turn over a new leaf, but I don¡¯t trust that guy. Be careful,¡± he cautioned while I nodded.


    ¡°I will be careful and alert, don¡¯t worry, big bro,¡± I teased while Matthew chuckled and shook his head.


    ¡°Well, I came to inform you that we have brought the wheelchair, and surprisingly, Alpha Edward epted to use it. It was shocking because I thought he was going to give me a hard time, but he didn¡¯t,¡± Matthew muttered, and I realized that my words must have gotten to him.


    ¡°He will be having his check-up every day. The healers and doctors will keep examining him, and we hope a miracle happens,¡± Matthew sighed, and I nodded.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure he will use his legs again,¡± I assured Matthew, while also assuring myself.


    ¡°We hope so¡­ Have fun and be careful,¡± Matthew said before kissing me on the cheek and leaving my room.


    After Matthew left, I did a final touch before leaving my room. I met Levi in the sitting room. He had dressed up, looking more handsome than ever. ¡°You look beautiful,¡± he said, his voice warm.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said, blushing slightly. ¡°Where are we going?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a surprise,¡± he replied with a grin.


    I said my goodbyes to Liam before getting into the car. Levi¡¯s left arm was still in a cast, so the driver drove while we both sat in the back seat.


    The drive was filled withfortable silence, and I would asionally catch Levi staring at me. When he was caught, he would look away and chuckle. The drive remained silent until the car drove into a bustling part of town. The streets were alive with people going about their day, and the atmosphere was vibrant and filled with energy. As we got closer to our destination, I could see a charming restaurant with an outdoor patio adorned with fairy lights.


    ¡°This is the ce,¡± Levi said, his eyes twinkling with excitement.


    The driver parked the car, and Levi helped me out, his touch gentle. We walked into the restaurant, where a friendly host greeted us and led us to a cozy table by the window.


    ¡°Happy birthday, Levi,¡± I said again, smiling at him as we took our seats.


    ¡°Thank you, Amanda. I¡¯m really d you agreed toe out with me,¡± he replied, his voice filled with genuine appreciation.


    We ordered our meals and talked about everything and nothing, enjoying each other¡¯spany. Levi was easy to talk to, and for the first time in a long while, I felt a sense of normalcy and happiness.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you love football games! Maybe someday I will take you to watch a match with me,¡± Levi said excitedly, and I smiled. ¡°I can¡¯t wait,¡± I said, while we both chuckled.


    After our meal, we decided to watch a romantic movie. After getting our tickets, Levi bought some refreshments before we entered the cinema. Seated beside each other, we focused our eyes on the screen and asionally looked at each other when a romantic or funny part came up. Levi was naturally warm, with an aura of warmth around him that made it easy for anyone to feelfortable. This made me realize that what Alpha Edward said was true. It was easy for Edward¡¯s first mate to fall in love with Levi. He has this charm which I believe mostdies will easily fall for.


    We watched three different movies at the cinema.


    After leaving the cinema, we decided to take a stroll around town. The evening air was cool and refreshing, and the streets were beautifully lit. We wandered into a small park where a local band was ying soft music.


    Levi turned to me with a yful smile. ¡°Would you like to dance?¡±


    I hesitated for a moment, then nodded. ¡°Sure, why not?¡±


    He took my hand and led me to a small clearing where other couples were dancing. As we swayed to the music, I couldn¡¯t help but beam at Levi, who was smiling back at me.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Levi said, but I shook my head. ¡°I should be the one saying thank you. Thank you for taking me out; I needed it,¡± I said, and Levi smiled wider. I couldn¡¯t deny that he had a beautiful smile.


    When the song ended, we walked back to the car, our steps slow. Levi nced at me, his expression rxed.


    ¡°I hope we do this again,¡± he said, and I nodded. ¡°Definitely, we will do this again,¡± I assured him and saw him smile.


    We got into the car, and after a few minutes¡¯ drive, we arrived at the mansion. Levi was the first toe out of the car, and when he did, he stepped aside for me toe out.


    ¡°I wish today wouldn¡¯te to an end,¡± he murmured, and Iughed softly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we will go out more,¡± I assured him. He nodded and leaned closer to me, cing a kiss on my cheek. ¡°See youter¡­¡± he stopped, and I noticed he was staring at someone or something behind me. Out of curiosity, I turned, and my breath hitched in my chest when I saw Alpha Edward seated in a wheelchair, nkly staring at us.

 Losing her to Levi

    Alpha Edward¡¯s POV


    The look of guilt was etched all over Amanda¡¯s face when she realized I had caught them in the act. Pain and rage bubbled inside of me, and for a moment, I wished I could go over to Levi, grab him by the cor, and warn him to stay away from Amanda. But I couldn¡¯t; I was confined to a wheelchair. What could I possibly do?


    Amanda couldn¡¯t look at me any longer and turned away. I noticed Levi whispered something to her, which I could hear. ¡°See you tomorrow,¡± he said before making his way toward me. When he reached me, he grinned. ¡°Goodnight, cousin,¡± he smirked and walked past me.


    As Levi walked past, I felt a surge of anger and frustration. What was going on between them? Were they already having an affair? How could Amanda do this to me? And with my own cousin? Was this payback from her? I tried to calm myself down, taking deep breaths and focusing my attention on Amanda.


    I looked up to see Amanda still standing there, her eyes avoiding mine. She knew she had been caught, and she knew she had hurt me deeply. I could see the guilt written all over her face, but there was something else in her eyes, something I couldn¡¯t quite ce.


    ncing at her, I noticed she was well-dressed, as was Levi, and I came to the conclusion that they had gone out on a date.


    She hesitated for a moment before making her way towards me. When she got to me, she went silent for a moment before speaking. ¡°Today was Levi¡¯s birthday, and he asked me to go out with him,¡± she announced, while a bitter scoff left my lips.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    ¡°Really? Since when did you and Levi be friends, huh?¡± I asked bitterly. ¡°Oh, since you realized I couldn¡¯t use my legs anymore?¡±


    ¡°Stop it!¡± she yelled. ¡°What are you trying to use me of? Are you saying I¡¯m fucking your cousin?¡± she yelled while I swallowed in pain. ¡°If that¡¯s what you¡¯re thinking, well, for now, you¡¯re wrong, but who knows, it might not be for long. Maybe I¡¯ll find morefort in his arms than I ever did in yours. Maybe I¡¯ll finally get the love and attention I deserve.¡±


    Her words were like daggers, each one cutting deeper than thest. She showed no sign of remorse, only anger and hate.


    ¡°Good night, Alpha Edward.¡± With those final words, she left me, and a strand of tears fell on my cheek. I had to quickly wipe it off; I am an Alpha, Alphas are not allowed to cry and let their followers see it.


    Turning my wheelchair away, I wheeled myself to the garden. Getting to the garden, I closed my eyes and let the tears fall freely on my cheeks. Amanda¡¯s words yed in my head, causing my heart to ache in pain. Yet again, Levi was going to take another mate from me.


    Levi, with his charm and charisma, could win over any woman he desired. He always had that ability, a natural maism that I could never match, even when I was at my strongest.


    Levi had always been able to get what he wanted, his charm disarming everyone around him. He had a way of making people feel special, and I could see how Amanda might be drawn to that. In my current state, I was no match for him.


    The thought of Amanda being in his arms was killing me, and I hated myself for being so helpless. What could I possibly do? How could I possibly win her back? Not when I¡¯m crippled, why would she want to be with a crippled man who hurt her?


    Opening my eyes, I wiped off my tears, and memories of this ce with Amanda yed in my head. I remembered how we made love here the night before she left. It was one of the best nights of my life, and also one of the nights which made me realize I was actually in love with her. I had always loved Amanda, but never knew it because I was clouded by pain and hate.


    ¡°Alpha Edward.¡± I heard Matthew¡¯s voice behind me and quicklyposed myself.


    ¡°You are here all alone,¡± he said as he walked over to me and stood before me, his inquisitive eyes on me. ¡°Have you been crying?¡± he asked, but I didn¡¯t respond. Rather, I looked away.


    ¡°Is it because of Levi and Amanda going out? Are you scared?¡± Matthew asked while I sighed and closed my eyes. There was no need lying to him; Matthew knows me well.


    ¡°Levi wants her, Matthew. I could see it in his eyes, and whatever woman he wants, he gets her.¡±


    ¡°Not Amanda. Edward, Amanda is different,¡± Matthew assured me while I chuckled bitterly and shook my head. ¡°You are wrong this time, Matthew. Amanda wants payback, and she will be with Levi to pay me back.¡± I sighed, while holding myself from breaking down.


    ¡°Amanda will not do that, Edward. She is just being friendly with Levi¡­¡±


    ¡°That was the same thing we thought about Veronica, my first mate, but guess what? She fell in love and ended up with him!¡± I grunted, my fear rising to its peak.


    ¡°Calm down, I will speak to Amanda¡­¡±


    ¡°There is no need speaking to her, Matthew. I don¡¯t see a future with her. I mean, I¡¯m crippled. What could I possibly give her?¡± I sighed and looked up at Matthew.


    ¡°Take me to her. I need to have a word with her.¡± I pleaded, and Matthew, who seemed confused, nodded and wheeled me back inside the mansion.


    We didn¡¯t use the stairs, but rather the elevator and arrived at the hallway.


    We reached the door to Amanda¡¯s room, and Matthew hesitated before knocking. ¡°Are you sure you want to do this, Edward?¡± he asked, his voiceced with concern. ¡°You can talk to her tomorrow.¡±


    I shook my head, steeling myself for what¡¯s toe. ¡°I need to talk to her, Matthew.¡±


    Matthew nodded and opened the door, wheeling me inside. Amanda looked up from her seat on the couch, a look of surprise on her face.


    I took a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart. ¡°We need to talk, Amanda. About what I saw earlier.¡±


    Amanda¡¯s expression changed, and she looked away, anger written all over her face. ¡°I don¡¯t have to exin myself to you, Alpha Edward.¡± She sneered.


    ¡°Amanda!¡± Matthew cautioned.


    Amanda sighed and took a deep breath and began to speak, her words spilling out in a rush. ¡°Levi asked me out on a date, and I didn¡¯t see the harm in it. I thought it would be nice to get out of the house and have some fun.¡±


    ¡°Fun?¡± I repeated, my voice rising. ¡°You call going out with my cousin fun?¡±


    Amanda¡¯s eyes shed with anger. ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous, Alpha Edward. I¡¯m not interested in Levi romantically. We were just having a friendly outing.¡±


    I scoffed, disbelief etched on my face. ¡°Friendly outing? At night? Alone?¡±


    Amanda¡¯s face reddened, and she looked away, her voice barely above a whisper. ¡°It¡¯s none of your business what I do.¡±


    I felt a pang in my chest, and my eyes stung with unshed tears. ¡°You¡¯re tearing me apart, Amanda. You¡¯re ripping my heart to shreds.¡±


    Amanda¡¯s eyes snapped back to mine, and for a moment, I saw a glimmer of remorse. But it was quickly reced by anger. ¡°I¡¯m not doing anything wrong, Alpha Edward. I¡¯m just living my life.¡±


    I nodded, a bitterugh escaping my lips. ¡°You¡¯re living your life, all right. And I¡¯m just a crippled Alpha, stuck in this chair, unable to do anything about it,¡± I said bitterly, and silence hung in the room.


    ¡°Amanda, you are right. You deserve better, so I want to set you free for a better man to have you, perhaps Levi.¡± I said, and Amanda turned to face me, her eyes etched with confusion.


    ¡°Let¡¯s reject each other, and let¡¯s do it now. After all, that has been what you always wanted.¡±


    Amanda red up, her eyes zing with anger. ¡°You think that¡¯s what I wanted all along? To be free of you? You think I went through all this pain just to end up with your cousin?¡±


    I took a deep breath, trying to steady my voice. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to think anymore, Amanda. I just know that you deserve better, and I can¡¯t give you that.¡±


    Her face twisted in pain and anger. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare decide what I deserve. You don¡¯t get to make that choice for me.¡±


    Matthew, sensing the rising tension, stepped forward. ¡°Edward, maybe we should-¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I interrupted, my voice firm. ¡°We need to settle this now.¡±


    Amanda crossed her arms, her gaze cold and unyielding. ¡°Fine. You want to end this? Then let¡¯s end it. But don¡¯t you dare think for a second that this is about Levi. This is about you and your inability to see beyond your own pain.¡±


    Her words stung, but I held my ground. ¡°If that¡¯s how you feel, then let¡¯s make it official.¡±


    Amanda¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Fine, let¡¯s do it!¡±

 For the sake of Liam

    Amanda¡¯s POV


    Pain racked my entire body, threatening to overwhelm me, but I held back the tears. This was supposed to be what I wanted-to be free from this man. So why did I feel such intense pain and a desperate hope that he would take back his words?


    ¡°Please, both of you, stop this madness!¡± Matthew pleaded, but Alpha Edward remained silent, his eyes fixed on me.


    ¡°You go first. Reject me, so the pain will be less for you,¡± he urged, causing my anger to re. I folded my arms defiantly.N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    ¡°You go first. You were the one who brought up the topic of rejection in the first ce,¡± I sneered.


    Alpha Edward swallowed hard, gathering himself for what he was about to say. Our eyes locked, and I could see the determination in his gaze. He was so determine in rejecting me, and it tore my heart into pieces. It felt like I was about to lose something incredibly precious.


    Please, something, someone, stop him!


    ¡°I¡­ Alpha¡­¡± My heart pounded in my chest, a knot forming in my stomach.


    The door to my room burst open, and a panicked maid rushed in. ¡°Miss Amanda, something is wrong with Liam.¡±


    A wave of dread washed over me as the maid¡¯s words sank in. Liam? My son? I turned away from Alpha Edward, my rejection temporarily forgotten.


    ¡°What happened?¡± I demanded, rushing toward the maid.


    ¡°He¡¯s in his room, and he¡¯s barely breathing. Please,e quickly!¡± she pleaded, her voice trembling with fear.


    Without a second thought, I bolted out of the room, Matthew hot on my heels.


    We reached his room, my heart racing. Liamy on his bed, his face pale and his breaths shallow. Panic surged through me. I dropped to my knees beside him, taking his hand.


    ¡°Liam, can you hear me? Stay with me, please,¡± I whispered, my voice breaking.


    Matthew knelt beside me, checking Liam¡¯s pulse. ¡°We need to get the healer, now,¡± he said urgently.


    I nodded, tears blurring my vision. ¡°Go, get the healer,¡± I choked out.


    As Matthew rushed out of the room, I felt a presence behind me. I nced back to see Alpha Edward wheeling himself in, his face a mask of worry and concern. For a moment, our eyes met, and something unspoken passed between us. But there was no time to dwell on it.


    Alpha Edward wheeled himself closer, his hands trembling slightly on the armrests. ¡°Amanda, is he¡­?¡± His voice broke, the strong Alpha facade cracking.


    ¡°He¡¯ll be okay, Edward,¡± I whispered, more to convince myself than him. ¡°The healer will be here soon.¡±


    ¡°What happened¡­¡± he paused and took Liam¡¯s free hand into his. ¡°Buddy, stay with us.¡± He pleaded, his voice breaking down with emotion as if he wanted to cry.


    We stayed by Liam¡¯s side, waiting for the healer. Every second felt like an eternity. I prayed silently, begging whatever higher power existed to save our son.


    When the healer arrived, they sprang into action, assessing Liam¡¯s condition with practiced efficiency. I watched helplessly, clinging to the hope that they could save him.


    Finally, the healer turned to me, his face unreadable. ¡°Miss Amanda, your son is stable for now, but he needs to be monitored closely. We¡¯ve done all we can, but the next 24 hours are critical.¡±


    I nodded, barely able to speak. ¡°Thank you,¡± I managed to whisper.


    As the healer left the room, I felt a surge of relief, but also a gnawing fear. I turned to Matthew, who had returned and was standing beside Alpha Edward. ¡°He has to be okay. I can¡¯t lose him.¡±


    Matthew squeezed my shoulder reassuringly. ¡°He¡¯s strong, Amanda. He¡¯ll pull through.¡±


    I nced over at Alpha Edward, who was still watching Liam. His eyes had never left Liam. But then I noticed something in his eyes-a flicker of fear and deep concern-that made my heart ache even more. The man I was supposed to hate, the man who wanted to reject me, was here, and his worry for Liam was as if his world were crashing down with Liam.


    ¡°Why is he not opening his eyes yet?¡± Alpha Edward asked impatiently and worriedly.


    ¡°That is because he is sleeping, Alpha Edward, he is fine,¡± Matthew assured him. But Alpha Edward sighed, his hand still holding Liam¡¯s while his eyes were still fixed on him.


    ¡°I won¡¯t let anything happen to him,¡± he said, his voice filled with a desperate determination.


    ¡°Where are the doctors?¡± Alpha demanded.


    ¡°On their way,¡± Matthew responded. ¡°They will be here soon.¡±


    Just then, a knocknded on the door, and two doctors were escorted in by a female servant. ¡°Alpha, Beta,¡± the doctors greeted with a bow.


    I stood up, relieved but nervous. ¡°Please, help him,¡± I said, stepping aside for the doctors.


    They quickly assessed Liam, their serious expressions making my heart race with fear. I could barely breathe as I watched them work, each second feeling endless.


    Matthew stayed by my side, giving me support. Alpha Edward never left Liam, his eyes full of worry. Despite everything, his genuine concern for Liam softened something inside me.


    Finally, one doctor looked up. ¡°He¡¯s stable but still very weak. We need to monitor him closely and run tests to find the cause.¡±


    I nodded, my voice shaky. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    The doctors set up equipment and took Liam¡¯s blood before leaving.


    After they left, I went to sit by Liam¡¯s side. The tears I had been holding back came spilling, and I couldn¡¯t hold them back.


    ¡°He will be fine,¡± Alpha Edward whispered, more like he was assuring himself than me.


    ¡°Alpha, I have to leave. There is a situation I need to handle,¡± Matthew announced, while Alpha Edward nodded, giving him the go-ahead. Matthew moved over to me and gave me a kiss on the forehead. ¡°Liam will be fine,¡± he assured me, and all I could do was nod.


    Matthew left the room, leaving me with Alpha Edward to look after Liam.


    An awkward silence hung in the air as we both stared at one person, Liam, one person that connects us, one person we cared and loved so much.


    ¡°Has something like this ever happened?¡± Alpha Edward asked, and I shook my head, ¡°Liam is a healthy kid,¡± I responded, and Alpha Edward sighed.


    Silence. Silence. Silence.


    We just kept staring at Liam for hours.


    The room was steeped in a tense quiet, interrupted only by the soft hum of the medical equipment monitoring Liam. My eyes never left my son, even as exhaustion tugged at my eyelids.


    Alpha Edward sat nearby, the weight of unspoken words heavy between us.


    Finally, Alpha Edward broke the silence. ¡°Amanda,¡± he began, his voice soft and hesitant, ¡°about what happened earlier¡­¡±


    I tensed, not wanting to revisit the painful conversation about rejection. ¡°Not now, Edward. Let¡¯s focus on Liam.¡±


    He nodded, but I could sense he wasn¡¯t finished. ¡°I just¡­ I need you to know that I never wanted this. Any of it.¡±


    A bitterugh escaped my lips. ¡°And yet, here we are.¡±


    Edward sighed deeply, his gaze fixed on Liam¡¯s frail form. ¡°I was trying to protect you,¡± he said, his voice barely above a whisper.


    ¡°Protect me?¡± I echoed, incredulous. ¡°By pushing me away? By rejecting me?¡±


    He clenched his jaw, struggling to find the right words. ¡°You deserve better than me, Amanda. I thought¡­ I thought if I let you go, you could find happiness, real happiness.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare decide what¡¯s best for me,¡± I shot back, my voice trembling with emotion.


    Edward¡¯s eyes were filled with a mix of regret and sorrow. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he said simply. ¡°I¡¯ve made so many mistakes.¡±


    I looked away, the pain of his words cutting deep. ¡°It¡¯s toote for apologies, Edward. Our son is lying here, fighting for his life, and all I can think about is how much he needs both of us.¡±


    He nodded, his eyes never leaving Liam. ¡°You¡¯re right. For Liam¡¯s sake, we need to be strong. We need to be here for him. So let¡¯s keep the rejection aside for now and focus on Liam,¡± he pleaded, and I gulped hard. Why did I feel so relieved to hear that from him?

 Threats-2

    Alpha Edward¡¯s POV


    We fell into silence once more, the tension between us consuming but overshadowed by our shared concern for our son. Hours passed, each minute dragging on interminably. The doctors returned periodically, checking on Liam and updating us on his condition.


    I thought Amanda would close her eyes for even a second, but she never did. She was wide awake, just as I was.


    Finally, as the first light of dawn filtered through the window, Liam stirred. His eyes fluttered open, and he looked around groggily.


    ¡°Liam?¡± I whispered, my heart leaping with hope.


    ¡°Father?¡± he croaked, his voice weak.


    I leaned in, tears glittering in my eyes. ¡°I¡¯m here, baby. I¡¯m right here.¡±


    Amanda moved closer, her expression one of intense relief. ¡°Hey, Liam,¡± she said softly. ¡°You gave us quite a scare.¡±


    Liam¡¯s eyes flickered to Amanda, a faint smile tugging at his lips. ¡°Mama,¡± he murmured, reaching out weakly.


    Amanda took his hand, her own eyes brimming with tears. ¡°I¡¯m here too, Liam. We¡¯re both here.¡±


    Liam smiled weakly and then turned to me. ¡°I had a dream about you, Father,¡± he said, sounding so worried.


    ¡°Really? Tell me about it.¡±


    Liam swallowed hard. ¡°I saw you¡­ lying in a pool of blood, Father. I ran to you and begged you to wake up, but you were numb.¡± His voice broke with emotion. ¡°Father, I¡¯m scared.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be.¡± I shed him an assuring smile. ¡°It¡¯s just a dream, buddy, just a dream.¡±


    Liam shook his head. ¡°No, Father, it seemed so real. You have to be careful.¡± Liam pleaded, his eyes filled with concern and worry for me. ¡°Promise me that you will be careful.¡± He pleaded desperately, and my heart fluttered. It was overwhelming to know Liam genuinely cared for me.


    ¡°I will, buddy, I will.¡± I promised.


    Just then, the doctors came in and examined Liam before injecting him. Within seconds, he fell asleep. The doctor examined him again before turning to us.


    ¡°Alpha, he is now stable and will be asleep for at least five hours. You two should please go rest; the nurse will watch over him.¡±


    I looked at Amanda, who nodded and got to her feet. ¡°Please look after him and call us if anything happens,¡± she pleaded to the nurse, who nodded.


    I watched her nce at Liam for another moment before she turned and looked at me, frowning. ¡°You should also get some rest as well,¡± she said before walking out of the door.


    I nced at Liam for another moment, making sure he was okay, before I wheeled myself out of his room. Upon getting out of his room, I met Amanda leaning against the wall, obviously waiting for me.


    ¡°We need to talk,¡± she said, folding her arms.


    ¡°What is it?¡± I asked, hoping it had nothing to do with the rejection. I still didn¡¯t want to let her go.


    ¡°About Liam¡¯s dream, you have to take it seriously. Liam¡¯s dreams havee to pass on different asions,¡± she grumbled while I furrowed my brow and looked at her. ¡°Are you worried about me?¡± I asked because it seemed she was.


    ¡°Hell no,¡± Amanda scoffed. ¡°I care about Liam and how this will affect him so badly if anything happens to you,¡± she sneered, but somehow it felt she was lying, or perhaps I was just imagining things.


    ¡°Be careful, if not for yourself, at least for Liam.¡± With those words, she turned and began walking away while I just kept staring at her until she was out of sight.


    Inhaling deeply, I took the elevator to my room. Reaching my room, two guards were positioned at the door, personal guards that will have to be with me 24/7 to attend to my needs. Seeing them made me realize how much I had reduced to a helpless man, who is at the mercy of others.


    Swallowing in pain, I got into my room and moved over to the window where I stood and inhaled the fresh morning air. My mind was upied with different thoughts as I wondered how I was going to rule my people from a crippled chair. Most members of the pack don¡¯t know I¡¯m in a wheelchair yet, and I feared what their reaction would be when they found out, not just them but the neighboring pack who might want to use my helplessness as an advantage and wage war.


    Still pondering in thoughts, I noticed the door to my room open, and when I moved my attention to the door, I realized it was Levi. Just the mere sight of him deepened my frown.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± I asked, wheeling over to him.


    A smirk appeared on his face as he mockingly nced at me as I wheeled up to him. ¡°You are really fast on this chair. It seems you are already getting used to it, what a fast learner.¡± He mocked, and I could feel my anger rising.


    ¡°What do you want, Levi? Say it and get out before I call the guards on you!¡± I yelled in an outburst, but he only smirked and lowered himself to my height.


    ¡°I heard you and Amanda almost rejected each other.¡±


    ¡°That is none of your business,¡± I spat, and he smiled.


    ¡°You think so? From what I discovered, you were pained and scared of losing her to me, so you decided to reject her instead so what happened nine years ago wouldn¡¯t repeat itself!¡± He smirked, causing my anger to re up.


    ¡°Amanda is different from Veronica, you can never have her!¡± I dered possessively, and I heard Levi let out a loud chuckle, his eyes filled with mockery.


    ¡°You think so? Is that what you think? That Amanda is different? Are you so sure about it?¡± Levi challenged, and a sudden fear enveloped me, but I masked it up and put on a straight face.


    ¡°Yes, Amanda is different from Veronica and other girls you have been able to lure into your bed, Levi. You can¡¯t have her, now get out,¡± I said dismissively, and Levi¡¯s smirk widened.


    I watched him stand upright before he took a step away from me. ¡°Two weeks, Edward, give me two weeks, and you will see Amanda hovering around me. But not just that, I will fuck her under this roof, and you will hear her moan out my name.¡±N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    ¡°Get out!¡± I yelled and tried getting to him.


    But As I struggled to get up, it was useless, my feet couldn¡¯t carry my weight. The two guards rushed into the room and red at Levi.


    ¡°Take him out,¡± I yelled, my blood boiling with anger.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m leaving already. Two weeks, cousin, two weeks.¡± He smirked before leaving the room.


    ¡°Damn it!¡± I yelled, my whole body vibrating with rage and helplessness.


    ¡°Alpha¡­¡±


    ¡°Get out!¡± I yelled at the guards who bowed and dashed out of the room.

 Beauty and the Beast

    Amanda¡¯s POV


    After taking my bath, I went back to Liam¡¯s room but found him sleeping while the nurse was still by his side, attending to him. After making sure he was okay, I decided to go back to my room and get some rest. On my way back, I met Levi in the hallway.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been looking everywhere for you. How have you been?¡± he asked.


    I sighed. ¡°I¡¯m just exhausted and scared,¡± I murmured, and suddenly Levi pulled me into his embrace. His action was surprising, but I let myself rx in his arms for a moment before pulling away.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± I shed him a weak smile. He went to my hair and tucked it behind my ears. ¡°You look so tired. Get some sleep,¡± he urged, and I nodded before walking away.


    Getting back to my room, Iy on the bed, and all that had happened in the past 24 hours yed back in my head. I realized that if not for Liam¡¯s sudden illness, Alpha Edward and I would have been separated by now, and the thought of that made me anxious. I thought of Alpha Edward and how he could even think of rejecting me when he ims he loves me. How could he want to let me go just like that?


    Sighing heavily, I closed my eyes, and due to exhaustion, I drifted to sleep.


    Waking up, I realized the sun had gone down, making me aware that I had slept for a long time. Getting down from the bed, I rushed to Liam¡¯s room and found Alpha Edward and Liam discussing. Noticing my presence, they looked up at me.


    ¡°Mama, you are here,¡± Liam said, his voice strong and energetic.


    ¡°Yes, Liam. How are you?¡± I asked while getting closer to him.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, Mother. I feel better now,¡± Liam said, causing a smile to spread across my face. ¡°Father has been telling me stories, but the one I am most interested in is the story of the Beast and the beauty. Mother, you will love it,¡± Liam said excitedly while Alpha Edward and I exchanged nces. Holding his gaze, I realized his eyes looked so weak and lifeless. His usual fascinating green piercing eyes looked so dull, and somehow it made an ufortable feeling hit my chest.


    ¡°Please continue, Father. What happened next?¡± Liam pleaded.


    Alpha Edward hesitated for a moment before he continued. ¡°The truth was revealed, son. The beauty was innocent of all the chargesid against her, and not just that, but she was the true queen of the beast.¡±


    ¡°What!¡± Liam eximed in shock, clearly engrossed in the story. ¡°Yes, son, she was the beast¡¯s true queen and not herte step-sister,¡± Alpha Edward announced, and I furrowed my brow.


    ¡°What happened next, Father?¡± Liam urged, clearly so interested in the story.


    ¡°The beast realized his mistake, but it was already toote, and the beauty wouldn¡¯t forgive him.¡±


    ¡°She shouldn¡¯t. He caused her a lot of pain. Father, I¡¯m with the beauty on this. No matter what, he shouldn¡¯t have treated her with such cruelty,¡± Liam murmured, and I stared at him proudly.


    Alpha Edward looked my way, while I frowned and looked at Liam, who was still interested in the story.


    ¡°What next, Father? What happened?¡± Liam urged.


    Alpha Edward sucked in a deep breath before he continued. ¡°The beast went to war and came back crippled,¡± he announced, and Liam frowned while I looked at Alpha Edward, whose eyes were avoiding me. It was clearly obvious he was telling Liam our story.


    ¡°That serves him right. He should pay for what he did, right, son?¡± I asked Liam, who nodded vehemently. ¡°Yes, Mother. He deserves to suffer for what he did to the beauty.¡±


    Alpha Edward¡¯s expression tightened, and his voice grew softer. ¡°And when the beast returned from the war, he was severely injured. He couldn¡¯t walk, couldn¡¯t fight. He was at the mercy of those he had wronged.¡±


    Liam¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°What happened then, Father?¡±


    ¡°The beauty had every right to leave him, to let him suffer alone,¡± Alpha Edward continued, his voice trembling slightly. ¡°But she chose to stay. She chose to care for him, despite everything he had done.¡±


    Liam looked confused. ¡°Why would she do that, Mother? After all the pain he caused her?¡±


    ¡°I think the beauty just wanted to see him suffer,¡± I sneered while Alpha Edward and I exchanged nces.


    ¡°So, did the beast change, Father? Did he be better?¡±


    Alpha Edward looked down, his voice barely above a whisper. ¡°The beast tried. He truly did. But some wounds are hard to heal, and some mistakes are hard to forgive.¡±


    Liam seemed to consider this before looking at me. ¡°What do you think, Mother? Do you think the beauty should forgive the beast? He is now a changed man?¡± Liam asked, and I couldn¡¯t speak; my words were stuck in my mouth.


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t deserve forgiveness, son. The beauty deserves better.¡± Alpha Edward muttered.


    ¡°Really? Who gives the beast the right to make such decisions for the beauty?¡± I snapped at Alpha Edward.


    ¡°Because he knew it. He knew he doesn¡¯t deserve her, so he has to let her go.¡±


    My frown deepened. ¡°I think the beast should let the beauty make the decision herself,¡± I sneered.


    ¡°Well, I think she has because the beauty is now going out with the beast¡¯s cousin. It seems she will end up with him,¡± Alpha Edward said, and I frowned. What the fuck was wrong with him?


    ¡°Really? She left the beast for his cousin?¡± Liam asked, but I quickly responded.


    ¡°No, Liam, the beast was just seeing things the wrong way,¡± I said firmly, ring at Alpha Edward. His attempt to twist the story infuriated me. ¡°The beauty didn¡¯t leave the beast for his cousin. She stayed because she saw something in the beast worth saving, despite all the pain he caused her.¡±


    Alpha Edward¡¯s eyes met mine, filled with a mixture of regret and longing. I refused to back down. ¡°The beauty deserves to make her own decisions, and she deserves happiness,¡± I continued, my voice steady. ¡°If the beast truly loves her, he would respect that.¡±


    Liam looked between us, sensing the tension. ¡°But what if the beast really tries to change, Mother? Doesn¡¯t everyone deserve a second chance?¡±


    I took a deep breath, trying to find the right words. ¡°It¡¯s not about deserving, Liam. It¡¯s about actions. If the beast truly changes, it¡¯s up to the beauty to decide if she can forgive him. But she should never feel obligated to stay because of guilt or pity.¡±


    Alpha Edward¡¯s face tightened, and he turned away slightly, pain evident in his expression. ¡°Sometimes, people make mistakes they can never fully make up for,¡± he said quietly. ¡°All we can do is try to be better.¡±


    I softened slightly, seeing the torment in his eyes. ¡°Yes, and sometimes, trying is all we can do. But it¡¯s the beauty¡¯s choice whether she wants to give the beast another chance.¡±


    ¡°So what happened, Father? Did the beast and beauty end up together?¡± Liam asked, and Alpha Edward and I remained silent as we both didn¡¯t know what to say.


    ¡°They didn¡¯t,¡± Alpha Edward spoke, and I red at him, an ufortable feeling blooming in my chest. ¡°The beast isn¡¯t deserving of the beauty, and besides, the beauty found someone better.¡±


    My frown deepened.


    ¡°Oh! I wish they ended up together. He was a changed man; he only did what he did to her because he was driven by pain,¡± Liam murmured, sounding so mature for his age.


    I nced at Liam, amazed at his perceptiveness. Alpha Edward looked pained, his expression filled with regret and longing. I knew he was trying to tell me something through this story, but I wasn¡¯t ready to let my guard down. Not yet.


    I sighed and looked at Liam. ¡°Stories don¡¯t always have happy endings, son. Sometimes, people make mistakes that can¡¯t be undone, no matter how much they try to change.¡±


    Liam nodded thoughtfully. ¡°But Mother, don¡¯t you think everyone deserves a second chance if they¡¯re truly sorry?¡±


    ¡°Everyone does, but-¡±


    ¡°Liam.¡± Alpha Edward cut me off. ¡°You should go to sleep. We will continue tomorrow, okay.¡±


    Liam nodded andy back on the bed. His personal nurse returned and took her position. ¡°Call us if anything goes wrong,¡± Alpha Edward said, and the nurse nodded. ¡°Good night, son.¡± He ced a kiss on Liam¡¯s forehead. ¡°Good night, Father,¡± Liam whispered, already half asleep.


    Alpha Edward nced at me for a moment before leaving the room.


    After he left, I sucked in a deep breath and ced a kiss on Liam¡¯s forehead before leaving the room.


    Out of his room, I wanted to go back to my room but decided to have a talk with Alpha Edward.


    Without knocking, I entered his room and noticed he was seated on the bed. He seemed surprised to see me. ¡°You have to stop telling such lies,¡± I murmured, and he lowered his gaze at me. ¡°What lie?¡±


    I frowned. ¡°That I¡¯m having something with Levi when you know it¡¯s not true,¡± I said, and Alpha Edward chuckled bitterly. ¡°It will only take some time, and you will run into his arms,¡± he said, causing my anger to bubble. He sounded so sure about it, and I hated it. ¡°And what makes you so sure about it?¡± I spat.


    I red at Alpha Edward, anger bubbling up inside me. ¡°And what makes you so sure about it?¡± I spat again.


    He chuckled bitterly, his eyes cold. ¡°Because Levi can give you everything I can¡¯t. He can fuck you and do many things I never could.¡±


    The words cut deep, and without thinking, I surged forward, pushing him back onto the bed. ¡°Is that what you think?¡± I hissed, my face inches from his. ¡°Let me prove to you that you can still fuck me.¡±


    Alpha Edward¡¯s eyes widened in surprise and confusion as I straddled him, feeling the heat of our anger and unresolved tension radiate between us. His hands gripped the sheets, knuckles white, as I leaned down, our breaths mingling.


    ¡°You think Levi can rece you?¡± I whispered harshly, my voice shaking with anger. I couldn¡¯t exin why his words were having such an effect on me. ¡°You think he can satisfy me like you did?¡±


    I could feel the hesitation in his body, the conflict in his eyes. But he didn¡¯t resist as I leaned in, capturing his lips with mine in a bruising, demanding kiss. His mouth responded instantly, fierce and hungry, as if he were trying to reim something lost.


    My hands roamed down his chest, fingers digging into his skin, feeling the tension of his muscles beneath. He groaned into my mouth, his hands finally releasing the sheets to grip my hips, pulling me closer. The feel of his strong, capable hands on me sent a shiver down my spine, igniting a fire in my core.


    Breaking the kiss, I yanked off my shirt, tossing it aside before reaching for his. I pulled it over his head, baring his chest to me. I traced the lines of his scars, marks of his battles, both physical and emotional. His eyes watched me, filled with a mix of desire and vulnerability.Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    ¡°You still think you can¡¯t satisfy me?¡± I challenged, my voice low and breathless.


    Alpha Edward¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, but he didn¡¯t resist as I straddled him, my hands gripping his shoulders with a fierce intensity. His vulnerability and the raw emotion in his gaze only fueled my anger.


    ¡°Is this what you wanted?¡± I growled, leaning down to kiss him hard, my lips pressing against his with a desperate need. He groaned into the kiss, his hands moving to grip my waist. Despite his weakened state, the familiar spark between us ignited, and I could feel his desire matching my own.


    I tore my lips from his, staring down at him with a mixture of rage and longing. ¡°You think I need Levi to feel wanted? To feel alive?¡± I demanded, my voice trembling with emotion.


    He shook his head slightly, his eyes darkening with lust. ¡°Amanda, I¡­¡±


    ¡°Shut up,¡± I interrupted, pulling off my jeans and tossing them aside. ¡°Show me you can still make me feel something.¡±


    Without waiting for a response, I moved my fingers on his bare chest, trembling with urgency. His breath hitched as I exposed his chest, running my hands over his firm muscles, feeling the heat of his skin beneath my touch.


    I leaned down, pressing kisses along his neck and corbone, biting and sucking hard enough to leave marks. His hands roamed over my body, squeezing my breasts through my bra, his touch sending shivers down my spine. I reached behind me to unsp my bra, letting it fall away to reveal my bare breasts.


    His eyes darkened further, and he groaned, leaning up to take one of my nipples into his mouth, sucking and licking with a fervent hunger. I gasped, arching my back to press myself closer to him, the sensation of his mouth on me driving me wild.


    I reached down to undo his pants, my hands brushing against his growing erection. He lifted his hips slightly to help me pull them down, revealing the hard length of him straining against his boxers. I yanked them down, freeing his cock, and he hissed as the cool air hit his skin.


    I positioned myself over him, my own pants and underwear already discarded in my frenzy. I took his cock in my hand, guiding it to my entrance, teasing him with the slick heat of my arousal.


    ¡°Do you feel that?¡± I whispered harshly, my eyes locked onto his. ¡°This is what you do to me.¡±


    Without waiting for a response, I sank onto him, taking him deep inside me. We both gasped at the sensation, the tight fit and the raw connection between us almost too much to bear. I began to move, riding him hard and fast, the bed creaking beneath us.


    His hands gripped my hips, guiding my movements as he thrust up into me as best he could, his eyes never leaving mine. The intensity of our connection, the blend of anger and passion, drove us both to the edge.


    ¡°You still think Levi could give me this?¡± I panted, my movements growing more frantic as I chased my release.


    He shook his head, his voice strained. ¡°No¡­ Amanda, I¡­¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± I cut him off, leaning down to kiss him again, our tongues tangling as we both reached the peak of our desire.


    I cried out as my orgasm hit, my body trembling with the force of it. He followed me over the edge, his own release filling me as he groaned my name, his hands gripping me tightly.


    For a moment, we stayed like that, our bodies entwined, the aftershocks of our release coursing through us. Then I pulled away, my breathing ragged, and looked down at him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t ever push me to Levi,¡± I said softly, my anger fading to be reced by a deep, aching sadness.


    He nodded, his eyes filled with regret and longing. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Amanda. I just¡­ I don¡¯t want to lose you.¡±


    I sighed, climbing off him and reaching for my discarded clothes. ¡°You have already lost me, Edward. I¡¯m just here for my son.¡±


    With that, I dressed quickly and left the room, my mind a whirlwind of conflicting emotions.

 Under the rain

    Amanda¡¯s POV


    Seated at the dining table having breakfast, my eyes met Alpha Edward¡¯s. But I awkwardly looked away, swallowing hard as I focused on my food. The memories of yesterday kept reying in my head. I couldn¡¯t exin the sudden outburst or why I reacted the way I did. Something inside me was triggered, and it was beyond my control. Despite it being an angry sex, I couldn¡¯t deny that I loved and enjoyed it. Just recalling it made me feel ufortable in my seat, and I hated it. I hated the strong pull this man had on me, despite how much I craved to hate him.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Levi asked, perhaps sensing my uneasiness.


    ¡°Yeah, yeah!¡± I cleared my throat, and my eyes met Alpha Edward¡¯s again. He had a nk look on his face, but I could tell he wasn¡¯t happy with my closeness to Levi.


    We noticed footsteps approaching the dining area, and when I looked in that direction, I was surprised to see a familiar ageddy. I couldn¡¯t remember her name, but I knew she was Levi¡¯s mother and Alpha Edward¡¯s aunt.


    ¡°Aunt!¡± Alpha Edward seemed excited to see her, and it was obvious from the way he called her.


    She walked over to where he was seated and hugged him tightly. Watching them, I could see how he rxed in her arms and closed his eyes. She seemed like his safe haven, and somehow, I was jealous. Which was ridiculous-she was his aunt, but I was his mate. I was supposed to be his safe haven! Christ, what is wrong with me?


    Taking a sip of my water, Iposed myself and watched them release from each other¡¯s arms. A tear dropped from her eyes, but she quickly wiped it off and looked in Liam¡¯s direction.


    A big smile spread over her face as she moved over to where Liam was seated and ced a kiss on his forehead. ¡°You must be Liam?¡± she asked, and Liam nodded. ¡°Nice meeting you, Liam. You can call me Aunt Victoria, I¡¯m uncle Levi¡¯s mother and Alpha Edward¡¯s aunt.¡± She introduced herself, and Liam smiled at her. For a moment, she kept staring at Liam with so much love in her eyes. Her eyes were glittering with tears, and it would only take some time before she burst out in tears.


    Looking away from Liam, she looked my way, and a smile spread across her face. ¡°Amanda, it¡¯s nice meeting you.¡± She smiled, and I smiled back at her. Remembering her, I realized she wasn¡¯t harsh to me during my worst periods, and I was grateful for that.


    She moved over to Levi and kissed him on the cheek before taking a seat. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me you wereing? I would have-¡±


    ¡°That wasn¡¯t needed. I only told Matthew about mying,¡± she said, and Alpha Edward nodded.


    ¡°Wee back. I hope you are staying long this time,¡± Alpha Edward urged, and she smiled and nodded at him.


    We all went back to our food while Alpha Edward talked to her. Looking at them, I could tell he really adored her like a mother. Seeing her had strengthened him, something I had failed to do.


    Swallowing my difort, I continued eating until we were through, and I escorted Liam back to his room. He was okay and didn¡¯t need any medication, although the doctors still hadn¡¯t told us what was wrong with him. After tucking him into bed and making sure he was fast asleep, I left his room and decided to take some fresh air in the garden.


    Strolling around the garden, I noticed a presence behind me. When I turned, I realized it was Alpha Edward¡¯s aunt.


    ¡°Can I join you?¡± she asked, and I reluctantly nodded. She moved over to where I stood and stood beside me. For a moment, we didn¡¯t say a word as we both kept staring at the blossom flowers.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry for all he did to you,¡± she apologized, breaking the silence.


    ¡°Unfortunately, that could not take away the pain I felt, the torture I went through,¡± I said through gritted teeth, and I heard her sigh.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing you need to apologize for,¡± I said, trying to keep my voice steady. ¡°What¡¯s done is done.¡±


    She looked at me with sadness in her eyes. ¡°I know, dear. But seeing you now, I can¡¯t help but feel responsible. Edward has always been¡­plicated, but he wasn¡¯t always this way. I just wish I could have done something to prevent all of this.¡±


    I turned away, focusing on a particrly vibrant flower. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. People make their own choices.¡±


    She sighed deeply. ¡°You¡¯re right. But it doesn¡¯t make it any easier to ept. Amanda, you have every right to be angry. But I hope, in time, you¡¯ll find a way to heal.¡±


    I clenched my fists, feeling the weight of her words. Healing seemed like a distant dream. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can ever forgive him,¡± I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper.


    Aunt Victoria ced a gentle hand on my shoulder. ¡°You don¡¯t have to forgive him right now, or ever if you don¡¯t want to. Just focus on taking care of yourself and Liam. You both deserve happiness.¡±


    Her words brought a lump to my throat. ¡°Thank you,¡± I managed to say, blinking back tears.


    We stood in silence for a while, the only soundsing from the gentle rustling of leaves and the distant chirping of birds. Despite everything, there was a strangefort in Aunt Victoria¡¯s presence.


    ¡°I should probably get back,¡± I said eventually, breaking the silence.


    She nodded, giving me a small, understanding smile. ¡°Of course. If you ever need someone to talk to, I¡¯m here.¡±


    I nodded and turned to leave, my thoughts a tangled mess. On my way to my room, I met Levi in the hallway.


    ¡°Just the right person I¡¯m looking for,¡± he said with a smile and moved closer to me. ¡°Would you love to go out? You, me, and Liam?¡±


    I furrowed my brow. ¡°Where?¡±


    ¡°A fair. You¡¯ll love it,¡± he said, and I smiled. Attending a fair sounded nice, and Liam would be so happy to go.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go get Liam ready,¡± I said to Levi, who nodded and left.


    Reaching Liam¡¯s room, I found him awake, so I dressed him for the fair. He was excited to go but kept asking if Alpha Edward wasing with us.


    ¡°Liam, Alpha Edward needs rest. He can¡¯t join us,¡± I said, and Liam nodded.


    ¡°What about Father?¡± he said, referring to Matthew. He still thought Matthew was his father.


    ¡°He is really busy, but don¡¯t worry, Uncle Levi is taking us,¡± I said to Liam, who shrugged. ¡°Alright.¡±


    After dressing up, we met Levi in the sitting room, waiting for us.


    The fair was vibrant and lively, filled with the sounds ofughter and music. We wandered through the various stalls, yed games, and enjoyed the rides. Liam¡¯s face lit up with joy as he won a small stuffed animal at one of the game booths. Levi was exceptionally good with him, guiding him through the different activities and making sure he was having fun.


    Watching them together made my heart swell. Levi seemed to have a natural way with children, his patience and kindness shining through. Every time Liamughed or smiled, Levi¡¯s face mirrored his happiness, and it made me smile, too.


    We shared cotton candy, watched a puppet show, and even rode the Ferris wheel. When Liam got tired, Levi carried him on his shoulders, and Liam giggled the whole time. It was heartwarming to see them bond so effortlessly.


    As the sun began to set, painting the sky with hues of orange and pink, we decided it was time to head home. Liam was sleepy but content, holding on to his new stuffed animal.


    ¡°Did you have fun?¡± Levi asked as we made our way back to the car.


    ¡°Yes! It was the best day ever!¡± Liam eximed, his eyes drooping with exhaustion.


    Levi smiled and ruffled Liam¡¯s hair. ¡°I¡¯m d you enjoyed it, buddy.¡±


    The drive back was peaceful. Liam fell asleep in the back seat, and I nced at Levi, feeling a sense of gratitude for the day.


    ¡°Thank you, Levi. Today was wonderful,¡± I said softly.


    He looked at me and smiled. ¡°Anytime, Amanda. It was my pleasure.¡±


    When we arrived at the mansion, Levi helped carry Liam out of the car and just as we arrived in the sitting room, we met alpha Edward with aunt Victoria. My eyes met with his, and I swallowed hard and looked away as a pang of guilt hit my chest despite knowing I didn¡¯t do anything wrong.


    ¡°We went to a fair,¡± I announced, trying to clear any misunderstandings. I was d Liam went with us, so Alpha Edward wouldn¡¯t have to think much about it. But why do I care what he thinks?


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Levi said, and I nodded, following him upstairs. Reaching Liam¡¯s room, Levi helped me tuck him in. After tucking him in, we quietly left his room, both of us smiling at the sight of him sleeping peacefully.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see you tomorrow,¡± Levi said, giving me a gentle kiss on the cheek before leaving.


    I watched him go, feeling warmth in my chest, but then I thought of Alpha Edward and frowned. The look he gave me downstairs was a look of, ¡°See what I mean?¡±


    I knew I would never have anything to do with Levi, but why do I feel the need for him to believe me?


    Feeling frustrated, I went into my room. It began raining heavily, so I had to close my window due to the intense wind. Iy on my bed, covering myself with the nket.


    Wrapped in the nket, my thoughts drifted to Alpha Edward. Somehow, I wished I were in his warm embrace, his arms, which felt like the safest ce in the world.


    ¡°Fuck!¡± I groaned and tossed around in bed, my mind a tangled mess of emotions. The rain continued pouring down, and I closed my eyes, trying to get some sleep. Suddenly, I felt ufortable, and I couldn¡¯t exin why. Sitting up in bed, I frowned and decided to check on Liam. Upon reaching his room, I found him sleeping soundly.


    Closing the door quietly, I wanted to go back to my room, but my feet directed me to Alpha Edward¡¯s room. Reaching his door, I hesitated, wondering why I was there, but I couldn¡¯t exin the forcepelling me to go in.


    Taking a deep breath, I pushed the door open. On entering, I found an empty room. My brow furrowed as I checked the bathroom, but he wasn¡¯t there, and my frown deepened.


    ¡°Where could he be?¡± I murmured and left the room. In the sitting room, I met a guard. ¡°Where is Alpha Edward?¡± I asked with unease.


    ¡°He is in the garden,¡± the guard exined, and I frowned. ¡°Garden? But it¡¯s raining so heavily.¡±


    ¡°He refused to leave the garden and ordered us to leave.¡±


    ¡°Damn you!¡± I grunted and walked out of the living room.


    Without thinking, I dashed out into the rain, my feet pounding against the wet ground as I made my way to the garden. The cold raindrops soaked through my clothes instantly, but I didn¡¯t care. All I could think about was Alpha Edward, alone, exposed and drenched.


    When I reached the garden, I found him sitting in his wheelchair, drenched to the bone, his expression a mix of anger and pain. The sight of him like that tore my heart, but I forced myself to remainposed.


    ¡°What the hell do you think you¡¯re doing out here?¡± I shouted over the roar of the rain, my voice trembling with a mix of anger and concern.


    He looked up at me, his eyes piercing through the downpour. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± he retorted, his voice equally strong.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to catch your death out here!¡± I argued, taking a step closer. The rain continued to pour, drenching us both.


    ¡°Why do you care?¡± he spat back, bitternesscing his words. ¡°You seem to be having a wonderful time with Levi.¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t about Levi!¡± I yelled, frustration boiling over. ¡°This is about you being stubborn and reckless!¡±


    ¡°Maybe I prefer it this way,¡± he muttered, turning his head away.


    I clenched my fists, feeling my temper re. ¡°Fine! Be as stubborn as you want! But I¡¯m not leaving you out here!¡±


    He red at me, his eyes zing. ¡°You think you can just waltz in and out of my life, Amanda? You think your concern means anything to me now?¡±


    ¡°Damn it, Edward, I¡¯m not doing this for fun! You¡¯re sitting out here in the pouring rain like you have nothing to live for!¡± I shot back, my voice breaking. ¡°You think you¡¯re the only one who¡¯s hurt? The only one who¡¯s struggling?¡±


    ¡°You have no idea what I¡¯m going through,¡± he snarled, his anger rising. ¡°You have no idea what it¡¯s like to feel useless, trapped in this damn chair!¡±


    My heart ached at his words, but I refused to back down. ¡°Then let us help you! Let us be there for you!¡±


    Heughed bitterly. ¡°Help me? You hate me, Amanda. You¡¯re so caught up in your own hate, you are only caring for me because of Liam.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare,¡± I hissed, stepping closer, the rain soaking us both. ¡°I¡¯ve been trying, Edward. Trying to be strong for Liam, for myself, for you. But you keep pushing me away!¡±


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because I don¡¯t want you here!¡± he shouted, his voice echoing in the garden.


    Those words hit me like a p, but I refused to show it. ¡°Fine,¡± I said, my voice shaking with rage. ¡°But I¡¯m not leaving you out here to drown in your misery!¡±


    Before he could respond, I marched over to him, my frustration boiling over. Without thinking, I climbed onto hisp, the rain continuing to pour down on us. His eyes widened in surprise as I crashed my lips onto his, pouring all my anger, confusion, and desire into the kiss.


    The kiss was intense and passionate, filled with a raw, unspoken emotion that neither of us could deny. His arms wrapped around me instinctively, pulling me closer as the rain continued to beat down on us. Our mouths moved hungrily against each other, tongues tangling in a desperate dance.


    Edward¡¯s grip tightened on me, his hands roaming over my soaked clothes, igniting a fire within me. I felt his desperation, his need, mirrored by my own. My fingers tangled in his wet hair, pulling him even closer, deepening the kiss.


    ¡°You¡¯re such an idiot,¡± I growled against his lips, my voice filled with both anger and need.


    ¡°And you¡¯re infuriating,¡± he shot back, his hands sliding under my shirt, lifting it over my head and tossing it aside.


    I gasped as the cold air hit my skin, but his touch quickly warmed me. His lips trailed down my neck, leaving a burning path in their wake. My fingers fumbled with the buttons of his shirt, yanking it open and running my hands over his wet, muscr chest. The rain continued to pour, but it only seemed to heighten the intensity of our desire.


    I shifted in hisp, feeling his arousal pressing against me, and a shiver of desire ran through me. Edward¡¯s hands slid under my pajamas pants, lifting it down my knees and tossing it aside. I gasped as the cold air hit my skin, but his touch quickly warmed me.


    ¡°Why do you have to be so damn stubborn?¡± I muttered, my hands working to free him from his pants.


    ¡°Because you drive me crazy,¡± he retorted, his voice rough with desire.


    I moved my hips, grinding against him, feeling his hardness through the thin fabric of my underwear. His hands found their way to my waist, gripping me tightly, guiding my movements.


    ¡°Damn it, Amanda,¡± he groaned, his voice thick with need. ¡°You¡¯re going to be the death of me.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± I replied breathlessly, lifting myself just enough to pull my shorts and underwear aside. ¡°Maybe you¡¯ll finally realize how much I care.¡±


    Without another word, I lowered myself onto him, gasping as he filled mepletely with his Dick. The sensation was overwhelming, a perfect mix of pain and pleasure. We stayed like that for a moment, both of us breathing heavily, the rain continuing to pour around us.


    ¡°Move,¡± hemanded, his hands gripping my hips even tighter.


    I obeyed, lifting myself slightly before sinking back down, setting a slow, torturous pace. Each movement was deliberate, designed to drive us both mad with need.


    ¡°Faster,¡± he growled, his fingers digging into my skin.


    Iplied, increasing my pace, our bodies moving together in perfect, desperate harmony. The rain soaked us to the bone, but it only seemed to heighten the intensity of our passion. Our skin slick and slippery, our breaths mingling in the cold air.


    ¡°Edward,¡± I gasped, feeling the tension build within me, each thrust pushing me closer to the edge.


    ¡°Don¡¯t stop,¡± he ordered, his voice a mix of anger and need. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare stop.¡±


    I had no intention of stopping. I rode him harder, faster, the intensity of our movements matching the storm raging around us. My nails raked down his chest, leaving angry red marks in their wake, but he didn¡¯t seem to care.


    ¡°Damn it, Amanda,¡± he groaned, his head falling back against the wheelchair, exposing his throat to me.


    Without thinking, I leaned forward, biting down on the sensitive skin, leaving hickeys. He responded with a growl, his hands tightening on my hips, bruising my skin.Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    ¡°I hate you,¡± I whispered against his throat, even as I moved faster, feeling the climax building within me.


    ¡°Good,¡± he replied, his voice rough. ¡°I hate you too.¡±


    Our bodies moved together in a frenzied dance, each thrust pushing us closer to the edge. The rain fell harder, the sound almost scaring, but we were lost in our own world, consumed by the intensity of our need.


    With a final, desperate cry, I felt myself shatter, the orgasm ripping through me with a force that left me breathless. Edward followed momentster, his release spilling into me, his body tensing beneath mine.


    For a moment, we stayed like that, tangled together, the rain washing over us, our breaths mingling in the cold air. Then, slowly, I lifted myself off him, feeling the loss of his warmth immediately.


    ¡°Get inside,¡± I said, my voice hoarse from the exhaustion. ¡°Before you catch your death.¡±


    He looked up at me, his eyes softened just a bit. ¡°Only if you promise to sleep with me tonight.¡±


    I met his gaze, seeing the vulnerability beneath the anger. ¡°Fine.¡±

 Left out

    Alpha Edward¡¯s POV


    After the guard helped me change into dry clothes and get into bed, anger filled my entire being. I felt so ashamed and worthless. The door opened, and Amanda walked into the room, already changed into dry clothes. Our eyes met, and we looked at each other for a moment before she walked over to the other side of the bed andid down.


    An awkward silence filled the room as we both stared at the ceiling, unsure of what to say. Within the span of twenty-four hours, we had sex twice, and I didn¡¯t know what to think about it. One thing was sure: Amanda still hated me, but she still cared for me.


    ¡°About the sex¡­¡± she cleared her throat and looked my way. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t think much about it. We were just horny and so¡­¡± she trailed off. I frowned but didn¡¯t say a word. ¡°So let¡¯s just say we were horny and decided to quench our desires,¡± she said while I remained silent. Of course, that was not what I felt, but I didn¡¯t want to argue with her over it.


    Silence filled the room again as we both stared at the ceiling. The rain had stopped falling, but a strong wind was blowing outside. I wished I could pull her into my arms, but I had no right to do that. I had lost such a right. Suddenly, she moved closer to me and gently ced her head on my chest, causing my heart to race.


    ¡°Go to bed, I¡¯m here,¡± she whispered, and a sigh left my lips. I felt a lump form in my throat as I wrapped my arm around her, holding her close.


    I was a mess, physically and emotionally, but at this moment, none of that mattered. All that mattered was Amanda¡¯s presence, her gentle touch, her soft voice whispering ¡°I¡¯m here¡± in my ear. I closed my eyes, feeling a wave of relief wash over me. I didn¡¯t deserve this, didn¡¯t deserve her kindness, but I couldn¡¯t bring myself to push her away. I needed her, needed this, more than I needed air.


    As wey there, the storm raging outside, I felt a sense of calm wash over me. It was fragile, I knew, but it was something. And with Amanda by my side, I felt like maybe, just maybe, we could pass this storm together.


    I tightened my hold on her, my arm trembling with emotion. I wanted to tell her everything, to apologize for all the pain I¡¯d caused, but words failed me. All I could do was hold her, cherish this moment, and hope that someday, somehow, I would be deserving of her.Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    Waking up the next morning, I noticed Amanda sleeping soundly in my arms. A smile spread across my face as I ran a finger across her cheek, and at that moment, I wished I could wake her up with kisses, but I held back. I didn¡¯t want to cross our boundaries and make her angry.


    Not wanting to wake her up, I remained still while she slept soundly until a knock came on the door, and I frowned. The door opened, and it was Matthew, who seemed surprised to see Amanda in my bed.


    ¡°Apologies, I never knew she was here,¡± he said, and that woke Amanda from her sleep. She left my arms, and our eyes locked, but she quickly looked away and got down from the bed.


    ¡°Good morning, brother,¡± she greeted Matthew, who had a big grin on his face. ¡°Good morning, Amanda, I believe you had a pleasant night,¡± he smirked, and I red at him.


    Amanda looked away, not wanting him to see her expression.


    ¡°Well, you have an appointment with an orthopedist. He will be here within an hour, so¡­¡± Matthew trailed off, and I sighed, looking at Amanda, who held my gaze for a moment before looking away.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go check on Liam,¡± she said and excused herself from the room.


    After she left, Matthew folded his arms and gave me a suspicious look. ¡°I believe you had a pleasant night¡­¡±


    ¡°Shut up and help me get ready,¡± I snapped, and he chuckled before moving over to me.


    Matthew helped me to the bathroom and ced me inside the tub. As I bathed, I felt like tearing up, but I held back. Matthew helped me get dressed, and after that, he wheeled me to the elevator that would take us downstairs for breakfast.


    Arriving on the first floor, we got out of the elevator, and as I wheeled myself to the dining room, I heard loudughtering from the dining area. Getting closer, I saw Amanda, Levi, and Liamughing loudly. Levi seemed to have said something that got themughing so hard, and a pang of jealousy hit me. It was supposed to be me making themugh and not Levi.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Matthew asked when he noticed I wasn¡¯t moving.


    ¡°Good morning, godfather, good morning, father,¡± Liam greeted with a warm smile as I entered the room.


    ¡°Morning, buddy,¡± I replied, trying to keep my voice steady. I wheeled myself to the table and joined them, the atmosphere light and filled with joy that felt foreign to me.


    ¡°Guess what, Godfather!¡± Liam eximed, his eyes bright with excitement. ¡°Uncle Levi was telling us about the time he got stuck in a tree when he was my age!¡±


    I forced a smile, trying to engage. ¡°Oh really? That sounds interesting.¡±


    I already knew that story.


    Levi chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. ¡°Yeah, I thought it would be a good idea to climb the tallest tree in the yard. Turns out, getting up was a lot easier than getting down.¡±


    Amandaughed softly. ¡°And he had to wait until someone noticed and called for help. He was stuck there for almost an hour.¡±


    I know that; I was the one who saw him and called for help.


    Liam giggled. ¡°Uncle Levi said he thought he was going to live up there forever!¡±


    Levi ruffled Liam¡¯s hair affectionately. ¡°I was pretty sure I¡¯d have to start making a nest.¡±


    Amanda¡¯s eyes sparkled, and Liam added, ¡°And then, when help finally arrived, they had to use adder to get him down. It was quite a sight.¡±


    Levi grinned. ¡°I think I learned my lesson that day. No more climbing trees without a n.¡±


    They allughed again, the sound of their mirth filling the room. I tried to join in, but the feeling of being an outsider gnawed at me. As they continued their conversation, I couldn¡¯t help but feel a pang of jealousy and sadness.


    ¡°So, what¡¯s the n for today?¡± Amanda asked, looking at Levi.


    ¡°I was thinking we could take Liam to the park,¡± Levi suggested. ¡°Let him burn off some of that energy.¡±


    Liam¡¯s face lit up. ¡°Can we go to the one with the big slide?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Levi replied, smiling warmly at him.


    ¡°That sounds like a great idea,¡± Amanda agreed. ¡°Liam feels suffocated in here.¡±


    They continued to discuss their ns for the day, their conversation filled withughter and warmth. I tried to engage, but my mind kept drifting back to the painful reality of my situation. I felt left out, a spectator in a moment of happiness that I couldn¡¯t fully partake in.


    My appetite vanished as the cheerful atmosphere only highlighted my sense of istion. The pain of being an outsider in this moment was too much to bear.


    ¡°Excuse me,¡± I mumbled, pushing away from the table. I wheeled myself back towards the elevator, feeling a mix of sorrow and frustration. As I left, I couldn¡¯t help but nce back, seeing Amanda¡¯s concerned expression before the elevator doors closed.


    I wanted to wheel back to my room, but I remembered a certain person and decided to go see her in the dungeon. Arriving at the dungeon, I wheeled up to her cell, stood at the gate, and looked into her cell. She was seated on the floor. A magical cord still wrapped around her, which prevented her from using her witchcraft power or shifting to her wolf. It had been months since she had been kept in this cell. I wanted to sentence her to death, but I didn¡¯t know why I was still keeping her alive.


    ¡°You are here,¡± she chuckled as she lifted her head and nced at me. I growled and stared at her with anger. I wished I could kill her and make her pay for all she did, but not so soon.


    ¡°You came to pay me a visit, huh?¡± She smirked devilishly, and I grunted, anger simmering inside of me.


    ¡°Oops! You¡¯ve lost your legs, what a pity.¡± She mocked while my anger rose as I clenched my fist.


    ¡°Since you are here, I should give you another prophecy.¡± She smirked and got up on her feet. She tried approaching the gate, but the chain restrained her, and she was forced to stop halfway.


    ¡°Get ready, Alpha Edward, you are going to die, but before then, you will watch the woman you love being taken away from you by none other than your cousin!¡± Sheughed loudly, and I swallowed in difort.


    ¡°You are lying!¡± I yelled, not wanting to believe her. This witch was ying mind games with me.


    ¡°Really?¡± She lowered her gaze and met mine. ¡°Remember my first prophecy of Amanda being taken away from you? I believe it is happening now, and that is why you are this heartbroken.¡±

 Ridiculously falling for him

    Amanda¡¯s POV


    The moment Alpha Edward left the table, my mood suddenly changed, and I felt a pang of guilt. The look in his eyes before he left was that of a man whose world had been taken away from him, and I understood why he would feel that way.


    ¡°Excuse me, I will be back,¡± I said, getting up from the seat. I left and took the stairs to his room, but when I got there, it was empty. Thinking he might be in the garden, I went over there but couldn¡¯t find him. I went back into the mansion and asked a guard where he was, who told me he was in the gym room.


    Confused, I furrowed my brow, wondering why he was in the gym room. Out of concern, I made my way there, and upon stepping in, I saw Alpha Edward punching a dummy. I stood at the door and watched him hit it with so much anger. He was so engrossed in his anger that he didn¡¯t notice meing or standing by the door.


    I walked over to him and tried talking to him, but he ignored me and kept punching the dummy with his hands, which were now injured.


    ¡°Edward, stop! You¡¯re hurting yourself!¡± I pleaded, stepping closer and grabbing his arm to stop him.


    He finally paused, breathing heavily, his face contorted with rage and pain. ¡°Why do you care?¡± he spat out, pulling his arm away.


    ¡°Because I do care, Edward. Seeing you like this¡­ it hurts me too,¡± I admitted, my voice softening.


    Edward looked up at me for a moment before he shook his head. ¡°Just stay away from me, Amanda!¡± he spat with anger and pain.


    Anger bubbled inside of me. I was supposed to be the one angry; he was the one who caused me pain, but yet here I was trying to console him because ridiculously I was having feelings for this man.


    He tried to punch the dummy again, but I quickly stood before him and almost got punched, but he was quick to stop. ¡°What the fuck! I could have hit you.¡± He yelled through gritted teeth, and I frowned. ¡°Stop all this, Alpha Edward, what the fuck is your problem!¡±


    ¡°You are my problem!¡± he yelled. ¡°You are my fucking problem, Amanda! You have messed up my mind. I can¡¯t stop thinking about you. I can¡¯t breathe when you are not near me. Everything about you drives me crazy, yet you are peace. Your arms feel like the safest ce in the world, and this shit is fucking crazy!¡± he spat with an outburst.


    I stood there, stunned by his outburst, my heart pounding in my chest. For a moment, a tense silence filled the room as I struggled to find the right words.


    ¡°Edward, I-¡± I started, but the door swung open, and Levi stepped in, breaking the moment.


    ¡°It¡¯s time to go out. Liam is waiting for us,¡± Levi said, not clearly bothered that Alpha Edward and I were in the middle of a discussion, but his eyes flicked between us, taking in the scene.


    Edward¡¯s jaw tightened, and he turned away from me, running a hand through his hair in frustration. ¡°Please leave,¡± he muttered, avoiding my gaze.


    Levi looked at me, a hint of question in his eyes. ¡°Amanda, are youing? Liam¡¯s waiting.¡±


    I nodded, feeling broken. ¡°Alright,¡± I said softly, giving Edward onest look before following Levi out of the gym room.Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    As we walked down the hallway, Levi nced at me. ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    I took a deep breath, trying to steady my emotions. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine,¡± I replied, though my mind was still reeling from Edward¡¯s confession. The depth of his feelings had caught me off guard, and I couldn¡¯t ignore the way my own heart reacted.


    We reached the living room, where Liam was waiting with Aunt Victoria. His face lit up when he saw me, and I forced a smile, pushing aside my turmoil for his sake.


    ¡°Ready to go to the park?¡± Levi asked, trying to lighten the mood.


    Liam nodded eagerly, and I took his hand. ¡°Yes, let¡¯s go,¡± I said, trying to forget about Alpha Edward and the words he had said to me.


    As we headed out, I couldn¡¯t help but nce back, wondering if I should really leave or just go back to Alpha Edward and have a word with him. I think we should really talk and sort things out.


    As we made our way to the park, I tried to keep my focus on Liam and Levi. Liam¡¯s excited chatter and Levi¡¯s attempts to lighten the mood helped distract me, but my mind kept drifting back to Alpha Edward and his anguished outburst.


    ¡°Look, Mother!¡± Liam pointed excitedly at a group of ducks swimming in a pond. His enthusiasm was infectious, and I forced myself to smile and engage with him. We spent the afternoon ying games, exploring the park, and enjoying a pic. Levi and Liam seemed to bond more with each passing minute, which brought me somefort.


    However, despite the pleasant atmosphere and the efforts to keep my thoughts upied, a nagging sense of unease gnawed at me. Edward¡¯s words echoed in my mind, and the raw intensity of his feelings left me feeling both ttered and unsettled. I couldn¡¯t shake off the image of him punching that dummy, the pain, and rage in his eyes as he confessed how much I affected him.


    Levi noticed my distraction and tried to draw me into conversations, making jokes and telling stories, but my responses were often absent-minded. I appreciated his efforts, but I couldn¡¯t help the restless feeling that something was wrong. My heart wasn¡¯t fully in the moment, and the guilt of leaving Edward behind gnawed at me.


    ¡°Are you okay, Amanda?¡± Levi asked quietly as Liam ran ahead to chase after a butterfly.


    I sighed, my shoulders slumping. ¡°I can¡¯t stop thinking about Edward,¡± I admitted. ¡°His words, his anger¡­ I feel like I should be there for him, but at the same time, it¡¯s so confusing.¡±


    Levi smiled and moved closer to me. ¡°You are indeed an incredible woman, Amanda. Despite all he did to you, you still fell in love with him.¡±


    I furrowed my brow. In love? Who said I was in love with him?


    ¡°Let¡¯s go back to the mansion,¡± Levi suggested.


    The walk back to the mansion was filled with Liam¡¯s happy chatter, but my mind was elsewhere. When we arrived, the atmosphere had shifted dramatically. The once serene environment was now filled with frantic movement and worried faces.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± I asked a passing maid, who seemed on the verge of panic.


    ¡°It¡¯s Alpha Edward,¡± she replied, her voice trembling. ¡°He copsed in the gym. They think it might be serious.¡±


    My heart dropped. Without another word, I handed Liam to Levi and rushed inside, my mind racing with fear and guilt. I shouldn¡¯t have left him. I should have stayed and talked things through.


    Reaching his room, I saw doctors and healers surrounded Edward who was lying on the bed, unconscious. My chest tightened at the sight. His face was pale, and there was a visible bruise on his knuckles from hitting the dummy earlier.


    ¡°Edward!¡± I cried, pushing through the crowd to get to him. My heart pounded in my chest as I knelt beside him, reaching for his hand. ¡°What happened?¡± I demanded, looking around for answers.


    ¡°His body couldn¡¯t handle the stress,¡± one of the medics exined. ¡°He¡¯s been pushing himself too hard, both physically and emotionally.¡±


    Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes as I held Edward¡¯s hand, my mind racing with worry. ¡°Is he going to be okay?¡± I asked, my voice shaking.


    ¡°We¡¯re doing everything we can,¡± the medic assured me, but the uncertainty in their eyes did little to calm my fears.


    As they worked to stabilize him, I couldn¡¯t help but rey our conversation in the gym over and over in my mind. His words, his anger, and the way he had looked at me with such intensity. I realized now how much he was hurting, and I felt a wave of guilt for not being there for him when he needed me most.


    Matthew appeared at my side, cing aforting hand on my shoulder. ¡°Amanda, he¡¯s strong. He¡¯ll pull through this.¡±


    I nodded, though my heart was still heavy with worry. ¡°I should have stayed,¡± I whispered, feeling tears slip down my cheeks. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have left him alone.¡±

 Sent away

    Amanda¡¯s POV


    I stayed by his side, waiting for him to wake up, but he didn¡¯t. His eyes remained closed as if he felt my presence and didn¡¯t want to see me.


    ¡°Amanda, I think you should go to bed. The healers will look after him,¡± Matthew suggested, but I shook my head and took hold of Alpha Edward¡¯s hand, which was extremely cold. ¡°I will stay with him,¡± I murmured, my eyes fixed on him as if he would disappear if I looked away.


    For hours, I remained by his side, watching him. I couldn¡¯t believe that after all this man had done to me, here I was, staying by his side and wanting him to be okay.


    Hourster, I noticed his hand move. Slowly, he opened his eyes and furrowed his brow as he looked around. ¡°Edward? You are awake? Can you hear me?¡± I asked with relief, and he just turned his head and looked in my direction. Our eyes met for a moment, and I gave him aforting smile, but he just looked at me nkly and looked away.


    My heart ached, but Iposed myself and spoke. ¡°Are you okay?¡± I asked, but he ignored me and looked at the healers who were present in the room. He exchanged nces with them, and without being told, I knew he wasmunicating with them through the mind link. Realizing this, I felt heartbroken and left out, but I held up my emotions.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    A healer looked my way. ¡°Miss Amanda, please, you have to leave,¡± she pleaded, causing my brow to furrow.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°You have to please leave,¡± she pleaded again, and I looked at Alpha Edward, whose eyes were closed as if he didn¡¯t want to look at me.


    ¡°Is that what he told you? To ask me to leave?¡± I asked, pain striking my heart. The healers didn¡¯t say a word, but their silence confirmed what I needed to know.


    ¡°Fine!¡± I spat and got up on my feet. Storming out of his room, a tear dropped on my cheek, but I wiped it away. ¡°He doesn¡¯t deserve your tears, Amanda. You shouldn¡¯t be crying,¡± I mumbled in pain but cried even more. I couldn¡¯t stop the tears from falling.


    Going back into my room, I copsed on the bed and continued crying. I didn¡¯t know why I was crying, but I just kept crying. ¡°I hate you, Alpha Edward!¡± I spat in pain. ¡°I hate you so much, yet¡­¡± I sobbed. ¡°Yet I still love you!¡± I sobbed loudly and covered myself with the nket.


    The door to my room opened, and when I looked up, it was Matthew. ¡°Amanda, are you okay?¡± he asked, but I shook my head, left the bed, and fell into his arms while he hugged me tightly as I sobbed more.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯m here,¡± Matthew whispered tenderly to me, but the tears kept falling. Gently, he stroked my hair and just allowed me to cry until I got a grip of myself and pulled away from him.


    ¡°Are you okay now?¡± he asked while cupping my cheeks, but I didn¡¯t respond. Instead, I walked over to the bed and took a seat.


    A moment of awkward silence hung in the air before Matthew spoke. ¡°You have to get your things and that of Liam. I¡¯m taking you two home,¡± he said, and my brow furrowed. ¡°Maybe a few days away from here will do you good,¡± he suggested, but I frowned. ¡°Is this his suggestion? Is this what he wants?¡± I asked, consumed with pain and anger.


    ¡°Amanda¡­¡± Matthew called as he moved closer to me. ¡°You have to take a break from all this. You have to heal¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m doing perfectly fine!¡± I spat with pain. ¡°How dare him?¡± I yelled, ring up in anger. ¡°He was the one who caused me pain, broke me, and tortured me, yet I still want to be with him. But what does he do? He is sending me away!¡± I yelled while a tear dropped on my cheek. ¡°You know what? I¡¯m done! I¡¯m leaving!¡± I spat and went over to the wardrobe. With my hands trembling with rage and pain, I took my clothes from the hangers and began shoving them inside my box.


    ¡°I will go inform Sophia and help pack Liam¡¯s bag,¡± Matthew said before leaving the room. After he left, I let the tears I had been holding back flow freely down my cheeks, but I didn¡¯t stop packing. After a few minutes of packing, I took my bath and got dressed in a simple gown before going downstairs with my things.


    Arriving in the sitting room, I met Aunt Victoria seated with Levi. The moment they saw me, they both got up. ¡°Are you going somewhere?¡± Levi was the first to ask, and I nodded. ¡°I have to leave here,¡± I said and saw the disapproving look on his face. ¡°Who told you to leave? Was it Alpha Edward? You don¡¯t have to leave,¡± Levi pleaded, clearly not wanting me to leave. He tried taking my bag away from me, but I shook my head. ¡°I have to leave. He doesn¡¯t want me here,¡± I murmured while trying my best to hide my pain.


    Levi didn¡¯t seem to back down. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I will talk to him. You don¡¯t have to leave,¡± he tried going for my bag.


    ¡°Let her be,¡± Matthew spoke from the stairs. ¡°Stay away from her,¡± he demanded, clearly not happy with Levi trying to stop me.


    Matthew climbed down the stairs while holding Liam. When he got to where I stood, he asked a maid to take our things to the car. As the maid tried to take my bag, I hesitated, but the look Matthew gave me made me release my bag to her.


    ¡°I will miss you so much, Uncle Levi, but Father said we will be back soon,¡± Liam said as he hugged Levi. I watched them talk to each other, and then I noticed Sophiaing our way with her belongings. She held my gaze and stared at me with a worried look. Obviously, she knew I didn¡¯t want to leave.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Matthew said and took hold of Liam, who had a sullen look on his face. It was obvious he didn¡¯t want to leave too. ¡°Father, I don¡¯t want to leave Godfather,¡± Liam pleaded, and I swallowed in difort. ¡°You will be back soon, son. Grandpa and Grandma want to see you. Don¡¯t you want to see them too?¡± Matthew asked, and Liam frowned but nodded.


    ¡°Good, so let¡¯s go see them,¡± he said to Liam and then turned to me. ¡°Let¡¯s leave. The jet is already waiting for us.¡±


    Sucking in a deep breath, I looked around the mansion, taking in the picture of the ce. A sudden fear rushed inside me. Somehow, I was scared that I would never return, that I would never see him again.


    Tears gathered in my eyes, but I drew them back and turned toward the door. Reaching the door, I turned around and stared at the elevator and then the stairs, hoping he would appear and stop me. But after several seconds of standing there, nothing happened. Alpha Edward wasn¡¯t showing up.


    Swallowing my pain, I turned around and walked out of the living room.

 Powerless

    Alpha Edward¡¯s POV


    The door opened, and Matthew stepped into the room, closing the door behind him. ¡°We are about to leave. I¡¯ll drop them home and return tomorrow,¡± he announced.


    I swallowed hard and nodded.


    Matthew lowered his gaze. ¡°You know you can still change your decision and make them stay. I know Amanda and Liam really want to stay,¡± Matthew urged. As much as I wanted them to stay-they were my life, the two people I loved most in the world-I just couldn¡¯t. I couldn¡¯t let them stay, especially Amanda.


    ¡°You know the reason I¡¯m sending them away, Matthew. Levi has a n, and he is already working towards it,¡± I voiced out my fear while Matthew sighed and shook his head. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be scared and worried. Amanda loves you, and I¡¯m very sure she will never fall for Levi¡¯s plot. She is just being friendly to him,¡± Matthew tried assuring me, but I wouldn¡¯t take chances. I would beat Levi at his game.


    ¡°No, Matthew, they have to go,¡± I said in a tone of finality. Matthew understood that there was no need to argue with me.


    ¡°Alright, I will inform you when we arrive. See youter, friend.¡± He bowed before stepping out of the room and shutting the door.


    Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes and thought of Amanda. I knew she hated me, and sending her away would make her hate me more, but I didn¡¯t care. It was better this way than to sit and watch Levi achieve his plot.


    The door to my room opened, and an angry-looking Levi dashed in. He barged into my room and stood before me, his eyes shimmering with anger. ¡°Were you so scared that you had to send her away, Edward? I know what you did!¡± he yelled while I red at him, my anger bubbling. ¡°You knew you were already losing her to me, so you used this as an opportunity to send her away to keep us apart, didn¡¯t you?¡± he spat, and my anger rose. I wished I could use my legs; heaven knows he would be begging for his life this very minute.


    ¡°Get out, Levi,¡± I demanded.


    ¡°And if I don¡¯t, what will you do, cripple?¡± he mocked while I gritted my teeth with anger. ¡°You are a powerless, helpless, crippled man, and it won¡¯t take long before your people realize this and strip you of the title of Alpha.¡±


    I felt the blood in my veins boil at Levi¡¯s words. The urge to get up and teach him a lesson was overwhelming, but I was painfully reminded of my helpless state. Instead, I clenched my fists, my knuckles turning white as I fought to maintain control.


    ¡°Levi, you¡¯re crossing a line,¡± I growled, my voice low and dangerous. ¡°Amanda and Liam are leaving for their safety. This is not a game to me.¡±


    Levi sneered, stepping closer. ¡°Safety? Or is it because you can¡¯t stand to see her happy with someone else?¡±


    His words hit a nerve. I knew Amanda deserved happiness, even if it wasn¡¯t with me, but the thought of her being with Levi made my blood run cold. ¡°I won¡¯t let you use her as a pawn in your sick game, Levi. She deserves better.¡±


    ¡°Better?¡± Levi scoffed. ¡°She deserves someone who can protect her, someone who isn¡¯t a burden. She deserves me.¡±


    My patience snapped. ¡°Get out now, or I swear, Levi, crippled or not, I will find a way to kill you.¡±


    Levi¡¯s eyes flickered with anger and hate, and he didn¡¯t back down. ¡°This isn¡¯t over, Edward. I will have her, and when I do, you¡¯ll be nothing but a bad memory.¡±


    With that, he turned on his heel and stormed out of the room, mming the door behind him. I let out a shaky breath, my body trembling with the effort to stayposed. Levi¡¯s words echoed in my mind, a cruel reminder of my predicament.


    I knew Levi, and whenever he wanted something, he went to any extent just to have it. Fear and panic gripped me as I thought of him having Amanda. Just the mere thought of it was torture, and an ufortable knot formed in my stomach.


    A knock came on my door, but I ordered the person to leave. Whoever was at the door disobeyed and opened it. I realized it was my aunt, Levi¡¯s mother, just the right person I needed to see.


    ¡°Are you okay, son?¡± she asked while closing the door, and my frown deepened. ¡°Levi is leaving this mansion this instant. I have put up with enough of him because of you, but I can¡¯t do it anymore,¡± I grunted. ¡°He has to leave, and he is leaving this instant.¡± I dered firmly and heard my aunt release a heavy sigh. ¡°I understand, son. I¡¯ll go tell him he has to leave.¡± She shed me a weak smile before sitting beside me, her worried and concerned gaze on me.


    ¡°Tell me, why did you send your family away?¡±


    ¡°Because that is the right thing to do,¡± I murmured and looked away, so Aunt Victoria wouldn¡¯t see the pain and torture in my eyes.


    ¡°Are you sure about that?¡± she asked while I remained silent, unsure of what to say to her.


    ¡°Amanda was just starting to forgive you, and you decided to send her away? She looks so hurt and heartbroken,¡± Aunt murmured, and my heart clenched while I swallowed in difort.


    ¡°I do hope you know what you are doing.¡±


    I looked away, unable to meet Aunt Victoria¡¯s eyes. Her words echoed the guilt already gnawing at me, but I couldn¡¯t afford to let Amanda and Liam stay. Levi was too dangerous, too cunning.


    ¡°Aunt Victoria, it¡¯s the only way,¡± I said, my voice barely a whisper. ¡°I need to protect them from Levi. He¡¯ll stop at nothing to get what he wants.¡±


    She sighed again, reaching out to gently touch my hand. ¡°Edward, sometimes the people we love need to be close to us to be truly protected. Pushing them away might only hurt them more.¡±


    Her words struck a chord within me, but I remained steadfast. ¡°They are safer away from here, away from Levi. I can¡¯t risk their safety and Amanda falling into his game.¡±


    Aunt Victoria shook her head, sadness clouding her eyes. ¡°I understand your fears, but don¡¯t let them drive you to make decisions you¡¯ll regret. Amanda and Liam need you, and you need them.¡±Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Before I could respond, amotion erupted outside my room. Voices raised in anger and the sound of heavy footsteps approached. The door burst open, and a guard hurried in, his face pale with worry.


    ¡°Alpha, we are being attacked.¡±


    ¡°What¡­¡± I tried leaving the bed, but my legs couldn¡¯t carry me. ¡°Damn it!¡± I grunted and thought of shifting into my wolf, but I knew the result would be the same-my wolf would also be crippled.


    Five guards rushed into my room. ¡°Alpha, we need to get you to safety,¡± they said in panic, and my heart sank. I, the once powerful and vibrant Alpha, was now being looked after and needed to be hidden under safety!


    ¡°No, put me in my wheelchair. I will fight,¡± I said, but my aunt shook her head. ¡°You can¡¯t, Edward, you can¡¯t fight in such conditions.¡± The words of my aunt struck a chord in me, clearly reminding me of Levi¡¯s words.


    Soon, loud noises erupted outside my room, and four guards rushed outside. I began hearing loud howls and sounds of a fight.


    ¡°Get me in the chair,¡± I ordered the two guards in the room, but they didn¡¯t move an inch. Instead, they stood before me, ready to protect me from any attack.


    ¡°Damn it!¡± I grunted and wished the wheelchair was closer. I would have done it myself, but it was far from my reach.


    Soon, the noise died down, and the door to my room opened. Two guards walked in, including Levi, who wore just his boxers and was sweating, obviously having shifted into his wolf.


    ¡°We were able to kill them all, Alpha,¡± a guard announced.


    Levi moved closer to me and leaned towards my left ear. ¡°I saved everyone, including you, while you justy on this bed helpless,¡± he mocked, only to my hearing, before pulling away and turning to the guards. ¡°Your Alpha needs rest. Why don¡¯t you men tuck him into bed,¡± he mocked before leaving the room.

 Family

    Amanda¡¯s POV


    A few minutes after the jet took off, I noticed the ufortable and tense look on Matthew. He was so panicked that I couldn¡¯t stop myself from asking, ¡°What is wrong, brother?¡± I asked, but he only nced my way for a moment and then looked away.


    ¡°Matthew, what is wrong?¡± I asked curiously.


    ¡°Give me a moment, Amanda, I¡¯mmunicating with someone through the mind link,¡± he managed to say, and I frowned.


    ¡°Is something wrong?¡± I asked because, obviously, I could notice something was wrong through the tense and worried look on his face. Matthew didn¡¯t give me a response; instead, he closed his eyes,municating with someone through the mind link. The worried look etched on his face made me worry even more.


    Questions buzzed in my head, and then my thoughts went to Alpha Edward. What if something had happened to him? This might be the reason Matthew seemed tense and worried.


    ¡°Is something wrong with Edward?¡± I asked, and this time Matthew opened his eyes and released a soft sigh.


    ¡°Did something happen to him? Do we need to go back?¡± I asked, my worry rising.


    ¡°No, Amanda, nothing is wrong with Edward. It¡¯s a good thing that Alpha Edward sent you and Liam away because just a few moments ago, a group of rogues attacked the mansion, but they were all killed, and everyone is fine, including Edward,¡± he exined, and my worry increased.


    ¡°The mansion was attacked? Is Alpha Edward okay?¡± I murmured, filled with worry for him. In his condition, I knew he had to be protected.


    ¡°Yes, he is fine,¡± Matthew assured me, but the frown on my face deepened. Despite knowing he was okay, I was still not at rest. I wished I could speak to him through the mind link, at least to be sure that he was okay, but unfortunately, I don¡¯t have my wolf.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Amanda, Edward is fine,¡± Matthew, who must have noticed my worry, assured me, yet I wasn¡¯t at rest. I wished we could go back, but I knew that was impossible. The jet was already flying, and Matthew and Alpha Edward wouldn¡¯t want us there.


    Sucking in a deep breath, I closed my eyes and thought of him, the one man I hate yet am so worried about. I wished he hadn¡¯t sent me away. I wanted to be by his side in this trying time of his, yet he pushed me and his son away.


    ¡°Take a grip of yourself, Amanda. Forget about him,¡± I urged myself and took a deep breath.


    Hourster!


    The jet hadnded, and with Liam in Matthew¡¯s arms, we came down from the jet. Out of the jet, I noticed three ck SUVs parked waiting for us, and a man dressed in a ck suit approached us.


    ¡°Wee, Sir Matthew,¡± he bowed to Matthew, who nodded at him.


    ¡°Wee,¡± he also bowed to me, and I responded with a smile.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯m Linton, the head of security, and I am here to take you to the pack house. Pleasee with me,¡± he gestured, and Matthew nodded at me before leading the way. We got into the car, and I couldn¡¯t help but nce out the window, taking in the new surroundings. The drive was smooth, yet my mind remained turbulent with thoughts of Alpha Edward. Despite the beautiful scenery, I couldn¡¯t shake off the lingering worry.


    Liam, nestled in Matthew¡¯s arms, seemed oblivious to the tension, his small face peaceful in sleep. I envied his ability to remain so unaffected.


    After what felt like an eternity, we arrived at the pack house. Armed men were stationed in every corner of the building, and as the car came to a halt, I noticed people waiting for us at the entrance door.


    ¡°Are you ready to meet your family?¡± Matthew asked, and a hard gulp passed down my throat.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous, Amanda. They are actually the ones nervous to see you,¡± Matthew assured me, and I nodded and sucked in a deep breath.


    Liam, who was asleep, was already awake, and he seemed a bit confused.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go out,¡± Matthew said, and the door was opened by one of the guards. Sucking in a deep breath, I stepped out of the car with Liam in Matthew¡¯s hands, and then Matthew stood beside me.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, sis,¡± he smiled and led us toward the people waiting for us.


    As we approached the people waiting for us, my eyes interlocked with a woman-a woman I believed was my mother. I was a replica of her, with the same sea-blue eyes, the same wavy long hair, and the same skin tone. We looked practically alike, only that I was the younger version of her.


    ¡°Mother!¡± I whispered as we got closer, my heart pounding in my chest. Thedy stepped away from the others and approached me, her eyes still interlocked with mine. Getting closer to me, she cupped my face with both hands and stared right into my eyes.


    ¡°My baby¡­ my baby¡­¡± she mumbled, tears glistening in her eyes. ¡°You are here¡­ you¡­¡± she paused and turned to Matthew. ¡°Son, I told you she is alive. Your little sister is alive. I was never insane,¡± she stuttered, tears dropping on her cheeks.


    ¡°My baby¡­ you¡¯re really here,¡± she repeated, her voice choked with emotion as she pulled me into a tight embrace. Theforting scent of her flooded my senses, and I felt a rush of emotions-joy, relief, and a hint of sadness for the years lost.


    ¡°Mother¡­¡± I whispered, my own tears spilling over as I hugged her back. It felt surreal, standing here with my family after everything I¡¯d been through.


    Liam, still in Matthew¡¯s arms, reached out curiously, and my mother¡¯s face lit up when she saw him.


    ¡°And who is this handsome little man?¡± she asked, gently taking Liam from Matthew.


    ¡°This is Liam, Mother. My son,¡± I introduced, my voice filled with pride and a bit of nervousness. I watched as her eyes softened, and she cradled Liam close, her tears flowing freely.


    ¡°My grandson¡­ I never thought I¡¯d live to see this day,¡± she murmured, nting a gentle kiss on Liam¡¯s forehead. He squirmed a little but soon settled in her warm embrace. Taking a good look at her, she didn¡¯t look like someone who was mentally ill, as Matthew had said. Perhaps my presence was helping her condition.


    ¡°Wee home, Amanda,¡± another voice said, and I turned to see a tall, broad-shouldered older man stepping forward. His face was a mixture of relief and happiness.


    ¡°Father,¡± I breathed, recognizing him immediately. Matthew looks so much like him. He pulled me into a hug, his grip strong andforting.


    ¡°I get to finally see you,¡± he said, his voice breaking slightly. ¡°We¡¯ve all missed you. We never thought you were alive.¡± He mumbled and broke the hug. Our gazes interlocked, and I could see the relieved look on his face as he smiled proudly at me.


    ¡°You look just like your mother,¡± his smile widened, and I smiled back at him.


    ¡°Who do we have here? Is this not my lost little stepsister?¡± A voice spoke behind Father, and I had to look through to see a remarkably handsome man standing before me. Just like Matthew, he looks so much like Father, with the same eyes and facial features. The aura around him carries a lot of authority, and without being told, I knew this was my stepbrother, Alpha Killian.


    ¡°It¡¯s nice to finally meet you, sister.¡± He smirked and ran a slow gaze over me. Somehow, I wasn¡¯tfortable with his eyes on me; there was just something odd about him.

 Home

    Amanda¡¯s POV


    ¡°Wee, sister.¡± He took my hand and nted a kiss on it before holding my gaze with an intensity I found really ufortable, and I had to look away.


    ¡°This is our brother, Alpha Killian,¡± Matthew introduced, his tone in and emotionless, as if he was being forced to introduce us.


    ¡°Brother, you are here.¡± Alpha Killian smiled at Matthew, a smile I could clearly see was fake.


    ¡°Greetings, Killian,¡± Matthew greeted inly.


    ¡°It¡¯s Alpha Killian,¡± Alpha Killian retorted.


    Matthew scoffed. ¡°I don¡¯t remember Father naming you Alpha Killian,¡± Matthew spat back, causing Killian to growl and step closer to him. ¡°If you want to leave here alive, I would advise you to watch your tongue, Matthew¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Beta Matthew,¡± Matthew retorted.


    ¡°Stop it, you two,¡± Father ordered, and they both went mute while throwing daggering res at each other.


    ¡°Your sister, who has been missing for the past twenty-three years, is back home, and all you two can do is fight each other! Unbelievable!¡± Father snapped, while I swallowed hard and looked at Matthew, who was still ring at Killian.Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    ¡°Father, tell your son that it¡¯s not my fault that I came three years before him.¡± Alpha Killian sneered before walking away from us.


    An intense silence hung in the air as no one said a word until Mother sighed and took my hand. ¡°Come, darling, let me show you your room.¡± She shed me her charming smile and led the way into the living room. Entering the living room, my eyes scanned around the beautiful interior before I followed Mother up the stairs. We got to a door, she pushed it open, and I stepped in. ¡°Do you like it?¡± she asked.


    Moving my gaze around the room, I took in the soft pastel colors, the plush bedding, and the elegant furnishings. It was beautiful, but it felt unfamiliar, like stepping into a stranger¡¯s life.


    ¡°It¡¯s lovely,¡± I replied softly, my voice betraying my uncertainty. My mother squeezed my hand gently.


    ¡°I know this must be overwhelming for you, Amanda,¡± she said, her tone tender. ¡°But this is your home now. We¡¯re your family.¡±


    I nodded, not trusting myself to speak. It was strange being surrounded by people who imed to be my family yet felt like strangers. The tension between Killian and Matthew added anotheryer of unease to my already fragile state.


    ¡°Rest for a bit. Dinner will be ready soon,¡± Mother said, giving me a warm smile before leaving the room. I watched her go, feeling a mix of emotions swirling inside me.


    I walked over to the window and looked out at the sprawling gardens below. It was a beautiful sight, but I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling of being out of ce. I missed Alpha Edward; I missed the familiarity of his mansion.


    As I stood there, the door creaked open, and Matthew stepped in. He looked hesitant, his usual confident demeanor reced by uncertainty.


    ¡°Amanda, are you okay?¡± he asked softly.


    I turned to face him, offering a small smile. ¡°I¡¯m just trying to adjust. It¡¯s a lot to take in. Where is Liam?¡±


    ¡°He is with Father. Don¡¯t worry about him, Amanda. Liam is their first grandchild, so they are bonding with him.¡± Matthew assured me, while I nodded and sat on the bed.


    Matthew stepped closer. ¡°I know. Killian can be¡­ difficult. But he¡¯s not always like that. He¡¯s just¡­ protective of his position,¡± Matthew assured me, wanting to make me feelfortable staying here. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, he won¡¯t trouble you,¡± he reassured me again, and I just sighed and looked away from him.


    ¡°You are still worried about him,¡± Matthew said while I remained silent. ¡°He is fine, Amanda, he is fine,¡± Matthew reassured me again.


    Matthew moved closer and sat down beside me, then ced a hand on my shoulder. ¡°I believe Edward made the best decision to let youe here, sister.¡±


    ¡°He has no right to do that, Matthew. He has no right to send me away,¡± I murmured with pain. ¡°He has no right,¡± I grumbled, tears suddenly glinting in my eyes.


    Matthew sighed. ¡°With time, you will understand. Just give it time.¡± He stood up on his feet. ¡°Have some rest. Dinner will be served soon, and you will be called. Don¡¯t worry; here is safe for you and Liam,¡± he said while I sighed. I just wanted to be with Alpha Edward.


    ¡°I will be going back to California,¡± he said, and my brow furrowed. ¡°So soon?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I have to go back immediately considering Edward¡¯s condition,¡± he exined while a lump formed in my throat as I wished I could go back with him.


    ¡°Call me if anythinges up, okay?¡±


    I nodded, not able to find my words.


    As he walked out of the room, my heart clenched, and I wished I could go back with him, but rather, I am stuck here.


    Laying on the bed, I stared at the ceiling, my mind a mess.


    Another knock came on the door, and I asked the person in to see that it was a maid. ¡°Dinner is ready,¡± she announced to me, while I nodded and got up.


    I followed her out of the room to the dining table where I met everyone seated: Father, Mother, and Liam.


    ¡°Mother,¡± Liam called excitedly. ¡°Come sit with me.¡± He gestured, and I smiled and took the seat beside him. It seemed Liam was bonding well with his grandparents.


    ¡°Matthew is gone already,¡± Mother announced to me, and I nodded. ¡°I wish he could stay a little longer,¡± Mother murmured, clearly not happy with Matthew leaving.


    ¡°He is a Beta, my dear,¡± Father said to Mother, while Mother only sighed and looked away.


    I heard footsteps approaching us, and when I turned around, I saw an elegantdy approaching us. She was elegantly dressed, everything about her spoke of power and elegance, and without being told, I knew this should be Father¡¯s second wife.


    ¡°I see everyone is here.¡± She smiled, though it didn¡¯t reach her eyes.


    She took the seat at the right hand of Father, then held my gaze and smiled. ¡°You must be Amanda, our missing daughter.¡± She sneered while I frowned at her. It was obvious she didn¡¯t like me.


    ¡°Shall we eat?¡± Mother smiled at me, clearly ignoring her presence.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare cut me off,¡± she snapped at Mother.


    ¡°You are not wee here, Este. You don¡¯t have to be here and act like you are happy,¡± Mother sneered at her, and both women red at each other with hate.


    ¡°Could you two please stop this?¡± Alpha Killian¡¯s voice echoed from behind me. I turned and watched him walk over to the table and take his seat.


    Staring at Mother, I could see so much anger in her eyes towards Alpha Killian¡¯s mother, which got me curious about what might have happened between them. It was obvious they weren¡¯t the best of co-wives. Seeing how they act, my thoughts went to Alpha Edward, and I wondered how it would feel to see him with another woman, talk more of sharing him with another woman. The thought of it made a knot form in my stomach, and an ufortable feeling hit my stomach. I nced at Mother, and she shed me a weak smile, which tore my heart. She might have really gone through a lot, and I was d that I was here with her.


    Soon we began eating, but I could feel Killian¡¯s gaze constantly on me, and even when I caught him staring, he would keep looking at me. I found it weird but decided to ignore it and just eat.


    After dinner, Mother, Liam, and I went up to Liam¡¯s room. After bathing him, I tucked him into bed, and in no time, he fell asleep.


    After I was sure he was asleep, I left the room with Mother, who escorted me to my room. ¡°We have a lot to talk about, my dear, but you need to rest. Tomorrow we will talk.¡± She smiled and gave me a tight hug. Just like Matthew and Alpha Edward, her arms felt like the safest ce in the world.


    ¡°Good night,¡± she beamed at me before turning to leave, while I stared at her until she was out of sight.


    Getting back into my room, I took off my clothes and stood in the running shower. I thought of Edward and wished I could talk to him, at least to hear his voice. It was not up to 24 hours, and I was already missing him.


    Stepping out of the shower, I tied a towel around my chest and walked out of the bathroom, but I was shocked when I met Alpha Killian in my room.


    ¡°What¡­¡± I stuttered in shock, confused about how he got into my room because I was sure I locked the door. ¡°It seems you just taken your bath¡­¡± he trailed off and slowly gawked at my body before settling his gaze on my exposed thighs.


    A big frown spread across my face. ¡°What do you think you are doing?¡± I spat at him and heard him scoff.


    ¡°I heard all that happened to you, how you were a sex ve to Alpha Edward, how he¡­¡± he paused and took a step closer to me, while I took a step away from him. ¡°I heard Alpha Edward is crippled.¡± He grinned, and my frown deepened. ¡°What do you want, Alpha Killian?¡± I asked with disgust and saw his grin widen.


    ¡°Good question, little sister.¡± He took another step closer, while I took a step back. ¡°I want you, just a night with you is all I ask.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me!¡± I yelled, and I heard him chuckle loudly.


    ¡°Is this some sort of joke?¡± I yelled, my voice shaking with a mix of anger and fear. He chuckled loudly, clearly enjoying my difort.


    ¡°Rx, Amanda,¡± Alpha Killian said, his grin widening. ¡°It was just a prank. I wanted to see how you¡¯d react.¡±


    I stared at him, my heart still racing. ¡°A prank? You think this is funny?¡±


    He shrugged nonchntly. ¡°Lighten up. You¡¯re back home now, and it¡¯s time you get used to how things are around here.¡±


    I clenched my fists, trying to calm the storm of emotions inside me. ¡°If this is how you wee family, then I want no part of it.¡±


    He scoffed and smirked before gawking at my exposed thighs. ¡°Goodnight, sister.¡± He shed an annoying grin at me before walking out of my room.

 Attacked

    Alpha Edward¡¯s POV


    The door opened, and Matthew stepped in, which made my brow furrow because I was surprised to see him arriving so early.


    ¡°How are you, Alpha Edward?¡± Matthew asked as he stepped closer to me. ¡°Are you okay?¡± he asked again, and I grunted. ¡°I feel so terrible, Matthew. I feel worthless,¡± I spat with anger, my eyes settled outside the window. I hated my helplessness and wished I could just get off this fucking chair.


    ¡°You are not worthless, Edward. You are not,¡± Matthew assured me, but his words fell on deaf ears. Matthew moved closer to me and stood beside me. ¡°The men have been interrogated, but we are yet to know who is behind the attack,¡± Matthew said to me while I remained silent. I hated how helpless I was in such situations.


    ¡°Edward, get a grip of yourself. This is just a phase, and soon all this will be over,¡± he said while I scoffed and shook my head. ¡°This is not magic, Matthew. I¡¯m crippled, and there is nothing anyone can do about it,¡± I grumbled.


    Matthew remained silent for a moment before he spoke. ¡°You will be fine, Edward. You just have to have faith.¡± He pleaded, while I just remained silent, staring outside the window.


    ¡°I will have to take my leave now. There is a lot that I need to attend to.¡±


    I scoffed bitterly. ¡°Yeah, and I¡¯m here, seated on this chair, doing nothing.¡±


    Matthew sighed. ¡°Alpha Edward, right now, you need rest, but soon you will resume work. A lot of files await your attention. Just because you are in this condition doesn¡¯t mean you are useless, Alpha Edward. You are still skilled and talented whether you are walking or not,¡± Matthew said before slightly bowing his head. ¡°I will see you soon.¡± He turned and walked to the door but stopped and looked back at me. ¡°Liam and Amanda are home with my parents. I will give you a number you can contact Amanda with.¡±


    He opened the door and left, leaving me with my thoughts. Sighing heavily, I thought of Amanda. I wished she was here. Her presence alone gives me peace andfort, and now she was gone. It felt like all the chaos in my life was returning.


    The door to my room opened, and Levi barged in, looking furious. ¡°You told Mother to ask me to leave?¡± he yelled and moved closer to me. ¡°Sorry to disappoint you, cousin, but I¡¯m not leaving!¡± he challenged. I red at him, wishing I could use my legs.


    ¡°I will stay here until I¡¯m ready to leave,¡± he said firmly before walking out of my room.


    With anger bubbling inside of me, I thought of calling Matthew, but the door opened, and Matthew walked in.


    ¡°Good timing. I want Levi out of this mansion this very minute,¡± I dered, and Matthew furrowed his brow. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because I don¡¯t want him here,¡± I snapped.


    Matthew moved closer to me. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t send him away, Edward. We keep our enemies closer,¡± Matthew suggested, and I lifted a brow at him. ¡°Yes, Edward, we don¡¯t know what he will do if he leaves, and besides, Amanda is no longer here, so I see no reason why we should send him away.¡± He advised, while I remained silent, pondering his words.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about Levi. I will ask men to spy on him. If he ns to do anything stupid, I will personally deal with him,¡± Matthew reassured me while a heavy sigh left my lips, and I looked away.


    ¡°About the rogues, we are still trying to find out who sent them and why they were sent. The moment I get any news, I will inform you,¡± Matthew said while I remained silent. I just shook my head. I hated my helplessness. I hated that I was just confined in this wheelchair doing absolutely nothing.


    ¡°Alpha Edward, you will be fine, okay?¡± Matthew said before bowing and leaving the room. The moment he left, a tear dropped on my cheek, but I wiped it off and took a deep breath. ¡°This is a phase, Edward. This is a phase, and you will pass over it,¡± I murmured those words of encouragement to myself.


    ¡°Guards!¡±


    Two guards rushed in.


    ¡°Help me get on the bed,¡± I instructed, and the two guards obeyed, helping me get on the bed. Iid on it, covered myself with the nkets, and decided to take a nap.


    I was asleep when I noticed a presence in my room, a sense of unease prickling my skin. Before I could open my eyes, a pillow was pressed down onto my face, smothering me. Panic surged through me as I struggled against the weight, thrashing my arms and pushing with all my might. My strength waned quickly, but with a final desperate effort, I managed to shove the person away, only to realize it was a masked man. He stumbled back, his eyes wide with surprise, before darting to the window and jumping out.


    Breathing heavily, I shouted, ¡°Guards! Guards, now!¡±


    Three guards burst into the room, their expressions rmed. ¡°A masked man attacked me. He came through the window,¡± I yelled, and the two guards followed the window while one stayed behind with me.


    Pain and rage bubbled inside me. I hated my helplessness. If only I could use my legs, I could have run after that person and caught him, but here I was, seated and helpless.Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    Momentster, the door to my room opened, and Matthew dashed in. ¡°Was he found?¡± I asked, but Matthew shook his head. ¡°The guards are still looking for him.¡±


    I groaned and ran a hand through my hair with frustration. ¡°Someone is trying to assassinate me, Matthew. They now know how weak and helpless I am,¡± I said bitterly.


    ¡°Leave us,¡± Matthewmanded the guard, who bowed and left.


    ¡°Edward, get a grip of yourself-¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that, Matthew! No one, absolutely no one, has ever tried to physically attack me until now. This is the second time I¡¯m being attacked because they know I¡¯m now helpless and weak,¡± I spat bitterly at Matthew, who remained silent, knowing any word from him would anger me.


    A knock came on the door, and Matthew asked the person in, who happened to be the head of security in the mansion.


    ¡°Alpha, Beta,¡± he greeted.


    ¡°Go on,¡± Matthew urged.


    ¡°We checked through the CCTV and found out that he came with another masked man, and the man happens to have the gift of teleporting. The masked man teleported him here and teleported him away,¡± the security head revealed, and my brow furrowed.


    ¡°You can leave. I¡¯lle see the clip myself,¡± Matthew said to William, who bowed before leaving.


    A moment of silence hung in the air before Matthew spoke. ¡°I will look into this, Edward. I will be right back.¡± Matthew excused himself from me and walked out of the room.


    A hard lump formed in my throat as I continued staring at the space. My helplessness was taking a toll on me, and it would only be a matter of time before it killed me.


    The door to my room opened, and I was surprised to see Matthew walking back just a few seconds after he left. ¡°Someone is here to see you,¡± Matthew said with a smile, making me raise a brow. ¡°Who is that?¡± I asked with curiosity.


    ¡°Me,¡± a familiar voice responded behind Matthew, and when the person revealed herself, I realized it was Shalom, our childhood friend.


    ¡°Edward,¡± she beamed as she got closer to me, and without waiting for my permission, she hugged me. ¡°Sorry that I have toete, but I¡¯m here now. Your Shalom is here,¡± she whispered, and a wave offort enveloped me as I hugged her back.

 Something strange about him

    Amanda¡¯s POV


    I felt someone in my room and on my bed, caressing my thighs. The sensation was faint at first, like the brush of a feather, but it grew more pronounced, forcing me out from my slumber. My eyes fluttered open, heavy with sleep, and I reached out to switch on the bedsidemp. The warm glow filled the room, casting shadows that danced on the walls. I blinked, trying to adjust my vision, but there was no one there.


    My heart pounded in my chest, a mix of confusion and fear. The nket that had been covering my body was pulled down to my waist, exposing my legs to the cool air. I nced around the room, my eyes scanning every corner for any sign of an intruder. The curtains were drawn, and the door was still closed, just as I had left it before going to bed.


    I sat up, clutching the nket to my chest, and listened intently. The only sound was the faint ticking of the clock on the wall and my own rapid breathing. I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that someone had been there, touching me, invading my personal space.


    I reached for my phone on the nightstand and checked the time-3:17 AM. Too early for anyone to be up, and certainly too early for this kind of unsettling disturbance. I thought about calling out, but who would hear me? The house was silent, everyone else asleep.


    Trying to calm myself, I took a few deep breaths and looked around the room once more. There were no signs of forced entry, nothing out of ce. It was as if the entire experience had been a figment of my imagination, a vivid dream that felt all too real.


    But I knew it wasn¡¯t a dream. I could still feel the lingering sensation on my skin, the eerie awareness that someone had been there with me. I pulled the nket back up, wrapping it tightly around my body, and leaned back against the headboard. My mind raced with questions-who could it have been? And why?


    I decided to stay awake for a while, my eyes darting around the room, vignt for any movement. The feeling of being watched lingered, making it impossible to rx. I knew I wouldn¡¯t be able to sleep again, not with the fear and uncertainty gnawing at me.


    As the minutes ticked by, the room remained still, and gradually, the tension in my body began to ease. But the memory of those hands on my thighs, the nket being pulled away, would not be easily forgotten.


    For hours, I remained awake until it was 7 AM, and I decided to leave the bed. After taking my bath, I got dressed in afortable outfit and sat before the mirror while Ibed my hair. My thoughts drifted to Alpha Edward, and I sighed. Despite how much I tried not to think or worry about him, I just couldn¡¯t stop thinking about him. I was so worried about him and wished I was there with him.


    Leaving the room, I went to Liam¡¯s room, but he was not there. Curious about his whereabouts, I took the stairs to the living room and found him with Mother and Father. Father was telling him a folk tale, and Liam, who loves stories, was eagerly listening.


    ¡°Amanda, you are awake,¡± Mother beamed at me, and I smiled back at her. ¡°Good morning, Mother and Father,¡± I greeted as I moved closer to them. ¡°Morning, Amanda. How was your night?¡± Father asked, and I paused as I recalled what had happened. ¡°It was fine, Father,¡± I forced a smile.


    ¡°Good morning, Mommy,¡± Liam greeted while I smiled and ced a kiss on his forehead. ¡°Good morning, buddy. How was your night?¡± I asked, and his smile widened. ¡°It was good, Mother.¡±


    I noticed footsteps on the stairs, and when I turned around, I saw it was Alpha Killian. Our eyes interlocked, and he smirked at me, which I found really irritating, and I had to look away.


    ¡°Good morning, everyone,¡± he greeted, and Father was the only one who responded. Mother only nced at him and looked away.


    ¡°Good morning, Alpha Killian,¡± Liam greeted politely, while Killian smiled and ruffled his hair. ¡°Handsome kid.¡±


    He nced at me while I red back at him. There was just something about him, I didn¡¯t seem to like; there was this ufortable aura around him.


    ¡°How was your night?¡± he asked with a raised brow, while my frown deepened at his words. ¡°I believe you had a good night¡¯s rest.¡± He grinned while I stared at him as memories of what happened in my room shed back in my head.


    ¡°Greetings, breakfast is ready,¡± a maid announced. Alpha Killian smirked at me before turning and leaving with the maid.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go have breakfast,¡± my mother suggested, her voice breaking through my thoughts. I nodded, taking Liam¡¯s hand and leading him towards the dining room. My parents followed, their conversation light and cheerful.


    The dining room was warmly lit, the table set with an array of dishes. The smell of freshly baked bread and sizzling bacon wafted through the air, momentarily distracting me from my unease. Alpha Killian was already seated, his eyes fixed on me as I entered the room. His gaze was intense, almost predatory, and I had to force myself to keep myposure.


    ¡°Please, take a seat,¡± he said, gesturing to the chair directly opposite him. I hesitated for a moment, but thenplied, sitting down with Liam beside me. My parents took their seats at the head of the table, engaging in light conversation.


    As the meal began, I found it difficult to eat. Alpha Killian¡¯s eyes never left me, his gaze making me feel exposed and vulnerable. I focused on my te, trying to ignore him, but his presence was overwhelming.


    ¡°Is everything alright, Sis?¡± he asked, his voice dripping with false concern. I looked up to find him smirking, clearly enjoying my difort.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    ¡°Everything is fine,¡± I replied curtly, forcing a smile. ¡°Just a bit tired.¡±


    ¡°Tired, huh?¡± His smirk widened. ¡°I hope you had a restful night.¡±


    The insinuation in his words made my skin crawl. I clenched my fork tighter, struggling to maintain myposure. ¡°I did, thank you,¡± I said through gritted teeth.


    Liam, ignorant to the tension, chattered happily about the folk tale our father had been telling him. I tried to focus on him, drawingfort from his innocent joy. But every time I nced up, I found Killian¡¯s eyes still on me, watching me intently.


    ¡°Your son is quite charming,¡± Killian remarked, looking at Liam. ¡°He seems to have inherited your¡­ resilience.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I replied, my voice strained. ¡°Liam is a wonderful child.¡±


    As the meal ended, Alpha Killian leaned back, still watching me. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure dining with you, sister,¡± he said mockingly. ¡°I hope we can do this more often.¡± I forced a polite smile. ¡°Of course, Alpha Killian.¡±


    I excused myself and took Liam back to his room. I knelt down to his level, forcing a smile. ¡°Do you want to y with your toys for a bit, Liam?¡± He nodded eagerly, running to his toy box. I watched him, my heart full of love and worry. Somehow, I felt we were not safe here.


    Leaving Liam to y, I went to my room and closed the door, leaning against it. My mind raced. The events of the night and Killian¡¯s behavior were too coincidental. I had to find out what was going on.


    I thought of calling Matthew and asking him if everything was okay back in California, but I decided to let him be, at least for the moment.


    Going back to Liam, I met him ying with his toys, but constantly he would ask about Alpha Edward, and I would assure him that he was fine and at the same time assure myself.


    Momentster, Mother came into the room, and after a few chats with her, I realized she didn¡¯t seem mentally sick as Matthew had said, and if Matthew hadn¡¯t told me, I wouldn¡¯t have noticed it.


    Father came in and requested to take Liam out with him, and Mother decided to tag along. Staring at my parents, I realized they still loved each other, and I knew Father would never have remarried if not for Mother¡¯s inability to give birth. If only he had waited a bit longer.


    After they left, I decided to go back to my room. Stepping into my room, I was about to close the door when suddenly Alpha Killian forced himself in, shut the door, locked it, and put the key in his pocket.


    ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡± I asked uneasily.


    He smirked. ¡°What does it look like, sis?¡±

 Can鈥檛 stay

    Amanda¡¯s POV


    ¡°Get out of my room,¡± I demanded, my lips trembling with fear. There was just something about him that scared the hell out of me.


    His smirk widened, and he took a step closer. ¡°And why should I do that, huh?¡± He raised a brow at me and moved closer. Just as I was about to move away, he quickly grabbed me, threw me on the bed, and pressed himself against me.


    ¡°Get off me!¡± I screamed at the top of my voice while struggling to push him away, but it was useless because he was extremely strong.


    ¡°You can scream all you want, little sister. No one wille and save you,¡± he smirked, grabbed both my wrists, and pinned them above my head.


    ¡°Let go of me!¡± I yelled again, desperation in my voice.


    I felt a deep fear as he pinned me down, his weight pressing heavily against me. My heart pounded in my chest, and I could barely breathe. His face was close to mine, and I could smell the alcohol on his breath, making me feel sick. I struggled hard, but his grip on my wrists only tightened, making it clear that he was much stronger than me.Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    ¡°Get off me!¡± I screamed again, desperate for him to stop. I kicked and pushed, but he didn¡¯t move. Instead, he just smirked, enjoying the fear in my eyes. He leaned in closer, his voice dripping with mockery. ¡°No one¡¯sing to save you.¡±


    Tears started to fill my eyes, but I kept fighting, refusing to give up. He shifted, trapping my legs under his, and moved one hand to my face, forcing me to look at him. The feel of his rough fingers on my skin made my stomach twist with disgust.


    ¡°Stop struggling,¡± he whispered, his voice sending chills down my spine.


    With quick, practiced movements, he pulled a rope from his pocket and tied my wrists to the headboard. I winced as the rope bit into my skin, trapping me even more. He got off the bed, leaving me tied up and terrified. As he began unbuckling his belt, my heart raced even faster, and I tugged at the ropes, trying desperately to get free.


    ¡°Today I¡¯m going to have a taste of you, dear sister. I will fuck you, and there is nothing anyone is going to do about it-not your all-perfect brother or that crippled mate of yours.¡± He threatened and began unfastening his belt while my eyes widened as I struggled more. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, after I finish fucking you, you¡¯ll be begging for more.¡± He grinned, and my heart pounded in my chest.


    ¡°Someone help, somebody, please help!¡± I screamed at the top of my voice, but he only chuckled mockingly.


    Just as he slid the belt from his waistband, the door suddenly burst open with a loud crash.


    Startled, we both looked toward the door, and I was terrified but also relieved to see Mother and Father. ¡°Stay away from my daughter!¡± Mother yelled and rushed at Alpha Killian. Before I could even understand what was happening, she gave him a big blow to his dick, sending him to the floor. ¡°How dare you!¡± Mother yelled with rage, her fangs bared, and her ws already out. ¡°You have the guts to touch my daughter!¡± Mother spat and tried going for him again, but Father stopped her. ¡°Keep calm, darling, don¡¯t let your wolf out. You know how dangerous that is,¡± he pleaded while holding Mother, who was trembling with rage. ¡°My daughter can¡¯t live here,¡± Mother muttered and moved away from Father. She moved towards me and began untying the rope on my wrists, but her eyes were all over my body, checking if Alpha Killian had done something to me.


    ¡°Are you okay, my dear?¡± she asked, and all I could do was nod while I nced at her with confusion. Mother seemed different, different from the fragile woman I met. My eyes fell on her hand, and I realized she was bleeding.


    ¡°Mother, you¡¯re bleeding,¡± I said worriedly, but she shed me a reassuring smile.


    ¡°Yeah, that was the effect of pulling down the door with my hands,¡± she exined, and my eyes widened. ¡°What¡­?¡± I startled.


    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s leave here.¡± She guided me out of the bed, while I looked in Alpha Killian¡¯s direction and noticed he hadn¡¯t been able to get up from the floor since Mother¡¯s blow.


    ¡°Amanda, I¡¯m so sorry,¡± Father tried apologizing, but Mother didn¡¯t wait for me to respond before she walked me out of the room.


    ¡°Where is Liam?¡± I asked, moving my gaze around, searching for him.


    ¡°He¡¯s with Sophia,¡± Mother responded as she led me through the hallway and into her room.


    Arriving at her room, she made me sit on the bed, went over to the fridge, and came back with a bottle of water in her hand.


    ¡°Here, drink, my darling,¡± Mother urged with a worried look on her face. Taking the water from her, I took a long gulp of it and inhaled deeply.


    ¡°I knew something was wrong from the onset,¡± Mother murmured. ¡°Killian is a pig and fucks everything,¡± Mother grunted with anger while I continued staring at her; she seemed so different.


    ¡°Get ready, dear, you will have to leave this ce. Killian won¡¯t rest until he has you. That man is a beast,¡± Mother grunted in anger. ¡°For your safety, Amanda, you will have to leave,¡± Mother urged while I swallowed hard, unable to say a word. Everything still felt like a dream to me.


    ¡°I can send you and Liam to¡­¡± she started, but I cut her off.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to, Mother. Liam and I will be leaving. We¡¯ll be going back to the Full Moon Pack, but you won¡¯t tell Matthew about it. Just help us secure a flight.¡±


    Mother sighed. ¡°Are you sure? I could make another arrangement.¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°No, Mother, I want to go back,¡± I said and saw worry etched on her face. It was obvious she was worried about me, and I didn¡¯t want her to be. I have faced situations far worse than this.


    Taking hold of her hand, I shed her aforting smile. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me, Mother, I¡¯ll be fine¡­¡± I paused and looked at her wounded hand, and my curiosity piqued. ¡°Tell me, Mother, how were you able to break the door?¡±


    Mother smiled. ¡°My ability. I have the gift of strength. Matthew didn¡¯t tell you?¡±


    ¡°No, he didn¡¯t,¡± I said, seemingly surprised and proud.


    ¡°Matthew told me about your situation, and I hope one day you will get your wolf,¡± Mother smiled before hugging me. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, darling, everything will be okay,¡± she mumbled those words of encouragement to me before pulling away.


    ¡°Wait here. I¡¯ll go call someone who could help with your flight. Just start packing,¡± Mother said before leaving the room. After she left, I remained in the spot as I pondered in thoughts. I knew Alpha Edward didn¡¯t want me with him, but I can¡¯t stay here. Alpha Killian almost raped me, and heaven knows what he would do next.


    Hourster!


    We arrived in California and alighted from the ne. Getting into a taxi, Liam, who was ignorant of what had happened, seemed so happy that we wereing back. Sophia, who sat at the other end of the car, nced at me with worry in her eyes. Probably, she was worried about us returning without informing anyone, especially Alpha Edward, who I knew would be really furious, but I didn¡¯t care.


    After an hour¡¯s drive, the taxi arrived at the mansion. We got out of the taxi, and I paid the taxi man while Sophia rang the bell. The gate opened, and we were allowed in.


    ¡°Is Beta Matthew in?¡± I asked, but a guard shook his head.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go in.¡± I held Liam¡¯s hand, and with Sophia by my side, we made our way to the sitting room. But upon reaching the door, I overheard loudughtering from the sitting room. Immediately, I recognized one of theughs as that of Alpha Edward, but then I noticed anotherugh, like that of a female, which I knew wasn¡¯t his aunt¡¯s, and it made my brow furrow as I wondered who he wasughing so heartily with. Since the ident, I haven¡¯t seen him smile genuinely, let aloneugh so heartily.


    As I entered the room, I immediately noticed Alpha Edward sitting in his wheelchair,ughing with a woman I didn¡¯t recognize. They were ying chess, and they looked sofortable together. The woman was beautiful, and something about the way she interacted with Edward made me uneasy.


    When they noticed me, the woman¡¯s smile faded, but it was Edward¡¯s reaction that hurt the most. His smile disappeared, and he gave me a look that made me feel like I was intruding and not wee.

 Not welcome

    Amanda¡¯s POV


    ¡°Amanda, you are here?¡± Alpha Edward asked, sounding not at all happy to see me.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m here,¡± I responded, ring at him and then ncing at thedy seated with him.


    ¡°Why are you back?¡± Alpha Edward questioned, causing my frown to deepen. It was obvious he wasn¡¯t happy about my arrival, and here I was worried about him, not knowing he was doing just fine without me.


    ¡°Father,¡± Liam ran up to him, and they hugged.


    ¡°My champ, how are you?¡± Alpha Edward kissed his forehead, seemingly happy to see his son.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, Father. I¡¯m so happy to be back home,¡± Liam sounded so happy to be with Alpha Edward, and Alpha Edward had the same reaction.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you go in with Aunt Sophia,¡± I said to Liam, who seemed confused for a moment, but then nodded and moved away from Alpha Edward.


    ¡°I will see youter, Godfather,¡± he waved goodbye to Alpha Edward before leaving with Sophia.


    The warmth and happiness in the room vanished, reced by an awkward silence.


    Suddenly, the woman stood up, her movements graceful and confident. She greeted me politely, ¡°Hello, you must be Amanda.¡± Though her words were kind, there was an edge to her voice that made me feel even more out of ce.


    I nodded, too overwhelmed to speak. I nced at Edward, hoping he would exin, but he remained silent, as if he were contemting what to say.


    ¡°Alpha Edward didn¡¯t tell me you wereing,¡± she mumbled, sounding not pleased to see me. ncing at her, I couldn¡¯t deny she had the perfect face, perfect body, and everything. Holding up my gaze, she gave me a challenging look, which made me furrow my brow as we just kept staring at each other with neither of us looking away.


    Finally, Alpha Edward spoke, ¡°She is Shalom, an old friend.¡±


    His words felt like a p. I had never heard of her before, and the way he spoke made me feel like I didn¡¯t belong. I managed to say, ¡°I see,¡± but I could hear the hurt in my voice.


    Shalom smiled again, but it felt almost like pity. ¡°I hope you¡¯re settling in well,¡± she said, as if she didn¡¯t expect me to stay.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    I forced a smile and said, ¡°Thank you,¡± even though I wanted to cry. I couldn¡¯t stay there any longer. The tension was too much, and I needed to get away before I lost control of my emotions.


    ¡°I¡¯ll leave you two to your game,¡± I said, trying to keep my voice steady as I turned to leave. But as I walked away, the image of Edward smiling at her stayed with me, and I felt a deep pain in my chest.


    Getting back to my room, I rested my back against the wall and took a deep breath, trying to control my emotions. I didn¡¯t want to feel broken-he doesn¡¯t deserve to cause me pain anymore.


    After a few moments of controlling my emotions, I went over to the bed and began unpacking my bags. While doing so, the door to my room opened, revealing Alpha Edward wheeling himself in.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± I spat in anger.


    He didn¡¯t respond; rather, he moved closer to me while I folded my arms and red at him. ¡°What do you want? Are you here to tell me how I¡¯m not wee here?¡± I asked, with anger bubbling inside me. I was stilling to terms with the fact that he actually looked so unhappy to see me.


    ¡°What happened? Did something happen over there? Matthew isn¡¯t even aware of youring.¡±


    I frowned at his words and took a step closer to him. ¡°Is there a problem with me being here? Am I disturbing you?¡± I asked with an irritated tone and heard him sigh.


    ¡°Of course, you know that¡¯s not what I meant. What I¡¯m trying to ask is why you showed up all of a sudden¡­.¡± I didn¡¯t let him finish before I cut him off.


    ¡°That is because I want to stay here, and nothing you say or do will make me leave,¡± I dered in a tone of finality before turning around to unpack my clothes.


    I could feel his presence as he didn¡¯t leave immediately, but after a moment, he sighed and left the room.


    Sighing heavily, I sat back on the bed, trying to wrap my head around all the emotions. I couldn¡¯t exin why I couldn¡¯t get the image of him with thatdy in the sitting room out of my mind,ughing so heartily. He seemed so happy with her; she made himugh so easily-something I wasn¡¯t, and could not be able to do.


    A knocknded on my door, and when I asked the person in, it was Matthew, who had a worried but concerned look on his face. ¡°You¡¯re back? What happened? Why didn¡¯t you call me? Did something happen?¡± He bombarded me with questions, and I didn¡¯t know where to start.


    ¡°Did something happen? Did Killian worry you? Tell me.¡± He urged worriedly.


    ¡°Who is she?¡± That was the first thing that left my lips.


    ¡°Who?¡± Matthew raised a brow, seemingly confused.


    ¡°Thedy I met with Alpha Edward. Who is she?¡±


    ¡°Oh! You¡¯ve met her? That¡¯s Shalom, Alpha Edward¡¯s childhood and old-time friend.¡±


    ¡°Childhood and old-time friend?¡± I scoffed. ¡°Then why have I not heard anything about her?¡± I asked, feeling jealousy and unease. Just the mere thought of her was making me jealous.


    ¡°That¡¯s because she¡¯s been out of the pack for seven years now,¡± Matthew responded, while I frowned and looked away from him. I couldn¡¯t exin why just seeing herughing with Alpha Edward made me so ufortable and out of ce.


    ¡°Did Killian do something?¡± Matthew asked, and I shrugged.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask Mother,¡± I murmured and turned my back to him. Obviously, I wasn¡¯t in the mood to talk about what happened with Killian-I just wanted to forget it all. After all, that wasn¡¯t what was actually bothering me; it was something else.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see youter,¡± Matthew said before leaving the room.


    After he left, I sat back on the bed, trying to sort through the mess of emotions swirling in my head. I couldn¡¯t understand why I felt so threatened by Shalom, but I did. Her presence, her history with Edward-it all made me feel like an outsider in a ce I thought was supposed to be my home.


    Needing to distract myself, I decided to go check on Liam. But as I passed by Alpha Edward¡¯s room, I heard sounds-soft, almost intimate sounds. Curiosity mixed with anger welled up inside me, and without thinking, I pushed the door open.


    There he was, seated in his wheelchair, while Shalom was bent over, cleaning a wound on his abs. The scene before me sent a jolt of shock and anger through my veins. The low, almost sensual sound he was making as she touched him, the way she was so close to him-it all made me feel like an intruder on something deeply private.


    ¡°What the hell is going on here?¡± I demanded, my voice trembling with barely restrained anger.


    They both looked up at me, their eyes filled with confusion. ¡°What are you doing?¡± I demanded, getting closer to him, only to realize he had a cut.


    ¡°Move aside, I will do it,¡± I said finally, jealousy bubbling inside me. I should be the one-I¡¯m the only one allowed to touch him.


    ¡°I¡¯m a nurse, Amanda¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t fucking care,¡± I yelled impulsively and snatched the first aid kit from her. ¡°I will do it,¡± I stated firmly, leaving no room for argument.


    She scoffed at my attitude and got up on her feet. Slowly, she moved closer to me and red at me. ¡°You know I can have him if I want to, so don¡¯t dare me,¡± she threatened, loud enough for Alpha Edward to hear.


    Furrowing my brow, I looked in Alpha Edward¡¯s direction, wanting him to say something, but he didn¡¯t. Instead, he just looked away.

 Game still on

    Alpha Edward¡¯s POV


    Everything in me was screaming to counter Shalom¡¯s words, but I couldn¡¯t. If I did, I¡¯d be giving Amanda hope-an idea that we might end up together-and that was thest thing I wanted. I don¡¯t deserve her. Even if it means hurting her, I¡¯ll do it to push her away, to send her into the arms of someone better.


    ¡°Really?¡± Amanda scoffed, her voiceced with anger.


    I could feel the intensity of her rage-filled gaze on me, but I didn¡¯t dare look her way.


    ¡°Well, suit yourself!¡± she yelled, her frustration boiling over as she hurled the first aid kit at me. The sound of it hitting the floor echoed as she stormed out of the room, mming the door behind her.


    Watching her leave made my heart clench painfully. Every instinct told me to go after her, to tell her the truth, to confess how I really felt. But I knew better. It was better that she hated me-easier for her to leave me behind.


    ¡°Ignore her, Eddy. Let me clean your wound,¡± Shalom muttered, moving toward the first aid kit. But I stopped her.


    ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary anymore, Shalom. We need to talk,¡± I said firmly, seeing the frown that creased her face.


    ¡°Why? Don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s because of her¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s because of her-and also what you said. What did you mean when you said you could have me if you wanted to?¡± I questioned, watching her frown deepen.


    ¡°Come on, I was just taunting her. It was nothing,¡± Shalom defended herself, but I knew her too well. I knew how long she had been in love with me, even before I met my first mate.


    ¡°And besides, you don¡¯t want her, so why all this fuss?¡± she challenged, but I remained silent, focusing on getting dressed.


    ¡°Fine, you might as well tell me to leave if I¡¯m not wee here,¡± she spat before storming out of the room.


    After she left, I stood there, not knowing what to do. A part of me knew I was messing up, but this was the only way to make Amanda leave me. After everything I¡¯ve done to her, I can¡¯t let her end up with me-a crippled man.


    The door to my room opened, and Levi stepped in, a victorious smile ying on his face.


    ¡°Hello, dear cousin,¡± he grinned as he approached. ¡°Amanda is back,¡± he said, causing my frown to deepen as I red at him.


    ¡°Get out!¡± I demanded, hearing him scoff in response.


    ¡°Of course, I will, but I¡¯m here to let you know that my game is still on. And this time, it won¡¯t be one month like I promised. It¡¯ll be just two days. Give me two days, and I¡¯ll have Amanda in my arms,¡± he stated firmly, his certainty unsettling me.


    ¡°Just two days,¡± he repeated before leaving my room. All I could do was stare at him, anger bubbling inside me. I hated Levi¡¯s guts, but I couldn¡¯t deny the fact that he seemed so sure about winning Amanda. As much as I wanted her to hate me and be with someone else, it couldn¡¯t be Levi. I can¡¯t let her be with him, and I must do everything within my power to stop it.


    I stayed in the room all day, avoiding everyone until it was time for dinner. Despite not having an appetite, I knew it was wise to go. When I reached the dining table, everyone was already seated, including Levi, who sat beside Amanda. Our gazes met, and he shed me a victorious grin before looking away. Ignoring the ache in my chest at seeing them together, I took my seat.


    ¡°Godfather,¡± Liam called out to me, and I managed a smile back at him. As we began eating, Liam kept talking to me, and I responded, but my eyes would always drift back to Amanda and Levi, who were engrossed in their conversation. They were so absorbed in each other that Amanda never looked my way, not even once.


    ¡°So we¡¯re leaving tomorrow, right?¡± Amanda¡¯s voice directed the question to Levi, and my brow furrowed.


    ¡°Yes, the festival starts tomorrow evening, so we should leave in the morning. It¡¯s just a three-hour flight,¡± Levi announced, and my frown deepened.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡± I asked Amanda, but she ignored me as if I weren¡¯t even there.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Amanda? Where are you going?¡± I demanded again, my voice more forceful this time. She sighed, finally looking in my direction for the first time.


    ¡°There¡¯s a shifting ceremony happening in the Peculiar Pack, and Levi is going. I decided to tag along with him.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I cut her off abruptly. ¡°You are not going with him.¡±


    Amanda¡¯s eyes shed with anger, and she mmed her fork down on the table. ¡°What did you just say?¡± Her voice was low but dangerous.


    ¡°You heard me. You¡¯re not going with Levi,¡± I repeated, my tone leaving no room for argument.


    ¡°And why the hell not?¡± she challenged, her voice rising as she pushed her chair back, standing up to re at me. ¡°You don¡¯t get to tell me what to do, Edward. Not anymore!¡±


    I met her gaze, my heart pounding in my chest. ¡°Because I said so, Amanda. It¡¯s for your own good.¡±


    ¡°For my own good?¡± she scoffed, shaking her head in disbelief. ¡°The only person who¡¯s ever hurt me is you, Edward. So don¡¯t you dare try to pretend you care about what¡¯s good for me now.¡±


    I opened my mouth to respond, but she cut me off.


    ¡°I¡¯m going, and you can¡¯t stop me. I¡¯ll go with whomever I want, whenever I want. And if that happens to be Levi, then so be it!¡± she dered, her voice shaking with the force of her emotions.


    Before I could say anything else, Amanda turned on her heel and stormed out of the dining room, leaving me to stare after her, my heart heavy with regret and frustration.

 Stay

    Amanda¡¯s POV


    ¡°Are you sure about this trip?¡± Matthew, who was standing at my door watching me get ready, asked for the hundredth time, yet I knew what my answer was. I knew I needed a vacation for myself. I needed to think, and this trip was just what I needed.


    ¡°Amanda, I¡¯m not against you going, but going with Levi is something I don¡¯t agree with. Levi is a snake who will bite you at any given time. Amanda, can you please just listen to me?¡± Matthew begged, and I could feel the desperation in his voice. But nothing was stopping me from going. Besides, what could Levi do to me that Alpha Edward hasn¡¯t already done?


    ¡°I¡¯m leaving, Matthew. Our flight is taking off in an hour, so I have to go,¡± I murmured while picking up my bag. ¡°Please look after Liam. It¡¯s just going to be two days, and after that, I will be back.¡± I tried to assure him with those words, but the look on his face showed that he wasn¡¯t taking my word seriously.


    Matthew sighed and held both of my arms, his eyes filled with concern and worry for me. ¡°Why don¡¯t you stay, Amanda? Please,¡± he pleaded, but I shook my head.Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    ¡°I will be back soon, brother. Besides, I can¡¯t stay here with Alpha Edward¡¯s old me,¡± I sneered.


    Matthew¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°You mean Shalom? Edward never had anything to do with her, and he never will,¡± Matthew tried to assure me, but his words were falling on deaf ears.


    ¡°You weren¡¯t there, Matthew. You didn¡¯t see how Edward looked at me. He saw me as a burden, like I wasn¡¯t wanted,¡± I spat with anger and pain. If only he had weed me back, if only he had countered her words, then I wouldn¡¯t be feeling this miserable. Edward¡¯s actions were pushing me to do this.


    ¡°I have to go. I don¡¯t want us to miss our flight,¡± I said and gave Matthew a hug before leaving the room with my bag in hand.


    Arriving at the sitting room, I met Alpha Edward with Levi, and it seemed they were having a heated argument.


    ¡°Amanda, you¡¯re here,¡± Levi said to me, trying to hide the tension in the room.


    I nodded at him and looked in Alpha Edward¡¯s direction. Our eyes met for a moment, and I could see worry and pain in his eyes. ¡°Amanda, please stay. Levi doesn¡¯t have good intentions towards you,¡± Alpha Edward pleaded, but I scoffed.


    ¡°And you¡¯re the one who has good intentions towards me?¡± I spat. ¡°Leave me alone, Alpha Edward, leave me the fuck alone,¡± I yelled and turned towards the door.


    Walking out of the living room, I inhaled deeply topose myself while resting against the wall and shutting my eyes. Something in me was urging me to end the trip and listen to Matthew and Alpha Edward, but the stubbornness in me was holding me back.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Levi asked, announcing his presence.


    I turned to face Levi, my eyes still burning with unshed tears. His expression was a mix of curiosity and concern, but I wasn¡¯t sure if it was genuine. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I snapped, trying to sound more confident than I felt. ¡°Just need a moment.¡±


    Levi stepped closer, his gaze lingering on me with a faint, unsettling smile. ¡°You know, Amanda, you don¡¯t have to put on a brave face for me. I¡¯m here to help you, after all.¡±


    I bristled at his words, feeling a pang of anger and unease. ¡°Help me? That¡¯s not what Edward said,¡± I retorted, my voice strained. ¡°He¡¯s worried about you, and honestly, I¡¯m not sure why I should trust you either.¡±


    Levi¡¯s smile widened slightly, but his eyes remained cold. ¡°Edward¡¯s concern is misced. I¡¯d think you¡¯d want to escape from all the drama here, if only for a little while. That¡¯s what this trip is for, right?¡±


    I frowned, struggling with my conflicting emotions. ¡°Let¡¯s just leave,¡± I grumbled and began making my way toward the car waiting for us. After putting my luggage in the trunk, I sat in the back seat of the car, while Levi sat in the front seat beside the driver.


    As the car drove out of the mansion, a knot formed in my stomach, but I ignored it and rested my head against the headrest of the seat.


    As we drove away from the mansion, a tense silence filled the car. I couldn¡¯t shake the uneasy feeling in my stomach, like something bad was about to happen. I tried to ignore it, resting my head against the seat, but the doubt kept creeping in. Maybe I should¡¯ve listened to Matthew and Edward, but it was toote now.


    The road ahead stretched out, the trees on either side blurring past as we sped along. Levi was quiet in the front seat, staring straight ahead. I wondered if I¡¯d made a mistake trusting him.


    Suddenly, the car swerved sharply, jolting me out of my thoughts. My eyes flew open, and I barely had time to see the bright headlights of a huge truck heading straight for us.


    The next few moments were a blur. The truck¡¯s horn red, tires screeched, and then there was a violent crash as the truck mmed into the side of our car. The impact sent the car spinning out of control, ss shattering around us. The car flipped and skidded across the road before finallying to a stop with a loud crash.


    I screamed, and a severe pain hit my head, but everything went dark before I could process what had happened.

 Critical condition

    Alpha Edward¡¯s POV


    A sudden pain struck my chest, causing me to exim, which caught Aunt¡¯s attention.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± she asked worriedly as she moved closer to me, but I couldn¡¯t respond. Instead, I closed my eyes as the pain continued to linger.


    ¡°Should we send for a healer?¡± Aunt asked again, but I still didn¡¯t respond. With my eyes closed, I thought of Amanda, and an ufortable, strange feeling hit me.


    ¡°Edward, are you okay?¡± Aunt kept asking, but I didn¡¯t respond until I heard heavy footsteps approaching the sitting room. When I opened my eyes, I saw some guards, looking worried.


    ¡°Alpha, an ident has happened,¡± a guard announced, and my eyes widened.


    ¡°Amanda!¡± My breath hitched in my chest.


    ¡°The car got into an ident, Alpha. It¡¯s serious, but they¡¯ve been rushed to the hospital,¡± the guard added, and fear gripped me even more.


    ¡°No, no, take me to the hospital,¡± I ordered, fear and panic consuming my entire being.


    The guards wheeled me out of the sitting room and helped me into the car, while Aunt sat beside me before the car moved.


    ¡°Matthew, where are you?¡± I called out through the mind link and instantly got a response.


    ¡°I¡¯m at the hospital,¡± Matthew responded, his voice filled with worry, which made me even more scared.


    ¡°How is Amanda? How is she?¡± I asked, filled with worry.


    ¡°They¡¯re in the theater, and the healers are there too,¡± Matthew responded, his voice breaking as if he were about to cry.


    ¡°I¡¯m on my way,¡± I muttered before ending the call. Just then, we passed through the ident scene, and my breath caught in my throat at the sight of one of my cars-the one Amanda and Levi were in. The car looked so damaged. The vehicle was barely recognizable, its metal twisted and crushed, and I couldn¡¯t help but imagine the worst. The image of Amanda, broken and bleeding, shed in my mind, and I clenched my fists, trying to suppress the rising panic.


    ¡°Amanda, please be okay,¡± I whispered, my voice trembling with fear. The thought of losing her-after everything-was unbearable. I hadn¡¯t been the best to her, far from it, but the idea of her not being here, not being alive¡­ it was suffocating.


    Aunt Victoria reached out and ced aforting hand on mine. ¡°Edward, she¡¯s strong. She¡¯ll pull through,¡± she said, her voice filled with a mix of hope and concern, but I could see the fear in her eyes too.


    The car sped through the streets, the siren ring as we approached the hospital. My heart pounded with every passing second, the uncertainty gnawing at me. The moment the car came to a stop, I was already trying to get out, but my legs betrayed me, weak and unsteady.


    ¡°Careful, Edward,¡± Aunt urged as the guards helped me into the wheelchair.


    We rushed into the hospital, the sterile smell of antiseptic hitting me like a punch. My eyes darted around frantically until I spotted Matthew pacing in the corridor, his face pale with worry. The moment he saw me, he hurried over, his eyes red-rimmed.Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    ¡°Matthew, tell me, how is she?¡± I asked, my voice barely above a whisper, as if speaking louder would make my fearse true.


    He swallowed hard, struggling to maintain hisposure. ¡°She¡¯s still in surgery¡­ both Amanda and Levi. The healers are doing everything they can. But¡­¡± His voice cracked, and he looked away, blinking back tears.


    ¡°But what, Matthew? Tell me!¡± I demanded, gripping the arms of the wheelchair so tightly that my knuckles turned white.


    ¡°The injuries¡­ they¡¯re severe, Edward. They¡¯re fighting, but it¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s bad.¡± His voice brokepletely, and he turned away, unable to face me.


    I felt the world spinning around me, my vision blurring as a cold numbness settled into my bones. The thought of Amanda, lying on an operating table, her life hanging by a thread, was too much. I felt utterly powerless, trapped in this broken body, unable to do anything but wait.


    ¡°Take me to them,¡± I managed to choke out, the desperation in my voice evident.


    Matthew nodded, wiping his eyes as he led the way. Aunt Victoria stayed close, her hand on my shoulder, offering silent support as we approached the operating room.


    Through the small window in the door, I could see the healers and doctors working frantically, their faces grim. I stared at the scene, my heart aching in a way I had never experienced before.


    I should have been there. I should have protected her. If anything happens to Amanda because of me¡­


    ¡°Please, don¡¯t take her away from me,¡± I whispered to no one in particr, feeling more vulnerable than I ever had in my entire life. The realization hit me like a freight train-I couldn¡¯t lose her. Not now, not ever.


    And at that moment, I realized just how much she truly meant to me.


    Minutester, the doctor stepped into the hallway, his expression somber and tense. The sight of his white coat made my heart plummet even further. My gaze locked onto him, searching for any glimmer of hope in his eyes, but all I found was a burdened man about to deliver news I wasn¡¯t sure I could bear.


    ¡°Alpha Edward,¡± he began, his voice steady but filled with the weight of the situation. ¡°Levi and the driver are out of danger. Their wolves¡¯ healing abilities have done a remarkable job in stabilizing their conditions. They should recover with time and care.¡±


    Relief washed over me briefly, but it was fleeting. My mind immediately shifted back to Amanda, my throat tightening as I waited for him to continue.


    ¡°What about Amanda?¡± I forced the words out, even though I dreaded the answer.


    The doctor¡¯s expression grew even more serious, and he took a deep breath before speaking. ¡°Amanda¡¯s situation is¡­ critical. She¡¯s sustained severe injuries, and despite our best efforts, her heart¡­ it¡¯s been significantly damaged.¡±


    My chest tightened with a mixture of fear and disbelief. ¡°What are you saying?¡± I managed to ask, my voice trembling.


    He looked at me withpassion, but his words were like a knife to my soul. ¡°Alpha, Amanda¡¯s heart has suffered irreversible damage. If we don¡¯t act quickly, she¡­ she won¡¯t survive. She needs a heart transnt within the next 24 hours.¡±


    The world around me seemed to copse in on itself. The sterile walls of the hospital, the distant sound of machines beeping, the muted voices of the staff-all of it faded away as the gravity of the situation hit me.


    ¡°A heart transnt?¡± I echoed, almost in disbelief. ¡°How¡­ how can we find a donor in time?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re already searching through the registry, but a suitable match is difficult to find on such short notice,¡± the doctor exined, his tone filled with urgency. ¡°We¡¯re doing everything we can, but time is running out.¡±


    Aunt Victoria gasped softly beside me, her hand gripping my shoulder tighter. I could feel her fear, her worry, but all I could think about was Amanda. My Amanda, fighting for her life, and I couldn¡¯t do anything to help her.


    ¡°There has to be something-anything-¡± I started, desperation wing at me. ¡°She can¡¯t¡­ she can¡¯t die.¡±


    ¡°Twenty-four hours? This is¡­¡± Matthew choked on his tears.


    ¡°We have less than that,¡± the doctor responded in a low voice. ¡°The healers¡¯ abilities are what¡¯s keeping her alive, Alpha. Once they stop, Amanda¡¯s heart will stop working.¡±


    The doctor¡¯s words buzzed in my mind, and I shook my head, not wanting to ept it. I can¡¯t let Amanda die. She¡¯s gone through so much, and she can¡¯t die after all that. She needs to live-not just for herself, but for our son. She deserves to live, and I will do everything to make that happen.


    ¡°Test me, Doctor. I believe my heart can match,¡± I blurted out, seeing the stunned look on everyone¡¯s faces.


    ¡°No¡­ Alpha¡­¡± the doctor shook his head and took a step back, not wanting to agree with my request.


    I frowned. ¡°I¡¯m not asking you. I¡¯mmanding you as your Alpha.¡±

 Freed

    Alpha Edward¡¯s POV


    ¡°What are you even saying, Edward?¡± Matthew frowned, clearly not agreeing with my idea.


    ¡°You heard the doctor; she has just a few minutes left. We have to do something,¡± I murmured, fear and concern gripping me.


    ¡°And you think giving up your life is the best solution? You think I¡¯ll just stand by and watch you do that?¡± he spat with pain and anger. ¡°Amanda is my sister, but you are my friend, my brother, and my Alpha, and I will not let you do this, never!¡± Matthew said in a tone of finality, his voice breaking with emotion.


    A tear dropped down my cheek at theplication of the situation. Amanda¡¯s life was in danger, and we had little time to save her.


    ¡°We have to return to the mansion,¡± Matthew said, causing me to raise a brow at him. ¡°A guard just informed me through telepathy that the witch, Elisa¡¯s mom, is screaming at the top of her voice that she can save Amanda,¡± Matthew revealed, causing my eyes to widen.


    ¡°Alpha, we have to go back. Let¡¯s go see her,¡± Matthew suggested, and I nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    A few minutester, we arrived at the mansion, and I was wheeled to her cell. Upon arrival, I found her standing inside the cell, her eyes filled with excitement. ¡°The day of my freedom hase,¡± she chuckled excitedly, while my frown deepened.


    ¡°Did I not tell you that the one who took your first mate from you would try to take the other?¡± she asked, her eyes twinkling with amusement. ¡°But what you didn¡¯t know was that I wasn¡¯t talking about Levi having her. What I meant was Levi taking her to her death, just like he did to your first mate!¡± Sheughed loudly while I clenched my fists, my blood boiling.


    ¡°I¡¯m not here for your pranks and riddles. You said you can heal Victoria; tell me how,¡± I demanded, watching her remain silent for a moment before she moved closer to me.


    ¡°Yes, but ites with my freedom,¡± she muttered, and I frowned.


    ¡°Your freedom?¡± I asked, and she nodded. ¡°You are going to mark Amanda while I perform some incantations. That incantation will release her wolf from the cage I had kept it in, and once she gets her wolf, her unique healing abilities will cure her heart,¡± the witch exined, and a lump formed in my throat. ¡°Remember, I am the one who subdued her wolf, and I am the only one who can release it with my incantation.¡± She exined with a victorious smile on her face.


    I exchanged nces with Matthew and saw him nod his head, giving me his opinion. ¡°Fine, let¡¯s do it.¡±


    The witch shook her head. ¡°First, you are going to promise me on your word that the moment it is done, I am free to go.¡± The witch demanded, and without a second thought, I nodded. Despite how much I wanted her to pay for her crimes, I knew Amanda¡¯s life was what mattered.


    ¡°I swear on my word as the Alpha of the Full Moon Pack that you will be set free,¡± I dered, and her smile widened. She knew there was no way I would go against my crown.


    ¡°Very good, now take me to the hospital. We don¡¯t have much time left,¡± she urged.N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    Matthew instructed the guards to release her, but the choker was still wrapped around her neck.


    Arriving at the hospital, we made some arrangements and were let into Amanda¡¯s room, where shey on the bed, lifeless with life support. My heart sank at the sight of her in such a condition, and I wished it was me in that state and not her.


    ¡°Take this choker off me,¡± the witch requested, and I saw Matthew hesitating, but I gestured for him to go on. ¡°Don¡¯t try anything stupid,¡± Matthew warned her before taking the choker off her neck.


    We watched her massage her neck for a moment before she looked my way.


    ¡°Move closer to her. Once I begin the incantation, mark her,¡± she instructed and sat back on the floor.


    With her eyes closed, she began chanting some incantation, and with a racing heart, I looked at Amanda. ¡°Please forgive me,¡± I whispered, bringing out my fangs.


    As the witch chanted, her voice a haunting melody that filled the room, I felt a mixture of fear and hope. My heart raced as I looked at Amanda, my heart heavy with the weight of what I was about to do. The fear of potentially causing her more harm and the desperation to save her waged a war within me.


    The witch¡¯s chanting grew more intense, her words weaving aplex tapestry of magic that seemed to resonate with the very air around us. The room¡¯s atmosphere shifted, charged with an otherworldly energy. I looked at Amanda, her face pale and drawn, her life hanging by a thread.


    ¡°Mark her now,¡± the witchmanded, her eyes still closed in concentration. Her voice was firm, cutting through the tension that had settled over us. I steeled myself, feeling the sharp sting as I sank my fangs into Amanda¡¯s neck, my own blood mingling with hers as Ipleted the marking. My heart ached with each drop of blood that fell from her neck, a silent prayer escaping my lips for her recovery.


    ¡°Mark her again,¡± the witchmanded, and as told, I sank my fangs deeper into the crook of her neck. This time her body tensed momentarily, and then, as the mark waspleted, a soft, golden light began to emanate from her. The witch¡¯s chant grew louder, more fervent, and the energy in the room became overwhelming. I watched, a mix of hope and anxiety etched on my face, as the light enveloped Amanda, her chest rising and falling with newfound strength.


    The witch continued her incantation, and after what felt like an eternity, she suddenly fell silent. She opened her eyes and looked at us, her expression a mix of satisfaction and exhaustion. ¡°It is done,¡± she dered, her voice weary but triumphant. ¡°Her wolf is freed, and her healing abilities will now begin to work. She should be awake within a few seconds.¡±


    I nced at Amanda, my heart pounding as I waited for her to regain consciousness. Secondster, her eyes fluttered open, and she looked at me with a mixture of confusion and relief. ¡°Edward?¡± she whispered, her voice faint but clear.


    ¡°Yes, Amanda, it¡¯s me,¡± I replied, my voice breaking. I took her hand in mine, feeling the warmth of her touch and the strength returning to her. Tears of relief streamed down my face as I saw her begin to recover, the color returning to her cheeks.


    Matthew stood beside me, his own emotions barely contained. The witch, seeing her freedom so close, stood up and looked at me expectantly. ¡°As promised, I am free to go,¡± she said, her gaze unwavering.


    I nodded, the weight of the promise I made settling heavily on me. ¡°Yes, you are free,¡± I confirmed, my voice resolute.


    The witch smirked and turned to leave, but suddenly, I heard her exim in pain and saw her fall to the ground. She had just been shot by a silent firearm. With widened eyes, I saw blood gushing from her head as more bulletsnded in her skull.


    Matthew, who held the gun, moved forward and shot her again. Luckily, the gun was silent, so it wouldn¡¯t draw attention.


    ¡°Bitch, you think I would let you go after all you did to my sister?¡± Matthew spat and shot her again, but this time she was already dead. ¡°Rot in hell,¡± Matthew spat and slowly turned to look my way. ¡°Sorry, Edward. You were the one who made the promise, not me.¡±

 Sort out our differences

    Amanda¡¯s POV


    My eyes widened at the scene before me. I couldn¡¯t believe Matthew had just murdered Elisa¡¯s mother right in front of me. She was lying lifeless on the floor, blood gushing out of her head.


    Matthew looked my way, concern etched on his face. ¡°Are you okay, sis?¡± he asked, and all I could do was stare at the lifeless body of Elisa¡¯s mom. Then, suddenly, a calm voice resounded in my mind.


    ¡°Hello, Amanda, I¡¯m your wolf.¡± The voice, which sounded like me, spoke, and my eyes widened. ¡°My¡­ wolf¡­¡±


    I stammered in shock. ¡°Yes, Amanda, I have been here all this while. I was just subdued, but now I¡¯m released. It¡¯s nice to finally talk to you,¡± she said, her voice so soothing.


    A tear fell down my cheek as I couldn¡¯t believe it-I couldn¡¯t believe I had my wolf.


    ¡°Amanda, you¡¯re crying?¡± Matthew said, noticing my tears. With tear-filled eyes, I looked up at Matthew, not knowing how to gather my words. ¡°My¡­ wolf. My wolf is released,¡± I announced to Matthew, who smiled and hugged me.


    ¡°Yes, the witch did that,¡± Matthew said, and all I could do was shed more tears while in his arms. But then I felt a pain on my neck, and out of curiosity, I pulled away from Matthew¡¯s arms and touched my neck, only to realize I had been marked.


    With widened eyes, I looked at Matthew, who smiled weakly at me, and then I looked at Alpha Edward, who had a nk look on his face.


    ¡°Mate!¡± my wolf howled in my head, and my breath caught in my chest as a cold chill ran down my spine.


    ¡°Did you mark me?¡± I asked, already knowing the answer.


    Alpha Edward hesitated for a moment, exchanging nces with Matthew before looking back at me. ¡°We were losing you, Amanda, and marking you was the only way to save you,¡± Alpha Edward exined, his voice trembling with fear.


    ¡°Amanda, I didn¡¯t mean to do it. I¡­¡± he paused, unable toplete his sentence. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for marking you without your permission,¡± Alpha Edward apologized, but I just nced at him, not knowing how to feel about it.


    ¡°Amanda, we had no choice but to do it,¡± Matthew pleaded, and I swallowed hard, not knowing how to respond.


    The door to the room opened, and two doctors walked in. They seemed terrified to see the dead body of Elisa¡¯s mother.


    ¡°How did¡­?¡±


    ¡°Tell your people to put her in the mortuary; I¡¯lle with you,¡± Matthew said to the doctors, who immediately obeyed. The doctors went out and came back with two men who carried her body, and the cleaners cleaned the bloodstain from the floor.


    ¡°I will be back,¡± Matthew said before leaving.


    A doctor checked me and confirmed I was healed, even my bruises were all gone.


    ¡°What a miracle,¡± the doctor announced. ¡°You are out of danger and can be discharged tomorrow,¡± he said before leaving.


    After he left, an awkward silence hung in the air as neither I nor Alpha Edward said a word to each other.


    ¡°Enough of this, Amanda. You two have to settle your differences,¡± my wolf snapped at me, her voice leaving no room for argument.


    I nced at Alpha Edward, who nced back at me, causing our eyes to interlock. For a moment, we couldn¡¯t look away as we kept staring at each other.


    ¡°Mine!¡± my wolf howled possessively, Alpha Edward¡¯s intoxicating scent hitting my nose. ¡°im him,¡± my wolf urged, but I held back.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Alpha Edward asked, and all I could do was nod while ignoring the urging voice of my wolf to mark him.


    ¡°I only did what I had to do. I¡¯m sorry,¡± Alpha Edward apologized again, and a knot formed in my stomach. Perhaps I wasn¡¯t happy that he marked me without my consent, but I didn¡¯t like the idea of him apologizing for it.


    ¡°Your heart was damaged, and¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear it,¡± I cut him off. It pains me to know that he wouldn¡¯t have marked me if not for the fact that I was on the brink of death.


    Another moment of awkward silence hung in the air as we both waited for the other to speak first, but neither of us spoke again until Matthew walked in.


    ¡°Case settled,¡± he smiled at me, and I responded with a weak smile.


    ¡°I think you should rest. I will be going back to the mansion,¡± Alpha Edward said, and didn¡¯t wait for a response before wheeling himself out of the room. As I watched him, a wave of pain struck me, but I swallowed it and looked away.


    ¡°Amanda,¡± Matthew called out to me, causing me to look his way.


    ¡°Edward had already requested to give up his heart just for you, and if this spell didn¡¯t work, he was ready toy down his life for you,¡± Matthew muttered, and a lump formed in my throat. ¡°Amanda, I think it¡¯s time you both stop all this and just settle your differences. You love Edward, and he loves you so much. So why are you two acting like kids and not settling your differences?¡± Matthew urged, and I frowned.


    ¡°I¡¯m not the problem here, he is,¡± I murmured. ¡°He thinks he has hurt me so much and doesn¡¯t deserve me, especially because of his condition. I¡¯m not the problem, he is. I forgave him a long time ago, and that¡¯s why I wanted to stay with him. But what did he do? He pushed me away,¡± I said with pain while Matthew stared at me with concern. A tear dropped onto my cheek, and I wiped it away. I hated the way I was feeling. I hated that I still loved him and wanted him after all he had done to me.


    ¡°Please, have a talk with him, okay?¡± Matthew pleaded, his eyes begging me. ¡°Please!¡±


    I gulped hard, not knowing what to say.N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    ¡°You two are destined to be together, and neither you nor Alpha Edward can fight destiny,¡± my wolf whispered in my mind, and all I could do was shut my eyes, with only one person in my mind. Perhaps it was time we sorted out our differences.

 He knows

    Alpha Edward¡¯s POV


    The sound of the car driving into the garage announced Amanda¡¯s arrival. I could feel the tension in my chest as I waited, knowing she would walk through those doors any moment now. After everything that had happened, this was my chance to show her how much she meant to me, even if I couldn¡¯t fully express it in words.


    I had instructed the maids to decorate the mansion and Amanda¡¯s room in a way that would convey my feelings-something subtle yet meaningful. The foyer was adorned with fresh white roses, Amanda¡¯s favorite, arranged in elegant vases that lined the entrance. The scent of the roses filled the air, creating a calming atmosphere. Soft candlelight flickered from various corners, casting a warm glow across the room. The maids had outdone themselves, hanging delicate white drapes from the ceiling that flowed down like a cascade of silk, giving the space an ethereal feel.


    As I heard the front door open, I stiffened. Her footsteps were soft but deliberate as she entered the mansion. I couldn¡¯t bring myself to move, afraid of her reaction. Would she be touched? Or would she see it as an empty gesture after all the pain I¡¯d caused her?


    Amanda walked in, and her eyes immediately fell on the decorations. I watched from a distance, taking in her every expression as she looked around, her gaze lingering on the roses, the drapes, the candles. Her steps slowed as she took it all in, her face a mix of emotions-surprise, curiosity, and something else I couldn¡¯t quite ce. She walked further into the room, her hand brushing lightly against the petals of a rose.


    ¡°Mama!¡± Liam shouted, running toward her with his arms outstretched.


    Amanda¡¯s face softened as she knelt to embrace him, the tension of thest few days momentarily easing from her expression. She held Liam close, burying her face in his hair as if drawing strength from him. I watched them, my heart aching at the sight. This was my family, the people I had hurt, the ones I had sworn to protect and cherish.


    As Liam pulled back, he began chattering excitedly. ¡°Mama, Daddy and I waited for you! Look, look! Daddy made everything pretty!¡± He pointed toward the white roses and the candles that illuminated the room.


    Amanda nced around, her eyes taking in the decorations. Matthew stepped closer, giving her a reassuring smile as he ced her bag down on a nearby chair. He looked at me briefly, a silent exchange passing between us. We both knew this moment was delicate, and neither of us wanted to push Amanda too hard.


    I took a cautious step forward, feeling the weight of the room¡¯s atmosphere. ¡°Amanda,¡± I began, my voice quiet but steady. ¡°Liam and I wanted to make sure you felt wee, that you know how much we care about you.¡±


    She looked at me, her eyes searching mine. I couldn¡¯t quite read her expression, but I knew she was processing everything-the decorations, the effort, the tension between us that hadn¡¯t dissipated.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Her voice was low and void of emotion, which gave me mixed feelings, but I decided to push it aside.


    ¡°Mother, are you okay now?¡± Liam asked, and Amanda nodded, smiling at him warmly. ¡°I am, son.¡± She kissed his forehead before looking my way, our eyes interlocking for a moment as neither of us could look away, but the clearing of Matthew¡¯s throat got our attention.


    ¡°I think Liam has something to say to you both,¡± Matthew said, and Amanda and I looked at our little boy, wondering what he had to say to us.


    Liam nced at Matthew, who nodded, giving him the go-ahead.


    ¡°Mother,¡± Liam called out to Amanda, who smiled at him. ¡°I know that Alpha Edward is my biological father and Father Matthew is my uncle, your brother.¡± Liam announced, and my eyes widened, as did Amanda¡¯s.


    The shock on Amanda¡¯s face was mirrored in my own. I nced at Matthew, who looked calm. He already knew about this.


    ¡°Liam,¡± Amanda started, her voice trembling slightly, ¡°who told you that?¡±


    Liam looked up at her with innocent eyes. ¡°I overheard you and Uncle Matthew talking about it,¡± he said simply, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.


    I shifted ufortably, my mind racing. How much had he heard? What did he understand? Amanda¡¯s gaze moved from Liam to Matthew, suspicion and confusion flickering in her eyes.


    ¡°Is that true?¡± she asked Matthew, her voice sharper now, tinged with a hint of usation.


    ¡°Yes, Liam overheard us speaking, and he came to me for an exnation. You know how Liam is; I couldn¡¯t lie to him. Besides, I saw no need to lie to him,¡± Matthew exined while Amanda and I exchanged nces.N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    ¡°I knew for a long time but pretended not to. I was actually waiting for you both to tell me yourselves, but since you didn¡¯t, I decided to let you two know that I already know, and I am happy.¡± Liam smiled widely as he hugged me. I hugged him back, still not believing how this kid could be so smart and mature. ¡°I¡¯m so lucky to be your son, Alpha Edward,¡± Liam said excitedly, causing my eyes to blur with tears.


    I pulled him away and kissed him on the head. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry for not being there for you, but I promise that from now on, I will be the best father, okay?¡±


    Liam nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± He kissed my cheek before turning to Amanda.


    Amanda stood frozen for a moment, her eyes locked on Liam, processing the words that had juste out of his mouth. The shock on her face gradually faded, reced by a softness that spoke volumes. She knelt down to Liam¡¯s level, taking his small hands in hers, her gaze gentle.


    ¡°Liam, you know that no matter what, we all love you very much, right?¡± she said softly, her voice trembling with emotion.


    Liam nodded, his innocent eyes wide with understanding. ¡°I know, Mama. That¡¯s why I¡¯m happy. I have you, Daddy and Uncle Matthew, and I know you¡¯ll always be here for me.¡±


    Amanda¡¯s lips quivered as she smiled at him, but I could see the tears welling up in her eyes. She was struggling to keep it together, to not let her emotions spill over in front of Liam.


    Matthew stepped forward, cing aforting hand on Amanda¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You¡¯ve done a great job raising him, Amanda. He¡¯s a smart kid, and he deserves to know the truth.¡±


    Amanda blinked rapidly, holding back her tears as she looked up at Matthew. ¡°Thank you,¡± she whispered, her voice cracking slightly. ¡°I just¡­ I wanted to protect him from everything, but I guess I can¡¯t shield him from the truth forever.¡±


    I wheeled a step closer, my heart heavy with everything that had happened. ¡°Amanda, I know I¡¯ve made mistakes, and I¡¯ve hurt you in ways I can never take back. But I want to make things right, not just for Liam, but for you as well.¡±


    She finally looked at me, her eyes red and glossy, her emotions barely contained. ¡°Edward, I don¡¯t know if things can ever bepletely right between us,¡± she said, her voice raw and honest. ¡°But for Liam¡¯s sake, we need to try. He deserves a family that loves him, and he deserves the truth.¡±


    I nodded, my throat tight with emotion. ¡°You¡¯re right. He deserves the best of both of us.¡±


    Amanda let out a shaky breath, her eyes softening as she looked at Liam, who was watching us intently, his innocent gaze shifting between his mother and me. ¡°We¡¯ll figure this out,¡± she said quietly, almost to herself. ¡°One step at a time.¡±


    Liam, sensing the tension between us, tugged on Amanda¡¯s hand. ¡°Mama, Daddy¡­ Can we be happy now? Like a real family?¡±


    Amanda¡¯s breath hitched, and she pulled Liam into a tight hug, burying her face in his hair. ¡°Yes, Liam,¡± she whispered, her voice choked with emotion. ¡°We¡¯ll try our best.¡±


    I moved closer, wrapping my arms around both of them, feeling the warmth of my son and the woman I had hurt so deeply. In that moment, it felt like the beginning of something new-a chance to mend the broken pieces, to build something stronger and more meaningful for the sake of our son.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be the family you deserve, Liam,¡± I murmured, my voice thick with emotion. ¡°I promise.¡±


    Pulling away, I smiled at Liam before looking in Matthew¡¯s direction with a grateful smile. ¡°Thank you, Matthew. Thank you for being there for Amanda when I wasn¡¯t. Thank you for taking care of her and my son. Thank you for being a good brother and a friend. Thank you for standing by me even on my worst days. I owe you a lot, man, and I will spend the rest of my days paying for it.¡±


    Matthew smiled and moved closer to me. ¡°Amanda is my sister, Edward, and for the things I did, you would have done the same if you were in my shoes. Besides, I¡¯m your beta; it¡¯s my responsibility.¡± He lowered himself, and we hugged, my eyes glinting with tears.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I whispered again while Matthew nodded before pulling away.


    ¡°Dinner is served,¡± a maid announced, drawing our attention toward her.

 On heat

    Amanda¡¯s POV


    It¡¯s been two days since I came back from the hospital, and things have been just normal except for the constant urging of my wolf, wanting me to go have a talk with Alpha Edward. But I was stubborn; if anyone has to initiate a conversation, it has to be him, not me.


    A knocknded on my door, and when I asked the person in, I realized it was Liam holding a bouquet of flowers.


    ¡°Momma, Dad said I should give you these,¡± Liam said, handing the bouquet of flowers to me, which I took with curiosity. ¡°See youter.¡± Liam smiled widely at me before leaving.


    With a furrowed brow, I stared at the flowers before taking the note inside and reading it. ¡°I saw these and thought of you.¡±


    A lump formed in my throat as I didn¡¯t know how to react to the gesture. ¡°Well, he is being romantic,¡± my wolf mumbled in my mind, but I rolled my eyes and inhaled the fascinating scent of the roses before dropping them on my bed. My thoughts went to Alpha Edward and why he had been avoiding me for the past two days. I hardly see him even for meals, and when I asked Matthew, he told me Alpha Edward had gotten back to work and was very busy. But something tells me that was not the only reason-he was practically avoiding me.


    ¡°Maybe we should pay him a visit,¡± my wolf urged, but I resisted. He should be the oneing to me, not the other way around.


    A knocknded on my door again, and this time it was Matthew who walked in with a in look on his face.


    ¡°Nice roses,¡± he said, staring at the flowers on the bed.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± I murmured, sitting on the edge of the bed.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me what Killian tried to do to you?¡± Matthew asked, and I furrowed my brow.


    ¡°You knew? Mother told you?¡± I asked, and he nodded while I sighed. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to cause trouble,¡± I said.


    Matthew scoffed. ¡°Well, there is trouble now,¡± he muttered, causing me to raise a confused brow at him.


    ¡°Trouble?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± He paused and sat beside me. ¡°I didn¡¯t know how Alpha Edward got to hear about it, but he has summoned Alpha Killian to the Council of Werewolves and will charge him with attempted rape. Believe me, with Alpha Edward¡¯s influence, Killian won¡¯t get off scot-free.¡± Matthew said, and a lump formed in my throat. I didn¡¯t know Alpha Edward would get so angry about that.


    ¡°The hearing will be next week, and Mother has agreed to testify against him. If he is found guilty, he will pay a great penalty, and he might even lose his title as an Alpha.¡± Matthew sighed and shook his head, seeming worried about it.


    ¡°What is wrong? You don¡¯t look okay.¡±


    Matthew sighed and took a deep breath. ¡°Killian has reached out to me, Amanda. He is pleading for forgiveness. Also, Father has reached out to me, pleading as well. If this case goes through, it¡¯s going to be a stain on our name, and Father is so worried about it.¡± He sighed. ¡°What will people say? A brother trying to rape his half-sister?¡±


    I could see the worry etched across his face and the tension in his shoulders as he struggled with the conflict between justice and family reputation.


    ¡°Amanda, please,¡± Matthew continued, his voice softer now, almost pleading. ¡°I know Killian deserves to be punished, but this¡­ this will tear our family apart. Father is beside himself with worry. He knows Killian was wrong, but he¡¯s terrified of the shame it will bring upon us all if this case goes through. Can you talk to Alpha Edward? Maybe he can find another way to punish Killian without bringing it to the council.¡±


    I sat there in silence, my mind racing. A part of me wanted to refuse, to let Killian face the full consequences of his actions. But another part-the part that had always valued family, that had always tried to keep the peace-felt the pull of Matthew¡¯s words.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Matthew,¡± I finally said, my voice hesitant. ¡°What Killian did¡­ it¡¯s unforgivable. He tried to¡­¡± I couldn¡¯t even finish the sentence; the memory was still too raw, too painful.


    ¡°I know,¡± Matthew interrupted, his tone urgent. ¡°And I¡¯m not asking you to forgive him. He should be punished, but maybe there¡¯s another way. Something that won¡¯t destroy our family¡¯s name in the process.¡±


    I looked into Matthew¡¯s eyes, seeing the sincerity and desperation. He wasn¡¯t just asking for Killian¡¯s sake-he was asking for all of us, for our family. A lump formed in my throat as I wrestled with my decision.


    ¡°Alright,¡± I whispered, finally giving in. ¡°I¡¯ll talk to Edward. But I¡¯m not making any promises. Edward is stubborn-if he decides to go through with this, there¡¯s nothing I can do.¡±


    Matthew let out a sigh of relief, his shoulders rxing slightly. ¡°Thank you, Amanda. I know this isn¡¯t easy.¡±


    I nodded, standing up from the bed and smoothing out the creases in my dress. My heart pounded as I made my way to the door. I wasn¡¯t sure how Edward would react to my request-he had been avoiding me for days, and now I had to ask him to show mercy to the man who had tried to hurt me. But I had to try.N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    When I reached Edward¡¯s study, I took a deep breath before knocking on the door. After a moment, his deep voice called out, telling me to enter. I pushed the door open and stepped inside, my heart racing.


    Edward looked up from his desk, his eyes widening slightly in surprise when he saw me. He quickly masked his expression, though, and leaned back in his chair, his gaze cool and distant. It had been two days since I had seen him, and just seeing him, looking hot and seated behind his desk, made a tingling sensation hit my body.


    ¡°Amanda,¡± he said, his voice neutral. ¡°What brings you here?¡±


    I swallowed hard, suddenly feeling nervous under his intense gaze. There is this alluring feeling whenever he looks at me in such a manner.


    ¡°I need to talk to you,¡± I said, my voice steady despite the turmoil inside me. ¡°It¡¯s about Killian.¡±


    His expression darkened at the mention of Killian¡¯s name, and I could see the anger simmering in his eyes. But I pressed on, knowing I had to say what I¡¯de to say.


    ¡°Matthew told me about the council hearing,¡± I continued, stepping closer to his desk. ¡°He also told me about the charges you¡¯ve brought against Killian.¡±


    Edward¡¯s jaw tightened, and he looked away, his fingers drumming on the desk. ¡°And you want me to withdraw the charges?¡± he said tly.


    I hesitated, choosing my words carefully. ¡°Not exactly. I want you to punish him, Edward. He deserves it. But the council¡­ it will destroy our family¡¯s name. My father is pleading for mercy, and Matthew is worried sick about what this will do to us. I¡¯m asking you to find another way. Something that will make Killian pay, but without bringing it to the council.¡±


    Edward¡¯s gaze snapped back to mine, his eyes searching my face for a long moment. I held my breath, waiting for his response, hoping he would understand the gravity of what I was asking.


    Finally, he sighed, running a hand through his hair. ¡°You¡¯re asking a lot, Amanda,¡± he said, his voice weary. ¡°Killian crossed a line. He knew you were mine, and yet he dared to touch you? I might be crippled, but that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m not still the Alpha Edward, feared by many. No one tries to touch what is mine.¡± He growled angrily, but what caught my attention was his im over me. He called me his, and the feeling of that was¡­unexinable.


    ¡°If only I could use my legs, he could have been dead by now,¡± Alpha Edward grunted, clearly frustrated about his condition.


    ¡°Please,¡± I pleaded. I didn¡¯t want this matter to escte.


    ¡°Amanda¡­¡± he trailed off, his expression conflicted. I could see the struggle in his eyes, the battle between his duty as Alpha and his feelings for me.


    ¡°I¡¯ll consider it,¡± he finally said, his voice quiet. ¡°For you, Amanda. I¡¯ll think of another way to deal with Killian. But understand this-it won¡¯t be easy, and it won¡¯t be without consequences.¡±


    Relief flooded through me, and I nodded, stepping closer to him. ¡°Thank you, Edward. That¡¯s all I¡¯m asking.¡±


    Our gazes locked for a moment, and neither of us could look away from each other. ¡°How have you been?¡± he asked, but that brought a frown to my face. How dare he ask me that when he has clearly been avoiding me?


    ¡°Why? Do you care?¡± I sneered before turning around and mming the door behind me.


    ¡°Take it easy on him, Amanda. He is feeling guilty about his actions, and it will take a while for him to forgive himself,¡± my wolf pleaded on his behalf while I scoffed and angrily went back to my room.


    The rest of the day was uneventful until it was time for sleep. I put Liam to bed, and while making my way toward my room, a sudden rush of heat enveloped me, making me stagger in my steps.


    ¡°What is happening?¡± I whispered to my wolf, confused by the sudden difort I was feeling.


    ¡°We are in heat, Amanda,¡± my wolf growled in frustration, her voice filled with the same tension I was feeling. My body was suddenly on fire, every nerve ending alight with a need I couldn¡¯t control.


    ¡°Heat? Now?¡± I whispered, clutching the wall for support as I tried to steady my breathing. The timing couldn¡¯t have been worse. With everything happening, thest thing I needed was to be overwhelmed by my sexual desires.


    ¡°Yes, now,¡± my wolf responded, her toneced with urgency. ¡°And you know who we need.¡±


    I bit my lip, trying to suppress the thoughts that immediately flooded my mind-the image of Alpha Edward, his strong arms around me, his scent, his touch. The pull towards him was overwhelming, but I fought against it, knowing howplicated things already were between us.


    ¡°No,¡± I muttered, shaking my head as if that would clear away the thoughts. ¡°I can¡¯t. Not now.¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t be able to resist, Amanda,¡± my wolf warned, her voice low and full of desire. ¡°You need him. We need him.¡±


    I clenched my fists, trying to focus on anything but the growing heat in my body. I couldn¡¯t let myself give in-not when I was still angry at Edward, not when our rtionship was so strained. But it was getting harder to think, harder to breathe as the heat intensified.


    Stumbling, I made my way to my room, every step feeling like torture. The moment I shut the door behind me, I leaned against it, trying to catch my breath. My wolf was pacing in my mind, her agitation only fueling the fire within me.


    ¡°Think, Amanda,¡± I whispered to myself, trying to stay focused. ¡°You can get through this. You just need to stay away from him.¡±


    But even as I said it, I knew it would be nearly impossible. The bond between mates was strong, and the heat made it even stronger. Every fiber of my being was screaming for Edward, and I knew he would feel the pull too, despite the distance he had been keeping.


    I copsed onto my bed, trying to will myself to sleep, but my body was restless, my thoughts consumed by Edward. My skin felt too tight, too sensitive, and every time I closed my eyes, I could see his face, hear his voice, imagine his dick in me.


    ¡°Damn it,¡± I muttered, sitting up abruptly. I couldn¡¯t stay in my room like this-I needed to do something, anything to distract myself. But as I stood, another wave of heat hit me, making me gasp and clutch the bedpost for support.


    ¡°You¡¯re not going to make it through the night without him,¡± my wolf insisted, her voice urgent. ¡°You need to go to him.¡±


    I shook my head stubbornly, but the logical part of me knew she was right. The heat was only going to get worse, and without Edward, I would be in pain by morning. I couldn¡¯t avoid him any longer.


    With a resigned sigh, I pushed myself away from the bed and made my way to the door. The hallway was quiet, everyone else already asleep, but my heart was pounding so loudly it felt like it might wake the entire house. I didn¡¯t care, though-my only thought was of Edward, of the relief I knew he could bring me.


    I hesitated for a moment outside his door, my hand hovering over the handle. What if he rejected me? What if he was still angry at himself, still avoiding me? But the need was too strong to ignore, and I couldn¡¯t let fear hold me back any longer.


    Taking a deep breath, I turned the handle and slipped into his room. It was dark, the only lighting from the moon outside the window, casting a soft glow over the room. Edward was in bed, his eyes already on me as if he had been waiting.


    The intensity of his gaze made my heart skip a beat, and I suddenly felt vulnerable under his scrutiny. But there was no going back now.


    ¡°Edward,¡± I whispered, my voice trembling slightly. ¡°I¡­ I need you.¡±


    He didn¡¯t say anything for a long moment, just stared at me with those piercing eyes. Then, slowly, he sat up, his expression unreadable. ¡°Come here,¡± he finally said, his voice rough with emotion.


    I didn¡¯t need to be told twice. Crossing the room in a few quick steps, I climbed onto the bed and into his arms. The moment his skin touched mine, the heat intensified, and I couldn¡¯t hold back the gasp that escaped my lips.


    Edward¡¯s arms tightened around me, and I felt a shiver run through his body as he inhaled deeply, his face buried in my neck. ¡°Amanda,¡± he murmured, his voice low and strained. ¡°You¡¯re in heat.¡±


    I nodded, unable to find my voice as the sensation of his touch consumed me. The bond between us red to life, and all the anger, the frustration, melted away, leaving only the overwhelming need to be with him.


    He pulled back slightly, his eyes searching mine, and for a moment, I saw the conflict there-the same conflict that had been tearing me apart. But then his expression hardened with desire, and he leaned in, capturing my lips with his in a fierce, possessive kiss.

 In his arms

    ¡°I can¡¯t wait anymore,¡± Amanda moaned between kisses before pulling away. Her hands trembled with desperation as she reached for his shirt, her fingers curling around his neck as she straddled hisp, her body flush against his. Edward¡¯s hands gripped her hips instinctively, his touch firm andmanding, sending a rush of liquid heat pooling between her thighs.


    Without breaking eye contact, Amanda began undoing the buttons of his shirt with shaky fingers. Edward¡¯s gaze never left hers, darkened with lust, his breath heavy and irregr as she bared his chest to her hungry eyes. His skin was hot beneath her touch, the hard muscles of his torso rippling with every breath he took.


    Her lips parted as she traced the contours of his chest, her fingers skimming down to his waistband, where she could feel the hard length of him straining against his pants. The desire to feel him, to have him inside her, was overwhelming, and she couldn¡¯t stop the small, needy moan that escaped her lips.


    Edward responded to her need with a deep, throaty growl, his hands tightening on her hips as he pulled her closer. He could feel the heat radiating from her pussy, her arousal soaking through the thin fabric of her panties and seeping onto his pants. The scent of her drove him mad, every primal instinct within him roaring to life as he felt the wetness of her against him.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    ¡°Amanda,¡± he rasped, his voice thick with desire, ¡°take what you need.¡±


    Amanda¡¯s heart pounded in her chest as she moved, her fingers fumbling with the zipper of his pants, pulling it down with a quick tug. She reached inside, her hand wrapping around the thick, rigid length of him. He was hot and hard in her hand, and she couldn¡¯t stop herself from stroking him slowly, savoring the feel of him, the way he pulsed in her grip.


    Edward hissed through his teeth, the sensation of her hand on him nearly too much to bear. His hips bucked up involuntarily, driving him further into her hand. He wanted to be inside her, to feel her wet heat surrounding him, but he held back, letting her set the pace. His fingers dug into her hips as she shifted above him, guiding him to her entrance.


    With a soft, breathy moan, Amanda positioned herself over him, the head of his cock pressing against her slick folds. She could feel the heat radiating from him, the delicious pressure of him poised at her entrance. With a slow, deliberate motion, she sank down onto him, gasping as he filled herpletely, stretching her in the most perfect way.


    ¡°Fuck,¡± Edward groaned, his hands gripping her hips as he felt her tight pussy enveloping him. The sensation was exquisite, every inch of him surrounded by her warmth, her slick walls pulsing around him. He fought to keep hisposure, the urge to thrust up into her almost overwhelming. But he wanted this tost, wanted to feel every second of her pleasure as she rode him.


    Amanda¡¯s breath came in short, desperate gasps as she began to move, her hips rolling in a slow, sensual rhythm. The friction was incredible, sending sparks of pleasure shooting through her with every movement. She leaned forward, her hands braced against his chest as she picked up the pace, her body moving with a primal, desperate need.


    The sounds of their lovemaking filled the room-her soft moans, his low growls, the wet, slick sounds of their bodiesing together in a frantic rhythm. Amanda¡¯s head fell back, her hair tumbling down her back as she rode him harder, faster, the pleasure building inside her like a tidal wave.


    Edward¡¯s hands slid up her body, cupping her breasts, his thumbs brushing over her hardened nipples. The sensation sent another jolt of pleasure through her, making her cry out his name. He couldn¡¯t take much more of this-the feel of her, the sight of her, the way she looked at him with eyes clouded with lust-it was all too much, and he knew he was close to the edge.


    With a guttural roar, he came hard, his release exploding inside her, his cock pulsing as he spilled himself deep within her. His body shuddered beneath her, his hands gripping her hips so tightly that he knew he¡¯d leave bruises, but he didn¡¯t care. She was his, and he was hers, and nothing else mattered in that moment.


    Amanda followed him into oblivion, her orgasm crashing over her with an intensity that left her breathless and shaking. Her body clenched around him, milking him for everyst drop as she rode out the waves of pleasure, her mind hazy and blissfully nk.


    When thest of the pleasure subsided, she copsed against him, her chest heaving as she tried to catch her breath. Edward¡¯s arms wrapped around her, holding her close as they both came down from the high, their bodies still entwined, the bond between them stronger than ever.


    For a moment, the room was silent, and only their panting breath could be heard. Amanda, feeling satisfied, clung to Edward, who was radiating aforting heat. His arms felt like the safest ce in the world, and she didn¡¯t want to pull away, at least not just yet.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Edward asked softly. Amanda, who couldn¡¯t use her words, only nodded. Alpha Edward leaned in and ced a kiss on her forehead before inhaling deeply. Amanda being in his arms like that was unreal and felt so heartwarming, but he knew she was only this way because she was in heat, and once her heat was over, she would pull away.


    Tension filled the air as they both didn¡¯t know what to say to each other. They both had a lot to say, but didn¡¯t know how to convey it in words. Amanda wanted them to talk about their feelings and rtionship, but she wanted Alpha Edward to initiate the talk. Alpha Edward, on the other hand, didn¡¯t want to pressure her with their rtionship, so he just let things be.


    ¡°Have you shifted into your wolf yet?¡± Alpha Edward asked, but Amanda shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to,¡± she murmured, and Edward¡¯s heart ached. It was supposed to be his duty to show her, but he couldn¡¯t, not when he was still crippled.


    ¡°I will ask Matthew to show you or have a female warrior show you,¡± Alpha Edward suggested, but Amanda shook her head. She wanted him to be the one to show her, but how was she going to tell him?


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to shift into my wolf just yet,¡± she mumbled, and a lump formed in Alpha Edward¡¯s throat. He wanted to ask her why but decided not to bombard her with questions.


    The room returned to afortable silence as they both pondered their thoughts, feeling thefort of each other until Amanda was the first to drift off to sleep before Edward.     They were still asleep, entangled in each other¡¯s arms, when a soft knock came on the door, jerking them out of their sleep. Slowly, Amanda opened her eyes, thinking she was in her bed, but then realized she was wrapped in Alpha Edward¡¯s arms.


    ¡°Good morning,¡± he greeted, while a small smile appeared on her face, but before she could respond, another knock came on the door, causing a slight frown to appear on her face. She wished no one would disturb them.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Alpha Edward grunted, clearly annoyed by the disturbance. ¡°Apologies, Alpha, but I just wanted to inform you that Lady Amanda¡¯s mom, has arrived,¡± the male servant announced from the door.


    Amanda, clearly confused, furrowed her brow and lifted her gaze to look at Alpha Edward, who looked hot with his morning face. ¡°My mother is here?¡± she asked, clearly confused.


    ¡°Yes, I wanted her toe spend some time with you since you didn¡¯t have the time to get to know her,¡± Alpha Edward exined, and a big smile appeared on Amanda¡¯s face. It ddened her heart to realize that her mother was here. She had a lot of things to talk to her about, and knowing that Alpha Edward did this for her made her heart flutter even more. Filled with gratitude, she sealed her lips with his, and Alpha Edward deepened the kiss before she pulled away and smiled heartily at him. ¡°Thank you.¡±

 No Perfect Man

    Amanda¡¯s POV


    ¡°I¡¯m so happy that you¡¯re here. We didn¡¯t have time to talk,¡± I said happily to my mother, who smiled and patted my shoulder.


    ¡°I¡¯m here now. Tell me what you want to know, my dear. I¡¯ll be with you for the whole week,¡± she said, and my smile widened. It was a relief to have her here with me-very thoughtful of Alpha Edward to send for her.


    ¡°I heard the case has been withdrawn, but don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll deal with Killian in my own way,¡± my mother said, and I frowned. What could she possibly do to him?


    ¡°Mother, what do you intend to do?¡± I asked curiously. She was silent for a moment before she smiled and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear.


    ¡°Do you know about my abilities? Did Matthew tell you yet?¡± she asked, and I shook my head. I always knew there was something special about my mother-there was a fear in both Killian and Father¡¯s eyes when she tried to attack Killian.


    ¡°No, he hasn¡¯t told me,¡± I admitted, my curiosity piqued.


    ¡°Maybe I should show you,¡± she said, her smile turning a bit more enigmatic.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    She stood up gracefully, her movements fluid and confident. My eyes followed her as she walked over to the two-seater couch in the corner of the room. To my astonishment, she easily lifted the entire couch with one hand, as if it weighed nothing more than a feather. My eyes widened in disbelief, my breath caught in my throat.


    ¡°How¡­?¡± I stammered, unable to form a coherent sentence. The disy of strength was beyond anything I had imagined.


    ¡°Your mother is stronger than she looks,¡± she chuckled, setting the couch down as gently as she had lifted it. ¡°This is just one of my gifts, Amanda. There¡¯s so much more I can do.¡±


    Before I could react, Mother extended her hand in front of us. With a focused expression, she gently touched her other hand to her wrist, and before my eyes, her skin shimmered faintly, almost glowing. The light faded quickly, revealing a perfectly smooth, unblemished wrist.


    ¡°What you just saw is one of my gifts,¡± she exined softly. ¡°I have the ability to heal not only others but also myself. It¡¯s something I¡¯ve kept hidden for a long time, using it only when necessary.¡±


    My eyes widened in amazement. ¡°So you can heal yourself, just like that?¡±


    She nodded, smiling at my reaction. ¡°Yes, but it¡¯s more than just healing. My abilities extend to understanding and sensing the pain of others. I can mend wounds, cure illnesses, and even bring someone back from the brink of death if needed.¡±


    I stared at her, trying to process the extent of what she was saying. ¡°That¡¯s incredible, Mother.¡±


    ¡°It is,¡± she agreed. ¡°But there¡¯s a cost to it-a bnce that needs to be maintained. Healing takes energy, and it¡¯s not something I can do endlessly. There¡¯s a limit to how much I can give before it starts to take a toll on me.¡±


    I nodded, still in awe. ¡°I had no idea¡­¡±


    ¡°And now,¡± she continued, taking my hand and guiding it to her arm, ¡°I want to see if you¡¯ve inherited any of my abilities. We should find out together.¡±


    I hesitated. ¡°But I¡¯m not a healer. I¡¯ve never been able to do anything like that.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s just try,¡± she said gently. ¡°If it doesn¡¯t work, we¡¯ll explore other possibilities. But I have a feeling you might surprise yourself.¡±


    With her encouragement, I ced my hand over her arm. She took a small, sharp object and made a quick cut on her forearm, wincing slightly. I gasped but didn¡¯t pull away.


    ¡°Now, focus,¡± she instructed softly. ¡°Close your eyes and concentrate on the wound. Imagine it closing, healing, as if nothing ever happened.¡±


    I took a deep breath and did as she said. I focused all my energy on the wound beneath my hand, trying to picture the skin mending itself. To my surprise, I felt a warm, tingling sensation flow through my hand and into her skin.


    I opened my eyes just in time to see the cut beginning to close, the blood disappearing as if it were being drawn back into her body. The skin healed wlessly, leaving no trace of the injury.


    ¡°I did it,¡± I whispered, my voice barely audible, filled with awe and disbelief.


    Mother smiled, her eyes glowing with pride. ¡°You have the gift of healing, Amanda. Just like me. And this is only the beginning. There¡¯s so much more that you¡¯re capable of.¡±


    I looked up at her, a mixture of shock and excitement bubbling within me. ¡°What else can I do?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll find out together,¡± she said, her voice filled with warmth and confidence. ¡°But for now, let¡¯s focus on honing this gift. You¡¯ll need it more than you know.¡±


    I smiled and stared at my arm, which I had just healed. I couldn¡¯t believe it-a once wolfless and abused girl now not only has a wolf but also a remarkable gift of healing. I thought of Alpha Edward and how proud and happy he would be to realize that I have this gift.


    ¡°And your wolf-have you shifted yet?¡± Mother asked, and I shook my head, seeing the confused look on her face. ¡°Why? Are you scared of the first shift?¡± she asked, and I shook my head again. I wasn¡¯t scared of that, but how do I tell her the truth without sounding foolish?


    ¡°Tell me, what¡¯s stopping you?¡± she asked while I hesitated, not knowing how to say it. She noticed my hesitation and moved closer, giving me aforting squeeze. ¡°I know we are just getting to know each other, but I really want us to be close, like a mother and daughter should be. So tell me, Amanda, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    I swallowed hard and looked up at her. ¡°It¡¯s Alpha Edward. I want him to teach me my first shift,¡± I whispered and saw the concerned look on her face. ¡°You¡¯ve fallen in love with him,¡± she said, and it wasn¡¯t a question.


    Not knowing how to respond, I looked away.


    ¡°I heard all that happened between you two from Matthew. I¡¯m so sorry that you had to go through all that, Amanda. Whatever decision you decide to take, I will support you. If you want to be with him, that¡¯s fine, and if you don¡¯t, that¡¯s also fine. But I want you to know that no man is perfect-not even our mates¡­.¡± She paused and took a deep breath. ¡°You know, my rtionship with your father was the best, at least in the early stage of our marriage, but when I couldn¡¯t get pregnant, we went through tough times. Your father got another wife, and within a few months, she conceived. I felt like an outcast and wasn¡¯t getting your father¡¯s attention, but I knew he still loved me. Yearster, Matthew came, and everything went back to normal. But after your birth and disappearance, I went mentally insane. I destroyed things and caused havoc¡­¡± She paused and inhaled deeply before continuing. ¡°Everyone asked your father to send me away, and he could have-he had a good reason to-but he never did. He always stuck by my side. Even when Matthew wanted me toe with him, your father refused. He said I was his mate and he wouldn¡¯t let me out of his sight,¡± she said, her voice trembling slightly with the weight of the memories. ¡°He stood by me through it all, despite the pressure from others, despite the madness that had taken hold of me. It took years for me to recover, but he never gave up on me. And that¡¯s something I want you to remember, Amanda-sometimes love is not perfect, and neither are the people we love. But if they are willing to stand by us in our darkest times, that¡¯s what truly matters.¡±


    I listened to her words, feeling a lump form in my throat. I could see the pain in her eyes but also the strength that had carried her through those difficult years. Her story made me think of Alpha Edward and all the things we had gone through together. He wasn¡¯t perfect-far from it-but there was a part of me that still believed in him, that still wanted to see the man he could be.


    ¡°I understand, Mother,¡± I said softly. ¡°But it¡¯s so hard to know what to do. He¡¯s hurt me so much, but at the same time, I can¡¯t help but feel drawn to him. I want to hate him for everything, but I can¡¯t. And now, with Liam and all these new things I¡¯m discovering about myself¡­ I don¡¯t know where to turn.¡±


    She nodded, her expression sympathetic. ¡°It¡¯s okay to feel conflicted, Amanda. You¡¯ve been through so much, and it¡¯s natural to have doubts. Just remember that you are not alone in this. You have me, you have Matthew, and most importantly, you have your own strength. Don¡¯t rush into any decisions. Take your time to understand what you truly want and what is best for you and Liam.¡±


    I nodded, appreciating her advice, but the uncertainty still gnawed at me. My mind drifted back to Alpha Edward, to the moments of tenderness we had shared despite the pain. The thought of him teaching me how to shift for the first time sent a mix of fear and excitement through me. Was I crazy for wanting that? For wanting him to be a part of such an important moment in my life?


    I¡¯ll think about it,¡± I finally said, my voice barely above a whisper. ¡°But I do want to learn, and I want to be strong-for Liam, and for myself.¡±


    Mother smiled, pulling me into a gentle hug. ¡°That¡¯s all I want, Amanda. For you to be strong, to find your path, and to know that you are loved no matter what.¡±


    As I held on to her, I felt a sense of peace wash over me. Maybe I didn¡¯t have all the answers yet, but I was starting to believe that I could find them. I wasn¡¯t the scared, broken girl I once was. I had a wolf now, I had a gift, and I had a mother who was ready to stand by me every step of the way.


    And maybe, just maybe, I could find a way to reconcile the pieces of my heart that still belonged to Alpha Edward, and the woman I was bing.

 Healed

    Alpha Edward was about to leave his room for lunch when he heard a knock on the door. Before he could ask who it was, the door swung open, and Levi, his cousin, stepped inside.


    ¡°What do you want? Haven¡¯t you done enough?¡± Alpha Edward yelled, his anger surging at the sight of Levi. The mere presence of the man who had caused him so much grief made his blood boil.


    ¡°Brother,¡± Levi called softly, his voice calm and unwavering despite the anger in Alpha Edward¡¯s eyes. He knew his cousin was enraged, but he also knew Edward would never truly harm him; if he had wanted to, he would have done so long ago.


    ¡°My things are downstairs. The driver is waiting for me, but I wanted to see you and apologize before I leave,¡± Levi pleaded, taking a tentative step closer to Alpha Edward.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need your apology, Levi. Just leave and never show your face to me again!¡± Alpha Edward grunted, turning away, his shoulders tense with unresolved anger.


    Suddenly, the door to the room opened again, and Amanda walked in. She stopped short, surprised to see Levi standing there. Her eyes darted between the two men, sensing the tension that filled the room.


    Levi took a deep breath, his gaze shifting between Edward and Amanda. His knees trembled slightly, and then he fell to the floor, dropping to his knees before his cousin. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Levi began, his voice filled with genuine remorse. ¡°I did everything I did because¡­ because you always seemed so perfect, Edward. In everything. You always had it all-strength, respect, the love of everyone around you. And I¡­ I became jealous. I couldn¡¯t stand being in your shadow, so I decided to take whatever I could from you.¡±


    Edward¡¯s face twisted in a mixture of disbelief and hurt. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± he demanded, his voice low and dangerous.


    Levi turned to Amanda, his eyes filled with guilt. ¡°I bet Edward that I could have you,¡± he confessed, his voice breaking with shame. ¡°I wanted to prove to him that he wasn¡¯t invincible, that I could take something he valued. But I swear, I never meant to hurt you, Amanda. I was blinded by my own jealousy, and I didn¡¯t realize what I was doing.¡±


    Amanda¡¯s expression hardened, but she remained silent, letting Levi continue.


    ¡°I love you, Edward,¡± Levi said, turning back to his cousin. ¡°You¡¯re my brother in all the ways that matter. I never wanted to truly hurt you. I was just¡­ lost in my own bitterness. I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m so sorry.¡±


    Alpha Edward¡¯s anger flickered, a mixture of pain and understanding crossing his features. He stared at Levi, his eyes narrowing, searching for any sign of deceit. But all he saw was his cousin¡¯s broken expression, the regret in his eyes.


    After a long, tense silence, Edward let out a slow breath. ¡°Get up, Levi,¡± he muttered. ¡°I forgive you¡­ but know that your actions have consequences. If you truly love me, then leave and don¡¯te back until you¡¯ve found a way to redeem yourself.¡±


    Levi¡¯s eyes welled up with tears, and he nodded. ¡°Thank you, Edward. Thank you,¡± he whispered, his voice choked with emotion. He stood, ncing at Amanda once more with a look of apology, before turning back to his cousin. ¡°Goodbye, Edward. I hope one day you can see me as your brother again.¡±


    Edward nodded curtly, his expression still guarded. ¡°Goodbye, Levi.¡±


    With a final look at both of them, Levi turned and left the room, closing the door quietly behind him.


    A tense silence hung in the air as neither Alpha Edward nor Amanda could find the words to say. They pondered Levi¡¯s words. Amanda had always felt there was something suspicious about Levi being friendly to her, but she never knew he had ns to have her just to cause Alpha Edward pain. She thought of the trip and wondered what would have happened if they had gone through with it.


    Filled with guilt, she looked at Alpha Edward, who seemed lost in thought. ¡°Is that the reason you wanted me gone? So Levi wouldn¡¯t have his chance with me?¡± she asked. Alpha Edward sighed before nodding. Amanda swallowed her difort. ¡°You could have told me, Alpha Edward. You could have exined things to me,¡± she muttered, but Alpha Edward remained silent.


    Amanda sighed and sat on the bed, while Edward moved over to the window, staring outside into the distance. She looked at him, her eyes lingering on the wheelchair. Her heart ached; she wished he could walk again. He was a leader, and not being able to use his legs was definitely taking a toll on him.


    ¡°I have an ability,¡± Amanda announced, standing up and moving over to him.


    ¡°Really?¡± Alpha Edward asked, curious.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Amanda squatted before him, and their gazes locked. ¡°I have the ability to heal. I found out two days ago with my mother¡¯s help.¡± A big smile appeared on Alpha Edward¡¯s face. He was so proud, so proud of the woman Amanda had be.


    ¡°I¡¯m so proud of you,¡± he said, lifting his hand and tucking her hair behind her ears. ¡°I¡¯m so proud that you didn¡¯t let me break you, that you didn¡¯t let this monster break you.¡±


    Amanda took a deep breath, gathering her thoughts as she looked into Alpha Edward¡¯s eyes. ¡°I¡¯ve forgiven you,¡± she said softly, her voice carrying both strength and vulnerability. ¡°I forgive you for everything you¡¯ve done to me. I know you¡¯ve suffered too, Edward¡­ and I see now that your actions were driven by pain, anger, and fear.¡±


    Alpha Edward¡¯s eyes widened slightly in surprise, as if he hadn¡¯t expected her words. For a moment, he seemed lost, unsure of how to respond. His gaze softened, the hardened lines on his face easing. ¡°Amanda¡­ I don¡¯t deserve your forgiveness,¡± he muttered, shaking his head. ¡°I¡¯ve been cruel. I¡¯ve hurt you in so many ways.¡±


    Amanda nodded, not denying his words. ¡°You did,¡± she acknowledged, ¡°but I¡¯ve seen your suffering, Edward. I¡¯ve seen you at your worst, and despite everything, I know there¡¯s still good in you. You¡¯re more than your mistakes.¡±


    Edward blinked, his expression wavering between relief and disbelief. ¡°How can you forgive me so easily?¡± he asked, his voice tinged with doubt.


    Amanda gave a small smile. ¡°It¡¯s not easy,¡± she admitted. ¡°It¡¯s not something that happens overnight. But I believe in second chances, Edward. And I think¡­ maybe, we both need to forgive ourselves as well.¡±


    He swallowed hard, feeling a knot in his throat loosen slightly. ¡°Amanda¡­ I don¡¯t know if I can ever make it up to you,¡± he said quietly.


    She reached out, gently taking his hand in hers. ¡°You don¡¯t have to prove anything to me, Edward. Just¡­ be better. For yourself. For Liam. And maybe, in time, for us.¡±


    Edward stared down at their joined hands, a mixture of emotions flickering across his face. He nodded slowly, his voice almost a whisper. ¡°I will try¡­ I promise.¡±


    They both stared at each other for a moment before Amanda spoke again. ¡°I want to use my ability on you. I had a dreamst night. In my dream, I saw you using your legs, and the moment I woke up, my wolf suggested I use my abilities on you.¡± Amanda suggested, but Alpha Edward remained silent, contemting whether he should agree to it. ¡°Amanda, this is a risk. You just got your ability; using it on my case is risky,¡± he pleaded, but Amanda shook her head.


    ¡°I¡¯m not backing out, Alpha Edward. Let me help you, please,¡± she pleaded, cing her hands on his knees. Alpha Edward shook his head and wanted to say something, but she cut him off. ¡°Don¡¯t say anything. I¡¯m doing it; there is no harm in trying.¡± She said, and Alpha Edward knew he had to give in.


    Amanda ced her hands on Alpha Edward¡¯s knees, trying her best to use her new healing power. She focused hard, hoping to help him walk again. Edward watched with hope and worry, but after several minutes, nothing changed. Amanda¡¯s touch grew colder, and she felt a pang of disappointment.


    Her face fell, and she pulled away, tears welling up in her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she said, her voice cracking. ¡°I thought I could help.¡±


    Without waiting for a response, Amanda ran out of the room, tears streaming down her face. Alpha Edward watched her go. He wanted to go to her, tofort her, but he decided to let her be and instead made a mind link to her mother, informing her that Amanda needed her.


    Amanda fled to her room, where she copsed and cried, overwhelmed by her failure. She thought she could heal him. What was the use of her healing ability if she couldn¡¯t heal the man she loved?


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to give up yet; we can keep trying,¡± her wolf assured her, but she didn¡¯t believe it.


    Amanda¡¯s mother walked in, moved over to the bed, and hugged Amanda, who cried bitterly in her arms.


    ¡°Mother¡­ I couldn¡¯t heal him,¡± Amanda sobbed loudly.


    Her mother gently stroked her hair while Amanda continued to sob. ¡°You must love him so much, don¡¯t you?¡± she asked, and Amanda nodded. There was no need to hide it. She had fallen head over heels for this man and wished she could help him use his legs again so he could be happy.


    Then you have to support him, Amanda. You can¡¯t cry; if you cry, what do you want him to do?¡± her mother asked.


    Amanda moved away from her mother¡¯s arm and looked at her. ¡°Alpha Edward is in a lot of pain. I wish I could do something¡­¡±


    ¡°You can,¡± her mother assured her, ¡°by being by his side, by showing him that you love him.¡±


    Amanda took a deep breath, wiping away her tears as she tried to steady herself. Her mother¡¯s words echoed in her mind, reminding her of the importance of support and presence. She knew she couldn¡¯t let her own fear keep her away from Edward, especially when he needed her the most.


    ¡°I will go back to him,¡± Amanda told her mother, who nodded and watched her leave.


    Arriving in Alpha Edward¡¯s room, she found him lying on the bed, a nket covering his legs up to his stomach. Amanda walked over to the side of the bed and gently took his hand in hers. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for running away,¡± she said softly. ¡°I just needed a moment to gather my thoughts.¡±


    Edward squeezed her hand, his eyes searching hers for reassurance. ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± he replied quietly. ¡°I understand. I just didn¡¯t want you to feel like you failed. I know you tried your best.¡±


    Amanda shook her head, her voice filled with determination. ¡°I haven¡¯t given up. I know it didn¡¯t work this time, but I want to keep trying. I want to be here for you, to support you, no matter what.¡±


    Edward¡¯s gaze softened, and he looked at her with a mixture of gratitude and admiration. ¡°You¡¯re incredible, Amanda. I don¡¯t know what I did to deserve someone like you.¡±


    Amanda smiled through her tears, feeling loved by him. ¡°You deserve everything good, Edward. And I¡¯m here to make sure you get it, even if it takes time.¡±


    She leaned down and kissed him gently on the forehead. ¡°Let¡¯s work through this together. I believe in us, and I believe we can find a way forward.¡±


    Edward nodded, his eyes glistening with unshed tears. ¡°Thank you, Amanda. I promise to try my hardest, for both of us.¡±


    Amanda smiled and kissed him on the lips, and Alpha Edward deepened the kiss. Their tongues yed with each other¡¯s, exploring and tasting.


    Edward¡¯s hands moved down her back, caressing her with gentle yet firm strokes, as if afraid she might slip away again. His lips traveled from her mouth to her neck, pressing hot, fervent kisses that sent shivers through her body. Amanda moaned softly, her hands gripping his shoulders, feeling the taut muscles under her touch.


    His hands slid lower, tracing the curve of her waist, and then gripping her hips, pulling her closer to him. Amanda could feel the strength in his hands, the raw power beneath the surface, and it excited her. She pulled back for a moment, breathing heavily, and gazed into his eyes.


    ¡°Edward,¡± she whispered, her voiceced with a mix of desire and love. ¡°I want this¡­ I want you.¡±


    Edward¡¯s eyes darkened with passion, and he nodded, his hand moving up to cup her face. ¡°Are you sure?¡± he asked, his voice husky, his breath warm against her skin.


    ¡°Yes,¡± she replied, her voice firm, filled with an undeniable need. She leaned in, capturing his lips again with hers, the kiss growing deeper, hungrier.


    Her hands moved down his chest, feeling his heart pound beneath her fingers. ¡°Let me,¡± she whispered against his lips, her voice thick with desire.


    Edward¡¯s breath hitched as he nodded, giving her silent permission. He had always been the one in control, but now he found himself surrendering to her touch, trusting herpletely.


    Amanda shifted, carefully straddling him, feeling the firmness of his body beneath hers. She could sense the tension in his muscles, the way he was holding back, afraid of what might happen if he let go. Her hands moved to the hem of her shirt, pulling it over her head and tossing it aside. She was left in only her bra, her skin flushing under his heated gaze.


    Edward¡¯s eyes darkened with desire as he watched her. ¡°Amanda¡­¡± he whispered, his voice filled with a mix of longing and restraint.


    She smiled softly, reaching behind to unsp her bra, letting it fall away. ¡°I want you, Edward,¡± she murmured, leaning down to press her bare chest against his. ¡°Let me take care of you.¡±


    He swallowed hard, his hands moving to her waist, his fingers trembling slightly. ¡°I¡­ I can¡¯t move like I used to,¡± he confessed, his voice low, almost ashamed.


    Amanda cupped his face, forcing him to look at her. ¡°I know,¡± she replied softly but firmly. ¡°But you can feel, can¡¯t you?¡± She shifted her hips slightly, teasing him, drawing a low groan from his throat.


    ¡°Yes,¡± he gasped, his hands tightening on her waist, feeling the warmth of her skin against his. ¡°God, yes.¡±


    She smiled, her heart swelling with affection for the man beneath her. Slowly, she rocked her hips against his, feeling his growing arousal beneath her. She took her time, savoring every moment, every reaction, every gasp, and groan that escaped his lips.


    Edward¡¯s eyes fluttered shut for a moment, his breathing in shallow pants. Amanda¡¯s hands roamed over his chest, tracing the lines of his muscles, feeling the way his body responded to her touch. ¡°Open your eyes, Edward,¡± she whispered, her voice filled withmand. ¡°I want you to see me.¡±


    He obeyed, his eyes snapping open, filled with a hunger that sent a thrill through her. She reached down, hooking her fingers into his waistband, pulling his pants down, freeing him. He was already hard, ready for her, and she felt a rush of heat pool low in her belly.


    She positioned herself over him, her core slick and ready, and she slowly lowered herself onto him, feeling him fill her inch by inch. A moan escaped her lips, her head falling back as she took him fully inside. Edward¡¯s hands gripped her hips, his fingers digging into her flesh, his breathing ragged.


    ¡°God, Amanda,¡± he groaned, his voice filled with a mix of pleasure and desperation. ¡°You feel¡­ incredible.¡±


    She smiled, starting to move her hips in slow, circr motions, grinding against him, drawing out their pleasure. She took her time, building the rhythm, feeling every inch of him inside her, the way he stretched and filled her.


    Edward¡¯s hands moved up to her waist, guiding her movements, trying to find some control despite his limitations. Amanda leaned down, pressing her forehead against his, her breath mingling with his. ¡°Let go,¡± she whispered, her voice a softmand. ¡°Let me do this for you.¡±


    He groaned, his grip tightening, but he nodded, allowing her to take the lead. She began to move faster, her hips rising and falling, taking him deeper with each thrust. The room was filled with the sound of their heavy breathing, their moans, and the rhythmic p of skin against skin.


    Amanda¡¯s hands moved to his chest, bracing herself as she quickened her pace, riding him harder. She felt the tension building in her own body, the pleasure coiling tighter with each movement. ¡°Edward,¡± she gasped, her voice strained. ¡°I¡¯m so close.¡±


    He nodded, his own body trembling with the effort to hold back. ¡°Me too,¡± he groaned. ¡°Amanda¡­ don¡¯t stop.¡±


    She groaned and continued to ride him, but then stopped and looked him in the eyes. ¡°I need to mark you,¡± she whispered against his ear, her breath hot and ragged. ¡°I need to make you mine, Edward.¡±


    He nodded, his hands tightening on her waist, his breathing in short, shallow gasps. ¡°Do it, Amanda,¡± he urged, his voice thick with desire. ¡°Mark me.¡±


    She leaned down, her lips finding the spot where his neck met his shoulder, her teeth grazing his skin. She bit down, sinking her fangs into his flesh, marking him as hers. Edward groaned, his body tensing beneath her, his hands gripping her tighter as he felt the bond form, the connection between them strengthening, solidifying. A surge of power flowed through him, his body reacting to the mark, his bones cracking, shifting, healing.


    Amanda felt the change in him, the way his body tensed, the sound of his bones cracking and shifting beneath her. She pulled back, her eyes wide with shock and concern, but Edward¡¯s hands tightened on her waist, holding her in ce.


    ¡°Don¡¯t stop,¡± he pleaded, his voice filled with both pain and desire. ¡°Don¡¯t stop, Amanda.¡±


    She nodded, her movements resuming, her hips moving faster, grinding against him, riding him. Edward¡¯s eyes fluttered closed, his body trembling as he felt the sensation of his bones realigning, the pain mingling with the pleasure coursing through him.


    With a final thrust, Edward¡¯s body bucked beneath her, a loud moan escaping his lips as he came, his release filling her, his body shaking with the force of his orgasm. Amanda felt her own release wash over her, her body trembling, her moans mingling with his as they came together, their bodies entwined, their hearts beating as one.


    As the pleasure slowly subsided, Edward¡¯s eyes opened, and he looked down at his legs, his eyes widening in disbelief. He could feel them. He could move them. He lifted one leg, then the other, augh of pure joy escaping his lips.


    ¡°Amanda¡­ I can¡­ I can move my legs,¡± he whispered, his voice filled with awe and wonder.


    Amanda¡¯s eyes filled with tears, her heart swelling with happiness. She threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly, her voice choked with emotion. ¡°I knew it would work,¡± she whispered. ¡°I knew we could do it.¡±


    She stood back and watched as he rose from the bed. To her surprise, he moved effortlessly, standing on his feet as if he had never been crippled for weeks.


    ¡°Oh, my goodness!¡± Amanda cried out with joy and jumped into Alpha Edward¡¯s arms. He caught her easily and pulled her close, holding her tightly against him. ¡°Mate!¡± his wolf spoke for the first time in six years.


    Edward¡¯s eyes widened as he pulled her back, his hands cupping her face. He kissed her deeply, passionately, his heart filled with gratitude and love. ¡°You did this,¡± he whispered against her lips. ¡°You gave me my life back, Amanda. I will love you forever for it.¡±Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    Amanda smiled, her heart overflowing with love. ¡°And I will love you, Alpha Edward, always.¡±

 The End

    ¡°Are you nervous?¡± Liam, who was standing beside his father, asked as he noticed how anxious he seemed.


    Alpha Edward let out a soft chuckle and nodded. ¡°A little nervous, yeah,¡± he admitted, and Liam gave his hand a gentle squeeze.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be. Mommy is on her way.¡± Liam offered his father aforting smile, and suddenly the music began ying, prompting everyone to stand.


    Looking ahead, Alpha Edward¡¯s breath hitched as he saw the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, dressed in a white wedding gown, being led toward him by her father.


    ¡°Mine!¡± His wolf howled possessively and happily, causing tears to glisten in Alpha Edward¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°You are so beautiful,¡± Alpha Edward whispered to Amanda through the mind link. She responded with a smile. ¡°You look handsome and hot,¡± she whispered back, their gazes locked.


    They continued holding each other¡¯s gaze until Amanda was handed over to him by her father, her eyes filled with tears.


    It was a great joy to be marrying the man she loved. Despite everything that had happened, she never regretted meeting him in the woods and saving his life.


    As they took their vows before the people and the priest, she began to wonder what would have be of them if she hadn¡¯t gone to the woods that fateful day. Perhaps he wouldn¡¯t have made it, or what might have happened if Elisa had married him and made him believe they were mates. These questions buzzed in her mind, and after a long thought, she realized she didn¡¯t regret it-she didn¡¯t regret meeting him under those circumstances.


    ¡°Until death do us part,¡± they said in unison.


    ¡°You may kiss your bride,¡± the priest gestured.


    Alpha Edward¡¯s heart pounded in his chest as he leaned in, his eyes never leaving Amanda¡¯s. As their lips met, a wave of warmth and joy enveloped them both. The crowd erupted in cheers and apuse, but for Edward and Amanda, time seemed to stand still. The kiss was tender, filled with all the love and promises they had made to each other.


    When they finally pulled away, their faces were lit with happiness, and the tears in Amanda¡¯s eyes were matched by Edward¡¯s own. They held each other close, savoring the moment that had been a long timeing. The music swelled, and the newlyweds began to walk down the aisle together, hand in hand, their smiles radiant and their hearts full.


    As they reached the end of the aisle, Liam rushed to his father¡¯s side, his little face beaming with pride. Edward scooped him up into his arms, holding him tightly. Amanda joined them, wrapping her arms around both of them, creating a family embrace that feltplete and whole.


    ¡°Congrattions, Friend.¡± Beta Matthew hugged Alpha Edward, who hugged him back, his heart filled with joy. ¡°Thank you for everything, Matthew,¡± Alpha Edward whispered before pulling away.


    Matthew hugged his sister and congratted her before stepping back. Aunt Victoria, Alpha Edward¡¯s aunt, hugged him, congratting him, and did the same with Amanda.


    Amanda¡¯s parents came forward to congratte them before they got into the car, which drove them to the mansion where the reception would be held.


    Inside the limousine, Alpha Edward and Amanda shared a heated, passionate kiss, and as Alpha Edward¡¯s hands moved to lift the hem of her gown, she chuckled and pulled away. ¡°Be patient, husband. I¡¯m all yours tonight,¡± Amanda smirked at him before sitting properly and resting her head on his shoulder.


    ¡°I love you,¡± Alpha Edward whispered, causing a big smile to appear on Amanda¡¯s face.


    They arrived at the mansion and, after changing into another outfit, went to the garden and took their seats as the reception began. Many activities took ce until it was time for speeches.


    Beta Matthew was the first to speak, walking towards the stage with a ss of wine in his hand.


    ¡°I¡¯m the happiest man on earth. Today, two important people in my life are married-my best friend, Alpha Edward, and my little sister.¡±ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    Matthew paused for a moment, his gaze shifting between Alpha Edward and Amanda, both of whom were smiling brightly.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a journey, seeing these twoe together,¡± Matthew continued, his voice filled with emotion. ¡°I remember when Amanda and Edward first met. It was a time of uncertainty, trials, and tribtions, but they faced it altogether. Their love has grown stronger with each challenge, and today, we celebrate not just their union but the strength and resilience that brought them here.¡±


    He took a sip from his ss and looked back at the couple, his eyes misty. ¡°Amanda, you¡¯ve always been a beacon of light in our lives. And Alpha Edward, you¡¯ve shown us what it means to be a true partner and protector. Together, you create a love that inspires us all.¡±


    The guests pped and cheered, and Matthew¡¯s speech was met with heartfelt apuse.


    ¡°I wish you two a happy married life and an evesting union.¡± He lifted his ss and bowed to them before returning to his seat.


    Suddenly, Levi appeared from nowhere with a ss of wine in his hand. Alpha Edward frowned and red at Levi, not expecting him to be there.


    Levi took a deep breath, his eyes scanning the crowd before settling on his cousin, Alpha Edward. He looked hesitant for a moment, then his gaze softened. ¡°Dear brother,¡± he began, his voice slightly trembling, ¡°I am so happy for you. So happy that you found love, happiness, and the family you deserve.¡±


    Edward¡¯s expression shifted from surprise to wary curiosity. He hadn¡¯t expected Levi to be there, not after theirst encounter three months ago, when Levi had apologized and disappeared from their lives. But here he was, standing before everyone, his eyes glistening with unshed tears.


    Levi took a step closer, his voice gaining strength. ¡°I know I haven¡¯t been the best brother,¡± he admitted, his words heavy with regret. ¡°I¡¯ve made mistakes¡­ so many mistakes that hurt you, Amanda, and everyone I care about. I was lost, blinded by my own anger and jealousy. I couldn¡¯t see what was right in front of me-the love you had found and the life you were building.¡±


    The room grew quieter, the audience leaning in, feeling the raw emotion in Levi¡¯s words. Edward¡¯s frown softened as he listened to his cousin speak with a sincerity he hadn¡¯t heard before.


    Levi¡¯s voice broke a little as he continued. ¡°I have been gone for three months, trying to figure out who I am and how to be better. And during that time, I realized something important¡­ I realized how much I missed my brother, how much I missed being part of your life, Edward. I am sorry for every hurtful word, for every moment I¡¯ve wronged you.¡±


    A tear finally escaped Levi¡¯s eye, rolling down his cheek. He wiped it away quickly, a nervous chuckle escaping his lips. ¡°I¡¯m not perfect, and I never will be. But I am here now, to tell you that I am proud of you. Proud of the man you have be, proud of the family you have built. And I want to be part of that family again, if you will have me.¡±


    Edward felt a lump form in his throat. He tried to swallow it down, but his emotions were too overwhelming. Tears welled up in his eyes, matching his brother¡¯s. He looked at Amanda, who gave him an encouraging nod, her eyes also misty with emotion.


    Levi took another step forward, holding out his hand. ¡°Edward, I¡¯m asking for your forgiveness, for a chance to start over. I want to be a better brother, a better uncle to Liam¡­ a better man.¡±


    For a moment, there was silence. Then, slowly, Edward stood up from his chair. His expression nk. The crowd watched as he made his way over to Levi, who stood with bated breath, waiting.


    Alpha Edward stopped in front of his brother, their eyes locking for a long, intense moment. Then, in a swift motion, Edward pulled Levi into a tight embrace. The room erupted in apuse, cheers filling the air.


    ¡°I forgive you, Levi,¡± Edward whispered, his voice breaking. ¡°I forgive you, and I¡¯ve missed you too, brother.¡±


    Levi¡¯s body shook with silent sobs as he clung to Edward, feeling the weight of his guilt lifting off him. ¡°Thank you,¡± he murmured. ¡°Thank you, Edward.¡±


    They held each other for a long moment, their bond finally mending. As they pulled apart, both men had tears streaming down their faces, but their smiles were wide and genuine.


    Alpha Edward turned to the crowd, still holding on to Levi¡¯s shoulder. ¡°To family,¡± he said, raising his ss, and the guests echoed his words, raising their sses in celebration.


    Amanda watched them with a tearful smile, feeling her heart swell with joy.


    The reception was filled withughter and celebration until Amanda bade everyone goodbye and left the reception for their room. She had a surprise for Alpha Edward.


    When she reached their room, she realized it had been decorated with flowers and candles. Smiling shyly to herself, she took off her dress. She could have called a servant to help her, but she decided to do it herself. After undressing, she picked up the sheer silk dress and went over to the bathroom to wash herself.


    ¡°Are you going to tell him?¡± her wolf asked, and she nodded, blushing.


    ¡°He will be so happy,¡± her wolf whispered, and Amanda nodded with a smile as she began dressing in the sheer, sexy dress.


    Alpha Edward had finished exchanging pleasantries with the guests and decided to retire. Entering the room, he realized it was decorated in a bridal style, which made him smile as he shut the door and walked further into the room. Suddenly, the bathroom door opened, revealing a breathtaking Amanda.


    Edward felt his breath catch in his throat. Amanda stood there, her figure silhouetted by the soft glow of candlelight, the sheer silk dress clinging to every curve of her body. The dress was almost see-through, teasingly revealing the smooth expanse of her skin. Her hair fell in soft waves around her shoulders, her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes sparkled with a mixture of nervousness and anticipation.


    ¡°By the moon,¡± Edward murmured, his voice husky with desire. He took a step closer, his gaze never leaving hers. ¡°You are¡­ absolutely stunning.¡±


    Amanda smiled, a shy but sexy smile, and stepped forward, closing the distance between them. ¡°I wanted to look beautiful for you,¡± she whispered, her voice soft and inviting.


    Edward reached out, his fingers brushing along her arm, sending shivers down her spine. ¡°You are beyond beautiful,¡± he murmured. ¡°You are perfect.¡±


    He leaned in, his lips finding hers in a slow, tender kiss. Amanda melted into his embrace, feeling the warmth of his body against hers. The kiss deepened, growing more passionate with each passing second. His hands moved to her waist, pulling her closer, his thumbs stroking gentle circles on her skin.


    Edward felt his heart racing, his body responding to the feel of her so close, the taste of her on his lips. He trailed his kisses down her neck, pausing to nibble and suck gently at the sensitive spot just below her ear. Amanda let out a soft moan, her fingers threading through his hair as she leaned into his touch.


    ¡°Husband¡­¡± she breathed, her voice a mix of need and desire. ¡°I need you.¡±


    His wolf growled with satisfaction at her words, a primal desire taking over. ¡°I need you too, wife. I need all of you.¡± He whispered against her skin, lifting her into his arms effortlessly, carrying her to the bed. Heid her down gently, his eyes drinking in every inch of her as if he were seeing her for the first time.


    He climbed onto the bed, hovering over her, his hands exploring the curves of her body through the thin fabric. Amanda arched her back, her breath hitching as his hands slid lower, tracing the line of her hips.


    ¡°Do you know how much I love you?¡± he asked, his voice a low, rumbling whisper.


    Amanda nodded, her lips parting in a soft gasp as his hand slid up her thigh. ¡°I love you too, Edward¡­ so much.¡±


    Edward smiled, a tender, loving smile, as he leaned down to kiss her again, this time deeper, more demanding. His tongue parted her lips, exploring her mouth with a hunger that sent a wave of heat coursing through her body. His hand continued its journey, slipping beneath the silk, finding her warmth. She moaned softly, her hips instinctively moving against his touch.


    ¡°Edward,¡± she whispered, her voice shaky with desire. ¡°Please¡­ don¡¯t stop.¡±


    He chuckled softly against her lips. ¡°I don¡¯t n to, my love.¡±


    He moved lower, his lips trailing kisses down her neck, across her corbone, until he reached the swell of her breasts. He took his time, savoring the feel of her skin beneath his lips, the way she shivered and gasped at each touch. He slowly pulled down the straps of her dress, revealing her breasts to his hungry gaze. His mouth found her nipple, teasing it with his tongue before taking it fully into his mouth, sucking gently.


    Amanda arched her back, a soft cry escaping her lips as her hands clung to his shoulders. The sensation was almost too much, but she craved more. She could feel the heat pooling in her core, her body aching for him.


    Edward switched to her other breast, giving it the same attention, his free hand sliding down between her thighs. He felt the dampness there and growled softly, his wolf urging him on.


    ¡°You¡¯re so wet for me,¡± he murmured against her skin. ¡°So ready.¡±


    Amanda nodded, her breathing in quick, shallow pants. ¡°Yes¡­ I need you, Edward. I need you inside me.¡±


    He wasted no time. Moving down her body, he kissed a trail along her stomach, his hands sliding the dress further until it waspletely off her body. He paused, admiring her beauty, her perfect form lying before him.


    ¡°Mine,¡± he growled possessively, his wolfing to the surface again. ¡°All mine.¡±


    He spread her legs, settling between them, his mouth finding her most sensitive spot. Amanda gasped, her hands gripping the sheets as his tongue flicked against her clit, teasing, tasting her. She moaned, her hips bucking against his mouth, desperate for more.


    Edward worked her with his tongue, alternating between soft, slow licks and quick, firm strokes, driving her closer and closer to the edge. He could feel her thighs trembling, her breath hitching with every movement.


    ¡°Edward, please¡­ I¡¯m so close,¡± she begged, her voice a desperate plea.


    He didn¡¯t stop, pushing her further, his fingers joining his tongue, sliding inside her, finding that perfect spot. Amanda¡¯s back arched, a loud moan escaping her lips as she came undone, her body trembling with the force of her release.


    Edward kissed his way back up her body, giving her time to catch her breath. ¡°That was just the beginning, my love,¡± he whispered, moving away from her.


    Holding her gaze, he began taking off his clothes, and as he undressed, he could see the desire for him in her eyes. After undressing, he climbed on the bed, positioning himself above her, the tip of his hard length brushing against her entrance.


    Amanda¡¯s eyes fluttered open, her gaze locking onto his. ¡°Then take me, husband. Make me yourspletely.¡±


    He pushed into her slowly, savoring the feel of her tightness around him, a deep groan escaping his lips. He filled herpletely, stretching her, their bodies perfectly aligned.


    Amanda gasped, her hands gripping his arms. ¡°Yes¡­ oh, dear¡­ yes.¡±


    He began to move, a slow, steady rhythm, his eyes never leaving hers. Each thrust was deliberate, powerful, filled with love and desire. He watched her face, the way her lips parted, the way her eyes fluttered closed with pleasure.


    ¡°Amanda¡­¡± he groaned, his pace quickening, his need growing stronger.


    She wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling him deeper, her nails digging into his back. Don¡¯t stop¡­ please, don¡¯t stop.¡±


    He thrust harder, faster, their bodies moving in perfect harmony, their moans, and gasps filling the room. The tension built between them, their bodies slick with sweat, their hearts pounding in unison.


    Edward could feel himself nearing the edge, and he knew she was right there with him. ¡°Amanda¡­ I¡¯m going to¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, Edward¡­e with me,¡± she whispered, her voice a breathless plea.


    With a final, powerful thrust, he pushed them both over the edge, their climaxes hitting them like a wave, their cries of pleasure mingling in the air. They held on to each other, riding out the storm together, their bodies trembling with the intensity of their release.


    When it was over, Edward copsed beside her, pulling her into his arms, holding her close. Theyy there, their breathsing in ragged gasps, their hearts still racing.


    ¡°I love you, Amanda,¡± he whispered, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead.


    ¡°I love you too, Edward,¡± she replied, snuggling closer, feeling the warmth of his body against hers. ¡°Forever.¡±


    Aforting silence hung in the air until Alpha Edward decided to speak. ¡°We are leaving for Paris tomorrow, we will stay there for a week, and then we move over to Dubai.¡±


    Amanda smiled and nodded before looking up at him. ¡°I have something to tell you,¡± Amanda said in a serious tone, causing Alpha Edward to raise a curious brow at her.


    She didn¡¯t say a word; rather, she took his hand and ced it on her belly. ¡°I¡¯m pregnant.¡±


    Edward froze, his eyes widening with shock. For a moment, he seemed unable to process her words. Then, slowly, realization dawned on him, and his expression softened with joy and disbelief. ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re pregnant?¡± he asked, his voice barely more than a whisper.


    Tears filled Amanda¡¯s eyes as she nodded. ¡°Yes, Edward,¡± she said, her voice trembling with emotion. ¡°We¡¯re going to have another baby.¡±


    A wide grin spread across Edward¡¯s face, his eyes shining with tears of happiness. He cupped her face in his hands, his thumbs gently wiping away the tears that had started to fall down her cheeks. ¡°Amanda¡­ this is the best news I could ever receive,¡± he murmured, his voice thick with emotion.


    He leaned down, capturing her lips in a passionate kiss. The kiss was deep, filled with all the love, joy, and excitement he felt. Amanda melted into him, her arms wrapping around his neck as she kissed him back with equal fervor.


    When they finally pulled away, Edward rested his forehead against hers, both of them breathing heavily, their hearts pounding in unison. ¡°I love you so much, Amanda,¡± he whispered. ¡°Thank you for this gift¡­ for giving me a family¡­ for everything.¡±


    Amanda smiled, her eyes shining with tears of happiness. ¡°I love you too, Edward,¡± she whispered back. ¡°And I can¡¯t wait to start this new chapter of our lives together.¡±


    Edward kissed her forehead softly, then moved down to ce a tender kiss on her still-t belly. ¡°Hello, little one,¡± he whispered, his voice filled with love. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to meet you.¡±


    Amanda giggled, her fingers running through his hair. ¡°You¡¯re going to be an amazing father,¡± she said softly.


    Edward looked up at her, his eyes filled with determination and love. ¡°And you are already the most incredible mother,¡± he replied. ¡°Our children are so lucky to have you.¡±


    MONTHS LATER!!!


    ¡°Calm down,¡± Matthew urged, but Alpha Edward shook his head and paced back and forth in panic.


    ¡°Arebors always like this?¡± he asked in fear. Amanda had been inbor for an hour, and it was scaring him to death.


    ¡°This is not her firstbor, so don¡¯t worry,¡± Matthew assured him, but it wasn¡¯t helping.


    The door opened, and a maid rushed out. ¡°Alpha, she wants you,¡± she said, and Edward quickly walked in.


    As he entered the room, Edward saw Amanda lying on the bed, her face contorted in pain. He rushed to her side, taking her hand in his. She squeezed it tightly, her knuckles turning white. He could see the beads of sweat on her forehead, and his heart ached for her.


    ¡°Hey, Darling,¡± he said softly, trying to project calmness despite the fear gripping his heart. ¡°I¡¯m here. You¡¯re doing great.¡±


    Amanda managed a weak smile, her breathing ragged. ¡°I can¡¯t do this, Edward,¡± she gasped between contractions. ¡°It hurts so much.¡±


    Edward brushed her damp hair away from her face and leaned in closer. ¡°Yes, you can, baby. You¡¯re strong, and you¡¯re doing an amazing job. Just keep breathing and pushing. I¡¯m right here with you.¡±


    Amanda nodded, her eyes filled with determination. The midwife and nurses continued their work, providing support and guidance. Amanda¡¯s mother stood by, her presence offering a sense of reassurance.


    As the minutes passed, Amanda¡¯sbor progressed. The pain intensified, and she cried out with each contraction. Edward held her hand tightly, encouraging her and reminding her of the beautiful baby they were about to meet.


    Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he heard the faint cries of their newborn baby. Tears welled up in his eyes, and a mix of relief and joy washed over him. Amanda¡¯s exhausted but radiant smile mirrored his feelings.


    ¡°It¡¯s a baby girl,¡± the nurse announced, cing the baby in Amanda¡¯s arms. They both looked down at their precious baby, overwhelmed with love and gratitude.


    Edward kissed Amanda¡¯s forehead and whispered, ¡°You did it, my love. Our little girl is here, Liam will be so happy, he wanted a sister.¡±


    Amanda nodded, tears streaming down her face. ¡°Thank you for being here, Edward. I couldn¡¯t have done it without you.¡±


    He hugged her gently, cherishing the moment. ¡°I¡¯ll always be here for you and our kids, Amanda. We¡¯re a family now, and nothing will ever change that.¡± He looked down at the baby in his arms, who had his face but had inherited her mother¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°She is so beautiful, just like her mother, ¡± alpha Edward whispered, cing a kiss on her forehead.


    The End


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