Chapter 6: The Fight
1478 Words
Chapter 6: The Fight
(Amelia’s POV)
I stood by the window in Alexander's luxurious room, staring out at the endless stretch of greenery beyond the glass.
Behind me, Alexander sat at his grand desk, calm and composed as always. His attention was fixed on a stack of documents, the natural authority in his every move making him look untouchable. He leaned slightly on one arm as the sunlight caught the sharp angles of his face, softly illuminating his features. His dark hair looked almost glossy, and his lips…
I swallowed hard and shook my head. No. Stop that, Amelia. Focus.
“Amelia,” Alexander said suddenly, his deep, smooth voice breaking my train of thought. “Are you planning to stare at me all day, or will you find something else to do?”
My face burned. “I wasn’t staring,” I muttered quickly, turning my head toward the wall like it could hide my embarrassment.
“You were,” he said teasingly, that arrogant smirk evident in his tone. “Not that I can blame you. You’re only human—or rather, werewolf, but details.”
“I wasn’t!” I snapped, my voice sharper than I intended. I turned my back fully to him, letting my hands fidget with the hem of my dress to keep myself occupied.
“Hmm,” he hummed lazily, clearly amused but finally dropping the subject.
Before I could say anything to keep him from poking at me again, he added casually, “Don’t forget your necklace. It’s on the nightstand.”
My gaze darted to the small table by the bed, where the silver chain glinted softly in the sunlight.
The necklace.
My breath caught ever so slightly as memories came flooding back.
It was simple—a moonstone pendant on a fine silver chain. It wasn’t expensive, not even close, but it carried weight. A bitter weight.
I’d worn it every day for years, clinging to the hope that it meant something more. But now… now it was a painful reminder of how naive I’d been.
Dominic had given it to me during an academy volunteer mission when we were both teenagers. I’d admired it quietly while we were assigned to help an older artisan. He’d bought it on a whim, handing it to me with nothing more than an indifferent glance.
“Here,” he’d said carelessly, “it suits you.”
I’d been overjoyed back then. I’d thought, finally, something from him. A small spark of acknowledgment. I had worn it every single day since.
But all it symbolized now was years of silent rejection. Of devotion seen and ignored.
I stepped closer, hesitating as I reached for the small trinket. My fingers brushed against the cool surface of the moonstone.
“Amelia,” Alexander called, his tone softer now, that teasing edge gone. “Is something wrong?”
Startled, I looked over my shoulder to find him watching me with an unreadable expression. There was no smirk this time. Only quiet concern etched across his sharp features.
“No, nothing’s wrong,” I lied quickly, smiling weakly. I slipped the necklace into my pocket before he could say anything else.
Alexander tilted his head slightly, but after a beat, he nodded and returned to his papers.
I exhaled slowly, turning back to the window. Why had that moment with the necklace shaken me so much? It wasn’t like I still carried feelings for Dominic. Not after last night.
Right?
Needing a distraction, I grabbed my bag from the couch and fished my phone out. Maybe mindlessly scrolling or sending a quick message to a friend would help settle my thoughts.
The first thing I saw on the screen sent my stomach plummeting.
Seventy-three missed calls.
All from Marcus.
“Marcus?” I whispered, staring at the notifications in disbelief. My chest tightened. Marcus rarely called me, let alone… seventy-three times. Marcus didn’t call anyone this persistently.
Something was wrong.
Dread pooled heavily in my stomach as I immediately dialed his number. My hands were trembling as I pressed the phone to my ear. Come on, come on, pick up—
The line connected almost immediately. “Amelia,” Marcus’s sharp voice shot through the phone.
“Marcus, what’s going on? Are you okay?” My voice came out higher than I intended, panic lacing every syllable.
There was a pause, the kind so heavy it made my heart pound harder. Then he spoke. “Amelia, I’m in a Neutral Zone holding cell. You need to get here. Now.”
“What?” I gasped, my mouth going dry. “A holding cell? Why? What happened?”
Marcus’s tone was clipped, almost angry. “They think I started a fight.”
“A fight?” I repeated, my mind scrambling to process what he was saying. “With who?”
Another pause. This time, it felt even heavier.
“Dominic,” he said bluntly.
My heart stopped.
“Dominic?” I echoed, disbelief and confusion colliding in my chest.
“I don’t have time to explain,” Marcus snapped, his patience clearly fraying. “Just get here. Quickly.”
The line went dead, leaving me staring at the phone in stunned silence.
Dominic. My brother had gotten into a fight with Dominic?
This didn’t make sense. None of it made sense.
“Amelia?”
Alexander’s voice cut through the fog in my mind, jarring me back to reality. I turned to find him standing nearby, his sharp green eyes filled with restrained worry. His calm presence felt like an anchor in the storm of my thoughts.
“What happened?” he asked, his voice steady but firm.
“It’s Marcus,” I said, struggling to keep my voice from trembling. “He’s… he’s been arrested.”
Alexander raised a brow, his expression carefully neutral. “For what?”
I swallowed hard, clutching the edge of the couch like it might ground me. “A fight. He said it was with Dominic.”
Something flickered in Alexander’s eyes—something I couldn’t quite read—before his expression returned to its usual calm.
“Dominic,” he repeated, his tone thoughtful but guarded. “Is he hurt?”
“I don’t know,” I admitted, frustration and fear bubbling to the surface. “Marcus wouldn’t give me any details. Just said to come now.”
Alexander’s gaze lingered on me for a moment, sharp and calculating. He was piecing together information I didn’t have, I could tell.
“Fighting with Dominic,” he said slowly, his voice carefully even. “That doesn’t sound like Marcus.”
“It doesn’t,” I agreed, the panic in my chest tightening further. “Marcus doesn’t like Dominic, of course, but this… this doesn’t make sense. He’s never been reckless enough to attack him outright.”
My thoughts turned quickly to another detail, one that made my stomach churn uneasily.
“He wasn’t supposed to be anywhere near the Neutral Zone,” I said, more to myself than to Alexander. “He was on border patrol last night. Why was he even there?”
Alexander’s head tilted slightly. I could see the gears turning in his mind.
“That’s… suspicious timing,” he said slowly, as though voicing my exact thoughts.
I nodded frantically, my heart hammering against my ribs. None of this added up.
The Moon Goddess couldn’t have been cruel enough to let things spiral this badly in less than twenty-four hours. Could she?
“I have to go,” I said abruptly, grabbing my bag off the couch. “Something’s wrong, Alexander. I need to figure out what happened. I need to see Marcus.”
“You’re not going anywhere alone,” Alexander said, stepping closer. His tall frame loomed over me, his cedar-and-peppermint scent swirling in the air between us. “I’ll come with you.”
“Alexander, this is my family,” I protested weakly. “You don’t have to—”
“I said,” he interrupted, his tone sharp and authoritative, “I’ll come with you.”
I blinked, startled by the sheer finality in his words.
He wasn’t asking. He wasn’t suggesting. He was stating a fact.
“You’re not handling this alone,” he said, his voice quieter this time but just as firm. His green eyes locked on mine with an intensity that sent shivers down my spine. “You’re my mate, Amelia. Whether you like it or not, this involves me too.”
My breath caught. Part of me wanted to argue, to insist that this wasn’t his responsibility.
But another part of me—the part weighed down by fear and confusion—was grateful for the support, even if I didn’t want to admit it.
“Fine,” I said softly, lowering my gaze. “Let’s go.”
- Writer
