Alpha’s Possession

Chapter 3

Amelia

My eyes drifted back to Alpha Xavier, searching the sculpted lines of his face with desperate urgency, praying to find even the smallest flicker of compassion, any hint that he might intervene. But there was nothing, his features remained eerily composed, as if etched from frostbitten stone. His haunting green eyes were distant and unreadable, reflecting only the glow of nearby fancy lights and none of the agony unfolding around him.

Without haste, he finished his drink, set the empty glass on a nearby table, and without a word, he turned away without glancing back nor pausing to acknowledge the turmoil. The crowd parted for him instinctively, as though even their gossip dared not block his path. He strode through them with long, deliberate steps, shoulders squared and chin held high, exiting from the scene entirely with cruel indifference.

‘How can he be so heartless?’ The thought pierced through me like a blade. ‘How can someone so breathtakingly beautiful on the outside be so cold within?’

I watched him mercilessly disappear into the crowd with those long, confident strides.

“I, Benjamin Clearwater, accept your rejection.” Ben said, groaning in pain as he clutched his chest tightly.

His friend was hovering nearby with a helpless expression. The mate bond, once severed, left behind a gaping wound that would take months, maybe years, to fully heal.

“Amelia!” Lily's voice startled me from my thoughts. She appeared at my elbow, her own serving tray balanced expertly in her hands. She was my best friend, she was a maid like me. We shared the same room. "Did you see what just happened?”

I nodded mutely, unable to trust my voice.

She leaned closer, lowering her voice to a whisper. "I saw them together last night, you know. Ben and Gail. They were behind the rose garden, and they were... well, they were definitely not acting like strangers.”

My eyes widened. "What do you mean?”

“I mean they were kissing, Amelia. Passionate, desperate kissing like their lives depended on it. She had her hands in his hair, and he was holding her like she was the most precious thing in the world.” She glanced toward where Gail now stood, accepting congratulations from her family for her 'wise decision.' "And now look at her. Acting like he means nothing.”

The revelation hit me like a punch to the gut. So Ben hadn't been delusional or presumptuous. Gail had given him reason to hope, had likely felt the mate bond as strongly as he did, only to publicly humiliate him when faced with social pressure.

“That makes it so much worse,” I whispered, watching as Ben's friend finally managed to help him to his feet. His legs could barely support him, and tears streamed down his face unchecked.

“Why?” Lily asked, studying my expression with concern. "Why does this upset you so much? I mean, it's sad, sure, but you look like you're about to cry.”

I tried to find the words to explain the ache in my chest, the way witnessing Ben's pain had affected me so deeply. "It's just... wrong..I just think everyone deserves to be loved. " I finally managed. "He loved her, Lily. Really loved her. And she threw it away like it was nothing."

"The world isn't fair for people like us," she said quietly, her own expression growing somber.

"We're omegas, and we know what it's like to be looked down on, to be considered lesser. At least Ben found his mate, even if she was too foolish to appreciate him.”

Her words struck home, reminding me of my own lowly position in the pack hierarchy.

"You're too soft-hearted for your own good. Come on, we should get back to work before someone notices we're not serving.” She squeezed my arm gently.

Of course, she was right. The party was already returning to its previous state of elegant frivolity, the brief interruption of Ben's heartbreak already forgotten by most guests. They laughed, danced and gossiped as if nothing had happened, as if a young man's world hadn't just been shattered before his eyes.

As we began to move through the crowd again, I saw Ben being helped out the side exit by two of his friends. His face buried in his hands, his shoulders shaking with silent sobs. Watching his broken body disappear through the doorway as the party went on, as if he never existed, fills my throat with unrequited tears.

‘This is the world we live in,’ I thought bitterly. ‘Where love means nothing compared to status, where the gifts of the moon goddess are thrown away like trash when they are inconvenient.’

I went to the hall and started serving the guests again.

The party was in full swing. The sound of laughter and hush of whispers filled the hall. Sweaty, drunken, dancing people were enjoying the party. And all the servants and maids were busy with their work. Some of them were setting up fireworks and some of them were serving the guests what they wanted. My fellow maids and I darted between the revelers, our eyes sharp for empty glasses or discarded plates.

I'd just finished another round and was heading back to the kitchen, my silver tray empty once more. As I pushed through the swinging door, I saw Harry, one of our senior staff members. He looked dashing in his dark shirt and brown jeans, a stark contrast to my simple maid's uniform.

“Tired?” Harry asked, his eyes crinkling with concern.

I couldn't help but let out a weary sigh. "Yeah, a little bit," I admitted, handing him my empty tray.

Harry, always the gentleman, immediately offered to take over my duties. "You should take some rest," he insisted, already reaching for a freshly filled tray. “I will do it,”

“No, it’s okay,” I tried to take the tray from his hand but failed.

I protested, of course. It didn't feel right to slack off while everyone else was working so hard.

But Harry can be stubborn when he wants to be, and he firmly told me he'd handle it.“ I said I will do it,” he said stubbornly.

“Okay, boss,” I couldn't help but laugh, calling him boss in jest. We laughed.

Harry was three years older than me. He was a great man and like a brother to me. He's always looking out for me. It's comforting to have someone like that in the pack.

Our moment of camaraderie was interrupted by Melody, another maid. “You two, stop the chit -chat and go to your work,” she warned us. “If Lana sees you two like that, there will be a big problem.”

She had a point. Lana, our stern housekeeper, ran a tight ship and didn't tolerate any form of laziness or distraction. She was a sweet girl.

“Yeah, you're right!” Harry said, smiling took the hint and hurried off with the full tray.

“Need any help, Melody?” I offered. Despite his insistence that I rest, I couldn't bring myself to sit idle while everyone else worked.

Melody’s face lit up with a grateful smile. “Yeah, please!” She said, gesturing towards the mountain of dishes in the sink.

I walked to the sink, elbow-deep in soapy water, washing dishes and passing them to Melody to dry.

The late night party continued while few of them left for home. The muffled laughter of the party and the thumping sound of the music were coming into the kitchen.

When the dishes were washed and Melody was done, she said bye to me and left. Now I had to finish my work too so I started working. I started cleaning every surface of the kitchen carefully and kept all the things in the right place systematically. Lana is very strict about work. I could almost hear her voice in my head as I carefully returned each utensil to its designated spot.

As the night wore on, my exhaustion grew, but so did a sense of pride in my work.

Happy birthday, Amelia!” My friend Lily said and hugged me happily.

“Oh, thanks, you remembered.” I said surprisingly.

“ How could I forget!” she said, smiling.“ You're my best friend!”

“Come here.” She took me to a nearby room.

“So what is the plan for tomorrow?” She asked.

“Nothing! Tomorrow is a lot of work, so… ” I said simply.

“Oh!”

"What happened, why are we --?"

"SURPRISE!"

The word died on my lips as I was greeted by an explosion of color and sound. My eyes widened, taking in the scene before me. The room was now completely different from what it was familiar with. Colourful ribbons in various shades hung from the ceiling, and balloons bounced softly in every corner. A banner stretched across the wall read "Happy Birthday, Amelia!" in bold, glittering letters. There was a cake on the table. Julia and Harry were already there at the corner of the room. Julia was the nurse of our pack and Harry's mate. They loved each other very much.

“Oh my god!” I was shocked and surprised. I turned toward Lily. She smiled and said, “I have not done this alone.”

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Hey guys I hope you enjoy the chapter.