Confrontation

Amelia P.O.V

The second Lucas's announcement leaves his lips, the weight of the room shifts. I can feel it. Eyes are on me, on him—on us. I stand there, my pulse quickening. They all must have have so many question giving the fact, I have been with Ethan for a while, only for him to reject me and now I appear as Lucas fiancé.

 Lucas leaves my side to mingle with some officials. The murmurs grow louder, whispers buzzing through the crowd like bees around a hive. I overhear some unmated females calling my slut under their breaths. I ignore them as I went to get myself a glass of champagne. I can practically feel the shock rolling off Ethan from across the room as I take a glass, but I don’t let my gaze wander toward him. I refuse to give him the satisfaction.

Ivy is at my side almost immediately, her eyes wide with barely-contained glee. “Did you see Ethan’s face?” she whispers, trying—and failing—to stifle a laugh. “I thought he was going to explode.”

I can’t help but smile at her enthusiasm, even though my stomach is doing flips. “I wasn’t really looking,” I admit, though I don’t need to. I can feel his anger, radiating through the room like a heatwave, but I keep my back to him. Ivy gives me a knowing look but thankfully doesn’t press the issue.

We’re standing off to the side, chatting casually, a few guess came over congratulating me. I can sense the insincerity in their words but nonetheless I plaster on a sweet smile and thanks them. They’re only doing this because of Lucas position.

As they leave, turn back to Ivy, continuing our chatting. When suddenly I feel it—a hand, rough and familiar, grabbing my arm with a force that makes my breath catch. Before I can react, I’m being dragged toward the balcony, my heels clicking against the marble floor. I hear Ivy call out, but I don’t look back. I know who it is without even needing to turn around.

Ethan.

His grip on my arm tighten as he dragged me, I wince as I struggle to keep up. He shoves the doors to the balcony open and practically throws me outside. I yank my arm from his grasp, stepping back to put some distance between us.

Snow growls inside me, her anger simmering just beneath the surface. “How dare he touch us?”

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing, Amelia?” Ethan snarls, his eyes dark with barely-controlled fury. His voice is low, but the threat in his tone is unmistakable. Snow bristles at the way he speaks to me, and I can feel her pressing forward, ready to defend me. It takes all my will to hold her back.

“Excuse me?” I snap back, rubbing my wrist where his grip had been. “You don’t get to talk to me like that.”

Ethan’s growl rumbles deep in his chest, his eyes flashing dangerously. “You think I’m just going to stand by and watch you parade around with Lucas? For fuck sake Amelia, he’s my cousin. What the hell are you thinking? You know I’ve never liked him”

I cross my arms over my chest, meeting his gaze without backing down. “It’s none of your business, Ethan. You rejected me, remember? I can be with whoever I chose.” My voice is cold, and I can see the sting of my words reflected in his expression.

Snow growls again, feeding off my rising anger. “That’ll teach him.” She says.

“You can’t be with him, Amelia,” he practically growls, stepping closer to me. His eyes have turned a deeper shade of black, his wolf closer to the surface. “I forbid it.”

The laugh that escapes me is sharp, bitter. “You forbid it?” I repeat, incredulous. “You don’t have any say over me, Ethan. Not anymore.”

Just then, the door behind us opens, and Lucas steps out onto the balcony, his presence immediately calming me. “Is there a problem here?” he asks, his voice smooth, almost casual, but I can see the tension in his posture, the way his eyes flick between Ethan and me. Strange.

Ethan turns toward Lucas, his fists clenched at his sides. “She’s my mate,” he says, his voice rough and barely contained. “She can’t be with you.”

I freeze, the weight of Ethan’s words sinking in. She’s my mate. Snow growls inside me, furious, but also... confused. My heart races, my pulse pounding in my ears as Ethan’s claim hangs in the air. He acknowledge me as his mate.

Lucas chuckles, the sound low and amused, bringing me out of my daze state. He steps forward, his arm snaking around my waist, pulling me close to him, I can feeling is body heat. “She’s no longer your mate,” Lucas says, his voice cool and calm. “You rejected her, remember? That means she’s free... and she’s mine now.” He almost growl out.

I can feel the possessiveness in Lucas’s touch, in the way his hand rests on my hip. Snow growls softly, but there’s a strange sense of satisfaction in her, in both of us, at his words. Lucas’s statement is so matter-of-fact, so final, that it leaves no room for argument.

Ethan’s entire body shakes with barely-contained rage, but I know he won’t do anything. He can’t. As much as he hates it, as much as his wolf probably wants to tear Lucas apart, he knows he can’t challenge him. Not here, not now. Lucas’s status as the crown prince is far above Ethan’s new title as Alpha, and they both know it.

Ethan’s eyes linger on Lucas arm still around my waist, then flick to my eyes, and for a split second, I see something other than anger—regret, maybe? But it’s gone as quickly as it came, replaced by the cold fury I’ve come to expect from him. He clenches his fists, his knuckles white, but he says nothing. With one last glare at me, he storms off, leaving Lucas and me standing on the balcony in the quiet aftermath.

I let out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding, my heart still pounding in my chest. Lucas’s arm is still around me, his touch warm and steady. Snow is quiet, but I can feel her settling, content for now. I ease my way out of Lucas arm. Now that Ethan’s gone, we don’t need to act in front of him.

“Are you okay?” Lucas asks softly, turning to look at me. His blue eyes search mine, and for a moment, I’m struck by how genuine his concern seems.

“I’m fine,” I reply, though my voice is a little shaky. I glance back at the door Ethan stormed through, my heart ache as my mind race with everything that just happened. There is no turning back now.