Ran Away Pregnant Came Back Alpha Heiress (Amelia and Damien) novel Chapter 519

Chapter 519

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Chapter 519

Damien’s POV

I paused, the accusation hitting me like a truck. The worst part was, I couldn’t really deny it.

Amelia had proved herself as a capable werewolf the best possible way she could have done. She entered a competition in secret, battled her way to the top, and won against a rogue who had tried to cheat to beat her.

And still, I was looking at her like she was the frail, quiet woman I had pulled from the human realm. Counter evidence was clearly before me, yet no matter how much I looked at it, I still couldn’t let that version of her go.

At the very least, that image I had of her from when I had first met her wasn’t making it any easier for me to want to bring her into battle.

But it wasn’t just that image that made things difficult. Even the most competent werewolf could be hurt or killed on the battlefield. Amelia was the pack champion, but that didn’t make her immune or infallible. She could still be hurt. She could still be killed.

She could be taken from me.

Jake had posed the question to me, but it seemed like Amelia was the one waiting for the answer the most. In my silence, she stepped forward, approaching me. In this moment, I was glad for the desk between us. I loved her, but I didn’t want her to see me at my most vulnerable.

For her, I wanted to be confident and strong.

The thought of losing her filled me with a fear so strong, it brought me low.

I already knew what it felt like to have lost her. I never wanted to go through that again. I didn’t know if I would ⚫ survive a second time, even for the children’s sake.

“I have done everything I could think of to prove to you that I can be an asset at your side on the battlefield,” she said. “What more could I possibly do to show you that you can trust me?”

“It’s not about trust,” I said.

“It is,” she countered. “You want to hold me back, keep me away from the battlefield, when I know I can help. I’ve proven I can help. Damien, I’m asking you. Please trust me. Please allow me to fight at your side.”

When she said it like that, begging me, I wanted to give her whatever she desired. But how could I agree in this, when she was asking me for permission to put her life at risk?

Her family stood around the room looking at me expectantly, like they were just waiting for me to give in and allow Amelia to fight. Didn’t they care about their daughter? Jake, his sister? Why were they setting me up to be the bad guy here?

I couldn’t take it. Not Amelia’s pleading, or the judgmental looks of her family, or even how my own wolf was starting to give in, wanting to please our mate.

Don’t we trust ourselves to keep her safe? my wolf whispered in my mind.

Maybe that was the real problem. Maybe all of this was less about my trusting Amelia, and more about me

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Chapter 9

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trusting myself.

I had failed her so many times before.

What if I failed her in this?

“As Alpha, my word is final, and that word is no,” I said. But then, because I couldn’t face her anger or her family’s disappointment in me, I pushed past them. “Excuse me, I’m needed in the office.”

That was a lie. No one had called me from the office. The tournament just ended. I wasn’t even sure who was working today. But I needed out of this room, out of this house, and that was the best excuse I could think of in the moment.

“You’ll have more time to catch up with your family this way, anyway.”

No one stopped me as I left the room, or as I walked out of the house, or as I went around to the back where the forest lined the yard. I shifted there and took off into woods, headed for the direction of the city but taking the long way.

I pushed myself hard, wishing to feel the strain in my muscles, down to my bones. Maybe I wanted to punish myself, or maybe I just didn’t want to think anymore.

I ran for a long time, but there was no outrunning my thoughts.

Perhaps exhaustion wasn’t the answer. As an Alpha, my stamina was simply too great. Instead, maybe I should focus on distraction.

With that in mind, I finally made it to the Alpha headquarters building.

Inside, I found Benedict in my office, along with a few pack council members, and a few of Benedict’s personal

council as well.

“There you are, Damien,” Benedict said. “Come in and take a look at this.”

My desk had been entirely commandeered now, with a map stretched out over the width and length of it. The map was too big, and hung over the sides.

The map had been arranged so that the border of my pack and the rogue territories was the central focus. Benedict and the others had already drawn some lines and arrows on the map, which I was guessing were potential attack points.

“We have some time,” Benedict said, “But while some of my council were in town for the tournament, I thought now might be the best time to discuss some strategy.”

“You think we have time?” I asked him.

He lifted a brow. “You don’t.”

I thought a moment, and then shook my head. “I think the rogues expected their champion to win the tournament. If he had, they might have let our fear linger. But now, I think they will try to take advantage of our overconfidence. The pack is feeling invincible. It’s the perfect time to strike.”

Benedict took in that information with a frown and then looked down at his map again.

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Chapter 519

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“It’s possible.”

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