บททั้งหมดของ Escaping the Alpha, Claimed in the End: บทที่ 11 - บทที่ 20

Amelia’s POVI woke up gasping, my head spinning like I’d been tossed around in a storm. My whole body ached, and when I looked around, I was on my lumpy mattress in that filthy safehouse room, the peeling walls and flickering bulb making my stomach churn.My memory of last night was fuzzy—Jasper’s screams, Ryder’s arms catching me, blood everywhere. Did Ryder attack me? No, that didn’t feel right. He’d been protecting me, hadn’t he?Voices echoed down the hallway, loud and angry, mixed with the clatter of footsteps and medical stuff. I blinked, trying to focus, and saw a tall guy in black standing at the door. Ryder. His broad shoulders filled the frame, his dark eyes blazing as he growled, “Why the hell is she in this dump? You call this a place to heal?”A cautious voice answered—a doctor, I guessed. “Alpha Ryder, we thought it would be better for her to wake up somewhere familiar. We’ve only just learned the full extent of her abuse, and didn’t realize how serious it was until now

Ryder’s POVFifteen minutes. That’s how long I’d been trying to convince her to come out. I’d tried everything—talking through the door, promising it was safe, even saying I wouldn’t leave her side. Nothing worked.“Amelia… please,” I said one last time, but the silence on the other side told me I wasn’t getting anywhere.I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. This wasn’t going to happen without help.When Kara walked by, I stepped toward her. “Can you… try to get her out? She might listen to you.”She nodded softly. “I’ll take care of her. You should go rest, Alpha. You haven’t eaten or changed clothes since yesterday.”“I’m fine—” I started, but she cut me off with a gentle but firm look.“She’s fine,” Kara said. “She’s exhausted. Let her sleep. You need to take care of yourself too.”I hesitated. I didn’t like the idea of leaving Amelia, but I also knew I wasn’t helping much standing here. “…Alright,” I finally said. “But if she wakes up, let me know right away.”“I will,” the

Amelia’s POVThe voice inside my head was faint, like it had traveled a long way just to reach me.Amelia…I froze. There it was again.My chest tightened in a way I couldn’t explain. “No way,” I whispered to myself. “I actually have a wolf…”“Uh… hello?” I tried saying in my mind, feeling ridiculous. “Can you hear me?”This time, she spoke back—only it wasn’t clear. Her words were muffled, like she was trying to talk to me through a wall.…strong… always… mine… protect…I pressed my hands to my temples, straining to hear her better. “Wait—say that again. Please.”But the connection was too fragile. Her presence flickered like a candle in the wind, and then she was gone.“No… don’t go,” I murmured out loud, my voice barely above a whisper. But it was already too late.Still, I couldn’t stop the small smile tugging at my lips. Even if it was brief and unclear, my wolf had reached out to me. That had to mean something.I slipped on my robe and padded toward the adjoining room where Kara

Amelia’s POVAfter Beta Lucas spoke up for me, things stayed calm—at least for a while. Ryder led me to the long Alpha table at the front. He sat at the head, I was placed on his right, and Beta Lucas on his left. The elders filled the rest of the seats, their eyes sharp even as servants laid out roasted meat, bread, and fruit.Every time Ryder’s gaze swept over them, their expressions shifted—tight smiles, polite nods. But the second he looked away, their real thoughts showed, especially with Camille. Fake sweet one moment, glaring daggers the next.I tried to focus on the food, but halfway through the meal, the calm broke.One elder set down his glass. “Alpha, I’ve heard you’ve placed Miss Amelia in the west wing. In that room.”The table went quiet. My chest tightened.“That room is off-limits,” another elder said sharply. “Why would you let her stay there? Unless…” His eyes cut into me. “She’s playing you. A spy from Silverlight, acting weak to gain trust, then stealing secrets.”

Amelia’s POVThe elder raised his hand, signaling for silence. “For the second round, you’ll both be blindfolded. First one to hit a deer wins.”Two guards stepped forward, each carrying a strip of black cloth. My throat went dry as one of them tied the blindfold securely around my head. Darkness swallowed me instantly.The crowd murmured with excitement, some already whispering their bets. I could practically feel the weight of their doubt pressing on me.Camille’s voice rang out, loud enough for everyone to hear. “This is pointless. She can’t even shift. She’s going to be stumbling around like a lost child.”A few people chuckled, and the sound made my stomach twist. My hands clenched around my bow, the leather grip slick under my sweaty palms.The elder’s voice cut through the noise. “Prepare yourselves. The deer have been released.”I forced myself to take a deep breath. But all I heard was the rustling of leaves and the faint stamping of hooves somewhere in the distance.Camille