Knotted By The Devilish Alpha Brothers

Chapter 55: Chapter 55: growing pride

Reid stared at her as if she’d lost her mind.

”Kids are loud. They’re dirty. They’re permanently sticky. They scream for no reason at three in the morning—” He turned toward Enzo, almost pleading. ”Help me out here bro. List the rest before she starts picking out nurseries.”

Enzo’s expression remained flat, but he obliged in a dry tone.

”They break expensive things without remorse. They ask the same question forty times in a row and cry if the answer changes. They develop strong opinions before they can pronounce the words correctly. And they turn otherwise functional adults into sleep-deprived hostages who forget what silence feels like.”

Madame only waved a dismissive hand, completely unmoved.

”If the three of you decide you’re incapable of handling any of that, I’ll raise them myself. I’ve managed worse.”

The tone of her voice told them that its the end of that discussion. Nothing will change her mind, and they shouldn’t bother to try change it. She turned and walked back into the mansion, already calling for the maids.

”Prepare a full spa day. I’ve clearly earned it after raising the three of you.”

The moment the doors closed behind her, Reid spun toward his oldest brother.

”What the hell are we supposed to do? We can’t actually have children. Not ever. That was never part of the contract.” He asked sharply.

Enzo didn’t answer immediately. The weight of the problem settled over all three of them. Telling their mother the marriage was just a fake arrangement—nothing more than a means to an end—would crush her.

After everything she had endured, every sacrifice she had made to keep them alive and in power, the truth might genuinely damage her health.

He exhaled slowly.

”We can’t let pride decide this. She’s finally happy. After everything she’s done for us... is one child really too much to give her?”

Reid dragged a hand through his hair, pacing a short line.

”You’re talking about a permanent consequence. A living, breathing, screaming consequence that ties us to Amelia for the rest of our lives.”

Dean’s voice was quieter, but no less serious.

”And if the child inherits whatever is waking up inside her? We still don’t fully understand what she is.”

The three of them stood in heavy silence, exchanging long, complicated looks that carried years of shared history.

Dean broke it first, completely deadpan.

”So which one of us is putting the seed in her?”

Reid and Enzo both turned their heads at the exact same time and gave him identical flat, murderous stares.

**

The car stopped at the edge of the college grounds.

Amelia sat frozen in the back seat, one hand locked around the door handle, staring at the familiar buildings like they had personally betrayed her.

Students moved between classes in small groups. A few had already noticed the black vehicle and were glancing toward it with open curiosity.

She dragged in a slow breath and muttered under her breath, voice tight with nerves.

”Okay. You’re the public wife of three walking war crimes. Half the territory already saw you moaning on a stage while flowers exploded everywhere. Walking across a courtyard is objectively easier than that. Probably. Maybe. Just shut up and move before you talk yourself into staying in this car forever.”

She counted to three in her head, shoved the door open harder than necessary, and stepped out before the last thread of courage could snap.

Heads turned. Enough scattered stares to make her skin prickle. Conversations dipped as she passed. A pair of girls near the fountain stopped mid-sentence. Someone whispered her name. Amelia kept her spine straight and her expression carefully neutral, repeating the same private mantra with every step.

Walk like you belong here. Chin up. Act like the fake wife of the devilish brothers. It can’t be that hard. You’ve already survived worse. You’ve survived them.

The crushing shame she expected never fully arrived. Something else settled beside it instead—some...kind of pride?

As long as no one knew about the contract, the threats, the nights she had been terrified, or the real reason she lived in that estate, they looked at her and saw someone untouchable. Someone claimed. Someone protected by the three most dangerous men in the territory.

And for once... that false image felt useful.

Amelia reached the lecture hall, slipped into her usual seat, and finally unlocked her phone. The screen lit up at once. The video from the Night Menace was still waiting. She quickly connected her earbuds, thumb hovering over the play button—

A hand slammed down on the desk in front of her.

Jade stood there, expression tight with open displeasure.

”Let’s talk privately.Now.”

She turned as if the matter was already decided.

Amelia didn’t move. ”That’s not happening.”

Jade froze mid-step, then slowly turned back, clearly stunned.

”What did you just say?”

Amelia kept her voice even, though her pulse had picked up. She knows Jane would spike her emotions if she meets her privately. The last thing she needed was another sudden change in the weather inside a packed lecture hall.

”Whatever you want to say, say it right here.”

Jade’s eyes narrowed. A cold smile pulled at her mouth.

”Fine. If that’s how you want to play it.” She raised her voice just enough for the nearest rows to hear. ”Everyone’s thinking the same thing after watching that video. How does a useless, wolfless orphan end up as the wife of the Ellington brothers? What kind of sorcery did you use on them? One minute you’re supposed to be dead, the next you’re standing on their stage like you belong there.”

Amelia met her stare straight on.

”I don’t owe you answers. Why don’t you focus on your own husband? Have the two of you even gone on a honeymoon yet? Or are you still too busy obsessing over my life?”

Jade let out a short, mocking laugh.

”Look at that. The little orphan suddenly grew a spine. Do you really think you’ll get any peace? There are hundreds of women who would kill for the title you somehow stumbled into. It isn’t fair to them. Sooner or later they’ll come for you with their claws out.”

”Then let them come.”

The lecture hall doors opened. The professor walked in, clapping his hands once.

”Settle down. Class is starting.”

Jane scoffed, shot Amelia one last venomous look, and strode to her seat.

From her place near the middle of the room, Jane’s thoughts churned darkly. Dylan had been impossible ever since Amelia appeared alive at their wedding. Even when he touched her, he sometimes muttered the other woman’s name.

Now that the entire territory knew Amelia belonged to the Ellington brothers, his mood had turned foul. He barely looked at Jade, drank more than usual, and had started comparing her unfavorably to Amelia in business matters—saying she lacked the same competence.

Jade bit down on her nail, eyes fixed on the back of Amelia’s head.

She is the Luna of the Blacksmith Territory. She would not allow a wolfless orphan to steal her spotlight—not here, not anywhere. Amelia needed to be dragged back down into the dirt where she belonged.