Damon stormed out, his footsteps echoing like thunder. My chest squeezed tight, my eyes burned, and before I knew it, tears slipped down my cheeks.
I turned slowly toward Rowan and Kael, my voice shaking.
"Tell me," I whispered, clutching my chest. "How else can I prove myself to him? How else can I make Damon see that I didn’t order Dolph? That I never betrayed him?"
Rowan’s face softened as he stepped closer. His voice dropped low, almost like he didn’t want to frighten me with the strength in it.
"Belinda, stop blaming yourself," he said gently. "We know the truth. Damon’s angry now, yes, but anger doesn’t last forever. He will come around."
I lifted my eyes to him, searching, desperate for something steady to hold on to. Hearing him now made my chest tighten.
"Rowan’s right," he said firmly. "Damon may be ruthless, but he isn’t blind. He can see the truth when it’s right in front of him. He’ll see your heart one day, Belinda. Don’t cry too much."
But how could I not cry? The words slipped out of me before I could stop them. I pressed my palms over my face, shaking as the sobs broke loose.
"I can’t help it," I whispered through my hands. "Every time he looks at me, it’s like I’m filth in his eyes. Like I’m nothing. I can’t stand it. I love him so much, and yet... he hates me. He hates me."
The sound of my own voice cracked my heart even more. Tears soaked into my palms, warm and endless. My whole body trembled.
Rowan let out a long, heavy sigh, the kind of sigh that carried both sadness and anger at once. He stepped forward without hesitation and wrapped his arms around me. His embrace was strong, steady. It was like leaning against a wall that could not break.
"You’ve been through enough, Belinda," he murmured close to my ear. "Don’t let his words destroy you. Don’t let him steal what’s left of your strength."
I leaned into him, my shoulders shaking against his chest. His warmth grounded me, but still the tears kept falling.
Then Kael moved too. He unfolded his crossed arms and came closer, surrounding me on the other side. He leaned down, his voice a deep whisper against my hair.
"We missed you," he said, soft in a way I never thought his harsh voice could be. "You don’t know how much we missed you."
I sobbed softly, but my heart felt a little warmer between the two of them. Their arms around me made the world feel less cold, less cruel, even just for a moment. I pulled in a shaky breath, trying to calm myself.
"Thank you," I whispered, my voice thin and trembling. I pulled back just enough to see their faces, Rowan’s steady eyes and Kael’s fierce but gentle ones. "Thank you for saving me when you did. If not for you... I don’t know if I’d even be alive right now."
Rowan’s lips curved into a small, reassuring smile. There was a kind of quiet strength in it, the kind that told me he meant every word that came next.
"You don’t need to thank us, Belinda," he said softly. "You’re our Luna. We protect our own. Always."
Kael tilted his head slightly, his gaze scanning over me with concern. His voice was lower, almost scolding, but filled with care. For origınal chapters go to 𝔫𝔬𝔳𝔢𝔩·𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕖·𝘯𝘦𝘵
"But you still look weak," he murmured. "You shouldn’t push yourself right now. Don’t carry more than you can."
I let out a heavy sigh and pressed my hand to my stomach, as if somehow that would steady the swirling weight inside me.
"I do feel weak," I admitted quietly. "My body feels heavy... every step feels like too much. Maybe I should go back to my chamber and rest."
Rowan didn’t even wait for me to finish before he nodded firmly, like it was the only right answer.
"Yes," he said quickly. "Go and rest. Don’t let Damon’s anger eat at you. His words are harsh, but words pass. Just breathe, Belinda. That’s what matters now."
"We’ll always be here for you, Belinda," he said in a low voice, almost a vow. "We love you. Don’t forget that."
I nodded, my lips trembling, "I love you guys too,"
With slow steps, I walked back toward my chamber. My head hung low, my tears drying on my cheeks. My heart was burning, not just with pain, but with anger. How could Damon keep throwing me away ? How could he trust Lisa, that little human, but not me?
By the time I entered my chamber, the anger in me had grown like a fire. My fists clenched. I kicked the chair, and it fell to the side with a thud.
"Why? Why can’t he see my heart?" I muttered bitterly.
I was still pacing when the door suddenly banged open. Uncle Fridolf stormed in, his face twisted with rage. His chest rose and fell like he had run all the way here.
"Belinda!" he shouted. "You won’t believe what happened!"
I froze, wiping my cheeks quickly. "What now?"
He slammed the door behind him, his fists clenched.
"That Lisa..." he spat her name like poison... "that bitch rejected me! She dared to turn her nose up at me. Do you know what she did? She threatened me! That stupid human actually dared to look me in the eye and warn me."
I blinked, surprised, then slowly smirked. "She threatened you?"
"Yes!" he roared, pacing across the room. "As if she is someone! As if she is not just a fragile little human who got lucky by carrying my nephews’ bastard!"
I raised a brow, folding my arms as I sat down on the bed. "And what did you do, Uncle?"
Fridolf growled. "I wanted to crush her, Belinda. I wanted to put her in her place right there. But I... I stopped myself. Because I know we can’t ruin the plan. Not yet."
"You should have shown her her place," I said, letting mild disappointment curl through my words. I let him feel the sting of what he had not done. It makes men move faster.
Fridolf slammed his palm against the table. "I wanted to. I wanted to crush her then and there. I wanted to..." He cut himself off, eyes wild. "But I did not. I kept my hands. I held back for my plans."
I let him see the small, pleased smile I felt like wearing. "Good. You did well. We cannot be fools now. Damon’s temper will draw him closer to her. If we act openly, we will only make him suspicious."