Chapter 175: 174 - our blood
Chapter 174
~Belinda’s POV
I crossed my arms, my jaw tight. "So, Damon... you’re seriously saying Lisa can stay here? You’re not even considering that there can’t be two Lunas? This palace... it’s mine to guide, to control. You’re saying she can just be here, living, breathing, taking up space?"
Damon leaned against the desk, arms folded, but there was no warmth in his expression this time. Just irritation. "Belinda... calm down. No one is taking your place. You’re the Luna. That will never change. But she’s staying because she’s part of us now. She’s pregnant."
I blinked, anger rising in my chest like fire. "Pregnant? That doesn’t... it doesn’t give her the right to... to sit here, pretending she belongs!"
He exhaled slowly, as though restraining himself. "You’re blowing this out of proportion."
I stepped closer, glaring up at him. "Blowing it out of proportion? Damon, I’m your Luna! Your mate. Doesn’t that mean anything? Or do you want her instead?"
He straightened suddenly, eyes darkening. His voice was low, sharp. "Don’t twist my words, Belinda. You are the Luna. That is not in question. But your behavior..." He trailed off, looking me up and down, and I felt the weight of his stare like a knife. "...your behavior is beneath you."
My heart squeezed painfully, my pride wounded. "Beneath me? You’re calling me beneath myself? Damon...how can you say that to me?"
He pushed off the desk, stepping forward, his presence filling the space between us. But instead of desire, instead of warmth, I saw only coldness in his eyes. "Because it’s true. You’re acting jealous. Petty. You’re clinging to your title like it’s the only thing that makes you valuable."
I gasped, my nails digging into my palms. "How dare you..."
"No." His voice cut through mine, sharp and final. "How dare you, Belinda. Do you think I don’t notice? The way you glare, the way you sneer at her, the way you carry yourself as if everyone owes you the ground you walk on. It stinks. Your attitude stinks." His lips curled, disgust flashing across his face. "Even your scent right now...it’s foul to me."
The words hit me harder than a slap. My throat tightened. "My... my scent?" I whispered, horrified.
"Yes." He didn’t soften, didn’t pull back. "When you act like this, when you let envy rule you, when you forget dignity... everything about you repels me. I don’t want to be near you. Do you understand? I don’t even want to breathe the same air when you behave this way."
I stumbled back a step, my eyes burning with unshed tears. "You can’t mean that," I whispered, my voice trembling. "You’re just angry. You don’t mean that."
His jaw clenched. "I mean every word."
Silence crashed between us. My pride screamed at me to shout back, to demand he take his words back, but my heart... my heart ached so badly it was hard to even breathe.
I forced out a laugh, bitter and broken. "So that’s it, then. You defend her and tear me down in the same breath. You say I’m Luna, but in the same breath, you strip away everything else."
His eyes hardened. "I’m not tearing you down, Belinda. I’m reminding you who you are supposed to be. You’re Luna. Act like it. Stop drowning yourself in jealousy and venom."
My lips trembled, and for a moment, I almost begged him to hold me, to tell me he didn’t mean it. But the look on his face... that disgust, that cold fire... it froze me in place.
I wrapped my arms around myself, my nails digging into my skin. "You don’t care about me," I whispered, though I hated the weakness in my voice. "Not really. You only care about keeping her here. About her bastard child."
His eyes flashed dangerously. "Enough, Belinda!" His voice boomed, making me flinch. "Do not speak of the child like that again. That baby carries our blood. That baby will be protected, whether you like it or not."
Tears stung my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. My pride wouldn’t allow it.
I lifted my chin, even though my throat felt like it was closing. "Fine. Protect her. Protect her bastard. But don’t expect me to smile about it."
He shook his head slowly, disappointment etched into his face. "You’re better than this. Or at least... I thought you were."
Those words cut deeper than everything else.
I turned on my heel before he could see me break, before the tears could spill. I left the room, my heart shattering with every step, his voice still ringing in my ears.
Your scent is foul to me.
The words wouldn’t stop echoing.
I slammed the door behind me and didn’t stop walking until I reached Kael’s chamber. My chest was still heaving, Damon’s words ringing in my ears like knives. Your scent is foul to me.
I shoved the door open without knocking. Kael was there, lounging on a chair with a cup of wine in his hand. His eyes flicked up lazily, but when he saw my face, his brow arched.
"Well, well," he drawled. "Look who storms in like the world has ended. Did Damon scold you again?"
I clenched my fists. "He humiliated me, Kael. Right to my face. He said my behavior is beneath me. That my scent..." my voice cracked before I forced it steady, "...disgusts him."
Kael set his cup down and leaned back in his chair, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Typical Damon. Always so self-righteous, isn’t he? He thinks his judgment is law. Don’t take it too deep, Belinda. You’re still Luna. No one can change that."
I crossed my arms, pacing across his room. "He made me feel like I was nothing. Like Lisa and her bastard are more important than me."
Kael tilted his head, watching me with sharp eyes. "Then forget him. Why waste your breath on Damon’s coldness when you have me and Rowan?"
I stopped pacing, turning to face him. "Because Damon isn’t just anyone, Kael. He’s your brother. And if he won’t listen to me, then you..." I took a step closer, lowering my voice, letting it slip into something softer, almost seductive, "...you can at least do something about Lisa. Send her away. Out of the palace. Tonight. Just... make her disappear."
His eyes darkened, but not in the way I wanted. He didn’t even seem to hear my words. His gaze traveled slowly down my body, and then he stood, crossing the space between us in just a few strides.
"Kael," I started, but before I could finish, he grabbed my wrist, pulling me close. His breath brushed my cheek as his lips curved into a hungry smile.
"You talk too much about Lisa," he murmured, his voice low, rough. "But I can think of better ways to put that pretty mouth of yours to use."
I blinked, startled. "Kael, I’m serious! I came here to talk about Damon, about Lisa. Not..."
"Not what?" His hand slid to my waist, his grip strong, possessive. "Not this?"
I pushed lightly at his chest, but he only pressed closer, his heat overwhelming. "Kael, listen to me! I said..."
But he wasn’t listening. His lips brushed against my jaw, down to my neck, slow and teasing. "Forget Damon. Forget Lisa. You came here angry, broken. Let me fix that for you."
My breath hitched, torn between fury and the way his touch sent shivers down my spine. "Kael, stop..." I tried to keep my voice steady. "I need you to focus. If we don’t get rid of Lisa, everything I’ve worked for..."
His laugh was low, vibrating against my skin. "The only thing I want to get rid of right now is the space between us."
"Kael!" I snapped, pushing harder this time, my eyes flashing. But his mouth caught mine before I could say more. His kiss was rough, devouring, like he meant to swallow my anger whole.
For a heartbeat, my body betrayed me, my lips parting under the force of him. But then rage surged back, and I shoved at his chest with both hands, breaking the kiss.
"Enough talk," he whispered. "Let me remind you what really matters."
And once more, he tried to claim me with his lips, ignoring every word I had just spoken.