Chapter 173: 173 - my side
173
~Belinda’s POV
I stormed back to my room, slamming the heavy door behind me. My fists were still trembling from rage. How dare Lisa make me look weak? How dare she bring the triplets’ attention away from me? My nails dug into my palms as I paced back and forth, each step heavier than the last.
A knock at the door made me pause.
"Enter," I called sharply.
The door opened slowly, and Dolph stepped in. He bowed quickly, his eyes wary.
"Luna Belinda," he said quietly. "Did you summon me?"
"Yes," I snapped, my voice cold. "It’s time. Tell me... are you ready?"
Dolph swallowed. "Are you... Are you ordering the strike now?"
I fixed him with a glare that could burn through stone. "Yes. Lisa. She must die. No mercy. No hesitation. I want her gone before anyone notices anything. Do you understand?"
He bowed low. "Yes, Ma’am. As you command."
I gave a small nod, my heart racing with a mix of fury and anticipation. "Go. And don’t fail me."
He hesitated for a moment, then left, his footsteps fading down the corridor. I closed my eyes and sank onto my bed, letting out a deep breath. My chest heaved. My mind raced. The triplets will come to me. They will see that I am the one in control.
I didn’t have to wait long. The door creaked open, and Damon walked in. My chest tightened. I had been expecting him, but seeing him here now... it made my blood boil in a different way.
I sat up straighter, my lips pressing into a thin line. "Oh... so you’ve come. Did you come here to strip me of my Luna position because you want Lisa instead?" I crossed my arms, pouting in a way I knew would make him tense.
Damon’s lips twitched into a small smile. He didn’t step back. Instead, he moved closer. "Belinda," he said softly, his voice calm, almost teasing. "Nobody is stripping you of anything. Your position is yours. You don’t need to worry about that."
I blinked at him, suspicion and anger mixing in my gaze. "Then why are you here?"
He sat on the edge of the bed, close enough that I could feel the heat radiating from him. "I came here to tell you... Don’t leave. Don’t let your anger make you run away from us. You have our time. And you need to stop getting so angry all the time."
I bit my lip, trying to hide the flicker of something I didn’t want to admit: relief. "Stop getting angry? You don’t understand. Lisa, she’s ruining everything I’ve built, my relationship with you guys. She’s... she’s..." I broke off, my hands balling into fists.
Damon placed a hand gently on mine, stopping me mid-motion. "I do understand. But I also know you. You don’t need to fight her to prove your worth. You don’t need to lose yourself in anger. She is not taking us from you, Belinda. I just... I want you here, by my side."
I stared at him, my chest tight. "By your side?" I whispered, my voice barely audible.
"Yes," he said firmly. "I need you. I won’t ever take that away from you. But you can’t let anger control you. You won’t like what happens if you let it take over."
I let out a shaky breath. My body was still tense, my mind still buzzing with fury, but there was something in his voice, something in the way he looked at me, that made my anger twist into... uncertainty.
I crossed my arms again, stubbornly, but I felt the tension in my shoulders ease just a fraction. "So... you’re saying I don’t have to fight her to keep my place?"
Damon smiled, leaning closer. "Exactly. You have your place. You have our time and our hearts. But don’t waste it being angry all the time. Lisa isn’t your enemy. Don’t let her make you forget who you are."
I glared at him for a moment, then finally let out a slow sigh. "Fine. But if she even dares..."
He chuckled softly, cutting me off. "I know. But for now... just let me handle things. You rest, and trust me."
I sat up straighter on the bed, crossing my arms, but my eyes didn’t leave him. "So... you really think I’m just going to sit here quietly while she walks around, stealing everyone’s attention?" I snapped, my voice sharp.
Damon leaned against the edge of the bed, a playful smirk on his face. "Stealing attention? Belinda... no one can steal your place. You know that."
I huffed. "Do you? Because it sure feels like she’s making the whole palace forget about me. Even Rowan and Kael look at her differently now. And you..." I paused, letting the words sink in, "You’re here talking to me instead of fixing things!"
He chuckled softly, and the sound made my chest tighten. "Fix things? Belinda, you fix things every day. You control the palace, you control the people alongside us... You control me."
I blinked at him, trying not to let my heart skip. "Control you? Don’t be ridiculous. I’m the Luna, and you guys are Alphas. I’m supposed to guide, to protect, to... to keep order with you. I don’t control you. I..." My words faltered.
He leaned closer, his voice low, teasing, almost dangerous. "Don’t lie to me. I see the way you think, the way you plan, the way you want... everything in order. You want control, and you know it. And that’s exactly why I want you here."
I frowned, trying to keep my pride intact. "You think your words can calm me? I’m not... I’m not some girl you can talk into feeling better."
Damon smirked, tilting his head. "No, you’re not. You’re more than that."
I narrowed my eyes, a small spark of irritation mixing with the warmth I couldn’t quite hide. "Stubborn? Me? I am not stubborn. I am... I am..." My words wavered, and I felt my face flush.
"Exactly," he interrupted, calm but teasing. "You’re always stubborn. You don’t give in easily. And that’s fine. That’s good. But your stubbornness shouldn’t blind you to reality. You can’t let anger run you. You have to think, act, and wait for the right moment."
I looked away, pretending to consider his words, though my chest still burned with fury. "And what about Lisa?"