Rescue and Revelation ||

lobos pov

Ashina, there’s something you need to know,” Zeeb began, his voice calm yet carrying an edge that set my nerves on high alert. “Meera is sleeping with Lobo.” he said to me.
For a moment, I couldn’t process what he was saying. My sister? With Lobo? The very thought twisted my insides into knots. Anger flared up, burning through my initial shock. “That’s a lie, Zeeb,” I snapped, rising to my feet. “Just because Meera spends time with Lobo doesn’t mean she’s sleeping with him.” i snapped, unwilling to believe a word he said.
Zeeb’s expression didn’t change—he just nnodded, almost as if he had expected my reaction. “Believe what you want, Ashina. But you’ll see. You’ll learn that your sister hates you more than you can imagine.” With that, he turned and left the room, his words leaving a trail of poison in the air.
As the door clicked shut, I sank back onto the bed, my mind racing. Memories flooded back, each one tinged with a new, sinister light. Had there been signs? Had I been too blind, too trusting to see them? Maybe inwas just being stupid.
I remembered the times when Meera would visit us, back when I was still living with Lobo. How she would always speak of him with a strange neutrality, never condemning him even though she knew about the bruises, the insults, the abuse. It had always struck me as odd, but I had never questioned it. Now, with Zeeb’s words echoing in my mind, it seemed like a glaring red flag. It made me understand how stupid I've been.
And then there were the nights. The nights when Meera’s visits seemed to coincide with Lobo’s most violent outbursts. How the sex, already a tool for his dominance and cruelty, became even more degrading, more painful. How he seemed almost energized, driven by some unseen force. Was it her? Was it Meera fueling his rage, his need to break me? His need to make me feel so pathetic? A way to make me loose my self esteem?
The realization hit me like a blow to the stomach. If Meera was truly involved with Lobo, if she had been the catalyst for so much of my suffering, then she was no longer just my sister. She was a traitor, an enemy. And she would pay. I would make sure she regrets her actions against me.
I clenched my fists, feeling a surge of resolve harden within me. I wouldn’t be a victim any longer. I wouldn’t let them destroy me. I would stand up for myself and make a person out of me.
The next day, Zeeb returned, “I’m sorry for what I said yesterday, Ashina,” he began, avoiding my gaze. “I know it was harsh. But, I had to tell you. Anyway, there’s something I need to show you. Come with me to the fountain by the old oak.”
I hesitated, suspicion warring with curiosity. But in the end, I nodded. “Alright, Zeeb. Show me.”
The path to the fountain was overgrown and winding, the dense forest pressing in from all sides. As we walked, the air grew cooler, the sounds of the village fading away until it was just the two of us and the trees. The fountain, when we reached it, was nothing short of magical. Water bubbled up from the ground, sparkling in the dappled sunlight, creating a serene and almost otherworldly atmosphere.
Zeeb gestured for me to sit on the stone bench beside the fountain. “This place has always helped me think,” he said, taking a seat next to me. “I feel it might help you too.”
I looked at him, searching his face for any hint of deception. “What is it you want to show me, Zeeb?”
He took a deep breath, his eyes meeting mine with an intensity that made me uneasy. “It’s not about showing you something physical, Ashina. It’s about understanding. Understanding what’s really been happening between you, Meera, and Lobo.”
I frowned, my frustration bubbling to the surface. “I don’t need understanding, Zeeb. I need the truth. If Meera is really sleeping with Lobo, I need to know.”
Zeeb nodded slowly. “I get that. And I’m telling you the truth. Meera has been with Lobo. But it’s not just about infidelity. It’s about manipulation, control. Lobo has been playing you both, using you against each other.”
I felt a cold chill run down my spine. “What do you mean?”
“Lobo thrives on power,” Zeeb explained. “He’s been using Meera’s affection for him to hurt you, to keep you weak and dependent. And Meera, whether she realizes it or not, has been a part of that. She’s been caught in his web, just like you.”
The anger that had been simmering within me threatened to boil over. “So you’re saying Meera is a victim too?”
“Yes and no,” Zeeb said quietly. “She’s been manipulated, but she’s also made her own choices. She’s hurt you, Ashina. But she’s not beyond redemption. And neither are you.”
I stared at the fountain, the water’s gentle flow doing little to calm the storm inside me. “I don’t know if I can forgive her, Zeeb. Or him. They’ve taken so much from me.” i said to him with so much sadness in my voice.
“Forgiveness is a long road,” Zeeb replied. “But it starts with understanding. With seeing the truth, even when it hurts.”
I closed my eyes, letting the sounds of the water wash over me. Understanding. Truth. These were words that had lost their meaning in the face of my pain. But perhaps, here by this magical stream, I could begin to find them again. To find myself again.
As I sat there, I made a silent promise. To seek the truth, no matter how painful. To face my past and my future with courage. And to never let anyone break me again.