CHAPTER 112

There was a heavy cloud of silence hanging over the room as father and daughter stood there, eyes locked on each other, and an identical rage circling around them.

Bavanda stood her ground, her fists clenched at her sides. Her entire body was rigid with defiance. Her father’s alpha aura pressed heavily on her, but she refused to bow.

“If you force her to leave,” she said, voice shaking with barely restrained fury, “then I’ll go with her.”

The room fell into silence. Avynna’s eyes widened slightly, and Baron’s expression darkened. The power in the air thickened.

“You will not,” Baron said, his voice even, but his authority left no room for argument.

Bavanda lifted her chin. “Then don’t make me.”

Steve, who had been standing to the side, took a step forward. “Alpha, I think we should at least investigate before making a final decision.”

Baron snapped his gaze to him, surprised. Steve rarely, if ever, questioned his judgment. Why was he doing so now?

“She’s a stranger,” he said coldly. “She appeared out of nowhere, and my daughter is acting irrationally over her. That’s all the information I need.”

“Then give me time,” Bavanda pleaded. “If she does anything wrong, I will take responsibility.”

Baron’s jaw clenched, but before he could answer, Avynna stepped in. “Bavanda, come with me.”

She led her daughter out of the room, down the hallway, and into a quiet chamber. Closing the door behind them, she turned to Bavanda with concern.

“What is happening to you?” Avynna asked softly. “You’ve been acting strangely since the night of Loco’s escape. Your emotions are out of control, your wolf is restless, and now you’re willing to fight us for a stranger?”

Bavanda’s hands trembled, but she refused to let it show. “You're the one acting strange, mother. The mother I know wouldn't look away when someone is in need of help.”

Avynna sighed frustratedly. "Bavanda…"

“No!" She cut her mother short. “You… Mother, you can't send her back. The moment she leaves those gates, she is prone to every attack from whatever angle. You can't send her away.”

"And what happens when she stays?” Avynna pushed. "Huh? You think we aren't prone to attacks? You think we're invincible?”

"She's alone, and we have a whole army. Mother, raise another point, please. Or you just let her stay. What do we stand to lose?”

Avynna gasped in shock. "What do we stand to lose? Bavanda, what is wrong with you? Are you even thinking properly?”

"Mother…"

“I lost my life once. I lost my husband twice. I almost lost my pack. I watched people die. Bavanda, all of this because I decided to be kind. And here you are, demanding that I walk down the same path a second time, right after we finally built back everything we've lost. What is wrong with you?”

Silence fell like a heavy cloak of darkness. Mother and daughter stared at each other, both finding it hard to recognize the other.

Avynna exhaled slowly. “Bavanda, if there's something wrong, you should tell us. This… this isn't right. You're making us worry.”

“Worrying is all you ever do, after all." Bavanda said, looking away.

“What does that even mean? You're my daughter, I'm supposed to worry about you." Avynna said, her voice lowered into what sounded like a plea.

“No, that's not why you worry. It's because you don't trust me. You never did from the start."

"Bavanda…” Before Avynna could say more, a sharp knock on the door interrupted them.

Baron stood outside, his face unreadable. “She can stay.”

Relief flooded Bavanda’s chest, but her father wasn’t finished. “But she will be watched. If anything happens, she’s out.”

Bavanda nodded. “I understand.”

She literally ran out of the room, not caring to look back once at her parents.

Avynna turned to her husband, confusion and several other emotions flickering through her face. “Baron, what the…?”

Baron slipped his hand around her waist, pulling her closer. "Shhhh! I know you're worried, but I'm going to take charge of this. Bavanda is in a phase that we can't understand, hence we can't afford to make a mistake. You saw her in there, the determination in her eyes, she was ready to stand against me.”

"Exactly!" Avynna interjected. “That's more reason why all of this is so fishy. We can't…”

Baron cut her short. "I know, I know. Honey, I'm not letting my guard down, but right now, this is best.”

Avynna heaved. “Ughhh! This is frustrating. I feels like my life is playing before my eyes all over again."

Baron held her even closer. “No! I promise you I won't let history repeat itself."

Avynna stared into her husband's eyes, and every part of her wanted to believe him, yet, something was holding her back. She wanted to protest, push hard, until both father and daughter listened to her, but she didn't.

Instead, she said, “Fine!"

Stepping out of his hold, she walked out of the room.

Bavanda found her way to her room, excited to relay the news to her guest that she would be staying. However, on getting to her room, it was empty. She made to step back out of the room, wondering if they had played her, when she ran into Steve.

“Where…where is she?” She hurriedly asked.

Steve remained calm. "The Alpha agreed to let her stay, but she has been moved to a different room. He insists that he won't let her stay here with you.”

Bavanda heaved. Her parents could be a whole lot of stress sometimes. "Fine!” She sighed. "Take me to her.”

Steve hesitated, but he did as she said. They walked quietly to the guestroom. On getting there, Bavanda turned to Steve, her eyes holding a harsh gaze he had never seen before.

“Leave us alone," she said.

Steve's lips parted to say something, but instead, he turned and walked away. Bavanda stepped into the room, locking the door behind her.

Hours later, Bavanda tossed and turned in her own bedroom. She had no peace. She shot up in bed, gasping. The voices—so many voices—screamed inside her head. Some whispered her name, others laughed, some cried. She gripped her temples, trying to silence them, but they wouldn’t stop.

“Save us! Princess, please save us."

“She can't save you, she can't do anything. We have her under control."

“Bavanda belongs to us."

“We're coming for you."

Get out of my head! she wanted to scream. But she couldn’t.

Then, she saw it.

In the dim light of her room, her reflection in the mirror moved, but it wasn’t her. The eyes were black, the mouth curled into a bloodied grin.

Bavanda stumbled backward, but when she blinked, it was gone. Panting, she pressed a hand to her chest. What was happening to her?

***

Dawn broke to meet Bavanda with eyes wide open. In order to clear her mind, she joined the pack warriors for training, hoping to distract herself. But it didn’t help.

The moment another warrior’s shoulder brushed against her, she lost control again. With unnatural speed, she grabbed the man by his throat and slammed him into the ground with enough force to make the earth shake.

The entire field went silent.

Steve and two others rushed forward, prying Bavanda off before she could do more damage.

“Princess! Stop!” Steve shouted.

Bavanda blinked, her breathing heavy. The warrior beneath her groaned, coughing violently.

“I-I didn’t mean to… I'm sorry,” she stammered, stumbling backward.

Steve studied her carefully. “Bavanda… What’s going on with you?”

She shook her head, her eyes moistening with tears. She was unable to answer.

Meanwhile, somewhere in the dark corners of her new found room, the guest stood, staring through the windows as the scene unfolded.

Her expression remained emotionless, her eyes empty and her grip on the curtain tightening. “You have no idea what's coming for you, Bavanda."

Far away, deep within the forbidden forest, Loco knelt before the cloaked figure on the throne.

The figure’s voice reverberated through the darkness. “The beast is awakening.”

Loco lowered his head. “What do you want me to do?”

A hiss filled the air as the snakes slithered around the th
rone. “Guide it.”

Loco clenched his fists. “And if she resists?”

The figure chuckled, a sound so dark it made the trees shudder. “She won’t.”