CHAPTER 121

Chapter 20

The moon hung high in the sky as Bavanda stood at the threshold of her cell. The door hung open, Loco’s presence behind her, urging her forward.

If she left now, she would be a fugitive—an enemy to her own people.

Her heart pounded. Her mother’s face flashed in her mind, followed by her father’s cold order. ‘Do it.’

With a deep breath, Bavanda stepped into the night, leaving behind the only home she had ever known.

She was letting go of her past, even though her future was uncertain. But for the sake of herself, she had to embrace the unknown.

The tension in the pack was palpable by the next morning. Whispers of Bavanda’s disappearance spread like wildfire, and the entire pack had fallen into a nervous, restless frenzy. Avynna paced back and forth in their chambers, her mind spinning with thoughts of her daughter. Baron sat in the corner, his face set in stone, as he stared out of the window. The moon hung low in the sky, casting its dim light over the land, but it offered little comfort.

“Where did we go wrong?” Avynna’s voice cracked, her worry evident. She wrung her hands, her chest tight with grief. “She’s not the same, Baron. I don’t know what to do.”

Baron didn’t respond right away. His eyes were hard, but there was pain behind them. “She made a choice, Avynna. She’s no longer the daughter we raised. I fear she’s gone too far.”

Avynna collapsed into his arms, tears streaming down her face. “But she’s still our daughter. We can’t just give up on her.”

“She’s not the same person anymore,” Baron replied grimly. “Not after what she’s done. And after what we’ve seen her become.”

But despite his words, Avynna refused to give up. She knew there was still good in her daughter. She had to believe that.

Bavanda ran, her breath ragged, her body aching both externally and internally. Loco led the way, his movements swift and sure, even in the pitch darkness of the forest. The wind howled around them, as if the very night itself were warning her of what she had done—what she had lost. Her home, and her family.

The thought made her chest tighten, but there was no turning back now. Not after what she had seen in the vision Loco showed her. They weren’t going to save her. They were going to kill her.

After what felt like hours of running, they arrived at an ancient ruin nestled deep in the mountains, hidden away from the world. The crumbling walls held stories of a past long forgotten, but to Bavanda, it was simply a cage of a different kind. She stumbled inside, her legs barely holding her up.

“Rest,” Loco said, watching her closely. “You’re safe here.”

She collapsed onto the cold stone floor, but sleep never came. Questions raced through her mind, twisting and turning like a raging storm. Could she trust him? He had saved her, yes, but at what cost?

Morning came, and with it, her need for answers. “Why?” she asked, glaring at him across the flickering fire. “Why did you help me?”

Loco leaned against the wall, arms crossed. “Because you were going to be used, just like me. Theresa, the dark forces… they don’t care about you. They only care about power.”

Bavanda frowned, remembering the whispers that still haunted her. “And you? What do you care about?”

His gaze darkened. “I care about not becoming my father. I care about surviving. And now… I care about helping you survive too.”

For the first time, something in his voice made her want to believe him. But trust was a dangerous thing, and she had already lost too much to risk more.

Days passed, and with them, a fragile sense of understanding grew between them. Loco didn’t push her. He let her come to him, let her ask questions when she was ready. He taught her things no one else ever had—how to silence the voices of darkness, how to harness the beast inside her instead of letting it consume her.

One night, as they sat beneath the stars, Loco finally told her his story.

“I was born into darkness,” he admitted, voice heavy with pain. “After my father’s death, I was expected to take his place. But I never wanted it. I saw what power did to people—what it turned them into. So I played along, pretended to be one of them, just to survive.”

Bavanda listened in silence. She had assumed he was like his father, that he was just another enemy. But now, seeing the exhaustion in his eyes, the scars he hid beneath his confidence, she wasn’t so sure anymore.

“I don’t like the sight of blood,” he continued. “But I shed it when I have to. Because if I don’t, they’ll see through me. They’ll know I’m not really one of them.”

Bavanda studied him carefully. “And why risk helping me?”

Loco met her gaze, something unreadable flickering in his eyes. “Because I couldn’t watch them destroy you.”

A heavy silence followed, one filled with more meaning than Bavanda was ready to acknowledge.

“I want to reach out to my wolf," Bavanda suddenly said.

Loco turned to her, but said nothing.

“There's supposed to be a connection between me and her, but I feel she's buried deep. I have to try and reach her, despite all of the chaos. That's the only way forward now." She mumbled, rising to her feet.

The moon hung high, its pale light casting eerie shadows over the clearing where Bavanda stood, her breath coming in short, ragged bursts.

Loco watched her carefully from a few feet away, his expression unreadable. “Are you sure you’re ready for this?” he asked, his voice calm yet firm.

Bavanda clenched her fists. “I have to be.”

She closed her eyes and focused, summoning the power that had been coiling inside her like a restless beast. A shiver ran through her spine as heat spread across her limbs, her bones cracking and shifting. The transformation was faster this time, more natural—too natural.

Loco tensed as Bavanda's form twisted and stretched, her skin giving way to thick, black fur that seemed to shimmer with darkness. When she lifted her head, her eyes glowed a haunting red. Her wolf was huge, monstrous, unlike any normal werewolf. Smoke-like tendrils curled off her body, the air around her thick with something unnatural.

Then she turned to him.

Loco barely had time to react before Bavanda lunged. She moved impossibly fast, a blur of black fur and fangs. He twisted out of the way, barely avoiding her snapping jaws. “Bavanda, stop!” he shouted, but she wasn’t listening.

She was gone—lost to the beast inside her.

Her growl was low and guttural, a sound that sent chills down his spine. She stalked toward him, her massive claws digging into the dirt. Loco didn’t run. He didn’t even lift his hands to defend himself.

“Bavanda,” he said again, his voice softer this time.

She lunged again, but instead of dodging, Loco met her head-on. With precise movements, he ducked beneath her attack and wrapped his arms around her thick neck, using his strength to force her to the ground. She thrashed violently, snarling, snapping her teeth mere inches from his face.

He held on. “You’re stronger than this. Fight it.”

Her claws raked across his arm, drawing blood, but he didn’t let go. “Come back to me, Bavanda.”

For a moment, she stilled. Her chest rose and fell rapidly, her red eyes flickering—flickering with something familiar.

“Come back,” Loco whispered.

A strangled sound tore from her throat. Her body convulsed, the darkness peeling away from her in waves. With a final, pained cry, Bavanda collapsed, her form shrinking, her fur receding.

She lay there, naked and trembling, her breath uneven. Her eyes, now back to their usual deep brown, were filled with horror.

Loco released her gently, his bleeding arm forgotten as he knelt beside her.

“Oh, my God,” she gasped, staring at her hands. “Loco—I almost—I almost—”

He reached out, cupping her face with his uninjured hand. “But you didn’t.”

Tears welled in her eyes. “I could have killed you.”

He wiped away a stray tear with his thumb. “But you didn’t,” he repeated. “And I knew you wouldn’t.”

Bavanda shook her head, wrapping her arms around herself. “I lost control. What if next time…”

“There won’t be a next time,” he interrupted. “Because you’ll learn to control it. And I’ll help you.”

Her lips quivered. “Why?”

Loco offered a small, tired smile. “Because I believe in you.”

She stared at him, searching his face for any hint of fear, of regret—but there was none. Only trust. Only understanding.

Bavanda allowed herself to believe in something, too.

She leaned into him, resting her forehead against his chest, his warmth grounding her. Loco wrapped his arms around her, holding her close.

Neither of them spoke. They didn’t need to.

But in the silence of the night, neither of them knew that their peace wouldn’t last.

Morning was coming. And with it, danger.

Hey Guys please check my other stories: The Lycan and His healer mate, His Purchased Wife, 365 Days in Dmitry Cage, The fatal Lycan and his mysterious mate, Xiol's Treasured Mate, The luna and the lycan, Flash Marriage: President's Seduction, In Adonis world, Alpha's little Vampire Mate on R.a.d.i.s.h.

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