Capítulo 31: Thirty one

Rhea.

My mother and Aria stood at the entrance, their faces pale, their clothes disheveled and torn. I could barely recognize them, especially my mother—her hair tangled, her face streaked with dirt, and her arm bruised and scraped as though she'd been running through the woods. My heart dropped into my stomach.

"Mom? Aria?" I gasped, rushing toward them, pulling them both into a tight hug. "What happened? Why are you here?" My voice was shaky, fear crawling up my spine.

Aria's body trembled against mine, and my mother's breath came in uneven gasps, but she tried to smile at me through her exhaustion. Her skin was cool, but the anxiety radiating from both of them told me something was horribly wrong.

"Alpha Damien," my mother started, her voice cracking as she struggled to speak. She looked up at me with guilt heavy in her eyes. "He ordered us to be arrested. We... we had to run." Her words were lined with fear, her body trembling with the remnants of the escape. "If we had stayed any longer, we would've been seized, Rhea."

I stepped back slightly, trying to wrap my head around what she was saying. Damien. My blood ran cold just hearing his name. I turned to Aria, who nodded, confirming the story with wide, terrified eyes.

"We barely made it out," Aria said, her voice shaky. She was clutching her side like she had been hit, or worse. "One of the guards tipped us off. Alpha Damien didn't care who we were anymore... we were just in his way. He gave the order, and we had to flee through the back. Mom... she tripped while running, but we didn't have time to stop. If we had, they would've caught us." Aria's lip quivered as she spoke, and her words were strained, like she was holding back the flood of emotions.

I felt my stomach tighten in resentment, my fists curling at my sides. How could Damien do this to them? To my mother, my sister? The people I loved most in the world? My heart was pounding in my ears, but I couldn't let them see me crumble. Not now.

I turned to my mother again, whose eyes were now filling with tears. "Remus was right, Rhea," she whispered, her voice breaking. "Alpha Damien is evil. I should have listened to him. I should have believed you both when you warned me." She looked down, ashamed, her hand shaking as she wiped away the tears threatening to fall. "I was blind to it... I didn't want to believe it."

Hearing her say those words, relief and anger washed over me. Relief because they had finally seen Damien for who he really was, but anger because it had taken something this drastic for them to realize the danger he posed.

I inhaled deeply, trying to keep my voice steady. "You're safe here now," I said firmly, though my mind was spinning. "Damien can't hurt you anymore." I glanced over at Remus, who had been silent, standing a few steps behind me, his posture twitchy.

I didn't need to hear him speak to know how he felt. His jaw was tight, his fists clenched at his sides, his eyes burning with rage. Remus was furious.

His protective instincts were flaring up, and I knew he wanted nothing more than to storm back to Silvermoon and tear Damien apart for even thinking about hurting my family.

"Remus," I whispered, reaching out to place a hand on his arm, trying to calm him before his temper got the best of him. "They're safe now. That's all that matters." I looked into his eyes, hoping to relieve some of the fire in them. His gaze softened a little when he looked at me, but I could still feel the anger simmering beneath the surface.

He nodded stiffly, though I knew the battle inside him wasn't over. "We'll deal with Damien," he muttered under his breath, his voice tight. "But right now, they need rest."

Remus turned and gestured for one of the pack members who had been lingering nearby. "Prepare two rooms," he ordered, his voice steady but laced with underlying edginess. "Make sure they're comfortable."

The pack member nodded quickly and hurried off, leaving us in silence for a moment.

"Come on," I said softly to my mother and Aria, placing my hand gently on my mother's shoulder, mindful of her bruises. "Let's get you both settled in for the night."

As we moved through the hallway, I couldn't help but glance back at Remus. His eyes were fixed on the floor, but his mind was elsewhere. I could feel the load of his thoughts pressing down on him, and I knew it wouldn't be long before we had to confront Damien.

After helping my mother and Aria settle into their rooms for the night, I headed back to my chamber. I found Remus sitting in the living room, fists clenched under his chin, his brows furrowed in deep thought. The tautness in the air was thick, and I knew exactly what was on his mind.

"Remus," I whispered softly as I approached, laying my hand gently on his arm. His gaze flicked to mine, his eyes still burning with the fury that Damien had ignited. I could see he was teetering on the edge, ready to explode.

"I know what you're thinking, but confronting Damien right now will only make things worse," I said, sitting beside him. "It will make us look childish and cheap. He's trying to provoke you. You know that."

Remus' jaw clenched, his knuckles turning white as he held back the urge to lash out. "Rhea, he threatened your family. He's gone too far this time. I can't just sit back and do nothing."

I placed my hand on his chest, feeling the rapid beat of his heart. "I know. But reacting impulsively will only give him more power. Let him think he's won for now. But if he dares to try any foolishness again, I'll give you the go-ahead to punish him however you want. Trust me."

He looked at me, the fire still burning in his eyes, but it softened just a little. "This is something that should be reported. He's crossing lines, and we can't just wait for him to do something worse."

I shook my head gently. "Let's give it some time. See what Damien does next. We'll be prepared for anything."

Before he could argue further, I leaned forward and shut him up the best way I knew how. My lips met his in a hot, fiery kiss, and I felt him relax beneath me. His hands cupped my face as our kiss deepened, the world outside melted away. For a while, there was no Damien, no threats, no fear—just us, lost in each other.

The next morning, the pressure from the night before still lingered over breakfast. My mother sat quietly, her gaze distant, while Aria barely touched her food, pushing it around with her fork.

Remus was stressed, barely eating, his thoughts clearly elsewhere. Rachel, always trying to lighten the mood, made an effort to cheer everyone up with jokes and small talk, but Remus wasn't really having it.

"Aria, you're awfully quiet today. You didn't suddenly lose your voice, did you?" Rachel teased, smiling. Aria glanced up with a faint smile and answered softly, but the atmosphere remained heavy.

Suddenly, one of the pack members burst into the room, looking alarmed. "Alpha, Luna," he said breathlessly, his face pale. "We have visitors from the Silvermoon pack at the gates."

My heart skipped a beat. "Who is it?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. I could feel the blood draining from my face.

"It's Alpha Damien," the pack member replied, his voice low. "He's demanding to speak with you, Alpha."

I felt my stomach twist into knots. Damien coming here could only mean trouble. I exchanged a glance with Remus, whose expression immediately darkened. Without missing a beat, he stood up, his voice low and commanding.

"Stay here," he told me, his tone leaving no room for argument. But there was no way I was letting him face Damien alone.

"No, I'm coming with you," I insisted, standing up as well. Remus looked like he wanted to protest, but I held his gaze firmly until he relented with a short nod.

At the gates, Damien stood with a smug look on his face, flanked by a few of his guards. His arrogance was palpable, making my skin crawl. "I know they ran here," Damien began, his voice dripping with disdain. "I want my prisoners back."

Remus immediately stepped in front of me, his protective instinct kicking in. "They're under my protection now," he growled, his voice steady, though I could sense the fury beneath it. "You won't lay a hand on them."

Damien's eyes flickered over to me, that same smug expression never faltering. "Funny," he sneered. "Last I checked, Rhea was mine before she was yours. Are you really willing to make this a war over a woman who wasn't even truly yours to begin with?"

My blood boiled. Before Remus could react, I stepped forward, glaring at Damien. "I'm not yours, Damien. And I never was. Whatever delusions you had about owning me, let them go. Now."

The venom in my voice made Damien's eyes darken, but he wasn't done. His gaze shifted back to Remus, and I could feel the tension rising again. "You really think this is over, Remus?" he said, his voice quieter now, more threatening. "You're making a mistake. This won't end well for you."

Remus' voice was calm, deadly even. "Leave now, Damien, or you'll regret ever stepping foot here."

The threat hung heavy in the air. For a moment, I wasn't sure what Damien would do, but then, with a sneer, he turned on his heel and motioned for his guards to follow. "This isn't over," he spat as he left, his voice echoing ominously in the silence.

As soon as he was gone, I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding. My heart pounded in my chest, the nervousness slowly melting away. I turned to Remus, who was still rigid with anger.

Gently, I wrapped my arms around him, trying to calm the storm brewing inside him. "Thank you," I whispered softly, resting my head against his chest.

Remus didn't move for a moment, but when he finally spoke, his voice was low and full of frustration. "This isn't the end of it, Rhea. He won't stop."

I nodded against him, knowing he was right. "We'll be ready," I whispered, but deep down, the thought of what might come next made my stomach churn with anxiety.

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