Chapter 38: Chapter 38

“What?!” Damon smacked, storming out of his chamber. “They cannot do such a thing! What are they even thinking?!” He ranted as he made his way down the walkway.

“Damon, can you please listen to the end?! This anger will take us nowhere! If they don’t do it, they’ll send her away!” Megan yelled from behind him, making him stop abruptly.

Before he could look back, Megan ran to him and stood in front of him. “Our father is worried. He’s scared that when she’s all trained and set to fight, she’ll turn against us one day.”

“But she’ll never do that.”

“And how do you expect to prove that point to the king, hun?? He made up his mind already, and there’s nothing we can do about that. We need to look for what to do next to keep Belinda with us.”

“How? What if she totally loses it and we can’t do anything about it? Remember she is yet to know and control her full potential.”

“I asked father the same thing, and he said if one of us are not her anchor, then Mr. Theron will take care of the rest.”

Damon sighed uncomfortably, thinking of what to do about the situation at hand. What his father and Mr. Theron was about to do to Belinda, didn't sit well with him.

“Listen, Damon. I think what we have to do now is talk to Belinda about it. We are putting her wolf to test here. It’s her wolf, not someone else. She should be able to control it, one way or the other. She has to. Father is scared, and honestly, we do understand why he has to be. The tales of how dangerous red-furred wolves are will always torment us.”

After Megan finished talking, Damon nodded and began to calm down. “Then I’ll talk to Belinda, if that’s what it takes.” He responded and instantly turned to leave, heading to her chamber.

Drawing closer to her chamber, he found her also stepping out of her chamber. Her eyes fell on him and a wide grin kit her face.

“Prince Damon.” She called shyly, bowing her head slightly. Damon let out a faint smile and moved closer to her.

“Walk with me. We need to talk.” He uttered in almost a whisper. He sounded pretty serious, leaving Belinda in suspense for what he was about to say.

“Where are you headed?” He asked as they walked, keeping a reasonable distance from each other so as to avoid any further rumors from the people of the kingdom.

“I’m heading to the barracks for today’s training.” Belinda responded, still pondering about what he was going to say to her.

“I thought I’d be seeing you to tell you about what the Queen came to say to me this morning, but a more important matter has risen.” Damon spoke, looking at everyone that walked past them like he didn’t want them to hear a word of his mouth.

“What is it, Prince Damon? You’re scaring me.”

“You are going to be tested tonight. My father, Mr. Theron, the queen and some other members of the pack are going to be present too.”

“I’ll be tested? For what? Why? What have I done wrong?” Belinda took a halt as she began to fidget. Damon was forced to stop and turned to look at her.

“My father wants to be sure we can control you when you reach your greatest strength and rage. He’s scared that you could lose it when you’re blinded by your anger, and he’s bent on looking for an anchor for you. Someone that will pull you back before things go south.”

“An anchor?”

“Yes, Belinda. You are going to be provoked tonight, Megan and I will be put in your path to stop you before it’s too late. My father and Mr. Theron believes you wouldn’t hurt the ones you love, and these people are Megan and I.”

Belinda gazed at Damon speechlessly as he explained what was about to come her way to her. She wasn’t sure what she was going to do.

“Say something, Belinda. We need to find you an anchor tonight. You need to be conscious, somewhere down there when your wolf is in control of your body and mind.”

“But how am I supposed to do this? It’s not even up to a week before I found out who I really am, and I have to go through all these training and tests? Why? I never thought finally getting my wolf to show forth will put me in so much trouble…”

“Belinda, calm down.” Damon cut in as he noticed she was quivering and shaking as she spoke. She fiddled her fingers, trying to stay calm.

“I can’t be calm, Prince Damon. What if I hurt you, or Princess Megan? I’ll never forgive myself for it. I don’t even know what I can do or not do yet. I’ve been fed my ill stories of my kind and it’s beginning to make me hate myself. I can’t do this. What if you aren’t my anchor? What if…”

“Belinda!” Damon called in a pretty loud tone, making her stop. He reached for her hand and as they shivered in his hands, he gave it a light squeeze.

“Everything is going to be okay. Please stop fidgeting.”

“You can’t be so sure, Prince Damon.”

“No, I cannot. But one thing I’m sure of is that you are in love with me, the same way I am in love with you.” Damon uttered in almost a whisper.

Belinda hastily looked around to see if anyone was staring or eavesdropping on them, because of how he carelessly confessed to her outdoors.

“I know deep down, you wouldn’t hurt me. And the same thing goes for Megan. You wouldn’t hurt her, because you love her too. You just have to make sure you have this in mind. I love you, and no matter who you are and the scary tales about you, I’ll keep loving you.”

Tears heated up Belinda’s eyes as she listened to the sweet words that escaped Damon’s precious lips. His words made her melt, and she really wanted to throw her arms around him and embrace him.

“I love you too, Prince Damon. I’m so sad we are restricted. I want to kiss you right now.” She uttered, locking her eyes with his.

Damon felt so overwhelmed as they made eye contact, and he hastily broke the eye contact and let go of her.

“Don’t do that when we’re outside next time. You wouldn’t want me to lose control in public.” Damon muttered, looking away as flashes of the previous night came rushing into his head.

“But I’m allowed to do it in private?” Belinda further teased, and they both chucked.

“Belinda, let me focus, please. The test is tonight.” Damon responded, turning his head to look at her, and she nodded as the smirk on her face faded off.

“Promise me that you’ll control your rage. I don’t know how you are going to be provoked, but promise me you’ll control your rage.” Damon uttered, thinking about what Megan told him.

‘If she doesn’t control it, then Mr. Theron would take over.’ That statement implied two things, and Damon wasn’t ready to even think about it because he wasn’t going to let any of them happen.

“I promise.” Belinda gave him her word, even though she wasn’t sure what she was going to face at this so-called test.

Damon smiled feebly and nodded.

“We’ll meet tonight on the training field. I bet the guards will come and fetch you, so we wouldn’t see until you’re on the field. But know that I’m always with you. My heart with you, and you’re with me.”

***

The night drew faster than usual to Belinda as she worried about what was going to happen on the training field.

She tried starting a conversation about it with her wolf, but she got nothing. She was scared and helpless.

“Can you at least say something to me? Please.” She muttered in frustration, wanting to hear anything from her inner self, but she got nothing too.

Shortly, there was a knock on her door, followed by an order from one of the guards. “Miss Belinda, you are called upon by the King to appear before him in the training field at this very moment. We are here to bring you to him.”

Belinda’s heart thumped against her chest and sank to the bottom of her belly as she heard the voice of the guard. ‘It is really happening.’

She got up from her bed and headed to the door. Opening the door, she found almost ten guards in front of her door.

‘Why are there so many guards to bring me? Is the king that scared of me?’ She wondered as she stepped out of her chamber.

“This way, miss.” The guard that led them uttered, making way for her. Belinda nodded and began to walk down to the training field.

The field was lit up with wooden torches and they were arranged to create a large ring. Outside this ring was King Talos, Queen Marlena, Mr. Theron, Prince Damon, Princess Megan, Reggie, Yolanda and a few guards.

As Belinda approached this large circle, everyone’s eyes were on her, but she locked her eyes with only Damon’s, because he was the only one that could reassure her that everything will be fine.

Damon gave her a slight nod and blinked, trying to calm her down.

She stopped walking after she got to the circle, and Mr. Theron stepped forward.

“I want to believe you know why we are here, Miss Belinda. Without wasting any more time, please step into the ring.” Mr. Theron uttered.

Belinda reluctantly walked into the ring and stood in the middle. Mr. Theron also walked into the ring, but this time, with a bowl of water in his hand.

“Miss Belinda. You’re about to experience what you have never experienced before. Please know that this is something we have to do, and we don’t hate you.”

Belinda nodded slowly and looked at Damon again. She could sense the fear and worry in him, and this kind of destabilized her.

“Let’s get on with it, Mr. Theron!” King Talos ordered, and the very next minute, Mr. Theron dipped his hand into the water, took some and sprinkled it on Belinda.

Immediately the water touched her, it was like a hammer hit her very hard, and she lost balance, almost falling to the ground.

“Belinda!” Megan and Damon called, almost running into the ring, but they were stopped by the guards.

Belinda felt lightheaded, she could hardly see. She began to have short breaths and trembling, and she even bumped into some of the wooden torches.

“Grab her!” Mr. Theron commanded, and the guards hastily grabbed her and took her to the center of the ring again.

“What is going on with her?!” Damon yelled, but got no response.

Holding her head in her hands, her blurred vision began to get better, and when she finally regained her full sight, she saw Alpha Cephas standing in front of her.

“Alpha Cephas.” She groaned, clenching her jaws and fist.