Tangled Hearts - The Alpha's Baby Mama-Chapter 297: The darkness within...

My blood simmered with anger as Belinda stood there, smirking, her gaze drifting toward my daughters. The audacity she had—to show up here, under Alpha Jared’s orders no less, and to even hint at taking me away from my children—had already pushed me to my limit. But when her eyes narrowed on Maeve and Vina, her lips curling with that twisted smile, something snapped in me.

"Belinda," I said, my voice low and trembling with fury, "you will not lay a finger on my daughters."

Belinda tilted her head, unfazed, looking amused by my outburst. She stepped closer, ignoring my words as she reached a hand out toward Maeve and Vina, who huddled close, their eyes wide with fear. "Oh, don’t be so dramatic, Selene," she cooed mockingly. "Alpha Jared is simply looking out for you. He wants you to join our cause, to be where you belong." Her hand extended further toward Maeve, and that was it.

"No!" I shouted, feeling something deep within me surge. I raised my hand, instinctively reaching out to stop her, and a brilliant, silver energy burst from my palm, streaking through the air and striking Belinda square in the chest.

The impact was so sudden and powerful that Belinda was flung across the room, hitting the wall with a loud thud before crumpling to the floor. Silence filled the space, every eye fixed on her unmoving form sprawled against the wall. My hand trembled as I looked at it, realizing the extent of what I had just done. The silver energy I’d wielded had vanished, but the air was still crackling, shimmering faintly where the energy had been only seconds before.

Maeve and Vina stared at me in awe, their small faces alight with both fear and wonder. The maids and guards looked equally stunned, eyes wide, some casting fearful glances between Belinda and me. For a moment, I was terrified myself. I had no idea that I could wield such power.

Swallowing hard, I took a breath, gathering myself. I forced my voice to stay calm, even though I felt anything but. "Take Maeve, Vina, and the baby," I instructed the nannies who hovered nearby, "and bring them to their room. Stay there with them, and do not come out until I say it’s safe."

The nannies nodded, hurrying to gather my children. Maeve looked at me with worried eyes, her tiny hand clutching my sleeve. "Mama, are you going to be okay?"

I crouched down, cupping her face gently. "I’ll be fine, my love," I whispered, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "I just need you to be brave and stay with the nannies for a little while, okay?"

Maeve nodded reluctantly, her little fingers loosening their grip. I watched as the nannies ushered the girls and the baby away, their small forms disappearing around the corner. Once they were out of sight, I turned my attention back to Belinda.

The house was eerily quiet. I approached her slowly, my footsteps soft as I crossed the room. Part of me was reluctant to get too close, unsure of what I might find. But I had to know—I had to be sure. Kneeling beside her, I hesitated, watching her chest rise and fall faintly. She was alive, but barely.

I exhaled, relief mingling with wariness. This wasn’t over yet.

I turned to the guards, motioning to them. "Tie her up. She’ll stay here until morning when I decide what to do with her."

The guards nodded, moving quickly to follow my orders, securing her hands and feet with sturdy ropes. They dragged her toward a sturdy chair and tied her to it, ensuring she wouldn’t have a chance to escape. Satisfied, I gave a final glance in her direction and turned to leave. She was restrained and alive—that was enough for now. I had to check on my children and keep them safe.

Just as I was about to leave the room, a chill ran down my spine. I could feel a slight shift in the air, something almost imperceptible, but it was enough to make my skin prickle. I turned, and my heart froze.

Belinda’s eyes snapped open, dark and filled with fury, her mouth curling into a sneer. Before I could react, her hand shot out, grasping my wrist in a bruising grip. I gasped, feeling the sharpness of her nails dig into my skin.

"Did you really think you could get rid of me that easily?" she hissed, her voice low and venomous.

I struggled against her grip, my heartbeat thundering in my ears. "Let go of me, Belinda. Now."

But she only tightened her hold, her eyes flashing with a dark intensity. "Oh, Selene, you have no idea what kind of power you’re playing with," she sneered. "Jared’s right about you. There’s something inside you, something you don’t even understand. And it’s only a matter of time before you’ll wish you’d listened to me."

I gritted my teeth, forcing myself to remain calm. "Maybe I don’t know exactly what’s inside me," I said evenly, "but I do know this—you don’t get to make choices for me, or for my family."

Belinda laughed, her grip still firm on my wrist. "You really believe you can protect them from what’s coming? From Jared, from the Fates? You can’t hide forever, Selene. Sooner or later, you’ll be forced to choose a side. And when that happens, I’ll be there to make sure you remember this moment."

Her words stirred something inside me, but I refused to let her see any fear. Instead, I locked my gaze with hers, meeting her taunt with my own resolve. "Then I guess you’ll have to be disappointed, Belinda. Because I’m not choosing anything you or Jared have to offer."

With all the strength I could muster, I twisted my wrist, yanking it free from her grip. The moment I broke away, I stumbled back, putting as much distance between us as possible. The guards moved in, tightening her restraints, ensuring she couldn’t lash out again. This time, they stood by her with renewed vigilance, watching her closely, their muscles tense, ready to act if she tried anything.

Breathing heavily, I took a few steadying steps backwards. Every nerve in my body was on edge, every muscle tense. But despite the fear, despite the uncertainty, I knew one thing for certain: I wouldn’t let her, or anyone else, dictate the fate of my family.

Belinda’s eyes followed me, a cruel smile playing on her lips as she leaned back against the chair, seemingly unbothered by her restraints. "This isn’t over, Selene," she murmured, her voice soft but laced with venom. "You can run, you can hide, but the darkness in you... it’ll catch up to you eventually. And when it does, I’ll be waiting."

I swallowed, keeping my face impassive despite the unsettling chill her words sent through me. I wouldn’t give her the satisfaction of seeing my fear. Instead, I turned my back on her, signalling to the guards one last time to tie her up"