Bella stood near the edge of the training field, her fists clenched tightly as she watched Avalon and Kael talking by the packhouse. The way Avalon reached out, her fingers lightly brushing Kael’s arm, sent a sharp pang through Bella’s chest. It was subtle, almost casual, but the touch lingered a moment too long for Bella’s liking.
She wanted to look away, to dismiss the interaction as meaningless. Yet her eyes remained glued to them. Kael’s face was serious, his brow furrowed as he spoke to Avalon. Whatever he was saying seemed important, but it was Avalon’s expression that irked Bella the most. Her calm confidence, paired with the faint, knowing smile on her lips, grated on Bella’s nerves.
Why did she care?
Bella forced herself to turn away, walking toward the other side of the training field. Her nails dug into her palms, and a low hum of energy began to stir beneath her skin, a sure sign that her hybrid powers were reacting to her emotions. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to regain control.
Kael wasn’t hers. At least, not anymore.
But that wasn’t entirely true, was it?
The memory fragment from earlier—the faint image of Kael confessing his love to her—flashed through her mind. It had shaken her, stirring feelings she couldn’t yet name. And now, seeing Avalon so close to him, so comfortable in his presence, made those feelings churn in a chaotic storm.
Before she realized it, Bella was already marching back toward them. Her feet moved on their own, driven by an emotion she couldn’t suppress.
Kael and Avalon turned toward her as she approached, both sensing the tension radiating from her. Avalon tilted her head slightly, her expression unreadable but undeniably composed. Kael, on the other hand, looked confused, his gaze flicking between Bella and Avalon.
“Am I interrupting something?” Bella asked, her voice sharp.
Kael blinked, his confusion deepening. “Bella—”
“We were just discussing your progress,” Avalon interjected smoothly, her tone as calm as ever.
Bella let out a bitter laugh, crossing her arms. “Oh, I’m sure you were. And I’m sure touching his arm was part of that discussion, right?”
Avalon’s eyes narrowed ever so slightly, but her smile didn’t waver. “It’s called reassurance. Sometimes a simple gesture can convey support better than words.”
Bella’s jaw tightened. “Support? Funny, because from where I was standing, it looked like something else entirely.”
Kael stepped forward, his hands raised slightly as if to calm her. “Bella, it’s not what you think—”
“Stay out of this, Kael,” Bella snapped, her eyes fixed on Avalon. “I want to hear it from her.”
Avalon sighed, her calm demeanor unshaken. “What exactly are you accusing me of, Bella?”
“I’m not accusing you of anything,” Bella shot back. “But maybe you should remember why you’re here. You’re supposed to be helping me, not… whatever this is.” She gestured vaguely between Avalon and Kael.
Avalon’s smile finally faded, replaced by a serious expression. “And that’s exactly what I’ve been doing—helping you. Whether you want Kael or not, that’s your decision. But don’t mistake my support for anything more than what it is.”
Bella’s heart raced, her hybrid energy sparking faintly around her fingertips. “You think I don’t see the way you look at him? The way you hover around him?”
“Bella, enough!” Kael’s voice was firm, cutting through the tension. He stepped between them, his gaze locked on hers. “This isn’t helping anyone.”
Bella’s chest heaved as she glared at him. “You don’t get it, do you? She doesn’t belong here. She’s making things more complicated than they need to be.”
Kael’s expression softened, a flicker of pain crossing his face. “You think this is easy for me? Watching you push me away, day after day? Avalon is here because I want to help you. Because I refuse to give up on you.”
Bella’s breath hitched, but she quickly masked her emotions. “I didn’t ask for your help, Kael.”
Avalon’s voice broke the silence that followed, low and steady. “Bella, your anger is misplaced. The real issue isn’t me or Kael—it’s you. You’re fighting so hard to deny what you feel, and it’s tearing you apart.”
Bella turned to Avalon, her eyes blazing. “You don’t know what I feel.”
Avalon held her gaze, her expression unflinching. “Don’t I? I’ve been where you are, Bella. Confused, lost, afraid to trust anyone, even myself. But running from the truth won’t change it.”
The words struck a chord deep within Bella, though she refused to show it. Instead, she turned on her heel and walked away, her steps brisk and deliberate.
Kael made a move to follow her, but Avalon placed a hand on his arm, stopping him. “Let her go,” she said softly. “She needs to work through this on her own.”
Kael hesitated, his eyes filled with frustration and longing, before nodding reluctantly.
As Bella disappeared into the woods surrounding the packhouse, her mind raced with conflicting emotions. She hated the way Avalon seemed to understand her so easily, the way she always seemed to have the right words. But more than that, she hated the way Kael looked at Avalon—like he trusted her, relied on her.
And yet, as much as she tried to push it all away, one thought lingered in her mind: the memory fragment of Kael, his voice filled with raw emotion as he told her he loved her.
Bella stopped walking, leaning against a tree as she tried to catch her breath. Her hands trembled, and she clenched them into fists, willing the hybrid energy coursing through her to settle.
“What’s wrong with me?” she whispered, her voice barely audible.
The forest remained silent, offering no answers. But deep down, Bella knew the truth. She wasn’t angry at Avalon—not really. She was angry at herself for caring. For feeling something she wasn’t ready to name.
And she hated that no matter how hard she tried to deny it, Kael still had a hold on her heart.