Chapter 107: CHAPTER 107

AVARA

With what happened at the square, few people began to feel Adira was under some kind of demonic control, that’s why she did what she did at the Night Howl pack.

But that was a theory that the Alphas and I couldn’t accept.

At least we still had some people who felt the same way like us.

“I was there when she woke up. She started behaving differently,” Amon shared what he had seen when he followed the elders down to Adira’s home.

His goal was to meet Doveris and understand what exactly was happening. That’s when an unconscious Adira woke up, acting like a saint.

“She sounded nothing like the Adira who always wants to be seen. She was meek,” he added, confounded by what he saw.

Even the word ‘Meek’ made my stomach twist.

“Adira and the word meek don’t go together,” Jay remarked, crossing his arms.

“What bothers me is the fact that Doveris said she’s innocent and what happened at Night Howl wasn’t her doing,” Hugo said, bringing up the other troubling part that has been on our minds ever since we returned.

“Doveris has been our sorceress for years. It’s not her first time tackling this kind of situation before,” Amon added, as the Alphas hummed.

I couldn’t speak up yet because I was listening and also trying to figure out things on my own.

“So with what we saw, should we just accept that she is innocent?” Dean questioned, clearly not in support of the miracle that happened.

They were still talking while I was thinking.

The way everything went felt strange to me. How Doveris showed up at the last minute to carry out that performance…

I said performance because replaying it in my head, feels like it was some kind of drama being displayed to make everyone believe a trick.

I know it sounds doubtful. This is the most powerful sorceress who stood side by side with the great Luna Aurora.

If I should tell the Alphas and Amon my take on Adira’s healing process, they might think I’m questioning Doveris’s ability.

Still, I can’t ignore how that woman has always interacted with me.

It felt both cold and hot. Like she’s trying to be nice, but she isn’t.

“Doveris… Doveris…” I whispered her name on and on, like I was onto something.

I can feel it at the tip of my finger, but what?

“Avara, did you hear what we just said?” Jay called.

“Huh?” I lifted my head, facing the Alphas and Amon.

They were looking at me.

“Oh, sorry I completely zoned out. What were you saying?” I asked, sitting up upright.

That’s when the Alphas told me what would be done.

“Since she’s the source of whatever that thing was, she still needs to be punished for her actions, because she was its host,” Jay spoke while Dean and Hugo supported.

They talked about her character from day one and believed she attracted the dark energy into her own body.

“Even if she doesn’t get the death sentence, she still needs to face the punishment,” Dean asserted.

Amon agreed with the Alphas and suggested we make this clear to both Adira and to Doveris.

“I’m sure the sorceress will understand this,” Amon said with no doubt, as he bowed, bringing our meeting to an end.

He soon left the palace, leaving the Alphas and I alone in the living room.

With Adira’s matter still on our mind, “I’m sorry I had nothing to say. I just felt useless, sitting here, saying nothing flocks,” I apologized to them.

The Alphas smiled and came over to my seat, giving me comfort.

“You don’t have to feel sorry. We know you’re troubled. This matter must be heavy on you,” Dean said, sitting on my left-hand side, pulling my head down on his chest to rest on.

I sighed and asked, thinking about their plan to still punish Adira, “What if Doveris doesn’t agree?”

They went silent, looking at themselves.

“She’s Doveris after all. The great sorceress trusted by Aurora. She told everyone that Adira is innocent. She can come here now and tell us to cancel her punishment as well.”

“But Adira is the one who made herself that darkness’s host. Doveris will…”

“True, she did. But I’m telling you what will happen,” I spoke with seriousness, sitting up.

“Doveris will tell us to let Adira be,” I remarked, leaving the Alphas quiet.

They could tell I wasn’t guessing but certain about Doveris’s response.

“Just watch,” I said, replaying her performance in my head again.

.

That evening, I was in the kitchen, preparing something for the Alphas and I to eat.

My three romantic wolf men were present, being my assistants for the day.

We gave the maids the time off so we could spend time together as couples.

Jay, Hugo and Dean happily ran errands here and there, making me laugh when they do something funny.

That’s when Elvador came over to inform us that Adira and her mother were here to see us.

Hearing that name, our countenance changed.

“Thank you, Elvador. They can wait for us in the sitting room. We’ll be there,” I spoke with a smile, watching the head guard bow then leave.

Once he left, I turned over to face the Alphas, who were already swelling up in anger, itching to send both mother and daughter away.

Placing a hand over my own chest, “Relax,” I said softly, telling them what to do.

They breathed in and out, putting themselves in order.

Seeing they were calm, I turned off the stove, and we left together.

On stepping into the room, Adira, who now looked clean and different, stood up from where she sat and immediately went on her knees before us.

She lowered her head down until it was kissing the ground, and began weeping, apologizing for her action at Night Howl.

“Forgive me, Alphas. Forgive me, Luna Avara. I know what happened was terrible. I used my own hands to harm my own kind. I feel so…” She sobbed, lifting her face to show us her teary eyes.

Her cries weren’t my problem at that moment.

My issue was the third party who came with both mother and daughter, standing in the corner.

Doveris!

She never said she was coming, and Elvador only told us that Adira and her mother were here.

Did she tell him to exclude her?

“I know this is hard to believe, but I can promise you when I say this…” Adira placed both hands together, letting her tears flow.

“I didn’t come up with that plan willingly. There was something in me that took over my mind, pushing me to carry out such a disgusting plan.”

She sniffed, wiping her eyes, as her mother came close to hold her.

She patted Adira, wrapping her arms around her.

The Alphas were behind me, probably rolling their eyes at Adira’s tale, begging her to end it already.

That’s when Doveris stepped forward, saying, “I did some cleansing on Adira. She’s free from whatever darkness was inside her body.”

“Okay, we’ve heard,” Hugo expressed sharply, letting both mother and daughter feel his irritation for them.

At that moment, I saw Doveris’s brow furrow with displeasure over Hugo’s tone. But it swiftly turned into a smile, like she never made that face of disapproval to the Alpha.

I saw how her eyes lit up when I spoke, but kept my composure when her eyes fell on me, and she smiled at me.

Now that I think about all the facial expressions she has been giving me from day one, I can say that Doveris flips just like a coin.

Giving the public the good side, but secretly unleashing the other side.

“Yes, you had something evil in you, pushing you to make those bad decisions. We’ve heard that already. And now that you’re here, standing strong, we can now talk about your punishment,” Jay tabled without hesitation, leaving both mother and daughter stunned.

“Punishment?” Adira sounded innocent, as she and her mother looked at Doveris.

“Punishment? For what, Alpha?” Doveris asked, just like I anticipated.

Before the Alphas could give her an answer, something pushed me to speak, and I did.

“For the pains she caused many families, and the lives she took,” I listed, amazing Doveris with my boldness.

Look at how her eyes lit up when I spoke. She wasn’t expecting me to open my mouth and say a thing.

She smiled lightly and responded, putting all her focus on me, “But Adira already told you that she wasn’t the one in control.”

“Yes, and we heard her. But she was the host of whatever force she was carrying inside her. She knows what she did to allow such an energy to dwell in her body. Could it be that she was already planning to commit the act and the energy decided to help her?” I said, making a good point.

Adira and her mother gasped, as both got to their feet, turning to face Doveris, waiting for her to speak.

This is the second time they’re looking at the sorceress.

Did Doveris promise Adira that she’d be spared?

“My Queen…” Doveris sighed, placing a hand to her chest, lowering her gaze down. “I can understand how upset you must be feeling. Adira… I mean the force that pushed her to harm those people was the same evil that also tried to use her to put the blame on you.”

“Hmm,” I hummed, crossing my arms.

“You are angry, and I understand that very well. But we need to look at the fact that Adira was used to…”

“Doveris, a negative energy was sucked out of Adira. How did it get there in the first place?” I interrupted her, so she wouldn’t use this sympathy act to judge.

“In the realm of energy, there’s what we call the Law of attraction. Negative attracts negative. Positive attracts positive. If Adira’s mind was filled with positive thoughts, the energy you drained out from her, wouldn’t be there in the first place,” I stated, so she would know I am not dumb.

And the look in her eyes says she’s not pleased with the points I’m making.

“Whatever happened was fueled by Adira herself. So in that case, she still needs to be punished. Not the death sentence, but she will be punished.”

“Do forgive me, Luna Avara… But I can’t agree with that decision,” Doveris objected, proving me right again.

And I’m sure the Alphas can see that I was right.

Doveris doesn’t want Adira to be punished.

“Why?” They questioned her. Their words sharp like a blade.

Adira and her mother were trembling, looking at the sorceress for the third time.

That’s when Doveris spoke, looking serious, “That’s because I’m not done expelling this energy out from our land.”

That information left us baffled.

Why didn’t she tell us sooner?

Why is she just saying it now?

“It wasn’t just hiding in Adira. It’s hiding in the pack. Until I’ve traced down the main source, we can then come back to Adira’s case. Is that okay?” She asked, eyes locked on me.

I stared back at her, as my skin crawled with discomfort, no longer seeing Doveris as the perfect sorceress she’s painted as.

She’s shady. I can feel it.