Chapter 366: Flipping the fate

"Now take me to Xavier." Her words left everyone frozen in their places.

"What?" Killian asked, disbelief clear in his voice. He stared at his mate’s blue eyes. She seemed resolute about what she had just said, and she also looked unhinged.

Lyra squeezed her hands together as though praying to God to save her from the step she was about to take next. "I’ve decided to spend this rainy season in the Fox tribe." If Xavier decided to act however he wanted, then she would do the same. She knew him better than he knew himself because of their past lives, maybe until a certain point at least. He was more reckless now, but his way of aggressively courting her was the same. It was vexing that she had once considered his behavior charming, but now? It just scared her.

At this moment, she was done staying in constant fear. From now on, she wanted to take up the reins herself. If she couldn’t avoid him, then she would keep him. But she would never love him again. Her heart would remain closed to him.

"You are not making any sense, Sweet girl," Victor said.

"Pack only the essentials," Lyra settled her gaze on her mates. "We must leave before the rain gets heavy"

Killian frowned. "We are not leaving anywhere." He couldn’t understand why his mate was behaving so bizarrely. Her wanting to shift to Xavier’s tribe when she was still recovering from that dog’s sudden appearance here and terrorising her was unnerving.

"Are you thinking about taking him as your male?" Demir asked as he stepped towards her. He held her hand before saying, "Tell me, Sunshine"

Lyra briefly closed her eyes before opening them. "Yes’’

Her mates looked at each other. Kyrell felt worried. "You don’t even like him." He wouldn’t have minded if she had feelings for Xavier and so wanted to take him as her mate. But this? She was clearly petrified about that Beastman and still trying to go to him. "Don’t do this, Lyra"

"I must," Lyra replied. "Please trust me this once." She looked towards Killian, "Please, Killian. I have to do this"

Killian felt weak at the sight of her. She looked so desperate at this moment. The only thing he could do now was keep her as safe as he could. "I’m coming with you too"

Lyra nodded in relief, "I want all of you to stay with me in the Fox tribe." With that, she left to start packing while Victor exploded at Killian.

"What is wrong with you!?" He yelled, "Instead of stopping her, you add to her ridiculous idea?"

"Why didn’t you stop her then, Victor?" Killian scoffed, "You always try to keep yourself in her favor and never cross words with her. Don’t accuse me of the crime you too are guilty of committing." He glanced at Demir and Kyrell, "You two are the same"

"I don’t want to be hated by her," Kyrell revealed his innermost fears. He was still traumatized by all of Alice’s fiasco and how that almost brought him close to losing Lyra. He was not brave or secure enough to go against Lyra’s wishes and, in return, earn her dislike towards him.

Only Demir chose silence instead of explaining himself. His mind was in turmoil, but as long as he was near his mate and his baby, then he could endure anything. Before that, he must let Blake know about this.

*****

[Fox Tribe]

Xavier had a smug smile on his face as he entered his private chambers. He was in a good mood after seeing his pretty female. Visiting her was counterintuitive to his future plans, but he couldn’t bear the thought of not seeing her for months during the upcoming flood season.

After today, he needed to preserve his powers to keep his tribe safe and would find it difficult to conjure enough of his powers to visit the Vulture tribe. Only this day could he take the risk and go see her. ’Soon’ He reminded himself. Soon he will have Lyra in his clutches, and nothing will be able to separate them again. He will make sure of that.

"Your Majesty!" His train of thought came to a halt when he heard one of his soldiers clamour inside the chambers. A frown married his face. His men only dared to disturb him in his chambers when something very important occurred in the tribe. His mind was already running through problems that might have happened. Did the shelter collapse? Or did the flood water get inside the granary? Did stored meat get spoiled? Did someone die after getting caught up in the rain? Only the last one was easily solvable. Was he bad to hope it was the last one?

He had long ago stopped thinking about what was bad and what was good. Now he thought only about something being advantageous or disadvantageous to him.

"What happened now?" He dismissively asked while he searched for a new gown to change into. The one he was wearing now was soaking wet from the damned rain.

"Guests are waiting outside the castle, Your Majesty. They are requesting your audience"

Xavier chuckled. Who was crazy enough to come to his tribe after he had just finished the trial? The fox Tribe was presently ostracized by the other tribes in the city, wasn’t it? "Who is it?"

The guard briefly hesitated before parting his lips, "It is Queen Lyra." Xavier’s hand hovered above the new robe as the guard continued, "She is here with her mates and requested to meet you. I would have asked the princess to receive her but felt like you needed to know about it before her. What are your orders, Your Majesty?"

Xavier furrowed his brows. "Lyra is here?" He asked like he was making sure he hadn’t heard wrong.

"Yes, Your Majesty"

The fox king didn’t know how to react. His pretty female was here? In his tribe? Why though...? No matter how long he ransacked his brain, he couldn’t come up with a reason she might be here. Only an hour ago, she was scared out of her mind facing him.

"What should I inform them, your majesty?" The guard asked again. It wasn’t ideal to make such important people wait.

Xavier hurriedly changed into clean robes before announcing, "I’ll see them myself." As he walked to the entrance, he ordered the servants to prepare refreshments and also light the fireplaces in the castle to keep the chill out.

As soon as he reached the living room, Xavier caught a glimpse of his pretty female. She was huddled between her mates, sipping a warm drink.

"Are you here to kill me?"

Lyra heard him before she saw him. Only he talked like that. Xavier, the one from her nightmares, had a smirk on his face as he stepped inside the room.

"Is that an option?" She countered, although she knew it was impossible to kill him.

Xavier shrugged. "You can try, or should I say that they can try." his gaze was on her mates when he said that.

Lyra was not in the mood to play his games and decided to directly say, "I want to stay here until the flood season is over." When he tried to say something, she stopped him by holding her palm up. "I said it wrong. I WILL be staying here, and so will be my mates"

She walked to him and stopped right in front of him. Her cold gaze swept up his face. "Now, show me to my room"