The Forest girl : Luna

Chapter 22 : Controlled Chaos

The training session had just wrapped up, and the team was gathered around, still buzzing with energy. We'd been running through the final drills for the upcoming bounty challenges, and now it was time to go over the last details. The room was filled with the sound of murmured conversation and the occasional chuckle as we reviewed the lessons learned from the day.

I was scrolling through my tablet, double-checking the training stats, when Edward spoke up, his tone casual but carrying an undertone of something important. "Oh, by the way, I've got a meeting with the elders tomorrow."

I barely looked up, assuming it was just another routine session. But then he added, almost offhandedly, "And they said they want you to join, too."

I froze for a second, staring at him. "Wait... they actually want me back?"

"Seems like it," Edward replied, a slight smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. "They said your ban is officially lifted."

The room went quiet for a moment. The team's attention shifted toward us, curiosity piqued. Tess, always quick to ask questions, glanced between me and Edward. "Wait—why were you banned from meetings with the elders in the first place?"

Joel, ever the tease, leaned in, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. "Let's just say Maddie's got a bit of a... fiery side," he said, his voice light but teasing. "The last time, someone decided to mock our team's progress—made fun of the fact that we dropped to a 0.12% success rate, which had never happened before. Maddie didn't exactly take that too well."

Dean chuckled from the back. "That's an understatement. She practically jumped over the table and stabbed the guy six times before Edward managed to pull her off."

Tess blinked, her eyes wide as she turned to look at Edward and me. "And... he survived that?"

Edward let out a dry laugh. "Barely. I had to talk to the elders for hours just to smooth things over. The end result was a ban on Maddie attending any more meetings... until now, apparently."

I crossed my arms, trying to hide a smile. "So what time do I need to be there?"

"Ten," he replied, giving me a pointed look. "And just a little reminder: Stay calm this time. The elders might not say it out loud, but they're pretty terrified of you."

I shrugged, feigning indifference. "Good. Keeps things interesting."

Joel laughed, flashing Tess one of his charming grins. "See? That's Maddie for you—unstoppable and totally terrifying." His eyes twinkled with mischief. "But don't worry, Tess, I'd keep you safe."

Tess rolled her eyes, but she couldn't hide the amused smile on her face. "Sure, Joel. I'm sure you'd protect me."

Later That Night

The meeting with the elders loomed in the back of my mind, and I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. I was trying to prepare myself mentally, but I kept picturing the scene from last time—the blood, the anger, the power I'd almost let slip free.

I leaned against the wall of my quarters, hands trembling slightly as I fiddled with my phone. The weight of the situation settled on me, heavy and suffocating. I needed to stay calm. I had to stay calm.

Just as I was about to get lost in my thoughts again, the door to my room opened, and there stood Joel. He'd been knocking, but I hadn't heard him. His usual carefree grin was gone, replaced by something more serious.

"Maddie," he said softly, stepping into the room. "I know what's going on inside your head."

I didn't answer, not sure what to say. My heart was pounding, but I tried to keep the fear from showing.