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"Alpha. We’ve identified the poison."
The room suddenly beca quiet. Everyone paused, holding their cutlery mid-air, as if they needed a mont to understand what the guard had just said.
Erald set down her cup slowly. "What is it?"
The guard cleared his throat. "Uhmmm... I just ca to inform you. I’ll go get the experts themselves, Alpha. They will be in a better position to explain."
Erald simply nodded.
Just monts after the guard left to do what he was told, a young woman wearing a light-colored coat entered the room. She held a tablet tightly against her chest with both hands. Her nervous eyes quickly scanned the room, taking in everyone who was gathered there.
After scanning the crowd, her gaze finally settled and locked onto Erald.
"Alpha," she greeted with a bow. "We analysed the residual toxins in Elder Quince’s blood. At first, we couldn’t identify it. It’s nothing like what we typically encounter: no known wolfsbane variants or common substances."
"Just get to it."
"What poison or toxin did you find?" Adrien asked.
The dic straightened. "It’s from a plant. A rare one. It doesn’t grow anywhere around here, not even close."
Ares spoke for the first ti since the announcent was made. "Na?"
She hesitated. "Razulli root. When ingested, it binds with the bloodstream, gradually corrupting the nervous system unless treated every seventy-two hours."
Ares’ expression shifted slightly, his brow tightening as he stepped away from the wall. "Razulli?"
The dic glanced at him. "Yes, Alpha?"
"You know it?" Erald asked, frowning.
Ares nodded slowly. "It’s extrely rare. Toxic when distilled, but nearly impossible to extract safely. It’s not easy to find, but I’ve seen it before. Most of those areas are considered off-limits now."
"Any idea where? That might give us so insight as to how our mysterious woman got it."
Ares continued. "From what I know, it only grows in deep, overgrown regions of the northwestern territories."
Everyone was silent, then suddenly, Erald stilled.
"Are you thinking what I’m thinking?" Viola asked.
Rick’s pack bordered those woods. She rembered the warnings then... the exotic, dangerous flora. The sa woods they were told to avoid.
She could feel the air change again—not from power this ti, but implication. Everyone looked at her.
Thank you," she said, dismissing the dic and guards. "I want the full report; send it to my study. You’re both dismissed."
The woman bowed and exited with the guard, leaving only her and the four n seated in tense silence.
Erald turned toward the table. "It’s Alia," she said softly.
All four heads snapped toward her.
Adrien sat forward. "What?"
Erald’s mind began connecting everything like shattered glass clicking back into place. "First off, Rick’s pack is located in the northwest, and during my stay there, I know there’s a natural reserve that’s totally off-limits to anyone."
"Okay... but how sure are we that it’s Alia?"
"It’s her. It has to be. She threatened during the summit. Multiple tis. Said I’d pay for coming back, said I’d regret trying to lead."
Kieran made a low sound. "I knew that woman was a snake."
Lucian frowned. "But to go this far? Poison? What’s her endga?"
"You don’t know her like I do. It’s not her first ti after all."
Adrien raised a brow. "She’s Rick’s mate, right?"
"Nope," Erald corrected. "She was Rick’s elder brother’s mate before he died. After his death, Rick and Alia began to move suspiciously, even when I was still his mate."
"She wanted you gone, and she got what she wanted."
Erald nodded. "Eggzackly. And lately, Rick’s been... looking at again. At the summit, his eyes wouldn’t leave . Alia must have seen it too. And she probably hated it. She always has."
"That makes more sense. Before Quince died, he was about to say sothing that started with an ’A,’" Adrien muttered.
Lucian exhaled. "So it was her all along."
Erald’s shoulders tensed. "She’s not just trying to ruin ... she’s scared. Rick drifting toward again? That would destroy her position. She already lost their child. She’s losing him."
Kieran frowned. "Still doesn’t explain why she’d go this far."
"She’s power-hungry," Adrien replied darkly. "And desperate won do dangerous things."
Lucian leaned back in his chair. "What’s the play, then? If she’s the one behind Quince, she’s not going to stop."
"I’m going to see Rick," Erald said.
A beat passed.
"No, you’re not," Adrien said imdiately.
Lucian raised both hands. "I second that."
Kieran scoffed. "Absolutely not."
"I have to," Erald said calmly. "Rick might not even know what she’s doing. And even if he does, he needs to know that we know."
"Then have him co here," Adrien suggested.
"No." Erald stood. "If I summon him, it makes this political. If I go to him, I can speak plainly. I need to do this without provoking a pack war."
"This is suicide," Lucian muttered.
"I’ll go alone," Erald said.
"The hell you will," Adrien snapped. "Do you have a death wish?"
"I’ll take a guard."
"That’s not enough!"
Erald gave them all a grateful look, but it didn’t soften her resolve. "Thank you for caring. I really an that. But this is sothing I need to do."
Ares’ voice slid into her mind. "You might be able to say no to them... but you can’t stop ."
Her gaze t his, just a fraction too long. Just enough for Kieran’s brow to twitch and Adrien’s eyes to narrow suspiciously.
She cleared her throat quickly and turned away. "I’ll be fine."
"You won’t be alone," Ares said aloud now.
Erald didn’t respond. Not directly.
—
Later that morning, she stood in front of the infirmary, adjusting the collar of her coat.
The door creaked open as she entered, then headed straight for his section. Nessa was beside him, reading by the window while Darius napped.
"Em?" she whispered.
Erald stepped in. "He’s asleep?"
Nessa nodded, setting the book aside. "Barely just drifted off."
Erald moved close. "I won’t stay long. Just need you to know sothing."
"What is it?"
"I think Alia’s behind the attack. She was working with Quince. She might be the reason he died."
Nessa’s face twisted in disgust. "That witch again?"
"It’s obvious. And I’m headed there."
"What?!"
Erald went on to tell Nessa the sa thing she told her mates. "I know there are still moles in the pack, but right now... she’s the biggest threat."
"Then don’t go see her. Don’t go anywhere near that territory."
"I have to," Erald said quietly. "This might be my only chance to confront her before she disappears again."
"You really trust her not to try and kill you?"
"No. But I trust myself."
Nessa got up, frustrated. "You’re not going alone."
"I have to."
"Then take a guard. And a driver. No less."
Erald smiled faintly. "Deal."
She turned to go, but Nessa grabbed her wrist gently. "Be careful.
Erald nodded. "Please don’t tell him," Erald gestured towards Dairus’ sleeping form. "He’ll want to co, and he’s still recovering."
"I won’t."
—
Erald stood outside the gates fifteen minutes later. A black car waited, engine humming. A single elite guard stood beside the open back door, eyes scanning the estate with the patience of a man trained to die protecting her.
Adrien, Lucian, and Kieran stood on the steps behind her, watching her silently. Only Ares was missing.
She took a deep breath and stepped into the car, trying not to look back.
As the vehicle pulled away, she closed her eyes, the last words of her wolf echoing in her head like a promise:
"She took everything from us once. This ti... she won’t."
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