Chapter 27

Zara

I collected the food cart with Lucian and Kieran and my own lunches stacked on it. I was strong enough to carry all three trays without the cart, but the servants insisted it was on the Alphas' orders.

I didn't know what to do with the Alphas' sudden concern for my well-being. It was weird. Somehow things had changed between us and I needed to figure out the new rules before I broke one.

I pushed the cart down the hall and nearly collided with Chloe when she stepped around the corner.

“Watch it, you stupid half-wolf,” Chloe shouted. “If you ruin this dress I'll have you whipped!”

I rolled my eyes. “You're not the Alpha's favorite daughter anymore, Chloe. You can't give orders like that.”

Not that our father would've allowed her to use his authority like that anyway. But she'd tried a few times.

Chloe smirked. “Who said anything about him? Soon enough I'll be the Alphas' mate. Then I can do what I want to anyone I want.”

I frowned. “What are you talking about, Chloe? The Alphas didn't pick anyone at the Mate Ball.”

“Because those damn Rogues interrupted them,” Chloe said, like Lucian hadn't already left the Ball halfway through.

“You weren't even one of the women he took to his rooms afterwards,” I said.

I still didn't know why he'd come to find me in the shower after that. Was the Alpha that insatiable?

Chloe snorted. “That's not how Alphas choose their Luna, you know. They have more class. Just today, I had an intimate chat with Kieran in the garden.”

I didn't point out how many 'intimate chats' I'd interrupted during the course of my duties as Kieran and Lucian's personal attendant. If Chloe was determined to be delusional, I wouldn't stop her.

“Did you actually want something,” I asked, “or can I go deliver the Alphas' lunch? They get grouchy when their meals are late.”

Chloe smirked. “Go ahead. Don't worry, Zara. When I become Luna, I won't have you hanging around as a servant. I'll make sure they banish you properly.”

I rolled my eyes. Like Lucian or Kieran would ever let that happen.

“I'd actually appreciate that,” I said, and let her hear the honesty in my voice.

I would genuinely hate living as a servant in the pack with my sister as Luna. Being banished would be better. I knew it would never happen, though. I was still the only person able to soothe the Alphas' wolves.

Chloe huffed, like I'd insulted her by agreeing with her. She was never happy no matter what I said or did, so I stopped trying.

“You'll learn some respect when I'm Luna,” she declared.

I just shrugged and pushed the cart around her. She wouldn't dare attack me since it was just the two of us in the hall. Chloe hadn't been able to beat me in a fair fight since we were children and she knew it. She never started a physical altercation unless there were a half dozen of her little minions around to back her up.

I left Chloe alone in the hall and knocked on the door to Kieran's office. He and Lucian liked to have lunch there while they worked on pack business. Ever since my collapse in the shower, they insisted I join them. To my surprise, it wasn't that bad. Talking about pack finances and guard rotations over lunch was oddly pleasant.

They never asked my opinion. But if I spoke up during their discussion, Kieran would pause to let me speak and Lucian would give a little nod when I was done. They listened. I'm not sure if they ever followed my suggestions, but they listened to them. That was more than my father had ever done.

Kieran opened the office and motioned for me to bring in the cart. I set their trays on either side of the desk, which Lucian cleared off with a sweep of his arm. Of course, I'd be expected to clean that up later. I rolled my eyes at him.

“Making more work for me when I'm still on healer's orders?” I scoffed.

“I'll pick it up,” Lucian said. “You'll sort it.” He paused. “You'll be sitting down when you do.”

I shrugged and took my try to a little side table close enough to the desk for conversation but still far enough apart that I could pretend not to be part of their conversation if I didn't feel like talking. Lucian's 'compromise' was as good as I was going to get. And sorting a few scattered papers wasn't that big a deal.

I took bite of my sandwich. The kitchen had made pulled pork sandwiches with a sweet, tangy sauce and seasoned potato wedges. There were little cups of fruit with hand whipped cream for dessert.

“Huh, that's pretty spicy,” Kieran said after taking a bite.

I frowned. “That's weird, mine's kind of bland.”

Lucian paused, looked from me to Kieran and back, and sniffed at his food.

“Put those down,” he ordered.

“What?” I asked.

“There's something wrong with the food. It's been tampered with,” Lucian declared.

“Poison?” Kieran asked. He lifted the bun of his sandwich and sniffed it. “Oh. Wolfsbane. Something else, hard to tell with all the spices.”

There was wolfsbane in that vial Adrian gave me. But hadn't I poured it down the sink?

No, Lucian had interrupted me. What had happened to the poison after that? I didn't remember. How could I lose track of something so dangerous?

Lucian looked from his sandwich over to me. “Yours is fine?” he asked.

“I, I don't know,” I stammered. “It doesn't taste weird.”

Lucian snatched the sandwich out of my hand. I'd already eaten half of it.

“It must not have been tampered with,” Kieran said, “or she'd feel it by now. Wouldn't she?”

“Maybe. Kieran. Take the food to the healers and have them test it. I need to have a private talk with our personal attendant.”

“Lucian, you don't know...” Kieran trailed off as Lucian glared at him.

He grabbed the food and shoved it all into a sack. He left with a worried look over his shoulder.

I stared at Lucian. I realized he thought I was the one that did it.

“I didn't,” I protested as he stalked around the desk. “It wasn't me.”

“You had the vial,” he pointed out.

“I left in the bathroom,” I admitted. “I'm sorry, I lost track of it, but I was going to pour it out. You saw me.”

“I saw you try to pour out one vial,” he agreed. “But for all I know you have a dozen of them hidden in your rooms.”

“When would I get a dozen vials of poison?” I asked.

“I don't know. Maybe when you were meeting with your Rogue lover in the garden?” Lucian suggested.

He knew about my encounter with Adrian? But how? And why did he think he was my lover? Adrian rejected me! Everyone knew that.

I met Lucian's eyes and staggered back. He was furious. But he'd seen me with the poison vial and hadn't cared. Did he feel betrayed? Or was his wolf bond acting up? It was close to the full moon.

I backed away one step, and Lucian paced closer.

I could try to talk him down. If I soothed his wolf, he'd be in his right mind and would realize that there was no reason for me to poison him or his brother. But I'd have to use the bond to soothe him. I remembered the sharp, stabbing pain from the last time.

I'd gotten lucky once. If his wolf had recognized me as his fated mate during our kiss, Lucian didn't remember it. I'd survived the last time the bond flared up. I might not make it a second time.

I couldn't convince him I was innocent without soothing his wolf. I couldn't soothe his wolf without using the bond, and I couldn't use the bond with out either revealing myself as their fated mate or risking my life.

I had no choice. I had to get away. Lucian would have me punished, imprisoned, or killed for trying to poison them.

I feinted like I was going to run for the door. When Lucian side stepped to grab me, I twisted and made a single, desperate jump for the window. The glass shattered as I hit it shoulder first, and I rolled across the grass outside.

Glass and dirt showered from my hair as I ran, desperate to reach the woods before Lucian could alert the guards or chase me himself.

I had to get away, or I was doomed.