I stood at the entrance, my eyes fixed on her. Lisa, small, frail, yet fierce even in that prison garb, spat in my face. The warm, wet sting landed across my cheek, and I didn’t flinch. I let her anger roll over me, pretending to stagger back just slightly, the mask of outrage settling perfectly.
"Damon will live," she hissed, her chest heaving. "And all your lies... they will be exposed!"
I let out a soft, almost amused chuckle, wiping a ghost of her spit from my cheek. "Ah, my dear girl," I said softly, my voice deceptively calm, "you have spirit. Too bad that spirit blinds you to the truth. You really think your little threats can stop what is already in motion?"
Her eyes blazed, spit flecking her lips, but I held her gaze, letting the silence stretch. I could feel the fire in her words, the stubborn loyalty to that fool of an Alpha. Perfect. The more she struggled, the tighter my control grew.
"You think shouting and spitting will change anything?" I asked, letting the words drip like poison themselves. "You are trapped, my dear, and the world has already turned against you. You don’t even realize it yet."
Lisa’s hands trembled at her sides, fists clenched. "I... I won’t let you win," she whispered, though the fire in her voice wavered. "No matter what you do, Damon will wake... and he’ll see the truth!"
I smiled, wickedly, letting the weight of my shadow fall over her. "Ah, but that is where you are mistaken. Damon... he will awaken, yes, but the game doesn’t stop with him. And as for the truth, well, truth is often hidden, isn’t it? And some lies... are too clever to be unraveled."
Her glare was enough to ignite the air between us, but I merely inclined my head, smoothing the expression on my face into something almost regretful. "Think, little one. Every move you make, every shout, every protest... it plays right into the hands of those who already control the board. Even your loyalty, your fierce devotion, is... predictable." Follow current novels on 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙡•𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙚•𝙣𝙚𝙩
Lisa’s lips quivered, but she said nothing. I let the silence stretch, long enough for her frustration to ferment. Then, softly, almost gently, I turned on my heel. "I will leave you to stew in your own defiance," I said, my tone mock-sorrowful.
I strode through the corridors of the palace, my boots silent against the polished stone. The faint scent of herbs still clung to the air from earlier, reminding me of the poison that had almost claimed Alpha Damon. A small, satisfied smile tugged at my lips. Everything was falling into place. The fools were playing right into my hands.
When I reached Damon’s chamber, I slowed my pace, letting the mask settle into place. The deep, careful sadness. The sorrow for a life almost lost. I could feel it settle over my shoulders like a cloak, and I relished the ease with which I could wear it.
I pushed the door open quietly and bowed low. "My lords," I said softly, letting the tremor in my voice sound natural, full of grief. "I heard about the incident... I am... I am truly distressed."
Kael and Rowan exchanged a look, skeptical, but I ignored it. My eyes swept over the room, noting every detail, the faint odor of the antidote, the spread of quiet in Damon’s bedchamber, and the tension coiling in the guards’ shoulders. Perfect. Everything was perfect.
I looked up at the two brothers. "Has the doctor... has he been able to administer the antidote?" I asked, voice shaking just enough to seem sincere.
Rowan cleared his throat. "Yes... he’s been given the antidote. We’re just waiting for it to take effect."
A soft sigh escaped me. Relief, real enough to make them believe it. "Thank the gods," I murmured, lifting my hands in quiet gratitude. "I... I feared the worst."
Kael frowned. "And... what of Lisa?" he asked. "Has she confessed? She put the Alpha at risk, but she is carrying our baby.... We can’t have her tortured,"
"She still denies it. Claims she was framed." I added.
Their voices were steady, but I saw the flicker behind their eyes, worry. They were worried about her. That small worry hung in the room like smoke, and I kept my face calm.
"I see you hesitate," I said softly, letting my smile be little and careful. "You are thinking of your child."
They both blinked, not admitting it. That silence told me more than any answer would. It made them slow. Good.
Rowan spoke first, his voice low. "We can’t rush. If she did this, we must know why. If she didn’t... we must find who did."
Kael’s jaw worked. "We can’t assume her guilty. She might be telling the truth." He looked at me then, and I kept my posture small and humble. Let them doubt, but that didn’t stop my game.
I didn’t say I wanted her broken aloud. But I would definitely punished her.
"What about the maid who spoke?" Kael asked, jolting it out of my thought. "The one who said she saw a hand at the food?"
"That maid?" Rowan snapped. "Bring her. Bring whoever served Lisa. Bring the guards who handled the kitchens. Question them all."
Kael nodded. "Thoroughly. We need every hand checked. Question everybody that went to her chamber. If that maid saw something, she must tell us."
"And if she lies?" Rowan’s voice was hard now. "If she’s covering for someone?"
Kael’s eyes were cold. "Then we will do what is needed to make her speak."
The word landed like a stone. Torture, they meant, not for Lisa, not yet. For the maid. For any servant who might hide truth.These jerks didn’t want to play my games right.
I bowed slightly, saying nothing more. I listened while Rowan ordered guards to fetch the maid and every servant who touched Damon’s food and herbs. I watched them all. I did not voice his own plan. He didn’t need to.
"Why don’t you allow me to torture those around her?" I asked suddenly, looking at them wearily.
They exchanged a quick look and nodded.
"Wrap it up on time and make sure you report to us as soon as possible."
Rowan’s eyes shifted to me again. "And Lisa?"
"Locked in," Kael answered before I could. "Keep her watched. Feed her. But she does not leave that room."
"Understood," I answered. My voice was calm, and my eyes promised fire.
I bowed and promised to do so. I left the room then, closing the door softly behind me.