Chapter 8

Layla's POV

I reached into my pocket, pulling out the vial Trent and Tristan found. My fingers shook as I held it up. “This! Wolfsbane extract! Olivia’s been slipping it into my fertility tea for weeks! She wants you to think I’m barren so you’ll reject me!”

The crowd went silent. Olivia’s smug smile faltered, her blue eyes darting to the vial. Kael stared at it, his face unreadable, but I saw doubt flicker in his eyes.

“Layla,” he said, his voice low, dangerous, “give me the dagger. Now.”

“No!” I pressed the blade harder, more blood dripping. “You’re hurting them for nothing! Trent and Tristan were protecting me! They found this in Olivia’s room! She’s betraying us!”

Kael stepped closer, his Alpha presence overwhelming, making my knees weak. “You’re bleeding, Layla,” he growled. “Stop this.”

My chest ached. He hadn’t looked at me in weeks, hadn’t touched me, but now he cared because I was hurt? I wanted to scream, to make him feel the pain of his distance. But I couldn’t back down, not with the twins suffering.

“You don’t get it, Kael,” I said, tears streaming. “I’ve been trying so hard for you. For us. I’ve been choking down those bitter herbs, visiting the healer, begging for a child. And someone’s been poisoning me, and you didn’t notice! You’re letting Olivia tear us apart!”

Kael’s face softened for a moment, but his eyes stayed hard. He turned to Jasper, who held my arm. “Let her go,” he snapped.

Jasper hesitated, then released me. I stumbled but kept the dagger at my throat. Kael’s eyes stayed on mine.

“Guards!” he roared, his voice shaking the courtyard. “How did you let her get that dagger? Kneel! All of you!”

The soldiers dropped to their knees, heads bowed. Jasper’s face tightened, but he knelt too. Olivia stepped back, her confidence cracking.

“Kael,” she said, her voice too sweet, “she’s just upset. You know how emotional Layla gets. The necklace was in her jewelry box—”

“Shut up, Olivia,” Kael cut her off, his voice cold. He turned to me, his eyes burning. “Layla, give me the dagger.”

My hand shook, but I held my ground. “Promise you’ll stop the whipping. Promise you’ll listen.”

Kael’s jaw tightened, but he nodded. “The whipping stops. Now give it to me.”

I lowered the dagger slowly, my heart racing. Kael lunged, snatching it from my hand. His fingers brushed mine, sending a jolt through me despite my anger. He was so close, his scent—pine and earth—overwhelming. I hated how much I still wanted him.

He grabbed my wrist, pulling me closer, his eyes fixed on the blood on my neck. “You’re a fool, Layla,” he growled, his voice low, rough. “You can’t threaten to take your own life. You’re my Luna.”

My heart twisted. His Luna. But for how long? “Then act like it,” I whispered. “Believe me.”

Before he could respond, one of Jasper’s men ran into the courtyard, panting. “Alpha! We found something!” He held up a small cloth pouch. “This was in Lucy’s quarters—Olivia’s maid. It’s got pearl fragments and a receipt for the necklace, dated last week, in Lucy’s name.”

My breath caught. Lucy? I glanced at Olivia, whose face stayed calm, but her eyes flickered with something—relief, maybe. The crowd murmured, eyes on her.

“Lucy?” Kael said, his voice sharp. “Explain this, Olivia.”

Olivia’s hands clasped together, her voice steady. “I had no idea, Kael. Lucy must’ve acted alone. I trusted her with my things, but I never told her to do this. She’s betrayed me too.”

“Betrayed you?” I snapped, my anger boiling. “You expect us to believe Lucy did this on her own? She’s your maid!”

Tristan, bloodied from the whip, spoke up, his voice steady despite his pain. “Luna’s right, Alpha. We found the wolfsbane in Olivia’s room, not Lucy’s.”

Trent nodded, wincing. “And her journal mentioned dosing the tea. Olivia’s behind this.”

Kael’s eyes darkened. He turned to Olivia, his voice low. “Is this true?”

Olivia’s tears came fast, her voice shaking. “No, Kael, I swear! They’re lying! Layla’s jealous because I’m helping you! Lucy must’ve planted the vial to frame me!”

“Helping?” I laughed, bitter. “You’re trying to take my place!”

“Enough!” Kael roared, his Alpha power making everyone flinch. He pointed at Jasper. “Take Lucy to the cells. Question her. Olivia, you’re confined to your quarters until we sort this out.”

Olivia gasped. “Kael, you can’t—”

“I said enough!” His voice silenced her. Her eyes burned with hate as Jasper led her away.

Kael turned to the guards holding Trent and Tristan. “Release them. Now.”

The guards let go, and the twins stumbled forward. I ran to them, my hands shaking as I checked their wounds. “I’m so sorry,” I whispered, tears falling. “I didn’t want this.”

Trent grinned weakly. “We’re tough, Luna. We’ve got you.”

Tristan nodded, his face pale. “We’re okay.”

My heart swelled, but I knew this wasn’t over. Olivia had slipped out of this too easily. Lucy might’ve taken the fall, but Olivia was too clever to leave evidence lying around. She was behind it—I could feel it.

Kael’s hand gripped my arm, damn near bruising it, pulling me from the twins. “Come with me,” he said, his voice tight. He tossed the dagger to the ground, the metal clanging.

“Where are we going?” I asked, my voice shaking as he led me to the packhouse.

“Your room,” he said, not looking at me. “I’ll have the healer check your neck.”

I nodded, my chest tight. His grip was firm, possessive, but there was a gentleness I hadn’t felt in weeks. We reached my room, and he pushed the door open, guiding me inside.

He turned me to face him, his eyes locked on the blood on my neck. “You’re reckless,” he said, his voice low, a growl that sent shivers through me. He stepped closer, his body inches from mine, heat radiating off him. “You could’ve died, Layla.”

“I had to,” I whispered, my heart racing. “You weren’t listening.”

His hand cupped my face, his thumb brushing the wound. I flinched, but he didn’t pull away. He leaned in, his lips grazing the cut, slow and deliberate. His tongue flicked out, warm and soft, licking the blood away. My breath caught, my body reacting despite everything. His breath was hot, stirring a fire deep in my core that made my thighs clench.

“Kael,” I breathed, my voice trembling, my hands gripping his shirt, feeling the hard muscle beneath.

He pulled back slightly, his eyes dark, intense, a mix of anger and something softer—hunger, maybe. “You’re mine,” he murmured, his voice rough but tender. His hand slid to my waist, pulling me flush against him, his fingers digging into my hips. “You don’t get to hurt yourself. Ever.”

My breath hitched. His eyes held a flicker of the Kael I loved—the one who held me like I was his world.

“I’ve been cold recently, Layla. I know. The elders… they’re watching me. They say a Luna without an heir threatens the pack’s future. They pushed me to distance myself, to see if you’d break.”