Chapter 8

"How? What is she doing here? That woman is like a curse that won't die."

Vivian muttered under her breath. She'd planned to use the celebration to introduce Adrian to her parents and lock down the alliance. If her father found out Adrian had a mistress, the deal would fall apart. She couldn't let that happen.

She took a sip of wine, then suddenly clutched her chest and collapsed.

"Adrian... I—I don't feel well."

Adrian rushed to her side. "Vivian! What's wrong?"

She lay in his arms, her voice faint. "I don't know. I felt sick right after drinking that wine."

Every eye went to the glass. One of Vivian's friends—a healer—caught the signal. She rushed forward, inspected the wine, and gasped.

"Wolfsbane! Someone poisoned it! Who would want to hurt Vivian?"

Vivian bit her lip, tears glistening. "This is supposed to be the most important day for my pack, and someone's trying to kill me."

Adrian took charge. "Don't panic. The dose doesn't seem lethal—I'll get you medicine. Lock down all exits. The poisoner is still here."

Everyone nodded and helped Vivian to a chair. That's when her gaze locked onto something—someone—heading upstairs with a bag slung over her shoulder.

"Serena? What are you doing here? I don't recall sending you an invitation."

Her friend jumped in. "I saw her lurking near Vivian's glass earlier! She's probably the one who did it!"

All heads turned to me. Guards dragged me in front of Vivian.

She put on her best wounded-innocent act and waved the guards off. "Serena, I've already forgiven you for chasing Adrian. But why won't you leave me alone? Why would you try to poison me?"

Whispers rippled through the crowd.

"Isn't she the one from the news? The she-wolf stalking Adrian?"

"First she destroyed the portrait out of jealousy. Now she's trying to murder Vivian."

"Jealousy is a terrifying thing."

I looked down at the crowd, unflinching. "You're saying I did it. Where's the proof?"

"Proof? Let's search her bag—I bet the bottle's still in there."

They lunged for my bag. I held on tight. "On what grounds?"

"On the grounds that you're a murderer! An orphan nobody wanted. Your parents probably weren't much to speak of either."

"She’s probably some illegitimate daughter who can’t show her face in public—no wonder her own parents abandoned her."

They could insult me all they wanted. But my parents were off-limits. I nearly screamed. "Do you have any idea who my parents—"

A figure stepped between us, cutting me off. Adrian. His cold gaze swept over me, his voice low. "What are you doing here?"

He kept glancing around nervously, terrified someone might realize we had a history. Vivian pressed in, tears flowing.

"Adrian, I think the one who poisoned me is Serena. But she won't admit it."

Adrian's face expression turned thunderous. Without even verifying, he turned on me. "You put wolfsbane in Vivian's drink?"

I met his gaze head-on. "I didn't."

He hesitated, then looked away. "First the portrait, now poison. I let the painting slide, but you've gone too far. How could you become so vicious?"

Once, words like that would've broken me. Now I just wanted my name cleared.

"I'll say it one more time. It wasn't me. Check the cameras. If you find proof I did it, you can do whatever you want to me."

Vivian's friend laughed. "Why bother with cameras? Just search her bag."

Guards grabbed me and yanked at my bag. I held on. The strap snapped. Momentum slammed me into the wall hard enough to rattle my bones. My bag hit the floor, its contents scattering everywhere.

A small green bottle rolled across the tiles and stopped at Adrian's foot. He picked it up, sniffed it, and his expression hardened.

"Caught red-handed, Serena. What's your excuse now?"

The crowd closed in around me like a wall.

"Attempted murder of a pack member is a capital offense! Banish her to the Wastes!"

"Exile her!"

The shouts crashed over me in waves.

Then a voice cut through the noise like a blade: "And what exactly do you think you're doing to my daughter?"

The room went silent. Every head turned toward the upper balcony.

And the moment I saw my father, tears filled my eyes.