0003.

“No, Amby… you have to reconsider your word,” Jake pleaded, taking her hand, and caressing it softly, the tenderness of his touch calmed her temper a bit.

She took a deep breath and looked at him before pulling her hands from his hold.

“There is only one way I can give us a chance since things have turned out this way, you have to agree to hire a breeder like I have been suggesting for a long time now,” Amby announced, letting out a soft sigh.

"What?!" Jake exclaimed, his tone laced with frustration. "Amby, please don't use this situation to your advantage. You know how much I hate the idea of a breeder. I've asked you to stop bringing it up, and I'm not going to change my mind. I can't imagine us ever being happy with someone else in our relationship." He looked at her, his eyes pleading for understanding. The very idea of a breeder was awful to him, and he couldn't believe Amby was still pushing for it.

She knew how much he hated the word breeder and he had asked her to stop talking about getting one because he wasn't interested.

“No Jake, you have to agree this time, or our marriage ends here,” Amby threatened, with firm determination.

“Why? Are you making use of this crisis to have your way?” Jake asked her, his temper flaring up as he stood on his feet.

“Whatever you think I'm doing right now, is what I think I can only do in this situation. The elders keep threatening to take away the throne and the pack too needs an heir. I am barren and cannot conceive, you have to let go of me and remarry or you hire a breeder if you still want me by your side,” Amby said, getting frustrated.

“You don't understand Amby, the thought of getting a breeder irks me out. Whosoever it will turn out to be might destroy us, our happiness, our union and I'm scared of that. I'm scared to think that I cannot love you anymore someday because of a breeder_”

“No, Jake. You are taking this too far. We are only getting a breeder who will give birth to an heir for you, get paid, and leave. She isn't going to nurse the child, I will.”

“I will raise a child like mine and we wouldn't have any reason to fear. We will make sure she signs an undertaking not to come back for the child, it's as simple as that. Please you have to understand that I don't want you to lose your throne, please,” Amby pleaded with a soft expression as she stood up and took Jake’s hands.

“Just give it a chance, I promise nothing is going to come between us, not some baby breeder,” Amby assured softly and held onto Jake’s waist as she pecked him lightly on the lips.

“I am not getting a good feeling about this but since that is what you want, I will give it a chance then,” Jake was forced to reply as he also grabbed Amby’s waist and deepened the kiss.

“I love you, let's do this together,” Amby said with a smile while staring at him in the eyes. “ I love you too,” Jake replied, staring back at her.

“Alpha! Alpha!” The heavy knock on the door startled both Jake and Amby. “Who's there?” Jake demanded, irritation seeping into his voice.

“It's me, your Beta. I'm sorry to disturb you, but there's something you need to address right away,” came the Beta's voice from the other side of the door. Jake opened the door, with Amby close behind him, bracing himself for whatever news was to come.

“A maid is accusing another of poisoning the Luna's food,” Jack, his beta, announced.

“What!!!” Amby almost screamed but prevented herself from doing so she held her mouth.

“Lead the way,” Jake said as he headed out, with Amby who was shaken by the news following him.

They got to the kitchen where the commotion was ongoing, and found a maid holding a bowl of food and another holding onto the hem of her dress.

“What is going on here?” Jake thundered which made everyone quiet.

As the room fell silent, the maid holding the bowl of food stepped forward, her hands trembling. “Alpha, please believe me. I would never poison the Luna's food,” she pleaded. “I don't know what I did to make her accuse me of such a thing.” She cast a fearful glance at the other maid, who glared back at her.

“You lair,” The maid who accused her of poisoning the Luna’s food, stepped forward, her face flushed with anger. “She's lying, Alpha. I saw her poisoning the Luna’s lunch and confronted her but she is denying my accusations, making me look like a liar,” the maid explained as she lowered her gaze, refusing to meet the Alpha’s eyes.

“That’s a wrong accusation, Alpha, I never poisoned the Luna’s food,” the accused maid immediately interjected, shaking vigorously.

“Why are you refusing to taste the food as I have been insisting?” the other maid asked, looking at her with raging eyes.

“It is forbidden for a lowly servant to taste the Luna’s food, only her personal maid can,” the accused maid

answered back.

“Enough!” Jake thundered which shut their mouth.

“Are you sure about what you are saying?” he questioned the other maid, staring intently at her.

“Yes Alpha,” the maid replied confidently while lowering her head.

“Since you are this confident about your accusation, I will have to believe you then but you know if this turns out to be a wrong accusation, you will be punished for it,” Jake reminded in a cold tone.

“Yes Alpha, I already know the consequences of false accusation,” the maid said, still confident.

Jake looked at the accused maid, she was shaking as she held onto the bowl of food, he looked at Amby who stood quietly beside him watching. She was watching the ongoing scene.

Jake drew in a deep breath as he looked at the accused maid. He knew that Amby wouldn't be able to stomach the bloodshed that would result from the first maid accusing an innocent person, but he also knew that he couldn't take any chances when it came to her safety. If the accusation was wrong, it could mean the death of the first maid, but if it was right, it could save Amby's life. Jake made a split-second decision, knowing that he had to act quickly.

“Come forward,” he beckoned at the accused maid who shakily came forward without looking at him.

"I need you to tell me the truth," he said, his voice low and steady. "Did you attempt to poison my Luna’s good?” Jake asked, his voice full of underlying threats.

“No, Alpha. I_”

“Taste the food,” he commanded, cutting her off.

“Alpha, I never poisoned the Luna’s_”

"Taste it," Jake roared, his patience gone. He didn't need any further explanation - he needed action, and he needed it now. The silence in the room was heavy as everyone waited with heavy breath. No one dared to move or speak. Tension filled the air.

Slowly, the accused maid reached for a spoon and dipped it into the food. Everyone watched as she brought the spoon to her lips and took a bite. The room was quiet as they all waited for her reaction.

With trembling hands, the accused maid lifted another spoonful of food to her lips. She chewed slowly as if savoring every bite, before finally swallowing. Jake urged her to take another spoonful, and she did so, this time more quickly than before. Suddenly, she bent over, clutching her stomach as she let out a piercing scream. Blood trickled from her lips, and she fell on the floor, motionless. Everyone in the room was frozen in horror.

Gasps of horror filled the room as everyone took in the shocking scene before them. The maid had indeed poisoned the food, and no one could understand why.

Was it out of jealousy, or was she acting on someone else's orders? Was there a bigger scheme behind it, or was this just an act of malice against the Luna? The kitchen and its surroundings were filled with speculation and fear, and no one knew what to do next.

Amby's blood ran cold on watching the scene before her, she realized that she was now a target for assassination. If the maid hadn't caught the other, she would have been dead after eating her lunch and she felt grateful to know there was a maid who cared enough to confidently expose another of poisoning her food.

She wondered who had asked the maid to poison her food, was it the elders who wanted her to be out of the way so Jake would consider remarrying or was it the awaiting ladies who wanted to remove her to become the Alpha’s Luna. Amby felt conflicted and she knew if she didn't do anything, her life would still be threatened.

"Look at me," Amby said to the maid, her voice steady and commanding. The maid lifted her gaze, her eyes meeting Amby's.

Amby held her gaze for a few moments, then looked at Jake. A look of satisfaction crossed her face as she said, "I think we've found our breeder." Relief washed over her as she let out a deep sigh of relief.