8. The Wolfsbane

For the first time, Kael’s carefully maintained composure cracked. He pushed up from his chair so abruptly that it scraped against the marble floor with a piercing screech. His palms slammed against the table, the impact echoing through the room like a gunshot.  

“Shut the fuck up!” he roared.  

The entire room fell deathly silent.  

A shiver ran through me, not from fear, but from exhilaration. The mighty Future Alpha King had lost control.  

I flinched, curling my shoulders inward as if I had been struck by his rage. My lower lip trembled, and I ducked my head, playing the part of the fragile, pitiful she-wolf who had been scolded for nothing more than speaking the truth. Let them see me as the wounded mate, let them whisper about how their future Luna had been humiliated in front of them all.  

Inside, I was smirking.  

The game had started, and I was winning.  

“Kael.” Alpha Asher’s voice boomed through the tense air, steady and commanding. “She will be your Luna. Treat her with respect.”  

The weight of his words settled over the room like a heavy blanket. Every pair of eyes turned to me, some filled with pity, others with suspicion, but all watching. A carefully laid snare, tightening exactly as I had planned.  

I kept my head lowered, let my lashes flutter as though I were blinking back unshed tears. I played my part with delicate precision, allowing just enough vulnerability to stir doubt in the minds of the alphas and nobles who had, moments ago, been Kael’s staunchest supporters.  

Kael took a deep breath through clenched teeth, the muscle in his jaw twitching as he fought to pull himself back together. His rage had betrayed him, but now he was trying to salvage the situation.  

“My apologies,” he said stiffly, his voice forced into a semblance of calm. “I lost my temper.”  

He straightened his posture, smoothing the front of his expensive suit, regaining some of the authority that had begun to slip through his fingers. “But I assure you, the wolfsbane is in such a small quantity that it poses no threat. The benefits of the Miracle Pill far outweigh any potential risks.”  

A bold statement. A desperate one.  

But the damage had been done. The alphas and nobles exchanged uneasy glances, their trust in Kael shaken. Alpha Asher leaned back in his chair, his expression unreadable but his stance clear. He would not be swayed.

As the meeting continued, I stayed quiet, my mind racing as I plotted my next move. Kael’s anger was a double-edged sword, and I needed to be careful not to push him too far. But for now, I had achieved what I set out to do. The alphas were questioning him, the media had captured his outburst, and the truth about the Miracle Pill was beginning to surface.

As the meeting drew to a close, I felt a warm hand on my arm, firm, deliberate. A sharp jolt of awareness shot through me, sending a shiver down my spine before I could steel myself against it. I turned swiftly, my pulse quickening, only to find myself face to face with Alaric.

He stood too close, the scent of pinewoods and something distinctly masculine wrapping around me like a slow, insidious fog. His grey eyes gleamed, not just with amusement, but with something darker, something unreadable. The corners of his lips curled into a knowing smirk, as if he’d unraveled a secret I wasn’t even aware I was keeping.

“Well played,” he murmured, his voice a rich, teasing rasp that sent heat curling through me despite my best efforts.

I arched a brow, forcing my expression into one of detached indifference, though my pulse betrayed me with its unsteady rhythm. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I replied smoothly, but the slight hitch in my breath didn’t go unnoticed.

Alaric’s smirk deepened. His fingers ghosted over my skin before he let go, but the warmth of his touch lingered far too long. His gaze flickered to my lips for a fraction of a second, just long enough to make me wonder if I had imagined it.

“Of course you don’t,” he mused, his tone laced with lazy amusement, but there was an edge beneath it, something sharp and knowing. He tilted his head slightly, studying me as if he could strip me bare with just his gaze. “But just so you know, I’m impressed.”

A flicker of something dangerous stirred in my chest, something close to satisfaction, which I ruthlessly shoved aside. Praise from Alaric was rare, and somehow, dangerously intoxicating.

I straightened my shoulders, tilting my chin up ever so slightly. “Good,” I said, forcing an air of nonchalance. “That means you’re paying attention.”

His gaze darkened, intrigue sparking in those storm-cloud eyes. “Oh, I always pay attention to you, my dear sister-in-law.”

The way he said it, low, deliberate, each syllable rolling off his tongue with sinful ease, made something coil deep in my stomach. A forbidden thrill danced through my veins, and I hated that my body reacted to him, to the dark magnetism he exuded so effortlessly.

I refused to acknowledge it. Instead, I gave him a saccharine smile, one that barely masked the sharpness beneath. “Then try not to fall behind, Alaric. I’d hate to leave you struggling to keep up.”

His lips parted slightly, a soft huff of laughter escaping, but his gaze turned molten, like a predator intrigued by the challenge before him.

“Oh, darling,” he murmured, his voice lowering just enough to send another treacherous shiver down my spine. “You’d be surprised just how fast I can move when something interests me.”

The way he said it, like I was the something, made my stomach tighten.

But I refused to give him the satisfaction of seeing me falter.

So instead, I leaned in just slightly, just enough that my breath fanned over his cheek, my lips dangerously close to brushing his jaw.

“Then try to keep up,” I whispered, before stepping back and walking away, forcing my legs to move with a practiced grace despite the heat simmering beneath my skin.

I didn’t have to turn around to know he was watching me.

And goddess help me, I liked it.

I turned to leave, feeling his gaze burn into my back as I walked out of the room, my heels clicking against the marble floor. My mind was already racing ahead, strategizing my next move.  

The game had begun, and I could not afford to lose.