52

Lena's pov

I stared at Kelvin, his grin widening like a predator toying with its prey. My chest heaved, my breaths coming in short, sharp bursts as I processed the chaos unfolding before me. My sister. My father’s betrayal. The poison. The lies. The deceit. It was as if the ground beneath me had crumbled, leaving me dangling over a pit of despair. My heart pounded in my chest like a war drum, and tears blurred my vision, but I refused to let them fall. Not here. Not now.

Kelvin’s voice was a venomous purr as he repeated, “What if I told you the wolf hunter stories were fake?” His eyes glinted with malicious delight, as though my shock was a performance he’d been eagerly waiting to see.

“What... what are you talking about?” I managed, my voice trembling but laced with defiance. My throat ached from Miriam’s earlier grip, but the fire within me wouldn’t let me stay silent.

Kelvin chuckled darkly, taking a slow step closer. Miriam stood beside him, her arms crossed, her face a mask of