Chapter 12

The garden fell silent. Selena’s face drained of color while Lucienne stared at her without blinking. The Bloodfang warrior lowered his head. “The High Elder lost a great deal of blood, Alpha. Before he collapsed, he kept repeating, ‘Selena… Selena…’” A murmur spread among the guards gathering around them.

“I didn’t do this,” Selena whispered, taking a step toward Lucienne. “Please… you have to believe me.” Lucienne wanted to answer, but the evidence kept piling up against her. His wolf fought to protect her while his mind demanded answers. The conflict showed plainly on his face.

“We’re going to the High Elder,” Lucienne ordered. “Now.” He turned and strode toward the palace. Selena followed immediately, but two Bloodfang warriors stepped in front of her. “The Alpha said nothing about you coming.” The words stung more than she expected.

Darius stepped beside Selena without hesitation. “She goes with us.” One of the warriors looked uncertain, but Lucienne finally spoke without turning around. “Let her come.” His voice carried no warmth, only duty. Selena lowered her eyes and silently followed behind him.

The palace infirmary was crowded when they arrived. Healers moved frantically around the unconscious High Elder while the priestess stood at his bedside, whispering prayers. His breathing was shallow, but when Selena entered the room, his eyelids suddenly fluttered open.

Every head turned.

The old man’s trembling finger slowly lifted… pointing directly at Selena. “Y… you…” he gasped. Selena’s heart pounded. “Elder, I don’t understand.” His lips moved again, but before another word could escape, his body jerked violently. The healers rushed forward as his eyes rolled shut once more.

“He’s fading!” one healer shouted.

The priestess quickly pushed everyone back. “Enough! Leave this room at once!” As the crowd slowly dispersed, Selena noticed something lying beneath the Elder’s bed. She bent slightly and caught a glimpse of a small piece of black cloth…. Before she could reach it, a healer accidentally kicked it farther underneath.

Later that evening, Selena wandered into the west corridor, unable to quiet the questions racing through her mind. Just as she rounded the corner, she saw Seraphine standing alone by an open window. “Were you looking for me?” Seraphine asked without turning around.

Selena stopped a few steps away. “I want the truth.” Seraphine slowly faced her. “About what?” Selena’s voice trembled. “Ever since the ceremony, someone has been planting evidence against me. My bracelet. My pendant. The map. Tell me honestly… are you behind this?”

For the first time, Seraphine looked genuinely offended. “You think I’m capable of murder?” She laughed softly, though her eyes remained cold. “I hated you, Selena. I still do. But if I wanted to destroy you, I wouldn’t hide behind shadows.”

Selena searched her sister’s face. “Then swear it.” Seraphine’s smile disappeared. “You don’t get to demand anything from me.” She stepped closer until only inches separated them. “You’re the reason my life fell apart. Yet somehow… you’re still the one asking questions.”

Before Selena could reply, something slipped from Seraphine’s sleeve and landed silently on the floor between them.

Selena looked down.

It was a tiny crystal vial.

Inside, a single drop of silver liquid shimmered beneath the candlelight.

Seraphine’s eyes widened for the briefest second before she quickly picked it up. “It’s perfume,” she said too quickly.

Selena didn’t answer.

She had seen that silver liquid before.

It looked exactly like the strange substance coating her bracelet the morning everything changed.

Just then, hurried footsteps echoed through the corridor. A frightened servant came running toward them. “Lady Seraphine! Lady Selena!” she cried. “Alpha Lucienne requests everyone in the council hall immediately. They found the High Elder’s final message.”

The sisters exchanged one long look before hurrying toward the council chamber.

When they arrived, Lucienne was already standing beside the Elder’s bed. The priestess held a bloodstained parchment in shaking hands. “He wrote this just before he lost consciousness,” she whispered. “He wanted the Alpha to read it.”

Lucienne unfolded the parchment.

His expression changed instantly.

Slowly… he lifted his eyes to Selena.

Then to Seraphine.

The room held its breath.

Finally, Lucienne spoke.

“It says…” He stopped, as if struggling to believe the words himself. “…the traitor isn’t the sister everyone suspects”.

The council chamber fell into complete silence. Hope flickered across Selena’s face, but it vanished the moment Lucienne continued. “The Elder also wrote… ‘Don’t trust the one who smiles while the kingdom burns.’” His eyes slowly moved from Selena to Seraphine. Every person in the room followed his gaze.

Seraphine forced a confused laugh. “That doesn’t point to anyone. He never mentioned a name.” Her voice remained calm, but her heart pounded against her chest. She hadn’t expected the Elder to leave behind a message.

The priestess carefully turned the bloodstained parchment over. Her hands trembled. “There’s something else.” Faint words, almost washed away by blood, covered the back. She narrowed her eyes before reading them aloud. “Find… the black vial… before… it’s too late.”

Selena’s breath caught. Her mind instantly flashed back to the tiny crystal vial that had slipped from Seraphine’s sleeve only moments ago. She looked straight at her sister. “Tell them about the vial.”

Seraphine’s face remained calm. “What vial?” she asked, almost offended. Selena stepped forward. “The one you dropped in the west corridor. It had silver liquid inside.” A murmur swept through the chamber as several Elders exchanged uneasy looks.

Lucienne slowly turned toward Seraphine. “Is what she said true?” For the first time, Seraphine hesitated. It lasted only a second, but Lucienne noticed. “It was perfume,” she answered. “I didn’t think it mattered.” Selena immediately shook her head. “She’s lying.”

Before Lucienne could question her further, the council doors burst open. A Bloodfang guard stumbled inside, covered in blood. He fell to one knee, struggling to breathe. “Alpha… the palace vault…” Everyone turned toward him. “The Moon Crown… has been stolen.”

Shock swept across the chamber. Luna Alara’s face lost all color. “Impossible,” she whispered. “Only members of the royal family know how to open that vault.” Every eye slowly shifted toward the SilverMist family.

“The thief left this behind,” the guard said, placing a torn strip of black cloth onto the council table. Sewn into one corner was a silver wolf… the same strange symbol Selena had seen beneath the Elder’s bed. Rowan’s expression darkened the instant he recognized it.

“I’ve seen this mark before,” Rowan said quietly. “It belonged to a secret order that disappeared decades ago. They were believed to have died with the last Moon Queen.” The priestess looked horrified. “That’s impossible. They were wiped out.”

“They weren’t,” another voice answered.

Everyone turned toward the doorway as Kael slowly walked into the chamber as though he belonged there. Not a single guard stopped him. His silver eyes settled on Selena before shifting to the stolen cloth lying on the table. A faint smile touched his lips. “Looks like they’re finally making their move.”

Lucienne immediately drew his sword. “You have a lot of nerve showing your face here.” Kael didn’t even flinch. “If I wanted this palace destroyed, Alpha, you wouldn’t still be standing.” His gaze swept across the room. “You’re chasing the wrong enemy.”

“Then tell us who the real enemy is,” Darius demanded.

Kael looked directly at Seraphine. For one long moment, neither of them spoke. Then he smiled in a way that made her blood run cold. “She already knows.” Seraphine’s heart nearly stopped. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she replied quickly, but there was a crack in her voice that didn’t go unnoticed.

Before anyone could question her, a deafening explosion shook the palace. The council chamber trembled as screams erupted outside. A terrified guard burst through the doors. “Alpha! The eastern tower has collapsed… and whoever stole the Moon Crown left a message carved into the walls.” Lucienne’s grip tightened around his sword. “What message?”

The guard swallowed hard. “It says… Bring Selena to us before the next Blood Moon… or SilverMist will fall.” The room erupted into panic, but hidden beneath Seraphine’s sleeve, the tiny black vial suddenly began to glow. She stared at it in horror because she hadn’t touched it… and someone, somewhere inside the palace, had just whispered her name.