Poisoned Lies

**Elara's POV**

The war room fell silent as Thorne's words hung in the air. I sat up slowly, Kael's knot finally deflating enough for us to separate. His seed leaked down my thighs as I reached for a robe.

"Poisoned?" I repeated, voice sharp. "That's a fucking lie."

Kael growled low, pulling me back against his chest despite the fresh stitches. "Of course it is. Darius is desperate."

Thorne shifted uncomfortably. "The scout swears Seraphina is bleeding out. She's telling every allied pack that you slipped her something before you ran. They're calling it attempted murder of an unborn heir."

My father's golden eyes narrowed on me. "Did you?"

"No!" I snapped, standing. The robe barely covered me. "I barely looked at her. This is Darius twisting the knife."

Viktor leaned back in his throne-like chair. "Doesn't matter if it's true. Perception is power. Half the neutral packs are already leaning toward Ironfang. They fear a barren Luna who suddenly reveals royal blood and starts killing pups."

Kael rose, ignoring his wounds, and wrapped a possessive arm around my waist. "She didn't do it. And if they want war over a lie, we'll give them one."

I turned in his arms, pressing my palm to his bandaged chest. "You should be resting."

"Rest when my mate is safe," he muttered, voice rough. His hand slid down to squeeze my ass through the robe. "Not before."

Viktor cleared his throat. "Save the claiming for later. We have strategy to discuss."

The next hour was brutal. Maps spread across the table. Alliances listed. Numbers. Kael argued for aggressive strikes. My father favored calculated defense. I listened, offering what I knew of Ironfang's weaknesses.

But my mind kept drifting to Seraphina's belly. The way Darius had stroked it so possessively. The humiliation still burned.

When the meeting ended, Kael pulled me down a side corridor, ignoring the guards.

"Kael, wait—"

He shoved open a heavy door to an empty antechamber and locked it behind us. In seconds he had me pinned against the wall, mouth crashing onto mine.

"You're shaking," he growled between kisses. "Talk to me."

"I didn't poison her," I whispered against his lips. Tears stung my eyes. "But part of me wishes I had. After everything he did."

His hands roamed, pushing the robe open. Rough palms cupped my breasts, thumbs circling my nipples until they hardened.

"I know," he murmured, kissing down my throat. "I saw how he treated you. The way he touched you like property." His teeth scraped my shoulder. "You're no one's property but mine now."

I moaned as he sucked hard on my nipple, one hand sliding between my legs. I was still slick from earlier, his cum and my arousal mixing.

"Fuck, you're dripping with me," he groaned, pushing two fingers inside easily. "So greedy for your alpha even after I knotted you."

"Kael," I rocked against his hand, emotional storm mixing with the heat. "What if they believe him? What if I become the monster they paint me as?"

He curled his fingers, hitting that perfect spot. "Then we'll be monsters together." His thumb pressed my clit. "Let them fear you. Let them fear us."

I came fast and hard, crying out as pleasure ripped through the pain in my chest. Kael swallowed the sound with another deep kiss, holding me up when my legs buckled.

When I could breathe again, I dropped to my knees. His cock was thick and hard again, glistening. I took him into my mouth without warning.

"Elara, fuck," he hissed, fingers tangling in my hair.

I sucked him deep, hollowing my cheeks, tasting both of us. His hips jerked, but he let me set the pace. Emotional tears mixed with the saliva dripping down my chin.

"You're mine," I whispered around his cock, pulling back just enough to speak. "Not his. Never his again."

Kael's eyes blazed. "Damn right." He pulled me up suddenly, spinning me to face the wall. "Hands on the stone."

I obeyed. He kicked my legs apart and thrust into me in one brutal stroke. We both groaned.

"Harder," I demanded, pushing back against him.

He gave it to me, deep, punishing thrusts that slammed me into the wall. One hand wrapped around my throat, the other rubbed my clit.

"Tell me you love how I fuck you," he growled against my ear.

"I love it," I gasped. "Love how you ruin me for him."

His pace turned feral. The sound of skin slapping skin filled the small room. My second orgasm hit like lightning. Kael followed with a roar, knot swelling again as he pumped me full.

We stayed locked, panting. He pressed soft kisses to my shoulder, completely at odds with the violence of moments before.

"I'm scared," I admitted quietly. "Not of Darius. Of becoming like him. Cold. Cruel."

Kael nuzzled my neck. "You won't. You've got too much fire. Too much heart. That's why I chose you."

A knock interrupted us.

"Princess. Alpha Draven," a guard called. "High Alpha requests you in the courtyard. The captured scout is ready to talk, and he's asking specifically for you, Luna Elara."

Kael cursed, carefully separating us. We dressed quickly.

In the torchlit courtyard, the Ironfang scout knelt in silver chains, face bruised. His eyes lit with hatred when he saw me.

"You," he spat. "Seraphina is dying because of you. The pup too. Alpha Darius will rip your new toy apart and drag you home in chains."

I stepped closer. "I didn't poison anyone."

He laughed bitterly. "Doesn't matter. The packs believe what they see. And right now they see a power-hungry bitch who rejected her mate and tried to kill his heir."

Kael moved to strike him, but I held him back.

"Wait." I crouched in front of the scout. "What does Darius really want? Me or revenge?"

The scout smirked. "Both. But mostly you. He's losing control of the pack. They're whispering that if he can't keep one Luna, he's weak. He needs you back, broken."

My stomach turned.

Kael pulled me up. "Enough."

As guards dragged the scout away, my father approached.

"This changes things," Viktor said. "We need to strike first. Or negotiate."

"Negotiate?" I laughed bitterly. "With him? Never."

Kael's arm tightened around me. "She's right. We fight."

But deep down, a darker fear bloomed. Darius wasn't just coming for war.

He was coming to make me watch everything I loved burn, starting with Kael.

Later that night, as I lay curled against Kael's healing body, a raven arrived with a blood-stained message.

"Come home, wife. Or I'll kill every Eclipse wolf I find until you do. Starting with your precious rogue. — D"

I crumpled the note, heart pounding.

Kael stirred. "What is it?"

I met his eyes, fear and rage twisting together.

"Darius just made it personal."

And somewhere in the distance, howls rose, dozens of them.

Ironfang was no longer waiting.