Chapter 10: Vivian's Poisoned Trap

"If the Alpha won't listen to reason, then a little scented oil in her bathwater will make sure the fat little interloper learns her place forever."

Vivian poured a vial of dark, sparkling liquid into the steaming bronze tub behind the private dressing chambers. A wicked smile spread across her face as the strange liquid disappeared beneath the lavender-scented water.

The bathhouse was quiet, and the thick steam made it difficult to see anything beyond the nearest wall. Vivian watched the surface of the water for a moment as faint green bubbles rose and disappeared.

"Let's see how brave you are when you can't even move a finger, Elara."

She slipped the empty vial into her dress and glanced towards the doorway. The sound of approaching footsteps made her shoulders stiffen, but she quickly recovered and hurried towards the opposite corridor.

Nobody needed to know she had been there.

A few seconds later, Vivian disappeared around the corner, wearing the satisfied smile of someone who believed she had already won. She had spent enough time watching Silas and Elara together to understand that the new Luna was becoming a problem.

Silas had never looked at Vivian the way he looked at Elara. He had rejected her attention for years, yet somehow the chubby girl from Red Moon had managed to claim the place Vivian believed belonged to her.

She had tried insults, threats, and humiliation, but none of them had worked. Elara only became more confident, and the Alpha seemed to grow even more protective of her.

Vivian clenched her fists as she walked.

"If you won't give me what I want, Silas, then you can watch what happens when your precious Luna disappears."

Meanwhile, Milo was making his way down the east wing corridor with a basket of freshly washed linen balanced against his hip. Elara had asked him to help deliver the clean towels to the private dressing chambers, and he was determined not to disappoint her.

He had almost reached the bathhouse when he noticed Vivian slipping out through the side entrance. Milo slowed down, watching her hurried steps with suspicion.

Why was she coming out of the private bathhouse?

He glanced towards the open doorway and noticed something strange rising from inside. Thin trails of green smoke curled through the steam, twisting towards the ceiling before slowly disappearing.

Milo's nose wrinkled.

He remembered Elara's warning about accepting food, drinks, or anything else from people who had already tried to hurt them. She had also told him to pay attention to anything unusual around the rooms where she stayed.

"Something isn't right."

He looked towards the direction Vivian had taken, then back at the green smoke. His stomach tightened as he remembered the poison Rowena had used against Elara.

Without another thought, Milo dropped the laundry basket. Towels scattered across the stone floor as he scrambled towards the bathhouse, his small legs moving as quickly as they could.

"Luna!"

There was no answer.

He pushed through the doorway, but the thick steam made it difficult to see clearly. He rushed further inside, searching for Elara while trying not to breathe too deeply.

At that moment, Elara was standing beside the large bronze tub, examining the arrangement of scented oils on a nearby table. She had come to freshen up after spending much of the morning dealing with the kitchen accounts and the problems left behind by Rowena.

She had barely approached the bath when something caught her attention.

The lavender scent was unusually strong, almost heavy enough to sting her nose. Beneath it was another smell, sharp and metallic, that didn't belong in a room filled with scented water.

Elara frowned and moved closer, trying to identify it.

"That's strange."

Her wolf senses had been slowly awakening, and although she still couldn't fully summon her wolf, her sense of smell was becoming sharper. The strange scent made the back of her neck tighten.

She leaned towards the water without touching it.

A faint green bubble rose near the edge of the tub and burst.

Elara immediately stepped back.

"What exactly did someone put in here?"

A familiar chime sounded inside her mind, followed by a sudden flash of red across her vision.

[DING! SYSTEM WARNING!]

[DANGER DETECTED!]

[THE BATHWATER CONTAINS A HIGH CONCENTRATION OF PARALYZING NIGHTSHADE EXTRACT!]

[ADDITIONAL COMPOUND IDENTIFIED: SCENTED OIL CARRIER AND SLOW-ACTING NEUROMUSCULAR TOXIN!]

[WARNING: SKIN CONTACT WILL TRIGGER RAPID PARALYSIS!]

[ESTIMATED EFFECT: TEMPORARY COMA-LIKE STATE WITH COMPLETE LOSS OF VOLUNTARY MOVEMENT!]

Elara's eyes widened as she read the notification again.

"Someone really went through all this trouble just to poison my bath?"

She stared at the water, then at the small bottles arranged beside the tub. The lavender scent had been deliberately added to cover the bitter smell of the nightshade, making the poison difficult to detect without her newly heightened senses.

Her fingers curled as she glanced towards the doorway, wondering who could have entered the private chambers without being noticed. The system flashed another warning, reminding her that even a small amount of the mixture could cause serious harm.

Elara moved towards the nearby water container, intending to empty the tub before anyone else came close. She had barely taken a step when hurried footsteps echoed through the room.

"Luna, stop!"

Milo burst through the doorway, his face pale and his chest rising and falling from the desperate run. His eyes immediately found Elara standing near the tub, and he rushed towards her without thinking.

Elara turned at the sound of his voice.

"Milo? What happened? Why are you running like someone is chasing you?"

He didn't answer immediately. His attention was fixed on the water, where another cluster of green bubbles rose beneath the steam.

"Don't go near it!"

Elara lifted both hands. "I'm not touching it. Calm down and tell me what happened."

Milo shook his head, still struggling to catch his breath. He reached for her dress and grabbed the fabric near her waist, pulling her several steps away from the tub.

"I saw someone!"

Elara's expression changed. "Who?"

"Vivian. She came out of this room just before I arrived, and I saw something strange coming from the doorway."

He pointed towards the bubbling water, his small fingers trembling.

"At first, I thought it was smoke, but then I remembered what you told me about poison. I knew something was wrong, so I dropped the laundry and ran here."

Elara looked at the boy, then at the tub. Her expression hardened as the pieces began to fall into place.

"You're certain it was Vivian?"

Milo nodded quickly. "I saw her face. She was smiling when she came out, Luna. She looked very pleased with herself."

Elara's lips pressed together.

Vivian had been in the kitchen earlier, insulting her and threatening her position. Now she had apparently decided that words weren't enough.

"That woman really doesn't know when to stop."

Milo tightened his grip on her dress, pulling her farther back from the deadly trap.