32

Liam remained feeble, hardly able to stand, while the vultures were already circling.

I had witnessed betrayals happen before—had been affected by them more than I wanted to acknowledge—yet Lisa? Lisa was a creative. Where many exercised authority through sheer strength, she chose to approach it with a scalpel, cutting deep, accurately, and always with a grin.

And now, her newest creation was coming together.

A piece of gossip. Gentle at the outset, akin to a breeze's murmur, sneaking through the gaps of the palace's structure. Next, raise your voice. More persistent.

"The Alpha King is not suitable to govern."

It was irrelevant that Liam had endured, that he was still alive, still upright. What counted was perception—and Lisa was crafting that perception with the unyielding precision of a queen igniting a chessboard.

A few of the elders, always wise and always opportunistic, started to consider the notion. Ultimately, an Alpha was meant to be invulnerable and unwavering. However, Liam had been given poison. He had lost blood. And for certain individuals, that was all the evidence they required.

"Maybe a more powerful Alpha is required," one elder reflected over his costly goblet of wine.

"Liam acted carelessly," another murmured into the ear of an aspiring Beta. "An Alpha that stumbles once can stumble again."

And then came Kyle.

If Lisa was the artist behind this coup, Kyle was the marble—placing himself precisely, allowing the right individuals to see and hear him. He didn’t have to identify himself as the substitute. He merely lived as an individual.

And since the universe possesses a dark sense of humor, Kyle understood precisely how to perform his role.

As Liam healed in private, Kyle was in the sparring pits, demonstrating to the pack just how powerful he was. Although Liam's voice was missing from council meetings, Kyle was present, listening, nodding, and ensuring they felt acknowledged.

An ideal, effortless comparison.

I felt the urge to set the entire room on fire.

Not due to any concern for Liam—clearly. Clearly. However, since I had witnessed what Lisa and Kyle were capable of, their plan involved more than just Liam’s throne. It was regarding control. Strength. I was certain that if they emerged victorious, the triplets and I would suffer because of their win.

This indicated that, yet again, I confronted a dreadful, gut-wrenching reality:

I may need to assist Liam.

Which, to be honest, was not acceptable.

Liam had always been invulnerable. An influence too great to be opposed, a figure too dominant to be doubted. Yet now? At that moment, he was still recuperating, still frail. And within just a few days, the group had started to forget the fighter he used to be.

What about Lisa? Lisa had always remembered.

She wasn't just awaiting her opportunity—she was shaping it.

The murmurs had begun quietly, nearly innocuously. A casual remark on the length of time it was taking for Liam to heal. A quiet conversation on how an Alpha must remain invincible. A questioning look was shared among council members who had previously pledged complete loyalty.

"The Alpha King is not suitable to govern."

Four terms. That was everything needed for the fissures to appear.

Lisa had no need to muster troops, especially since uncertainty was just as lethal. She was adept at manipulation, fully aware of how to instill doubt in others about the resolve of the man they had previously supported unconditionally.

The elders, always unpredictable in their allegiances, were already whispering to each other.

"An Alpha that stumbles once may stumble again."

"Maybe it’s time for a more decisive leader."

"If Liam has been poisoned before, who can guarantee it won't occur again?"

And then came Kyle.

Lisa's ideal pawn.

Or was he her companion?

Kyle had placed himself strategically. He didn’t have to state he was the superior option—he merely needed to show up. Where Liam was missing, Kyle was present. Where Liam struggled, Kyle was excelling. Training in the trenches. Participating in council meetings. Positioned near the throne to the extent that individuals had started to envision him occupying it.

It was a tactic so smooth, so intentional, that the awareness hit me like a knife to the abdomen.

Lisa sought more than just retribution.

She desired the crown.

This wasn't about penalizing Liam for his betrayal of her. It wasn't solely about ruining him.

It was concerning power.

And she was playing the game superior to everyone.

I tightened my fists as the burden of it weighed down on me. Lisa had arranged every part of this—the poisoning, the murmurs, the uncertainty spreading like fire throughout the pack. This wasn’t solely about Liam appearing to be diminished. This concerned substituting him.

For the first time, I questioned… should I allow her?

The idea was terrifying.

And still, was it not justice?

Liam had previously possessed all the authority, and at the time I needed him the most, he released me. He selected the group instead of me. Above us. Perhaps this was what he had coming. Perhaps this was destiny amending itself.

Wouldn't it be simpler if I allowed him to drop?

If Liam were to lose his throne, I wouldn’t need to battle him. I wouldn't need to weave through the complicated, agonizing tangle of our past.

However, I then considered my kids.

Damon quietly entered his father's room, gazing at him with the same stormy gray eyes, inquiring, "Are you going to die?"

Regarding the conflict for power that would ensue if Liam lost his throne.

Lisa wasn't going to settle for merely taking Liam's crown. She had arrived for it all—including the triplets.

And what about Kyle? If he was supporting Lisa now, then he was just as bad as she was. He would view my children as hindrances. Risks.

And dangers didn’t linger for long in this world.

The understanding contorted something within me.

If I allow Liam to fall, I could lose it all.

I breathed out deeply, making my hands loosen up. No. I couldn't allow that to occur.

This meant I needed to make a choice.

I needed to determine if I was prepared to assist Liam.

And following all we'd experienced, after all the suffering and treachery—

I doubted my strength to make that decision.