Chapter 93 Not So Innocent

Chapter 93 Not So Innocent
First, he had spoken in a voice that held emotion, something everyone thought he was incapable of doing, and now he was carrying the princess? 
Even Garrett was hiding a smirk now. Ian blinked in surprise, and I simply stared in incredulity.
Athena blushed in embarrassment. "I-I'm sorry. I guess I'm still a bit uh… shaken."
Troy didn't speak again. Instead, he adjusted her in his hold. 

"Take care of her," I said.
He nodded again. "Yes, Alpha."
Then, turning, he headed towards the stairs.
"Ian," I said once they were out of view. "Get someone to handle the cleanup."
"Yes, Alpha."
"Dismissed"
Both men left. 

Lyla came to stand beside me, and together we looked at the carnage, from the body still hanging limply on the banister of the second floor, to the one that had died mid-shift, and the third whose face was so disfigured it was barely recognizable. 
She let out a low tut. "He definitely cares for her."
"Yeah," I muttered.
There was no doubt about it now.
But of all the things that happened tonight, one thing was abundantly clear… those wolves had chosen the wrong pack to fuck with.

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Waiting for Alice to make a mistake had led us nowhere.
Patience had its limits. So when she didn't slip, we stopped waiting and decided to confront her instead. 
She showed up at the mansion dressed provocatively, under the impression that I'd summoned her for something else.
But her confident smile dropped the moment she strutted into my study and saw Lyla seated beside me, with Troy and Garrett standing behind us, arms folded. 

Alice froze in the doorway, paling. 
"Alpha," she said, bowing her head stiffly. Her voice was ice-cold. 
Then, with a reluctant mutter, she added, "Luna."
Lyla rolled her eyes instantly at the sight of her outfit, but she didn't say a word.
I gestured to the chair across from us.
"Take a seat, Alice."
Her eyes shifted nervously to Troy, then to Garrett, before she slowly crossed the room and sat.

Clearing her throat, she tried to sound curious, but her eyes were worried, and her entire body was tense. 
"Have I done something wrong?" she asked.
"You tell me," I replied, not taking my eyes off her. 
Alice shifted in the chair. "I… I'm sorry. I misunderstood your message. When you said to come see you at the mansion, I assumed…"
She paused, flustered. "Well, you've never invited me here before, so I thought…"
She trailed off, her meaning obvious.

Lyla's disgust for her only deepened, evident in how hard she was clenching her fists in her lap. 
"Did you poison me on the day of my Luna ceremony?" she asked suddenly, catching Alice off guard. 
Her attention shifted to Lyla immediately. "I beg your pardon?"
"You heard me." Lyla's cold tone didn't waver.
Alice scoffed. "What is going on here?"
"Answer the question," I bit out. 

She stared at me, a frown creasing her brow. "I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Come on now, Alice," Lyla said again, tilting her head. "You hate me, remember? You're jealous. So you had your cousin, Pauline, who handled the peach punch station that day, serve me a drink you had laced"
Alice remained silent for a long moment before speaking again. "Look, no disrespect, but this sounds crazy. I wouldn't go through such insane lengths because I couldn't have the Alpha. I still have some self-worth."

She scoffed in disbelief, shifting in her seat again. "Wait, wait, wait. Your Luna ceremony was over a year ago," she said slowly. "I don't understand why you're bringing this up now. You didn't even look poisoned in the days that passed… I don't…"
"As your Alpha, I demand you tell me the truth." I cut in, running out of patience. "Did you, or did you not, have your cousin lace the Luna's drink?"
Alice swallowed hard. "No, Alpha," she said. "No, I didn't poison the Luna. And I didn't have Pauline do it."

"She was fired once for a food-related incident," I reminded her. "Seems like history could've repeated itself."
Alice scoffed, running a hand through her hair. "No, you don't get it. That was a misunderstanding."
"Enlighten us, then," Lyla spoke coldly. 
"Her boss was a dick. He had a nut allergy he never disclosed." Alice explained. "So, he drank something with almond extract in it and landed in the ER. Paulie had no idea. She didn't do it on purpose. They fired her, and she didn't even deserve it."

She made a move to rise from her seat but sank back down with a heavy sigh.
"Like I said," she muttered, "the man was a fucking dick. Paulie wouldn't sleep with him, so he made her life hell. I don't know why he never mentioned something as serious as his allergy to her, but honestly? I was thrilled when I heard he landed in the ER."
I watched her closely, studying her face for signs that she was lying. 
"You know you sound incredibly incriminating right now, right?" I said. "He was a dick to her, so maybe she did it on purpose. Maybe she knew about the allergy and just pretended not to."

"She's not like that," Alice said sharply, sounding frustrated. "Paulie's the sweetest soul I've ever met. If you're looking for someone vindictive enough to do whatever it is you think happened to the Luna, you're looking at the wrong person."
She didn't look me in the eye as she spoke. "My cousin's been catering to this pack for three years," Alice said. "There have been no complaints. No problems. Not a single incident. And now suddenly she's guilty, because of you?" She glared at Lyla. "Sounds to me like you're letting your emotions do the talking. You don't like me, so suddenly I'm behind some sick conspiracy?"

Lyla's expression remained unfazed. "So I'm supposed to believe it's just a coincidence that your cousin was conveniently standing in a camera blind spot when I was handed that drink? And that you were caught not once, but twice, glaring at me like you wanted to skin me alive?"
She reached into her pocket, unlocked her phone, and turned the screen toward Alice.
"Recognize this?" she asked flatly. "These are screenshots pulled from security footage."

Alice rose and moved closer, squinting. As she stared at the images, she paled even further. 
"I was just jealous. That's all!" She exclaimed hysterically, returning to her seat. "A girl can be jealous, can't she?" 
She crossed her arms, agitated. "What was the drink even laced with, for fuck's sake?" she snapped. "Why hasn't the pack been made aware of this? Why didn't you ever come forward?"
Lyla stood abruptly. "Do you really expect us to believe this was all just a coincidence? That you're innocent?"

Alice's eyes narrowed, and for the first time, her confident veneer cracked just a little.
"You think I'd go that far? That I'd hurt you in front of the entire pack, surrounded by witnesses and cameras, during your Luna ceremony?" she asked sharply. "I may not like you, Luna Lyla, but I'm not suicidal." She glanced at me. "I know how much the Alpha cares for you."
Lyla was quiet. 

"I didn't poison you. And neither did Pauline." Alice said, lowering herself to her seat. With a huff, she crossed her arms, muttering under her breath, "Why don't you ask Gavin? He was practically by Paulie's side all night long."