Chapter 24

Chapter 24
The War of Lies

Blake's POV

The warrior's boots thudded heavily against the stone floor as he burst into the council chambers, sweat glistening on his brow and a rolled parchment clutched in one hand like it might burn him alive.

Everyone turned—elders, warriors, even Mirabel who stood at the far end, chin lifted, lips pale.

I guess she was still smarting from our disagreement the night before. I had already made it clear to the whole pack that Claire was my mate and Luna of the pack.

But it was like Mirabel didn't get the memo. Referring to Claire as just a girl. Like she was anything “just”.

It was never my plan to be here. My initial plan was to seat by Claire until she recovered but seeing her up and about late at night showed that she was alright.

That's why I changed my mind and chose to be here. But why will the memory of that kiss keep tormenting me like so?

I rose from my seat slowly, every instinct in my body taut and alert the moment the guard rushed in. Claire temporarily pushed to the back of my mind.

“What is it?” I asked. My voice sounded calm, but my heart beat like war drums in my ears.

The warrior dropped to one knee, breathing hard. “We tested the water supply, Alpha. Not just the current batch—but samples archived from three weeks ago.”

Silence swept the hall like a cold wind.

“And?” I pressed.

He unrolled the parchment with trembling fingers. “There’s no trace of the natural curse markers… It’s chemical. Manufactured. Added by someone who had access to the lab.”

A low murmur spread across the room. I looked at Claire—her expression unreadable, lips parted in shock.

I could already tell where everybody's mind was going to at this point. She always took the fall for every bad thing going on in this pack.

“Who?” I asked.

The warrior hesitated. “The fingerprints on the storage containers belong to… Mirabel’s assistant. Dax.”

My pulse stalled.

Not Claire. Thank goodness.

But I thought at least, that it will end up being Mirabel and not her assistant.

“Are you certain?” Elder Carrow snapped, rising from his seat beside me.

The warrior nodded. “We matched it with the database. It’s him, sir. The poison used mimics curse symptoms—same discoloration, same neurological decay—but it’s fake. Someone wanted it to look like your condition was spreading.”

My eyes snapped to Mirabel. Her face had gone white. She knew what was coming. If her assistant was the one behind this, is it possible that she was privy to the whole scheme as well?

But then there's only one way to find out.

“Mirabel,” I said, voice low and steady, “where is your assistant?”

She blinked, once. “I—I sent him home hours ago. He hasn’t been feeling well.”

Convenient.

Too convenient.

I clenched my fists at my sides, every muscle in my body strung tight. I’d waited for a long time for something like this. A lead. A crack in the wall of silence and doubt.

But it pointed too close to home.

And I wasn’t stupid. Hopefully we will catch him before he can think of doing anything drastic.

If Dax acted, he wasn’t acting alone. I'm very sure of that.

I glanced at the elders, watching the silent exchange like wolves waiting for a rabbit to bolt. I could already feel suspicion shifting off Claire.

But someone else had planned this—carefully.

Ten steps ahead.

Uncle Zed.

This had his stink all over it.

I turned, eyes sweeping the room until they locked on Claire. She stood just beyond the circle of light cast by the light overhead. Watching. Waiting. Ready to vanish if things get shitty.

No. Not tonight.

I stepped off the dais. The council continued their murmured debates but I didn’t care.

“Claire,” I called.

She froze.

I crossed the floor in five long strides and caught her by the wrist before she could slip away.

“Don’t,” she whispered, her voice rough. “I’m not part of this—”

“You are,” I said. I pulled her closer, lowering my voice. “I need you in this.”

Her breath caught.

She stared up at me, eyes shadowed with uncertainty, but I felt the shift—her pulse stuttering beneath my fingers, her lips parting just slightly.

She didn't expect me to bring her along for my investigations.

“Why now?” she whispered. “Why ask now?”

Because the world was about to burn. Because I had no one else I trusted not to stab me the moment my back turned.

Because I couldn’t stop thinking about the kiss in the library. The heat of her mouth. The way she trembled, like she hated how much she wanted me.

I let my forehead rest against hers. Just for a moment.

“Because I’ve been fighting alone for too damn long,” I said.

The door burst open again.

Everyone turned.

This time it was Jarro, the scout.

His face was ashen. Blood smeared across his collar.

“They found Dax,” he said hoarsely.

My body snapped to attention. Things were finally going the way I wanted. It's time to nip this traitor and use him as example to any other person that will try shit like this.

“Where?”

“Behind the barracks. Dumped like trash. His tongue’s been cut out.”

A sharp, collective gasp swept the chamber.

That doesn't sound good.

Claire’s fingers gripped mine tighter.

“Dead?” I asked.

Jarro nodded. “Hours ago, maybe longer. He never left the compound. Which means—”

Fuck.

“Someone in this pack did it,” I said, cold settling into my chest.

Deliberate. Fast. Clean.

A silencing.

Someone wanted him gone before he could talk.

Uncle Zed knew.

He always knew.

And now… he was moving again.

I let go of Claire’s hand slowly and turned to the council.

“No one leaves the compound tonight,” I ordered, voice cutting through the panic. “Lock every gate. Double the guards. No messages go out.”

“What do you think is happening?” Elder Mora asked, alarmed.

“I think the war didn’t end years ago,” I said. “I think it just changed shape.”

And tonight, it had made things very clear.

Uncle Zed was finally making his move, and he was coming for all of us.