Chapter 33 33
Venessa’s POV
We arrived at the restaurant, but I had no appetite. Hunger was the last thing on my mind. More than anything, I wanted distance from the pack, from prying eyes, from anyone who might be watching us too closely.
Rayon leaned forward across the table, his posture relaxed, a small smile tugging at his lips as he took a slow, steady breath.
“So,” he said easily, “what’s going on?”
“Denzel suspects there’s something happening between Tyrell and Jalisa,” I replied. “But he still trusts Tyrell.”
One of Rayon’s brows lifted.
“What I’m about to tell you depends on this,” I continued. “But first, I need you to answer a few questions.”
He chuckled softly.
“If I didn’t know better, I’d say King Fabian was right about you being a spy,” he said. “But since I know your motives, I’m fine with it.”
I smiled despite myself.
“At the meeting where you were poisoned how were you served?” I asked.
Rayon leaned back, his expression thoughtful as he replayed the memory. The waitress arrived with our juice just then, exactly as we’d ordered, and I requested spring rolls as well. Finger food felt safer easier.
“There was a banquet,” he said slowly. “We all ate together. What troubles me is that only three of us were poisoned. Denzel contacted Alpha Sheldon, the host, and there were no other cases of foxglove poisoning. He even called the other Alphas to be sure. Same answer. Somehow, only the three of us were targeted.”
“Were you seated close to one another?” I asked.
He nodded.
“Tyrell sat between Denzel and me as protocol demands.”
“Think carefully,” I urged. “Everything I’m about to tell you hinges on this. I know Tyrell was poisoned too, but did he ever come into contact with your food or drink?”
His eyes widened suddenly.
“Tyrell served the wine,” he said. Then his eyes bulged. “Do you think someone wanted him out of the way?”
I shook my head immediately and drew in a steadying breath.
“When I treated Tyrell, he was already healing,” I said quietly. “Wolves cannot heal from foxglove poisoning unless they receive treatment or ingest the antidote. Tyrell already had the antidote in his system. That’s why I said what I did that day.”
Rayon’s face hardened.
“I need you to tell me everything that happened during the attack every detail,” I continued. “What I’m about to share is dangerous. It could get me in serious trouble. But it’s the only way to keep you and Denzel alive.”
He exhaled slowly, his features growing grave.
“We left the meeting, and Tyrell was driving,” he said. “He pulled over to relieve himself. We were pressed too, so we followed him into the woods. Not long after, we started feeling strange. Weak. Disoriented. It took everything we had to defend ourselves. If Devon hadn’t found us…” He trailed off.
“Did Tyrell ever explain why he didn’t sense the danger?” I asked.
“You were there when Alpha attacked him,” he replied. “Poison was found in his system too. His hearing could’ve been affected. He might have been paralyzed.”
He stopped mid-sentence.
I watched the realization dawn on his face.
“If foxglove had truly affected him,” I said quietly, “he wouldn’t have been able to move at all. But he was already healing.”
Rayon’s eyes darkened, the gold of his wolf flashing beneath the surface. His anger was no longer restrained.
“What are you trying to tell me, Venessa?” he asked, his voice steady but charged. “I understand.”
“I’ve been suspicious of Tyrell since the poisoning,” I admitted. “After our conversation about Jalisa, I decided to investigate her instead. Today, I passed by her office and overheard a conversation between her and her father.”
Rayon leaned forward sharply.
“The king wants Denzel’s army.”