Chapter 44: Chapter 44

Marcus's POV

I sat in the council room, staring at the table, my eyes fixed towards it like something serious was happening there.

Five elders stared back at me, their faces hard, like I'm sitting before the judges.

Elder Rowan leaned forward, gray hair, deep wrinkles and his cold eyes. "Alpha Marcus, the evidence is clear. The assassin's payment came from your account, how do we clear that?"

"That's impossible," I said, my voice came out flat, raising my head up and staring at all of them in the room.

"Impossible?" Elder Mira raised an eyebrow. "Ethan brought the records, your signature in it and your seal."

I slammed my hand on the table. "I didn't hire anyone to kill Ethan!"

"Then explain the payment, and those evidence he brought," Elder Rowan said in return.

My jaw clenched. Think, Marcus. Think.

"Lila," I said finally. "It was Lila, maybe she did it."

The elders exchanged glances at each other.

"Lila Shadowvale?" Elder Mira's voice was skeptical. "The woman who just died? The supposed Luna? How could that be?"

"Yes." I sat up straighter. "She had access to my accounts, my seal and everything, maybe she did or those things were forged!" I looked each elder in the eye. "Right there she is accused to be a witch, you all saw it tonight, the changes in her body. She manipulated me from the beginning and I never knew! I thought…… I thought she is a beta wolf!"

"That's convenient," Elder Rowan said. "Blaming a dead woman for the evidence, how do you allow a lady to have access to all your personnel when she hasn't been given the succession?"

"It's the truth!" My voice rose. “She was accused of a lot! Of poisoning Sophia's father, that she tried to frame Sophia, so it's possible she hired the assassin and made it look like I did it." I leaned forward.

"I found out the truth tonight, at the ceremony. That's why I was angry, but I wanted to finish the succession first and handle it privately after."

Silence. Everywhere went silent.

Elder Mira studied me for a while. "You expect us to believe you knew nothing about all this accusations?"

"I knew she was ambitious, ruthless even and never loved Sophia because I loved Sophia." I spread my hands. "But a witch? Using dark magic to get what she wants? Hiring assassins?" I shook my head. "I had no idea about those ones!"

Another elder spoke up. Younger. Elder Kane. "The evidence…"

"Was planted by her," I cut him off. "She used me. Made me look guilty so if anything went wrong, I'd take the fall."

More silence.

Elder Rowan's eyes narrowed. "This is a serious accusation, Alpha Marcus."

"And hiring an assassin to kill another Alpha isn't?" I shot back. "I'm telling you the truth, Lila did this, not me."

The elders whispered among themselves, in low voices, I couldn't hear what they said.

Finally, Elder Rowan looked at me. "We'll investigate further, but until then, you're not to leave Shadowmoon territory. Understood?"

My hands curled into fists under the table. "Understood."

"You're dismissed," Elder Mira said.

I stood, walked to the door. Every step felt heavy.

"Alpha Marcus," Elder Rowan called.

I stopped, I didn't turn around.

"If we find proof you're lying, the consequences will be severe."

I didn't answer, I just left.

The hallway was empty, cold and my footsteps echoed.

Lila!

That bitch.

She'd played me, used me and made a fool of me in front of everyone. The plan was simply to get Sophia back! I never knew she went far. And for Ethan? I thought he should be dead by now, how did he survive that wolfsbane? Those idiots didn't do a great job!

And Sophia, gosh! I don't love her anymore. But I still need her back. I need to prove to her and Ethan that I, Marcus Blackthorn can pull anything, anyone I wanted.

This was all her fault. If she'd just stayed. If she'd just accepted that we belonged together. None of this would've happened.

But no. She had to leave. Had to run to Ethan. Had to ruin everything for me!

I loved her, more than I'd ever loved anyone, more than Lila. More than anything, but all I wished I accepted the truth earlier. Maybe Lila couldn't come to me.

Lila was supposed to be a tool. A way to make Sophia jealous. To bring her back to me, every plan I made with Lila was meant to push Sophia back into my arms.

But it all fell apart, every single plan. I never knew she was using me to accomplish her own plans.

And now Lila was dead, Sophia hated me and I was being questioned like a criminal.

My wolf, Hugo, was silent. Weak. Ever since Sophia rejected us, he'd been fading. And now with everything else, he barely responded anymore.

I was alone.

I turned a corner, the hall where they'd laid out Lila's body.

Guards stood at the entrance. They bowed when they saw me.

"Leave," I said.

They hesitated.

"I said leave!" My voice came out as a growl.

They scattered.

I walked into the hall, it was quiet. Dark except for candles around the platform where Lila lay.

She looked peaceful. Pale. Beautiful even in death.

I stood over her, stared down at that face.

"You ruined me," I said quietly. "You played me like a fool."

No response, obviously, I wasn't expecting one from a dead witch!

"A witch." I laughed. Bitter. "All this time, a fucking witch."

My hands curled into fists. Anger burned in my chest. Hot. Consuming.

She'd used me. Manipulated me. Made me hire assassins. Made me look guilty.

And now she was gone and I was left to clean up her mess.

I should've seen it. Should've known something was wrong. But I'd been so focused on getting Sophia back that I ignored all the signs.

Stupid.

I was about to turn away when I saw it.

Her hand, it moved.

Just a twitch, which is barely noticeable, but I saw it.

I froze or was I hallucinating? I stared at her hand, this time nothing, it was completely still.

My heart pounded. Did I imagine it? I leaned closer, watching and waiting to see if it could move again.

Nothing!

"You're alive," I breathed.

Playing dead. Of course. The poison didn't kill her. She faked it.

My hands shook. From anger. From betrayal.

She'd fooled everyone. Again.

I grabbed her shoulder. Shook her hard. "Wake up!"

Nothing.

A dead witch can't be living in my palace! I hated Lila now for everything she did to me, the humiliation I faced!

Thoughts ran through me.

The dawn pit!

Every pack had one, a massive hole in the ground where we dumped refuse, waste, and it's filled with sinking water, where things we wanted gone forever are thrown into.

Perfect.

I turned and walked to the door. Threw it open.

"You!" I pointed at a guard. "Get four men, bring Lila's body to the dawn pit."

The guard's eyes widened. "Alpha? The dawn pit? But we were preparing for a proper burial.."

"Did I ask for your opinion?" I snapped.

"No, Alpha. I just…"

"Then do as I say. Take her body to the dawn pit and throw it in. Now."

The guard hesitated. Then bowed. "Yes, Alpha."

He hurried off.

I looked back at Lila's still form one last time.

"You wanted to play games," I said quietly. "Now you'll pay for it."

I walked out, my footsteps heavy, filled with anger.