SIXTY EIGHT

SIXTY EIGHT
CAMILLE'S POV

A vial was opened, and one of the glasses was tainted. I watched as Milana drank from it, only for her body to falter moments later.

Eva grinned sadistically as Milana struggled for her life, doing nothing to help, seemingly reveling in the torture until the poor girl drew her last breath.

As if that wasn't enough, Eva, with the help of her servant, carried Milana's body to her room, acting as if Milana was simply blackout drunk before proceeding to hang her after breaking her neck to make the story more believable.

There was likely more, but Eva shoved away my hands before I could uncover any more of her atrocities.

"Don't you dare touch me," she warned, walking away.

I was appalled. She had just taken a life, yet she acted as if nothing had changed. What kind of evil was she?

"You killed her?" The words stumbled out of my mouth, my shock palpable.

Eva paused, glancing back at me. "What?"

Now she had the audacity to feign ignorance. I approached her, grabbing her by the collar of her shirt. "You killed Milana."

Her eyes widened momentarily before she quickly adjusted her demeanor. I could almost read her mind.

"There's no way she knows. How could she know?"

I swallowed, trying to calm my racing heart. "Why... Why would you take someone's life?"

"You sound mad, Camille," Eva retorted, meeting my gaze evenly. "Why would I kill Milana? She was my friend."

"Was she?!" My voice rose, drawing unwanted attention. But I couldn't contain my outrage. "Because I can't think of any reason why you would poison her wine, break her neck, and hang her! What was the reason? What did she ever do to you?"

Eva maintained her composed facade, but I could detect a flicker of unease in her eyes. She glanced around briefly before responding in a controlled tone.

"Is this what it's come to? Shifting blame because you can't handle the consequences of your actions? Playing the victim?"

Her words oozed with deceit, igniting a fire of rage within me. How could she stand there and lie so convincingly after what I had witnessed?

"You expect me to believe that?" I spat, tightening my grip on her collar. "I saw you poison her! I watched you watch her die!"

Eva's facade wavered for a moment before she regained her composure. "You're delusional, Camille. Perhaps the shock and guilt of witnessing such a tragic accident are clouding your judgment."

She attempted to pry my fingers from her shirt, but I held on tightly, fueled by spite.

"You're a monster," I seethed. "And I won't rest until everyone knows the truth."

With an angry sigh, Eva forcibly pushed me away, straightening her clothing with a haughty demeanor. "Yes, tell Dimitri you think Milana was murdered. Tell him you think her suicide was orchestrated. See how sane you sound to a grieving Lycan."

A dry chuckle escaped me. "So that's why you did it. You killed Milana to drive a wedge between Dimitri and me, to use his guilt to torture him and in turn, torture me. Is that why you took her life?"

She didn't answer, likely pondering how I uncovered her dirty secret so quickly. But she was careful not to let her facade falter.

"I refuse to listen to your madness," she retorted, attempting to leave once more.

But I refused to back down. I grabbed her by the hair before she could turn away again, watching her wince and struggle against my grip. Despite her attempts to free herself, I held on tightly, feeling her nails dig into my hands. But these were only mortal wounds, capable of being healed. Milana's death, however, was permanent.

"If you're capable of this monstrosity, what else have you done? Was Hector right about you? Did you infect him that time?"

Eva's facade seemed to crumble, her expression shifting to one of malice.

"Let's play your game, sister. What if I infected Hector? What if I murdered Milana? What happens now? Hector is fine now, and Milana... She's dead. Dead women tell no tales. Your bond with Dimitri might have deceived you into thinking you're important to him, but a bond can only get you so far."

"Are you confessing?" I demanded.

Eva snorted. "You're reaching, and I'm painting your picture perfectly. Let's continue. If I'm this big bad wolf as you believe, why am I committing these sins? For what purpose would they serve?"

Me. I was the object of her desire, her obsession likely knowing no bounds. She had already admitted it. Eva wanted my life and was green with envy, believing all good things came easily to me. She didn't know my identity when I first arrived, but she must have harmed Hector because of the attention my healing abilities garnered and how it brought me closer to Dimitri. After my identity was exposed, my mate bond with Dimitri became an open secret. Milana was killed because Eva couldn't drive a wedge between us while she was alive. Eva must have believed it would be possible with Milana dead.

"I always wondered why you never took up the title of Luna of the Lily of the Valley pack officially. I mean, I was declared dead for five years. You had every opportunity to claim what you believed I stole from you. But you didn't. You were here, a guest of the Lycans, because of your little crush on Dimitri. Is that why you're committing these crimes? Punishing Hector when I healed him. Punishing Milana when Dimitri made his choice. Nothing grand. Just a worthless woman fighting for the attention of a man who will never look her way twice."

Eva's eyes gleamed with twisted amusement. "Is that a challenge?"

Now she wasn't even hiding it.

"No," I shook my head. "The challenge is this. You've failed again. There will be no wedge between my mate and me. But that's not all. I promise to bring you to justice for killing Milana. A life for a life."

She scoffed, shaking her head mockingly. "You underestimate me, sister. I won't sit back and watch. I'll fight as well. I always come out on top. And as for my 'sins,' well, they're just a means to an end. You know what they say. Dreamers are selfish."

Her callous disregard for human life fueled my anger, but I forced myself to remain calm. I released her hair and smiled, aiming to rattle her.

That facade of peace she maintained was crumbling.

"I'll make sure justice is served," I vowed. "You will pay for your crimes."

Eva simply smirked, her confidence unwavering. "Good luck with that," she taunted before turning on her heel and striding away.

My morning was supposed to be about visiting Ophelia with what I now knew about the Galdina curse. But this was pressing, and there was only one person on my mind. Someone who likely knew Eva best. Someone who could easily be on my side now, considering his apparent disdain for Eva.

My first mate. Hector Menard.