Chapter 103
RYKER’S POV
My gaze flickered to Vera and a guard from the dungeon speaking in hush tones, but I could hear the name Cassie, and the rest was barely audible despite my werewolf ability.
Never mind, I would get to the bottom of this.
Instead of going after her, I mind-linked Lief and Ezren to meet me in my study. My eyes briefly met theirs as they walked I, while my gaze went back to the screen before me. The video was live, and it showed Adam in his cell while Vera appeared to have entered the dungeon as her frame came into view on the cameras.
Interesting, Rider spoke, his eyes flashing forward as he wanted to have a glimpse of how this played out. Meanwhile, Lief and Ezren stood behind me quietly. Everyone’s focus was locked on the screen.
Then the guard brought Vera to Adam and opened the cell gates, and stepped away to monitor the perimeters.
“Adam,” Vera’s voice rang out from the video. His head, which was initially bowed, snapped up at the sound of her voice.
“You came,” His voice was hoarse and weak—evidence of the torture treatment he had been receiving.
“You asked for me.” She replied in a cold voice. Adam tried to stand up but winced at the flood of pain that rushed through his bones, and so he gave up.
Then Vera’s voice came out loud and clear. She sounded impatient. “Why did you ask for me? You need to hurry. I do not want anyone to find me here.” Her impatience must have sparked a fire in Adam because he suddenly flared and gave her a hateful glare.
“You tricked me, didn’t you?”
“What do you mean, I tricked you? You should have told me you always wanted to fuck that whore just like the other male wolves in the pack.”
“Stop your games, Vera, you forget I know you well.”
“Oh, please,” She hissed.
“She wasn’t supposed to be there waiting for me, and you know it. You told me to wait for you there. That was the plan—“
Vera scoffed, and Adam’s expression turned grave with shock.
“You set me up.” His voice was barely above a whisper.
“There’s no proof of that,” Vera replied coldly.
“And the pup—Vera, what happened to the child? Did you—“
Before he could continue what he intended, she stopped him impatiently.
“I have to go now, Adam. Here is not the place for this kind of discussion, nor is it the time. The entire pack is walking on ice right now.”
“Then, when is the time, Vera? I could die any moment. If not from the Alpha King’s torture, then from the verdict of being an accomplice to Lyra. But she didn’t do what you said she did, right?”
“Good bye Adam,”
“You bitch!” He yelled, but Vera had left the cell with hurried steps.
She was about to round the corner when Cassie suddenly grabbed her cell bar and glared at Vera with a sharp glint in her eyes that added to the madness in her appearance, causing Vera’s stride to falter.
“Your days are numbered, Vera.” She growled.
“Get lost bitch!” Vera snarled at her and continued walking away while Cassie’s crazed laughter followed like a haunting sound of ghosts.
I muted the video and stood up to face the men I trusted the most. My anger was simmering just at the surface as I turned to face them.
“You knew—you both knew. AND YOU KEPT THIS FROM ME???” My Alpha aura spilling out of me, they bent their head in submission, shaking at the power emanating from my bones.
“I apologize on our behalf, Alpha. Actually, Lief recently found out. I got a hint of the situation from Cassie, but there was no proof.”
“Proof of what?” My eyes narrowed as I had a feeling that it wasn’t going to be palatable.
“That Vera and Adam are lovers—I—I had no evidence of them in the act, and I didn’t want to come to you with just speculations and hearsay.”
I nodded, and my gaze flickered to Lief, who stood silently. His gaze, which always held a rock-hard expression, looked sad, more like disappointment in himself.
“I should have caught this sooner—the affair. But I didn’t understand why she would risk the crown she desperately wanted for an affair, and then I thought it was because you no longer fancied her, that you were always with Lyra, maybe that’s what drove her to seek pleasure elsewhere. But—“ He stopped. His Adam's apple bobbed like he was swallowing the pain that would come from whatever he was about to say next.
My eyes narrowed. “Just spill it, Lief, since it has gotten to this point. I will not listen to half-stories. I will get the truth today—FROM EVERYONE!”
“I think the baby might not be yours—Vera’s. I suspect she figured out the child got her this far—to get the throne, but once the child is born, you would recognize your heir by blood, and you’ll find out the truth. Also, since Lyra being your mate also poses as a threat, what better way to get Lyra out of the picture, and also the man with whom she had an affair with using the baby. It was quite convenient for her to have requested that Lyra be released from the Luna chambers when you locked her in there. It was also quite convenient to personally request Lyra to bring the drink that contained Wolfsbane to trigger a miscarriage.”
Recognition dawned while he spoke as he analyzed the situation.
“And, What about Adam and Lyra? What was the point of having them in the same room when she already had Lyra in her clutches?”
“You are right, Alpha. Nessa mentioned to me that Lyra told her that Vera offered a way out. I believe it was a false escape to trick her into the plan she had set to get her caught in a compromising situation with Adam.” Ezren replied and turned to look at Lief.
“I think Lief is right.” His eyes turned to face me with an expression of bewilderment.
“Fuck! The truth had been glaring at us the whole time, and we didn’t see it.” He cursed as he looked between Lief and me.