The Blackfang Alphas and Slaves

Chapter 9

Nia’s POV

The moment I hear Kai is still alive, my entire body goes rigid with disbelief.

How? How is he not writhing in pain, coughing up blood until his body finally gives out?

I had imagined it so perfectly, the way his body would slump over, the way his arrogant smirk would fade into nothingness. I even saw myself watching from the shadows, waiting until I was sure he was dead before slipping away undetected, victorious.

But no.

The bastard still lives.

I pace back and forth in my room, chewing my nails in frustration.

Did I put too little poison? No, impossible. It was enough to kill a full-grown wolf instantly.

Then… someone must have interfered.

Lucan.

That damn Beta is always in the way.

A sharp knock on my door makes me jolt. Before I can even respond, my mother pushes her way inside, her face twisted with fury.

“What have you done?” Lady Seraphine hisses, shutting the door behind her. “Are you out of your mind?”

I scoff. “You should be thanking me, Mother. I almost got rid of that spoiled brat for good.”

“Almost isn’t good enough!” she snaps. “Do you have any idea what will happen if we’re caught? You think your father’s punishments are brutal? Try treason against the future Alpha!”

I roll my eyes. “Relax. No one suspects me.”

Seraphine pinches the bridge of her nose, exhaling sharply.

“You’re reckless, Nia,” she mutters. “We have to be careful. He’s only two moons away from his official crowning, and once that happens, his power will be untouchable.”

I cross my arms. “Then we kill him before that happens.”

She narrows her eyes, studying me for a moment.

Then, to my surprise, she smirks.

“I was hoping you’d say that.”

An Alliance of Hatred

Half an hour later, I find myself seated in my mother’s chamber, across from the other two wives of the Alpha, Lady Vanya and Lady Ilara.

Vanya, the second wife, is calculating and ruthless. She’s always been a strategist, someone who plays the long game. She watches everything with cold, sharp eyes, always looking for weaknesses to exploit.

Then there’s Ilara, the youngest wife, and perhaps the most dangerous of us all. She’s deceptive, hiding her venom beneath a veil of innocence and charm.

She twirls a strand of golden hair around her fingers, looking bored but amused.

“So,” she hums, “Nia’s little attempt at murder failed. And now we’re all here to… what? Try again?”

I glare at her. “At least I had the guts to make a move.”

Vanya sighs. “Enough, both of you. The point is, Kai is still alive, and we only have two moons left before he’s officially crowned as the next Origin Alpha.”

Seraphine nods. “If we don’t act now, we’ll lose our chance forever.”

Ilara leans forward, resting her chin on her palm. “And what exactly is the plan this time? Another poisoning? A staged accident?” She grins. “Oh, how about framing him for a crime so severe that even his father can’t protect him?”

I raise an eyebrow. “That’s actually… not a bad idea.”

Vanya smirks. “But we’ll need something big. Something that would force the Alpha to strip him of his title before the coronation.”

A wicked idea begins to form in my mind, and judging by the gleam in my mother’s eyes, she’s thinking the same thing.

“We don’t just need to frame him,” I say slowly. “We need to turn the entire pack against him.”

A Plan Set in Motion

By the time our meeting ends, the foundation of our plan is set.

It won’t be as simple as poisoning a drink—no, this time, we need something that would cause irreversible damage.

We need Kai to be seen as a monster.

And we know exactly how to do it.

As I leave my mother’s chamber, I feel a thrill of excitement course through me.

Kai might have survived once, but he won’t survive again.

This time, I’ll make sure of it.

The plan is simple, but the execution has to be flawless.

Kai is strong, fearless, and loved by some, but he’s also reckless, arrogant, and hated by many. If we push him in the right direction, he’ll destroy himself before the coronation even happens.

And the best part?

His own pack will turn against him.

I sit on my bed, rolling a small dagger between my fingers as I go over every step in my mind. This time, there’s no room for mistakes.

I need people, the right people to make this work.

What about framing Kai for murder, but I think that will be too obvious. He’s already reckless enough, but it would be too easy for his father to clean up his mess and protect him.

No.

We need something that will leave a permanent stain on his name, something so unforgivable that even the Alpha himself can’t undo the damage.

If we can make it look like Kai is working against the pack, that he’s conspiring with enemies, then his father won’t have a choice. He’ll be forced to strip Kai of his title, maybe even banish him.

And if he’s banished, he’s as good as dead.

I need four types of people to make this plan work.

A Spy. Someone inside the palace who can watch Kai’s movements and leak information.

A Fighter. Someone to create a fake battle scene, to make it look like Kai was caught dealing with the enemy.

A Witness. Someone to spread the rumors and make people believe it’s true.

A Scapegoat. Someone to take the fall in case things don’t go as planned.

And I already know exactly who to use.

The first person I go to is Garrik. He’s one of Kai’s closest warriors or at least, he used to be. But after Kai humiliated him in front of the entire training ground a few weeks ago, Garrik has been seeking revenge.

I find him at the barracks, sharpening his sword.

“You still hate him, don’t you?” I say, leaning against the doorway.

Garrik doesn’t even look up. “What do you want, Nia?”

I smirk. “A chance to get even.”

He pauses for a moment, then finally lifts his eyes to meet mine. There’s curiosity there, but also hesitation.

“What’s in it for me?” he asks. I step closer, lowering my voice.

“When this is over,” I whisper, “you’ll be the new Beta.” That gets his attention.

He grips his sword tightly, his eyes darkening with interest.

“I’m listening.”

Next, I go to Iven, a low-ranked warrior with a habit of gambling and a mountain of debt. He’s desperate for money, and desperation makes people easy to control.

“I’ll clear your debt,” I tell him, “but you’ll have to play your part perfectly.”

He nods before even asking what the job is.

Fool.

The next person is Mariel, one of the Omega servants in the palace. She’s quiet, unnoticed, and the perfect spy.

I find her in the kitchen, stirring a pot of stew.

“You owe me a favor,” I say casually.

She freezes but doesn’t argue.

“What do you need?” she asks, her voice barely above a whisper.

I smile. “Just listen. And report back to me.”

And finally, for the scapegoat, someone to take the fall in case things get messy, I choose Lioran, a rogue who’s been lurking near the borders. He’s already an outsider, and if things go wrong, we can pin everything on him.

With my team in place, it’s time to set the trap.

Kai won’t even see it coming.