Chapter 7
1527 Words
SELENE
“Take off the mask,” Zarek said again, this time colder.
The woman hesitated, her fingers shaking slightly before they rose to the edge of the black veil. I could hear my own breath. The tension in the room felt like it could snap my spine.
She peeled it back slowly.
Underneath wasn’t some stranger. It was a maid I recognized from earlier that morning. One of the kitchen hands—I’d seen her placing cutlery, smiling faintly when she thought no one noticed.
Zarek’s eyes narrowed. “Anna?”
Her hands trembled now, but she nodded.
“What the hell were you doing in here with your face covered?” he asked, his voice tight.
Anna looked down. “I… I wasn’t feeling fine. I didn’t want the Luna to see my face looking like this.”
I stepped forward. “You’re sick?”
She nodded again, barely meeting my gaze. “Fever. I just didn’t want to be sent away.”
“You should’ve stayed in bed,” I said softly, watching her closely. “You don’t have to stress yourself. You’re not helping anyone if you collapse in the hallway.”
Her lip trembled. “I’m sorry, Luna.”
Zarek turned to one of the guards posted just outside the hall. “Have the healer check on her immediately. And keep her off duties until she’s well.”
Anna bowed deeply, murmured another apology, and left quickly with the guard.
As soon as the door clicked shut, I turned to Zarek. “Something about that felt… off.”
“You think she was lying?”
“I don’t know.” I rubbed my arm. “Why lie about being sick, though? Unless she was doing something worse.”
He stepped forward, cupping my face. “Whatever it was, she didn’t get the chance to do it. I walked in at the right time.”
“But what if you hadn’t?”
His jaw clenched. “Let me handle that. Just get some rest.”
I nodded slowly. He leaned in, pressed a quick kiss to my forehead, then left the room.
And I laid down, but my eyes refused to close.
——
Back in Evelyn’s quarters, the candlelight flickered across her sharp features.
“You failed?” she asked, her voice almost a whisper. But the tension underneath could split stone.
Anna knelt on the rug, head bowed. “I’m sorry, Beta. I tried.”
“You tried?” Evelyn echoed, her tone dry. “Is that what we’re calling failure now? Trying?”
“I was caught,” Anna said quickly. “Alpha Zarek came in before—”
“Before you could murder the Luna?”
Anna’s mouth opened, then shut. No words came.
Evelyn rolled her eyes and leaned back in her chair. “This is the second time I’ve attempted to kill her. Both times, you all have found new creative ways to screw it up.”
Anna trembled harder. “Please…”
“I should gut you where you kneel,” Evelyn said calmly. “But I won’t. Because I need someone to clean the blood when I finally deal with her myself.”
She stood abruptly and walked over to the full-length mirror. Her reflection stared back with the same cold confidence that ruled her voice.
“Beta…” her other maid, Loretta, stepped forward cautiously. “The Alpha doesn’t know you’ve returned yet.”
“I’ll tell him I came back today,” Evelyn said with a smile. “I’ll spin it into some emotional excuse. Missed my home, missed my Alpha. That sort of thing.”
Loretta didn’t speak. Just bowed her head.
Evelyn turned, picked up a velvet pouch from her table, and walked out. “He thinks she’s worthy to be Luna? Let’s see what happens when I meet this replacement of his.”
——
I was just beginning to doze off when Zarek returned.
He closed the door quietly behind him, then walked to my side and sat at the edge of the bed.
“Feeling better?” he asked.
“A bit,” I murmured.
“Good,” he said. Then glanced at the door. “You have another guest.”
Before I could even sit up, the door opened—and in walked a woman dressed in a deep green cloak, her long black curls tumbling over her shoulders, red lips curled into a familiar, practiced smile.
“Alpha,” she said smoothly.
“Didn’t know you came back,” Zarek said, standing up a little too quickly.
“I wanted it to be a surprise,” Evelyn said, eyes twinkling. “But imagine my shock when I return and find out a Luna celebration happened without me being invited.”
She reached out and grabbed his hand lightly. Too familiarly.
He shifted uncomfortably.
“This is Selene,” Zarek said quickly.
I stood. “Nice to meet you.”
Evelyn looked at me, really looked, and then her smile curved slightly wider.
“Is she the new Luna?” she asked, eyes still fixed on me. “Isn’t she the former Luna of the Silvermist pack?”
“She is,” Zarek confirmed, voice tight.
“What a twist,” Evelyn said, turning toward me. “We’ll be great friends, won’t we?”
I kept my expression calm. “I was hoping to make new friends.”
“Perfect,” Evelyn said, reaching into her cloak. “Before I go, I wanted to give you something. A small gift.”
She pulled out a small, framed painting.
“The moon,” she said. “Isn’t it beautiful?”
I took it hesitantly. “Thank you.”
The moment my fingers touched the glass, a strange warmth radiated from it.
Zarek stepped closer. “What is it made of?”
“Just something I picked up from the eastern coven markets,” Evelyn said breezily. “Blessed by witches. Supposed to bring clarity and strength.”
He took it from my hands gently. “I’ll have the healer inspect it.”
Evelyn’s smile faltered for half a second—but only for a second.
“Of course,” she said, then leaned forward to kiss Zarek’s cheek. “We’ll catch up later.”
And then she was gone.
Zarek placed the frame down on the side table and looked at me.
“Are you okay?”
“Just tired,” I said truthfully. But my fingers itched. “Alpha, who is she? And do you trust her?”
He didn’t answer immediately.
Then he exhaled. “I used to. She was a good beta, not until she changed because I didn’t choose her as my Luna and now that I chose you, I am sure she will be very furious now.”
That said everything.
——
Down the hallway, Evelyn was already back in her room, her fingers curled around a glass of red wine.
Loretta appeared in the doorway. “Will it work?”
“Oh, it’ll work,” Evelyn said smoothly. “No wolf can survive that toxin. Not even a blessed one.”
Loretta’s brow creased. “But… the Alpha. What if he stays in her room tonight?”
“If he dies with her,” Evelyn said, sipping her wine, “then they can be buried together. A poetic ending to a foolish romance.”
Loretta looked down. “Understood.”
“Soon, Selene will feel dizzy. Then weak. Then pain will crawl into her bones and squeeze the life out of her. By morning…” Evelyn smiled wider. “She’ll be gone.”
——
Back in the bedroom, I shifted under the covers. My fingers still tingled where I’d touched the moon painting.
Zarek stood by the window, phone pressed to his ear.
“Yes. I need a sample test done immediately… no, not just magical residue. Poison. Herbs, roots, toxins—everything.”
A pause.
Then, “Bring it now. And don’t say a word to anyone. Especially not Evelyn.”
He hung up and turned toward me. I saw it in his eyes—he was worried.
“What did they say?” I asked.
“They’ll check it soon. Until then, don’t touch that frame again.”
I nodded. Then a sudden chill crawled up my spine.
And I knew.
Something was wrong.
“Zarek…”
He crossed the room instantly. “What is it?”
“My stomach…” I winced. “Something’s not right.”
He placed a hand on my forehead. “You’re burning.”
Just then—another knock came at the door.
Zarek tensed, and I saw his wolf flash in his eyes.
The scent on the other side of the door wasn’t familiar.
It wasn’t pack.
“Who is it?” he growled.
A pause. Nobody responded.
Zarek stepped back from the door slowly.
His voice dropped to a whisper. “Selene. Whatever happens… stay behind me.”
“I just arrived and things are already happening to me?” I muttered under my breath.
And then he opened the door.
- Writer
