Chapter 4

Luca, who had been lying on the floor looking half-dead, snapped back to life at those words.

He scrambled to the bowl and dipped his hand in, then shouted too.

"Alpha King! Serena is right! This water tastes sharp and acidic. Something is wrong with it!"

"The Pack's herbal records document this — certain minerals dissolved in water will cause any two drops of blood to merge, regardless of whether they share a bloodline. It doesn't matter whose blood it is. They will always merge in this water."

"Alpha King, please verify this yourself!"

The Former Luna stepped forward, her voice flat.

"Serena. The evidence is right in front of you. If you keep making excuses, you'll only add to your guilt and drag the Colton family down with you."

But the two attendants who had come with me didn't listen to her. They both knelt in front of me, drew their own blood with a small tool, and let both drops fall into the bowl.

In front of hundreds of eyes, those two drops — from two people with no blood connection at all — slowly drifted together and merged completely.

The killing intent in Damien's eyes was close to spilling over.

He turned to Flynn and gave a sharp order.

"Flynn! Get clean water yourself!"

"You watch every step. No one touches it. Bring three bowls. If a single thing gets into that water, I'll have your head."

"Yes, Alpha King!"

Flynn didn't waste a second. He turned and ran.

Vera's legs gave out. She crumpled to the floor, mouth trembling, unable to get a word out.

Within minutes, Flynn came back carrying three white bowls with sealed tops.

"Alpha King! Clean water, here! I kept my eyes on it the entire time. No one touched them!"

Damien waved his hand.

"Take my blood. Take the Alpha Heir's blood. Into this bowl. Verify."

A lancet flashed. Two drops of blood fell into the bowl one after another.

In front of hundreds of eyes, those two drops slowly drew together and merged completely.

The tension in Damien's shoulders dropped.

The breath I had been holding in my throat finally released. Tears ran down my face before I could stop them.

Then Damien pointed at the second bowl.

"Take the Alpha Heir's blood. Take Luca's blood. Into this bowl. Verify again."

This time, the two drops stayed completely apart in the clear water. Even when the bowl was gently tilted, they refused to merge.

The truth was out.

I looked at those two separate drops in the water and collapsed. I sat on the ground, tears falling without stopping.

The Pack Enforcers drew their weapons simultaneously and surrounded Vera where she had fallen.

Damien's voice was severe.

"Vera. What do you have to say for yourself?"

Vera fainted on the spot and crashed backward to the floor.

At that moment, Eleanor walked quickly down from her seat.

She shouted at the guards who were still pinning me and ordered them to release me.

The guards stepped back. Two attendants helped me to my feet.

Eleanor took the Alpha Heir from the nurse-maid's arms and gently rocked the bundle, cooing softly. She looked at the baby's sleeping face.

"My grandchild. I'm so sorry."

She turned to her personal attendant and spoke with no room for argument.

"Take the Alpha Heir to my wing. Keep him safe. Get him away from this mess. Don't let any of this reach the child's ears."

The attendant bowed and carried the infant away quickly.

With the child settled, Eleanor turned and fixed her cold gaze on Damien.

"Look at what you nearly let happen. You are the Alpha King of this Pack, and you almost let a palace schemer and a troublemaking outsider trick you into killing your own child and destroying the Ravencroft bloodline."

"This Pack has too many rats. It's past time you cleaned it out."

Damien agreed without hesitation.

A moment later, ice-cold water was poured over Vera's head. She jolted and opened her eyes.

She woke to the gleam of drawn blades. Dozens of Pack Enforcers had surrounded her with weapons out. The cold light turned her face white.

"Awake?"

Damien sat in his seat, his voice flat.

"Vera Colton. You fabricated evidence against an Alpha Heir and deceived the Alpha King. What do you have to say?"

Vera shook hard and crawled to her knees.

"Alpha King! I was set up! Someone drugged me and I didn't know what I was saying!"

"It was the Luna! The Luna put me up to it!"

The hall erupted.

Vivienne's face turned white. She shot to her feet and dropped to her knees, her eyes instantly wet.

"Alpha King! I am innocent!"

"I have always worked to serve you and protect the Pack. I have never done anything wrong."

"I'm being accused by a woman who fabricated evidence against an Alpha Heir. I beg the Alpha King to defend my name."

The Pack's high-ranking She-Wolves all knelt, speaking one after another.

"Alpha King, Luna Vivienne is kind and loyal. She would never do something like this."

"Vera is about to be punished and she's trying to drag the Luna down with her. It only adds to her guilt."

Vera grew more frantic. She clawed her way forward on hands and knees.

"It's the truth! Luna Vivienne met with me privately multiple times!"

"She told me that once Serena had an Alpha Heir, she would never need me as her mother anymore. She said Serena and the Guard had been seen spending time together, and told me to expose it publicly."

Vivienne sobbed hard, pressing her forehead to the floor until it left a red mark.

"Alpha King! Vera is lying! I never met with her privately!"

"She knows she's facing punishment and she's trying to take me down with her!"