The evening air in Silver Moon Palace was heavy with anticipation. The full moon had waned, but the echoes of Kael and Lyria's garden encounter still lingered, stirring whispers and unease among the concubines and servants.
Kael Draven stood in the grand dining hall, amber eyes scanning the long table laid with silver platters, glimmering crystal, and the scent of exotic spices drifting in the air. He had called this dinner deliberately—an attempt to ease the simmering tension among his wives and concubines.
"Tonight," Kael announced, voice firm yet calm, "we dine together as a pack. Let this meal remind everyone that loyalty and respect are stronger than jealousy."
The concubines murmured among themselves, eyes darting toward one another, while Lady Isolde lifted her chin, expression unreadable. Lyria, seated discreetly near Kael, met his gaze with a subtle smile, heart still fluttering from the night in the garden.
Riven flanked Kael, ever alert, while Darian, Thorne, and Kieran lingered in the shadows, sensing every shift, every flicker of movement.
Unknown to Kael, Serina had received intelligence about the dinner from her maid, Selena, who had been quietly observing Lyria's movements earlier that day. The plan had formed swiftly in Serina's mind: tonight, she would poison Lyria, removing the obstacle that threatened her claim to influence over the Alpha.
"Selena," Serina hissed as she adjusted her robes, dark eyes gleaming with malicious intent, "ensure the wine reaches her hands. Do not fail me. This child… this maid… cannot take what is mine."
Selena inclined her head, her loyalty bound to Serina's scheming, slipping quietly through the hall to prepare the poisoned goblet.
Dinner began smoothly, Kael's commanding presence easing the tension as he engaged each concubine in conversation, laughter ringing occasionally through the hall. Lyria sat composed but alert, noting the subtle glances and unspoken murmurs around her.
Kael reached across the table, lifting her goblet. "Drink, Lyria. Tonight is about unity, about harmony."
As the goblet touched her lips, a subtle shift in the air made Lyria hesitate—a faint unease that only she could sense. Before she could act, Iolde, unaware of the contents, reached for the same goblet, lifting it gracefully.
"Kael, may I?" she asked, voice sweet but laden with an edge of mischief.
Kael, preoccupied with conversation and the careful management of the table, nodded. "Be my guest."
Iolde drank deeply, a satisfied smile crossing her face. Lyria's breath caught, realization dawning too late. The subtle aura of poison that Selena had slipped into the wine coursed toward its unintended victim.
Chaos erupted in silence and glances. Iolde's expression flickered as her face paled, eyes widening. Kael's amber gaze snapped to her instantly, wolf instincts roaring through his veins.
"Iolde!" Kael barked, rising from his seat. Lyria was on her feet in an instant, rushing to intercept, while Riven, Darian, Thorne, and Kieran moved like shadows, surrounding her, assessing the threat.
Iolde's eyes glazed slightly, and she collapsed into the arms of her attendants. Kael caught her with precision, setting her down on a nearby chaise while ordering, "Healer. Now."
Lyria's heart pounded, furious but composed. "Alpha, she's the one—Serina's plot!"
Kael's jaw tightened, amber eyes darkening with controlled fury. "I should have anticipated this. Selene—now!"
Selena froze, realizing her misstep, while Serina's eyes burned with impotent rage. The plan had backfired spectacularly. Iolde, intended as the pawn to strike Lyria, had drunk the poison herself.
Kael's wolf growled low, muscles coiling. "No one harms what is mine—or those under my protection." He looked at Lyria, whose expression was both worried and fierce. "You are safe. And tonight has proven the lengths some will go to disrupt the pack. We will respond accordingly."
The healer arrived, quickly assessing Iolde and neutralizing the poison, though the lesson had been seared into everyone present. Kael returned to his seat, amber eyes sweeping the hall with silent command. Serina's smirk faltered, the first hint that her carefully laid plans were crumbling.