Rylan’s POV_
Alexandra sagged in the chair. Her chest was rising and falling fast. Her lips were wet from the elixir I had just forced her to drink. Her wrists strained against the rope, but I had tied them tight. Her eyes darted between me, Jared, and Alex, all wide with fear and disbelief.
I stared at her in silence for a long moment. My breath was still heavy from the adrenaline. My hands were trembling even though I tried to steady them.
“Tell me the truth,” I said quietly and stepped closer. “Why did you spike my drink? What did you gain by creating a rift between me and Lisa?”
Alexandra’s lips trembled. Her mouth opened slightly, but no sound came out. Then she
shook her head.
“I didn’t do it,” she said quickly. “Rylan, you’re wrong. I’m innocent. You’re accusing me, but I’m
not the one who hurt you. I swear.”
My jaw clenched. For a second, doubt flickered through me.
Avarok… is the potion working? I asked.
Wait, my wolf growled. It should. Maybe she’s fighting it. Try again. Push her.
I took a deep breath, then leaned down, locking eyes with her.
“Admit it,” I said, firmer this time. “You were the one who spiked my drink. You planted that woman in my room to make Lisa think I cheated. It was all you.”
Her expression changed instantly.
The tension drained from her face. Her eyes clouded, as if a fog had passed over them. Her lips parted again.
“Yes,” she said slowly. “I’m the one who did it.”
Jared cursed under his breath.
Alexandra sagged against the ropes, as if a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders.
“I did it all,” she whispered. “The drink. The woman. Everything.”
My heart twisted inside my chest. I had heard her say it. But still, I couldn’t believe it.
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“Why?” I asked, voice low. “Why would you do something like this to your own brother? What did you gain from it?”
Tears filled her eyes. “I didn’t want to,” she said. “I was forced to. I was helpless. I’m sorry, Rylan. I had no choice.”
“Forced?” I repeated. “By who? Who the hell forced you to betray me like this?”
She swallowed hard. “A dangerous man. He kidnapped my mate. He told me that if I didn’t do what he said, he would hurt him. Kill him. I… I couldn’t let that happen.”
My eyes widened. “Your mate? You met your mate already?”
She nodded slowly. There was shame all over her face. “Yes. I met him weeks ago. But before I could tell you or anyone else… that man came. He took him. He said I had to follow orders or else…”
I stepped back and shook my head. “Why didn’t you come to me? Why didn’t you tell me the truth then? I would have helped you!”
“I was scared!” she cried. “I didn’t know what to do. He contacted me from a private number. He always wore sunglasses when he showed up. I never saw his real face. But he knew everything. Everything about our pack. About you. About Lisa. He was always two steps
ahead.”
I could feel my blood turning cold.
“So you helped him? You did what he said. You poisoned me and destroyed the only thing
that mattered to me.”
“I didn’t know it would go that far!” she shouted. “He just said to make sure Lisa caught you in bed with another woman. That it would drive her away. That it was important.”
“Important to what? His plan?”
She nodded. “He said Lisa needed to be removed from your life. That she had to go
somewhere else.”
I stared at her. My hands were shaking again.
“So… you let that woman go? The one Jared caught? The one he locked in the cellar?”
Alexandra turned her face away.
“Yes,” she whispered. “He told me to. She was one of his workers.”
Jared let out a furious growl. “I should have known.”
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I stepped forward again. My voice was low and hard. “Where is your mate now?”
“He is safe,” she said quickly. “At his house. The man kept his promise. After everything was done, he let him go.”
I breathed in slowly, trying to calm myself. It didn’t help.
“Where is Lisa?” I asked, my voice barely more than a whisper.
Alexandra hesitated.
I shouted, “WHERE IS LISA?!”
She flinched. “She’s at the Shadowrune Pack.”
I froze.
Shadowrune.
That was far. Very far away.
“Why would you take her there?” I demanded.
She looked up at me, shame twisting her features. “He needed her there. I don’t know why. He just said she must be delivered to the Shadowrune Pack. That everything depended on it.”
I stepped back. My heart was slamming against my ribs.
Avarok growled in my mind. Lisa’s in danger. We need to go. Now.
I turned to Alexandra. “You’re insane. You should have told me. We could’ve found another
way. We could’ve saved your mate without sacrificing Lisa.”
Tears spilled down her cheeks. “I know. I know. I just… I was scared. I didn’t know what to do.”
I wanted to scream.
I wanted to shift and tear through the woods until I found Lisa and brought her back.
But I stayed still.
I turned to Jared. “Get everything ready. We leave for Shadowrune at dawn.”
He nodded. He was already moving.
Alex’s expression was grim. “We’ll need supplies. And backup.”
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“Then get them,” I said. “We’re going into hostile territory. And we don’t know what we’ll find.”
I looked at Alexandra one last time. Her head hung low. She was sobbing quietly now.
I wanted to feel pity. I wanted to understand.
But I couldn’t.
Not when Lisa was out there, alone, surrounded by danger, because of my sister’s weakness.
Avarok snarled. We’ll get her back. Even if we burn that entire pack to the ground.
I nodded in silent agreement.
No matter what it took.
We were going to Shadowrune.
We were going to bring Lisa home.
<Chapter 90
