“What do you mean someone was in your room?” Genevieve snapped, her face twisting in irritation. “It’s the middle of the night Collin, and we are under attack. The only ones who entered were the omegas assigned to tend the fire.”
She tried to sound indignant, but Collin’s scrutiny made her pulse quicken. Obviously, this was because of her secret meeting with William.
When he summoned her, she had braced herself for questions about her whereabouts or William’s absence. But when he said someone had stolen something from his study, a wave of cold relief swept through her.
Collin’s eyes bore into Genevieve. “Someone was in my study.”
Genevieve scoffed. “That’s ridiculous. There were guards posted outside the entire time. You think someone just walked past them?”
In front of them were the omegas assigned to tend the fire.
One of the omegas, standing nearby with her head bowed, glanced up nervously. “Alpha… we did hear something earlier. A faint noise outside the window, maybe. But we thought it was just the wind. Nothing seemed out of place, so we left.”
“Out,” Collin snapped. The omegas bowed quickly and left the room.
Renan entered just as the door was about to shut. “I’ve checked with the guards. Everyone was busy tending the wounded and controlling movement after the attack. No one was on the second floor aside from the posted guards, the Luna, Atasha, and Celeste.”
Collin’s frown deepened.
Renan continued, “That floor is for your family. Aside from your room and Luna Genevieve’s, there’s Celeste’s chambers and the guest room that Atasha is using. The rest were empty.”
His jaw clenched.
Genevieve crossed her arms. “Atasha should be unconscious by now.”
Collin’s gaze snapped to her. “What?”
“She’s still recovering from the earlier poison,” Genevieve said smoothly.
Collin frowned and gestured for Renan to leave.
“Why is she unconscious? I thought Physician Mendez healed her.” Collin asked after Renan
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left the study.
“I gave her another dose. A slower one. It will send her into a coma soon, but she won’t die. Not before they reached the North.”
Collin stared at her. “You drugged her again?”
“She’s done her part,” Genevieve said, her voice calm. “She married the Tyrant Lord. That’s all she was needed for. If she dies before they reach the north, everyone will assume Cassian killed her. And then we’ll have reason to demand compensation, more soldiers, more control. Isn’t that what you wanted?”
He didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he turned toward his desk, eyes landing on the now- closed paperweight. “The window was used,” he muttered, focusing on the important details instead of Atasha.
Genevieve tilted her head. “So?”
“Did you enter my study tonight?” he asked without turning.
“No. I was with Celeste the entire evening. We were sorting out some herbs that we can use for the wounded and coordinating with everyone for the troop’s welfare. You can ask her. ” she lied without batting an eyelid. She had sent the guards away while she met William but Collin doesn’t have to know that.
Collin opened the paperweight again, unfolding it into the flat metal plate. He held it under the lantern light. It looked like whoever touched it didn’t get it open. They tried but failed. Still, that was too close. Too dangerous.
He ran a hand down his face. “There were traces of ink on the outside.”
Genevieve frowned. “Ink?”
He didn’t respond.
Then she straightened, her lips curling slightly. “It must’ve been Cassian. Or one of his men. Who else could get in without a trace? His people are good at sneaking around.”
Collin turned to face her fully, eyes narrowed. “Are you certain Atasha didn’t wake?”
Genevieve raised her chin. “She drank all of it. She should be slipping under by now, if she hasn’t already.”
But for the first time, doubt flickered in her eyes. Collin caught it. And he didn’t like it.
He moved toward the window, scanning the latch, the sill. It had been opened. Recently.
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The study wasn’t just his private room. It was a vault of secrets. And someone had almost unlocked one.
He looked back at Genevieve. “You better pray she’s still asleep. If not-”
“She will be,” Genevieve interrupted quickly. “The poison was prepared exactly how you wanted. Slow and painless. No traces. I made sure of it.”
Collin said nothing else as he marched out of his room and found the room where Atasha was staying. He eyed the two guards guarding the door. “Did anyone come in and out of this room?” he asked.
“No, Alpha,” one of the guards replied firmly.
Collin gave a curt nod and stepped into the room.
Atasha lay curled on the bed, her breathing slow and shallow. Her skin was pale, almost ashen under the dim candlelight, and a thin sheen of sweat clung to her brow. The blankets were bunched loosely around her, as if she hadn’t stirred in hours. Her face looked drawn, weak- utterly helpless.
“She’s wolfless…” Genevieve said quietly as she followed him inside. She approached the bed and gently pressed the back of her hand to Atasha’s forehead. “She’s burning up again. Another fever. What made you think she could sneak into your study like that?”
Collin didn’t respond right away. His eyes swept the room, calculating. There was no sign of disturbance–no misplaced furniture, no scuffed floorboards, no visible trace of another
presence.
Because he hadn’t really believed it was Atasha.
No… it was too precise, too clean. Whoever it was had used Atasha as a convenient scapegoat. Someone had come through the mansion and covered their tracks carefully.
He moved to the window. It was shut tight. The latch was still aligned, the sill spotless. Not a single smudge or scratch.
He inhaled slowly, scenting the air.
Nothing.
No unfamiliar wolf. No hint of outside intrusion.
Too perfect.
His gaze drifted back to Atasha. She hadn’t moved. Her lips were parted slightly, dry, and her brow twitched faintly like she was trapped in some uneasy dream.
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Genevieve turned to him, voice soft and almost smug. “She can barely sit up on her own. Honestly, Collin, your paranoia is getting ahead of you.”
But Collin wasn’t convinced. Something had been touched. Something had been opened.
And if it wasn’t her, then someone else had been in that study. Right under his nose.
“Hmph.” He spun on his heel and left the room without another word.
Outside, the hall was dim and quiet. Renan was already waiting, falling into step beside him as they moved down the corridor.
“Tomorrow, Cassian and his people will leave,” Collin muttered, jaw tight. “This cannot be a coincidence. Did you check his men?”
Renan nodded. “Yes, Alpha. I’ve confirmed it with the scouts. Cassian and all of his lieutenants are currently in the war tent. They’ve been there since the attack started. Multiple warriors saw them giving orders and assisting the healers. They’re all accounted for.”
“And our side?” Collin asked sharply.
Renan hesitated. “We took heavier losses. Seven dead, three more in critical condition. Two patrols didn’t return. We found one survivor and they said the Demon Fangs changed tactics tonight. Quieter and more coordinated. They struck harder along the southern ridge and disappeared before reinforcements arrived.”
Collin exhaled through his nose, eyes narrowing. Cassian’s camp held the eastern line with zero losses.
“No one enters that room without me knowing,” he muttered, more to himself than to Renan. “I want everyone questioned. From servants to guards. I don’t care how small their task was, I want names, movements, everything, Understood?”
Renan gave a firm nod. “Yes, Alpha.”
五
AD
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