“But she’s nobody!” one of the other girls protests, her voice shrill with panic. “She has no family, no breeding, no title. She shouldn’t even be here, let alone—”
“She is exactly where I want her to be,” I repeat, and this time I let more of the growl bleed through. “And you just made the gravest mistake of your pathetic, privileged lives.”
I turn to Daciana, dropping to one knee beside her. Up close, I can see where her uniform is torn, the blood soaking through. But it’s the cut on her cheek that makes my blood run cold. The edges are already darkening, the skin around it blistering.
Wolfsbane.
My hands shake as I reach for her, careful not to touch the poisoned wound. “Let me see your side.”
“I’m fine.” But her voice is strained, tight with pain she’s trying to hide.
“Daciana.” I keep my voice gentle despite the rage coursing through me. “Let me see.”
She moves her hand from her side slowly, revealing another slash—this one deeper. My jaw clenches as I examine it. Nowolfsbane in this one, thank the gods, but it’s still bleeding freely.
They cut her. Poisoned her. Actually tried to kill her.
My vision goes red at the edges.
“Can you stand?” I ask, forcing the words out through clenched teeth.
“Yes.” She meets my eyes, and I see fury there to match my own. Good. She’s angry, not broken. “I can stand.”
I help her up carefully, keeping one hand on her arm to steady her. She sways slightly but holds herself upright, her chin lifted in defiance despite the poison working through her system.
My mate. Bleeding and furious and still refusing to bow.
Pride swells in my chest alongside the rage.
I turn back to the five noble daughters, who are now clustered together like they can protect each other from what’s coming.
They can’t.
“Well,” I say, my voice carrying a deadly calm. “You’ve spared me the effort of a final decision.”
Lady Celeste’s eyes widen with what I can only assume is hope.
“None of you are worthy of being the alpha female of my pack.” I let the words hang in the air, watching their faces crumble. “And I’m sure the Queen will want to hear what you did to her personal guard.”
Lady Celeste scoffs, bolstering up her courage. “She is no longer the Queen’s guard. She’s been demoted.” She flips her hair over shoulder. “Alpha Kieran, there’s a lot you don’t know about the workings of the palace. Daciana is just a common soldier now. And she insulted us, so we have every right to punish her.”
“With wolfsbane?” I ask icily.
Her eyes dart toward the other women. “The wolfsbane didn’t come from us, did it, ladies?”
They all shake their heads immediately.
“You think she doesn’t have a tongue?” I demand, furious. “Daciana, did they use wolfsbane on you?
I look at her, expecting her to say yes, but to my shock, she shakes her head.
“See?” Lady Celeste laughs triumphantly. “It wasn’t us. You can’t be angry with us for punishing a servant. Which is essentially what she is.”
My blood is boiling at this point. I step forward, my voice low. “It doesn’t matter whether Daciana lies to save you; I know what happened here, and I’m sure the Queen will be able to discern who is telling the truth.”
Lady Celeste’s eyes narrow. “We were only disciplining her.”
“You poisoned her,” I say quietly. “With wolfsbane. On a cut to her face. That’s not discipline; that’s attempted murder. And the Queen will agree.”
