(Elias) My mind was full of Iris instead of the usual possibilities and the strategies that occupied my thoughts. It was an unfamiliar and unsettling feeling. I had to plan my steps carefully, more so now than ever before. My wolf urged me to look at the big picture, to think strategically. That was the only way out of this mess. Naomi’s sudden collapse and the discovery of wolfsbane in Iris’s room couldn’t be a coincidence. Someone had orchestrated this. I didn’t think Naomi was capable of masterminding such a scheme. She was headstrong, yes, but not cunning enough to pull off something this elaborate. Someone else was behind this, someone with more to gain. Jasper came to mind. He had a motive to see me blow my cover by saving Iris. It was no secret that he envied my position and influence. But even if Jasper was capable of such a scheme, Naomi’s father wouldn’t put his daughter’s life on the line for it. He might be ruthless, but he was also protective of Naomi. This pointed

(Iris) The first visit from Caden was really confusing. I hadn’t expected to see anyone after Jasper and Lucas left, so I was staring at the cracked ceiling and trying to keep my mind from sinking into the bleakness of my surroundings, when I heard the door creak open. Footsteps echoed off the stone walls, growing louder as they approached my cell. “You are a busy little wolf, aren’t you?” He asked, his voice filled with amusement. I sat up, squinting through the dim light to see a tall figure standing just outside the bars. “Caden,” he reminded me, “I’m a good friend of the Lycan King.”My heart skipped a beat. Maybe Lucas had sent him as a messenger, to tell me things he couldn’t when he was here with Jasper. But why send Caden? “He has a special interest in you,” Caden continued, his gaze never leaving mine. “You are his mate, aren’t you?” “Keep your mouth shut,” Molly advised in my mind, but it was too late. Maybe he could see how tense I was, maybe he already knew to

(Iris) Jasper left me in the cold, dark cell with nothing but my thoughts swirling around the events that had landed me here. The air was damp and heavy, the stone walls casting eerie shadows across the floor. I leaned against the wall, trying to make sense of the chaos that had become my life. Putting two and two together, I couldn’t help but ponder Naomi’s motive. It seemed absurd to think she believed the Lycan King and I would end up together. He and Seraphina, however, would make a good pair. They would be a power couple destined for greatness in the pack hierarchy. The idea of me and Lucas being involved romantically was crazy, and Molly found it so amusing that she couldn’t contain her laughter. “Are you insane? You’re in a cell for a murder investigation! Everyone’s trying to get rid of you! What are you even thinking about right now?” Molly chided, her voice echoing in my mind. I rolled my eyes, a habit I’d picked up from years of banter with Molly. “I have to find e

(Iris) Naomi was pacing around my cell in silence. It was so unlike her. She was always talking, her voice filling any void with chatter. Even Molly seemed to agree. I leaned against the rough stone wall, studying Naomi with a mixture of curiosity and concern. This wasn’t like her at all. She always had something to say, but now she was lost in her own thoughts, her movements restless and agitated. “Molly, do you see her?” I whispered in my mind to my wolf, my eyes never leaving Naomi. Molly huffs softly in response, a sound that seems to echo my own unease. “I’ve never seen her like this.”“You should say something,” Molly suggested. I took her advice. “I didn’t poison you,” I began, breaking the silence. “I know that,” Naomi replied, her voice calm, almost indifferent. I raised an eyebrow, surprised. “What? You know who did it then?” “Sure,” she replied, as if the question was absurd. “Care to elaborate?” I asked, flabbergasted. “No,” she said simply. “Okay…”