Chapter 82

Chapter 82

Lucian’s POV

When Bianca finally appeared, her face held a hint of anxiety that made my gut tighten further. “Alpha,” she greeted softly, her eyes darting around as if she sensed something was wrong.

“What was put in the wine?” I demanded, cutting to the chase. Bianca shook her head quickly, looking alarmed.

“Nothing, Alpha. It’s the usual batch from the cellar. Luna Scarlett selected it herself,” she replied, but her words didn’t sit right with me. I could feel something was off. This wasn’t just wine. There was a thickness, a darkness to it, as if something had been mixed in–wolfsbane, perhaps. The thought chilled me. Wolfsbane was designed to dull our senses, to make us weak, unable to link, unable to feel or think clearly. Someone was trying to ensure we weren’t at our best tonight.

I held onto my cup tightly, fighting off the haziness that was slowly settling over my mind. I called for my Beta, William, needing him to run a test on the wine, to confirm what I was already certain of. The last thing we could afford was to be caught off guard. The entire situation felt like a trap, and I wasn’t willing to be anyone’s pawn.

“You may go, Bianca,” I told her, and though she obeyed, I could see the worry etched in her features. There was something more she wasn’t saying, but I would have to confront her when the effects of this wine had worn off. For now, I had to keep my wits as sharp as possible.