Chapter 102: Chapter 102: Poisoned Truths
RAMON’S POV
She pushed her face to the side, making it unable to completely see her face. The morning sunlight filtered through the leaves above us, casting dappled patterns across her skin and the soft grass beneath the bench.
Even in profile, her features remained striking , the gentle curve of her cheek, the way her lashes cast faint shadows, the slight tremble in her lips. It didn’t change anything though. From her side profile, I could still tell how beautiful she was. She could wear a sac, and rub ashes all over her face, and it would still not change anything. The bond made sure of that, pulling at me no matter how hard I fought.
But what caught my attention the most were her words. They lingered in the quiet garden air, heavy with something I couldn’t quite name.
"So you’re not okay?" I asked. My voice came out lower than I intended, the words hanging between us like the scent of blooming flowers carried on the breeze.
"What does it matter?" She suddenly turned, radiating a different kind of energy. Her eyes met mine for a brief moment, bright with frustration and something deeper. "Let’s talk about the water!" She blurted. Her hands fidgeted slightly at her sides, the simple dress shifting with her movement.
I lifted a curious brow, as the corner of my lips trembled with amusement. She was obviously trying to change the topic, which only meant she wasn’t okay. The way her cheeks flushed faintly, the quickness in her breath—it all gave her away. I had a sneaky suspicion what was wrong, but I was curious to see if she would spill. The full moon’s approach was affecting her more than she let on, stirring desires she clearly struggled to hide.
"I don’t want to talk about the water. I want to talk about you." The words left my mouth before I could stop them, surprising even myself.
She went quiet. It was as if her tongue was tied, or she suddenly couldn’t hear. Her eyes widened slightly, and she shifted on the bench, the wood creaking softly under her weight.
I needed to get her attention, and I knew the perfect way to get it done. Stretching my hand, I grabbed a pair of her breasts, and squeezed their nipples gently. The fabric of her dress was thin, allowing me to feel the soft warmth beneath. A moan escaped her throat, low and breathy, and she closed her eyes. Her body arched just a little toward my touch, reacting instantly.
I chuckled internally. Yeah, I was right. She wanted to be satisfied. The heat was working. She probably was a hundred times more horny than she usually would be. Her skin felt warmer under my fingers, flushed with the same need I fought every time I got close to her.
Now I could satisfy her cravings until she was screaming my name through the seven packs, but I decided not to do it. I wanted to see just how far she could go to get the satisfaction she needed. The power in that moment felt intoxicating, even as the bond tugged harder at me.
Withdrawing my hand, I rose to my feet. Her eyes flew open, and she looked up at me with hurt in her eyes. The raw vulnerability there hit me harder than I expected, wide, glistening, filled with confusion and disappointment.
I waited patiently. I just wanted to hear her protest, or state her grievance. The garden around us felt still, the distant trickle of water and rustle of leaves the only sounds breaking the tension.
She did neither. Instead, in a split second, the hurt was gone. She cleared her throat, and rose to her feet too. Her movements were quick, almost defiant, as she smoothed her dress down. My ego was slightly bruised. I wanted to see her beg for her pleasure. I just didn’t understand her. One second she was this vulnerable dolt that was easily tossable. The next, her pride was almost as mighty as mine. It frustrated me as much as it intrigued me.
"Would you like to hear my results now?" She asked when the silence between us began to grow to uncomfortable heights. Her voice was steadier now, though I could still see the faint flush on her cheeks.
"Sure, tell me." I folded my hands across my chest, trying to regain some control.
She walked back, and returned with the bag that had fallen off her hand upon my arrival. Placing it on the bench, she opened it and brought out some water. The liquid sloshed gently in the container as she held it up.
"This is what everyone has been ingesting." Her tone was professional, focused, shifting completely into her element.
I watched the green residue dangling all around the covered water. Small particles floated lazily within it, catching the light.
"What’s that?"
"It’s a plant used to kill off dying animals. Sprinkled in large quantities in major sources of water, it can cause harm to anyone that drinks from it," she explained. Her voice remained calm and knowledgeable, each word precise.
My eyes remained on her lips as she spoke. She really was well knowledgeable in the field of healing. I didn’t believe it before, but I was starting to accept the facts. The way she carried herself in this moment, confident, certain—made something shift inside me.
"Alpha Ramon?" She called loudly and I blinked. Apparently, she had been calling me but I was too lost from watching her lips move. The soft curve of them, still slightly swollen from earlier, held my attention longer than I cared to admit.
"How did the plant get to the water? It couldn’t have been from us."
"I think the cleverest way to do it without being caught is the use of dying animals. Give them to ingest and then lead them to the water source to drink from it. The poison is transferred from their saliva to the water. Easy!" She shrugged, her shoulders lifting lightly.
I don’t know how I was just seeing it, but she was absolutely brilliant. With every word she said, I could paint the picture. Sure there was a spy, but they could have been caught spreading the plant by hand. The cattles would have been the perfect way to do it. After all, we did recently lose a significant amount of cattles. The realization settled heavy in my gut, the pieces clicking together too cleanly.
It was now obvious I had to catch whoever the traitor was. They were getting too clever with it. We had lost too many lives just because of one person. My eyes darkened as I thought of what I’d do the second I laid eyes on whoever it was brave enough to risk my wrath. The anger burned hot in my veins, claws threatening to emerge again. They came to my pack, acted like one of us just to hurt me and mine? They’d die the second I laid eyes on them. There was no doubt about it.
"Alpha Ramon? Alpha Ramon?! Ramon!"
I whipped my head, and saw she had leaned in, panic heavy in her voice and eyes. Her hand reached out instinctively toward mine.
"What?"
I followed the direction of her eyes and saw my hand had shifted into claws, and had dug an injury on my palms. Warm blood trickled slowly down my skin, the sharp sting barely registering through the rage.
It was bleeding, hence her panic. But it didn’t matter. I was going to heal in no time. But by the time I caught whoever it was that had dared to betray me, they wouldn’t have the chance to heal. The thought fueled the darkness swirling inside me.
"How do we get it out?" I asked, ignoring the bleeding palm. My voice came out rough, edged with the fury I couldn’t fully contain.
"Shouldn’t I look at that?" She asked, her eyes still stuck on my hands. Concern flashed across her face, genuine and unguarded.
My heart momentarily skipped a beat. It was back to normal right after. I just hadn’t expected her to show so much concern over a cut that was bound to heal on its own. The softness in her gaze tugged at something deep within me, conflicting with the anger still simmering.
"Sonia, let’s focus on the water. What can be done about that?" I redirected, needing to stay on track.
"Leave it to me," she was speaking, but her eyes were still on the cut. "But a little tip, there are only three packs amongst the seven that have this poison. Silverpaw is one. MoonRay is another. And Bloodred is the last."
She finally looked up, and into my eyes. I could see she was telling the truth. Her gaze was steady, open, without hesitation. She didn’t omit any names. She could have easily not added her father’s pack. The honesty in that simple act struck me harder than I wanted to admit.
"Why are you telling me this?" My voice softened slightly despite myself.
"To help narrow your investigations," she said, almost painfully. The words carried a quiet weight, as if speaking them cost her something.
"Do you have anything to do with this?" I asked in a serious tone, but deep down, I hoped she wasn’t. The question tasted bitter on my tongue, but I had to ask.
"I don’t betray," she replied. Her voice was firm, unwavering.
My heart pounded hard on my chest, because that response tugged on a very soft part of it. For the first time in a long while, I wanted to believe her completely.
