I snap my head at Shen. She worries her bottom lip between her teeth, avoiding eye contact.
"If you knew Fei was poisoned," I ask. "Why didn't she say something?"
"Obviously I hoped that wasn't the case." She gives me look.
I frown. "But you knew?"
"..."
Omg. "So what poisoned her?" I ask.
"..."
Carson looks at Dr. Janice, but she doesn't know either.
"Shen," Ethel tries. "The luna's trying to help you."
"I'm not ignoring her. I just don't know what to say," Shen says.
"Maybe start with the truth." Ethel stares at her incredulously.
I glance away, towards the doctor. "What can poison a werewolf?" Let's see our options.
Dr. Janice answers me immediately. "It could be wolfsbane."
Carson narrows his eyes.
"But if that was the case." Dr. Janice looks at the girl. "The child would be dead. She's too young."
"What else?" I ask.
She thinks for a moment, watching Fei as she gnaws on Shen's arm. "It could be a pepper, if it was consumed or entered the body in a different way."
Onai glares at me. I see he's still bitter about the pepper spray situation.
"Or." Dr. Janice adds. "It could be a personal allergy."
"A personal allergy?" I frown.
"Like some people are allergic to peanut butter," she says. "If the child's allergic to something, and she came in contact with it in large quantities, it might cause this reaction."
My heart stops. It can't be... "You've been poisoning your daughter with applesauce?" I glare at Shen.
She cocks her head back. "What?"
Onai pales.
Fei smiles, reaching for me. "Apsauce."
"It all makes sense," I say, as Shen tries to cut me off. "Steal a few packages. Make her a little sick, and then you have a free ticket in, right? Right?" I can't believe I fell for it.
"Of course not!" Shen screams.
Fei jumps.
I jump too, but I don't stop. "Just admit it."
"Do you honestly think I'd-"
"What's wrong with your leg?" Carson cuts her off, leaning against the wall.
Shen pauses, keeping her eyes on the ground. Obviously, she's not going to answer.
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Ditched Cheating Alpha, I Led My Daughter to Life's Peak