Second Chance for the Barren Luna (Talia and Jason) novel Chapter 123

Nolan’s POV

Jason took a folder from his jacket and slid a report across the table to the Alpha King. I understood then why I had been asked here. This was not welcome. It was a setup.

“Before the Hunting Rite, I saw Alpha Nolan pour the King’s wine. It looked wrong, so I knocked the glass over and had the liquid tested. Henry ran the analysis. The sample contains the same compound identified in the late Alpha’s blood," Jason explained.

Jason spoke confidently as if he had practiced in the mirror. Marco had been right. I should have never attempted to manipulate him. I would make sure that I got even with Jason at the end of all of this.

The Alpha King's hands gripped the report tightly. He looked up and his gaze was fixed on me. “Alpha Nolan,” he said, his voice cold, “explain this.”

At this point, there was no point in denying it. I stood. “I poisoned your wine,” I said. Gasps followed.

Solon’s chair scraped back as he stood. “You’ve lost your mind!” he snarled. “We should have killed you the moment you stepped foot in this territory.”

Jason leaned back with a smug smile and said, “At least he admits it. Guess he finally decided to drop the act.”

“Some of us own up to our actions instead of hiding behind lies and their father,” I shot back.

Jason stiffened, but before he could answer, the Alpha King slammed his hand against the table. “Enough! You poisoned me, Nolan. Why?”

I faced him directly. “To confirm a suspicion,” I said. “I needed to see your wolf. I needed to know if you were the wolf that killed my father.”

The Alpha King’s expression hardened. “You expect me to believe that? You poisoned me to ‘confirm a suspicion’?” he spat.

“It wasn’t meant to kill you,” I said evenly.

“Listen to him, your Majesty," Jason interjected, attempting to bait the Alpha King into a blind rage. "He’s saying he thought you might have been the murderer even though the council proved you were innocent back then.”

“Your Majesty, there’s more you should know," Michael chimed in. I grit my teeth. What else did he have planned?

"The results in this report match almost exactly with the records from the investigation into his father’s death. That can’t be a coincidence.”

“Are you saying he used the same poison that killed his father?” the Alpha King questioned.

“That’s what it looks like,” Michael said. “Which means this isn’t some random poison."

Jason added, “Maybe Alpha Nolan has been working with mad rogues over the years.”

The Alpha King’s wolf pushed close to the surface. His aura pressed down on everyone at the table. I didn't submit to it. I would not act guilty for something that I didn't do.

“Your Majesty, you can’t let this go unanswered. If you tolerate this, every Alpha will see it as weakness. He must be punished," Michael urged.

“It’s not just about the insult. If he’s truly in contact with mad rogues, we’re all at risk," Jason added.

The Alpha King didn’t respond immediately. His gaze stayed fixed on me, calculating, as if he were weighing the cost of his next move. His fists clenched at his sides, but he knew that if we fought, he wouldn’t come out of it unscathed.

Then Solon snapped. He shoved his chair back and lunged across the table toward me. “You treacherous bastard!”

I stepped to my right, drew my dagger, and brought the blade to his throat. The tip settled under his jaw. My left hand stayed open, palm out, in an attempt to keep him from closing the gap.

“Stop,” I said. “Do not push this further.”

Solon's breath was fast, but he held still. His eyes were wide. My blade was steady. Around us, the guards shifted, ready to spring if either of us moved again.

“Nolan, stop!” the Alpha King roared, “put the weapon away.”