Second Chance for the Barren Luna (Talia and Jason) novel Chapter 88

Jason’s POV

Nolan thought he was clever. He thought he could slip poison into a goblet of Rosefall in full view of the room, and no one would notice. But I noticed. I watched the faint tilt of his wrist, and the liquid vanishing into the crimson wine. He carried it toward the Alpha King with that calm arrogance he always wore, as though he already owned the room.

Poison. In public. He had to be insane. Did he think the Alphas would rally to him after such a stunt?

They would tear him apart before the Alpha King even raised a hand. And Nolan was not useful to me. That was why I acted.

My elbow “slipped” just as the goblet neared the Alpha King’s lips, shattering Nolan’s plan along with the glass. A few murmurs of surprise rose around us, but no one dared to challenge me openly. To them, I was just drunk, perhaps a little overeager in my attempts to flatter the King.

If Nolan wanted chaos, I would give him disappointment. And if he decided to go further, provoking the Alpha King openly, I would separate myself from Nolan and play the loyal subject to the Alpha King while I watched them tear each other apart.

‘He is not going to let this go,’ my wolf warned. ‘We need to distance ourselves.’

Nolan was so predictable. Not even a second later, Nolan sneered across the table at the Alpha King, “You’re growing old and feeble, old wolf.”

Gasps rippled through the room. The Alpha King’s eyes darkened. Solon was on his feet in an instant, voice booming with outrage. He accused Nolan of dishonor, of spitting on the Rite itself.

But Nolan only pressed harder, his gaze fixed on the King like he meant to tear him down with words alone. He demanded the truth, demanding the King reopen the case of his father’s death. His defiance was reckless, dangerous, but part of me admired the boldness.

If he won, he proved the Alpha King guilty and I would kill him in the chaos. If he lost, the King would crush him. Either way, I benefited.

Alphas muttered, warriors shifted uneasily, and the elders frowned in shock. The air grew heavier with every word. The King rose, aura flooding the hall, forcing silence. Fury burned in his eyes. He looked ready to shift right there in front of us, to rip Nolan apart.

And then the moment broke.

The doors slammed open. A guard stumbled in. His blood covered his armor and his face was pale and stricken. All attention went to the guard.

“My King,” the guard gasped, falling to one knee. “Forgive me. I... I failed. Lady Talia… she chased a shadowed figure into the forest. I followed, but I was struck down. When I woke… she was gone.”

The Alpha King’s face contorted between surprise and panic. “How could you have allowed this to happen?” he demanded.

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