His Abandoned Luna Chapter 188

|| Lilac’s POV ||

The vial in my pocket felt heavier than it should as I descended the stone steps into the castle dungeons. Endora brewed some serum which should help us interrogate Coco. Hence I was here, with my father and the Alpha King. Kael wanted to tail along. Despite the king’s opposition, I agreed. He needed to see the truth for himself.

I clutched into the small file. Endora’s warning echoed in my mind: “One dose. One chance. She’ll fight it with everything she has.”

“Remember,” Alpha King Darius murmured behind me, his voice low enough that only our group could hear, “she had weeks to prepare her lies.”

My father’s hand found my shoulder, squeezing once. “Let the serum do its work.”

The yellow light flickered against damp walls as we entered the underground prison. Alpha King Darius’s boots echoed behind me, my dad’s steady presence at my shoulder. Kael trailed silently, his scent sour with grief and confusion.

Coco sat curled in her cell, the picture of fragile innocence until she saw Kael.

“Kael, please...” Her voice cracked beautifully. “I don’t know what they’ve told you, but—”

Then her eyes fell on me.

“Li-lilac...” Her voice trembled beautifully. “Please… help me… I don’t know—”

I didn’t let her finish.

“Wakey wakey, sweetheart.” I smiled.

In three swift steps, I had her pinned against the wall, the vial uncorked and poured down her throat before she could scream.

“Drink up, sugar. You need some strength,” I muttered on her face.

In my past life, she had tormented me. This brought a distinct satisfaction in my heart.

She thrashed, nails raking down my arms, but I forced the serum past her teeth until she gagged and swallowed.

Kael jerked forward in protest, “What the hell are you—”

But the Alpha King placed his hand on his chest and stopped him with a cold scold, “Watch. And learn.”

Coco coughed, her delicate features twisting as the serum took hold. I saw the exact moment the magic hit— her pupils dilating, her muscles going slack against the stone.

“Let’s start from the beginning.” I leaned close, inhaling the sudden stench of fear beneath her floral perfume. “Where did you meet Kael for the first time?”

Her lips trembled, a war playing out across her face as the serum battled her will.

“S-southern border patrol,” she finally gasped.

Kael made a wounded noise. “That’s not true, we met at the tavern near—”

“Quiet.” My dad’s command silenced him.

“I doubt that. Can't you see, she is a witch too,” I said. My eyes went back to Coco.

"So you found out!" Coco smirked.

I tilted Coco’s chin up with two fingers. “Why approach him?”

Sweat beaded along her hairline as she fought the words. “He was... next in line... for the throne. And gullible.”

A muscle jumped in Darius’s jaw. “For what purpose?”

Coco’s body arched off the floor, tendons standing out in her neck as she hissed, “To burn the Nightshades from history!”

The dungeon seemed to hold its breath.

Kael staggered back. “What?”

“How can you burn them by reaching Kael?” I asked.

“Once I become the queen, I can sniff them out,” she grinned, showing her teeth.

I dug my fingers into Coco’s jaw. “Why target them?”

“Their blood—” She choked, spittle flying from her lips. “Resists our magic. Only they can—”

“Can what?” Darius demanded.

Coco’s head snapped toward him with unnatural speed.

“Stop the great cleansing.” Her voice dropped an octave, something ancient and guttural slithering beneath it. “When Agatha comes, she’ll peel the flesh from your bones and dance in your—”

Kael’s fist connected with the wall beside her head.

“You bitch!” Spittle flew from his lips. “All those nights— all those promises— was any of it real?”

Coco’s answering smile was a grotesque mockery of tenderness. “Did you really think someone like me would mate with a pathetic, sniveling—”

“Am I even your real mate?” Kael asked.

“Still couldn’t figure it out? How much dumb could you be? You are delusional,” Coco laughed loudly.

Kael’s sob cut her off. I’d never heard a sound so broken. Kael was hilarious. I could hardly believe I helped this man to step up as a king. He should have known the point when Cocco slept with Elias and he couldn’t feel it. A real idiot!

Darius stepped between them. “Enough. When is the attack coming?”

“Soon.”

“Where?” My father barked.

“Everywhere.” Coco’s laughter spiraled into madness. “Your precious castles will burn. Your children will scream. And you—” Her gaze locked onto me. “You’ll watch everyone you love die before they rip off your throat.”

Kael lunged, only for Darius to intercept him with a snarl.

“How do we stop her?” Dad asked quietly.

Coco’s answering smile was a pure nightmare. “Only a mated Nightshade Alpha stands a chance… and good luck finding one.”

The irony burned my tongue. If only she knew.

We emerged into the castle gardens, dawn painting the sky in bruised purples. Kael collapsed onto a marble bench, his hands shaking.

“All this time… I thought...” His voice broke.

Darius studied him with something almost like pity. “You’ll remain under guard until we verify your ignorance.”

“You think I’m still a threat?” Kael laughed hollowly. “I gave up my birthright for a witch who wasn’t even my mate.”

Dad grabbed my shoulder. “We need to warn Alaric.”

“I’ll handle it.” The lie came easily. How could I explain that the man they needed to warn was the same one they feared? That the mate who could break this curse was currently carrying his child?

As we walked toward the stables, Darius fell into step beside me. “You knew about the Nightshade connection.”

Not a question.

“I suspected,” I corrected lightly. “Coco confirmed it.”

His golden eyes bored into mine. “If you hear even a whisper about where to find their Alpha...”

“You’ll be the first to know.”

The lie tasted bitter as I mounted my horse.

Come home, Alaric. I urged the stallion into a gallop. We have our war here.