The Princess's Revenge Chapter 13

Valencia's POV

Luna Kestrel's eyes widened. "You... what?"

"I killed them both," Logan repeated, his tone utterly casual. "Last night, after I left the council meeting, I heard sounds coming from the dungeons. When I investigated, I found those two men beating and attempting to sexually assault my property."

His gray eyes swept the room with chilling calm. "So I killed them. It's that simple."

The silence shattered into chaos. Multiple voices erupted at once, but Elton's cut through them all.

"Logan..." His voice trembled. "You're saying... you killed them?"

He moved toward Luna Kestrel, his face painful. "Luna, that unidentified body... that was one of my scouts. I sent him to patrol the castle grounds last night, to ensure everyone's safety after the rogue attack."

His voice broke convincingly. "He was a loyal warrior. He had a wife. Two children." Elton turned to face Logan, and I could see tears forming in his eyes. "Logan, how could you..."

The atmosphere in the room shifted immediately. This was no longer a simple murder investigation. This was a potential conflict between two packs, two Alphas.

I felt sick. Elton was good—too good. He'd transformed himself from suspicious instigator to grieving Alpha in seconds. And the assembled witnesses were eating it up.

But then Logan laughed. It wasn't a warm sound. It was cold, mocking.

"A loyal warrior?" Logan reached into his shirt and pulled out a piece of torn fabric, throwing it onto the table with casual contempt. "A scout, you said? Then perhaps you can explain this insignia."

Soren moved forward, picking up the fabric to examine it. His eyebrows rose. "This is... the mark of Emerald Grove's inner guard. Not something a simple scout would wear."

Logan's voice remained utterly calm. "Inner guard, Elton. Not a scout. Not a patrol. Your personal, elite inner guard. So I have to ask—what exactly was your inner guardsman doing in Mistmarsh's dungeons?"

Elton's face flushed red. "I... I was simply trying to ensure adequate security measures. After the rogue attack, I thought—"

"Then why," Logan interrupted smoothly, "was your inner guardsman in the dungeons with one of Mistmarsh's slaves? And why, of all the slaves in this castle, did they choose to target the one who belongs to me?"

He turned to address Luna Kestrel directly. "I suggest you investigate this Elijah thoroughly. Check if he's had any contact with people from Emerald Grove Pack. Check if he's received any unusual payments."

Logan's tone dripped with sarcasm. "I suspect you'll find that your pack has already been infiltrated, Luna Kestrel."

My heart was racing. He wasn't just defending himself—he was turning this around completely, making Elton the suspect.

Logan continued. "When I arrived at the dungeons, I didn't just find them committing assault. I found this."

He produced a small leather pouch and tossed it onto the table. Silver coins spilled out—far more than any slave should possess.

"This was in Elijah's possession. Where does a slave get this much money? Unless, of course, someone hired him to do a job."

Logan's gray eyes locked onto Elton. "And last night, your inner guardsman just happened to be with him. How would you like Luna Kestrel to interpret that coincidence?"

Elton's face had gone from red to white. I could see him struggling, trying to find some explanation that would make sense.

"This... this must be a misunderstanding," Elton stammered. "My guardsman was probably just investigating suspicious activity—"

"Then why didn't he report it?" Soren's voice was mild, almost curious, but the question was devastating. "Why would he join forces with this Elijah instead of alerting the proper authorities?"

Luna Kestrel's expression had grown darker as she processed Logan's accusations.

Logan pressed his advantage, his voice cold and analytical. "Here's what I believe happened: Elton planted operatives in Mistmarsh Pack. He bought the loyalty of certain individuals—like Elijah. Last night, they discovered I'd brought back a slave. They wanted to test how much I valued her. If I cared about her, she could become leverage against me. Unfortunately for them, they underestimated my awareness. I smelled blood. I arrived in time to witness everything."

Logan's gaze swept across every face in the room. "So yes, I killed them. Not murder—I was eliminating spies who had infiltrated a supposedly allied pack, and punishing men who were committing assault. That's not a crime. That's justice."

The silence that followed was thick with tension. I could barely believe what I was witnessing. Logan had taken what should have been his moment of vulnerability and transformed it into an attack on Elton. Every piece of evidence, every argument, had been carefully constructed to shift blame away from himself.

Luna Kestrel sat very still for a long moment. Her eyes moved between Logan and Elton, calculating. Finally, she spoke, her voice heavy with exhaustion and suspicion.

"If... if what you say is true, Logan, then Elijah deserved his fate. And Elton's man being in my dungeons requires a very convincing explanation."

"Luna Kestrel, you can't possibly believe his one-sided account—" Elton began desperately.

"I will investigate Elijah," Luna Kestrel cut him off. "If I find evidence that he betrayed this pack, then Logan's actions were justified."

Elton's jaw clenched. He managed to force out smile. "Of course. The truth is what matters most. I'm certain your investigation will clear up any... misunderstandings."

But the look he shot Logan was pure venom. I could see the hatred burning in his eyes.

Luna Kestrel raised her hand, signaling an end to the discussion. "This matter is suspended pending investigation. Everyone may return to their quarters."

Logan gave a slight nod and turned to leave. As he passed through the doorway, his eyes found mine in my hiding spot. Then he was gone.

I waited until most of the others had dispersed before carefully leaving from my hiding place. I started making my way back toward the stairs, keeping to the shadows out of habit. But before I could reach them, a voice stopped me.

"Little slave."

I turned to find Elton blocking the corridor. Logan had already disappeared around the corner. We were alone.

Terror shot through me. I took an instinctive step backward, but Elton moved forward, matching my retreat.

"You know something interesting?" His voice was soft. "Logan has never cared about anything or anyone enough to make an enemy over them. But today, he crossed me. For you."

He kept advancing, and I kept backing up until my shoulders hit the cold stone wall. "That tells me you're important to him. Very important."

My heart hammered against my ribs. I tried to slide sideways, but Elton's hand shot out, palm flat against the wall, blocking my escape.

"I'm going to find out exactly who you are," he continued, his face now inches from mine. "What makes you so special. And then..." His smile was cruel. "Then I'm going to make Logan regret everything he did today."

He reached toward my face, his fingers aiming for my chin in a gesture of possession and threat.