The Princess's Revenge Chapter 44

Valencia's POV

"You're right," she said, taking a deep breath. "Dr. Vance says the important thing is that he's alive."

I was about to respond when Delphine continued speaking. "Oh, I should tell you - after the battle ended, Beta Dorian came up to the second floor to organize the recovery work."

My attention sharpened immediately. "What did he do?"

"He was assigning people to different tasks," Delphine explained. "I was originally working in the kitchen, helping prepare breakfast for everyone. But Dorian reassigned me here to help Dr. Vance with the wounded."

"That makes sense," I said carefully. "You're good at helping people."

"That's what I thought too," Delphine agreed. "But after he finished giving out all the assignments, he went back down to the kitchen. And Valencia, this is the strange part - he's been staying there ever since. Like he's personally supervising all the kitchen work."

My blood turned cold. "He's been in the kitchen? This whole time?"

"Yes," Delphine said, looking puzzled by my reaction. "I thought it was odd. I mean, shouldn't the Beta be managing more important things? Like coordinating repairs, or organizing patrols, or dealing with the wounded?"

My heart started racing. Why would Dorian spend so much time in the kitchen when there were so many other urgent matters requiring his attention? A terrible suspicion began forming in my mind.

"Delphine," I said slowly, "did you see him handling any food? Or talking to the kitchen staff about anything specific?"

"I'm not sure," she said, her brow furrowing. "I left for here pretty quickly after he reassigned me. Why? Is something wrong?"

Before I could answer, Dr. Vance's voice called out from across the room. "Delphine! I need your help with this patient's bandages!"

"Coming!" Delphine called back, then turned to me. "I should go help. There are so many wounded."

I hugged her quickly. "I'm so glad you're safe. I was terrified when I couldn't find you last night."

"I'm glad you're safe too," she said, squeezing me tight.

I watched her hurry over to Dr. Vance, my mind racing with dark possibilities. Dorian staying in the kitchen, personally supervising the food preparation. It could be innocent, but given Logan's suspicions about Dorian being a traitor...

What if he was poisoning the food?

The thought made my stomach clench with fear. I had to get back to the castle immediately and see what was happening.

I quickly made my way to the door, trying not to draw attention to myself. The wounded pack members outside were still waiting for treatment, some looking worse than when I'd arrived.

As I approached the castle entrance, I could hear sounds of distress coming from inside. Not the normal sounds of cleaning and repair work, but groaning and crying.

I walked faster, my hand instinctively moving to the dagger at my side. The moment I stepped in, my heart sank, I knew something was wrong.

Pack members were collapsed everywhere. Some lay on the ground, their bodies curled in agony. Others leaned against the walls, their faces pale and sweating. "Help me," a weak voice called from my left.

I turned and saw a warrior slumped against the stone wall, his face gray with exhaustion. His armor was askew, and he looked like he could barely hold himself upright.

"What's wrong?" I asked, rushing to his side.

"I feel... weak," he gasped, his breathing labored. "Like something's draining the life out of me. And my wolf..." He looked up at me with confused, frightened eyes. "I can't feel my wolf anymore."

My blood turned to ice. "What do you mean you can't feel your wolf?"

"He's just... gone," the warrior whispered. "I try to call to him, but there's nothing there."

I felt panic rising in my chest. Was this wolfsbane? "When did this start?" I asked urgently.

"About ten minutes ago," he replied weakly.

I helped the warrior sit more comfortably against the wall, then ran toward the second floor. My heart pounded as I took the stairs two at a time.

The hallways were filled with more people in distress. Pack members sat on the floor, leaning against walls, all with the same gray, exhausted look. Some were unconscious. Others moaned softly.

"Help," a female servant called out as I passed. She was lying on her side in the corridor, too weak to sit up properly.

I knelt beside her. "What's wrong? What happened?"

"Can't... can't feel my wolf," she whispered, tears streaming down her cheeks. "She's gone. And I'm so tired I can barely move."

The same symptoms. It must be wolfsbane.

Wolfsbane can only take effect through ingestion or contact, I thought frantically. If it was made into powder and spread through the air, that would be impossible. The castle is too large, and there's no wind inside to circulate powder. It had to be ingested.

That would explain why I felt no discomfort - because I was wolfless, the wolfsbane couldn't affect me.

"Do you know what happened here this morning?" I pressed. "Anything unusual?"

She shook her head slowly. "Everything seemed normal. Except..." She paused, struggling to form words. "Beta Dorian stayed in the kitchen all early morning. Made everyone nervous. He kept watching everything we did."

My skin crawled with goosebumps. I felt shocked and terrified. If this was really what happened, if Logan had also eaten breakfast, was he poisoned too?

Another servant interrupted my thoughts, stumbling toward me from across the kitchen. His face was pale and he could barely walk straight.

"This morning," he gasped, "Elias came to the kitchen. Said he needed a goatskin of red wine for Alpha Logan. He handed me a leather bag and told me to take it to Clarence's room, then rushed off." The servant pointed toward the corner of the kitchen where several oak barrels stood. "I was about to pour the wine when Beta Dorian stopped me."

My heart stopped beating. "He stopped you?" I whispered.

"Yes," the servant continued, his voice growing weaker. "Said he would handle it himself. Told me to go busy myself with other tasks." He swayed dangerously, and I had to grab his arm to steady him. "After that, Beta Dorian filled the wine bag himself and had me deliver it."

The shock hit me like a physical blow. This was completely Dorian's scheme. He must have poisoned the wine. I was terrified for Logan's safety. I needed to find an antidote immediately and get it to him.

I had to find Dr. Vance first and get the antidote.

I grabbed a wooden cup from the nearest table and ran to the corner where the oak barrels stood. My hands shook as I filled the cup with wine from the barrel. If Dorian had poisoned the wine that went to Logan, I needed a sample to show Dr. Vance.

"What are you doing?" a weak voice called from behind me.

I spun around to see the middle-aged woman watching me with confused eyes.

"I need to test this wine," I said quickly. "I think it might be contaminated."

"Contaminated?" she repeated, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Just rest," I told her, then ran toward the kitchen doors. "I'll get help."

I burst out of the kitchen and ran down the corridor, the cup of wine clutched tightly in my hands.

Please let Logan be alive, I prayed desperately. Please let me get to him in time.