Bullied Mate Of The Lycan Kings
Chapter 146

Lily's POV

"She's dead." Aiden confirmed, kneeling by the cold, stiff body of the woman that had been alive only moments ago with a shy smile as she offered me the meal that she had said was sent to me specifically from Zac. Granted there had been something about her that was strange and I couldn't quite put a finger on but death? Dahlia's presence within me had become an enigma, her once-vibrant essence now silent and withdrawn and if it weren't for the lifeless body lying before me, I might have questioned whether she truly existed, or if someone else had dealt the maid death's blow. Aiden had thrown on his pants and sprung into action, rushing toward the lifeless form on the ground. His fingers pressed against the woman's wrist, searching for a pulse that I knew would never come back. It was as if he was determined to confirm the irreversible truth that my own hands had brought about.

Meanwhile, I remained perched on the edge of the bed, clutching the sheets against my body in an attempt to shield myself from the harsh reality. The room felt cold, my heart a heavy weight in my chest. The scene before me felt like a nightmare that I couldn't wake up from.

Ren's voice cut through the haze of shock that enveloped me, loud and clear in my head "I can feel you practically panicking, Lily. Are you safe? Did something happen? Tell me where you are right now. I'm coming to you immediately."

His voice was urgent, laced with genuine concern that jolted me out of my near-catatonic state. I managed to gather my thoughts enough to communicate that I was still in my room, surrounded by the aftermath of a tragedy I couldn't fully comprehend. Aiden carefully moved the lifeless body farther away from me, and returned to my side, his arms wrapping around me in a gentle yet firm embrace. His presence was a lifeline, grounding me amidst the chaos that had erupted and planted itself within the sanctuary of my room.

Minutes stretched into eternity as I clung to Aiden, the weight of guilt and shock threatening to consume me. The room felt suffocating, the walls closing in as if they were witnesses to the calamity that had unfolded. The woman's body lay motionless, a haunting reminder of my own capacity for destruction.

As Ren's arrival drew nearer, a mixture of relief and trepidation washed over me. His presence would offer me clarity, an understanding to why Dahlia did what she just did.

Dahlia in question was refusing to even say a word to me, her silence chilling and stubborn.

Just then, Zac's voice echoed in the back of my mind, "I don't know what is going on, duchess, but I'm coming right away."

Right. I was bonded to Zac too which makes it a hell of a lot easier for the boys to communicate with me. The reminder that they were rushing to my side made me grateful that I wasn't alone in this... Not anymore. I had people who would stand by me, even in the darkest of times.

While we waited, I tried to see if Dahlia would answer me, explain why she had done what she just did but each time I pushed, I was met with continued silence that gnawed at my consciousness, leaving me with a sense of emptiness that seemed to mirror the lifeless form on the floor. If I wasn't so horrified by what had just happened, I might have laughed at how my life has the ability to go from great to terrible in the blink of an eye.

"I did this" I whispered, my entire body shaking and Aiden held me even tighter, kissing the side of my head.

"We'll figure it out. I promise." He answered and I wanted to believe him. More than anything, I wanted to believe him. But I was afraid of knowing the truth too. Because what if the truth was even worse? Killing, death... that's what she does best. What if I just unleashed a monster?

I could practically feel Ren advancing closer, and I noted that his voice had sounded distressed like he was already running over the minute he sensed my terror.

The door was flung open soon after and Ren rushed into the room, looking like he was ready for battle as he scanned the scene, his gaze pausing on the tense look on my face and Aiden's before he finally sighted the body at the corner of the room.

Looking back at us again, I saw his eyes become completely white and I didn't need a shaman to tell me that he was sifting through our memories to try and understand what had happened. His eyes changed back almost as quickly as they had when he entered and he walked to where I was sitting, Aiden beside me and knelt in front of me.

"You don't need to beat yourself up, Lily, I can practically feel your guilt and even if we weren't bonded and I couldn't see memories, your eyes show that you're scared of yourself."

"How can I not be?" I retorted and glanced at where the woman was currently lifeless. "I did that. I don't even know why I did it or how it even happened but one minute I was annoyed that she didn't want to leave but I never wanted to kill her, I swear to you." "I believe you."

"I do too." Aiden added and I wiped my eyes, wondering how I had lucked out with these guys. Ren headed over to where the woman was and knelt beside her, his hand touching her head as his pupils disappeared and as if contact with her burned him, he moved away almost immediately, his body stiffening as he looked back at us and just then, Zac walked into the room with an entourage of guards.

He stopped short when he took me in, the state of my undress and held out a hand towards the men that were about to follow him into the room. "Stay out!" He snapped harshly, slamming the door behind him.

His face turned soft as he looked back at me, rushing towards my side to kiss my forehead.

"What's going on here?"

Aiden offered to explain but I shook my head. This was my cross and I was ready to face whatever the consequences were for my actions.

Thankfully, as I explained everything that happened to Zac, I was glad that my eyes were not already leaking from how much tears I was holding back.

"She said you asked her to bring me breakfast and even though she didn't leave immediately and I felt like there was something strange about her, I didn't want her dead. Dahlia must have not liked that I was not comfortable and she..." I couldn't finish my sentence and Aiden's arm around my shoulders pulled me closer so I could lean against him.

"I don't think she killed her for no reason, Lily. This woman" Ren nodded towards where her body laid "works for the rebellion and most of her memories have been wiped with the same dark magic that I noticed with the gardener."

"Hold up. I didn't ask anyone to bring breakfast to you. Where is it?" Zac asked and when I pointed towards the table, he hurried there and we all went silent, the room taut with tension as he bent to sniff the food. I had suspected that Zac's senses were more enhanced than anyone else in the room and my theory had been confirmed after he killed that gardener.

"Wolfsbane. In the coffee." He growled and I felt Aiden's grip on me harden, his body stiffening with rage. "f*****g wolfsbane in my mate's food!"

"All the humans that allied with the rebellion were taken care of." Zac seethed but it was Ren that answered.

"She isn't human. She's a werewolf. One of us."

My heart stopped, and started racing with a new tempo.

If she was one of us... It means we're not just fighting the humans and hunters. We're fighting ourselves.

The entire room went really quiet as we digested this new information.

Cynthia's poison had spread beyond Gold Crest and Night Shade, because it seemed she had spies and supporters here in Poison fang and probably in Silver Moon too.

Aiden was the one who finally said the words that neither of us were brave enough to admit.

"This means that Cynthia and my uncle are aware that Lily is here with us. At this point, word must have gotten to them that she has awakened her wolf. They'll come for her."

"Let them. I will raze hell to protect my mate. We all will." Zac said vehemently. "They probably think they're still dealing with the same eight year old girl they've hounded all their life, but Lily is not a little girl anymore and she's certainly not alone."

As I glanced around the room, meeting the resolute gazes of Ren, Aiden, and Zac, I knew that we stood at a crossroads. The battle against Cynthia and her puppeteers had escalated, and the stakes had never been higher. We were at war.