Before Miles could say anything else, the door of the den suddenly slammed open.
Everyone inside the den flinched.
Julian stood in the doorway with Ophelia beside him.
Oswald shot to his feet.
“Julian?!”
The injured rival Alpha looked no better than when Oswald had left Balto territory.
His chest was still tightly bandaged, the white wrappings visible beneath his shirt, and his movements remained stiff.
His expression, however, was anything but friendly.
He was glaring at Miles with hatred.
The Elder’s face paled as he stepped inside.
Two Alpha beasts now stood inside the same den.
And judging by the look on Julian’s face, Miles had just lost the luxury of simply talking his way out of the situation.
Ophelia quietly shut the door behind them then greeted Oswald.
“What are you doing here? I thought you were staying with Julian until he recovered.”
“I was.” Ophelia glanced at Julian.
“He decided he was well enough to travel.”
Julian ignored the comment.
His eyes remained on Miles.
“I believe there is something we need to discuss.”
He reached into his coat and tossed a small leather pouch onto the table.
It landed beside the Segrave knife with a heavy clink.
Oswald frowned.
“What is that?”
Julian didn’t answer immediately.
He untied the pouch and let several silver coins spilled onto the table.
Vivianne examined them.
They bore the same wolf and three crossed spears insignia.
The Segrave mark.
“Where did you get those?”
“From the men who attacked Ophelia.” Julian’s eyes narrowed.
He picked up one of the coins and nodded.
“And before you ask, yes. I checked them myself. I could smell the scent of the Segrave household on the pouch.”
Miles immediately shook his head.
“That proves nothing, Alpha Julian. My retainers carry these coins. Of course they would carry the scent of my household.”
“True.”
Julian tossed the coin back onto the table.
“That is why I didn’t show them to Oswald earlier. I didn’t know if I could trust you.”
Oswald’s brows drew together.
“Why would you think that?”
“You are my rival.”
Oswald stared at him for a moment, apparently unable to see the problem.
“So?”
Julian finally turned toward him.
“I am your brother-in-law.”
“Just now.” Oswald’s clipped answer was so blunt that Vivianne almost snorted.
He surely disliked the idea of his little sister as his rival’s fated mate.
Julian continued before he could protest.
“A few days ago, we were still enemies, Oswald. My Alpha’s instincts don’t disappear simply because I happen to be your sister’s mate.”
That actually made sense.
Vivianne glanced at Ophelia.
She merely shrugged as if to say, ‘Don’t bother.
He’s always been like this.’
Julian smirked at Miles.
“I kept another piece of evidence hidden.”
“Bring him in.”
Two Balto warriors appeared at the door with a battered beastman.
He was barely standing.
The wolf’s clothes were torn.
His face was swollen and mottled with bruises.
One of his arms hung uselessly at his side.
Miles’s blood ran cold.
He knew that face.
Oswald stared at the prisoner wearing House Segrave’s cloak and uniform.
“Wait.” His eyes widened.
“Julian… you said all of them were dead.”
“I lied.”
Oswald’s mouth fell open.
Julian shrugged.
“I did beat eight of your Elder’s retainers for trying to kill Ophelia. Most of them were dead. But I made sure to let one live. Just in case I need something out of their foul mouth.”
He glanced at the swaying retainer.
“So I kept him alive.”
Who would’ve thought that Julian was this strong?
He managed to kill seven retainers of House Segrave’s—the oldest Beta House in Canavar.
All by himself.
Miles’s composure finally cracked.
“You—”
Julian smiled but it didn’t reach his eyes.
“I told you I killed them all because I needed you to believe there were no survivors, Oswald.”
His green tail swished.
“A fox won’t reveal where its den is if it knows someone is watching. Sometimes, you have to let it believe the trap is empty.”
Oh.
That was why Julian had lied.
Julian hadn’t been hiding the surviving retainer from Oswald simply because he was suspicious.
He had been protecting his own personal investigation.
If Miles knew one of his men had survived, he could eliminate him to make sure there were no witnesses of his foul act.
But now the trap had already closed.
Julian nodded toward the prisoner.
“Tell them.”
The retainer lowered his head.
For several seconds, he said nothing.
Then his eyes flicked toward Miles with fear across his face.
“Who gave you the order?” Oswald growled.
The man swallowed and closed his eyes.
“The Elder.”
Miles immediately stepped forward.
“Lies!!”
The prisoner flinched.
Julian’s voice remained cold.
“Tell everyone about the name of the person who sent you.”
The beastman squeezed his eyes shut.
“Elder Miles Segrave.”
Silence.
Vivianne slowly turned toward Miles, while Oswald remained utterly still.
For once, there was no confusion on his face.
Only disbelief as the prisoner continued.
“He told us to follow and kill Lady Ophelia. He said we were to make it look like an accident. We were never supposed to let her reach Balto territory.”
Miles shook his head.
“You’re lying.”
“He told us that if we failed, we’d regret it more than death.”
“I never said something like—”
“Enough.” Oswald’s voice cut through the den.
And this time, the Alpha who had been too trusting, too straightforward, and perhaps even had spent too long giving Miles the benefit of the doubt stalked toward him with murder in his eyes
Miles was panicked with terror.
He kept looking at the window and doors.
Trying to find out a way to get out of this suffocating den.
But he realized that he was trapped between two Alphas.
There was nowhere to run.
“You have no right to believe the word of a beaten prisoner,” Miles growled.
“He lied to save his own skin!”
Julian chuckled and rubbed his chin.
His wolf ears were flicking with quiet satisfaction.
“He named you before anyone told him your name.”
“Then explain everything,” Oswald grabbed Miles by the collar and jerked him forward so violently that the old Elder stumbled against the table.
A low growl rumbled from his throat.
“You’re not leaving this den until we know the truth.”
House Segrave had served the Theodolf family for generations.
He had survived every political struggle within Canavar.
Miles even had raised his daughter to become the perfect Luna for Oswald.
And now everything was collapsing because of one failed order.
For the first time, the Elder looked truly cornered.
Miles’s eyes darted toward the door again.
Oswald snarled at his bravado.
“Don’t.”
His shoulders slowly sagged.
Julian remained beside the door, blocking the only other path out.
There was no way to escape.
Suddenly, a desperate voice rang through the den.
“Father!”
Everyone turned toward the doorway.
Samantha stood there, her face streaked with tears and her breathing uneven from rushing here.
The moment Samantha saw Oswald gripping her father’s collar, she rushed inside without hesitation and pulled desperately, but the Alpha barely moved.
“Please! Let him go!”
“Please…”
Her broken voice finally made Oswald pause.
His jaw tightened, but after a moment, he slowly let go of Miles’s collar.
Apparently one of Oswald’s greatest weaknesses wasn’t an enemy Alpha.
It was a crying woman.
Samantha immediately pulled her father to her side and shielding him with her own body.
Her entire body was shaking but she refused to move.
“Don’t kill my father!”
She stood there trembling, tears streaming down her cheeks as she faced Oswald.
Her voice broke when she spoke again.
“I know he has done so many unforgivable things but he’s still my father.”
Julian’s eyes narrowed, but he remained where he was.
He really wanted to beat Miles personally for his transgression toward his fated mate but he decided to respect Oswald’s decision.
Miles was stunned by his daughter’s plea.
He looked down at her, his anger fading into something closer to disbelief.
“Samantha…”
Samantha slowly turned toward Oswald.
Her tearful eyes met his.
“I know why my father did it.”