Chapter 12: The Scent of Treason

The next morning, the White Stone Castle was a powder keg, and I was holding the match. I’d spent the night—or what was left of it—cross-referencing the data from the drive against the official attendance list of the summit. It was damning. My father wasn't just working with the Crescent Moon Pack; he was actively funneling security codes for the King’s private quarters to them. *Idiots,* I thought, tapping my pen against the desk. *They’re trying to stage a coup with the subtlety of a herd of elephants.* "You're awake early," a voice drawled from the doorway. I didn't have to look to know it was Sebastian. He looked like hell—dark circles under his eyes, clothes rumpled. "You didn't leave," I noted, not bothering to hide the file on my screen. "I couldn't," he muttered, walking over and grabbing a carafe of water. "The guards have locked down the perimeter. Nobody goes out, nobody comes in. Kaelen knows something is rotten, and he’s starting to purge." "Good. Let him purge," I said, leaning back. "It’ll make it easier for me to finish the job." Sebastian stared at me, his expression a mix of horror and something that looked dangerously like pride. "You're really going to hand him our pack on a silver platter, aren't you? You know what he does to traitors, Elian. He doesn't just kill them. He makes sure they *wish* they were dead." "I’m not handing him anything," I said, closing my laptop with a definitive click. "I’m handing him the truth. If Dad wanted to play kingmaker, he should’ve picked a King who wasn't currently looking for a reason to burn the world down." The door swung open again, and this time, it was one of Kaelen’s personal guards—the minivan-sized one from the night before. He didn't speak; he just pointed down the hall. *Showtime.* I stood up, adjusting the cuffs of my suit. I looked like a human, I felt like a human, but for the first time in my life, I didn't feel like an outcast. I felt like the most dangerous person in the building. As I walked toward the summit chamber, I felt the familiar, heavy gaze of the King. He was watching from the shadows of the mezzanine, his golden eyes burning into me. "Don't trip," I whispered to myself, a smirk tugging at my lips. I wasn't just here to witness the fall of the Blacktooth Pack. I was here to make sure Kaelen realized that his little 'ordinary human' was the only thing standing between him and a knife in the back. *Let’s go, Kaelen,* I thought, my pulse steady. *Let’s see how you handle a little bit of human logic.*