CHAPTER 86: VENOM IN HER SMILE

Kiel

I grabbed Josie’s arm before she could move further, my fingers curling around her wrist with a desperation I could barely mask. My heart thundered in my chest, loud and violent. The sight of Michelle standing there, crocodile tears streaming down her face like some kind of cheap drama queen, was enough to make my blood boil. I clenched my jaw hard enough to crack my own teeth and turned to face her fully.

"You really consider yourself a woman?" I hissed, venom dripping from every word.

Michelle blinked at me, slow and deliberate. Her lips trembled, but the tears in her eyes? They weren’t real. I’d seen real sorrow — Josie’s broken silence, her hesitant laughter, her fragile strength. This... this was theater.

"If I wasn’t," Michelle said, her voice thick with pretend sorrow, "you wouldn’t have climbed my bed."

I let out a cold, humorless laugh. "Michelle, if you were the only woman left on this damn planet, I’d still rather die celibate."

Varen, standing to my left, burst out laughing and slapped my shoulder with a fist-bump. "Brutal," he muttered.

Michelle’s face twisted — it was a flicker, barely visible, but I saw it. That mask she wore, it cracked for a second. And that glimpse behind it? Ugly. Dangerous.

"You think this is funny?" she sneered.

"I think you’re a liar," I said, voice rising. "And I’m going to prove it. You don’t deserve to be Luna — not now, not ever."

She wiped her face with the back of her hand, glaring at me with that snake-like glint in her eyes. "Is that what you told her too?" she asked, gesturing toward Josie. "Feeding her pretty words while you shared my bed?"

I took a step forward, fists clenched. "You better watch your mouth."

"Oh, come on," Michelle scoffed, still playing the pitiful damsel. "Josie, sweet girl, break off the bond while you still can. He’s not worth it. You think he’ll choose you? Please. This whole relationship is a ticking time bomb. Nothing good will come out of it. Stop clinging to this fantasy and make something of yourself."

My vision darkened. The room was buzzing with tension, but all I could hear was Michelle’s voice echoing in my skull. My wolf snarled inside me, pacing, furious, ready to rip her throat out. I turned toward the elders, who had been watching the scene unfold in uncomfortable silence.

"Get her out of here," I barked. "Now. Before I do something I regret."

One of the elders sighed — the one with the silver braid and pinched lips. "We don’t like being dragged into matters like this, Kiel. If you had no intention of committing, why did you sleep with her in the first place?"

"I didn’t," I snapped. "How many times do I have to say it? I. Didn’t."

A hand brushed over mine. Soft. Familiar. Calming. Josie.

I didn’t even look at her, but the touch was grounding. I tried to breathe, tried to pull back the fury crawling over my skin. I hated being accused of something I didn’t do. I hated the doubt in people’s eyes. But most of all, I hated how this mess was hurting Josie.

"You’re going to regret this," I told Michelle, voice low and full of promise. "You think you’ve won, but you’ve only started a war."

Michelle smiled.

She actually smiled.

She tilted her head like she was enjoying the show. "You better start preparing for our wedding, love," she said sweetly. "Because I’m carrying the first heir to the throne. That’s serious business."

Something snapped inside me. My wolf lunged to the surface, clawing at my control. My hand jerked forward before I could stop myself, but Varen was faster — he grabbed my arm tightly, dragging me back.

"Bro! No!" Varen grunted, his grip solid. "Don’t give her the satisfaction."

Josie stepped between us, holding onto me with both hands now. "Kiel, please," she said, voice firm but gentle. "Don’t. Don’t let her win."

I was shaking. Actually shaking. "I didn’t—" I began.

"I want to know," Josie said, cutting me off, "were you sleeping with her before today?"

Her voice was sharp now, the edge of betrayal slicing into the air like a blade. My eyes locked onto hers — dark, pained, guarded.

Michelle cackled behind her. "Good luck answering that," she purred, sauntering toward the door.

"I didn’t—" I started, but Josie was already backing away.

Her lips moved, mouthing words silently. Play along.

I faltered. My mouth opened, then closed. I looked between her and Michelle, utterly lost.

What the hell was going on?

Josie’s expression changed just slightly — a glimmer of something in her eyes. Trust me.

Okay. Okay, I could play along. I didn’t know what her plan was, but I trusted her more than anything. If she had a play, I’d follow.

"I’ve told you before," I said slowly, turning my body toward her, "I don’t give a damn about Michelle."

Josie narrowed her eyes. "I want the truth, Kiel. The real truth. Because if you can’t give me that—"

"Josie—"

"—then stay the fuck away from me."

She spun on her heel and walked out, her shoulders stiff with fury, pain, maybe something else I couldn’t quite place.

I stood there, stunned. For a moment, no one spoke. The air was thick, heavy with tension. My heart pounded in my ears like a war drum.

"What the fuck just happened?" Varen muttered beside me.

"I don’t know," I replied, still staring at the door Josie had disappeared through. "But whatever it is... it’s not over."

Michelle had slithered out with a smug look, the elders had left without a word, and I was left standing in the ruins of what should have been a quiet evening. My chest felt tight — not from guilt, not from fear, but from the sheer weight of everything that had just happened.

This wasn’t just about lies and rumors anymore.

This was war.

And I was going to burn everything down if it meant clearing Josie’s name... and mine.

Whatever Michelle was planning, she had no idea who she was playing with.

And Josie...

God, Josie.

She still believed in me — enough to have a plan. Enough to mouth play along even when everything in her eyes screamed she was breaking.

I would not let her down.

Not again.

Not ever.