Even over the phone, Greisy could feel Torin’s anger. So, it wasn’t surprising that it took extra courage for her to continue speaking.
“The Bernathra magic that plagued the Frostholm Pack has been neutralised. Their ability to heal themselves has returned to normal. Worse, Rowena has helped Scott by making a potion that will speed up their recovery.”
Greisy paused and waited. But there was no answer from Torin.
“I’m sorry, Alpha. There’s nothing I can do,” Greisy added quickly, trying to suppress her fear even though her voice was shaking. “Besides, I can confirm that the strength of the Frostholm Pack-”
Greisy’s words hung in the air as the call ended abruptly. She glanced quickly at the screen of her phone and saw that Torin had unilaterally ended the call.
Closing her eyes, Greisy let out a deep breath. In her heart she thought. Alpha Torin must be furious about this situation.
Unfortunately, there was nothing Greisy could do about it. She’d never imagined that the Frostholm Pack would recover, especially since Bernathra’s magic was no ordinary magic. It wasn’t easy to neutralise a body infected by Bernathra’s magic, so it had never occurred to her that they could heal so quickly and all because of Vione.
Greisy tried to calm herself. Just hearing Vione’s name made her chest tighten. She killed Madam Mireya, and now she’s ruining all the plans we’ve been working on for so long. That wretched woman!
Once she felt herself calming down, Greisy decided it was time to leave. She had been away from Frostholm Palace for some time to contact James. Now she had to get back before anyone got suspicious.
Greisy slipped her mobile into her pocket. She turned, intending to leave immediately, but her steps stopped. Her body froze as she realised, she was no longer alone.
Her heart pounded uncomfortably. It was getting louder and faster. She took a deep breath and tried to keep her composure. “B-Beta Garth.”
Garth’s gaze pierced her. Even from a distance of less than ten metres, his gaze was sharp, causing Greisy to freeze, unable to move. “You want to tell me, Greisy? What exactly are you doing here?”
“Just getting some fresh air, Beta,” Greisy replied with a smile. Then she asked in return, “Is something wrong? I thought it wouldn’t be a problem if I left the palace for a while. I just wanted to relax for a moment.”
Garth’s eyes narrowed. “Is that so?”
Greisy nodded, appearing more composed now. “Of course, Beta.”
Garth said nothing more, and for a moment Greisy felt relieved. She thought that Garth had believed her lie. But that wasn’t the case. Garth turned and signalled to one of the guards.
The guard nodded and approached Greisy with a firm stance. Without a word he grabbed her hands and cuffed them.
Greisy’s eyes widened instantly. “Beta!” she exclaimed in shock and disbelief. “What are you doing? Why am I being arrested? I haven’t done anything. I was just getting some fresh air. Is that a crime?”
“Whether it’s a crime or not, you know the answer better than anyone,” Garth replied coldly. Greisy froze as Garth gave his order. “Take her to the palace.”
Greisy shook her head. “No, Beta. There’s been a mistake.” She tried to struggle, but the silver cuffs rendered her powerless. Her wrists burned and her skin began to blister. “I didn’t do anything! You can’t do this to me!”
Unfortunately, all of Greisy’s attempts to free herself were in vain. Not only did Garth ignore her protests, but he remained unmoved by her pleas. Finally, they arrived at the palace, and one sight stopped Greisy in her tracks-she wasn’t the only one being held captive. Mariah had been arrested as well!
Greisy and Mariah were brought together, both kneeling on the floor, while Weldon stood nearby, his face filled with confusion.
“Alpha. Luna. I would never question your judgement, but I really don’t understand,” Weldon said, his mind racing. He glanced between Greisy and Mariah before turning to Usher and Vione. “What exactly happened? What did they do?”
Usher didn’t answer. Instead, he glanced at Garth and motioned to him. Garth nodded and stepped forward.
Garth approached Weldon with a stack of photographs, all taken from the hidden surveillance cameras. The photos revealed a trail of Greisy and Mariah’s misdeeds over the years, including poisoning the palace’s food supply and aiding the enemy pack, as well as their suspicious behaviour during phone calls.
“What… what is this?” Weldon picked up the photos with shaking hands, shaking his head repeatedly as he looked back at Usher. “I… I don’t understand, Alpha.”
Usher’s gaze was fixed on Greisy and Mariah, sharp as if it could rip them apart. The tension in his eyes was so thick it made the air itself feel heavy. “They’re spies for the Nimbria Pack.”
Weldon was shocked. His face immediately turned pale. “That’s impossible, Alpha,” he stammered, shaking his head in disbelief. “There’s no way they’re spies for the Nimbria Pack.”
Without taking his eyes off Greisy and Mariah, Usher said, “The photos tell more than enough. Besides, Mariah has committed countless other unforgivable crimes.”
Weldon’s shock deepened as more evidence was laid before him, revealing Mariah’s numerous misdeeds, including the attempted murder of Vione and the murder of Ned.
Weldon stood frozen. It felt as if his heart had stopped. His face grew even paler, a clear sign that he had never imagined Mariah capable of such heinous acts.
“How… how could this be?” Weldon turned to Mariah, his voice faltering as he forced himself to speak. “Why did you do this, Mariah?”
Mariah blinked once. Her expression was unreadable, but there was certainly no remorse in her eyes. She seemed calm despite the gravity of the situation. She answered Weldon’s question without hesitation. “I did what I had to do.”
Weldon was speechless. The harsh reality hit him so hard that his legs gave out and he collapsed on the floor in despair.
Regret and guilt were etched deep into Weldon’s eyes. He clasped his hands to his chest and said, “Alpha. Luna. Forgive me. I never realised I was harbouring traitors all this time.”
It wasn’t just Weldon who had been deceived. Many others had no idea either, as Mariah had always been known as a kind and pleasant person to everyone. No wonder they were all shocked, including Ayla.
*