257 Tina’s Betrayal Unveiled
257 Tina’s Betrayal Unveiled
Lucian
Mara reached for the glass of water on the bedside table, guiding the straw to Keisha’s lips. Her throat looked parched, her movements sluggish. We raised the bed so she could sit upright. She sipped slowly, the straw trembling between her fingers, while Mara stroked her hair in soft, steady motions.
“Nothing is your fault, Keisha,” Mara murmured, not yet knowing what was about to come.
Tears welled in Keisha’s eyes. “I didn’t know Tina was working with Chase Nighthorn,” she whispered, her voice cracking. “I was the one who gave her the address to your holiday home, Mara.”
Mara froze but didn’t stop stroking her hair.
“She told me she wanted to send you a letter. Then I told her you’d moved back to the Mansion. I told her everything, everything I knew you and Lucian were doing. I’m sorry. She was my friend… and I hated seeing her hurt. I believed Lucian had wronged her.”
Her shoulders shook with quiet sobs.
“It’s okay,” Mara said gently. “Let it go, Keisha. You were just trying to be a good friend. There’s nothing to
be sorry for.”
But I stayed silent.
Keisha’s breathing hitched. “Tina has someone in the kitchen working for her. I found out she was trying to poison you. I called you when Denis went to a meeting, but I couldn’t reach you. And because he lingered, I started having… thoughts. Bad thoughts. I believed Tina had already succeeded. I heard a voice telling me
the kitchen worker had killed you. It told me Denis would be arrested for helping her. It told me I was the
real accomplice.”
Her voice broke entirely now. “I couldn’t live with it, knowing I’d given her everything she needed. The
voice was so loud. I just wanted it to stop. I tried to end it.”
She collapsed into fresh sobs, and Mara wrapped her in her arms without hesitation.
“I’m here, Keisha. Me and my baby, we’re here. Tina failed, and you didn’t help her. You did nothing wrong,” Mara said, her own voice trembling.
Keisha clung to her as if she might vanish.
“I’m sorry for pushing you away,” Mara whispered into her hair. “I never hated you. I just… had a lot going on, and I still do. But you and Denis, you’re welcome in our home. Always.”
Keisha tightened her grip, holding on as if the words were the only thing keeping her afloat.
As strange as Keisha’s words sounded, I knew she was telling the truth. I’d already sent Rowan to arrest Tina, Mara could handle wringing the facts out of that b***h. Tina had been cruel enough to exploit
< 257 Tina’s Betrayal Unveiled
Keisha’s fragile state, twisting her loyalty into a weapon. That alone was unforgivable.
And then there was the poison. She had planned to kill my wife.
Now I understood how Alaric’s letter had reached Mara at our holiday home, Tina had delivered it for him. How long had she been working with that bastard? Was that why she moved into the Nighthorn Mansion in
the first place?
The hug between Mara and Keisha broke. Keisha turned to Denis, her face blotchy from crying.
“I’m sorry, Denis. I didn’t mean to… but the voices wouldn’t stop telling me I’d ruined everything.”
He pressed his forehead to hers. “You have nothing to be sorry about. I should have been home. I should have been there. It’s my fault. I promise I will never leave you alone again.”
She shook her head. “Don’t neglect your duty because of me, Denis. That would be too much of a sacrifice. I promise to take my meds and be happy. I’ve ended my friendship with Tina. Please, don’t abandon Lucian in his time of need because of me. Chase is dangerous, and his network is wide. Lucian will need all the help he can get.”
I felt her eyes on me. “I’m not quitting because of you, Keisha,” Denis said quickly, just as I’d told him.” Lucian feels it’s best this way.”
Her head snapped toward me. “Don’t dismiss him because of me. You need him. You need people you can trust in these times. Please, Alpha Lucian, don’t dismiss my husband.”
I met Denis’s gaze. “But you can’t be left alone.”
“I’ll take my meds,” she insisted, her voice steady this time.
Mara stepped in. “She won’t be alone, Lucian. She’ll be with me at the Mansion until this is over and we have peace again. I won’t let her out of my sight when Denis is away. Whenever there’s a need for him to leave, he can bring her to the Mansion. I’d love to have her around. Besides”, her hand brushed her belly,
we have a lot to do together.”
She was trying to lighten the air, but I doubted Denis would want his wife anywhere near the Mansion right
now. Not with the way things were.
“Do you like that arrangement?” I asked Denis.
He turned to Keisha. She looked back at him, her eyes bright with a kind of desperate hope.
“You have to promise me,” Denis said, his voice low but fierce. “Promise you’ll take your meds. Promise you’ll tell me the moment you start feeling low. You have to talk to me, Keisha. Don’t let it get this bad
again. I can’t live without you. Please… don’t ask me to.”
Her chin trembled, but she nodded.
“Notwithstanding,” I cut in, “I’m still giving you three months off to spend with your wife. I want you both to go on vacation.” My tone left no room for argument.
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< 257 Tina’s Betrayal Unveiled
Before Denis could speak, I steered the conversation. “I’ll need Tina’s new address to send to Rowan.”
Keisha’s head snapped toward me, her expression shifting into something close to disbelief. “You believe me?” she asked, her voice trembling.
I understood her surprise. People who returned from psychosis rarely had their words taken seriously. But
I believed her.
And I believed she would recover. Keisha had what she needed now, love, companionship, and a circle of people willing to fight for her. That could do more healing than any medicine.
Denis gave me Tina’s address, and I forwarded it to Rowan immediately.
I couldn’t wait to unleash Mara on her. The interrogation room was ready. I’d be behind the glass, watching every second as my wife dismantled her piece by piece.
We stayed a while longer at the hospital, but duty pulled at both Mara and me. We couldn’t wait for Keisha’s discharge. Before leaving, I promised Denis we’d stay in touch and told him to take Keisha on an extended honeymoon, anywhere but Mistwood. On a normal day, Mistwood would have been perfect for a holiday. But right now, it was a war risk, and I wouldn’t have my friend and his wife caught in that crossfire.
As we left, I felt lighter. Relief threaded through my chest. If I’d acted on my anger, if I’d dealt with Denis the way I’d originally planned, I’d have destroyed something that could never be mended. He and Keisha had a difficult road ahead, but I hoped they’d weather it, and maybe even find their way to something
better.
We were halfway to the cliff when my phone buzzed. Rowan’s voice came over the line: Tina was in
custody.
I hung up and glanced at Mara. “Are you ready to torture the truth out of Tina?”
Her grin spread wide, a spark lighting in her eyes. I could only imagine what was running through her mind. She’d been waiting for this, itching for payback, and now the moment was here.
I was ready too, though a coil of unease twisted in my gut. Whatever Tina had been up to, I suspected the truth would be worse than we imagined. And maybe, if we were lucky, it would lead us straight to Alaric.
When that happened, I would end him.
