I Found My Replacement's Rotting Hair On The Alpha's Pillow

"You missed a spot."

Seraphina's voice floated down from the vanity stool, dripping with bored arrogance.

I kept my head down. The coarse bristles of the wooden brush dug into the plush white carpet of the master bedroom.

"Right there, by my heel," she added.

"I see it," I replied, scrubbing the crimson wine stain.

"Then clean it faster," Kael ordered.

"Did you really have to spill the entire glass?" I asked, sitting back on my heels to stretch my aching knees.

"My hand slipped," Seraphina said.

"Your hand doesn't slip, Luna. You're the strongest fighter in the north."

"Maybe I just wanted to see you on your knees again."

"You saw that at the altar," I reminded her.

"I enjoy reruns." She picked up a silver hairbrush and ran it through her hair.

"Leave the Omega alone, Sera," Kael said, stepping out of the walk-in closet. "Let her work."

"She talks too much," Seraphina complained.

"Then I'll cut out her tongue next time," Kael offered casually.

"No," Seraphina countered. "I like hearing her whine."

I pressed the bristles harder into the wool, forcing the soapy water deep into the fibers. The red stain stubbornly clung to the white threads.

Kael walked across the room and stopped behind Seraphina's chair. He wrapped his large arms around her waist, staring at their shared reflection in the mirror.

"The border patrols reported rogue activity," Kael said.

"They always report activity in winter," she replied, setting the brush down.

"This was different. A coordinated pack."

"Are you worried, Alpha?"

"I don't worry. I prepare." Kael dragged his nose along her jawline.

"Good. Because my father's soldiers arrive tomorrow. They expect a show of strength."

"They will get one."

"They better," Seraphina warned. "He didn't send his best fighters just to watch us trade rings."

"He sent them because you belong to me now," Kael stated.

"I belong to no one."

"The mark says otherwise." Kael's thumb traced the bruised skin on her neck.

"The mark is a formality."

"Is it?" Kael asked.

"Don't test me tonight, Kael."

"I test whatever I want in my own territory."

He opened his mouth. His fangs descended, catching the warm light of the chandelier.

"Keep your eyes on the floor, Omega," Kael snapped at me.

"I'm looking at the stain," I said.

"Then scrub."

I lowered my head. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Kael sink his canines lightly into the fresh mating mark on Seraphina's neck.

Seraphina screamed.

She slammed her elbows backward into Kael's ribs. The violent impact sent him stumbling into the heavy oak bedpost.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Kael shouted, gripping his side.

Seraphina didn't answer. She clamped both hands over her mouth. Her eyes bulged wildly.

She sprinted for the master bathroom. Her hip clipped the nightstand, sending an empty wine glass shattering across the hardwood floor.

She disappeared into the dark tiled room, leaving the door cracked open.

"Clean that up," Kael barked at me.

"I'm on it," I said.

I crawled across the carpet, moving toward the bathroom door. My fingers pinched the jagged stems of the broken glass. I shifted my weight, inching closer to the two-inch gap in the doorway.

A wet, gagging sound echoed from the bathroom.

"Seraphina?" Kael called out. "Are you sick?"

"Stay out!" she choked out.

I picked up another shard of glass, using the movement to peek through the opening.

Seraphina hunched over the marble sink. Her spine curved sharply, the bones pressing hard against her silk robe. She didn't look like the untouchable Luna anymore. She looked fragile.

My stomach cramped violently. I thought I would feel a rush of victory. I thought seeing the mighty she-wolf brought low would taste sweet.

It didn't.

My shoulders locked. My jaw clamped shut. A cold sweat broke out along my hairline.

She gripped the porcelain edges with white knuckles. Dark fluid seeped from her mouth, pooling in her palms. It slipped through the gaps of her fingers, thick and viscous.

It hit the sink with heavy, wet smacks.

Black blood.

"What is happening to you?" Kael asked, walking up behind me.

"Nothing!" Seraphina yelled, her voice bubbling with the dark fluid. "Just a bad reaction to the wine."

"You drank two sips."

"I said stay back!"

I held my breath, waiting for Kael to kick the door open. I expected him to rush in and save his chosen mate.

He didn't touch the doorknob. He stood completely still, his boots planted inches from my hands.

"Sera?" he whispered.

"Don't look at me!" she cried.

Kael didn't look concerned. A strange, twisted smile crept onto his face.

He tilted his chin toward the ceiling. He closed his eyes and flared his nostrils.

He drew in a massive gulp of air.

A deep, dragging sound filled his throat. His ribcage stretched outward. The seams of his custom shirt groaned under the sudden pressure. His chest inflated to an unnatural size, the muscles bulging and shifting beneath the fabric.

A satisfied hum vibrated in his chest. He was feeding on the scent of her sickness.

A scraping sound came from the tiles inside the bathroom.

Something slid across the floorboards.

A pale blue silk scarf slipped through the narrow crack beneath the bathroom door. It pushed forward, stopping right against my knee.

The fabric was completely soaked in thick, black sludge.