Chapter 56: Silenced

Chapter 56: Chapter 56: Silenced “What the hell were you thinking?” Ezra snapped, his voice low and sharp as Victoria stepped into the underground cell. She barely spared him a glance, her heels clicking on the stone floor. “Don’t start, Ezra.” “One of them’s already dead,” he hissed, pointing toward the blood-smeared corner. “Fought back during transport.” “Good,” Victoria muttered, brushing her coat sleeve. “One less trouble to deal with.” Ezra paced, jaw tight, hands clenching and unclenching. “Zayn’s on his way here. If he talks to the others—” “He won’t,” Victoria interrupted, finally looking at him. “Because they won’t be alive long enough.” He froze. “You mean to kill them?” “I’m just tying up loose ends,” she said calmly, stepping closer to the iron bars. Inside, the remaining two rogues sat chained to the wall, battered and bloodied. One of them sneered when he saw her. Ezra moved to block her path. “You’re talking about murder.” “I’m talking about survival,” she said coldly. “You think Zayn will overlook this? You think he’ll just let it go when he finds out we sent them after his little mute future Luna?” Ezra’s eyes flicked to the rogues. They were watching and listening. Victoria’s tone turned venomous. “If they talk, we’re finished. You. Me. Everyone who had a hand in this.” Ezra ran a hand down his face. “This wasn’t the plan.” “It never is,” Victoria muttered under her breath. “But now we act. Or we burn.” Ezra didn’t say another word. His jaw was tight as he stepped toward the iron cell door. The rogues inside flinched when Ezra entered, pressing himself against the wall like it might save him. “Wait—please,” the first rogue stammered, his voice hoarse. Blood trickled from his busted lip. “I was only following orders. They just said she was a runaway, just a mute, nothing more.” Ezra’s eyes were cold. Unforgiving. “You were told to kill her, so you knew exactly what you were doing.” The rogue’s hands shot up in surrender. “Don’t do this. Money was promised. I didn’t know—” In one smooth motion, Ezra lunged forward. The rogue didn’t even have time to scream before the blade drove deep into his chest. There was a sickening crunch, a sharp gasp, and then silence. The rogue slumped over, eyes still open. Ezra stepped back, breathing hard. “Clean this up,” he muttered to the guards outside. She nodded approvingly, then turned her gaze to the last rogue still alive, shackled and trembling. He looked from the corpse to her, panic rising in his eyes. “I didn’t say anything. I swear, I’ll keep my mouth shut. Please!”) “You will,” Victoria said softly, pulling a small vial from her coat. The silver liquid inside shimmered under the low torchlight. He backed up against the wall, chains rattling. “What is that?” “Poison,” she replied, kneeling in front of him. Her smile was gentle. “Fast but painful. But better than what the Alpha will do to you if you’re alive when he gets here.” “No—please—” “He’ll rip your limbs off and heal you just enough to start again,” she whispered. “You’ll beg to die, but he won’t let you. You know what he’s capable of.” She uncorked the vial and pressed it into his trembling hands. “This is mercy.” “I don’t want to die.” “You already signed your death sentence when you got caught,” Ezra said from behind, arms crossed. Victoria’s voice hardened. “Drink it. Or wait for him. The choice is yours.” The rogue stared at the vial, then at the body slumped beside him. His hands shook violently. “You think he’ll go easy on you?” she hissed. “Her scent is all over you. He’ll know you’ve touched her with one sniff. Do you think he would let you off easy?” The rogue’s jaw clenched, tears streaming down his filthy cheeks. With one final, shaky breath, he raised the vial to his lips and swallowed. Almost instantly, his body jerked, twisting violently as he clutched his stomach. His breath turned into gasps. Foam bubbled at the corners of his mouth. At this moment, the cell door creaked open. Ezra and Victoria turned to see Zayn step into the cell, stopping dead in his tracks. His eyes landed on the rogue, thrashing on the ground in a pool of his own spit and blood. “What the hell...” he muttered, his voice sharp, and his stomach turning. He moved forward quickly, the door slamming shut behind him. The air reeked of blood, sweat, and something else he recognized far too well. Poison. “Zayn...” Ezra’s voice came from the corner, quiet but tense. Zayn didn’t reply. He crouched beside the rogue, watching him struggle to breathe, his limbs twitching, his back arching in agony. The sight made his jaw tighten. He took in the way the man’s veins had gone dark beneath the skin, how his nails had curled slightly inward. It was too fast and too clean. He looked almost haunted. His voice was low and strained. “Who was with him last?” Zayn asked without looking up. Ezra, leaning against the far wall, crossed his arms. “Just the guards and me.” This isn’t just any poison. Zayn’s hand clenched on his knee. It’s the same thing they used on Lily. “Did he say anything?” He asked. Ezra shook his head. “Didn’t get a word out.” Zayn’s voice was flat. “And you’re sure no one gave him anything? Or he took something himself?” Ezra shook his head again. But Zayn’s gut said otherwise. He rose slowly, fury simmering just beneath the surface. Ezra rubbed the back of his neck, unable to meet Zayn’s gaze. “We don’t know what happened.” Zayn’s eyes narrowed. “You really think this is just a coincidence?” Ezra let out a slow breath. “There were three of them. One didn’t even make it to the cells. He tried to fight the guards during transport, and they had to put him down.” Zayn’s jaw tensed. Ezra continued, voice tight. The second one died during interrogation. Died right in front of us.” Zayn glanced at the body on the floor. “This one,” Ezra said quietly, “was fine. Quiet, scared... until ten minutes ago. He started convulsing. Dropped before you arrived.” “Just dropped?” Zayn’s voice sharpened. “He was foaming at the mouth. His skin was grey.” “We searched them,” Ezra said flatly. “No vials. No weapons. Nothing.” Zayn stared down at the corpse, his jaw clenched. “Someone made sure they wouldn’t talk.” Ezra didn’t deny it. “Looks that way.” Zayn’s fists curled as he stepped forward. His eyes burned into Ezra’s. “You knew I wanted answers,” he said coldly. “And you let them die.” “They were already dying—” “You should’ve stopped it!” Zayn snarled. “Her blood soaked the ground, Ezra! Her back was torn open for crying out loud! And you let the only fucking leads rot in a cell!” Ezra stepped back, tense. “Zayn—” Zayn grabbed him by the collar and slammed him against the stone wall. “I trusted you!” “I didn’t kill them!” Ezra shouted. “I didn’t—” Zayn pulled his fist back, rage boiling over. “Zayn, stop!” Victoria’s voice cut through the tension as she moved toward them. Zayn’s eyes stayed locked on Ezra, but his hand trembled. She wedged herself between them, pushing against Zayn’s chest with both hands. “Please. Don’t do this.” Zayn stared at her, breathing hard. Victoria reached up, touching his arm gently. “You don’t understand. Everything we did was for you.” He blinked, stunned. “You’re admitting this?” “No, I don’t know why they attacked her,” she said quickly. “I only wanted her gone. That’s why I asked Ezra for help. I thought it’d fix things.” “You thought exiling her would fix things?” “She was a problem!” Victoria snapped, then caught herself. She softened her tone. “I just meant... she complicated things. I thought if she left quietly, we could go back to normal.” “There’s no normal anymore, Victoria,” Zayn said coldly. “Not with her lying half-dead in the infirmary.” Victoria’s eyes welled with fake tears. “I didn’t want her dead. I swear it. I only wanted to protect you. I saw how the Alphas were looking at you, questioning your rule. I panicked.” “You panicked,” he repeated, voice like ice. “And now two rogues are dead? One of them was poisoned?” Ezra straightened. “I didn’t know about that poison. I swear it. They must have had it on them.” Victoria grabbed hold of Zayn’s arm, eyes pleading, “I never meant for this to happen. I swear it on the Goddess’ name! You have to believe me, Zayn.” “Please...,” Her voice trembled, “Please don’t let this break us. Zayn stood still for a long moment, his eyes fixed on Ezra, trying to hold himself together. Her gaze searched Zayn’s face. “I thought it would help you... not cause all this. What happened was an accident. It wasn’t supposed to happen.” Zayn didn’t answer. He could smell a lie lingering in the air, but who was the one behind it? He exhaled hard and turned slightly, just enough to put space between them. “You said you did it for me.” “I did,” she whispered. “Everything.” He nodded slowly, and then his voice dropped. “Then listen to me carefully.” She stiffened. “Don’t go near her again.” Victoria blinked. “What?” “You heard me. Don’t talk to her. Don’t even breathe in her direction.” She opened her mouth to speak, but Zayn leaned in closer, eyes locked on hers as he warned, “Stay away from Lily, or I won’t be able to keep the promise I made to your father.”