Chapter 228: Chapter 228

I could hardly breathe as I watched Damon’s face twist in pain. His body shook, his hand clutched his stomach, and suddenly, he coughed, deep and harsh. Then came the blood.

Dark red splattered down his lips and onto his shirt. My heart stopped.

"Damon!" I screamed, moving closer, grabbing him as his body sagged against me. His lips were trembling, his eyes half-closed. "No, no, please stay awake! Damon, look at me!"

He tried to lift his hand, but it fell limply. More blood spilled from his mouth as his body gave a violent shake. And then, he collapsed fully into my arms.

"No! Damon! Don’t do this!" My voice was raw. "Someone! Help me!"

The guards outside rushed in, eyes wide. "My lady..."

"Call the doctor! Now! Hurry!" I cried, tears streaming down my face.

The guards ran out, shouting down the corridor. I held Damon tighter, my whole body trembling. His head rested heavily against my chest, his lips pale, his breath shallow.

"Stay with me," I whispered over and over. "Please, please stay with me."

The door opened again in a rush. The doctor hurried in, robes flowing, his face pale as he bowed quickly.

"Don’t bow!" I shouted, cutting him off. "Do your work! Save him! He’s collapsing!"

The doctor flinched at my voice but rushed forward. "Guards, help me! Lay the Alpha down properly on his back!"

Two guards obeyed, gently but quickly pulling Damon from my arms and laying him on the wide bed. Damon groaned faintly, blood still at his lips. My chest ached so badly I thought I would fall apart.

The doctor bent low, checking Damon’s breathing, his pulse. He pulled out a small leather pouch containing old, worn, yet trusted tools. He lit a small flame under an iron dish, dropped herbs into it, then waved the smoke toward Damon’s nose. He checked his pulse and couldn’t say exactly what was wrong.

"Breathe, my lord, breathe," the doctor murmured.

"Is he breathing? Tell me!" I demanded, gripping the doctor’s sleeve.

"Yes, faintly," he said quickly. "But weak... very weak. We must see what is inside him."

Then, he brought out a vial and pulled out the long silver spoon he was using to eat, and cleaned it. I asked what that was and he told me that he was trying to arrest the blood.

He gave him a spoonful it and then pulled it back out.

I gasped, my hands flying to my mouth. The silver had turned black.

The doctor froze, his face draining of color. He held the spoon up with shaking fingers. "My lady..."

"What?" I cried. "What does that mean? Tell me!"

He swallowed hard, then whispered, "It is poison."

The word struck me like lightning. "Poison?" My voice cracked. "You mean... someone poisoned Damon?"

The doctor nodded slowly, eyes wide. "Yes... it seems so. This blackening it only happens when silver meets a strong venom. A poison has entered his body. I fear... I fear it is very dangerous."

"No!" I shook my head violently. "No, it can’t be! He was just fine, he was laughing, eating with me! How could this, how could he be poisoned?"

I stumbled back, my knees weak. My hands trembled as I covered my face, then pulled them away quickly, reaching again for Damon’s hand. His fingers were ice cold.

"Save him!" I screamed at the doctor. "Don’t stand there shaking, save him!"

The doctor knelt quickly, pressing on Damon’s chest, then checking his eyes, then mixing herbs into a small bowl of water. His voice shook as he murmured, "We must fight the poison quickly, but I... I don’t know if it’s too late."

"Don’t you dare say that!" I yelled, sobbing. "You will not let him die! Do you hear me? You will not!"

The door burst open again. Rowan and Kael stormed in, their cloaks sweeping, their eyes sharp.

"What is this noise?" Rowan demanded, then froze as he saw Damon lying on the bed, pale, lips stained with blood.

Kael’s face hardened, his steps quick. "What happened here?"

The doctor hesitated, bowing low. His hands shook as he still held the blackened spoon.

"Speak!" Rowan thundered.

The doctor finally whispered, "The Alpha... he has been poisoned."

"What?" Rowan’s voice cut like a blade. "Poisoned?"

Kael’s eyes blazed as he stepped forward. "Say that again."

The doctor raised the spoon with trembling hands. "The silver has blackened. It is poison. I cannot mistake it."

Rowan’s face darkened. His voice was low, but it carried like thunder.

"Who would dare... poison him?"

Kael’s fists clenched at his sides, his jaw tight. "This is unthinkable. No one would dare, unless they wish for death."

My throat felt dry, my tears hot against my cheeks. "It wasn’t from outside," I whispered, shaking my head. "Everything he ate today was from our own kitchen. I saw it myself. And the herbs... the herbs he took were the ones given to me for him. I brewed them, I fed him... and now....." My voice cracked, breaking into sobs. "Now he lies here ."

Rowan spun toward the guards at the door, his voice booming. "All the maids from the kitchen, every single one, seize them! Drag them to the prison cells at once. No hesitation!" ʀᴇᴀᴅ ʟᴀᴛᴇsᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀᴛ 𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹✦𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕖✦𝓷𝓮𝓽

"Yes, Alpha Rowan!" the guards answered quickly, rushing out. Their boots echoed down the corridor.

Kael stepped closer to the doctor, his eyes sharp as knives. "You will take the food he ate today. Every scrap, every crumb. Test it. Break it apart. Smell it, burn it, do whatever you must. I want to know what kind of poison was slipped into it."

The doctor bowed so low his forehead almost touched the floor. "Yes, my lord. At once."

Rowan’s glare only grew harder. He pointed at Damon, still pale and unmoving on the bed. "But first..." his voice was like fire "you will make an antidote. You will save him. Do you hear me, doctor? You will not fail!"

The doctor’s hands shook, but he nodded quickly. "I...I will try. I must know the poison’s strength, but I will begin the mixture now."

I gripped Damon’s hand tighter, leaning over him. His lips were cracked, blood at the corners of his mouth. His chest rose and fell faintly, so faintly that I pressed my ear to him to be sure.

"Please," I begged softly. "Please, Damon."

Kael’s voice broke through my sobs, firm but not unkind. "Lisa, tell us again, everything he consumed today. Do not leave out a detail."

I wiped my tears roughly, forcing myself to focus and explained to them.

Rowan’s expression it hardened, ice over steel. "Then it must be the kitchen. Someone placed poison there. Someone under our roof dares to betray us."

Kael growled low, almost feral. "They will regret ever being born."

The doctor looked up, his voice timid. "My lords... my lady... the silver turned black. That means the poison is not mild. It is strong. We must act fast, or the Alpha may not last the night."

My knees nearly gave way, but I forced myself to stand straighter, clutching Damon’s hand tighter. "Then stop wasting words and save him! Brew your antidote, do whatever it takes. I will not sit here and watch him die!"

The doctor bowed again, gathering his herbs and tools. "I will need quiet and space. The antidote will take time."

"Then begin," Rowan snapped. "And guards...." he turned as more soldiers rushed in "triple the watch. No one enters this chamber without my word. No one."

"Yes, Alpha!" they answered.