RED EYES

Chapter 21

Lucian POV:

How could she do that to me? The food Bella prepared was poisoned.

I was initially pleased that Bella had taken the time to prepare a meal for me, despite being frustrated with my guards for allowing her to cook and worried about her safety.

I was worried that something bad might happen to her. I had always trusted Bella's cooking, despite my preference for non-vegetarian food. However, I wouldn't have been aware of the poison in the food if it weren't for George.

Initially, I couldn't believe Bella was responsible. I assumed someone else had tampered with the meal. But then Linda showed up with a bottle of poison she found in Bella's luggage. That was the tipping point. I ordered everyone, including Ethan and his family, to relocate to my kingdom.

Bella kept insisting she hadn't done it, even as I grabbed her harshly in my desperation for answers. Was this the same Bella I had met and fallen in love with? Could she have been attempting to kill me? Everything seemed to be conspiring against her, first her father, and now this incident.

My wolf was furious, growling at the betrayal. Bella was the love of my life, but this was unforgivable. Despite my deep feelings for her, I couldn't let it go easily. She deserved to be punished for what she had done, and my heart ached at the thought of it.

I placed Bella on the back of my wolf, knowing its swiftness would get us to our destination by nightfall. The sky darkened as we rode, the forest around us a blur.

"Lucian, please listen to me," she pleaded as I sat behind her. I patted the wolf's side, urging it to run faster. Bella closed her eyes tightly, her knuckles white as she clung to the fur.

"Lucian, please tell it to slow down," she begged, her voice trembling.

I growled in response, my patience wearing thin. "Bella shut up, or I will do something you won't like." Her pleas turned to sobs, and after a while, she passed out from exhaustion, her body going limp against me.

We arrived in my kingdom under the cover of night. Bella stirred awake as I dismounted, and I roughly grabbed her arm, dragging her toward our quarters. "Stay out of my way," I warned, my tone icy.

Once inside the room, I took the necklace from around her neck and threw Bella inside, locking the door behind her. She pounded on the door, her voice desperate. "Lucian, please believe me, I didn't do it, I swear!"

Ignoring her cries, I made my way to the throne hall. Sitting on my throne, I handed the necklace to George.

"My lord, I advised you to marry my daughter, but you didn't heed my warning," said Ethan, standing before me with a grim expression.

"My lord, I assure you, no one would dare commit such an act within our castle," Linda insisted, her voice firm yet trembling. They are making me angry. Why would you attempt to kill me, Bella? Really, why?"

Their daughter, her voice high-pitched, interjected, "She was the one preparing your meals! She added the poison and had it hidden in her clothes. Look, you can see for yourself!"

I raised my hand to silence them, needing a moment to gather my thoughts. "George, how much longer will it take?" I asked with urgency.

"It's done," he replied, placing a necklace in the center of the hallway. As we arrived at the kingdom of Dotris, a light emanated from the necklace, revealing the scenes of that fateful day.

The scene unfolded in the castle's library. Bella was there with Linda and Amara. I frowned and leaned forward, watching intently as Bella climbed up a ladder. Turning to the two women, I asked, "Why is she doing that? Don't we have maids or guards for such tasks?"