The room stood still for a breathless moment.
There had been a dead silence.
"How can you say such a thing?!" Nanny Nia gasped in horror.
Anna smirked.
A smirk that only she and Nanny Nia understood.
And then Nanny Nia understood what Anna had meant the previous night that it will be too late for Jasmine.
Nanny Nia clenched her teeth. "Jasmine’s baby is Alpha Xaden’s how and where did she even meet someone else to get pregnant?"
Anna glared at her. "You’re calling me a liar? You don’t know Jasmine as much as I do. You don’t know what she is capable of."
"This is ABSURD!" Nanny Nia said.
Xaden said nothing for a while and then Anna chipped in.
"I’m sorry you had to find out this way," she said gently. "I truly am."
No one still said a word.
Then Xaden stood up slowly, pushing his chair back with a groan.
His eyes—darker than storm clouds—locked on Erik’s.
"Search her room."
Erik blinked. "Xaden—"
"Now." His voice left no room for argument.
Anna lowered her gaze, hiding her wicked smile behind a mask of sisterly sorrow. She had done it.
The match was lit. Now all that was left was to let it burn.
Erik hesitated. He turned toward Fiona, who looked ready to stand up and fight.
"This is ridiculous," Fiona snapped. "You can’t honestly believe this? We all know Jasmine. She—"
"I know Jasmine," Xaden cut in, voice harder than steel. "But I also know something is wrong. And if there’s even a chance—"
Nanny Nia was already on her feet. "Then I’m coming with you."
Anna got up.
"But I won’t come with her my lord." Nanny Nia said her eyes wary of Anna.
Anna frowned.
"She is the one who dropped the allegations. She shouldn’t come with us." Nanny Nia stated.
"I’ll stay waiting with her." Fiona interjected.
Anna started to speak. "But I want-
"You should stay." Xaden said firmly and Anna knew BETTER than to disobey.
Anna sat back down, calmly picking up her goblet as though nothing had happened.
Lily looked pale beside her.
Fiona remained frozen at the edge of her seat, fists clenched.
Don’t follow them, Anna silently prayed. You’re too late.
She hoped to herself that she had dropped the letters somewhere they will find them.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Inside Jasmine’s Room
Xaden stepped into the room first, the scent of jasmine and rosewood washing over him like a memory.
His chest tightened.
Nanny Nia and Erik followed behind him. She moved straight to the wardrobe like a hawk, checking everything. Erik began combing through the bookshelves, desk drawers, linen boxes.
And then Xaden knelt near her bed.
He reached beneath the pillow and pulled out a folded parchment.
Erik walked over just as he unfolded it.
Nanny Nia leaned closer, frowning.
"My lord the maids change the beddings every day when Jasmine was here, I’ve never seen that before." She said.
He ignored her and read aloud
Xaden read the first line aloud, his voice hollow.
Xaden said nothing for a moment, then lowered himself into the chair with a heavy breath.
His hand clenched around the burned letter.
Erik and Nanny Nia followed. Nanny Nia’s lips were pressed into a thin, furious line.
"We found letters," Erik said finally. "A lot of them."
Anna sighed and looked away. "I wish it weren’t true."
Fiona stood up. "You believe this? You think she betrayed you?"
Xaden didn’t answer.
Fiona moved to him. "You said she’s carrying your child."
Xaden still made no response.
"No," Nanny Nia snapped. "My lord I know this is not my place but don’t you dare!"
They all now turned to look at her and her newfound audacity. "That girl bled for you. She would have died for you. I would stake my life—my soul—on her loyalty."
"Then someone is lying," Anna answered . "Because these letters didn’t write themselves."
"They were planted!" Nanny Nia’s voice cracked with fury. "Don’t you see how well this was timed?!"
Anna gently touched Xaden’s shoulder. "Don’t blame yourself. She fooled all of us."
Nanny Nia lunged forward, pointing a wrinkled finger at Anna. "You. I see you. You think no one notices, but I’ve seen your kind before. And I swear to the moon goddess, if Jasmine suffers for your lies—"
"That’s enough," Xaden said, standing again.
Nanny Nia stared at him, heartbroken. "You don’t even realize it yet. But they’re pulling you away from her."
Xaden looked at the crumpled letter again. At the way her name was written. At the words.
Was this... really Jasmine?
Or had someone taken everything he knew and twisted it?
He turned to Erik. " Send word to the moonlight pack and confirm what Anna said. And keep an eye on Nanny Nia Someone’s trying to hide something—and I want to know who."
Nanny Nia gasped.
But Xaden didn’t look at her. His eyes had already darkened again, like a man walking straight into a storm of his own making.

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