Elias leaned back in his chair, his eyes cold and calculating. Michelle sat across from him, a glass of wine in her hand, her expression as icy as his. On the other side of the room, Alex, Lynam's father, paced back and forth, clearly agitated.
"We've made progress, but we need to move faster," Elias said, his voice steady but with an underlying hint of frustration. "Lynam is still too tied to Xanthe. We need to ensure he never looks at her the same way again."
Alex stopped pacing, his sharp gaze fixed on Elias. "You think what you're doing will destroy their marriage? The boy is stubborn. He won't let go of her that easily."
Michelle smirked, swirling her wine in its glass. "Let them think that. We have time. Lynam's not as untouchable as he thinks. He's been cracking for months. We just need to keep pushing him."
Elias nodded, his mind already working through their next move. "Exactly. And that's where you come in, Michelle. We need to make sure Xanthe feels utterly alone. She's strong, but we're not dealing with her abilities just yet. If she's isolated, she'll falter. If we isolate Lynam from her— he'll be ours."
Alex's lips curled into a sly grin. "And then, when he's distracted enough, we can put the final nail in the coffin. Xanthe will be out of the picture, and the pack will crumble without their Alpha Luna. We'll be in control."
Elias met Alex's gaze, locking eyes with him. "Once Xanthe is gone, Lynam will fall into our grasp. You'll see— everything will fall into place. He'll have no choice but to bend to our will."
The next morning, Xanthe arrived at the office, exhausted from the emotional turmoil that had consumed her since the night before. The tension with Lynam was suffocating, and she could feel it, even in the way he spoke to her— distant, like a stranger.
As soon as she walked in, she was greeted by the sharp eyes of her brother, Elias. He flashed her a smile, but she didn't buy it. There was something about the way he looked at her that felt off, like he was enjoying this mess more than he should.
"Xanthe," Elias said, his tone far too light, "I'm glad you're here. We need to discuss some things. Lynam's been distracted lately. I'm worried about him."
Xanthe narrowed her eyes. She knew her brother was playing a game, but she couldn't figure out his angle. "I'm not in the mood for your schemes, Elias," she said firmly.
But Elias just laughed, the sound too smooth, too rehearsed. "Oh, Xanthe, you always think the worst of me. I'm just concerned for your marriage. Lynam's been spiraling— Michelle told me he's been drinking a lot lately. You should talk to him. He might need your support."
Xanthe felt a pang of guilt and frustration. Elias was right— Lynam had been pulling away, but hearing it from him made everything worse. She tried to ignore the sinking feeling in her stomach. "I'm aware of his behavior, Elias," she said curtly. "I'll handle it."
But inside, her heart was torn. She knew there were layers to this, and Elias was feeding her half-truths, like always. He had a knack for making people doubt themselves, and she was no exception. Something didn't sit right with her, but she couldn't place it yet.
Later that day, as Xanthe left her office, she was intercepted by Michelle, who had conveniently been waiting in the lobby. "Xanthe, just the person I wanted to see," Michelle said with a fake sweetness. "I've been meaning to talk to you. You and Lynam have been having issues lately, haven't you?"
Xanthe's heart clenched at the mention of Lynam. "That's none of your business, Michelle," she replied, her voice sharp.
Michelle wasn't deterred. "I'm just trying to help. I'm worried about both of you. You know, I've been seeing a lot of cracks in your marriage. I heard from Elias that Lynam's been a bit distant. Have you considered the possibility that maybe he's just… lost interest?"
Xanthe's blood ran cold, but she didn't let it show. "You're trying to get inside my head, Michelle. It's not going to work."
But Michelle's smile remained, a predatory gleam in her eyes. "I'm just saying… if you keep pushing him, Xanthe, you might push him too far. Maybe Lynam would be happier if he didn't have the weight of all your problems. Maybe he just wants peace."
The words were a knife in Xanthe's heart, but she stood her ground. "I know what you're doing, Michelle. You won't succeed."
As Michelle turned to leave, she shot Xanthe one last look, as though to say, we'll see.
Xanthe couldn't shake the feeling that everything around her was slipping through her fingers. She had been so focused on the pack, on the responsibility of being Alpha Luna, that she had let herself become blinded to the slow unraveling of her marriage.
And now, she was questioning everything— even Elias. She had always trusted him, but what if he wasn't on her side? What if he was behind this?
The thought plagued her as she walked through the house that evening, finding Lynam sitting alone in the living room, his gaze distant. He hadn't spoken much to her since the night of the drunken incident with Michelle. His eyes flickered to hers for a moment, but there was no warmth, only a coldness that she hadn't seen before.
Lynam's voice was barely above a whisper. "We need to talk, Xanthe."
Xanthe's heart tightened. She had wanted to fix things, but now she wasn't so sure she could. "I don't know if there's anything left to say, Lynam."
His eyes hardened, and for a moment, she saw a flicker of something— guilt, anger, regret. But then it was gone, replaced with indifference. "Maybe you're right."
Xanthe felt her chest tighten, her breath catching. She turned away, the weight of everything crashing down on her. She had no idea how they had ended up here, but one thing was clear— the conspiracy was working. Elias, Michelle, and Alex were winning.
And Xanthe was losing her marriage.