Chapter 61 The switch 2

Chapter 61: Chapter 61 The switch 2

Talia’s POV

Vivienne stood up quickly, and turned her attention to her daughter. "Celeste, calm down."

"Calm down? Look at my dress, mother!" Celeste continued in her loud voice.

"Go and change," Vivienne said with a sharp voice. "Go now, before you make a scene."

Celeste glared at the servant, then at her mother. Then she stormed off toward the path that led to the rooms, which meant she was going to use her personal bathroom.

Vivienne watched her go, shaking her head. She did not notice me, and she did not notice her glass on the table.

I stood frozen for a second, watching Vivienne’s back. Her attention was still on Celeste’s ruined dress. Servants had quickly arrived to remove the broken glasses, and other servants were mopping the floor.

Wolves were gossiping about what had happened, and everyone was focused on Celeste who was stomping off the hall, but no one was looking at me, or looking at the table.

I knew this was my only chance. And if I waited any longer, someone would turn around, someone would see, and someone would ruin everything.

As servants were still rushing to clean up the spilled wine, and more wolves turned to look at Celeste’s retreating figure, I moved.

My hand was steady, and I did not know how.

Inside, I was screaming, but my fingers did not tremble. I switched my glass between my hands, and set it down near Vivienne’s spot.

I stepped forward, and reached out quickly. I picked up hers, held it close to my chest, and made sure to look around, and confirm that no one saw, no one turned, and no one screamed.

I had successfully swapped my glass with Vivienne’s.

It was golden and identical, so no one would know. Then I took five steps back from the table.

Piper saw me, and she smiled. Nora was beside me, and she nodded. Elara, who was the servant who had been carrying the drinks, saw me too, before looking back at Vivienne and offering more apologies she did not mean.

I turned quickly and walked toward the bathrooms down the hall.

In the bathroom corridors, there were she-wolves going in and out of the bathroom, so Nora had to remain outside the door.

I stayed in the bathroom for a few minutes, with my heart pounding, and my hands shaking against the sink.

I looked at myself in the mirror, and my makeup was still intact even though the glamour charm was still hiding my real face.

I took a deep breath and smiled at my reflection in the mirror, because I had done it.

My reflection smiled back. For a moment, I did not recognize her, because she looked calm, and confident, like someone who belonged in this world. I touched the glass. "You did good," I whispered, and the girl in the mirror nodded with me.

My reflection did not look like the regular me, but the girl in the mirror was someone I was starting to recognize. Someone who did not run, who did not hide, and someone who fought back.

I thought about Piper, Nora, and Elara’s sacrifice, and how they had helped me, and had risked everything.

I promised myself that I would not let them down.

I had successfully switched the glasses.

The weight of the glass in my hand felt different now. It felt lighter, or maybe that was just my imagination. I looked at the dark wine, and it looked the same as before, with the same color, and same smell.

I would not drink poison tonight, she would. The thought should have made me sad, but it did not. It only made me feel strong.

And now, Vivienne would drink her own poison, and carry out her own plans.

I took a deep breath, straightened my dress, carried the glass of wine that originally belonged to Vivienne, turned away, walked out of the bathroom door, and Nora walked me back to the table.

Kaelen was still sitting where I had left him, and he looked at me when I sat down.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"I am fine," I answered.

"Your hands are shaking," he said.

I pressed them flat against my thighs. "They always shake."

He did not push or say anything else.

Alpha Aldric stood up from his seat, and the hall went quiet. "Wolves of Shadowfang," he said, his voice carrying across the room. "And honored guests. Raise your glasses."

Wolves lifted their cups.

I looked briefly at Vivienne, and she was still standing near her table, with a golden glass in her hand, and Celeste by her side in a new dress.

She did not know it was the wrong one, and the same one that she had meant for me. Now she would have a taste of her own medicine.

"A toast," Aldric said, "to our new Luna. May she bring strength and honor to our pack."

"To the Luna!" the wolves roared.

As everyone clicked glasses together, I turned around to see Vivienne raising her glass to her lips, and she drank.

I watched her throat move as she swallowed.

She swallowed once, twice, three times, then she lowered the glass and smiled at Celeste. She did not even notice, and she did not feel the heat yet. But she would, very soon.

The wine would work its way through her blood, and then everyone would see. Everyone would see what she really was.

I held my breath and waited.