#Chapter 53: Poisoned Loyalties

Dawn painted Silver Lake in hues of gold and rose as I made my way to the estate's herbology lab. Luna Elena had mentioned it the previous night – a well-equipped facility tucked into the east wing of the main house, used by generations of her family to study plant medicines. The lab exceeded my expectations. Ancient wooden cabinets lined the walls, filled with rare herbs and tinctures. Modern equipment sat beside traditional mortar and pestles, combining centuries of healing knowledge with contemporary science. I worked methodically, analyzing the cologne sample I'd collected from Alpha Marcus's room. The process required complete concentration, my hands steady as I separated components and tested each for toxins. Years of Luna training in herbology were finally proving their worth in ways I hadn't anticipated. By mid-morning, I had my answer. The cologne contained subtle traces of a wolfsbane derivative – refined and processed to escape casual detection but potent enough to gr