Chapter 28 The Nightshades
|| Lilac’s POV ||
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The evening air was crisp, carrying the faint scent of blooming night jasmine as we stepped out of the restaurant. The soft hum of the city buzzed around us, but my mind was far from the present. My thoughts were tangled in the web of the Nightshades, their name echoing in my head. like a haunting melody. The girl at the counter had said it so casually, as if it were nothing, but her words had struck a chord deep within me. “Your table will always be taken care of by the Nightshades.” Why? Why would anyone like them pay for us?
Dad strode ahead, his broad shoulders cutting through the cool night air as he made his way to
the car.
I slid into the backseat, the leather cool against my skin, and waited for the others to join. Ezra, my strong–willed, almost–eighteen–year–old brother, hopped in beside me, his youthful face set. in a scowl. He had been seething throughout the dinner, his fists clenched under the table as Kael spewed his nonsense. Ezra had always been fiercely protective of me, and tonight was no exception.
Mom settled into the passenger seat, her elegant features tight with anger.
As Dad took the wheel and the engine purred to life, I finally broke the silence. “Dad, what do you know about the Nightshades?”
The car seemed to grow colder at the mention of their name. Dad’s hands tightened on the steering wheel, his knuckles whitening. He frowned, his brows knitting together as he glanced at me through the mirror.
“The Nightshades?” he repeated, his voice low and cautious. “Why do you ask?”
I hesitated, my fingers fidgeting with the hem of my dress. “I just… I heard something about them tonight. I need to know.”
Dad sighed, his gaze returning to the road. “Not much, really. They’re an ancient bloodline, descended from the Moon Goddess herself. But they’re also a cursed one.”
“Cursed?” Ezra leaned forward, his curiosity piqued despite his lingering anger. “What kind of
curse?”
Mom turned slightly in her seat, her expression somber. “It’s said that long ago, an alpha from their bloodline sought more power. He allied with a witch, betraying the Moon Goddess. As punishment, she cursed them. The alpha of their line would forever be a cursed soul, unable to recognize their true fated mate. Without a mate, an alpha is vulnerable, and this curse brought disaster upon the Nightshades. They were forced to step down from their position as alpha kings and retreated into the shadows. They became a mystery to the world.”
I felt a shiver run down my spine. A cursed bloodline, unable to find their true mates. The thought was both tragic and terrifying. “But their influence remains, doesn’t it?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
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Chapter 28 The Nightshades
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Dad nodded. “Yes. Despite their fall from grace, they still hold significant power. Most of the influential businesses and properties in the region are under their control. They’re very particular about choosing their successors. I’ve heard that every capable offspring undergoes rigorous. training and must pass a series of exams to take over the role of alpha. On top of that, they still hold forty percent of the overall voting rights in the council.”
Ezra whistled low. “Forty percent? That’s huge. Why don’t we hear more about them?”
“Because they prefer it that way,” Mom replied, her tone grim. “They operate from the shadows, pulling strings without revealing their hand. It’s how they’ve survived all these years.”
I leaned back against the seat, my mind racing. How had I been so ignorant in my past life? I had been the Luna Queen, yet I knew nothing about the Nightshades or their influence. No wonder Kael and Coco had been able to manipulate me so easily. I had been blind to the larger game being played around me. The realization stung, a bitter reminder of my naivety.
“Not only that,” Dad continued, his voice pulling me back to the present, “when Darius stood for the election, most alphas were against him. But he somehow managed to secure the vote of confidence from the Nightshades. That’s what ultimately led him to the crown. Some say it was. all Luna Aria’s doing. She was intelligent and had strong connections among the alphas and lunas.”
Luna Aria. Alaric’s mother!
The car fell silent for a moment, the weight of Dad’s words hanging in the air. The Nightshades had a long reach, their influence stretching far beyond what I had ever imagined. But what did they want with us? Why had they paid for our meal? Were they friend or foe?
Ezra leaned forward, elbows on his knees. “Wait, why are we talking about the boogeymen alphas now? Shouldn’t we be plotting Kael’s slow, painful”
“Ezra, mom warned him.
“He does have a point. What happened, sweetpea?” Dad asked, his voice softening as he glanced at me through the mirror. “Why are you asking about them suddenly?”
“Because they paid for our dinner,” I blurted.
Silence.
Even the tires seemed to hush against the asphalt.
Mom twisted fully around, her seatbelt straining. “What?”
“The hostess said- My throat tightened. “She said our table would always be taken care of by them. Like it was… expected.”
Dad’s knuckles went bone–white on the wheel.
“That’s impossible.” But his voice lacked its usual certainty.
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Chapter 28 The Nightshades
the Nightshades are buying us truffle risotto? Since when do shadow kings play waiter?”
He spun toward me, knee jostling mine. “Did you do some sketchy blood pact in your past life or something?”
“Ezra,” Mom warned, but her fingers were strangling the strap of her clutch.
I stared at my reflection in the darkened window. “I’d remember selling my soul to ancient wolf
mobsters.”
Mom turned fully in her seat, her disbelief evident. “This is not a joke. Are you sure you heard her right?”
I nodded, my throat tight. “Yes. She said it clearly.”
Dad’s grip on the steering wheel tightened again, his jaw clenching.
“Do we have any connection to them?” I asked, my voice trembling slightly.
“No, never,” Dad replied firmly, his tone leaving no room for doubt. But his words did little to case the tension in the car. If we had no connection to the Nightshades, then why had they intervened? What were they up to?
Ezra leaned back, crossing his arms over his chest. “This is sketchy. First Kael tries to pull his crap, and now the Nightshades are involved? What’s next?”
“Ezra,” Mom chided gently, but there was no real reprimand in her tone. She was just as unsettled as the rest of us.
The silence stretched. Somewhere, a car alarm wailed.
Ezra slumped back, kicking the seat. “So we’re just gonna ignore that a bunch of wolf Illuminati apparently have us on speed dial? Cool. Cool.”
I pressed my forehead to the cold glass. “They watched us tonight. Those security cameras in the corners–they weren’t just for show.” My breath fogged the window. “Kael picked that place for a
reason.”
I closed my eyes, trying to steady my racing thoughts. My wolf, usually a source of comfort and strength, was still dormant, leaving me feeling vulnerable and exposed. Oh, Goddess, I silently prayed, please help me. Guide me through this.
The rest of the ride was spent in tense silence, each of us lost in our own thoughts. The Nightshades were a mystery, their motives unclear. But one thing was certain: they were watching us. And in the shadows, where they thrived, anything was possible.
