The Lunar Crest Academy: Marked by The Lycans
Chapter 122: A Set-Up

Chapter 122: Chapter 122: A Set-Up

Kieran’s POV

The sun was just beginning to rise over the academy grounds, but the tension boiling inside me was nowhere near dawn-like. Elise was barely clinging to life, and time was not on our side.

Varya walked beside me as we stalked through the thickening woods beyond the Lycan dorms, where wild herbs and hidden flora thrived. She had mentioned spotting some of the rarer plants used by her father, the royal Lycan physician, growing near the cliffs on the academy’s far east border.

"This is where the Thornroot grows," she said, kneeling near a patch of damp soil. Her red hair glinted in the sliver of morning light that bled through the branches. "But it’s poisonous if not balanced correctly. My father mixes it with Moonfern to neutralize the burn."

I crouched beside her, analyzing the dark, curling roots. The scent was sharp—bitter. Exactly as I remembered. "Good. We’ll need a full pouch of this. And the Moonfern?"

She stood, brushing her fingers down her thigh, letting her hand trail far longer than necessary.

"There’s a patch of it past the rocks near the waterfall," she said with a soft smile. "I’ll lead you there. It’s a bit of a hike.... you might need a break before we get to it."

I didn’t respond. I simply turned and started walking.

She followed, of course.

"You know," Varya said, her tone shifting, "it’s been a while since we were alone like this. You and I... we’ve always had chemistry, haven’t we?"

I stopped.

Dead in my tracks.

Her footsteps halted behind me.

"You should stop talking," I said.

But she didn’t. "My prince, it’s not like you and the feral girl can ever truly be together. She’s not one of us. She’s..."

I turned so fast, the trees rustled behind me from the sudden burst of wind.

I stepped into her space. Inches from her face.

"Finish that sentence and I swear, I’ll make you regret it," I said, my voice calm, but lethal.

Varya flinched, but kept her chin high. "I’m only saying the truth. She’s a liability, Kieran. And you..."

"Don’t say my name like you know me," I growled. "You think proximity earns you favor? Let me remind you of something, Varya. I see everything. Including what’s behind that smug, loyal facade of yours."

I stepped back just slightly, my eyes glowing a faint red.

"If you ever try to touch me again, or use this situation to slither your way into something that doesn’t belong to you" I paused, voice sharp as a blade, "I will not hesitate to put you in your place. Is that clear?"

She nodded, her face pale, the arrogant edge finally gone from her lips.

"Good. Now show me the Moonfern."

We continued in silence. I didn’t trust her, never had. But I needed what she knew. For now.

Because Elise needed those herbs.

Because Lorraine needed answers.

Because someone inside the academy was trying to set me up, and if I didn’t act fast, it is definitely not going to stop with ms

Lorraine’s POV

The second I stepped back into the hospital, the air felt thicker. Heavier.

My footsteps echoed down the cold hallway as I made my way toward Elise’s room, every step feeling like it carried a thousand unspoken emotions. I opened the door quietly, and immediately felt the tension snap like a wire.

"You’ve got to be kidding me," Adrian’s voice cut through the silence like a blade. He stood abruptly from his chair, his eyes blazing. "You went after him? After everything?"

"Lorraine," Felix said, rising too, still seated by Elise’s bedside, "you left in a rage and then came back in with him. The same him whose bathroom she was found in, chained, bleeding, poisoned."

They were angry. No, furious. But beneath that fury, I could feel it. The pain. The fear. And I couldn’t blame them for it.

"I’m not taking sides," I said softly, walking farther into the room. "I’m just trying to figure out what the hell is actually going on."

Adrian scoffed. "You’re defending him. You’re doing more than trying to figure things out. You’re choosing him."

"No!" I snapped, louder than I intended. "Don’t you dare twist this."

They both froze at the sharpness of my voice, but I kept going. "I’ve known you both since the beginning. We survived that first week of hell together. We’ve bled together. And I swear to you, I would never stand behind anyone who could’ve hurt Elise."

I took a deep breath, trying to to calm the tightness in my chest. "But Kieran didn’t do this. He’s not the one we should be hunting."

"Then explain the bathroom," Adrian growled. "Explain the silver chains. The wolfsbane. The missing tongue. Explain how she ended up like that in his villa."

"I can’t explain all of it yet," I admitted, "but Kieran believes she was planted there. Framed. He told me, he had not even began the Total Lycan Ascension yet when Elise was kidnapped so he was still in control of his wolf. And you saw her wounds. Those wounds are definitely not from a wolf. That was calculated torture. Someone did that on purpose."

Felix’s jaw was clenched, but he glanced back at Elise’s pale, unmoving form. His voice cracked. "She’s dying, Lorraine. Elise is dying and we are too powerless to do anything"

"I know." My voice broke too. "And Kieran, he’s gone to find herbs. Rare ones. Ones his royal physician used on.... on someone with a similar condition with Elise, herbs that can flush wolfsbane from the blood."

"Who had a similar condition with Elise?" Felix aside and I hesitatted before answering

"His mother"

Adrian looked at me, expression unreadable. "He told you about his mother?"

"Yes," I said, a little stunned myself. "I think it cost him to do that."

Silence stretched in the room between us again, but this time it was.... different. Not anger. Just quiet pain.

"I’m not asking you to trust him," I said, softer now. "Just.... don’t turn on me too. Not now. I need you to trust me that I will always be on your sides no matter what"

Felix looked at me for a long moment, then nodded. "If he really brings back something that helps her.... I guess we can reconsider his stance"

Adrian didn’t say anything, but he walked back to his chair beside Elise and sank down slowly.

I stood by the door, staring at Elise’s motionless frame. Her skin was grayer than before, her chest barely moving.

Please, Kieran... be fast.

Before it’s too late.

The silence in the hospital room was barely settling before the doors slammed open.

I flinched.

Astrid Voss strode in like a winter storm, cold and biting, followed closely by Magnus Thorn and two armed guards in black and silver.

We alm looked at them, surprise etched on our faces

"Adrian Vale," Astrid announced, her voice sharp and echoing off the sterile walls. "You’re under arrest for suspected affiliation with the Crimson Hunt."

My eyes widened. "What?!"

"Wait, what are you talking about?" Felix jumped up too, stepping in front of Adrian.

Adrian stood still, stunned for a beat, then shook his head. "That’s insane. I’m not part of the Crimson Hunt."

Astrid ignored the denial and gave a nod. The guards moved forward without hesitation.

"Don’t touch him!" I stepped in between them and Adrian. "You have no proof! This is a mistake, Adrian would never...."

"Actually," Magnus Thorn cut me off smoothly, his tone laced with something dark. "We found a Crimson Hunt-marked weapon with an Elite, and during interrogation, he confessed..."

"Who?" Adrian barked. "Who the hell said that?!"

"That," Astrid said coolly, "is not your concern. Stand down."

They reached for him again, and this time Felix shoved one of the guards. "Back off, he didn’t do anything!"

Astrid moved faster than I could process, she grabbed Felix by the collar and slammed him back against the wall. "Try that again, feral, and I’ll make sure you don’t walk out of this hospital."

"Stop!!!" I screamed, standing between all of them. "You’re making a mistake. You don’t just storm in here and tear people away while their friend is fighting for her life in the next bed!"

Magnus raised a brow. "Would you rather we dragged you all in for questioning?"

"Touch her and you’ll regret it," Adrian snapped.

The guards didn’t wait for more orders, they grabbed Adrian by both arms. He tried to shake them off, but the silver shackles were already clamped around his wrists.

"This is a setup," he hissed. "Someone is bloody setting me up and yoh all are just playing along"

"Tell it to the dungeons," Magnus sneered.

"Adrian!!" I cried as they began dragging him out.

"Felix!!" he shouted back. "Lo...Lorraine!!"

He twisted his head around just before they reached the hallway. His eyes locked on mine. Despite everything, they were calm. Fierce. Focused.

"Find the Ghosthound," he said, loud and clear.

Then the door slammed behind them, and Adrian was gone.