EVAN'S POV

　　Brandon nodded, and we made our way over to the man. As we approached, the stench of alcohol hit me, and I realized he was far more than just tipsy. He was drunk. Very drunk.

　　"Hey," I said gently, trying to gauge his mood. "Mind if we join you?"

　　The man looked up, his eyes narrowing. "Who are you? More mourners? More liars?"

　　I took a deep breath, trying to remain calm. "We're just here to pay our respects and find out what really happened. I'm Evan, and this is Brandon."

　　He scoffed, taking a swig from his bottle. "Yeah, right. Everyone here is a liar. Especially that bitch Lydia. Thinks she's so special."

　　My blood boiled at his words, but I forced myself to stay calm. "Why do you say that? Lydia's done nothing but try to help everyone."

　　The man laughed bitterly. "Help? She's a spoiled brat who thinks she's better than everyone else. If she hadn't shown up, maybe my mother would still be alive."

　　His words made no sense. Why would he blame Lydia for Luna Judy's death? I needed to know more. "What do you mean? How is Lydia connected to what happened to your mother?"

　　He glared at me, his eyes full of anger and pain. "My mother sacrificed everything for this pack. And Lydia just waltzes in and thinks she can take over? My mother warned Cameron, and told him Lydia was trouble. And look what happened. She's gone."

　　I felt a pang of sympathy. His grief was genuine, but his anger was misplaced. "I'm sorry for your loss. But blaming Lydia won't bring your mother back. We just want to find out the truth."

　　He looked at me for a long moment, then shrugged. "Truth? The truth is, this place is rotten. My mother saw it, but no one listened. And now she's dead, and Lydia... Lydia gets to be queen. It's not fair. I knew that she was a b*tch! A greedy b*tch! She wants everything for herself."

　　Before I could respond, he took another long drink and his eyes started to droop. The alcohol was catching up to him. I needed to get more information before he passed out.

　　"What's your name?" I asked, trying to keep him talking.

　　"Manu," he mumbled, his voice slurring. "Manu... the worthless son of a dead Luna. And the future murderer of the queen."

　　My fists clenched at Manu's words, my anger bubbling over. Without thinking, I swung at him, my knuckles connecting with his jaw. The force of the blow sent him sprawling to the ground, his bottle rolling away, spilling its contents into the dirt.

　　Brandon grabbed my arm, pulling me back. "Evan, stop! This won't help us find Lydia."

　　I took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm inside me. But seeing Manu's smirk as he wiped blood from his lip only fueled my rage. "You're wrong, Brandon. He knows something."

　　Manu staggered to his feet, his eyes blazing with anger and pain. "You think hitting me will make a difference? You're just as stupid as the rest of them."

　　Ignoring Brandon's attempts to hold me back, I stepped closer, my voice low and threatening. "Tell me where Lydia is, or I swear I'll make you regret every word you've said."

　　Manu laughed, a bitter, hollow sound. "You think I care about your threats? She's with Cameron. He's got her locked up somewhere. You won't find her. She's his now."

　　My heart pounded in my chest. Cameron had Lydia. The realization hit me like a punch to the gut. "Where is he keeping her? Tell me, now!"

　　Manu's defiance wavered, and for a moment, he looked almost scared. "Cameron... he has a hidden chamber beneath the pack house. That's where he takes those he wants to control. But you'll never get to her. He's too powerful."

　　Brandon's grip on my arm tightened. "Evan, we need to move. Now."

　　I nodded, my resolve hardening. "Manu, if you're lying, I'll be back for you. And trust me, you won't like what happens then."

　　As we turned to leave, Manu's voice followed us. "You're too late. Cameron's magic is stronger than anything you've ever seen. She'll be his forever."

　　Ignoring his taunts, we made our way to the pack house. The funeral attendees were still gathered, their attention on the ceremony. It gave us the cover we needed to slip inside unnoticed.

　　Once inside, we moved quickly through the dimly lit corridors. My mind raced, thinking about what Cameron might be doing to Lydia. The thought of her in his clutches made my blood boil.

　　"Over here," Brandon whispered, pointing to a concealed door behind a tapestry.

　　We pushed it open, revealing a narrow staircase leading down into darkness. The air grew colder as we descended, the walls closing in around us. My heart pounded louder with each step, a mixture of fear and determination driving me forward.

　　At the bottom of the stairs, we found another door, this one heavily reinforced. Brandon and I exchanged a look, then braced ourselves as we pushed it open.

　　The sight that greeted us was enough to make my blood run cold.