CHAPTER 5

SCARLET'S POV 

A few days after the incident in my chambers, the royal physicians decided to perform an autopsy on Kaiden to find the cause of his death.

We all waited with bated breath - Alan, Eric, Isabella, Jasper and I as the physician walked into the living room with a long look on his face. 

I rose to my feet along with the rest of the room. 

“Your Highness… lady and gentlemen. The results are out.” The physician, a lean man dressed in green scrubs announced as he entered the room. 

“So… what is it? What killed my husband?” I asked.

“Alpha Kaiden's autopsy results are in. He was poisoned.” The physician read out the report from the clipboard and awe all froze in shock.

“P - poison? How?” Isabella panicked as she quizzed.

Jasper leapt to his feet, his eyes widened in shock. “What?”

I shook my head in disbelief. “There's no way.”

“I'm afraid so, Your Highness,” The physician turned to me. “We found traces of poisons in his bloodstream as though they had already been there. Somebody had already been feeding him minute quantities of arsenic poison.”

My eyes widened in shock. “How is that even possible?”

“You tell me.” Eric raised an eyebrow at me.

“What is that supposed to mean? Are you accusing my sister?” Isabella took to her feet but Jasper's arm pulled her down.

“Hey, let me go! They're accusing my sister of murdering her own husband and you expect me to sit here and do nothing?” Isabella shoved his arm off hers.

“I am not accusing your sister. You're the one that puts the words in your own mouth.” Eric shot her a hard glare and she hissed at him.

“Please, I did not have you all summoned here to be at each other's throats. Alpha Kaiden is gone. We should make preparations for his funeral and not bicker over his dead body!” the physician barked aloud. I suspected he had been fed up with our argument.

“I need some time to think about this.” I stroked my forehead which, strangely, began to throb.

“There is no time to think about this!” Alan barked.

“Back off, Eric. I won't tell you again!” Jasper's eyes bore into his and a light chuckle escaped his. 

“You think this is over, Scarlet?” Eric and Alan marched to the door. “It isn't. You can bet on that.” 

When they left the room, I could finally breathe again.

Isabella came over to my side. “Sister, are you alright?”

I tried to speak but choked on a sob. “My husband goes to war and returns. I didn't speak to him or even see him for the moment he was here ... .and now, he's dead and now, I'm at fault?”

“No one is blaming you, Scarlet.” Jasper reached for me but I shrugged away from the contact.

“If that's all, I’ll be on my way.” The physician grabbed all the files and turned to the door.

“I know you didn't do it, sis. I know you didn't kill Alpha Kaiden.” Isabella put her arms around me.

“That's not what the council thinks.” I gestured to the door 

“You've got to listen to me, Scarlet,” Jasper went on his knees before me. “Kaiden… it was no lie but he really loved you. Even while we were on our way to battle, he'd never stop talking about you. He’d always said he wanted three kids with you.”

The ghost of a smile appeared on Jasper's pink lips as he went on, his eyes misty. “Kaiden was strong-headed but he cared about you. Even in the spirit world I believe he still cares about you. It doesn't matter if the council doesn't like you, Scarlet. You're Kaiden's mate, the Blood Moons True Luna.” 

I escaped out of Isabella’s embrace. “But I'm a suspect. No one will believe me anyway!”

“I do.” Jasper replied, placing his hand over mine.

“I know you do but what about the pack council? Who's going to convince them that I'm innocent? No one! Nothing will work!” I leapt to my feet.

Jasper dragged his hand through his hair as he sat on the marble floor. “Don't tell me you're still considering that plan of yours?”

“I have to, Jasper,” I wiped my eyes with the sleeve of my blouse. “It's the only way to save both myself and my family.”

After giving it a hard thought, Jasper smacked his lips and gave me a nod of approval. “Well, if you'd go along with the plan, I'll help… Kaiden has three brothers and you'd have to choose one of them as the Alpha King. After Kaiden, the next in line is Luther.”

“No. No. Are you out of your mind?” Isabella held back my arm. “Think about this, Scarlet.”

I turned to Jasper who had a determined look on his face. 

“If you want to back out, now's the perfect time.” He said.

“No, I'm not.” I sniffle softly. “I'm all in.”

“Sis, please, think about this. Luther has a terrible reputation. I'm worried about you.” Isabella has her fingers linked with mine, a look of disapproval glinting in her brown eyes. 

“I have to do this, Bella,” I put my forehead to hers. “I have to do this for us.” 

“I want you to understand what you're about to get yourself into, Scarlet,” Jasper took to his feet and dusted his trousers. “Luther is the third brother of Alpha Kaiden and he is known to be ruthless and evil.”

“I'm well aware of that.” A soft shudder escaped my lips. My breathing was shaky and my heart beat wildly against my chest. The decision I would make now would either save or destroy my life. And from what I can acknowledge, it's a little bit of the latter.  

“I'd have to choose Alpha Zade then.” I settled on Kaiden's last brother, Zade. I heard he was easy-going and quieter than the rest of his brothers.  

Just when I thought my life could get any better, Jasper's warning blasted my ears like a jukebox. 

“Scarlet, you don't understand. Among Kaiden’s brothers, Luther is the most notorious. Luther will rival any pack if he finds out you chose someone else other than him to become the Alpha King. Are you up to soloing as an Alpha wolf?”

I was dumbstruck. Just when I escaped the frying pan, I danced into the open fire. 

“Must I choose Luther?” I muttered under my breath.  

 

“Yes.” Jasper nodded silently, awaiting my response.

I looked into his eyes without a word and he understood my message.

Isabella, who had been paying attention, slammed her fist into the plush red couch. “Jasper, we can't choose Luther as the Alpha King. He's literally a walking red flag. Scarlet might die!”  

Jasper ignored her. His eyes were on mine.

“By tradition, Luther is meant to be the next Alpha King. And nothing will stop him, not even you, Scarlet,” Jasper leaned forward, his eyebrows furrowed and his lips were set. “Are you in or are you out?”

I fisted my hands at my sides. “I'm all in.”

I felt like a chicken being led to the slaughter house but instead of fighting for freedom, I volunteered my death.