JARIS
I forced my composure as I walked past them to my seat at the head of the table.
I called each their names, acknowledging them. “I apologize if you had to wait for long. I had no idea you were coming. Please, take your seats.”
They did so.
I noticed there was no water or refreshment on the table.
I turned to Nerion who was standing beside me. “Why weren’t they offered anything?”
“We objected,” one of the representatives replied. “What we came to do is too bleak to drink.”
I furrowed my brows. What they came to do?
“And what might that be, if you do not mind me asking? Is there a problem?”
Another nodded. “A very big one, Alpha Jaris.”
There was a long pause, and exchanged stares, then they added with a painful expression. “The Alpha King is dead.”
The news came like a punch to the gut. It took longer than necessary to digest it and understand what they meant. The Alpha King. As in, King Thaddeus was dead?
No.
“How did this happen?” My face crumpled with a frown. “We spoke just a week ago. He was fine! Someone like Thaddeus doesn’t randomly succumb to death. He was a strong man!” And he wasn’t even that old. Only ninety–seven.
Damn it. I was losing my control. It was snapping out of me.
“We’re as shocked as you are, another said, his head lowered as he spoke. “Just yesterday, he was very fine and didn’t have any issue. He even entertained a visit from Alpha Greg and played golf with him. He was in good health. We were all surprised when we found him dead this morning, in his bed.”
“He died in his sleep?”
“He did. To our ultimate shock. As we speak, more representatives are flying to other Packs to deliver the news.” This was nonsense. How was this possible?
“Have you tried to ascertain the cause of his death?” I asked.
“Not yet. But the doctors think it might be poison. They’re just yet to ascertain what kind of poison.”
“And if it was truly poison,” another representative added.
I shifted my gaze to him. “You think it might not have been poison?”
“Well, he shrugged. “Alpha Kings usually have the fortification to withstand certain kinds of poisons. The King isn’t supposed to die by mere poisoning.”
I nodded. It made sense. “How about the people responsible for his food and drink?”
“They’ve already been locked up and are currently being punished and interrogated. But so far, they’re all swearing their innocence.”
Something didn’t feel right. If King Thaddeus had been murdered, it only meant there was a huge issue on ground. And if we didn’t find out what it was, it might be too late by the time we do.
The representatives and I deliberated more on the issue for some time before they said something else.
“Right now, we have a more pending issue. The Central Throne is empty, and judging from history, it isn’t advisable to leave it vacant for long. We need a new King as soon as possible.”
That had occurred to me the moment they delivered the news of the King’s death. Someone needed to take his place. “We know how it’s done. The top ten ranking Alpha have the right to participate in the process.”
But the final decision lies with the elders and representatives of the central pack. They’d be the ones to take a vote based on the strongest and most productive Alpha.
Usually, the current Alpha King could play a huge role in recommending someone before his passing. But since King Thaddeus suddenly passed away before he could give his recommendations, the whole decision would have to lie with the elders.
I was pretty ouro a lat
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“We just want you to know that King Thaddeus spoke very highly of you,” one of the elders said. “And we also see what you‘ ve been doing. Don’t think we have an interest in anyone else.”
My face gave nothing; no impression whatsoever. “I appreciate your belief in me, but we’ll still have to go through the normal process, you know that.”
“We do. We’re just letting you know that you’re a good recommendation.”
I shrugged. The truth was, a part of me had seen this coming. King Thaddeus and I had a good relationship, and well, I was currently the highest ranking Alpha. I’d always suspected the throne might be left to me someday.
We discussed other things, like funeral arrangements and how to break the news to the public.
A while later, they left.
For the rest of my day, my mood was completely ruined.
I stayed in my office, flipping through reports Thaddeus and I had shared, hoping to find something suspicious. I didn’t know why I felt a conspiracy concerning his death. Someone killed him. But for what reason exactly?
Something didn’t feel right.
By evening, my mother came in to grumble about how it was late and I hadn’t had anything to eat yet. I sent her away, still too angry.
But a while later, Kael arrived with an information.
“Sorry for bothering you, but I think you might want to see this.” He held out his phone to me.
A video was playing on it, and as soon as I realized the person in the video, my anger amplified. What the fuck.
“Is that Lyric!?” I snarled.
He nodded as he withdrew the phone from my face.
Rage filled my chest. I squeezed the pen in my hand so hard it snapped.
What in the name of Hades was this?
I stood up. “Get the car ready. Quickly.”
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