Chapter Eighty Two
CHRIS
From the moment Cade’s lifeless body was found in the dungeon, I had a deep suspicion that one of the elders was involved in this mischief.
“Get me Orvyn,” I demanded.
I sat in the courtroom, grappling with the weight of the recent events, my mind churned with suspicion and great uncertainty.
“Are you sure of what you’re doing?” Lucy asked. “Are you sure Orvyn is the killer?”
“I’m certain he’s responsible for all that has happened so far,” I said.
I recalled the night, the pack had been attacked under Cade’s lead, how the guards at the gate had been rendered unconscious. One of the guards had informed me that Orvyn had offered them drinks before they had succumbed to unconsciousness. It was a revelation that had fueled my suspicions.
The guards securing the dungeon had also been poisoned which made me believe that he had a hand in Cade’s death. He probably was hiding something and feared that Cade would reveal the truth.
Orvyn was led to the courtroom, bound with hands and feet. “What is the meaning of this madness?” Orvyn sneered.
The rest of the elders stood in awe as he was led in. “The young alpha is going against us, “most of them murmured.
“How long did you think you could hide from me?” I asked.
“What the fvck are you talking about?” Orvyn asked.
I scoffed. Turning to Glen, I signalled him and immediately he smacked Orvyn on the cheek. “Where were you when Cade was found dead?”
Orvyn’s eyes widened in shock, the same with the other elders. “D-dead? How?” he stuttered.
“You killed him didn’t you?” I asked.
“This is madness. I would never hurt my alpha. I can be anything but I’d never betray my true alpha,” Orvyn sneered, which irritated me.
A guard came forward to testify against Orvyn. “The guards at the dungeon were poisoned with the same portion you used on me and my colleagues on the night Cade attacked the pack.”
“And? Does that justify that I killed him? Anyone can make that portion,” Orvyn said. “Yes, I poisoned the guards on that night to grant access to Cade and his army but that was it.”Exclusive © material by Nô(/v)elDrama.Org.
I eyed him, trying to find the truth in what he said. “I know you killed him just to prevent us from crowning him as our leader,” orvyn accused.
Lothar stepped forward, landing a punch on his face. “How brazen of you to speak to the alpha in such a manner.”
Despite the blow, Orvyn remained adamant in his denial, claiming he had always been loyal to Cade and his cause.
My mind raced as I struggled with the contemplating truth before me. If he was truly loyal to Cade, he wouldn’t kill him or try to harm him. On the other hand, I couldn’t let go of the fact that he had a hand in the insecurities of the pack. He was going to pay dearly for going against the pack’s rule.
“Lock him up until we have more evidence,” I ordered.
Returning to my chambers, Lucy was there to calm me down. “Chris, I don’t think he is the killer,” she said.
“If my presumptions are wrong then who is this bloody murderer?” I asked.
“As Cade said, this killer is someone within and is using everything in his power to hide his true identity,” she said again.
I pondered on what she said for a while. She was right but all evidence pointed to Orvyn. The portion that was used to render the guards unconscious was the same as the last time.
The only way to figure this out was to wait for the guards to regain consciousness before further investigation would be carried out, until then, Orvyn would remain locked up.
A sudden knock on the site interrupted my thoughts. I looked up to see Lothar, a grave expression etched on his face.
“We need to talk, ” he said. “The elders are demanding answers and tensions are beginning to rise among the pack. Some say you are holding an elder captive because of a mere traitor’s death.”
“I see. I don’t care what they say. Orvyn will remain locked up until I find out the truth,” I insisted.
“Do you know who this killer is? Is there something significant about him? I need every information I can get to sort this issue,” Lothar asked, concern written on his face.
“I have nothing,” I lied. “The portion used on the guards made me assume that he was the killer.”
“Just that? That’s not enough evidence,” Lothar said.
“It still doesn’t change the fact that he betrayed the pack. He must be punished for doing so,” I said in a stern tone.
As we discussed, Kazmir and other guards barged into my chamber demanding Orvyn’s immediate release.
I met their gaze with steely resolve, my jaw set in determination. “I will not release him until we have uncovered the truth,” I declared, my voice ringing with authority.
“I know most of you are cohorts with him and I’ll make sure I fish all of you out for betraying this noble pack,” I added. “I will not let this pack be torn by lies and deceit anymore.”
The elders murmured amongst themselves as they left my chambers. “Keep your eyes on them and double the guards at the dungeon this time. If he isn’t the murderer then he is still out there,” I said to Lothar.
“As you wish,” he bowed before leaving.
“Why do I feel like we are getting it wrong?” Lucy said. “I feel like we are going about this the wrong way.”
Frustration gnawed at me as I thought of what to do. If Orvyn wasn’t the killer then whoever it was was bloody smart and one step ahead of us.
“I think we need to fill Lothar in on what is happening. With the information Cade gave us, I believe that Lothar can be of great help,” Lucy suggested.
Lothar was the only one I could rely on for help. He was the only one who had stood by me and my family from the beginning. Although I was a bit skeptical about telling him because of what Cade had said about the killer being a close member of the council, but I believed I could trust him enough with this little information.
At dusk, I sought Lothar at his quarter to avoid the prying eyes of people while Lucy had offered to go see the guards who had been poisoned at the infirmary to get more information from them.
On getting to Lothar’s quarter, I found his door slightly open. A sense of unease gnawed at my gut. I pushed the door open slowly, my heart pounding with trepidation. What I saw sent hot chills down my spine.