Chapter 40: C39. Evidently Confess
Continue Matthew's POV:
I'm not sure how long it was before I heard the door sliding back open. Beta Ethan came back inside the room. This time with a few people assisting him. They had water for me and a light prepared meal. Not enough to upset my stomach. I was starving and the portions they gave me had it in mind. I would have just enough to leave me wanting more. It was a light stew. They fed it to me before whipping me down and rebandaging my wounds. I was almost done healing. The process seemed to be taking forever.
They cleaned me before they would release me. I was too weak to fight back. My arms felt disconnected from my body. The lack of blood flow in them made them discolored. How could someone be so cruel and leave me with my arms above my head? Who knows how long I was forced to stay upright in that position. I thought they were on the verge of falling off. Ethan watched nearby as they rehabilitated me. In fact his mind seemed elsewhere are he stared at his phone with a blank stare. I wondered what he was looking at.
"What did you mean?" I asked slowly. My mind wondered all over the place. It was hard to tame it. I was excited to have something new to stare at. "Before... You said I mistreated the king's mate. Who is the king's mate? How was I supposed to know who it was?"
"It doesn't matter right now," Ethan said softly. "Your charges will be dropped. The king has approved of proceeding with my suggestion to use you against your own sister. You're going to meet with her right now. We will be listening to your every word so please make sure to get her to confess."
The pack mates surrounding me smelled like omegas. They were dressed in lab coats and they kept their eyes away from my face. They seemed to avoid my eyes at all cost. They were here on one mission. They were here to serve one purpose. I was given a shot in my left shoulder. Adrenaline pumped through my veins as my arms seemed to wake up. Color pumped back into the veins.
They helped me stand. I don't know how long its been since I was imprisoned in the chair but I fell over before I took my first step. It was terrifying as I seemed to have lost my functions. I soon realized as the team caught me that they were here to be leaned on. After a few practice steps I managed to find feeling back in my legs.
I was grateful suddenly that the king was showing mercy to me. I would not mess this up. I wanted to find my way back to my mate after all. My daughter needed me still, of course. I was to be a grandparent. I have to do my best. I have to make sure I do exactly what they want of me.
"Do you have a list of questions I should be asking my sister?"
"You're her brother. Please do your best to know the correct questions to ask. Your main job is to get her to confess about her intentions. We have proof she tried to frame Casimir Kriska with murder charges... We just need her to confess about killing William Cromwell. That is your main focus."
I guess it was foolish of me to assume I would have a strict script to follow when questioning my sister. She'll notice right away something is off and won't say anything specific. I have to word my questions carefully. I can't let her suspect I'm corrupt and looking to take her down. All I want to do is get back to my family.
I was dragged from the room by his servants. I could hear Ethan in pursuit. I can only conclude they took my sister around the same time as me. I don't know how that's effecting the pack at the moment- with both of us missing. My mother must be going nuts. In one single night the two of us disappeared along with the prisoners breaking out from the station. I can only imagine what's happening back home right about now. How is the king going to settle their worries when this all gets out? How long have I been missing?
My poor family!
This is all too much for them to be dealing with.
I was taken to a room not far from the one they pulled me out of. The scent stayed the same of the molded basement assuring me we were still underground. I was brought into a room with a round table with six chairs evenly spread out around it. I was forced into a seat before the servants left the room. Ethan sat beside me. I was able to glance at his phone to see it ringing on silence with a single name on the ID. Nathalie. Who was Nathalie and did I know her? No... It didn't come to mind. He put his phone away. I looked at him curiously. What was going on? Why are we here? I thought I would be brought straight to my sister.
This isn't- my eyes searched the room. A wall had a two-way mirror spanning it. We were on the side that could see into the other room. There in the room over was my sister. April was sitting on a metal bed. Only one pillow and a thin thermal blanket was given to her. She wasn't being tortured like I had been. She looked better off in fact. Other than a black eye that was slowly healing. She was in a set of thermal pajamas. Which was strange since I knew she'd never choose those to wear away from home. Those weren't her clothes entirely.
The door flung open. My back sitting to it. I caught his scent before he even showed himself. He crossed the room and sat down directly in front of me. He was at least taller than anyone in the room. Well over six-five. He had natural platinum blonde hair with the royal diamond blue eye color inherited from his bloodline. I recognized his features instantly of that of his father's. He was pale from lack of sun. That didn't mean he was weak. His body was built. He would instantly win in a fight against either one of us. If Ethan were to fight of course. This creature must have worked out daily. He couldn't compare to my lucky champion, Zeke. No... this was a man worth fearing. This was King Camren, I knew.
"Beta Matthew Rabidcrest?" Camren's voice shook my nerves as he spoke so suddenly. He was questioning me as he reached a hand out and met mine halfway as we shook hands. "You understand why you were brought here?" He asked. I nodded as we shook hands and let go. I bowed my head instantly out of respect.
"Yes, sir... Let me just say it is an honor to meet you in person King Camren. Rather unfortunate it be under these circumstances. Your Beta has caught me up for the most part. My charges will be dropped if I cooperate and get my sister to talk," I said as my eyes met the window once more to peer in at my emotionless sister. Did she already know? Camren nodded as he seemed to lack words. Not that it made him look weak. He seemed to not want to waste his precious voice on pointless chatter.
"They can come in," he said as he nodded behind me. I heard two sets of footwork behind me before two gentleman sat down at the table with us. One one side was a well distinguished looking man. With forest green eyes and hair that very much seemed to be the same shade of tone I recognized. This man looked like an older version of Casimir. His hair was greying from age. He must be ten years my senior. "This is Alpha Ezekiel Kriska. He's from pack Blackridge," Camren's cool and collect words would introduce us. "This is Beta Matthew of Rabidcrest Pack."
"Pleasure," Ezekiel's sharp tone would bark out my way. He would crack a half smile but he didn't look happy to see me. Perhaps because I'm partially responsible for his son's absence. I did have him locked up under false charges thanks to my sister's orders. "Surely," he growled as he saw how little I believed him. "I have no ill feelings toward you."
Forget about Ezekiel for now.
On the other side sat a young Nippon man close enough to be a modern looking pop star. Definitely younger than myself. He had rich dark hair that resembled his ancestors. Closer to black than Josephine's hair ever could be. I couldn't see beneath the surface of hair hanging in his eyes. He spun a coin in his hand as he avoided staring at me. Instead he was looking across the table at Ezekiel. This... I could feel was the one who shared my pack's secrets with his true master. My pack's scent was tied to his very distinct scents. I couldn't quite pick up on what made him so special though apart from his traitorous qualities. A spy, he truly was.
Was he avoiding looking my way because he was ashamed of himself?
"This is Itsuki Goto. I assigned him to your pack's territory long ago. He is an old friend of mine," Camren explained. I sat back in my chair as my jaw clenched tightly. I barely knew a thing about this man. "He's been relaying your pack's secrets to me for well over half a decade now. Please don't be mad at him. He's been in my service this whole time."
"You've had your fangs in my pack since your first coronation," I whispered. It was very clever of him. He truly was fit to be a king, I see. I always thought of him as too young. Inexperienced. I see now I've underestimated him. "So what has the spy told you so far?" I asked and stared the man down. My eyes narrowed as he avoided eye contact. Instead his head tilted to look straight at Camren.
"Everything," Camren said as he looked frustrated. His eyebrows sunk tight as he looked at Ethan. "Tell him what his sister was planning to do to me." Itsuki suddenly stood up as he put up a hand. I guess he wanted to interrupt as he faced me suddenly.
"I will," he said as he raised his voice. It was the first time he spoke up since being here. I didn't expect it from him. "No... let me show you instead." He came around the table and put his index fingers on my temple suddenly. I felt over washed as my brain drowned out from being at the table. I was caught up then as I instantly saw images flashing. April and Juliette's voices overtalking in my head. A potion being cooked up as a lock of Josephine's hair fell into the pot. Words being vibrantly chanted as I knew then what was being done. "April had asked me to make a love potion," Itsuki's voice whispered inside my head. "She wanted to force Camren to fall in love with Juliette. Rewriting all of fate's design." I shot up from my seat as I snatched his hands away. I faced him with violence.
"You just gave it to them?" I asked. This is more then just a crime! This is sin! This is outright a day that will live in infamy. For this was dishonoring god's will. Itsuki's skin suddenly burned my hands. I pulled away as my skin fried and created a smell in the air. Itsuki sat back in his spot. Ethan yanked me down in mine.
"Of course not," Itsuki said sharply. "My loyalty is only for the king. I gave her a placebo."
"Placebo?"
"It won't effect him if he drinks it. But- if Juliette goes through with it-"
"Surely you won't," I insisted. "She's just a child."
"Today she's a woman," Camren spoke up. "Rather she's a child or not wouldn't matter anyway. If she goes through with it I will have her imprisoned." I hung my head as I shook it slowly. That kid was mislead her whole life. How can Camren show her no mercy!? I hope Juliette doesn't do it! That child! She's too good to do something so stupid! I leaned across the table as I stared the king down.
"How are you so certain she'll even show up? With her mother missing the child will stay home with my mother. There's no way my mother would let her come all the way here with us all missing."
"That's simple," Itsuki said as he spoke up. A smirk crossing his lips. "I had been instructed to make a double to replace April for the time being. So we would have enough time to interrogate her without a big commotion coming front he pack about missing leaders."
"A double? Did you make one of me?"
"No, we want to make it believable when we bring you back and make you explain what's happened since you've been gone. The double is upstairs now with Juliette. Waiting for the masquerade. That's when Juliette will make her attempt to give the potion to Camren."
"This is wrong! You're setting Juliette up," I growled out towards Camren.
"What wrong is that my mate was accused of murdering her father. Not to mention the mistreatment she's been given from her pack her whole life!" Camren's voice raised as it him me. I realized then only what he meant. Josephine... It is Josephine. He's doing this all for her? Camren raised his arm as he motioned to someone behind me. I was suddenly forced to sit back. My shirt was pulled up as hands came from behind me and started to tape a wire to my chest. "You'll go in that room and you will get her to confess to killing her husband," Camren's voice said in a cold and mellow tone. "Don't come back out until you got it."
"Rather it be the truth or not?" I asked quickly. "Are you trying to find the true murderer or are you trying to get her to confess either way?" This is starting to become too real. What is going on here?
"April did kill her husband," Ethan said suddenly from beside me. "You have to realize you sister did it. She's going to do everything she can to convince you otherwise. Don't listen to her. We just need the confession. So that way we can use it against her when we do bring her to court and trial her reasonably. You promised you would cooperate with us. If you don't we will have to assume you're responsible as well. Or that you even knew it was happening yourself."
"How are you so certain I wasn't in on it?" I asked quickly.
"You've had a surprise written across your face this whole time. Look at your sister. Do you see one on her?" He pointed at the two-way window. My eyes followed out to her body. He was right about one thing. She was guilty about something. "I'll do it," I whispered.
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