"What the fuck happened?!" William hissed, staring around the room.
Everyone was in shock over Melody collapsing during Luna Queen Cara's birthday party. William was the first to speak but nobody had answers. How could they have answers? Nobody had left the room and it was quite obvious that it was the soup.
The medics got there shortly after and were ready to drag Melody out of the room.
"It had to have been the soup," Lady Grace said, eyeing the soup suspiciously. "But I feel fine; so, it was only her soup?"
They all stared at one another again; except for one of them.
Prince Jack.
He was staring at me; his lips formed in a thin line as we made eye contact. I couldn't tell what he was thinking. I haven't had many, if any, encounters with Prince Jack. The only thing I really knew about him was that he didn't get along with William.
But from his stares, a chill crept up the spine of my back.
"It must have been the maid," Jack said, pointing directly at me.
I felt all the air in my lungs escaping as everyone turned their directions to me; they all stared at me with dismay. Except for Daniel and Martin who just looked increasingly worried.
"Me?" I whispered, barely audible.
Jack took a step toward me, sizing me up from my feet to my head.
"Don't play stupid, maid," he barked in my direction. I flinched at his words as my body tensed. Heat rose into my cheeks and tears were burning in the back of my eyes, but I refused to cry right then and there. I couldn't cry in front of them and show them that kind of weakness. Even though I felt insanely weak at that moment. "We all know you're her handmaiden and she almost killed you. This was your revenge, was it not?"
"No!" I said, my voice coming out as a squeak. "Of course not, your majesties."
"Then how did this happen?" Cara asked, staring at me with such intensity I thought lasers were going to shoot out of her eyes.
"I don't know..." I said, my voice revealing my fear.
"You are a liar!" Jack hissed.
"I'm not!" I tried to defend myself.
"Doris would never do such a thing!" Martin said, stepping forward. "You have it wrong, Jack."
"Do I though?" Jack said, his eyes never leaving mine. "I saw her switch the name cards on the soup."
I sucked in a shaky breath; my body weakening, making me nearly fall to the ground.
"Because there was an Aconitum in the Luna Queen's soup! She's allergic so I switched the soup. I had no idea it was poisoned too," I said, tears filling my eyes.
"You're saying someone in the kitchen was trying to kill me?" Cara asked, her eyes widening; I wasn't sure if she believed me or not, based on her tone.
"Who would do such a thing?" Jack scoffed. "What would the motive be?"
"I don't know," I said, my lips quivering.
"I believe her!" Daniel said, there was a panic in his eyes. "She would never do something like that."
"How do you know what this maid is capable of?" Jack asked, turning his attention to Daniel. "You don't even know her."
"I know Doris enough to know that she would never do this. She doesn't have a violent bone in her body."
Cara stared at her youngest son confused; William rolled his eyes and folded his arms across his chest. He had no care in the world about what happened to me; I couldn't tell if he believed I did it or if he didn't. But it didn't matter; he was going to let them do whatever they wanted to me.
My heart nearly shattered on the spot as I stared around at all the distrusting and accusing faces.
I realized Alpha King Charles had left the dining hall a moment ago; if I had to guess, I would say he was getting the guards to come and collect me. I pressed my back against the wall firmly before I fell to the ground. I had to try to keep my balance, or I would look even more guilty.
"Daniel is right, Doris wouldn't do this. She's not a violent person," Martin chimed in, standing beside Daniel.
At least I had two of the royals on my side; if it mattered, I would have appreciated them a bit more. But it didn't matter; if Luna Queen Cara didn't believe me, nothing really mattered.
As predicted, Alpha King Charles returned with a couple of guards. He pointed at me, and they stormed over to me.
My body trembled uncontrollably as they each grabbed an arm and pulled me away from the wall.
"Please..." I begged, tears streaming down my features. "I didn't do anything!"
"Unhand her!" Martin ordered.
The guards only tightened their grip around my arms; I winced at their force and the pain that came with it.
"Who else would try to poison Lady Melody?" Jack asked, eyeing me once more.
"I wouldn't try to poison my own lady," I cried.
That only made Jack scoff.
"So, you're telling me that you tried to poison the queen?" He laughed.
"Of course not," I cried again. "There's been a mistake."
"I don't make mistakes," Jack hissed.
"Jack, be reasonable," Daniel said.
"I don't know what your relationship is with this maid, but it's doing you no favors," Jack growled to him.
Daniel tensed at his words and stole an apologetic glance in my direction.
"Get her out of here," Alpha King Charles ordered the guards.
(William's POV)
"How could you let them take her?! You know she would never do such a thing," Waylon cried out as they watched the guards drag Doris from the room.
"I don't know much of anything. I do know that Doris hated Melody. We don't know what she's capable of," William muttered back.
"YOU hated Melody too!" Waylon hissed. "With that logic, anyone could have poisoned her. But you know Doris. She's our fated mate..."
"I don't have a fated mate," William shot back. "It's all nonsense."
The room was silent as Doris was now gone; they were taking her to the king's prison in the dungeon. Everyone stared around at each other with wild and frightened eyes; none of them believing what just happened. Except for Jack who looked at the doorway that Doris was dragged through furiously.
"Can you believe the nerve of that maid?" He muttered; William wasn't sure who he was talking to.
"I will kill him..." Waylon mumbled as they stared intently at Jack.
"William, Melody was your Lady, so what happens to that maid will be your decision," his father said, approaching him carefully.
William shot a look at his father; he wasn't sure what he wanted to do with Doris, but Waylon was insisting that they needed to prove her innocence.
Telling from Martin and Daniel's reactions, they were probably going to want the same thing as well.
William couldn't help but wonder what their relationship with Doris was and why they cared so much that she was taken away.
"They probably want to fuck her..." Waylon muttered.
"Shut up," William hissed to his wolf.
He turned his direction to his father.
"Once everyone calms down, I will listen to all parts of the story and figure out if she's telling the truth or not," William said, trying to keep his tone even.
"Oh, I can find out if she's telling the truth or not..." Jack hissed with a slight chuckle in his tone.