Chapter 50 AUTOPSY
BLAYNE'S POV
"Why is this flipping man waking me up this early in the morning?"
I battled within myself to control my rage as I listened to the irate Beta speak as he changed into his clothes. Duke was after all correct. Just after midnight, when it was quiet, I had roused him up. But Jeffrey had died and the Alpha wasn't going to let me sleep until this murder case was solved.
I think he probably had to leave Keisha in bed disgruntled as well. I didn't want to apologize to him in any manner, though. Because we worked together in extreme circumstances, and this I do believe, fell under that category.
"Hurry up, man!" I finally shot back at him, my body tense. Knowing that Keisha was going to curse me later didn't matter. The urgency of an attack preceded all else.
Even though Jeffrey's body was at the morgue now after being formally pronounced dead at the hospital, I had not been able to unwind since I had carried him there. I had hardly made an effort to preserve the life of my own pack member and warrior when he was ruthlessly slaughtered.
"You still haven't explained what occurred to me," Duke grumbled as he walked near me after tying his black leather military boots.
We simultaneously exited his living room and walked out into the chilly and quiet night. I raised my eyes to the endlessly bright, sliver-freckled sky.
"What the hell are you wearing that shirt for, exactly?" He examines me for the first time after he parked his disgruntled attitude.
I knew I would see the hospital shirt when I looked down at myself, but it was also on the wrong side, looking old and washed out, which contrasted with my style. This would have been a funny moment, but my mind was too solemn to joke around.
The blood stain and aroma lingered in my nostrils all night from the shirt, and it didn't fit perfectly either. It was tight all over. Duke became aware of how tense I was since he was abruptly awakened by me banging on his door when I tightened my hands into fists.
I finally gritted my teeth and clenched my jaw, "One of our pack members was attacked in our woodland tonight." I swallowed and found the strength to say in a faltering manner, "He died."
My best friend and Beta fell silent at once, and the only sounds of our footsteps down the street could be heard for a few seconds. He knew that I do not like to lose any of my troops, which was the number one reason that I trained them so hard. "You've got to be fucking kidding me," he replied in a much lower tone than before. "When was this?"
"About dinner time, just after the change in shift." I growled out, unable to hold back." I found him bleeding in the woods, barely holding on to his last breath, Duke. He died in the hospital bed with Dr. Stone and Dr. Parker doing everything that they could. "
I faltered again, unwilling to complete the words that I wanted to utter. I stumbled once more, unable to finish the sentences I was trying to say.
Being the Gamma of the Pack and having my warrior get slain in our area is considered a failure. How am I supposed to forgive myself when I even have the slightest suspicion that my mate might be to blame? A woman who I've tried to have become a part of my life and for whom I desired. My heart constricted with dealing with my thoughts' internal struggle.
The presence of the mountain rogues made us extremely wary, especially when Jeffery said it plainly to Alpha Vance.
Duke hissed, bordering on a growl in his voice as he said, "Shit." He shared my sense of protectiveness for each and every member of the Dark Wolverson Pack. He became the Beta because of this. He was very serious about his work. "Any theories as to what might have been the cause?"
Despite the fact that Jeffrey's words reverberated in my ears, I shook my head. Jeffrey stated that a woman was involved. I wasn't sure if it was a member of the pack or an outsider. I had a responsibility to find out, but I didn't want Cleo to be the one. "When I first discovered him, I smelled nothing." Knowing that Duke's mind was working swiftly, I told him. "It's possible that he managed to escape his assailant just in time to land there."
"Damn it!" He cried out, sounding angry." That will make it much more difficult to identify our culprit."
"There wasn't much Jeffrey could tell me. He kept referring to women." I went back in my memory. Only a few steps separated me from the hospital, and I could see that several of the windows had lights on.
I spoke with the appropriate heads before entering the hospital, therefore there was no need for us to visit the receptionist. Moreover, in our capacity as heads of pack divisions, there was nowhere that was seen as a restriction for us. We were the ultimate authorities.
We made it to the morgue with limited speech. Dr. Felix Jones greeted us as we got through the doors. He was our forensic doctor and mortician. "Gamma, Beta." He nodded in acknowledgment.
"Let's see the body," I ordered.
He went to the table and pulled the white sheet back. Duke's next words, said in a whisper, made me take notice of the next person in the room. "Who's that?" It was a sleeping woman crouched into a chair.
"Sorry, but she wouldn't leave. She's experiencing hysteria and Dr. Stone gave her sedatives. She refused to leave the body. We summoned her relative to pick her up but as soon as she woke up, she came back here again." Dr. Jones apologized.
"Why didn't you summon elites to deal with her?" I pointed out in agitation. "She has no choice but to comply."
Dr. Jones sighed and was getting nervous because we were both displeased.
"She can't be in here while we discuss business." Duke highlighted.
"I'll take care of it." I mind-linked a warrior to come and pick her up. 'Elias, I need you to do a pick-up at the morgue at the hospital. Expedite getting here, and also assign a warrior to keep her in her home.'
'On my way, Sir' Elias replied.
Duke walked over to her checking to see if she would budge. Her body seemed almost lifeless.
"She's out for the time being." The doctor pointed out. He gave me his flip board with the post-mortem results.
"Let's wait until the warrior takes her out of here," I commented and I handed the flip board to Duke for him to vet the information.
Elias showed up in five minutes to execute his command. He gently took her over his shoulders.
"Her address is 590 Bankroll Crescent over in the Lupin Sector." Doctor Jones informed Elias who nodded and left the room. The minute the door closed the doctor began his report.
"The marks on his body indicate that there was a struggle based on the number of wounds that his body endured. The final blow was a direct piercing of his heart and throat with claws coated in silver and oleander. The attacker's right hand injured the heart while using the left hand to pierce the warrior's throat." Dr. Jones took up the body parts to show us as evidence of his findings. We looked at the tray containing his organs and saw the widespread of silver had turned his flesh gray. "The chemical that was expertly mixed and executed, not many werewolves would know how to coat poison under the nail, so this person is highly trained."
The attack he outlined was similar to our attack strategy but based on the training that we provided to other packs, it's still difficult to pinpoint any leads.
"Was there anything peculiar about the autopsy when you did it?" Duke stood analyzing the body with his hands folded across his chest.
"So far, there is nothing unusual that stands out." Dr. Jones shook his head, "I believe that the warrior may have tried to run to alert the pack and so the attacker fled, but the job was neatly done."
"Thank you, Doc." I scratch my head as I was hoping for more information than what we had just received. "Let us know if anything else comes up. The Alpha will let us know how soon the family can start funeral arrangements, but until then, we might have two elites guarding the door so that no one but you comes in and out."
"I understand." The doctor removed his gloves and dropped them in the bin.
We left and headed to the Alpha's home in silence. I know that he should be up and waiting for his wingmen to arrive and have a serious discussion of what's expected. My deepest wish was for Vance to not point anything towards Cleo, but I felt like it was just wishful thinking.