Chapter 127: Fiona Is Still Alive!

Micah’s POV

A few hours ago

"Something feels off."

Fiona remarks, scrunching up her adorable nose. Ever since Colin delivered the news of my father's death, I asked him to bring over the investigation reports, and Fiona and I have been poring over them for the last couple of hours.

"Why did the killer leave no other clues? No prints, everything in its place, and yet their body scent is overwhelmingly present at the crime scene," she says, frustration lacing her words.

I sigh, my head sinking back against the couch. The hours weigh heavily on me; exhaustion settles in, leaving me strangely empty. "There seems to be foul play here."

Then, inspired by the recent series of body scent perfume crimes, almost in sync, we both voice a shared realization, "Maybe it's not their real body scent at all." Fiona rises, understanding clear on her face.

"Oh God, it could be one of my perfumes." A spark of an idea ignites in her eyes. "I could find out if it was."

I gaze at her as she rapidly articulates her plan.

"Every perfume I create has a signature base. When the wearer puts it on, it alters and mixes with their body scent, but the base remains the same. Werewolves don't forget scents. If I have time, I can enhance the signature base for a couple of my perfumes and take it to the officer who smelled the room. If it's one of my scents, they will be able to sense the similarity between what they smelled and we could confirm that the scent at the crime scene was faked."

"How much time do you need?" I ask her, rubbing my face tiredly across my hands.

Fiona looks a bit worried.

"Three days, at least. We need to stall Jeremy and Alara for that long."

I turn my face toward her and say, "Just leave that to me."

Despite my attempt at a soft smile, the weariness lingers in my expression. Her eyes trace my features, softening impossibly, and she moves to sit next to me.

"It can't be easy for you," Fiona says gently, her voice soothing. "Even if you and your father didn’t often see eye to eye, I know he was your only family left."

I nod, feeling a pressure build in my head.

"I've always blamed him for marrying again, for being unfair to my mother," I admit, my voice a whisper. "But I never wanted him dead. Now, I feel guilty. I never even tried to get close to him."

Fiona cups my face in her hands, her touch tender and reassuring. "Micah, guilt won't change the past, but you can find peace in seeking the truth now."

She leans in, pressing a gentle kiss to my forehead, and then begins to place soft kisses all over my face. Each one feels like a healing touch, erasing some of the pain and confusion within me.

"I'm here for you," she murmurs between kisses, her lips leaving a trail of warmth. "You don't have to face this alone."

I exhale a shaky breath, allowing her comforting presence to wash over me.

"Now, the least I can do is find the true culprit behind this," I say, determination flickering in my eyes.

Fiona meets my gaze, her own eyes filled with unwavering support.

"And we will, Micah. We'll do it together."

She laces her fingers with mine and I bury my face in her neck.

"Thank you," I murmur against her soft skin, my voice muffled. "I don't know what I would do without you."

“Good thing you’ll never find out.” She whispers back, making me smile.

____________________

Third POV

Present Day

"Let the countdown begin, brother."

Micah's words hang in the air, an ominous declaration that sends a shiver down Jeremy's spine. The ultimatum is clear, and Jeremy, desperate to regain control of the situation, reluctantly agrees to Micah's bet. However, he has one condition – Wilson must be the chief judge.

"Why Wilson?" Micah questions, suspicion evident in his gaze.

Jeremy, quick on his feet, defends his choice. "It's common knowledge that Rowena is your ex-girlfriend, and Wilson, as Rowena's father, has always been closer to you. He was also one of father’s favored diplomats. It’s only right that I invite him to be the chief judge. I think it definitely won't be unfair to you."

Micah's eyes narrow.

"Rowena has never been my girlfriend ever. But it doesn't matter who you invite to be the chief judge. It doesn't matter if the chief judge you pick is fair or not. Because there's only one truth, and the truth is not going to change."

With that, he stalks out, not sparing them another glance.

The next few days, Jeremy feels on edge. He has made sure that his men track every single movement Micah has made. They report to him or Leah hourly, not missing the slightest details. Yet, paranoia about what his half-brother could be up to, eats at him, painting him clearly guilty.

Inside the room, Jeremy's impatience becomes palpable as he asks Leah once again, "What has Micah done in the last two days?"

Leah lets out a resigned sigh, familiar with the persistent questions of her husband when it comes to his brother.

She glances out the window toward the front of the coronation hall, her expression shifting to one of disdain.

"The same as the days before. He's set up a recliner in front of The Great Coronation Hall and has been lounging there, soaking in the sunshine. And when he's not doing that, he visits the graves of his parents."

Jeremy scoffs, a mixture of frustration and disbelief clear on his face.

"He's deliberately mystifying the situation, trying to appear nonchalant but we can't let our guard down. Micah is known for his cunning tactics."

Jeremy's eyes narrow as he contemplates the situation. A seed of insecurity lingers within him.

"Leah, I need to make sure he's not pulling a trick on us. That 'body scent perfume' you gave me to use, it won't be discovered by others, will it?"

Leah smirks, confident in her reply.

"Don't worry, darling. That was Rowena's idea. 'Body scent perfume' is a product of Mistyca, a company in the Riviera kingdom and Rowena suggested it could be used as a weapon. Although Mistyca may have a small presence in Riviera, it hasn't entered the Alastair market yet. Micah doesn't have anyone around him who knows perfumes very well, so there's no way he can decipher this perfect alibi in three days."

Leah's words reassure Jeremy and a satisfied smile lays his worries to rest. What Leah doesn't say, is that Micah once had someone around him who was knowledgeable about perfumes – Fiona.

Too bad she was already killed by me. She thinks and chuckles softly.

____________________

Three days pass by in a blur. Finally, it’s the day everyone in the Alastair kingdom has been waiting for.

They all gather once again at The Coronation Hall.

Outside, the sun casts its golden glow, where Micah, still seemingly oblivious, lounges on his recliner. The ministers look at him through the open door of the hall and the ones in Jeremy’s favor chuckle.

"Look at the brother of our future king, basking in the sun like a pampered cat," sneers one minister.

"Maybe he's solving the murder by sunbathing. It's the latest detective technique," jeers another.

Laughter and mockery fill the air as Jeremy, with a smug grin, observes Micah from a distance. He is now sure of his brother’s defeat. His plan had been immaculate and he knew that Micah only had airs to put without any real action.

Beside him, his mother daintily sips on her coffee, she is also clearly delighted about the turn of events. Wilson checks his watch impatiently, he is ready to make the decision in Jeremy’s favor and walk away from all this. Leah and Rowena sit on the side, their heads bent together as they murmur about something.

Just when Micah’s antics have gone on too long and the remaining ministers shift with unease, Jeremy speaks.

"Micah, have you made the slightest progress in our father's murder case or are you just going to waste all our time by inviting us here for nothing?"

Micah, still reclining, lifts his head, and a sly smirk graces his lips. Then, he jumps to his feet as quickly as a panther and strides into the hall. The doors close behind him and he looks at them all for a bit before beginning.

“In Riviera, the neighboring Kingdom, there is a company called Mistyca that invents body scent perfumes. It is an extremely interesting concept because the perfumes mix with whoever wears it and create a new scent for the individual. It was created for a good cause. To give unscented wolves a way to assimilate in society. Too bad, now the same perfumes are being used for sinister purposes. Say … for a murder.”

Micah pauses for effect, taking in the various expressions of people in front of him.

Panic flashes on Jeremy’s face but he quickly smothers it by snapping.

“What is the point of this story? Be clear with your words.”

Micah pins him with a look good enough to kill.

“Then, let me be real clear, brother. I mean to say that my father's killer remains in this room. All they did was wear one of those perfumes to disguise their scent so they couldn’t be caught.”

Jeremy’s fists clench tightly as he tries not to balk.

"Body scent perfume? What a special idea, Micah. I've never heard of this before at all. Do you have any proof for this wild notion? Or are you suddenly an expert in both perfumery and story-telling now?"

A slow and devilish smirk lights up Micah’s face and he looks as if he was just waiting for Jeremy to ask that.

"I may not be proficient in perfumery," Micah declares, "but I have someone by my side who is."

“Ladies and gentlemen,” Micah says with a dramatic flourish, “Please welcome, the owner of the body scent perfumes, the founder of Mistyca itself or as you all know her, my wife.”

With those words, the closed doors of the Hall swing open, and Fiona, perceived to be dead by all of Alastair, walks in with a smile icy enough to match her husband’s.