Chapter 86 86
Venessa’s POV
Although my wife had pleaded with me to push my beta forward, I refused. That would only ever be a last resort something I would consider if every other path failed and I could not find my true successor. I have already sent my trackers out to search.”
The King finished his explanation, and I found myself frowning, unease stirring in my chest.
“Did you seek a second or even a third opinion?” I asked gently. “Did you leave your kingdom or invite a foreign physician to examine you?”
He frowned, clearly unsettled by the question.
“Now that you mention it, I wondered why I didn’t. Ordinarily, that is exactly what I would have done. But I was too distraught… too ill to think clearly. I trusted Doctor Tahj. He has been my physician for many years.”
I nodded slowly.
“I’ve sent your blood sample to our pack lab,” I said. “But I already know what this is. You’ve been poisoned. In five days, you’ll begin to feel the difference.”
He smiled at me then, soft and weary.
“It hardly matters, dear one. I am grateful simply to be away from that place to have rest from Rochelle’s troubles. Even if your remedy fails, I appreciate the effort.”
I hoped, for both our sakes, that I was right. He deserved far more than a slow, hidden death.
When the medicine was ready, I carefully divided it into vials. King Jamar was deeply engrossed in a movie when I approached him, tray in hand needles gleaming beside a vial of the prepared concoction. I needed to place the needles along several critical pressure points.
“Your Majesty, it is time,” I said quietly, asking him to strip and lie face down. I covered his lower body with a towel, ensuring his comfort and privacy.
“Your Majesty, I must warn you,” I continued. “Because the poison has lingered in your system for so long, the first treatments will be painful. If you feel nothing at all, then it means my diagnosis is wrong.”
He laughed, deep and unbothered.
“I am the Lycan King, Luna. I can endure pain.”
I went to work.
First, I handed him the concoction to drink. Then I warmed the healing oil I had prepared with rare herbs and massaged it into his skin, ensuring full absorption while easing his muscles. Once his body was ready, I placed the needles carefully along the pressure points.
Almost immediately, a low growl rumbled from his chest.
Pain.
Relief washed through me at the confirmation I had been right. Moving swiftly, I located additional pressure points and placed more needles to counter the pain. Gradually, his body relaxed, the growling subsiding as the treatment took effect.
When the medication had fully run its course, I removed the needles and helped him turn onto his side, settling him comfortably into the bed. He would need deep, uninterrupted sleep to prepare for the next day’s treatment.
After he drifted off, I left the bungalow and returned to my office in the packhouse to tend to my duties as Luna. Several invitations awaited me tea gatherings and dinners hosted by other Lunas. Unsure whether I could attend any of them, I set them aside, deciding to consult Denzel first.
He walked into my office not long after, exhaustion etched into his face. I knew he had been training.
“Overworked yourself?” I teased softly.
He smiled faintly.
“How is he?” he asked, careful not to mention names both of us mindful of unseen ears, of hidden observers. I knew that paranoia well. I had once been the one hiding in corridors and closets.
“It’s what I suspected,” I said. “The results will be confirmed soon. Doctor Dwayne is on his way with them.”
Denzel leaned forward.
“I suspect Queen Rochelle,” he said bluntly.
After everything Tyrell did to me, I’ve learned to be wary of those closest to us except you, of course.” He smiled, and I returned it.
“I thought it was strange that she sat with the former beta but not the former Gamma or Delta,” he continued. “It reminded me too much of Jalisa. And abusing her authority sending people to hunt and kill others without the King’s knowledge spoke volumes. I believe your mother discovered something she wasn’t meant to know. Something that could threaten the Queen. That’s why she was hunted down and killed. And for the same reason, Rochelle may be trying to kill you. It may sound disjointed, but this feels bigger than an old grudge.”
I nodded slowly, my thoughts racing.
“The King said she pleaded with him to endorse his beta as the next ruler. He’s searching for his heir so Donovan and Fabian won’t tear the kingdom apart. He believes Donovan would be the better choice but he knows Fabian would fight for the throne.”
“Maybe,” Denzel said quietly, “if the King survives, there won’t be a war at all.”
The thought settled heavily in my chest and yet, it brought hope.
“We’ll have to wait and see,” I said. “I just hope we’re on the right path.”
Denzel sighed, the sound heavy with everything left unsaid.