Poisons everywhere

Kaine's Pov

I heard the agonizing screams echoing through the room, making my heart race and my body tense. "Everyone shut up!" I ordered, trying to pinpoint the source of the cries. A young werewolf stepped forward, his eyes wide with fear as he showed me the problem.

"King Kaine, look at them!" he said, gesturing to three young wolves who hadn't shifted when I arrived earlier. They were caught in a partial shift, their upper halves human while their lower halves were wolf-like. The sight reminded me of Aria's fate in the forest earlier.

"What are the chances of seeing four wolves half-shift in that little span of time?" Neo asked and I agreed.

Something was really wrong here.

"Give me a phone, now!" I demanded, and one of the young men handed me his device. I dialed my friend, Edward, and explained the situation. "Locate this call and get here immediately with the medical team, including Mellie. We have three half shifted wolves needing immediate assistance."

"Thank you," I said to the young blond man with dark eyes, who identified himself as Tom. For a fleeting moment, his scent reminded me of someone I knew, but the screams of the suffering werewolves drew my attention back to the situation.

"Is there anything we can do?" Tom asked, concern etched on his face.

"Medical help will arrive within the hour," I reassured him as I knelt down beside the two young men and the girl, offering what comfort I could. Aria joined me by the girl's side, her touch gentle as she wiped the sweat from the girl's forehead.

"Remember to breathe and be patient," Aria advised them, her voice soft yet firm. "I was in the same situation last night. You'll get through this."

"Everyone out of the living room!" I barked, wanting to give the suffering werewolves some space. The room cleared except for Aria, Sage, Darian, and Scarlet, the latter trembling uncontrollably.

"Can't we do something else for them?" Aria asked me, her green eyes pleading.

"Either we wait for the medical staff or you can help them shift like you did," I replied.

Aria scoffed and retorted, "It's too bad you didn't kill someone they love, King. They would've shifted easily."

"Feisty, strong, caring with a sharp tongue - it's too bad this girl isn't your Luna, right?" Neo chuckled in my head. I mentally told him to shut up, but couldn't deny the sense of pleasure coursing through me at Aria's fierceness.

"Even if you still don't believe me, she would be a perfect candidate for a Luna though," Neo stated matter-of-factly.

Behind me, Scarlet vomited violently as if she'd been poisoned.

Poison?

That word clicked with Neo.

"I told you that something wasn't right. These werewolves might have been cursed or poisoned. And this smell…" Neo said.

I stood up, scanning the area with heightened awareness.

"Check the kitchen," Neo instructed.

I walked beside Scarlet, still trembling, with Darian beside her trying to console her as she begged for forgiveness.

This girl was quickly losing control. 

What was her problem?

Then, I spotted it - an almost empty lemonade jar, sealed tightly. I opened it and instantly recognized the scent of wolfsbane, along with the more lethal mamballion poison.

Mamballion was used when you wanted to kill an inner wolf slowly but steadily.

Someone had wanted to poison Aria and these young werewolves.

"Listen!" I announced to those left in the room. "This jar is poisoned with wolfsbane and mamballion - the wolf killer poison!" Aria stared at the jar, her eyes widening in recognition before turning her gaze towards Scarlet.

"I think we had our culprit," Neo said but there was no malice in his voice, "Scarlet wanted to poison her best friend, thus the scent of poison on her and this why she is losing her shit right now. I mean look at her. That's also why she didn't want to mind-link with you because you would have seen her manipulating the poison."

Neo was right, "Besides, these young wolves were at the party last night, they probably tasted the lemonade by accident, that's why they didn't shift when they saw you. They couldn't shift at all." he said.

"Kaine, do you understand the significance of this situation?" Neo asked with a gentle tone.

Yes, I fully comprehended it.

The primary rule among werewolves: do not harm one another unless it is necessary for self-preservation. 

Scarlet violated this code.

I stood in front of her, while she remained kneeled before me, surrounded by her own vomit. She knew what was going to happen.

"Did you cause this Scarlet?" I pointed a finger towards the three suffering half shifted wolves behind her. 

"I apologize, I beg for your forgiveness... Your Highness... please..." She attempted to stand up, but her body felt weak and shaky.

Darian's face was filled with rage as he asked, "Did you really do that, Scarlet?"

"The cheater had no idea," Neo told me.

Yes. Darian seemed as disgusted as everyone else in the room, at her actions.

Aria knelt beside her former friend and asked in a pained voice, "Scarlet, were you secretly poisoning me all these years? Was it in the lemonade? Is that why I couldn't shift last year?"

So she had been giving Aria poisoned lemonade juice for years. There was no anger in her tone, only immense hurt and suffocating pain.

"I'm sorry...Aria...please..." Scarlet pleaded.

"What have you done, Scarlet? You've been doing this even before I met Darian?" Aria asked, her voice shaking with emotion.

"Aria, I-I didn't mean to...I didn't know it would hurt anyone else...but...you...I was just so jealous of you," she confessed, her icy blue eyes wide with desperation.

"You're a monster, Scarlet," Sage snapped, her amber eyes ablaze with fury.

"Stop!" I commanded, putting an end to the escalating argument. My mind raced as I tried to make sense of the situation.

I kneeled in front of Scarlet, who cowered between Aria's legs.

"Scarlet, give me your hand," I spoke coldly.

She looked at me with fear in her eyes, "Please, King...have mercy...you can't do this...I promise...you'll never hear from me again...I'll leave America..." She turned to plead with Aria, who was kneeling next to her. "Aria, please...I have millions...I'll compensate you and these three as well," she gestured towards the half-shifter werewolves behind Aria.

I had a decision to make.

"Give me your hand or I'll kill you," I snapped.

"What are you going to do? Will you hurt her? Aria asked.

I didn't answer.

"Stay aside Aria," Sage said, " The King had to prevent her from escaping."

I assert my dominance over Scarlet again.

Trembling, she extended her left hand towards me. 

I connected with my power, Neo, and held onto her wrist until she started screaming.

I could hear Aria pleading with me, telling me that she pardoned her ex friend but my concentration didn't waver.

It only took me a few seconds to break her wrist and ten more seconds to burn half of the skin on the back of her hand.

The girl screamed and writhed under me.

The smell of burning flesh brought back memories of darker times when my kind were slaughtered and burned without mercy.

"Kaine...please, I'll do anything you asked me to…please don't hurt her…" I heard Aria's voice pleading with me.

Finally, I released Scarlet.

I stood up and observed the group kneeling around Scarlet, even Darian had joined them. "If any of you attempted to heal her," I warned, "I will make sure that person pays for it."

Scarlet glanced at her hand and let out a piercing scream. She was marked now.

Aria looked closely at the skull symbol on Scarlet's burning skin and asked in innocence, "What does this mean? Is she going to be arrested?"

"No arrest is necessary," I replied coldly.

 "This...little Aria, means that I have placed a death sentence on her. If she tries to escape, the mark will burn her alive with a simple command from me."

I turned to look back at Scarlet, her face drained of all color. The seductive woman who had just been asking me to marry her less than ten minutes ago was nowhere to be seen. 

"Your trial will take place in three days at the Banes Academy," I informed her. "I suggest you say your goodbyes to your family because all the evidence points towards your guilt. If you attempt to end your own life before the trial, the mark will still kill you. And if any of the young werewolves you've poisoned are permanently incapacitated or dead as a result of your stupidity, I will personally see to it that you do not survive, regardless of the outcome of your trial."

Aria looked at me, " What is going to happen if they find her guilty?" 

" I will decapitate her."