The Rebellious Omega

King Braedon POV

Julia was distraught as I instructed her to remain back at the packhouse, James and I heading out silently towards the forest. Both of us were contemplative. I hadn't liked Liandra and I hadn't wanted her to remain in my pack, but I also hadn't wished her dead. This reflected badly on me. Somebody had gotten close enough to the woman to kill her. I knew instinctively this was not a suicide attempt. It was all a little too convenient. She didn't strike me as the type to go down that route, no matter how much the rejection might have hurt her. Something was off about this. But who had she trusted enough to allow herself to become vulnerable?

"What do you think all this means?" James murmured as we wandered in deeper and paused, right at the crime scene, the warriors stepping back respectfully and submitting their necks to me. I ignored them, my focus on the body in front of us. The metallic scent of iron and blood in the air caused us both to inhale sharply. Flies buzzed around the body and I fought not to gag. Liandra's mouth was parted slightly open, her eyes staring blankly at the sky. Blood pooled around her, large vertical gashes on both arms from the wrist downwards or upwards depending on how you looked at it. I c****d my head.

"Well, silver was definitely used, preventing the wound from healing and causing a painful death" I muttered, bending down and examining her wrist, seeing the marks were burned and had bubbled, lifting the hand and eyeing the blood which was beginning to harden and dry "she hasn't been dead long, so it had to have been not long after she rejected her mate" I added, glancing up at James who gave a nod in agreement.

I glanced around at the small clearing she was in "She's a fair distance from the pack house so any noise would have been unheard" I continued, "and she had to have been taken by surprise or sedated" I added thoughtfully.

James c****d his head, his eyes narrowed. "What makes you say that?" he asked evenly.

I looked at him knowingly "Well we know that she was more than a capable warrior. Unless the person was stronger than her, they had to have used something to prevent her from fighting back. Not to mention there are no bruises or markings on the body, besides the large gashes on her wrists" I pointed out.

Liandra would have fought back against her attacker, unless she was unable to.

James bent down and pulled up her shirt and rolled up her pants, looking the body over even more closely in examination. As I suspected her body was unmarked. He creased his brow. "Do you think it was the same poison as before?" he asked, referring to the poor boy who had also been poisoned.

I exhaled. "Perhaps, but the only way to find out is to have her autopsied," I said shrewdly.

He looked grim. "What was she doing all the way out here anyway?"

I frowned. Glanced around and stood back up, dusting myself off. "She might have come out for a run?" I suggested slowly, mulling it over "Maybe saw something she shouldn't have?"

"Or was she on the way to the pack house?" he asked, causing me to stop and look down at Liandra with a worried expression.

"If she was on the way here, then she would have had a reason, but why not just mind-link me?" I said confused "That doesn't make sense."

"She hasn't been in the pack for three moons yet, so she hasn't been here long enough to fully accept the pack as her own. She couldn't mind-link" James said and I realized he was right. Damn.

"So she was on her way to maybe see me or you," I said thinking it over "and was waylaid on the way."

"By somebody she trusted or somebody she didn't suspect. Or she already had the poison in her system and it was only a matter of time until she collapsed" James pointed out "and she didn't quite make it to the pack house in time."

I sighed. I reached down and closed Liandra's eyes, a show of respect towards the woman. "We'll have to inform Alpha Cody about this," I said with a dip of my head "he will not be pleased to learn of her death."

"I'll take care of it," James said tightly, not sounding pleased about it.

"No witnesses, nobody saw anything?" I said looking around skeptically "I find it hard to believe that nobody saw anything out of the ordinary or didn't hear something."

"I'll question anybody that was nearby, including patrol, but I don't like our chances," James said quietly "Whoever this is, they know how to remain under the radar and they don't seem to be arousing any suspicion amongst the pack members. That in itself proves what a danger they are. Any one of us could be next if we're not careful."

"I want more guards on Blair," I said eyeing James "I don't want her to know she's being followed and this time pick the most trustworthy ones," I said a little exasperated "not ones that are going to get drunk on the job or leave her alone for even a second. More than one, so that they can alternate or cover each other for breaks" I warned him.

"No problems," he said "but we should also ensure we know where she is at all times, in case we do lose sight of her."

"No need," I said absently as he looked at me with bewilderment "I have that taken care of."

"How?"

"That's for me to know," I said mysteriously, gesturing for him to follow me back to the pack house.

He followed me obediently.

We exited the forest, only to be greeted by Liandra's mate who had tears in his eyes. "Is it true?" he demanded.

I hesitated. I didn't suspect this man for a second, not with how distraught and devastated he appeared to be. James cleared his throat and looked at the man with kindness and a look of grief on his face. "I'm afraid that your mate is dead, I'm so sorry for your loss," he said quietly.

Even if he had been rejected, the man was entitled to grieve. His wolf would be hurting with the loss as well. He sank to his knees and let out a howl of pain and we winced. I put a hand on his shoulder as he shook all over. I nodded to James to go back to the pack house. "As soon as we're able to, we'll have the appropriate send-off for her," I said softly "I am sorry my friend" I added, as he continued to grieve, his pain raw and for everybody to see.