Scarlet Rogue (Book One)

Chapter Forty-Three: The Real Murderer

Kaelynn

The toasty body of my mate and the soft sheets almost lull me back to sleep but the blinding sun peeping through the curtains has other plans for me. Ayden's soft snores vibrate in the air and his heady scent engulfs me as usual. I shuffle enough to turn around, despite Ayden's strong hold on me. His sharp features softer than usual in his resting state. I run my finger across his high cheeks, only now noticing how high the bones run.

Last night's words come to the forefront of my mind, 'I love you.' Did I really hear those words? I'm sure of it, words so distinctive, they couldn't have been mistaken. Does he really love me? The real me or the me that he is delusional about.

Despite the reasons behind the words, I love him too. Not just because my wolf loves him or because he's my soulmate. Those help of course, but it's so much more than that. His beauty runs skin-deep, so deep that even his bones must contain the beauty of a thousand doves.

Since the second I laid eyes on Ayden, all I've seen is a person willing to go above and beyond to do what's best for his people and our kingdom. A man who won't stop until the kingdom is in its rightful state, taking on everything on his shoulders so nobody else has to. An individual who I admire, and sure, some of my feelings are infatuation but it's so much more than that. It's love and I'm certain of that, more certain than I have been of anything in my life.

How can I know it's love? I know because I see all of him, even his flaws. The way his emotions can get him into trouble and the way he treats poor Caleb whose only fault is being my friend. Despite all of that, I know better. That his love is better placed elsewhere, somewhere where all that he has worked for and continues to work for won't be destroyed in seconds by some deranged action of mine.

Ayden perfect face sleeps through this whole ordeal in my head and seeing him rested feels like a dozen rainbows popping up at once.

Help, please help.

I shuffle out of Ayden's hold, sitting up as the cries for help begin. The voice continues as my sight wanders around the room but identifying the sound is another challenge altogether. With no luck, I get out of bed running to the balcony. The sun beats down on the usual crowd of warriors and school children, no danger in sight.

"What's wrong?" Ayden asks through the bedroom, eyes half-shut.

"Nothing," I mumble back realising my mind is playing tricks.

I walk back into the room and seeing Ayden's dishevelled sight makes my heart sink. Before I can right my mistake and convince him to go back to sleep, he's already entering the bathroom. Shaking my head, I fall back onto the bed.

Help!

The voices start up again, I rush out the room hoping the corridors bring more luck as to the origin of the sound. The winding long corridors, bustling kitchen, empty guest rooms, not a single part of the house gives any clue. The desperate voices get louder and louder as if imminent doom faces them. I try the grounds instead but the expansive fields would be impossible to cover and alarming the warriors unnecessarily due to voices in my head sounds silly.

Can you hear me?

As a last-ditch attempt before heading to Finn, I try mind linking the voices, expecting no answer.

Queen Kaelynn, you answered.

I open my mouth to speak but stunned by the response, my lips stop moving.

Please help us, she'll kill us.

Dozens of questions run through my mind but time being of the essence, I ask the most important one.