CHAPTER 46

Annabelle sat down in her chambers thinking about what would happen soon. She and her daughter anticipated getting Sia out of the way easily. Nina and Sheila had gone out to meet with her father and they got a good response from him. It seems that girl was born to be hated even by her own family.
She didn't have breakfast on time because she was doing her usual fasting for the peace of the pack. Her door opened and the maids brought her food inside. They set the table for her, placing her wine and every other thing.
"Your highness, the food is served." The maid said with a bow.
She nodded, "You can go, one of you stay at the door. I will call you when I am done."
They bowed, "Yes, your highness." They walked out of the room.
Nina came in just after they left looking so angry. Annabelle guessed she must have encountered Sia again. Since she is the only reason they all get angry now.
"I know, you met her again right?" Annabelle asked Nina.
She nodded, "Yes mother. And the nerves she has to insult me. She now feels untouchable because Kevin is on her side."
"You should be patient. After all, she took the bait. I sent someone to check on her and they found the empty bottle in her chambers. She's soon to leave this house, relax." Annabelle assured her.
Nina sighed, "I know. Sometimes it just feels like forever. She makes me dick."
Annabelle patted her, "Just be calm. I'm going to have my breakfast now. Do you care for some?"
"No mother, I already had breakfast. I'll just wait here till you're done." Nina replied moving to the couch.
Annabelle went to the table and began eating by herself. She poured the red wine, thinking about how happy her family used to be. They all used to have breakfast together, now they are all having it separately. That makes her sad than anything. She also blames Sia for coming into their lives and making things worse for them.
Halfway through eating, she started to cough. She drank some more wine thinking it would go away, it only got worse. Her stomach also turned and her heart ached slowly. Nina noticed this and rushed to her, Annabelle was already coughing profusely.
"Mother! Mother!! Are you okay?" She asked terrified.
Annabelle tried to say something but only blood came out of her mouth, Nina screamed in horror. The guards at the door and maid rushed inside. Annabelle collapsed in Nina's hands.
"Your highness! What happened to her?" They asked also horrified by the queen's appearance.
"I don't know! Get the fucking doctor or an ambulance!" Nina yelled at them.
They all rushed out in panic and confusion, one went to get the other children, while another called the doctor. While Nina still tried to revive her.
"Mother! Wake up! What's wrong with her? She can't suddenly become this sick unless..." She gasped when Annabelle turned white fast and her body stiffened.
She rushed to the table, and saw the red wine on the table. She picked it up recognising the sign she had put there before. She quickly realized what had just happened, Annabelle took the bait meant for Sia.
"That wretched witch!" She yelled at no one in particular. She heard footsteps getting closer, she dropped the wine and rushed back to Annabelle who is still unconscious. Sheila barged in, she panicked when she saw her mother lying unconscious.
"Mother! What happened to her?!" She asked in terror.
"I have no idea how this happened. The important thing is to save her life first. Get the antidote!" Nina told her.
"The antidote? What do you mean by the antidote?" Sheila asked in confusion.
The antidote is supposed to be for Sia. Why would her mother need the antidote meant for Sia? Then she looked at the table and saw the wine bottle, her eyes widened in more terror. She could not believe what is happening.
"Oh no!" She rushed out of the room to get the antidote.
She got to her chambers and turned the place upside down in search of the antidote. She finally found it with shaky hands, she rushed back to her mother's chambers. Kevin has also been called by this time, he was rushing to the chambers with Sia running behind him.
Sheila got to the chambers first, she quickly put a few drops of the antidote in a small bottle into Annabelle's mouth. Kevin arrived at the scene just then, Sheila hid the antidote in her clothes and began crying.
"Mom! Mom! " Kevin yelled shaking Annabelle who is not responding.
He carried her and laid her on the bed, Sia stood at the door watching the events not knowing what to do. She felt sorry for Kevin who is really worried about his mother.
"Where's the doctor? Why didn't anyone call the doctor?!" He yelled at them.
Nina rushed out of the room ignoring Sia, she met the doctor on her way down. She had to stop him and tell him what to say, after bribing him with something. The doctor agreed and came back with Nina.
"The doctor's here!" Nina announced rushing in with him.
"Quick! Check my mother!" Kevin ordered him.
"Yes your majesty." The doctor replied and set to work. They all stood beside the bed, except for Sia who is watching from a distance.
"Well... What is wrong with my mother?" Kevin asked impatiently.
"You need to calm down and let the doctor do his job." Nina told him.
He scoffed angrily, running his fingers through his hair. He faced the window, getting frustrated by the long wait. It would take a while to get the ambulance. His mother has always lives to be treated at home. Sia felt bad, she wanted to comfort him yet she can't go past where she is. It works be unwise to create trouble for them again.
"Your majesty, the results of my tests shows that your mother is suffering from poison." The doctor said.
Kevin frowned, "What?! Poison! Who would dare poison my mom?"
Sheila and Nina also acted surprised, they both widened their eyes and looked at each other.
"Yes, your majesty. She has been poisoned. I have given her an injection to stop the flow of the poison. I will quickly take her blood back to the hospital to determine the kind of poison. That way I can bring the antidote." He further explained.
"Do whatever you need to do. Should we move her to the hospital instead?" Kevin asked.
The doctor shook his head, "There's no need for that. You can't move her. She has to be on one place for now, I'll be back soon."
"Okay. I'll be waiting for you." Kevin replied.
The doctor took Annabelle's blood sample and fixed a drip on her. Then he walked out of the room.
"Who would dare to poison my mother? I promise I won't take it easy on whoever it is when I find them. I'll make them pay, no matter who it is." He gritted his teeth and clenched his fists.
This got Nina and Sheila worried but they pretended to be okay. Sia still stood at a distance watching them.
"I second that Kevin. Do whatever you can to find the culprit and avenge our mother. Mom can't die, she can't." Sheila cried.
Nina turned to look at Sia, they finally noticed that she is around. Sheila left the bed and went to her. She glared fully at Sia, blaming her inwardly for what happened to Annabelle.
"You witch! What are you doing here?! Haven't you done enough? You're here to mock us after what you have done!" She yelled at Sia.
"Sheila that's enough! She came with me and don't blame get for what happened. Age is not to be blamed for mom's poisoning. Leave her alone."Kevin defended.
"I understand how you feel Sheila. I am not here to mock you, I only want to show my support and say I am sorry for what happened to her " Sia said to her.
Nina scoffed and joined Sheila, "Of course. You would be sorry by the time this investigation is done. You threatened me a while ago to make us all pay for hating you. You witch! You started already."
Sia gasped at the accusations levelled against her, Nina is lying against her. This situation is too much, but accusing people is not the solution.
"What? Why would you say that about me? I have no reason to poison her! Why would I do that? This is way too much for me!" Sia yelled in defense.
"That's enough you two, let her be. I will find out who is responsible for this. Let's all focus on getting her better first." Kevin stopped them.
"Yeah, she needs to leave this room. We don't need her and she is not a part of this family!" Sheila protested again.
"She's my Luna and would soon be a legal member of this family. The only person who should leave in this case is Nina, she is not a part of this family."
That hurt Nina a lot. She tried to control herself from breaking down in front of them. She wanted to leave the room when a maid rushed into the room. She knelt in front of Kevin holding his legs.
"Your majesty! Please forgive me. I prepared her food but I will never poison her! Please have mercy on me." She cried.
Kevin frowned, "You have a lot to explain young lady. What did you give to my mother? And what are your motives behind the poisoning?"
She cried more and bowed her head, "No your majesty! I would never dare do such a thing. Please believe me, be merciful."
"Shut up you wretched maid! You are going to pay for what you have done! You have been way too stupid that you allowed something like this happen to my mother!" Sheila yelled slapping the maid.
She kicked the maid making her tumble over. Sia rushed over to the maid to help her, she has a gut feeling the maid knows nothing about what happened.
"That's enough Sheila! You have no proof she did anything yet. She would not be here exposing herself if she did, think about it. Everyone has access to the kitchen, it could have been anyone." Sia defended the maid.
This annoyed Sheila, "What? How dare you interfere in my affairs and talk to me that way?! Just who do you think you are!"
Kevin stepped in between them, "I told you Sheila. That is enough, everyone leave this room now. Get the guards, I want everything on the table to be tested. I want to know where the poison came from."
The maid got up, "Yes, your majesty."
She ran out and called the guards. The food and drinks were taken to the court where everything was tested by experts on other animals. After an hour, they got the source of the poison.
"Your majesty, we have thoroughly checked and found out the poison came from the wine." They reported.
Kevin furrowed his brows, "The red wine? I want to see all the maids who served my mother today and every other person that went into the kitchen!"
"Yes, your highness."
They were all brought out to stand in front of him. He stared at all the people in front of him.
"My mother was poisoned through her wine. One of you did it. I am urging whoever did it to come out clean before I fish you out myself. Believe me, it won't be funny if I do." He threatened them.
One of the maids raised her hand, "Your majesty, please have mercy. I have been in the kitchen all day and have seen everyone that came in. That particular wine, I remember was brought into the bar by the Luna."
All eyes turned on Sia who is also shocked at that discovery.