Isabel's Choice

Chapter 11 - Lars

Place and time: Kari's pack, the next day 


Life has a way sometimes of getting stuck in a loop.

Like when one is mateless and reality conspires to surround them with mated, kissing, happy couples.

Or when one finds out how their Alpha survived a dark magic attack and then, one day later, one sits in that Alpha's office, only to hear him rage:

"What do you mean they suspect dark magic use?!"

It is both Kari's painfully loud sound and the sudden appearance of dark magic in the conversation that brings my focus back to the morning meeting I am attending.

Beta Timo, my uncle was reporting something about a human death that happened in an Eastern Pack. Regular human deaths outside of their sunny territories were a big deal, something that the other two breeds tried to avoid like the plague. When they did unfortunately occur, they brought with them lengthy in-depth investigations by all the Councils and hefty consequences in terms of travel and trade restrictions for the territory where the incident had happened.

Timo's report was therefore mildly interesting, but I got distracted thinking about the free evening I had tonight, and how I was going to cross the River for a fictitious shopping trip. It would have allowed me to pass through my mate's territory.

"Did you speak to Alpha Ben?" Kari continues, still shooting daggers at my uncle, who didn't manage yet to answer his first question.

"I did not. He must be busy with the Council... and his Luna must be in pretty bad shape having lost her sister in these circumstances."

"I understand, it is hard for them now," Kari sighs, composing himself and asking my uncle in a kinder tone: "But you said the female was shot. It sounds like a regular human conflict. Where is this story about dark magic coming from?"

"Beta Ryker claims that their borders are impeccable, they have never had a crossing since Alpha Ben took over. He seemed very confused and disappointed when I spoke to him," Timo finally dares to look up at his leader.

"Well, the first border breach is always traumatic, it's normal that he's confused and disappointed. I understand he may not be ready to take responsibility for it, but blaming it on dark magic of all things is a bit excessive, no?"

"We had a single border breach since you are Alpha, Kari," Timo reminds him with a whisper and my father's fist closes tightly.

I know what this means. The only time rogues came deep into our territory, cheating the senses of Kari and Timo's border patrollers, they did so with dark sheaths around them.

"Fuck."

It's Kari's curse of choice, usually said loud, with a wide vowel, but now the concern is robbing it of its force. His breath hitches before he speaks again, this time in my direction:

"Lars, find out anything you can about that female. And inform everybody who needs to travel that their permissions are canceled until further notice."

There is absolutely nothing I like about his orders.

The first one means I will have to interrogate Eino, which means putting up with a load of irony about my mateless status.

The second one is even worse because it means I have to cancel my trip and with it, any hope of randomly bumping into Isabel. Also, I have to inform my mother that she needs to cancel her training or any other random flying she was planning to do. So I will hear an earful from her also, and her range of expletives is much broader than Kari's.

"Yes, Alpha." I nod resigned.

"Thanks. And Lars, I also need to know who went out of the territory last week."