Isabel's Choice

Chapter 26 - Lars

I stare at the two females crying their eyes out in front of me. I don't understand much of what they are saying. It sounds like some broken apologies and asks for mercy. They seem to be related to the box they brought, which lays half-closed at their feet.

"Nura, Flurina, please calm down," I make an attempt because I feel bad to bring them back to reality with the Alpha voice. But after seconds of their wailing scarring my brain, I sigh and order them to stop.

"Can you please explain to me - with words - what happened, or what is your ask?"

Nura seems to be braver than the kindergarten teacher because she briefly glances at me before speaking.

"The Luna donated these books for the pups. But there are not only books. Please, Alpha, we don't know where it comes from. Flurina has nothing to do with this, and neither do I, I swear on my bond with Knox."

I slam the box on my desk, dust still flying from it, and I wonder what terrifying thing could be inside. A snake.   A bunch of fresh wolfsbane. Eino's severed head - autographed by Finn.

It's none of those, but its sight freezes my blood.

I am looking at a gun. There, among "The little wolf who ran among stars" and "The boy who wanted a wolf for his birthday", is a fucking human gun. Slightly bigger than Ayn's, equipped with a silencer like the ones the patrollers on the Pass have.

My mind link to Isabel is hardly polite and she appears in my office in less than two minutes, with an anxious look on her face, which balances into concern when she sees the two females.

"What did you do to them, Alpha?" She asks, irritated, and, if I wouldn't be furious myself, I would congratulate her for being able to express this feeling and stand by her females.

"Nothing yet. They claim you have donated this weapon to the kindergarten?" I tilt the box towards her because I don't want to touch the cursed thing.

The slightly burnt sugar smell of her fear becomes stronger, chokingly bitter.

"I...donated the box, I...didn't check its contents?" she says in a questioning tone as if she's unsure of her actions. „I didn't check," Isabel concludes disappointed, her nails burying themselves in her palms. The female Beta's eyes widen in surprise and she states confused:

"But you always check..."

"I know!" her Luna exclaims, tears escaping her waterline. "I always check and now I didn't, because I was told not to check anymore, I was told I should delegate and be less...what did you call me, Beta? Perfectionist? Micromanager?"

I have now three females crying in my office plus a highly, highly illegal human military weapon, which has been unboxed in front of our kindergarten pups.

"Where was this, Isabel?"

"Among Owen's things, the ones I took out of his...your room."

"Did anybody else touch the box? Did any of you touch the weapon?" I turn to the other females and I instantly regret my question, because the sobbing and the swearing on their loved ones' heads and their bonds start again. I gather that they didn't.

"That is very good. I will be turning it into the Shifter's Council today. You can tell the pups' parents - if they have any questions about this, they can come to me."

Nura and Flurina thank me and they leave, relieved to be dismissed. I close the door behind them, growling in frustration at the whole administrative work this will spawn. And I punch the massive wood frame for good measure.