Isabel's Choice

Chapter 29 - Isabel

"Werewolves vs humans?" I stare into the blue eyes, all wrinkled by a mischievous smile.

"Yes. Role-playing. Bluffs. Solving mysteries and conquering territories," he quotes the lame blurb I have read automatically hundreds of times on the box that was always somewhere close to my parents' dinner table.

"I am actually very good at it," I admit, trying to push down the silly pride that swells my chest.

The four-pack played the game obsessively before I was born and when I was old enough to understand the rules, they allowed me to join. One time I won against my father Mike despite having been assigned the absolute worst character in the game - the human thief. I may be able to leverage some of that particular experience in case we are trapped under a dark magic shield that obliterates our powers. "Who would you like me to be?"

Lars briefs me on the plan he concocted. He hasn't worked out all the details, but I am sure that even if he would have, it would still be insane. Human thieving skills might not work, but then I can always fall back on the extensive acting experience I have acquired in the last years - when I played the role of an adequate Luna, happily bonded to a psychopath. I just need to ignore my wolf and find a way to tune out the cognitive dissonance.

"Can I exit at any time?" I ask as a favor for Willow, who is crying her eyes out, begging me not to put her - us - through this.

"Anytime," he reassures me, and on this note, we head towards the entrance.

***

Our first observation is that this place's security standards are fairly low. Eino's fake ID and some money to compensate for me having "forgotten" mine at home get us in without any additional questions.

The bar is dark and smells confusing. There's wolf scent, but it's covered with a thin herbal veil. I only recognize the pot notes that have trailed behind Lars every evening in this last week.

Behind Thor, I correct myself.

We agreed before entering that he'll be Beta Thor, incoming second in command to Alpha Lars. I will be his open-minded girlfriend Isa, daughter of Miro and Elena. My code name is boring, but I chose it because for some reason the four pack hated the abbreviation. Too ditzy, my dad Scott had once said to Raya, thus killing all her desire to ever call me that. It seems fitting to use it together with my rogue parents' name, considering what we are about to do.

I am not the only female in the room, though probably one of the few who is not on this house's payroll. None of the females looks like a witch though - they are all tall and busty shifter ladies, some bustier than others.

For some strange reason, I check to see where Lars's eyes are wandering. They don't, they are - as most of the time - smiling at me.

A waitress dressed in a leather outfit comes to take our order. There is nothing drugs-free on the menu, except for water. I sigh and decide on a glass of red wine that makes Raya oh so happy.

Lars - Thor who had excitedly identified a pot-coke-based concoction, follows my choice and settles for the wine also.

When we get our drinks he asks the waitress if one of the managers is around.

„Who's asking?"

„Thor, son of the Mountain, Beta at the Southern River Border."

I have already witnessed Lars' excellent poker face during the negotiations he asked me to attend. But now, when he answers naturally, no muscle on his face betraying his lie, I see also the danger behind his power. Willow is trying to comfort me, telling me that, when we'll claim him as ours, we'll have full access to his consciousness. I am not convinced. If Lars is so good at controlling his microexpressions, he's probably skilled in holding his mind walls closed around whatever he needs to hide.