Isabel's Choice

Chapter 35 - Isabel

It was the day when Lars cut his hair and Serene had told me that my mark is behaving abnormally.

I signed myself a green card, praying that nobody is calling the Alpha to check that he has officially delegated that activity to me, and I took the Ferry to the Lake Three border. I walked around the little shops that sold traditional dresses and teas, and made my way to the side streets. I looked around for a healer's office or a potion place.

The Crazy Snake was housed in a small wooden hut. I am pretty sure the doorway was intentionally built impossibly low, to make shifters bow when they entered. Which is what I did also.  

The witch at the counter was very young, her hair obviously dyed in different shades of green. Her friendly smile lasted for one second - until she realized what I am - and was replaced with another one that clearly said I-am-being-polite-to-you-because-it's-my-job.

"How may I help you?"

"I am looking for a remedy to remove a mark from my skin."

"Is it a mole or a scar?"

I bared my shoulder and she shook her head.

"There are no plants for that. Feel free to look around if you need anything else."

I looked around, at the crystals, at the tiny colorful potion bottles, at the books exposed on a shelf next to the door that had titles like How to cook with insect eggs and 100 ways to spice up your male bond.

"Please, I need it gone. There must be something... spells, perhaps?"

"There are spells, but nobody wields them. The price is too high."

"I have money." I blurted out, thinking about the generous allowance the Alpha had forced me to grant myself for personal use.

"It's not about the money. It's the price one pays with one's soul." Her words were spat out with disgust.

I didn't really understand her attitude because I knew everything had a price. The time of my omegas. The bodies of Owen's whores. The services of his mercenaries.

"How much to persuade you?" I took out a handful of notes and flashed them at her.

She stood up, steadying herself on the edge of the counter with her bony fingers, and then looked carefully at my offer.

"Well, this changes everything. I can get you a meeting with a knowledgeable witch tomorrow."

"Really? That would be great" I exclaimed, already making the plan on how to break into the Alpha's office that night and take another permission slip.

The female shook her head and hissed at me:

"You are a very stupid one, Shifter. Breaking a bond before its time is dark magic. This is forbidden in the Land. Now get out of my shop before I summon an OKer."

I turned on my heels and left silently, while my soul was screaming that this impossible bond was already dead on arrival and if not, it still should have broken a thousand times while Owen was alive.

I didn't have time to think back on that encounter because the next morning Nura and Flurina gave Lars the gun I had accidentally donated as teaching material.

***

As I relate all this to Lars, some terribly belated guilt overwhelms me, paralyzing, strangling, to the point where my final I am sorry is almost inaudible. Almost but not totally, because his ice-cold response shows he heard every word of my confession.