Isabel's Choice

Chapter 47 - Isabel

Lower ranks may not have formal bond ceremonies but what they do have is a week-long break in which they are released of all their duties, to enjoy the time with their mates.

Lead couples don't have that luxury, the Alpha needs to be available and present to keep the pack mind in balance. Lars delegated as much as he could to his two Betas for some days, but then he slowly resumed his busy schedule, wiggling himself out of my arms at five in the morning.

As he seems to have also done today, with the superior stealth of an Alpha, because I hear him whispering regretfully from somewhere above my head:

"Isa, I have to go."

The kiss he's deposing on my cheek. It's soft and teasing, completed with the nuzzling that I love so much. My arms wrap instantly around the muscular torso that he mistakenly brought in my range.

"No! Not allowed!"

My sanity may be dented by the pleasures we have shared in the last weeks. I am dreamy and distracted most of the time, but I know very well what day it is today. It's Monday. Lars calls it recovery day and I call it morning-schmoosing day.

"It's your free day!" I complain, propping myself up on the pillow, my hands tugging at...his fancy shirt.

He's fully dressed.

Wearing a tie.

"What happened?"

"Kari called me. I have to go to the Shifter's Council. It seems Rio has managed to start a diplomatic crisis with the Witches."

"Can I come with you?" I ask half-heartedly, expecting him to say no. Lunas don't go to Council meetings and it would be silly to wait Goddess knows how long in the car. Lars closes his eyes for a second and then nods:

"Sure, but get dressed quickly because Finn and George are waiting at the border to drive together."

It must be indeed a hefty crisis if all River Border Alphas are invited, I am thinking as I slip into the same knitted dress I wore at the Red. It's semi-formal but warm enough to keep me comfortable.

I throw my old wool coat - which does have a new bison fur collar - on my shoulders, and soon it's again Eino, Lars, and me driving East. The atmosphere is oppressive but not because of the ghost of my former bond.

Based on the preliminary information our Alpha got from Kari, it seems the Witches are considering restructuring their permission system, though it is not clear how.

"Triple permissions?" Eino ventures a guess.

Triple permissions is the term for the permits needed to go over the Pass Streets, in the Human Territories. The cards needed to be signed by the leaders of the departure and destination territories, and two of their respective neighbors.

It's a heavy workload for the permission offices, but what bothers me more is that triple permissions require close contact with the neighboring packs.

I had limited interactions until now with Ciara, George's mate because she's difficult to reach. They have six pups and last I heard, she was pregnant again. I am sure Ale can teach me to sew some baby clothes, to help me get her attention.

My other counterpart however is Diane, Peter and Arnie's mother. My Alpha made it so that I didn't need to have any contact with the Lower Pass Luna until now. Lars didn't ask for any new alliance negotiations with them, pretending he needed time to sort out his resources, and he just grandfathered the agreements with Jake.

"My office can manage triple permissions," I say weakly, concocting a plan in my mind on how to minimize any interactions with Diane. I am not beneath pretending in front of her that my Alpha is as hyper-controlling as his predecessor and required to be the main point of contact. Also, he used to be Land Core and has a better vocabulary to speak to another mountain pack.