Chapter 32

Katla

As we walked, I noticed that the city’s endless interlocking roads were organized into large rectangles named by numbers. Roads that ran east to west were even numbers and north to south were odd. Silver Tower was in the very center of the city, “prime real estate” Clarissa explained, and depending on the direction we were from that, a north, south, east, or west was added.

“Meant to be Alpha?” Clarissa asked. Humans asked a lot of questions.

“Something… happened… when the announcement was meant to be made,” I said, becoming uncomfortable.

“Did you realize Damien was your mate and decided to be his Luna instead?” I could tell she was proud of herself using wolf words.

“Not exactly,” I said. We rounded a corner and stopped in front of a glass door with a coffee bean fashioned to look like a full moon tucked behind a cloud and the name “The Roaming Bean” above the logo and “Proudly Serving Wolves and Humans for 75 years.”

Before we went in, I looked up and noticed a small wolf on a leash, and ran over to it. It had a black and white coat and blue eyes, sort of like mine, but different. She looked like a wolf in miniature, but a human was leading her. Her tongue lolled out happily, and when I squatted down to look at her, she licked me.

“Are you ok?” I tried reaching out to her, and got no response. “Hello?” Nothing, but she started wagging her tail and pushing her head under my hand. She had on a scarf that read “Adopt Me.” “Is she ok?” I asked out loud.

“I’m so sorry,” said the human, “she’s a rescue, and a super friendly girl. We’re working on training her.”

“I’m so sorry,” said Clarissa to the human, “she’s new here.”

“Her wolf is stuck,” I said to Clarissa, “and she’s not speaking.”

“That’s because she’s a dog, Katla,” she said. “Dogs aren’t wolves, but that one is called a Husky. They’re supposed to look like little wolves, I guess. I don’t know where they came from actually, but humans have them as pets, for friends.”

“So humans do have wolves! It’s just their wolves can’t talk back and aren’t part of them,” I’m not sure if it made it better or worse. I also felt bad for the small wolf dog on the leash.

Clarissa pulled the corner door to The Roaming Bean open and a bell tinkled to welcome us in. The cozy space had a bohemian vibe, mismatched sofas and coffee tables were scattered around, and a wall of coffee was sorted by location displaying different names, some from packs I had heard of and others from human lands. Even though it was spring, there was a chill in the air, but a fireplace in the front kept the space toasty. Wooden stairs in the back led to a lofted area above the counter area.

The barista was a wolf with a long scar over his left eye. He wore a brown apron with a name tag, Ronaldo. “You’re new here,” he said, looking at me. “The regular?” He looked at Clarissa, grabbing a large cup and starting to write in black marker. She nodded.

“Is it that obvious?” I asked.

He smiled, “I don’t know your scent, and I know all the wolves. But, the shellshocked look about the mindlink not working with a dog tells me you haven’t been in the city long. What’s your drink?”

“An iced caramel macchiato would be a really nice,” I said.

“She just came in last night!” Clarissa excitedly told him, like she had found a little lost pup. “This is Miss Iceclaw, Mr. Silverburn’s fiancé.”

He sucked in a breath, and looked deep in my eyes. “But, you’re dead,” he said quietly.

“You must be mistaken,” I said, noticing the evergreen tattoo on his forearm. “Or maybe you’re mistaking me for someone else?”

“You’re Katla Iceclaw, daughter of Alpha Lucian Iceclaw, but last night, something terrible happened, and you… died… or at least that’s what they’re saying,” Ronaldo said.

“Who is saying this?” I demanded, feeling my eyes glow. Ronaldo lowered his head, sensing the command, and his eyes flashed yellow at the edges.

“Viti’s band of henchwolves have been saying it,” he told Aurelia through a mindlink. “He’s been shoring up alliances by threatening the Southern Alphas if they don’t bend the knee to him. The human lands are a neutral space, as you know, and Evergreen remains loyal to the true heir should she rise.”

“Interesting,” I said aloud. Aurelia connected back with his wolf, “Last night, Viti killed my father after our engagements were announced, and Alpha Damien, my betrothed, saved me after Viti was falsely named Alpha. If you remain loyal to the true heir, please do not challenge the rumor that Viti is spreading.”

Ronaldo nodded, “Katla, it is indeed my pleasure to meet you, though I do wish it was under happier circumstances.” His wolf continued his thoughts by saying through the mindlink, “Please forgive me for saying this, but your power is so much greater than rumored. I don’t remember the last time I felt this strong.” The second barista brought our drinks and Clarissa and I settled in two plush chairs by the fire.

“What was that about?” she asked.

“Oh, it seems he has news from my pack,” I said.

“When did he tell you that?” she asked again, and I responded by touching my head. “Oh, right that thing you guys do. It’s funny, I’ve been around wolves for years, and in one day, you’ve done two things that I knew they could do but have never seen. You’re different.”

“I think I was just very, very sheltered,” I offered.

“So what was the news? And why did he think you were dead?”

“It’s complicated,” I flopped back in my chair, willing my feelings to go down.

“Try me. I’m a good listener, and right now, I think you could use a friend,” she said.

Aurelia seemed to feel that this human could be trusted and encouraged me to share the story, so I started by telling her about my mother and her death when I was a pup and how my best friend’s mother married my father. She asked the right questions in the right places. “So she was never marked because your mom was your father’s fated mate?” and “Why do you think Viti changed after he moved in?”

This led to the events of the past day- Hekla’s warning and subsequent betrayal and then redemption, learning that I would be married to a stranger but remain as Alpha in the South, and Viti killing my father and taking the pack out from under me. I told her how Damien had saved me, and how we had quickly figured out that we were mates. It was likely that bond that caused him to want to risk his life. Her green eyes were wide, and she just listened. I left out the part about my father’s letter though.

When I finished, she put her cup down, walked over to me, squeezed herself into my chair, and hugged me. It was odd being comforted by a human, but she was genuinely concerned. She let go for a moment, then said, “Katla, why do you think Viti is telling everyone you’re dead?”

“I don’t know. Maybe there was still some of Iceclaw that was resisting. If I was dead, it would make it easier for Viti. At least, that’s my guess,” I mused.

“Do wolves have therapists? I think a therapist would be able to help you process all of this,” she was trying to be helpful.

“Do you have any idea how many new words I have learned in the past 12 hours?”

“Wolf people don’t have therapists?” she seemed genuinely shocked. “Who do you talk to about your problems?”

“I’m still not sure what a therapist is, but we talk to our wolves,” I said. I wasn’t sure if I should be irritated at the question or not, “They are unfailingly honest with us.”

“Oh, right,” I forgot about that. “I don’t know what I’d do without my therapist, but it would be nice if they were always in my head instead of my having to pay for them to listen.”

“Wait, humans pay other people to listen to them talk about things? That’s a real job?!” Being a human was more lonely than I thought, and Aurelia felt a sense of vindication for all the times that I had complained about her.

Then there was a musical chime and Clarissa picked up one of the flat rectangles no larger than my hand, but now it was glowing and playing music. “Excuse me,” she said, then she slid her finger across the screen and held the rectangle to her ear. “Good morning, Mr. Silverburn… yes… she’s with me… The Roaming Bean… no problem, we’re on the way back now.”

I looked at her, and hearing Damien’s voice through the rectangle brought back the longing of being near him. “Katla, I’m so sorry for everything. It really… sucks,” she sighed, not really knowing what else to say. “I’m so glad you’re here though. You know who else is glad you’re here?”

“Hm?”

“Mr. Silverburn. That was him on the phone,” she said. “I’ve never heard him worry about another person before. Maybe there’s something to this wolfy fated mate business.”

I smiled, then said, “Phone. There’s another new one. Is that the black rectangle?”

“Yes, in fact, Peter has yours waiting at Silver Tower. This is going to blow your mind.”

As we stood to walk out, another wolf walked in the door bringing in a breeze with him. He looked me in the eyes, and bowed his head, “Princess,” he gasped, and the others turned to look.

Clarissa watched the exchange, and confusion crossed both of our faces. “Let’s get back to Silver Tower.”