Chapter 46

Katla

Damien looked up as I walked into his office. “I was just speaking with Alpha Erik,” he told me. “There are changes in alliances, and he would like us to attend a summit of sorts in a week to discuss the Iceclaw situation.”

I looked at him, not sure how to respond, and I think he sensed my unease because he continued. “I told Erik that it would be your decision on your attendance or if you would like to allow the rumor of your death to continue.”

“Are you sure he can be trusted?”

“Yes. You have more allies than you realize,” he assured.

“Was he the lead on who killed Peter,” I asked.

“Sort of. Erik is very good at dealing in information. A lot of people write him off because he’s a shameless gossip, but if you ever need to know anything, he is a reliable source.”

I thought about this for a minute, then asked, “If he deals in information, what does he expect in return? It seems that he has plenty that he could use to blackmail powerful individuals if he deals in information like that.”

“With Erik, as long as he isn’t betrayed, he won’t betray others,” Damien said. “However, if he can use information to his advantage, he often uses it, especially if he has been wronged.”

“Interesting, but what about the killer?”

“They seem to have run into Iceclaw territory,’near Lunarpaw. Lunarpaw remains in allegiance with Iceclaw because of the threat of the rogues that are creating permanent settlements on their boarders.”

“Isn’t that an oxymoron?” I asked, “Rogues don’t do permanence. That’s sort of their thing.”

“It seems they have also been experimenting on humans in something called their ‘project,” he told me. “Do you remember any thing out of the ordinary?”

My mind drifted back to the breakfast where egg splattered across my face. Viti had said that the rogues were capturing humans, but my father had shut it down. However, if Viti was in cahoots with the rogues, it stands to reason that he may have shown his cards some in that moment.

“Viti said something some time ago,” I replied. “I didn’t think anything of it at the time, especially since my father said it wasn’t true. But, now, I think Viti may have been saying what he was involved in.”

Damien pressed his lips into a line and ran his fingers through his hair. He was waiting for me to continue. “Viti said he heard the rogues were looking for certain humans to bind as wolves and turn them to Omegas.”

“But is that actually possible? To turn a human into a wolf?”

“Our pack’s sworn duty since moving to the South lands was to stand as the last line of defense between the wolves who would harm humans and the humans. If humans are bitten, like Peter was, they aren’t a human anymore, but they also aren’t a wolf. They’re feral and uncontrollable on full moons. So, if Peter was part of this ‘project,’ how many others have been harmed like he was? And why?”

“I’m not sure, but I think we need to go home to try to figure this out.”

“I don’t think it’s safe to go South, with the rogues and the rumor about me being dead and all,” I looked at Damien.

“Not that home, Katla. Our home in the North. What do you think?”

“I think it is calling to me, and I need to know why,” I answered, remembering my dream from the night before. A smile broke out across Damien’s face.

“Do you think you can be ready to fly in an hour?”

“As in run fast? I mean, weird question, but I guess,” I shrugged.

“I keep forgetting you’re from the South. People can fly, Katla, but the machines that make us fly were banned in your packs. This will be fun. I promise!” Damien was far to excited for this, and I opened and closed my mouth, not sure what to say.

Damien kissed me. “Katla, I’ve also been thinking. Since we found Peter, I’m worried about Clarissa’s safety. She and you seem to be… getting along…” he smirked, “would you like her to come with us? It would give you a familiar face there at least.”

“I think that’s kind of you to offer that to her, but would she be coming as your assistant or our guest?”

“Both, I suppose?” he answered. “I’ve never taken a human assistant back to Silverburn, and she won’t be of use as an assistant there. That said, there are things that she will still help with in the human lands.”

“But how…” he understood the question and held up his phone.

“Katla, the way that Silverburn interacts with the humans is very different from the Southern packs. We share technology, and well, you’ll see. It’s not good or bad, just different,” he explained.

“I know Silverburn is North, but where exactly?” I just remembered that was a question I had had since I was a pup, but I never got an answer. It always seemed like some magical made up place.

“It’s far -ish, about two and a half hours by flying straight north and then slightly west. We’re right by where the glacier meets the sea.”

This was complete gibberish to me. I knew all of these words, but not together. All I could say was, “OK,” and then pretend like my ignorance of anything outside of the Southern packs didn’t exist. The truth is, I had never felt so small.