Chapter 5

Viti’s words rang in my head all afternoon because the sheer confusion of them, and I fully intended to let them know that Viti had confessed to the crime. I had hoped that Viti and I could fix our friendship, but this final act let me know that he was a stranger and a very dangerous one. He was no Iceclaw. I was to be Alpha-in-Waiting, and if anyone were to regret anything, it would be him. Still, part of me still thought that having him as a mate could have been convenient.

Yes, I had to be married to Silverburn Pack, which if I was being honest, I knew nothing about, but my life would remain largely unchanged other than working by my father’s side openly. My marriage would be for the good of the pack. It would solidify not only our alliance with Silverburn, but also my standing as Alpha. I could see my father’s reasoning as I processed the information, but I couldn’t process Viti's proposal and subsequent wanting to mark me. “Thank you,” I said to my wolf for the hundredth time that afternoon. Her intuition had, once again, saved me. I would have to prepare a special feast for her on the next full moon. I felt her nuzzle into me with a satisfied rumble of appreciation.

After cleaning my face and changing into a grey tweed pencil skirt, a light pink button up, and blazer, I put on a sensible pair of pumps and walked to the Iceclaw Council room. My presence here had been bound by secrecy since I became eighteen, and for all except the Beta. When we left the room, they would forget that I had been there, only to have their memory restored at the next meeting. It was one of the few spells that we still knew and was used only when necessary and with everyone having full knowledge.

“Katla,” Vargur, my father’s new Beta and Heckla’s father greeted me, looking at me suspiciously. He still saw me as a mischievous pup that got into trouble with my best friend, not as an Alpha.

“Beta Vargur, welcome to Iceclaw Council. Long may you serve,” I welcomed him, smiling. Vargur hadn’t always been the most responsible, and in his younger years, he was a known drunk and womanizer. He could be cruel, and had once had ideas about she-wolves being dominated and controlled. But, when his mate threatened to leave and take Hekla to the human lands, he sobered up and changed. He served the pack and become one of the most trusted, reliable members. “People change after all,” echoed in my mind again.

“So, you are to be Alpha-in-Waiting?” he asked.

“I have been asked to serve Iceclaw,” I gave a solemn nod back. “It is not something that I accept on a whim and without thought. My father has been preparing me for this and our Council has been supportive. After the ceremony tonight, all memories will be restored. I know we have not worked together long and that you only know me as Hekla’s friend, but I promise to do my best to lead us, and to accept you and your advice as my Beta as my Alpha before me.”

“Very well. I am happy to serve the true Alpha,” he said and took his space to my father’s right.

“Oh, Vargur,” I walked over to him and quietly said, “I am to sit on the Alpha’s right, the Beta’s space is to the left.”

“Little she-wolf, you are not Alpha-in-Waiting, yet, the Beta’s seat is to the right. I’m sure you will find sitting opposite the Alpha of equal standing,” he gestured to the space around the circular table exactly opposite.

“He is challenging us,” my wolf simmered under my skin. I felt my eyes begin to heat and glow and my fangs began to take shape, “Beta Vargur, my seat is to the right, you will sit on the left.”

I could feel the council watching the exchange as it became a battle of wills. His wolf pushed back, unrelenting to the command, digging, biting in as sweat broke out on his brow, but I was stronger. I felt his footing slide, his wolf’s head lowered with flattened ears, and his face looked to the floor as he moved to the seat on my father’s left, seething.

“Katla, you are becoming stronger!” My father was pleased. “Let that be a lesson to all who say a she-wolf cannot speak as an Alpha.” All except Vargur echoed my father’s approval.

“Gamma Geri, what updates do you have about our departed Beta Fenrir? I hope you are able to illuminate who among our Pack did another harm,” my father spoke and motioned to his Gamma to speak.

“Sir, our investigation is ongoing, but we have reason to believe that Beta Fenrir was following a lead that he had received about a band of rogues on our Northern border, one of which was claiming to be the father of your son, Viti. When Beta Fenrir came close, he was attacked to send a message to Iceclaw that we cannot protect the human lands. Alpha, we believe that Beta Fenrir’s death was meant to serve as a warning and a challenge.”

I saw my father mulling over this information, and he asked, “And how have you deduced this?”

“We have the culprit in custody. Our warriors have disposed of his band, but he is imprisoned here and awaiting the Alpha’s decision.”

“And has this wolf confessed to his crime?” I asked.

“He insists that he and several other rogues were along our border and that they came upon the body just before our scouts, which is why their scent was in the area. He confessed that he believes he is the true father of Viti Iceclaw, but says he has no knowledge of the murder, other than stumbling upon Fenrir’s body.”

“Prove it,” Viti’s words from earlier echoed in my mind. How could I prove that Viti had been the one to kill Fenrir? “I have a theory,” I cautiously continued, gauging the reaction of the Council, “I do not believe this rogue killed Fenrir. Is it possible that this rogue communicated with Viti to meet since he believes he is Viti’s father?”

I saw some nods, but others in the Council looked at me with confusion as they processed the information, but I continued my line of thinking. “So, if it’s possible that Viti was going to meet this rogue who may be his father, is it possible that Fenrir followed Viti to the meeting place?”

The nods continued, but others began to narrow their eyes. Without proof, this was going to be hard to prove, but I carried on. “If Fenrir followed Viti to the meeting place, perhaps Fenrir overheard a conversation or stumbled upon something he shouldn’t have seen or heard leading Viti to kill him to keep him silent?”

“Katla, what proof do you have of these accusations against your brother?” my father asked.

“Viti is my step-brother, and he is not Iceclaw. He does not feel the same sense of loyalty to the pack, and more than that, he told me earlier, in my room, that he killed Fenrir,” I couldn’t hold it back. Aurelia gasped at how the accusation had tumbled out of my mouth and how clumsily I had done it.

My father sucked in his breath, lowered his head, and put his thumb and forefinger on the bridge of his nose like he did when I was a pup about to be scolded. “Here it comes,” Aurelia said.

“Katla, this is a serious accusation with no proof,” he turned to look at Gamma Geri, “Did the rogue say that he had met Viti?”

“No. He only said that he believes he is Viti’s father and came upon the body when he and his band were passing through.”

“Clearly the rogue is lying,” Beta Vargur interjected. “The rogue killed Fenrir. We all know Viti’s wolf is not large, and Fenrir would have easily overpowered him. I never expected an Iceclaw Alpha-in-Waiting to try to dispose of someone who could challenge them, their brother no less, but I have long suspected she-wolves can behave erratically. I know for a fact that Viti has spent the afternoon with Hekla, so how could he have also made this confession? It is my counsel as Beta that we announce Katla’s engagement to Alpha Damien to become his Luna and we instead appoint Viti as Alpha-in-Waiting.”

Aurelia pushed herself to the surface, snarling. “You are the same misogynist you have been all along, and is it not possible that Viti saw me before going to Hekla. For fucks sake, he asked to mark me so I would not be forced to marry Alpha Damien.”

“Katla! Enough. Did you allow Viti to mark you?” My father demanded. “Show me.”

I ripped my shirt collar to the side, revealing my pale, non-marked neck and shoulder, “You, of all, should know that I put the pack above myself. I will marry Alpha Damien and I will be Alpha-in-Waiting. Furthermore, I am not lying.”

“Clearly, I struck a nerve…” Vargur sneered. “I rest my case. The she-wolf has no proof of any of these accusations, and the most likely scenario is that the rogue killed Beta Fenrir.” There was tittering and whispers among the Council, and I blinked back tears of humiliation.

My father raised his hand to quiet everyone, “Council, we do not have proof of Viti’s involvement… OR the rogue’s involvement. We will question the rogue further after the Ceremony. Furthermore, Katla’s wolf is Alpha, do not forget that.”