That voice. The one who’d spoken last about Chad becoming the ’big honcho’ - I knew it from Helene’s mories. Her father, with that sa out of style phrasing. One of the two Ogas who’d pushed her toward stronger wolves her entire life, living vicariously through his spirit-bearing daughter’s potential and ability to go on pack runs.
But clearly, I don’t care about him that much. It was the other elents of what had been said that twisted the pit of my stomach in to the cold shape of a snowflake. And their banter continued, oblivious to my presence or court training that easily parsed what went unsaid to the foolish parent.
"...Besides, your girl’s gonna love being the new Alpha’s mate, right? Moving up in the world."
"Exactly! Finally, she’ll have the status she deserves. Chad promised us he’d bring her back to the pack and complete the bond once he fully takes over."
The eagerness in his tone made my blood ice over. Not from any feeling of personal betrayal, I still had none of Helene’s emotional attachnts to these people. But from the sheer pathetic, toadying desperation of it.
"Oh yeah, real romantic. I’m sure she’s gonna be thrilled when she sees him again. Right?"
"Yeah, Chad’s super committed to that plan."
While the first hid it a bit, this one’s sarcasm was thick enough that even soone without court training should have caught it. Especially when chuckles rippled through the group.
"Well, of course. A future Alpha needs a special mate, and my Helene is special as can be. Good bloodline, powerful wolf."
"Yeah, she’ll be treated like a queen... helping our leader out with her *service* to the people."
"She did always want to help people. And she wanted kids... do you think grandkids is too much to ask for in the apocalypse?"
More snickering. Not the warm kind shared between friends that are happy or proud of each other, but the cruel sort that cos at soone’s expense. The sort of laughs done behind hands with smiles on the faces of court ladies.
> They’re laughing at him because they know Chad has no intention of honoring any promises about Helene. These full wolves know what kind of orders I was to be brought back under. And they are joking about it right under his ignorant nose. <
Service - and that last group who ntioned that ’whatever happened along the way’ did not matter to him. My wolf spirit bristled in my mindscape, picking up on my condensing anger and sharing it.
Still not for the idiot father’s sake - I felt nothing for him personally and actually would go so far as to say despise him objectively. Helene’s fervent complaints that the Beta’s son was being creepy after she had beco Jace’s mate were taken seriously enough by the mother and father.
But back then, they just suggested to ’let the stronger wolf’ deal with it, with the assumption that was her current bond. Those were the sorts of parents Chad was manipulating directly, now.
It’s probably a good thing that it was not the original owner of this body to hear any of that. If she didn’t get her heart broken back then, this would do it. However...
Ultimately they are just weak willed people who raised a slightly less weak willed daughter. The one to hate this passionately is the one in charge of deceptions and desecrations.
The one who will not leave alone, even after I fled this far. Even Jace has not shown up and caused problems!
> He just left one inside of the body of the woman he decided he no longer wanted. That... if it wasn’t an innocent child, surely might be considered the worst personal problem I have. Let’s move. <
Painfully slowly, I began to slink backward through the undergrowth. Every rustled twig felt like the whole bush had shaken. But the n were too absorbed in their conversation to notice, and I’d put distance between us fully before I let myself think too hard.
> Chad must be another system Chosen. <
The realization had been like a dripping faucet suddenly having its valve opened. It was the only thing that imdiately explained why he knew about an apocalypse. How he could know this area is ’perfect’ for afterwards.
How he was forming this ’rogue pack’ so easily, if he has a roster like mine. His confidence and actions had definitely grown more ambitious in the ti before I found myself in this body. And if the system really pushes one to do things in line with their desires...
He must have one. Tasks. Rewards. A countdown to the sa apocalypse I was preparing for, but where I’d focused on my own survival, he’d... what, saw it as a chance to be King Jerksnout of the evil-minded packless?
Building an army of them. Securing territory for later. Planning to overthrow other leadership to beco a dominant power in whatever kind of world erged after the solstice.
Everything that sounded like a headache to , but must just be more manipulative conquest social gas for him. And the system... is aiding him in it.
That’s why Claire ntioned that it seed like his technological communication usage stopped, but then the rogues kept moving a few days later as if soone was directing them again. If the encrypted earpiece it gave can do what it does...
> He must have a similar counter-ability. Sothing that blocks his actions from being surveilled. It’s not so expert better than BoundaryKeeper... it’s just cheating with impossible, unmagical, unrealistic effects! <
All those pieces fit together with an uncomfortable amount of clarity. Different rewards for different approaches. Different chosen paths and different desires and needs. My paws itched as they slamd against the terrain and Vrika growled low in my mindscape.
I had wondered if there were more who were Chosen. However, it beca less likely as the month wore on, to . Because if there were a lot of us, would the world be so calm? Or is the information releases being suppressed...
> By the system itself or by a Chosen like Chad who might feel it is better to let many people die if they can co out on top afterwards. Despicable. Disgraceful. <
Trying not to think about what little difference I really have with that sort of individual, so willing to let everyone fend for themselves - so long as I had shelter, food, and safety for the child inside . Letting two people know is hardly so virtuous.
When I see a large, nice looking tree I begin to climb it rapidly. Making it up to a high, stable branch in a fraction of a minute. Transforming back into human form, my hands fiddle with the backpack as I hold onto the phone I’d turned off before I was on my way.
I hadn’t been able to bring myself to toss it in the container, even though I should have. Now, it was tempting . To turn it on and ssage Kyrie and tell her what I’d just discovered. She would take my word for it.
But an army of caution fought and won out over the lone hero of urgency. There was a reason I turned it off, hoping it would prevent tracking at least... though I’m not sure that is true. I did not want Claire to know where I was heading.
"I wanted my den to remain secret... from everyone."
My last internet searches were for the Silvertrap caves, so thinking I’d go this far out has to be unlikely. But I don’t know for sure that she is the only one that could track . If other Chosen, if Chad has abilities I do not know about yet?
My hand gripped the phone tightly, before leaping off the high branch in the middle of transformation. Skidding dangerously down a leaf covered slope, using one clawed hand to leap back to my feet properly... I rush forward toward a large enough expanse to summon my Stash.
And stuff this device inside like it is a bomb about to explode. The container vanishes again almost as soon as the doors are closed.
> Secure the location. Maybe place this again if I’m happy with it. Stash the phone alone itself imdiately. Then I can return to the city. With everything I learned and suspect about this... uncovered threat. <
And absolutely nothing, to no one, about my plans in two weeks.
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