Alpha Isaiah ✔️

TWENTY SEVEN

Word Count: 1894

~Avia

Zire yawns, stretching his legs out across my bed spread.

I glare at him, but he remains unbothered, thumbing through a collection of papers he snatched off Isaiah's desk for me. I can't believe I've been ousted to the chair in the corner of the room so he can lounge on my bed comfortably. I would protest, but at this point, I'm not in a position to be telling him what to do, since it seems I'm relying on him now more than he is relying on me.

"Tell me about Mari," I muse, draping my legs over the arm of the chair as I contort myself to be as comfortable as possible.

"Never liked her," Zire doesn't even look up. "She doesn't talk to me ever, always right at her father's side."

I already know they aren't very fond of each other, but it seems Zire only really gets along with Isaiah and Cherry. Still, I get the sense he has a lot more to say, but is choosing not to as if it might avoid some more conflict. Perhaps Isaiah has told him to watch his tongue, which I'm sure he mentioned in regards to me as well.

"What do you know about the murders?" I question.

He glances up over the top of his papers, eyes narrowing. "What do you know about them?"

That's confirmation enough that they are actually happening, and that I'm not imagining all of this, that I'm not imagining Isaiah leaving the estate to meet with someone to talk about the murders.

"I'm aware that Isaiah knows something about them and is keeping it from me," I say testily, watching for Zire's reaction. He frowns, as if it's news to him. I'm assuming if Isaiah feels the need to sneak out, he hasn't told anyone about his exertions. "Which is where you come in, as the one employed to get information about him for me."

"Remind me why I allow you to refer to me as employed by you?" He drops the papers, stretching onto his stomach to look at me.

I smother my smile. It bothers him, so I keep saying it.

"No one I convene with will ever learn anything more about you than your name," I say. He doesn't need to know that a few of my close colleagues already know his name, but I've kept my word in keeping everything else from them.

"Alright..." Zire sighs, seemingly giving up on the dismissive angle. "The murders started happening about a year and a half ago, which was about when Isaiah brought me in to be his second-in-command. It was all wealthy families, ones with hands in pockets of land and influence in strong interests groups."

I lean forward, interested. "Go on..."

"No one has ever been connected to the murders, but as a consequence, people have been beefing up security. Accept Mari's family," he muses, raising a brow. I know exactly what he is insinuating.

"Interesting. You think her father is behind it?" I ask.

"He has a lot of control in those interest groups. And sometimes killing is far easier than turning an entire group against an individual," Zire says with a shrug.

I blink. Sometimes I get close to thinking everyone here isn't all that different from me, until I'm reminded quite abruptly that power allows them to get away with more than any commoner could. For them, killing is a better optio that actually confronting the issue reasonably. Being that I'm in front of Zire, and not Isaiah, I'm able to appear outwardly disgusted by that thought, as he knows I am no Noble's daughter.

"So...why isn't he arrested?" I demand.

"There's a careful, intricate web that keeps the power in this Pack. These influential people are fundamental to everything that occurs here, meaning Isaiah, with all his power, is only part of the power you and your rebellious groups hate so much," he explains. There is a surprising lack of judgment in his voice, considering his feelings about the rebellions. He clearly knows the structure if power is wrong.