Forbidden Fruit

Chapter 8: Check-Ins & Doubts

My everything.

I can no longer pay attention as Tobias watches him run away, and my futurible attempt at chasing him.

And for the longest he doesn't say anything, even when the fight comes back around. Instead, I feel him crying the pain I was feeling before tenfold, wishing I could spare my wolf the pain of rejection as well. The grief is palpable and suffocating, a dark cloud engulfing my essence as I struggle to find the energy to at least have this meeting. To just hold it together for a little bit longer.

'He doesn't want us? No, that can't be right....' Tobias says, and then there's nothing, and it's a struggle as I attempt to keep my eyes dry as I keep walking, making my way towards the Pack House. I do my best to close down that avenue to thoughts, knowing that I have a job to do at the moment. As the Beta of the Autumn Falls pack, it's my duty to protect our people and make sure that no harm comes to the Elder Council and families of our pack. I can't do that if I'm holding a pity party for Tobias and I, worried about our own selfish problems. My heart will be just as broken when I leave the meeting, no point in dragging anyone else with me, I think to myself wryly. I manage to quell my racing thoughts and churning stomach, reminding myself of the news I'm to be sharing with the others.

I finally make my way to the packhouse, and weave my way through the wolves gathered in the living room hanging out, waving offhandedly as I ascend the stairs. On the second floor, I find Johnathan only just passing through the office doors, barely beating me here but looking a lot better off, lucky shit.

Head Warrior Jeffery will use a video castor powered by mana to showcase the imprisioned shadow. We don't want anyone to know about the prisoner until we know what we're dealing with ourselves. Bringing it here would allow too many eyes and all of us going to the Academy prisoner would raise too many questions with not enough answers. I make my way towards the meeting room, a large office we emptied and turned into a space for us. I'm pleasantly surprised when I realize I'm the last one here leaving no time for pleasantries and questions, instead as soon as I take the seat to the left of James, he immediately begins as everyone settles in.

Tobias remains silent, and I try not to let my mind become consumed by the tragedy that has struck.

"Good morning, I know it's early to we'll keep this brief. Ladies, please let us know what you were able to get last night." He turns towards Zee, Rain and Timari that sit down on the right side of the table, the Elder being the one to start speaking as we all tune in.

"Yes, last night, the three of us went to the northern part of Revelia, in the Star Mountains, and checked out a few clubs and bars that gave us just the information we were looking for. Revelia, and Roma have both been recently overrun by Shadows though they've tended to fequent the latter more often. Apparently there's even been a few sightings of Shadows in the Capital and one confirmation in Vilin. The government isn't happy about them being in their front and back yards so they've been sending officers all over the country to control this surge of shadows." She explains, helping complete the picture that has barely started to take form last night before it all went to shit.

The commander picks up where she leaves off, Timari adding onto the story, her face the picture of focused intensity making the earlier feeling of this being bigger than we could've imagined seeming all the more likely. "But that's not all. Half of the officers that have been dispatched to take care of these shadow allegations have disappeared or been subjected to a possession. And while I'm the last to believe in things like ghosts, we can't deny these Shadows and the scary lack of knowledge we have on them." She emphasizes and she's right as much as no one wants to admit it.

"Did you run into any problems while you were there?" Cody asks curiously, he's always the first to worry, the Luna doing copious amounts of research in the Omega and the medical fields. He claimed that he wanted to give back to our home and community as much as they have given to him. He honestly is the mother hen of the pack, and while having a male Luna and a gay pairing in general in the Alpha lineage, is rare, the pack has come to accept and love Cody with open arms.