The Wolves in the Woods

An Opportunity for Your Selection

Rejection is an opportunity for your selection.

— Bernard Branson

***

Luka notices some strange happenings around Paris.

***

            Police sirens shrieked at deafening volumes, amplified by the piercing and flashing blue lights of the cruisers stationed around the bakery. Law enforcement officers were scattered around, some on the lookout for black butterflies seeking targets. One was taking the testimony of the Dupain-Cheng couple, another was keeping Alya restrained with the help of Nora, and one more was reporting back to their superiors what was going on. It was the absolute last thing anyone wanted at the end of their day, let alone their lunch period, but it was what it was.

Luka sat in the safety of the Dupain-Cheng living room, on the phone and updating Juleka on the fallout of Alya's latest scheme. Marinette was tucked in bed sound asleep, too tuckered out to stay awake after the drama that unfolded. To say Juleka was unhappy about it was an understatement. The minute he told his sister what the former Ladyblogger had done this time, she unleashed a storm of colorful swears that would make their mother proud. Or blush. Whichever came first. Either way, Juleka was beyond furious.

"I don't believe it!" Juleka howled. "First the meeting and now this?!" Luka could hear her pacing back and forth in the boathouse. "It wasn't enough she had to pull all that crap in the courtroom, and now—!!" Luka stopped her before she could unleash another swear bomb.

"Easy, Jules," he said, attempting to placate his sister. "Good news is, the police are here. And they're taking care of it." As much as their mother distrusted them, this time around he was grateful for their presence. Doubly so when a woman with a striking resemblance to Lila (where had he seen her before?) suddenly showed up.

"Uh oh, someone else showed up," Luka reported.

"Who?" Juleka asked.

"Someone who looks like—" he suddenly cut himself off. And cringed. "Ohhh..."

"What?" Juleka asked again. "What's going on?"

Luka didn't quite have the words to describe the chaos that was currently unfolding downstairs now. Other than the woman who looked like Lila suddenly showing up. Within two seconds, the woman raced to Lila and held her in a tight embrace. Alya broke free from Nora and the policeman's grasp and lunged at Lila. Then the woman whirled and socked Alya square in the nose. Which, in turn, led to a profuse amount of blood spilling from her nose while she landed flat on her behind. Again.

"Alya..." Luka began. "Just got knocked down by someone who looks like..." The realization suddenly dawned on him. "Oh, crud. That was her mother."

"Whose mom?" Juleka asked. Luka pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Lila's."

There was a long pause on Juleka's end.

"... for real?"

"Yep," Luka confirmed. "It was her." Now that he remembered what she looked like, courtesy of her appearance at the trial, it was easier to spot the resemblance. "Seems like one of the cops called her." That was the only veritable explanation for her sudden appearance outside the embassy. But how? He didn't see anyone calling them. So who—?