Among The Wolves

Kid

I took a windy round-about way to get back to my dirt bike. I really wanted to make sure that I was not being followed. Yet, after leaving the view of InX-InVett 1 that icky feeling of being watched disappeared. Just like leaving last time I looked at every corner and dark area to make sure that there was no one, no wolfblood ready to jump out and tackle me.

Eventually, I made it to the alleyway where I leaned against the building to catch my breath. Immediately, I thought of the little vial in my pocket. It could not be true, could it? Joinervetti should not be able to rob a wolfblood's wolf… could he? The dread ran deep in my blood.

Pushing myself away from the wall I turned toward the back. A sharp painful shock seemed to shoot through my soul. I grabbed my chest as I fell to the ground.

In a moment of daze I just laid there. Perspiration forming at my brow, and little quivvers assaulting me here now and then.

What just happened?

There was no apparent bodily injury yet my chest still ached with the residue of the pain. The ache was exactly where the hole was from the unconnected matebond. I rolled to my back and put a hand onto my sweaty forehead. I took in a breath and closed my eyes.

What I had just experienced was so much worse than that time that woke me up. And no doubt it would only get even more drastic the longer I was away. I had to go back soon.

Giving myself some more time to recover, I then huddled behind the smelly dumpster next to my dirt bike and propped myself into a comfortable sitting position. If all that time in the MoonDust Pack taught me anything it was that trash was a great scent disguiser. Is that even a real word?

I figured I would stay here for a minute and let the smells absorb onto my clothes so it would be harder to track me, if indeed anyone was set on tracking me.

I reached for the phone and set it against my ear. At the moment there were no sounds but I kept it there. I took the pen and the notepads out of my pocket and began to write on them. I wrote two notes. One I planned to get to Imogen and Bertrand and the other I still remembered the foster mom's address from the prescription bottle. I wanted her to be at ease that Vae'En, er Lins was doing very well.

As I was wrapping up the second note I began to hear noises through the phone. Door opening and shuffling.

I quickly made sure I was still on mute, set the notes in the backpack, and sat up straighter and listened intently.

I heard a man swear, “Who told the cleaner to spray this room?” Despite being frustrated, Joinervetti's voice strangely still sounded smooth and disorienting.

I smirked, covering my mouth to keep from laughing loudly.

Growling leaked through the phone as someone sat down in a very nearby chair. I assumed that Joinervetti just situated himself behind the desk which also meant he was very close to the land line.

A voice I recognized muttered similar feelings about the potent smell of lemon and honeysuckle, it was Beta Pad'Fal.

My eyes slinted as I remembered my last interaction with that guy.

“I am going to have to explain to the cleaning ladies again that no sprays are allowed in this building.” Joinervetti's voice was low with anger.

“Them kitty-cats.” Beta Pad'Fal joined in the cursing.

“Just tell me, how was the trip? I am still intrigued to know how the Convention went.”

A far away chair squeaked, “The Convention itself was anticlimactic. Just general stuff about strengthening allyship, and updates from what the Black Axis Pack observed from the Vakusians. They've ended the slave/peace trade as you predicted they would. They also warned against increased rogue activity. The rest was useless blah blah blah stuff.”