A Matter of Convenience

One

~Isis~

My left fist hits the bag again, a thud sounding in the air. I feel the sweat dripping down my back and hairline. I swing my right fist, connecting with the bag, the vibration moving throughout my arm. I’m not sure how long I’ve been at this, but it isn’t helping to calm my racing thoughts.

I’m at the Darkfang Pack, but this isn’t my home. It’s home to my fated mate, Jovanni Bolton. I remember when I first saw him. He was with this Alpha as they visited my father at our pack. He’s a head warrior tasked with watching over his Alpha.

I walked out the front door to help my father greet the Alpha, and he was standing there. Our eyes met, his icy blue orbs roaming up and down my body. My arousal was immediate, and breathing in his scent of bergamot and mint only added to what I was feeling.

He smirked at me but never broke protocol. He remained at his Alpha’s side, not letting our bond distract him in any way. I thought it to be valiant and a sign of a true warrior. The Goddess certainly chose well for me, and I just knew my life would be amazing. When we spoke, he assured me that my status didn’t intimidate him. He would be honored to be by my side and help me fulfill my responsibilities.

We agreed to spend some time with each other before we completed the bond. I’m no virgin, but I wanted to be sure that he wanted me for me and not for my title. We’ve alternated packs for a few weeks now, and I’m at his this weekend. The full moon is about a week away, and that is when we’ve planned our ceremony. The only issue is that I’m not feeling it.

This isn’t a new feeling, but it’s gotten stronger. I’ve been unsettled during this visit, and it’s been eating at me. I wouldn’t say this is cold feet; it’s more than that. Something just feels off to me, and my wolf, Rona, agrees. We don’t know what’s wrong, but it’s there. I’m trying to push it down and do what’s expected of me, but I’m finding it harder and harder by the minute. We should talk to him, Isis.

I know we should, but how do I do that? Hey, Jovanni, uh, well, I have this feeling deep inside. I don’t know where it’s coming from or what it is, but I feel like we shouldn’t do this. Yeah, Rona, that’s going to go so well.

I’m only trying to help. It isn’t like you have any other ideas. Don’t be a bi.tch to me just because you’re confused. I sigh and roll my eyes. I know she’s right, but still.

Oh, apologies. I’m Isis Weston, the Alpha heir to the Scarlettmaw Pack. The reason I haven’t taken over yet isn’t what you think. My father, Emmet Weston, has no issue with his heir being a woman. He just wants to make sure I’m in a good place before I take over. He wants me to have the necessary support, and I love him for that.

Losing my mother changed him, and he would have been lost to all if it weren’t for me. He’s always told me that he survived her death for me, and he’s always shown me how much he loves me. I’ve always considered myself lucky and blessed.

I throw one more combo at the bag before stepping back and taking the gloves off. I’m drenched in sweat and still on edge. I guess Rona’s right, and the only thing I can do is talk to Jovanni. I just hope I figure out what to say by the time I find him.

I walk the path from the packhouse to the training grounds. They conveniently have a workout room in the basement of the packhouse, so I’m always able to work out without a lot of eyes on me. I nod to pack members as I walk; I’ve been here enough times that they know who I am. I’m pretty sure that I will find Jovanni around the training grounds.

There’s a group training, but Jovanni isn’t among them. Maybe I can find him in his office. They use an indoor center in the training area a lot when the weather is bad. Jovanni has an office there since he’s a head warrior.

I walk into the training center, where a few wolves are sparring. I make my way toward the back, where I hear his voice. His scent gets stronger the closer I get. “I know, baby, but it won’t be much longer.” I stop in my tracks and duck into an open closet next to me. I open my bottle of water and pour it over my head in an attempt to dampen my scent. I hone my hearing so I can listen in. “You know I love you. I have you leave so you don’t have to see us together. As soon as she leaves, you can come back.” My heart rate increases the more I listen. I don’t want to make any assumptions, but this seems pretty clear to me. “She may be my fated mate, but it’s you I love, and you know that. I plan to see it through to the ceremony so I can take over as Alpha. You know I’m meant to do more than be a warrior.” He plans to what?! Rona is standing at attention in my head, and she’s pissed, as am I. This was his plan all along, and I fell for it? How could my fated mate be such an asshole? “I’ll make it look like a rogue attack or something. I don’t have to have an heir with her because you will take her spot, and I’ll have one with you. It’s perfect.”

I can’t listen to any more. I want to run in there and rip his throat out, but I’m a visitor in this pack, and I have to act accordingly. I slowly make my way out of the closet and out of the training center. I consider going to the packhouse to get my things, but I don’t want to alert anyone that I’m leaving. I can always get new clothes and a phone. Right now, it’s more important that I get the hell out of here.

I walk into the woods a bit further and shift, letting Rona take over. She takes off into the woods as I settle into her mind. She takes off, heading for home. It will take a few hours, but at least I’ll have that time to think about my next steps.

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When we get to the boundaries of our packlands, I shift into my human form and step into our territory. There’s a neutral space between our pack and the Scarlett Moon Pack. We are so close together that we share a clinic. Crazy, I know, but it made the most sense. It’s staffed with people from both packs, and we make use of it. We are on good terms with that pack; I just can’t stand their Alpha. That’s a story for another time, though.

I grab some clothes out of a nearby tree and quickly dress. I run into a few warriors, a bit surprised to see me. “Uh, Alpha Isis, what are you doing here?” I smile and shake my head.

“Stop with the formalities, Anna. Isis is fine.” She nods at me. “Where’s my father?” She looks at Nero and Vance before looking back at me.

“He’s busy.” He may be busy, but something’s up.

“Busy? Where is he, Anna?” I look at the other two. “Vance? Nero?” They look at each other, but no one answers. I let a small growl slip from my lips. “Someone better start talking now!” Nero steps forward and clears his throat.

“He didn’t want you to know.” I start at Nero and watch him shift on his feet. “He’s in the clinic.” I turn in the direction I came from and start to run. The clinic is in neutral territory, some ways from where I came in. I burst through the doors and follow his scent down the hall. I push past a nurse coming out of the VIP room and stop in front of the bed. My father is lying there, hooked up to machines. He opens his eyes and gives me a faint smile.

“Issy, what’s the hurry?”