20. Plans of mice
2192 Words
Kara just came home after a full day at Rialto. She is tired and cranky and only wants to sleep. But she finds her mother in her room. Packing her things! Of all the places her mother could hide in, why is she in her walk in wardrobe?
“Mom? What are you doing?” Kara inquires quietly.
“Packing your things.” Marra answers like it’s the most normal thing to do. “Your Uncle is on a warpath. He is currently scouring the city with all of his enforcers.”
“Why? Something happened?” She wants to know. Must she worry? Must she warn Mattias to hide?
“The missing elders, me in particular. There are also a few missing enforcers. The guys that Vannessa beat are in hiding. Vito is going off the rails about it. He wants to have his people accounted for.” Marra explains.
“How do you know about it?” She wonders. If mom hasn’t left the house in days, how does she get information?
“Your Aunt Ellena texted me. She is on my side in this.” Her mother winks. “Oh, and Elio came by. I gave him a few more addresses to check out. He will find people that know me, but I haven't been there in months.”
“What do you think about Elio?” Kara asks. She is starting to like him, but her mother is the one that will have to decide what to do with him, if they overthrow Vito.
“I like him. He can think with his own head. He’s a decent guy that got handed the short end with this trade off. I don’t think his father knows where he sent him.” Her mother scoffs. “I feel sorry for him. I’ll help him as much as I can, but I understand he can’t go back home after all this.”
“He told me he’s doing this for a girl he likes. I didn’t ask who. Maybe I should?” She tells her mom.
“He likes Allegra. I made no promises, you know how she is. Any attempt of matchmaking will end in her lashing out.” Marra shrugs. “But maybe, just maybe, he will have a sliver of a chance, because he helped Alessio.”
“Oh!!” Kara scoffs and looks over at her mother. “He is doomed. If Fate doesn’t kick in and makes them fated mates, he stands no chance. She is a career girl.”
“I know. We can only create opportunities for them to meet. What happens is on them.” Her mother smiles. “Get some sleep. I can continue tomorrow.”
“Will you pack all of my things?” Kara inquires.
“No. I’m on summer clothes shelves. I will leave the winter things for last.” Marra chuckles.
Kara gazes after her mother and thinks that it might not be a bad idea to have some things packed and ready to go, if she needs to vanish fast. She needs to elaborate this plan further. She has a lot of things and leaving some behind is fine, but not her most treasured possessions. Her books, her art, her favourite jacket. There is just so much she needs to think about. Mattias needs to know about this, too. She decides to call him after her shower. She might fall asleep on her feet. The hot water will wake her up a bit.
“Hey, love.” He answers on the first ring. “This is a late hour for you to call. Is something wrong?”
“Yeah. My Uncle is all over the city. He has his enforcers out and is looking for the missing elders council. Be careful to not get spotted.” She tells him.
“How do you know? Is your mom safe?” Mattias inquires.
“She’s fine and hiding in my wardrobe. She packed half of my clothes today.” Kara chuckles. “She is making a getaway plan for me. She likes you better and she wants me to be happy.”
“That’s good news!” He exclaims. She can feel his happiness over the phone. This connection they have is amazing. “Maybe you should bring Devana in on the plan? She is my guardian, I can ask her to help you, too.”
“Do you think she would? I know she has a portal key and can get out fast, but would she take me with her? Would she risk everything for me?” Kara wonders.
“I think she would. I’ll ask her. You don’t have to owe her anything, if you worry about that. I know she will do it for me.” Mattias tells her.
“I trust you.” Kara whispers. She can feel sleep catching up to her and she yawns.
“Get some sleep, love. We can talk tomorrow.” Mattias chuckles. “Love you.”
Oh! He said it! He really said it and he gave her no chance to stumble, or blunder, or stutter, because he disconnected the call right after. Did he know she’s not ready to say it back? Fated mates or not, love is not instantaneous. You have to work for it, you have to let it grow and bloom. She needs to let herself feel first. Love can’t happen if she stays closed up from him. He just challenged her to do so. The man is intriguing, he will keep her on her toes. Life with him will never be boring, she can tell from the few hours they have spent together till now.
Gods, she will miss her mother and Teo, but living without Mattias is a fate worse than death. She can’t imagine not being with him. He is her future, her support, her new best friend. He is the star of her nights and the sun in the darkest days. And she has to earn the privilege to be all that for him. And to do so, she has to allow herself to feel. Baby steps, she tells herself. One day at the time and only with him. The rest of the world can stay closed off, for all that she cares.
Morning brings a new shocking event in the form of Devana. The goddess showed up out of the blue and invited herself to breakfast.
“Oh, don’t look at me like that.” Devana exclaims. “Mattias came up with this crazy idea of you two running away. I’m here to help.”
“What did he promise you?” Kara inquires.
“Nothing. I’m his godmother.” Devana shrugs.
“Are you willing to risk a conflict with my Uncle?” She wonders.
“Vito doesn’t scare me. He’ll stay away from me, if he knows what’s good for him.” Devana laughs.
“What if he goes after the people you love?” Marra inquires of the goddess.
“You mean Ilona? He would be dead before he even touches her. She’s wearing a protection amulet. Veles doesn’t need to be close to her, the amulet protects her from all harm.” Devana explains.
“That’s great. I would hate to see her harmed because of me.” Kara tells Devana. “But I wonder how you can help us? Did you find a loophole?”
“I will send you two on a vacation. A secure place no one can find.” Devana chuckles. “Vito can’t even send his enforcers there to get you. No one can.”
Kara thinks the idea over. Is she willing to run away? Can she do that to her mother? Would that endanger her even more? What about Teo? Is Vito crazy enough to go after a kid that hasn’t even gotten his wolf yet? Maybe they can leave this offer as a last resort? If all else fails, then she will run. It’s not just her that she needs to think about. How would this affect Mattias and his family? If Vito finds out who Mattias is, would he go after the Swiss pack? He is crazy, so there is no telling what he would do.
“I don’t know. I was thinking more in the lines of you opening a portal to Switzerland, but I do understand your plan. I’m just thinking about everything else. What could Vito do to retaliate? Do I want to anger him even more? I still hope that someone finds the balls to take him out.” Kara shares her thoughts.
“You’re an idealist. You have to think about yourself. Can’t you be selfish for once?” Teo scoffs.
“Since when are you listening in? Aren’t you supposed to be in school?” Marra asks him.
“I decided to skip today. Family drama and all.” Teo winks at their mother. “I can help. I think.”
“How do you think you can help?” Kara inquires while the other two stare at her little brother in wonder.
“I hear things. Vito is losing support. More than half the pack disagrees with his plans. The enforcers are halfassing their job, if best. They are not even looking and most of them know exactly where their missing brethren are. They are slowing him down, by dragging their feet.” Teo explains to them.
“I see. So it’s not just Elio, but all of them?” Marra asks.
“Yes.” Teo nods. “Now we just need someone to challenge him and be done with this nonsense.”
“Easier said than done. Or do you know something? Is there someone ready to risk it all and challenge him for Alpha?” Kara prompts her brother to tell them more.
“No. I heard snippets, but I can’t determine who the voice belongs to.” Teo tells her.
“Wait! Did you get your wolf? You can hear the thoughts of everyone in the pack?” Kara shouts. That would be the tip of the iceberg of her brother’s abilities.
“Yeah.” He nods. “But I can’t concentrate for long enough to see who it is. Someone has plans to overthrow Vito. It just comes and goes. There is a snippet and then nothing for days. It’s like I’m out of radio range or something.”
“You need to learn to shut it out, or you’ll go crazy.” Marra shakes her head. “I didn’t want this for you. Neither of you. I hoped my mother’s ability would skip a generation or two.”
“Was grandma a psychic?” Kara inquires.
“Grandma was a hybrid: half wolf, half witch. Neither of us inherited her powers. None of your cousins, either. Just you two. Massimo has trouble being a wolf, he’s too human, but has no powers whatsoever.” Marra explains.
“That’s so cool! I have to find a witches textbook and see what else I can do.” Teo chuckles. “In the meanwhile, I’ll keep listening.”
“You need guidance, little wolf. And protection. If anyone outside of this room learns what you are, you will be hunted.” Devana sighs. “You need Veles.”
“The god of the Underworld?” Teo wonders.
“The god of magic, the patron of wolves… My cousin has many titles.” Devana smiles at him. “But most importantly, he can teach you how to control magic.”
“Will I be able to hear the thoughts better? Can he teach me to focus on just one person? I admit I tried and failed.” Teo inquires.
“He can. I’ll call him for you.” Devana nods.
“This is good news. I think we need to bring Elio in. We just won’t tell him where we got it.” Marra comments.
“Hopefully, whoever is planning this coup, can make it happen before Vito ruins all our lives.” Kara adds.
“Mom? Can you get me out of school for two weeks? I need to learn this. I keep hearing the thoughts of all other wolves at school. It’s hard to focus on anything.” Teo inquires.
“Sure, dear. With your grades, you can miss a month.” Marra smiles.
Kara is the only one to leave the house today, she has to run Rialto. And it would be highly suspicious if she doesn’t show up. She’s been there every day for the last five years. Rialto is the main income for the family and too many other people who depend on them. Her mother can tell her later what else Devana came up with. She shakes her head and smiles. Teo has been special since the day he was born. Now she knows why. The kid inherited the powers of their grandmother, what she got were just crumbs. But! No time to feel sorry for him, she’s got work to do. And she’s confident that her little brother can master this too.
- Writer
