Chapter 16 - Rio

Chapter 17 – Rio

The walk back to Astrid's guest room is silent and sombre.

I keep thinking back on the dinner we just had with my mother. Astrid nailed every question, well, except for the last one, which got my back sweating.

"Did I do something wrong?" I ask as we reach her door.

She sighs reluctantly, a sound I've grown used to hearing. My destined is a bit of a worrier.

"No," Astrid answers plainly. "If you'll excuse me, I need to call my parents."

"Of course."

"And, please send some suitable clothes for the late night run."

The omission of the word 'family' is distinct in her emphasis. She closes the door behind her before I get the chance to at least kiss her hand or something.

I head downstairs, order an Omega to run a few errands, then head down even further to a half-floor basement that bridges the main house to the Alpha's quarters.

I emerge out on the other side into the back garden where roses in their nightly bloom emit the most heavenly smell, one that I now fully associate with Astrid. I stop for a while to smell a full red rose and look at towards the window of the guest room, its soft light glowing over the garden. A faint shadow moves and I await for a moment expecting to see her standing there. A sharp wind suddenly blows through me and causes the wooden shutters of her window to bang close, reminding me I should stop creeping about and get back to my quarters.

The Alpha's quarters has its own large entrance door and stained glass window, a mirror image of the foyer in the family residence, but about half in size. Instead of a grand staircase, there is a winding one that leads to a cosy living room where Alex and Demi are spread out on the leather sofa, each typing away on their laptops and phones. Admittedly, my quarters are not as elegantly decorated as the family residence, which has my mother's touch of sophistication.

"Give me an update," I request my Beta and Delta.

"I have moved on to the Slavic countries," Demi replies.

"And I am checking up on connecting flights. Still nothing." Alex states. "Have you asked Astrid for more details about her dream? That could help."

"Good idea, Alex." I laud him.

"And that's why I'm the Beta," he points two thumbs at himself.

"Yeah, yeah," Demi snorts. "You're the personal assistant, whereas I am the executive assistant. You know, actually pulling my weight in work for the pack, while you're busy wiping Rio's ass."

"See, that's why you're still a virgin, Demi."

Demi's face turns red.

"I bet I shall find my destined before you do, Alex."

"You first have to talk to a boy for that to happen."

"Okay, guys," I raise my hands, metaphorically pulling them apart and out of their bickering. "Let's get back to work."

"By the way, Rio, there was a letter from Alpha Greywood that he faxed to you a few hours ago." Demi points out.

"Who still uses fax?" Alex asks.

I go over to the desk to read the printed letter. For the most part, it seems to be formal, but also laced with double-edged expressions and grievances about my absence last night and about the broken engagement. I crumple up the paper. I have no time for this petty complaint.

"Demi, I'll take over what you're doing. Why don't you cast a web over social media to find any odd or interesting stories on white wolves."

She nods and hands me the laptop. Demi's forehead is adorned with a perpetual scowl. Her chin is sharp, her nose is sharp, her eyes are sharp, and her brain is even sharper. She was an obvious pick for my Delta. In a sense, she is right about calling herself the executive assistant, executing decisions for the benefit of the pack when I'm not there.

As Demi whips her phone out, she whizzes away with her flexible thumbs, and, in only a few seconds, raises a finger.

"There's a story about a white wolf in a Chinese zoo," she says matter-of-factly.

"No, China's too far," I reply. "Bianca wouldn't have reached that quick."

"Oh, rare white wolf spotted in Alberta, Canada, birthing—"

"Birthing?"

"Right."

"Why don't you compile a list first, Demi."

"Of course."

Alex laughs silently, to which Demi sticks her tongue out. Largest, richest, fiercest pack in the world, and yet my associates are actual children.

The three of us sit quietly for the next hour, seriously committing to our cause to aid my destined. The Slavic countries come out to be negative leads. I take a break from all the numbers on my screen and calls to different airports to try to put myself in Bianca's shoes.

Where would I go?

Somewhere far away from my oppressive father.

That ticks off quite a bit of the west, as wolves span the entirety of the western world from Brazil to Canada to Greece, and a few rough cousins in West Russia. Africa is a different story altogether, with its own species of shifters.

That leaves the east. Quite a tricky task now, considering most of Asia is warming up around this time of year, unless we look at the particularly mountainous regions. Is Fuji snowing this time of year? Yes. Well, so is the Eastern Cape in South Africa. And so is Mount Everest...all year round.

I massage the bridge of my nose and call for a coffee break. Alex is more than happy to immediately agree, while Demi gets up to set the coffee machine up. My Beta and I simultaneously outstretch our limbs when I get a call on my phone.

Unknown number.

I decline. Could be spam.

It rings again.

Unknown number.

I hand my phone over to Alex.

"Alex, answer it," I tell him.

"Hello? Yes, this is he." His eyes widen as he clears his throat. "Oh, sorry, this isn't the Alpha. One moment." He hands me the phone. "Valentina de la Mort."

A call from the vampiress?

"Yes, Valentina," I answer the call. "How may I help you?"

"There is something that I forgot to disclose last night," she says, her voice breaking a little at the poor reception. I hear the sound of other voices along with faint commotion and beeping coming through as well.

"Go on."

"This may be a silly little thing, but the Princess, uh, Bianca, mentioned in passing that perhaps she and I could have runaway to a monastery in the Himalayas."

Jackpot.

"Himalayas," I repeat louder as Alex and Demi instantly go back to working.

I return to the call. "Valentina, at this point, any titbit helps. In fact, we are currently going off of a dream that Astrid had where she found herself in a snowy place, looking at a white wolf."

"The Himalayas are snowy."

"Indeed, they are."

"By the way, Alpha Xenakis. When the wolves came sniffing up my nightclub, I did not tell them anything."

"That's great, Valentina. Thank you."

"In fact," I have a sinking feeling that a favor is about to be asked, "I may have planted a little seed of an idea that perhaps the Princess has run off to her grandparents in Golden Heart. Because, you see, it is a 10-hour drive to reach California from Silver Bow, approximately the same time by flight from Silver Bow to Mesaniskia."

I don't know why she is drawling out the exact details, but I'm still listening.

"And," she continues, "it also gave me time enough to sign some papers and this and that to hand over Oscura to Larry—you remember Larry, right?"

"The bouncer?"

"Exactement! While I'm away, Larry will look after my nightclub."

"Where are you going, Valentina?"

"To Mesaniskia of course."

I scoff. "Valentina, if you book a flight now, you will reach in the morning, scorching yourself half to death."

"Well, chéri, it's a good thing that I've just landed in Athens."

"What?"

"I figured I could catch a boat to Santorini, which will have me there by 1 or 2 am, giving you plenty of time to assign me a special escort into Mesaniskia."

I look over to my Beta and Delta. Alex gives me a big thumbs up, while Demi shakes her head slowly.

"Okay, let's say I humor your absurd plan, what exactly will you be doing here?"

"Why, joining you to find Bianca, of course!" she squeals excitedly.

"Sure, what about your weakness against the sun?"

I swear I can hear her rolling her eyes. "You're telling me that Midnight Shadow has all those resources, money, magic, etcetera, at the tip of its fingers and not one daylight ring?"

"That's an absurd ask. That sort of thing is forbidden."

"But not impossible to make, right?"

I grumble.

"I'll see what I can do."

I cut the call.

"A vampire in Mesaniskia?" Demi disapprovingly exclaims. "Are we rebuilding the entire supernatural world order?"

"We have nothing to be afraid of. It's she who should be afraid, coming into Lycan territory unannounced."

"She could be a vampire spy," Demi wagers.

"I'm pretty sure vampires are not sophisticated enough to pull heists and setup complex administrative structures to warrant for spies," Alex replies. "Anyway, what's she going to eat?"

"Okay," I clap my hands. "New orders. Demi, scope out the Himalayas, monasteries, hill stations and such. And Alex, you will arrange for Valentina's accommodation. That includes blood from any nearby hospitals, a suitable room at your place, and transport to pick her up from Santorini around 1:30 am."

For once, Alex is speechless, his mouth gaping open in revulsion.

"But...I'm the personal assistant."

"And you will be assisting me personally by making sure nobody harms our guest."

Alex looks at Demi accusatorily. My Delta shrugs as she continues furiously typing away at her phone with a small grin on her face.

"Should've paid better attention in school, eh?"