"Investigate Kari as well. I want to know everything she has been doing since we brought her in," I said, Gaius had a strange smile on his lips. I was curious to hear more about the matter, but later that night, I decided to check on Ivy.
Staying indoors for so long after the murder of her twin sister was not the right thing to do. Until we uncover the mystery behind Iris's corpse disappearance, the least we can do is support each other.
When I reached the packhouse, Kari was still waiting for me. Despite her earlier assurance that she would be there, Gaius's revelations about her filled me with disdain at the sight of her.
"Zach, you're back," she said excitedly upon seeing me, but something didn't add up, so I asked her, "Where is Ivy?"
Guilt flashed in her eyes for a moment before they lowered. "I'm sorry, I haven't checked on her because I thought she wanted to be alone. Please forgive me, but let me go check on her right now," she said, hastening up the stairs. I followed her, watching as she stopped at the entrance of Ivy's door.
"She's not here," she said with a look of confusion.
"She must be in the restroom," I debunked, as I walked past her and yelled, "Ivy, enough crying. Come out here and let's talk. You know I'll always be here for you."
My words were met with silence, but I dared not invade her privacy. "Hey, sorry for not being there for you earlier. There are just too many things vying for my attention," I tried to coax her, but still, there was no response.
However, I remembered Gaius telling me about the Nether wolf's tribe that lost their Alpha, and for some reason, I was considering launching another attack to claim their land.
The more lands I claimed nearby, the greater the extension and human resources for my tribe. I would not allow the vile of one worthless, unshifted she-wolf, witch, or whatever she is to stop me from becoming the greatest Alpha I desired to be.
Iris's body will be discovered and buried properly. After all, I already dealt with her killer.
"Zach, Iris isn't here, but the window is open," Kari entered the restroom, causing confusion as I checked the window she mentioned.
"How is that possible?" I pondered, noticing a rope tied to her vanity leading out the window. It was clear Ivy had escaped through the window, but I couldn't understand why.
'Warriors, search for Ivy. She's not in her room,' I communicated with my warriors through a mind link. Reid responded, 'Alpha, we found a scarf that belongs to her during patrol. I'm concerned something may have happened to her.'
No, I have already lost Iris, and I can't bear to lose Ivy as well. "A scarf means nothing. It could have been blown by the wind. Search for her," I said firmly before joining the search.
Kari followed along, but I couldn't focus on her. Despite searching all night, there was no sign of Ivy or any other clues.
As we regrouped after the search at dawn, I sent a message to the other tribes through the tribe clerks.
"My sister Ivy has been missing since last night. Anyone who can provide information about her whereabouts will be generously rewarded."
A sense of unease weighed heavily on me. The murderer was dead, yet Ivy had disappeared after Iris's death. "Alpha, do you think she might be at the Lunar Echoes Tribe? She likes it there," Gaius hinted, but I couldn't see why Ivy would leave without informing me.
"She would have informed me if she was going there, and if she had indeed gone there, a message would have come from there with the telegram," I replied, avoiding talking to Zion.
The moment he exiled me, I was determined to never seek his help for anything. Ivy disappeared while under my care, so I take full responsibility for whatever may have happened to her.
I dispersed the warriors and after a few hours, we regrouped for another search when Gaius informed me.
"Alpha, something doesn't add up. Beta Madai replied to the telegram saying that Ivy had informed him two hours ago that she was on her way to see Alpha Zion, but they can't reach or track her now."
Indeed, she seemed to have blocked any mindlink, but if she contacted them two hours ago, then she's alive. Still, what I cannot understand is why she decided to just leave.
"Something doesn't add up. Maybe she's bored and playing games. You all, go rest for an hour and join me at training," I informed them, indirectly calling off the search but Gaius looked worried.
"Alpha, you haven't rested, and you don't look like you are going to do so."
Gaining my attention, I informed him, "Weren't you the one who informed me about the Nether wolf tribe who lost its Alpha?"
Excitement shone in his eyes as he replied, "I thought you were no longer interested."
"I won't let that witch stop me from my dreams," I said with determination and shrugged. The excitement in his eyes and voice faltered, and he seemed like he was about to say something.
Though I waited for it, it never came. Rather, Kari grabbed my arm. Because of the search, I wore a sleeveless shirt so her arms around mine caused my stomach to churn, and I pushed her away, perhaps too violently, and she fell.
For some reason, I rushed to her side. As long as the she-wolf Gaius talked about had not been found, I couldn't let Kari know she was being investigated. I was relieved that I had my gloves on as I helped her to her feet.
"Sorry. I didn't mean to," I apologized. It couldn't be her. My allergies never acted up that night, even though I had been under the influence of a drug.
Tubal also didn't accept her, indicating that something was very wrong.
As I gazed into her eyes, I hoped for a better explanation for everything. If I discovered, with all reasonable proof, that she had deceived me, not even the crimson moon's redemption would prevent me from putting her in that brazen bull and finishing what I couldn't do with that witch.
"It's okay. I'll make sure not to get too close. That night, you weren't allergic to me, and when your men found me, they said I was the cure. So why now? Did I do something wrong?" Tears welled up in my eyes, creating a storm of confusion in my mind.
Fortunately, I was distracted by a mindlink, but it wasn't from this tribe.
It was from far away, from the one person I would love to kill but was forbidden from doing so.