Chapter 17

                                    

                                          

Kimmon POV
I swear Isaac and Ethan are doing these things on purpose now.  
Not only did they cancel our meeting and interview with their top warrior, which was scheduled shortly after Isaac's stupid stunt, but now they are claiming he is too weak from the 'attack' to participate in any meetings, and they all need to be canceled until the alpha is 'well enough' to attend them.  
I grind my teeth together as I pull my phone out of my pocket.  My finger hesitates for a moment as I look across the conference room table at Bas and Copter.  "Should I make the call?  There is no going back once I do this."
The muscle along Bas' jaw twitches as he turns to his side and looks at Copter.  Anger burns within Copter's eyes and for the first time since I've known him, his dimples have completely disappeared as he grunts, "Make the call."
The rest of our team scurries around the room and is analyzing other documents and data, ignoring us.  
I take a deep breath and turn my attention back to my phone.  I have catalogued the video from earlier and fully documented everything that took place in Isaac's office this morning, making sure to not to miss any little thing.  But now, the alpha is trying to stall or maybe even block our investigation.  Neither Bas nor Copter, up to this point, have seen anything in Isaac or Ethan's minds which would give us the red flag they are trying to derail our counsel investigation, but I don't care.  I don't like what they are doing and what they have done.  
We also can't use their powers to get the evidence we need.  Our hands are tied.  
Plus, all pack alphas know what it means to have us make the dreaded call back to the counsel.  The only thing these two idiots don't realize is that the counsel would normally call Bas and Copter to resolve it.  I'm not sure who they will ask to come now, but whoever it is, the alpha and beta will regret it.  That, I'm sure of.  
Before I change my mind, my finger taps on my phone.  
Ring...ring...ring...
My grip tightens around my phone while I run through exactly what I'm going to say to the high counsel member.  There really isn't much I can say other than the full truth and how the two are obviously trying to prevent us from doing our job.  
A confident voice spills from my phone.  "Hello, Alpha Kimmon.  Is there a problem?"  
I clear my throat and nod.  "Yes, your high counsel.  Alpha Isaac and Beta Ethan are actively preventing us from talking to pack members.  I've also sent you the video of what happened first thing this morning.  Have you had a chance to see it?"
With a touch of disgust in his voice, he replies, "Yes.  What is his reason for doing something so stupid?  I also must agree with your comment on the video.  Alpha Isaac is testing Luna Copter.  I'm glad none of you fell for his trick."
My gaze drifts over to Bas and Copter, who are staring back at me.  Copter whispers, "Does he think they set this up too?"
The corner of my mouth slowly curls downward while I nod.  "Thank you, sir.  Alpha Bas, Luna Copter, and I have agreed it is time to call you and proceed with the next step."
The palm of my hands glisten as I bite the inside of my lip.  In the past few years of me helping the counsel investigate packs, I have never had to do this.  Hopefully, this will be the last time.  
The line goes silent for a moment before he asks, "You want to go code red?"
I take a deep breath and nod.  "Yes, sir."
The line goes silent again as I bite the edge of my lower lip.  My heart slams against my chest as I wonder what he is thinking.  
After a few moments, he clears his throat.  "I'll send the next person over right away.  Don't worry about anything, but I would recommend you explain to Alpha Isaac that you have called me and what that means for him.  When the mediator gets there, the Alpha and the Beta won't have a chance to work through it then.  They won't have a choice, and the mediator will determine how things go.  If Alpha Bas and Luna Copter need to explain it to them, you may have to have them explain it.  Also, you may want to speak to the pack's elders.  The elders may have an additional pull or influence to get Alpha Isaac to go along with the investigation."
I nod while my eyes drift around the room at the rest of our team.  "Yes, sir.  I understand.  I will try."
Regardless of what has happened today, our team is diligently doing their job and not letting anything stop them.  
"Good.  You have until tomorrow morning to talk them into being willing to participate before the mediator arrives.  I know you will do your best and sometimes people just don't want to cooperate.  Other times, they are too cocky and arrogant to realize their best option is standing right in front of them."
I press my lips together and nod.  Then, some people need a sledgehammer to drive the facts into their brains.  
With a bit of amusement in his voice, he adds, "This will be the first time we have had to ask this person to help.  It should be interesting.  I'll let you go, and I'll send you a message when the mediator is heading there, so you know when to expect the person."
Before I can say my goodbyes, the line goes dead, and my attention snaps back across the table to Bas and Copter.  As I put my phone back into my pocket, I explain, "The mediator will come tomorrow morning.  We have the rest of the day to convince those two idiots to cooperate or deal with the mediator.  Do you want to talk to them again?"
Just thinking about having to talk to the two jerks has my blood boiling again.  
Copter raises an eyebrow and glares at me.  "Who says any additional attempts to talk to them won't end up the same as this morning's meeting?  I vote to help our team with processing the information we have and wait until tomorrow for the enforcer to arrive."
Bas bobs his head up and down and sighs.  "I must agree with my Luna.  I don't trust those two to be civil with us.  Plus, when I was looking into Isaac's mind, he has so many things he wants to try and pull with Copter.  I want no more interactions with him until the new counsel rep gets here.  I hate to be like that, but I'm also not doing anything to allow them to hurt my mate."
***
Alpha Isaac
I lean back in my desk chair with my elbows on the armrests while I tap my fingertips together.  
Why didn't it work?  My plan was perfect.  
But it was almost like they were expecting it or something, which can't be possible.  There is no way they would have known what I was going to do.  
Ethan leans forward in the chair in front of my desk and rests his arms on top of my desk.  "What do you plan to do now?  We need to see if Copter can heal people like his cousin.  We also don't have much time."
I lightly tap my teeth together while I run through my options.  Unfortunately, I don't have many to think about.  
Colton running away has put me in a terrible spot, and I have people counting on me to be able to fix them.  Without a healer, I can't do anything.  
Ethan taps his finger against the top of my desk.  "Did you refund the money like I told you to do?"
My gaze whips up at him.  I glare at him as I hiss, "No.  I'm not returning the money.  Do you know how rich that freak was making me?  You got a share of the money too.  Are you wanting to give all that up?"
I'm not ready to give it up.  There must be another way to find out if Copter can do what his cousin does.
Silence falls over the room while I dare him with my eyes to admit he doesn't want the money.  After a few minutes, Ethan finally breaks our staring contest and looks down at his hands as he softly mumbles, "No."