A Matter of Convenience

Twenty-Four

~Ericson~

I throw the ball at my wall again, catching it when it comes back my way. This has been my position for the last two days now. I’ve tried and failed to reach Isis, but it’s entirely my fault. I swear I wasn’t trying to be a d***k, but that’s always been my problem.

My door flies open, and a hand intercepts the ball right before it reaches me. “Yeah, so I’m sick of you being in here. I’m sick of you locking yourself away.” I look up and watch Charles look around my room. “Good thing there are no bottles lying around. That’s a real plus.” I sigh and sit up, leaning against the side of the bed.

“Can I get my ball back?” Charles sits across from me and shakes his head.

“No can do. The Luna has requested that you stop making that damn noise. Her words, not mine.” Of course, Mom would send Charles in to talk to me. I haven’t exactly been welcoming to her these last two days. “So what’s the issue? What has your dad as hot as fish grease and your mom wringing her hands incessantly? What the hell is this about a chosen mate that I know nothing about? Spill!” I look at Charles but say nothing. Isis and I agreed to keep this to ourselves to make sure that no one finds out what’s really going on. I know Isis has told a few people, so I guess it would be okay if I told Charles. I know I can trust him with this secret and my life.

I sigh and launch into the story, starting with Isis coming to my room in the clinic and proposing this idea in the first place. “Then I had to do what I always do. I shouldn’t have said what I did. Hell, I didn’t even mean it the way it came out. You know I have that foot/mouth disease really bad.” Charles chuckles and throws his head back.

“That is indeed true.” We sit silently for a bit before Charles pops up and lands on his feet. “I’m stuck on the part where you and Isis are chosen mates, but for fake. I mean, it’s a smart-ass plan, but damn man!” I run my hands up and down my face.

“You can’t tell ANYONE! I meant it, Charles, no one! We can’t risk the elders finding out the truth.” Charles slumps onto the floor next to me.

“You’re my brother. I got you. It’s bad enough the elders have this dumb ass rule anyway. I completely disagree with it so anyone to circumvent it, I’m down. As far as your disease flair up…” Charles throws his head back and starts to laugh hysterically.

“Shut up.” Charles continues to laugh while pushing me in my arm. “Shut up!” Charles doubles over and holds his stomach.

“I wish I could have been there to hear you fall flat on your face. I definitely wish I could have seen her slap the sh.it out of you.” Charles lays flat on the floor, still laughing.

“Are you done yet?” Charles slaps my legs and anchors himself up on his hand.

“Look, man. I don’t know how you will do it, but you need to get back good with your mate. You can’t stay locked in your room and think that things are going to work out. I don’t know what issues you two have with each other, but you have to push them aside so you can get the pack in your name.” I sigh and lay on my back, adjusting my body on the floor. Charles is completely right. I have no idea how, but I need to fix things with Isis. It won’t take long for the elders to come back, and when they do, they are going to want to see a happy couple. f***k! I need to figure my sh.it out.

~Isis~

I don’t know if the grief I feel now is the same as I felt when my mom passed. I guess there’s no point in comparing the two times, but I don’t know what else to focus on. I’m lost right now and don’t know how to find my way.

My mom’s gone, and now so is my dad. I feel like a motorboat that’s lost at sea because its motor broke down. I don’t know how to get the boat back to working order or how to get back onto land. I need something, but I don’t know what it is that I need.

Ericson has been calling and texting, and I know I should respond to him. I know it won’t take long for the elders to return, and when they do, we have a relationship to sell. As of right now, though, I can’t be bothered with all that. I just want life to make sense, and it doesn’t. I want to know what my next step is, but I don’t.

I hear the creak of the door, causing me to turn and face the wall. “Hey, girly. Uncle Lionel sent me in to check on you.” I sigh and close my eyes as tightly as I can. I feel like complete and utter sh.it. We are all grieving the loss of my father, yet I’m acting like I’m the only one. I’ve left the pack up to Uncle Lionel to run, and that’s fu.cked up of me. I have a duty to this pack and the pack members to get up and do my job.

“I’m alive.” I feel the dip in the mattress next to me.

“Clearly. I need to know how you are, and you know what I mean.” I say nothing, and I don’t move. The mattress shifts more, and I’m super hot all of a sudden. Miles is lying next to me and has his body wrapped around mine. “Talk to me, Issy.” Fu.cking Miles! He just had to come in here and crumble the little bit of self-control I had left.

My entire demeanor changes, and my body starts to shake. The tears are flowing down my face, and the sobs are wreaking havoc on my body. “I… I’m… I’m an orphan!” I lose myself in a spiral of sadness and pain. I’m not sure how anyone is meant to get through something like this, but I know I have to find a way.