17. Chapter 17 - Back Off

Chapter 17 - Back Off

Alexei

T he stack of paperwork on my desk mocked me. Budget reports, zoning permits, council agendas – all the mundane trappings of being mayor. Yet, none of it held my attention. My mind kept replaying the last meeting with Oberyn; everything is truly falling apart and there's nothing I can do about it.

The loud shrill of the telephone interrupted my train of thought, and I reached for the receiver before picking it up.

"Mayor Alexei here," I said, and the low hiss I got as a response confirmed who the caller was–Beta Oberyn. He didn't sound like he called to change his mind, so I wonder what he wanted this time.

"I agreed to give you one week. I did not agree to take part in your process or grant you access to my pack. Tell the Sheriff to keep her questions and prying away from my people!" he roared.

"We just want to grieve our alpha and adjust in peace without smearing his memory with this investigation. This would never have happened if we hadn't attended your stupid peace ball." The line went dead before I could issue any response.

This wouldn't be an easy conversation to have with Evelyn.

The drive to her office was a blur. Every traffic light felt like an eternity, every car horn, a personal attack. By the time I pulled into the dusty parking lot, my stomach was churning with a mixture of dread and determination.

The fluorescent lights of the room hummed overhead, casting a sterile glow on the cluttered desk. Evelyn, her brow furrowed in concentration, scribbled notes on a case file. I cleared my throat, and she looked up, surprise flickering across her face.

"Alexei?" she said, setting down her pen. "What are you doing here?"

My stomach twisted with a knot of apprehension. This wouldn't be an easy conversation. "We need to talk," I said, my voice tight.

She gestured to the chair across from her desk. "Sure," she said, her voice cautious. "About what?"

"The investigation," I blurted out, hating the way my voice lacked conviction.

"The investigation into the talisman and…" Evelyn started, her eyes sharpening. "The murders?"

I took a deep breath. "Both." Saying those words out loud felt like betraying Evelyn. I know how badly she wants to solve this case, and having access to the pack was her best avenue to get information about Mark since no one else really knew the wolves.

"Alexei," she started, her brow furrowing further. "What's going on?"

"The werewolves," I began, forcing myself to meet her gaze. "They want us, specifically you, to stay away from them for the duration of the investigation into Mark's murder."

"Stay away?" she echoed, incredulous. "Mark deserves justice and Oberyn knows that too. We need to include them in this investigation!"

"I know," I said, my voice a hoarse whisper. "Believe me, I know."

"And what about his wife and children?" she pressed. "Don't they deserve to know whoever killed their father?"

"They no longer want to be involved. The council already gave an official order. We are to steer clear of the werewolves while we finish Mark's murder investigation. They said they want to preserve whatever is left of his memory and not taint it with us snooping around." I continued.

Evelyn leaned back in her chair, her jaw clenched tight. Silence stretched between us, thick with unspoken tension. I knew what she was thinking – appeasement wasn't an option. Not for her.

"There has to be another way," she finally said, her voice low and determined.

"There is," I countered, a plan slowly forming in my mind. "We just need to be… creative."

Her gaze narrowed. "Creative?"

"We don't involve them in the official investigation," I explained quickly, "but keep digging quietly. Discreetly."

She snorted. "Discreetly? Me? Alexei, you know that's not exactly my style."

A small smile tugged at the corner of my lips. It was true. Evelyn, the sheriff with a badge as big as her personality, wasn't known for subtlety.

"We'll figure something out," I said, more to myself than to her. "Together."

She didn't respond immediately, weighing the options in her mind. Finally, she let out a sigh, a sound of defeat laced with frustration.

"Alright," she said, her voice resigned. "But if this blows up in our faces…"

"We'll deal with it then," I interjected, squeezing her hand across the desk. "For now, we need to appease the council and the werewolves."

Evelyn nodded curtly.

She walked out of her office with me trailing behind her and she walked to the middle of the investigation room, she cleared her throat.

"Alright, everyone," she announced her voice firm. "Effective immediately, we will no longer involve the werewolves in the missing talisman and the recent… incidents."

A collective murmur of surprise rippled through the room.

Evelyn continued, ignoring their reactions. "And from now on, any inquiries you may feel need to involve them are to be forwarded to the mayor's office."

The room erupted in protests, a cacophony of confusion and discontent. Evelyn raised a hand for silence, her expression hardening.

"This is a direct order from Mayor Alexei," she stated firmly. "Does anyone have any questions?"

There were none that mattered. The deputies, well aware of the power dynamics at play, simply exchanged uneasy glances. With a nod, Evelyn dismissed them, leaving us alone in the tense quiet of the office.

"That went well," I muttered, a hint of sarcasm in my voice.

"It went as well as it could have, considering the circumstances," Evelyn retorted, her eyes flashing. "This whole thing stinks, Alexei. And I don't like it."

"I know," I said, pulling her into a hug. The warmth of her body was a small comfort in the face of the storm brewing around us.

"We'll get to the bottom of this, but it makes me feel the werewolves have something to hide," she murmured against my shoulder, her voice firm with resolve."

I held her tighter, the weight of responsibility pressing down on me. Together. It was all we had, and right now, it felt precariously thin against the growing darkness.

***

The late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the asphalt as I walked out of the building. Evelyn trailed behind me, her expression a stormy mix of frustration and concern. We were headed home after a long day.

"Alexei," she started, her voice tight, "are you sure about this?"

I stopped, turning to face her. "About keeping them out of the investigation?" I raised an eyebrow. "The council made their position clear. We can't afford to push the werewolves further."

"But what about the victims?" she countered, her fiery spirit evident. "What about justice? We can't just pretend they might not be involved."

"We're not pretending," I said gently. "We're taking a… different approach."

"A different approach sounds suspiciously like burying our heads in the sand," she retorted. "This killer isn't going to stop, Alexei. They'll keep going until we catch them."

I knew she was right. The cold, methodical efficiency of the killings chilled me to the bone. There was a darkness at work here, something ancient and predatory.

"The werewolves don't want our help and want to be left alone," I pointed out, a hint of frustration creeping into my voice. "The sooner we stop involving them, the better it is for everyone involved."

The shrill blare of the police scanner cut through the air, shattering the uneasy silence. Evelyn whipped out her ringing phone, her face hardening as she listened.

"Another body," she said, her voice grim. "This time at the high school."

My stomach lurched. "Another one?"

"Another victim," she confirmed, slamming the car door shut. "Looks like I was right. This killer isn't slowing down."

We raced to the high school, sirens wailing in the quiet evening air. The scene was a chaotic mix of flashing lights and yellow police tape. Pale with shock, students huddled together on the lawn, murmuring amongst themselves.

Evelyn flashed her badge, and a nervous-looking young deputy ushered us through the cordon. A white sheet covered a still form in the back hallway near the science labs.

"What do we have?" Evelyn asked, her voice clipped with authority.

The deputy cleared his throat. "Female teacher. Looks like a similar situation to the others. No signs of a struggle, and her eyes are wide open like life was forced out of her."

Evelyn knelt beside the body, her brow furrowed in concentration. I stood beside her, the metallic tang of blood heavy in the air. This was the third victim in as many weeks. The fear that had been simmering beneath the town's surface was now boiling over.

"Any leads?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

The deputy shook his head. "No security cameras in this hallway. No witnesses. It's like…" he trailed off, unable to finish the chilling thought.

"Like a ghost," Evelyn muttered, her voice tight.

A ghost. Or something far worse. The thought sent a shiver down my spine. We were dealing with a creature of shadows, a predator that moved unseen amongst them. A Banshee?