Chapter 51: The Sacrificial Lamb

Bayoán's POV: 

Just when I get the news from Yaya and Domingo that everything is on schedule for the ceremony, Izzy links me to gather Yaya, Moira, Braka, Ura, and Morgana and meet her at Director Gloria's tent for something urgent. I can already tell by her tone and the fact that it's still not sunset that her talk with Kayden didn't get the result she wanted... she said she had a plan to get the information she needed one way or another. 

I do as she commands and go to Director Gloria's tent. She's still with Claudia and Ameyro contacting every member gather at the new rendezvous at the North East Shore and selecting the proper spies to infiltrate The Council.

"Beta, we were not expecting you! Anything new?" Gloria looks exhausted. She has always taken her work very seriously. 

"Apparently so director, the Alpha has ordered for us to meet again..." Claudia gives a little yawn and excuses herself, she too has been working non stop. "Well at least we shan't be empty handed, we got word from Natalia and the Franch deal!" She is smiling, so I asume it was successful. This will at least give Izzy hope. Little by little everyone arrives. 

"Beta I am very busy gathering all the evidence for a proper war declaration! What in the Goddess's sacred name are you calling me for?!" Always with the attitude. 

And then we can hear Izzy's voice outside: "Thank you for your escort Kayden, but I was linked about something urgent about the ceremony." She said as calmly as she could. 

"I understand Love... I know that your people will honor your dead, but... is it ok if we observe?" Ugh! Just go already!

"Bayoán didn't tell you? You're our hosts! You're all invited, just tell your people to wait for the formal part to be done, when the feast begins everyone can mingle. I'll see you then Kayden." He lingers before we finally hear him leave and Izzy enters the tent clearly frustrated. 

"General, create a perimeter, everything spoken here can't be heard by anyone." And she serves herself a glass of water and sits. 

"At once Cacique!" And he links warriors to create a perimeter. 

"Moira, I know your work is important, but I need the council of ALL OF YOU if this is to succeed." And Moira's humor relaxes. 

"You weren't able to get him to spill it out were you?" I ask her.

"No. And now I suspect him even more. So the plan you wanted to hear is a go but I need help..." She is clearly very upset. 

"Izz, calm down what do you need from us? What's your plan?" Ura asks while she takes another sip. And she is loosing control...

"I'm miserable, you have a Twin Soul and I don't trust my mate! My intuition is telling me he knows something about what happened to Karaya. However, to get the information I will have to do something that I never thought I would have to do."

"Izzy, what are you talking about?" I ask her. What in Hades is she talking about? And I can smell the weed and wine and look a Ura and he nods at me that she is indeed high. 

"I'm going to have to betray the mate Bond..." And she puts her face in her hands.

"Loiza put yourself together! You're a Priestess of Avalon and an Alpha!" Moira says shocked by Izzy's attitude.

"Am I?! Will I be anything after I do what must be done?!" I kneel before her with a moist handkerchief to wipe her face. 

"Ok, breath sister, what is your plan?" I try to soothe her while both Moira and Yaya's Marks shine yellow. 

She takes a deep breath. "Tomorrow is the full Moon, I will be almost out of control of myself. He didn't volunteer the information we need and if before I suspected he knew something, now I am almost certain of it. So I will TAKE the intel I need tomorrow night when I release as many pheromones as I can and entice him to complete the mating ritual." And Gloria stands from her chair at this! While Moira and Yaya gasp in horror. This has always been a very taboo practice. 

"Alpha! That is for extreme circumstances! You could injure yourself!" Gloria says. Would she be willing to go that far?!

"And what do you call THIS Director?" And I see many confused faces. 

"I will use the full Moon to my advantage... Kayden's control will be at his weakest too and will be more than eager to proceed with the mating ritual. I will need every available Priestess focused on my brain waves to keep me in check the moment I claim him I will look in his mind for the truth. Morgana, IF Blood Moon had ANYTHING to do with what happened to Karaya, I will need a mate block spell ASAP to not receive his side of the Bond so that I may proceed with my duties, General, we will need those planes fueled and everyone ready to evacuate so please get the pilots and experts on that." Everyone is as silent as the grave.

Moira sits with Yaya's help. She looks very conflicted by this. We all are!

This piques Director Gloria's interest... "Alpha, like I said this has always been used as a last resort! There have been many very well trained spies who have failed this assignment! You think you're ready for this?"

"Pray tell me which other resort do you have Director? I'm all ears and remember we're not just talking about those in our pack that we are going to take with us, I will not leave those we freed from bondage in these cursed lands. So STEAL another plane if you have to, have the joined power of every Priestess if you have to, I don't care
just do what you must to get it DONE. I will use the power of the Moon itself to help my endeavor, so my mind will be focused solely on that." I see pain in Urayoán's face.

He takes her in his arms kissing her forehead, she looks like she's about to cry.

"All of those who died... They died because The Council wanted our tech? They were willing to commit genocide to acquire more power?!" She says...Ura looks at me with pleading eyes. 'Brother, we can't allow this! It could break her!' He's right, this particular way of gathering intel has driven many to madness. 

'That's why she's already thinking ahead making Morgana cast the blocking spell if the moment arises that she finds incriminating information.' I link Morgana. 'My love, go and make sure you have everything you need to be ready to cast that spell the SECOND this goes south.' She kisses me and goes. 'I will cast the strongest one in my grandmother's book. I hope it's enough!' She links while on her way to Morgaine's book. 

"Izz, there has to be another way! We can interrogate him, torture him if we must!" Ura says. And Izzy gasps at this and starts shaking... Always shooting from the hip!

"Urayoán for fucks sake! Stick to tracking and hunting! Look at our sister at what you said! If someone were to treat YOUR mate like that, how would YOU feel?! Now THINK how Blood Moon will react when we arrest their Alpha and take him to the dungeons... What do you suspect would happen? As much as I hate Izzy's plan, it's the best one to get the information we need without raising any alarm from Blood Moon and still have a chance of keeping her mate in the eventuality he is innocent. Usually people don't pay attention to that 20 seconds after the second mate makes the claim and the Bond becomes complete... This could work." I look at Moira... "My Lady, is there an able place where we can port those the Lady Cresta brings from Blue Moon?" She is looking a bit ill but she's holding. 

"T-there's... we can finish clearing Atabey General, there will be more than enough space for them all, a portal this size will requiere all repair from the Priestesses to stop for at least 24 hours, I will call Ayana to bring more portal Priestesses." She says still not believing what we're about to do. 

And then Izzy asked the questions that I know terrifies her: "Did Kayden's mother help in trying to destroy us and he's keeping this information?!" It's just above a whisper, but loud enough for us to feel her pain, her doubt. "We are vulnerable here, my Mark and Yaya's hasn't stoped itching since we arrived and there's only one way for me to get the intel we need without raising any suspicion that we KNOW that we are in danger. Has Cresta come back with the victims of Blue Moon?"

Moira sends a message through her opal ring. "They are on their way with them and the dead unicorn." 

"We don't want to raise anymore curiosity from this pack; while we perform tonight's ceremony take as many of them and those still to weak from here like Maco's mate, to Atabey General, also as much medical personnel needed, I need Daniella here... at least until after the execution..." Her voice breaks a little but she pushes thought, I am glad Ura is giving her comfort, even I want to go to her, I can literally feel my baby sister's heart shattering. "I want two Truth Seers in charge of verifying any potential spies from... ANYWHERE... ask Phoebe for her help as well, her powers are beyond just a mere Truth Seer, she will be able to read anyone who has the wrong intentions with regards to our pack. Moira, I am grateful to you and Avalon for your help, but I need another... Bayoán has a list with those who have already been approved to join our pack. I was going to initiate tomorrow. Can you please grant them entry to our pack and link? I will need every drop of my blood for this endeavor." Moira goes to her and Ura allows her to take Izzy from him, and she holds Izzy like the day she was 14 and we got her from the grand docks of Avalon. "It shall be done as you say brave girl." Moira can be many things but she LOVES and is devoted to every single one of her Priestesses and SHE insisted that Izzy be her own pupil in Avalon.

She is willing to give up the Blessing of her mate for the pack. By now I should know she would be willing to go to any lengths to protect it... I don't know if I could sacrifice Morgana and that thought makes me very uneasy.

"How sure are you that Kayden is hiding this information sister?" I have a feeling that this choice will give her a lot of pain.

"My intuition has it right now at 78%." I see her gulp, will the Goddess forgive her for this?

"You're right then, if we are in the position we're in everyone we know is exposed and every minute here is dangerous... We will fill up the plains. Lady Moira were the Priestesses able to clear out runway back in Karaya?" She still has Izzy in her arms. 

"We cleared the airport and the engineers where almost done fixing the equipment from the tower." She contacts someone... at the other side a Priestess answers: "Everything in the airport is clear and functioning My Lady, we are able to receive planes."

"There is your answer Beta." She says looking at how miserable Izzy looks. To Izzy... "Loiza, in the worst case scenario I will get an audience with the Goddess so that there are no major repercussions from this decision and if your mate is indeed guilty you might be able to cut the mate Bond altogether and we can get you a second chance mate." Izzy wiggles herself out of Moira's arms.

"We will cross that bridge when we get to it, I shan't talk of breaking any Bond now." She says bitterly as she composes herself. 

Gloria goes back to her chair in deep thought. 

"I guess it's a good thing that you are quite an able spy... Once you get the Intel we need, link us immediately so we know how much time we have. Does that sound like a solid plan to you Alpha?" And Izzy takes another sip of water while nodding in approval to the plan that will turn her into a sacrificial lamb.