Into The Mountains(COMPLETED)

Chapter Ten

Jennie POV

She let out another low whine. "Whatever you choose to do, my wife and I will back you, and I know others that will as well." "She said a lot of people will die down this path." I said, leaning back against the couch and frowning. "I don't like to think I'm trading a chance to keep our own lives for that of other people's. Particularly you or your wife's life. I keep thinking if only I weren't here, maybe Lisa could make a different path for herself, but her life isn't great as it is, and I don't think anything she ever does is really going to win HyunSuk over even if I and the pups weren't in the picture."

"I really don't like sitting things out just because I'm not in any of your readings." Hanbin put in. "I mean I am here now, and I really can't leave you with your future so uncertain. I mean I'm glad you love your wife, but I want you and my nieces and nephews to live, too. So stop talking about if you weren't here. We'll sort it out. Maybe I'll go see this Seer woman, if she's so lonely, I hate leaving people lonely." "Han, leave her alone. She'll want something from you if she has anything to tell you." I told him darkly. He shrugged. "Maybe I won't want to hear my future, I'll just bring her some food or something, have a chat. I'm a friendly sort." I sighed. "Don't forget the bit about being raped and killed by the kin if you leave without the pack's protection, please." I grumbled at him. "I agree with your brother. Leaving and taking yourself out of the picture isn't going to make the situation better. It would devastate Lisa. I know he cares about you dearly." Solar said, and then she turned to my brother.

"Hanbin, if you want to see the Seer, I could arrange for you to get there and back safely, but it's a dangerous thing to do. You're not part of this pack, so it's rules don't apply to you, but neither does the pack's protection. If you're caught by someone who isn't a friend to Lisa, you'll be killed . . . and possibly raped." Hanbin shrugged and grinned at her. "Well then, if I go it better be for more than a long chat and some dinner huh? I'll let you know, but it does seem sort of strange to have Jennie and Lisa's paths all laid out without me in them at all. I have no idea what to do! But I have to do something, so it seems to me with all the death in their readings I better make sure anything I do doesn't tilt them into that fate. Even just sitting on my hands seems like it might cause something dire to happen."

"This is exactly the uncertainty, double guessing I wanted to avoid." I moaned. "But I had to tell Lisa that we would go to the Seer if he couldn't decide, if he needed the help. I had to say pay her price if you think you need to." I sighed. "Though I suppose you'd be dead Han, there was a kodiak bear on your trail. And not a nice young female you could charm out of eating you alive." "Thanks for saving me! You're my favorite brother." He said, winking at me. It was a long running joke that I was his favorite brother, since when we were small and he let me dress up in his clothing to pretend I was a boy our other brothers could like.

"What's done it done Nini, if I go and won't pay her price then so be it. I won't pay and I'll do what I think is best. Or should I do what I think isn't best, since if she asks for something big it means what I'd normally do is disastrous? Hm." I punched him hard in the arm, he wasn't helping. "You said a lot of us will die if you challenge HyunSuk, but the truth is that a lot of us would gladly die if it would mean having the pack back to the way it was before." Solar said, returning to the old topic. "HyunSuk isn't a good Alpha. He's strong, but he's hard on our families and children. He says that it makes us stronger, assures that the weak are culled, but I have buried too many pups under his rule. I won't try to force you into action, but I think it's time someone stood up to HyunSuk and his ilk."

"We'll be standing up to HyunSuk. It's the only option. I just really wish it were 'we' and not all resting on Lisa's shoulders. I feel useless." I mumbled and got up to go to the kitchen and do ... something. Anything for a few moments while I tried to push away the despair. Needlework and embroidery seemed like stupid skills when people needed killing. I knew Lisa loved me, but a part of me still wanted to insist she could find another wife, and bitterly tacked on she could mate someone else just fine when she needed to. Which led me to scold myself that thinking that wasn't fair to Lisa. I reminded myself that also to Lisa, I had babies inside of me, little people, not just a lump to carry around. She would be hurt if something happened to them.