Joohyun was so busy sneaking glances at the pretty werewolf Alpha that she almost missed the arrival of the Skinstealer delegation. She had to admit this Kang woman and her two Lieutenants brought a breath of fresh air to this year’s council meeting. Not that she’d hated the previous Alpha, though their factions were wont to tussle over the smallest border transgressions and perceived threats. Joohyun wondered what this new Alpha would be like, and she soon found herself gossiping with one of her fledglings while everyone retreated to the private back room in the bar.

Chuu was incredibly talkative, even among vampire standards. If there was something you wanted to know, Chuu was the most likely person to have the information you were searching for. Joohyun chalked it up to the young fledgling’s innocent-looking face and cute personality, as well as her almost uncanny ability to make people fall for her charm. Which was why upon Sooyoung’s recommendation a few years ago, Joohyun allowed the young vampire to attend council meetings. It turned out to have been a fantastic decision, with Chuu accurately predicting several skirmishes among the factions and making Joohyun’s job as Matriarch much easier.

“Tell me what you know about Kang and her Lieutenants,” Joohyun said, sliding over a glass of blood-spiked wine to the younger vampire.

Chuu smiled widely and accepted the glass, more than willing to talk about her observations. “Of course, Matriarch.”

Joohyun sighed inwardly, “You don’t have to call me—never mind, just continue.”

“I don’t know why the ‘wolves previous Alpha is gone, the Fae have been musing about retirement while the Gumiho are certain that the change in leadership was due to a hostile takeover. All I know is that it was recent, within the last couple of months.”

Joohyun nodded. She’d surmised as such after learning from Sooyoung. She snuck another look at the pretty Alpha. Kang looked powerful, judging by the muscles she’d seen when they’d gotten up close and personal. Likewise the three ‘wolves flanking her protectively appeared to be equally as strong.

“I can appreciate a woman who knows what she wants,” Joohyun replied, knowing that Kang was able to hear her. Sure enough, the tips of the Alpha’s ears flushed pink. “Anything else?”

“Her Lieutenants are called Olivia, Signie and Wendy. I can give you more information after this meeting of course, but all appear strong and utterly devoted to Kang, going by how prickly they got when you invaded their space.”

“I’ll take you up on that then,” Joohyun said, patting Chuu on the head just as the doors to the bar blew open and seven unfamiliar faces walked in, two of them carrying a large box.

It was unlike the Skinstealer faction to be late, and in hindsight Joohyun knew that should have tipped her off to something being terribly wrong.

“JB, you’re late,” Joonie broke the silence.

The leader of the Skinstealers all but snarled in response, a high-pitched screech that made both the vampire and werewolf delegations flinch unconsciously. JB beckoned his fellows up after they got their bracelets slapped on, where they roughly tossed the box onto the table.

The lid broke open to reveal a mangled body.

There was a noticeable change in the council’s atmosphere as they stared at the body. Even Joonie appeared to be shaken, which was something Joohyun hadn’t seen in well over a century.

What’s worse was that Joohyun recognized the victim.

“Junho,” she said softly.

The Skinstealers were the smallest faction in Seoul by far, numbering even less than the Gumiho, so it hadn’t taken her very long to get to know every remaining member of the faction. Things hadn’t always been that way though.

She remembered that fateful council meeting fifty years ago, when word got out that the leader of the Skinstealers had broken the city’s one cardinal rule. It mattered not that his reasoning had been sound or the moment unwarranted. In fact, if Joohyun had been in his stead she too would have found the choice to be difficult.

But rules had to be followed. And examples had to be made from those who dared go against the will of the council. The Skinstealers had been purged, and all of their kind who sympathized with their leader had been summarily executed. There was no room for mercy when a single misstep by any of them could spell disaster for the entire supernatural population of Seoul.

Junho had been the hastily elected leader after the purge, a kind being unlike most of his brethren. He’d understood the importance of keeping this world hidden from humans. Only now it looked like someone had taken issue with it.

“We found him in one of our alleyways, dumped there like trash for vermin to feed on,” JB seethed angrily, his eyes flashing from their normal brown to a sickly green.

“We need to know who did this,” a second Skinstealer piped up, placing a calming hand on his leader’s shoulder.

“You’re suggesting it was one of us?” LE said, eyeing the body curiously. “You know the rules we’re all under, dumping a kill like this is reckless.”

JB snapped in her direction, revealing rows of sharp, alligator-like teeth. The bracelet he wore hummed dangerously and he backed away, shrugging off his friend’s hand and pacing around the bar.

Joohyun stepped in, turning to the witch delegation. As the only neutral faction in the city and the one with its fingers in everyone’s affairs, they’d surely know something. “Is it possible we have a new player in town?”  

The bar fell silent again.

“Do you mean to suggest that this is the work of a new faction?” one of the witches, a woman with shoulder length brown hair that Joohyun knew only as Kei, scoffed. “It’s more than likely that one of the factions here offed the Skinstealer.”

Still, Joohyun couldn’t help but notice the flash of uncertainty in the witch’s eyes. They were trying to posture. There were some things even magical talent couldn’t hide. Body language was one of them. Kei’s shoulders had tensed only slightly and her eyes kept darting towards the body.

“In other words you have no clue who could have done this.” Kang interrupted. Joohyun had to stifle the snort that threatened to burst out. This new Alpha was ballsy, no one dared to openly challenge the witch faction.

Kei’s lips pursed and she strode directly up to Kang and her Lieutenants. Olivia and Signie made to block her advance but were quickly brought to their knees when their bracelets hummed and sent a powerful jolt of electricity through their bodies.

“Let me make one thing clear, Kang,” Kei hissed. “You may be the new ‘wolf Alpha but you are not the one in charge here. Speak when you’re spoken to, dog, and not otherwise.”

To her credit, Kang didn’t appear to be the least bit threatened by the witch. She stood tall before Kei, a growl rumbling in her chest. Joohyun was impressed. By now the old Alpha would have leapt for Kei’s throat only to be shocked within an inch of his life. Already Kang was proving herself to be a stronger leader than he had been.

Kei turned around and walked back to her faction and only after she’d turned away did Kang quickly lean down to help Olivia and Signie to their feet, diligently checking them over for injuries like a mother wolf.

A quick glance at the other factions told Joohyun all she needed to know: Kang had earned her right to be at the meeting. Even JB, who was still pacing back and forth across the floor, seemed to look at her with something akin to respect in his eyes.

“Well someone needs to figure out what happened,” Joonie said.

“Please, like we’d trust anyone here to conduct a fair and unbiased investigation,” Hwasa drawled from next to her sister.

Joonie pinched the bridge of his nose between two fingers, “So that’s why I propose we postpone the rest of this council meeting and form an emergency investigative team by sending a representative from each faction.”  

Hwasa tilted her head, considering the proposition. “A noble idea. But suppose we figure out which naughty little supernatural did the deed? What happens next? Another faction purge?”

“If needed,” Kei said haughtily. Joohyun knew Kei was the type of witch who despised inter-faction efforts, likely because of all the extra work her people would have to put in in order to make sure things proceeded safely.  

“Then they will be brought to justice the same way we deal with alliance traitors,” Joonie replied. “The perpetrator and any accomplices will be put to death.”

The gumiho sighed her tails swishing around her, “Fine.”

Joonie turned to JB, “Is that agreeable?”

“Provided we get to play with the perpetrator before he dies,” JB hissed.

“Irene, Kang?”

Joohyun nodded. She’d make sure whoever killed Junho would face justice. Vampires weren’t exactly a species to be drowning in morals, especially considering their need to hunt humans, but Joohyun liked to think she wasn’t a mindless bloodsucker. For a Skinstealer, Junho had always been amenable to alliances with their faction and treated them with respect. If anything, she really didn’t like it when people murdered her favorite things.

“Of course we’ll help,” Kang said eagerly.

Joonie turned to Kei once again, “It’s been decided unanimously then.”

Kei looked displeased that they’d agreed so readily to the idea. Something about her had always rubbed Joohyun the wrong way, but with the way she’d reacted to the news had the gears in Joohyun’s head beginning to turn. There was definitely more to this murder than met the eye.

Kei huffed, throwing her hands up in the air. She’d been heavily outvoted. “Fine. Pick your representatives and have them report back here tomorrow morning. This council meeting is hereby postponed until Junho’s murder has been solved. Now get out of my bar.”

JB relaxed a little, his eyes no longer betraying how dangerously close he had been to losing control. The delegations began packing up their things and taking off their bracelets. Joohyun made a note to send the Skinstealer leader a card, maybe attached to a fresh body as a condolence.

She watched as Kang and her ‘wolves left first, already chatting about the meeting and who they’d send. Joohyun hoped the pretty Alpha would chose to take her faction’s spot. Joonie and his Fae siblings left soon after, followed closely by the gumiho.

Joohyun looked at the body that had been left on the bar, “You know if you need a place to put him, I can contact one of my people.”

Kei shot her a tired look, “Thank you Joohyun, but we’ve got things from here.” Several witch acolytes stepped forward and encased the body in a magical block of ice before shuffling it into the back room.

Joohyun gestured for her people to wait for her outside, wanting to talk briefly with the witch leader before she left.

Kei walked behind the bar and reached up on her tiptoes to grab a bottle of vodka from the top shelf, taking a deep swig. “Ugh, the logistics for this is gonna be a nightmare. A five-faction investigative team? And that Kang is going to be a thorn in my side, I just know it.”

Joohyun chuckled. “You know you could try being a little less prickly.”

“This coming from the woman who leads a small army of blood- monsters and told me and I quote, ‘look at me like that one more time and I’ll rip your throat out and mail you back to your parents in pieces’.”

“I’d had a bad day. Besides, at least I don’t have to play babysitter over the next few weeks until this case gets solved.”

Kei slumped over on the bar and smacked her head against it repeatedly. “… you.”

“In your dreams, Jiyeon. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Joohyun left with a bounce in her step.

FINALLY something interesting was happening around here.