"Really?" Flowerew asked, looking at the person in front of him intently.
"Yes Alfa. I saw her opening the door... she had striking blue eyes, just like yours. And Patricia will meet her in the forest today."
"What about the others? What do they know?"
"Nothing, alfa. Our Luna didn't tell them anything, just that she's from this village. And she wants them out safely and she wants to kill you!"
"Kill me?" Alfa Flowerew asked in amusement, a small smile played on his lips. "Well, I'd love to see her try!"
He was amused and stunned. His inner wolf had recognized his mate, even without her scent, and here she is... she knows everything yet wants to kill him?
"What do we do now, Alfa?"
"Nothing! You keep observing and report to Ronald if you find anything of interest. Let Patricia and my love meet, we'll give them the greatest surprise ever!"
The man bowed low and walked towards the door, when Alfa remembered something, "Wait, any news on Yalandro?"
The man turned around, "he's on his way... will reach here by tomorrow." Saying that, he left.
So that's who she is.
"Alfa, what was Marius doing here?" Sinclair called out from the doorway.
"Your job!" Alfa replied sarcastically.
"What?"
"Guess what?"
"What?"
"Arya Hunter is my long lost Luna, Aria Moonstone."
"What?" Sinclair's eyes were wide in shock. "How's that possible."
"First, I want you to dig out everything you can find about Patricia Stones!" Alfa said, thinking of ways he could use her to betray Arya.
"The kitchen head? Well, she's responsible for checking the food is cooked and perfectly served..." "Ronald, I don't want to know what her position in my pack is," Alfa said calmly. "I want to know what her connection is to the Moonstone pack!"
Breakfast came all too soon. Arya and her team entered to find Alfa Flowerew already seated at the table. He looked at the green eyed girl, walking smoothly, and her team, who looked like they saw a ghost... well, they indeed saw a ghost, but Arya seemed unaffected.
Arya noticed Alfa looking at her. Did he know something? The way he bore holes into her made her uncomfortable. As they took their seats, Arya noticed Sinclair... oh those eyes. He had grey eyes. He entered their house!
The skip of Arya's heartbeat confirmed Alfa that she knew Sinclair had entered their house. So it is true! She is indeed his long lost love. She is Aria Moonstone.
"Mr Flowerew, my team encountered a dire wolf yesterday night," Arya began. "We have reason to believe that one of the villagers had helped it to get in."
"And why is that, Miss Hunter?" Alfa asked, innocently.
"We found human footprints outside of the window through which he entered. He broke off the wood and made room to enter, but before he could get in, the wolf did."
"I see," he said before turning to Sinclair, "Ronald, I want you to repair the windows and find out who wanted to break into their home. Miss Moonstone and her team are under our protection."
Arya's heart almost stopped. Did he just say 'Moonstone'?
Her heartbeat confirmed it. Yes she is his mate.
"You mean Hunter!" Arya corrected him.
"Oh, did I say something else?"
"Yeah... " Arya looked at her team members, they looked confused. "I...I...heard Moonstone."
"He said Miss Hunter!" Amelia whispered.
Arya looked around at her team members, and the ones who heard Amelia nodded. How's that possible? She clearly heard Moonstone! Or was it her mind playing tricks on her?
"Your name is Miss Hunter, why would I call you by some other name? Your name is Miss Hunter, right?" Alfa Flowerew asked looking at her. Arya knew her heart was racing, and Alfa could hear it.
"Sorry!"
"And Ronald, is the hunting team ready to escort them into the forests?" Alfa cut the topic. He knew what he wanted to know, and now, he will play the game Arya started. She started it, he'll end it. Two can play the same game, Arya. But only one will win. He wants to know how long she can keep up with her charade.
"Yes Alfa, our team is ready," Sinclair replied.
"Tell them to stay close, but not too close as to not disturb them."
"Yes Alfa."
"Mr Alfa, I have a request. I want my team to leave in a week's time, since we are scared and we don't want to get killed," Arya said, looking at her team and the alfa.
"If your research is over, and you have found everything you were looking for, then by all means, you may leave. Tell me the day you want to leave, and I'll inform the guards to give you safe passage out," Alfa replied.
"Thank you," Arya said, as everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
After breakfast, Arya and her team walked towards the forest with six men, who were armed with hunting knives. The leader, Zyban, told Arya that at the first sight of danger, they will get out.
"Amelia Bowles, Shirley Cooke, Alex Longman, Darian Strong, Maryann Moore and.... Alfa, is Arya also...?" Nathaniel, the head of border security asked his Alfa.
Alfa Flowerew and Nathaniel were discussing how many of them were leaving.
"Yes, put her name on the list, but I know she won't leave," Alfa replied.
"Okay, and Arya Hunter. And Alfa, what of the other team? Will they also leave?"
"No, they won't... I want Patricia and Arya to meet in the forest, and then I want our men to surround them. Make it look like Patricia betrayed Arya. As for the other team, I have a plan."
The entire pack had been told to keep an eye on Patricia. They were ordered to move in only when told.
The forest was beautiful. Large trees giving them shade, sunlight shining through its branches like the sparkling sea at sunrise. The forest floor was covered in dead leaves, decaying branches and ferns. It was amazing.
"Maryann, there's footprints behind you," Darian called out, and everyone went to look. Unfortunately, it was just some humans footprint.
Arya noticed Zyban and his men stayed close, but also were busy on their own, occasionally looking around for any danger. None were keeping an eye on them. Maybe she was paranoid.
Arya looked around, but her eyes were searching for one person only. Patricia. It was almost lunch time and she hadn't shown up. Was it because of the men?
The birds sang on the high branches and everyone looked up. There were different colors of parrots and even cockatoos.
Why wasn't Patricia here?