"Ronald, I know Gretchen will do everything in her power to protect her patient, but I still want you around the hospital to keep an eye on that girl, Vivien," Alfa was ordering Sinclair.
The two men were sitting in the alfa's office. "And Ronald, I want you to find out where Trevor and his son were on the night my parents showed up. If they had anything to do with all this, I want to know before Arya finds out."
"Yes, Alfa. I will follow up on Vivien and find out about the gamma..."
"No, you call Mar... no, Yalandro will be better for this job. They shouldn't know they are under investigation.... actually, call both; Yalandro will search in his house, while Marius can follow them around, trying to know what they are doing," Alfa said, looking at his beta.
"Will do that... anything else?" Ronald asked.
"No, you can go."
It had been two days, and still Alfa didn't have any information on who did that to that servant girl. Arya hadn't been eating properly, and the marking ceremony had been delayed. Again.
Now, brexen was feeling impatient. All he had ever wanted was a mate. To give her the power to rule over the pack by his side, Alfa needed to mark her. He had to talk to Arya about this and hope she'd understand.
Arya sat at the patio, holding a cup of coffee that had long gone cold. She was in deep thought.
If she could communicate with Vivien while wearing this necklace, can she also find out who assaulted her? Maybe, if she tried to contact Vivien again... but she didn't know if it worked because she was conscious, or could it be that she contacted her while she was unconscious? Through her wolf?
"Aria? We need to talk!" Alfa's voice made her jump, almost knocking the vase that sat on a stool nearby. The coffee cup fell on the floor, spreading it with its aroma.
"Oh, here, I have it," Alfa said, stilling the stool.
"What is it?" Arya asked as he sat on the chair opposite of her.
"Look, I know you're upset and going through a rough time, but I... we have to..." Alfa took a long breath. "Aria, we have to mark each other!" He said, not looking at her directly.
He knew he sounded desperate; no, he was desperate, but most guests had arrived, including Lord Caspian, and many alfa's of other packs.
"Look Aria, I know you don't want this, but you have to try to understand me, almost every guest invited are here, and most will arrive by tonight, and canceling the ceremony would be embarrassing ourselves in front of them!"
"Yes," Arya said.
"Yes?" Alfa repeated, questioning her. He didn't understand whether she was saying yes to the marking ceremony, yes to the embarrassment part, or yes to her being upset part.
"We should mark each other!" Arya said, without flinching. She had a determined look, almost like she wanted this because of some other reason, and not because of the mate bond.
Sometimes, Alfa didn't understand his mate. Arya was so mysterious. At times, she would not want something, and she changed her mind just as fast.
Alfa was now feeling there was something about her that she was hiding. Something seemed a little awkward. Mysterious!
"Would you rather I say no?" Arya asked, which brought the alfa out of his thoughts.
"Uh... no.. no, I was just..." Alfa Flowerew didn't know what to say.
"Don't tell me, you were expecting me to say 'no', but I said 'yes' instead," Arya said.
Alfa looked at her, his eyes questioning hers. "Aria, I feel like there is something you are not telling me! There's something about you that makes me question your loyalty to this pack..."
Arya laughed, a sarcastic laugh. "So you don't trust me?"
"Ar..." "No, that's exactly what you mean. Tell me something, Alfa, who do you really care about, me or the invited guests?... and did you even try to understand my feelings?" Arya was now standing up slowly,
"I just needed to know Vivien is fine before all this! I need to get to Moonstone before all of this... and did you ask me before inviting all these guests? Of course you didn't, now it's suddenly my fault you will get embarrassed?" Tears were flowing down Arya's cheeks.
"And Alfa, if you are really questioning my loyalty to this pack, I'm not the right person for this luna position." With that, Arya was gone.
Alfa sat on the seat, trying to understand what had happened.
If she had all this in her heart, why did Aria say yes?
Alfa felt angry, but he understood why she had this outburst. 'Ronald, did you find out anything about Vivien's case.'
'No, Alfa. Yalandro and Marius are both working on it, but... '
'I don't want excuses. I want results. By the end of today.' Alfa mindlinked back.
"Luna, forgive me, but I can't let you enter without the Alfa's permission!" The giant prison guard told Arya.
She didn't know what to do. She needed a humans point of view on the situation she was in, and the only human in this werewolf world was Rebecca.
"Look, I understand you; you're just doing your job, but I need to speak with the human prisoner. It's urgent," Arya tried explaining.
"As I said, I can not allow anyone to enter without the permission of the alfa. His rule."
"Then ask him!" Arya said, getting angry.
"Unfortunately, he said 'no'."
"When?"
"I had already mindlinked him when I saw you coming, luna, and he ordered me not to let you through."
Arya had no choice but to turn back.
In her room, Arya tried to concentrate on Vivien. 'Vivien, can you hear me?'
No reply.
"Vivien?' Still no reply.
'Bella, you there?'
'Yes Arya, I'm always here.' Bella replied.
'I'm so confused. I don't know what to do.' Arya said, crying.
'Arya, being confused is a way your brain is trying to protect you. As for who was the one who assaulted Vivien, the answer can be found in the place she was found, the western dumpsite!'
'Really? How?'
'Whoever did this would definitely leave a clue there... we just have to go look.' Bella said.
Arya knew it was a bad idea, but she liked it. Alfa will be furious when he discoverers she's gone.