"Aria, my child, can we talk?" Luna Genevieve asked as they walked in through the door.
Alfa and Arya were looking for more clues, with the help from his two famous, scentless wolves, who could get in and out of places without being detected.
After introducing Yalandro and Marius to their future Luna, they started gathering clues.
Alfa found out that Trevor and Garry were nowhere near Vivien or the kitchen. And their house was also clean.
It was now late night, and they had to sneak in quietly, like two teens who didn't want to get caught.
Genevieve's voice startled them.
"Mom, you're awake!" Alfa said.
"Flower, you think you can sneak past me without being detected? And you're teaching my daughter the same thing!"
Arya was enjoying this.
"Have you two eaten anything?" The luna asked, looking at Arya.
"We weren't hungry..." Arya began, but Genevieve stopped her, "Nonsense! You need to eat. Your body needs food."
"You wanted to speak with me, mother?" Arya asked, as she sat at the dining table, with a plate of food meant for five people.
"Yes, but first eat something."
"I'm not hungry..."
"Aria, I'm a mother. I know when a child is lying. Now, eat up."
Arya ate the roasted chicken and fries, and her stomach screamed 'enough' before she could get through a quarter of her food.
"Mother, I'm done. I can't eat another bite, or I'll explode," Arya said, holding her stomach.
To her relief, Genevieve didn't force her. "Aria, I wanted to talk to you about the marking ceremony! Whenever I have tried to talk to Flower, he dodges the question, so I'm asking you, what's going on between you two? Why haven't you marked each other?"
Arya took a deep breath. "Mother, I won't lie. It's just... I'm confused. All this is so new to me... and I feel that I don't... what if I fail at being a good luna? Alfa loves me, and I do feel he wants me, but what if I bring him down instead of raising him? What if I weaken him instead of becoming his strength?" Arya poured her heart out. Tears were stinging her eyes, but she refused to let them flow.
Genevieve smiled. "Child, you're afraid, and that's totally fine. When I first met Kane, I felt like this. He already had a bad reputation, but something about him made me feel attracted to him." The luna held her hand. "Becoming a luna made me realize that I can help so many pack members without even letting Kane know."
"It didn't bother you that he was...." Arya searched for a word that she could use without insulting the Luna's mate.
"An ass?" Genevieve said, smiling.
Arya's heart skipped. "Don't worry, I've heard worse names than this. To answer your question, yes, it did. I always thought that he was a monster who wouldn't change. Even when Alfa was born, he didn't even bother to name him. In this pack, the father names his child. Every name I came up with, he dismissed. At last, one of his elders who came to see our son said, 'Oh, the future Alfa.' and that name stuck."
"Mom, if I may ask, how did you both meet?" Arya asked.
Genevieve sighed. "I came here as one of the slaves." Arya stared in shock. "I was eighteen and hadn't found my mate, then this pack attacked. My pack was wiped out. All the women were brought here as slaves and he was coming for me, but fate had something else in store."
"How did you accept him?" Arya whispered, not really asking, but Luna heard her.
"I didn't. My wolf did. I eventually learned that becoming the luna gave me excess to places only the alfa would have, and I could help many girls escape this prison. I slowly separated him from the men who were like him and tried to change him. Now, he's a completely different person, but his fear is still there." Genevieve looked at Arya. "The day I birthed my son, I swore to myself that whatever happens, he will not be like his father."
"And you raised a good man."
The older lady smiled with pride. She had seen the people suffer, and she was glad that her son was a better ruler.
"Child, it's almost morning now. You have to get some rest. Tomorrow is a big day... which reminds me, do you want to be marked by Alfa?" Genevieve asked. Looking at the girls hesitation, she understood.
"Aria, being a luna means you can change the lives of all the omega in this pack, including the girl... Vivien."
Arya looked up at her with a questioning expression.
"You'll have excess to everyone's thoughts and know what they will do."
"Just one last question, please!" Arya asked, her eyes pleading.
"Sure."
"What exactly is the marking ceremony?"
The luna smiled. "You'll see when it happens. Now, off to bed, I need rest, too."
In the room, Arya found Alfa snoring. This angered her. Here, she was thinking about the so-called marking ceremony... like, what is it? What should she do? What if she does something wrong?
Then, there was another question: How would she go to Moonstone pack? The alfa of the rogues, Rodriguez would immediately know she's mated to Alfa Flowerew by her scent.
Maybe her necklace could help her. Maybe she could mindlink Rodriguez just like she did Vivien.
She looked at the time and decided that she'd try 'calling' him when the sun came up a few hours later.
What if the rogue doesn't allow her to visit? No, he has to! She's the rightful owner of that land, and she'll reach there, one way or another.
Despite the fact that her mind was a whirlpool of thoughts, sleep came to her easily. Before she knew it, she was also snoring away, dreaming of a wonderful ancient garden containing all sorts of flowers.
Arya ran through the garden, wearing the childhood sun dress, the blue cotton one she used to wear at her grandfather's house.
"Aria, where are you?" Came a voice she didn't recognize.
"Who's there?" Arya asked.
"Come to me, my child."
Arya ran towards the voice. She kept running until she saw a huge stone. Standing near the stone was a beautiful young woman, wearing a wonderful grey dress, and her hair was tied back in a bun. The woman smiled at her.
"Who are you?" Arya asked, walking toward her.
"I'm your great grandmother, Lavender. I know you want to come and meet me, but nows not the right time," the woman said.
"But why?"
"You're not ready. Become a luna, become a leader, and then extend a hand of friendship to Rodriguez. It will be hard, but not impossible."