'It's not romantic! '
These three words echoed in Alfa's head. What kind of relationship involves two people who are destined together but not in a romantic way?
"Alfa, you all right?" Ronald asked, his voice seemed to come from far away.
Once again, both men were in Alfa's office, thinking. There were more puzzles to solve than there was time. The first full moon was less than a week away, and they were still sitting ducks.
"Just thinking about what that witch said about Aria and Rodriguez," he replied, his voice seemed like he was forcing the words to get out.
"Hhhmmmm. Maybe we could go back and demand Rodriguez to let you see luna," Ronald suggested.
He himself was confused as to why his luna hadn't even tried to contact them.
His alpha had sent Kimberly back with a strict warning to never set foot in this territory again. More like banished her from her territory.
Deep down, Ronald knew Alfa made a huge mistake, and he was trying to correct it before things went out of hand. Unfortunately, actions have consequences, and Alfa learned this the hard way.
"No. I don't want to beg in front of Rodriguez. Besides, we have to know what Arya has offered him in return for entering his territory."
"Hazelwitch had said that she'll come after your family," Ronald said thoughtfully. "And today, she mentioned old alpha Kane, like more than two times. Could it be that she has traded his life...."
"Ronald! I know what you want to say, but I trust Arya. She wouldn't do that. I know she hates him as much as anyone, but she's my mate..." Alfa stopped Ronald in mid sentence, but Ronald interjected with, "She's no longer your mate. Remember what Hazelwitch had said..."
Alfa thought about it. 'Arya was never your mate. Bella was.' This was her exact words.
"Ronald, you know I still don't believe Arya would trade my father's life without a second thought."
"Yes. But the witch in her can!"
Ronalds statement made Alfa think hard.
Both of them stayed silent.
"We have to send one of our own in there to get information," Alfa said thoughtfully.
"Yalandro?"
"No."
"Marius?"
"No."
"Then who? Ronald asked. These were the only two scentless wolves in the pack, and Alfa used them to gather information from other packs easily. They could get in and out undetected.
"Someone Arya would trust. But we literally have to show that we banished her from here and that she is a rogue," Alfa said, smirking.
"Who?" Ronald asked again.
"Vivien!"
"Vivien? But she has always been loyal to luna. Why would she help you now?" The grey eyed man asked curiously. "What if she tells Arya that this was our plan?"
"You're right! But we don't have much choice. I can't risk losing Yalandro and Marius. We have to talk to Vivien and hope she agrees."
"First, we need to make sure her loyalty is to us," Ronald said, concerned. "We need to make sure that she'd live for us and die for us."
"Do you have a plan?" Alfa asked, staring at his beta, already knowing the answer to his question.
Ronald looked at him, smirking. "I always do."
'Alpha! We need you here, something's going on," came a frantic mindlink. The voice belonged to Trevor, his gamma.
The scene before them looked like it came straight out of an action thriller. The kitchen floor was covered in food, broken dishes, scattered utensils..., everything was a huge mess.
Trevor and some of his warriors were holding the kitchen helper, while the chef and a few pack members were holding Vivien.
"What the bloody hell is going on in here?" Alfa growled from the doorway.
"Alpha, thank God you're here. Vivien and Margaret started arguing, and a fight broke between them," Trevor answered, while bowing before him.
Alfa stared at both women. They both were omegas, and both had a broken nose that was bleeding, and they looked like they had broken ribs as well.
"What did you argue about that you had to destroy the entire kitchen?" Alfa asked, looking between both Vivien and Margaret.
By now, the people holding them in place had let go. Neither of them moved or answered. They both kept their eyes on the floor.
"Don't let me repeat myself!" Alfa said in his Alpha tone.
"Margaret was saying mean things about our Luna," Vivien said, her voice small.
"Well, it's true!" Margaret hissed.
"What is true?" Alfa growled.
He was now both angry and scared. What were his pack members saying about Arya?
Silence once again stretched. Margaret looked like she wanted to bury herself, while Vivien looked like she was ready to help Margaret.
"I am not going to repeat my damn question. So either you answer me, or I bury both of you alive."
"She said luna ran off with some other wolf and that she abandoned us," Vivien said through gritted teeth, ready to attack Margaret again.
"Is this true?" Alfa turned towards the older lady.
"I... I... I was just saying what I heard!" She defended herself.
"Where did you hear that?" Beta Ronald asked.
"Everyone is talking about luna. We haven't seen her ever since she ran off."
Margaret was right. Arya had run off. Not with another wolf, but to an entirely different pack.
So the pack was talking. Behind their Alpha's back. About their Luna. He had to do something before word got out.
"Pack meeting in an hour. Spread the news. Everyone has to be there," Alfa said, looking between Ronald and Trevor. "And you two," he pointed at both women, "I want this kitchen spotless within that one hour, and both of you present at this meeting, or I will banish you! And if any of you decide to help, you will join their fate."
Everyone lowered their eyes, and Alfa walked away while the others rushed out. Trevor and Ronald began to mindlink everyone about the meeting, and Alfa went straight to his room and dipped himself in the bath.
Ronald was right earlier. Vivien would never betray her luna. Not at any cost. This was proof that she was always loyal to Arya and Arya only.
He had to think of a new plan to extract information from the rogue pack.
What could be Arya's next move? There were no reports of missing children, so did she abundant the idea of sacrificing innocent souls?
The first full moon was just a few days away, so Alfa needed to do something. Fast.