"Natalie, can we meet before you go to Arya," Alfa said through the phone.
He had decided to try once more to talk to Natalie about calling Valac.
"Why would I meet you? I don't even know you!" The teen asked.
"Please, Natalie. I really need Valac's help."
"You know, we only met once! And you threw my brother and me into prison! Why would I come and meet you again?"
"Look, Natalie, I know we got off on the wrong foot, but I couldn't risk you telling anyone of our existence!"
"Really? Wait... hey Eve, guess what, my brother in law is a werewolf!" Alfa heard her say to someone. He froze.
"Yeah? And my sister is a vampire!" He heard a girl say, then walk off, muttering something about attention seekers.
"You hear that? No one gives a fuck about werewolves, because you're just mythical creatures! You don't exist in the real world for humans!" Natalie said in the phone.
Alfa remained silent. He didn't know what to say. Humans didn't care about the existence of supernatural creatures because they didn't believe in them.
"Natalie, I reacted without thinking..."
"And that is why you're begging me to help you undo what could have been prevented in the first place if you'd have used your brains. If you have brains, that is!" Natalie said before the line went dead.
Alfa threw his mobile across the room, and it hit the wall and shattered. The anger he was feeling was boiling over, and he didn't know what to do. He needed to see Arya. Needed to know she was alright! Needed her presence.
He flipped the table over, and the chair flew out of the office window, crashing on the ground below. Next was his laptop, followed by the files and books on his desk.
"Flower!" Came a horrified scream.
"Get out, mother," he yelled back, without looking up.
"Calm down, son. Please!"
Alfa could hear the pain in her voice, the desperation and the yearning to protect him like she had done so many times.
"Please, mom, leave!" Alfa screamed. Braxen was right below the surface, and Alfa was fighting hard to keep control. He knew if he let Braxen out, it would mean total disaster.
He would not only destroy everything in his wake but also destroy himself. There was a reason why he seldom let him out when he was mad. Braxen had a destructive nature, that he learned way too late.
"Son! What's going on?" Came another voice.
"Leave me alone, dad! Take mom and leave! Now!"
"Honey, I think we should listen to him. Come with me!" Kane said to Genevieve and pulled her away.
"What are you doing, K," Genevieve asked, frustrated.
"You know we cannot do anything, Gene. Only his mate can calm him down. We need to talk to Arya!"
***
Arya woke up early the next morning and went into the breakfast area. The afternoon before, Rodriguez and Arya had literally talked for hours, way past sunset, and she just had a bite of dinner before retiring for the night, so she was naturally feeling starved.
She gobbled up the burger that was sitting on her plate so fast everyone turned to stare.
She looked around the table and lowered her head, her cheeks flushed red, and she felt a little embarrassed.
After breakfast, Arya, not knowing what to do, went around the pack. By now, everyone was accustomed to her, and no one said anything. Donna was mostly with her, but today, she was busier than usual, so Arya went out alone.
She walked aimlessly and ended up near the forest. She thought with a heavy heart how Bella would have loved to run in here.
She only had Bella for two, maybe three months, but their attachment was beyond words. Now, because of Alfa, she doesn't know who she truly is.
She couldn't communicate with Elaine outside of the cave, and when she needed internal advice, she had to wait to get to the cave.
Deep in her heart, she felt that Alfa was struggling, but that could be because she wanted him to feel the pain she went through. She was no longer his mate. Why would he feel any pain?
There was so many things that rushed through her mind. She was a witch! She was a dark witch! Why was she a dark witch? As a girl, she didn't even hurt a mosquito, and now she was sacrificing young humans!
Why? Why did this happen to her? Oh why couldn't Alfa just trust his mate? Why didn't he wait to see what would happen?
Tears rolled down her eyes, and she couldn't stop it. Soon, her cheeks were wet and her eyes could barely see anything, and she had fallen to her knees, gravel scraping her knees.
Her heart felt like it was tearing in half. She had loved him with every fiber in her body. She could have moved mountains for him. Every man was the same! One betrayed her by hiding that he was married, and the other betrayed her by making decisions that concerned her without asking. No! He will pay! Alfa will have to pay, alongside his father!
Something deep in her gut churned. No, she wasn't about to throw up, but she did feel that power surge in her again. The same power she felt during the full moon. It was Elaine, and she was strong enough to let Arya feel her presence, but not strong enough to communicate with her.
"I know you're there, Elaine. I know you're with me. Just two months and we will be one!" Arya whispered.
She felt a sudden calmness wash over her. She knew Elaine heard what she said, and she was right.
She heard some commotion behind her and turned around. A little boy, around ten, was holding a trash bag, standing near the trash bin, staring at her.
"I... I'm sorry, miss. I didn't mean to disturb you," he said quickly, his voice shaking.
"Hey, it's okay. You didn't disturb me," Arya said, her voice reassuring.
"You won't complain, would you?"
Arya let out a small laugh, "Of course I wouldn't. As I said, you didn't disturb me. You helped me."
The boy looked at her, confused. "I helped you? How?" He asked.
"I was sad, and you came along, and I got to talk with you."
"Oh... well, don't be sad. Mother says things always don't turn out as we want, but it turns out in our favor," he said like a philosopher.
"Thank you. What's you..." Before she could finish her question, a voice came through, "Abel? Did you throw out the trash or not?"
"Yes!" The boy shouted back, dumping the trash into the bin. He then turned to Arya and said hurriedly, "I gotta go. Nice meeting you!" And ran off.
Arya smiled.
"Miss," she heard Donna call out.
"Donna? Hi!"
"My Alpha has sent for you. You have two visitors, and they are refusing to leave without meeting you!" Donna said between breaths.
"Visitors? Who?"
"Old alpha Kane and his luna."