"Alfa Flowerew, I have a policy. I don't shake hands of my enemies," Alfa Rodriguez said after his laughter.
"I haven't done anything wrong," Alfa tried to say.
"That's the problem. You haven't done anything."
Both alfas stared at each other. Arya felt the tension between them, and something made her stay quiet.
"Son, what's going on?" Kane's voice sliced through the tense air, like knife through soften butter.
Both men turned to face Kane, and Arya swore she saw a fire in Rodriguez eyes.
"Dad, he's Alfa Rodriguez. He helped save our pack," Alfa said, unaware of the loathe in his eyes.
"Thank you, Alfa Rodriguez," Kane said, stretching his hand forward.
Alfa Rodriguez stared at the old man, then, without a word, turned and walked away.
Kane stood there, hand still stretched out, staring. He had also seen how that man had looked at him. No fear, no respect, just pure hate.
Arya then remembered her cousins. She turned to face them, then walked towards them. "Nats, Mar, are you okay?"
"Stop!"
Arya stopped on her track. The look of pure fear in their eyes made her freeze.
"Listen, I can explain!"
"No, Arya, don't you dare come near us," Marcus said.
"Who are you people?" Natalie questioned.
"We have to go," Marcus said, pulling his sister backward.
"You do know I can not risk you leaving," Alfa said.
"They're my family," Arya protested.
"But they know too much!"
"You know their parents won't just let you keep them here!"
"Kimberly knows the rules."
"To hell with your rules. These are my cousins, and they have a right to know the full story before any punishment is decided."
Marcus and Natalie stood there confused. Why would their mother know the rules?
"Fine. Call them here. The council will decide their fate." Saying that, Alfa left.
Two guards held their hands and walked them toward the prison.
"Arya, what's going on?" Marcus asked.
"Please, just let us go," Natalie added.
Arya felt something heavy in her chest. As the luna and their elder sister, she had to call her aunt and uncle to inform them of the situation. How would she do that?
'Luna, we need help.' Came a mindlink.
'On my way. '
Arya went into the house and saw many injured women. Gretchen was running from here to there, trying to help everyone. She even saw Vivien helping out by cleaning the wounds of the injured and covering it up.
She tried to help, but her mind was stuck on how she would call her adoptive parents and tell them that their children were prisoners just because they didn't know about the existence of werewolves.
"Luna, are you alright? You seem distracted," Vivien asked, her eyes full of worry.
"Yeah," Arya smiled. "Just a little confused."
"Can I help you with anything?"
"Thank you, but you're already helping me by helping doctor Gretchen," Arya said, smiling.
"Luna, you're bleeding," Vivien pointed out.
"What?" Arya asked, looking at herself.
There was blood oozing out of her left thigh and a few scratches on her back.
"I didn't realize I was hurt..." Arya said, as pain suddenly began radiating through her leg.
"Here, let me help," Vivien said, dabbing the gauze in alcohol solution. She cleaned her leg while Arya sat on a stool and then bandaged it up.
Then, she helped clean her back. It didn't need coverage since the wound was already beginning to heal, but cleaning was needed to prevent infection.
Arya slowly went to her room and called the number she had memorized since she was a little girl.
"Hello, Arya, how are you?" Came a familiar voice.
"Hey, Uncle Pete, I'm..." Arya took in a deep breath. How does she tell him that his children are prisoners just because they saw something that they should have known existed from birth?
"Arya, what happened? Is Mar and Nats OK?" Pete's voice was concerned.
"Uncle Pete, they saw us. They know. They're in prison." Arya said, between sobs.
"Arya, honey, calm down. You're not making any sense. What happened?"
Arya told him everything, from how they were attacked by rogues to how they had to escape and turn to fight rogues off. "You both need to come here, but the council will decide what to do with them," she finished her explanation.
There was a long silence.
"Can I speak with Alfa?"
"I'll go look for him and call you back."
With that, the line went dead.
'Alfa, my uncle wants to talk with you.' Arya mindlinked him.
'I'll be there.'
"Hello, Mr Hunter, you wanted to speak with me?" Alfa said through the phone.
"Arya informed me about my children and the fact that they're in prison because they saw werewolves, is that correct?" Pete's voice was neutral.
"Yes, unfortunately...-" "Alfa, I request that you let them go. I personally guarantee that not a word of your existence will get out."
"It's out of my hands. This matter is now with the council, and they will go to trial."
"When?"
"In two days."
After Alfa cut the line, Arya asked, "Can I see them? They must be dead scared, and I need to explain what happened!"
"You know I can't let you, love. It's against the rule."
"What about Rebecca?"
"What does she have to do with anything?" Alfa looked annoyed.
"She will be able to comfort them. They're both going through the same thing...-" "Aria, don't. You know you're not allowed to meet either of them... or any prisoners."
"Fine," Arya said under her breath. Her mind already going through how she would meet them.
"Don't do anything you'll regret!" Alfa warned, knowing his mate all too well.
"I want to sleep." Saying that, Arya lay on the bed, thinking.
Marcus and Natalie were dragged in and thrown onto the cold cell floor. Then, locked up, the guards walked out laughing.
They both cuddled each other and sat in the corner, trying not to throw up at the stench in this hell hole.
"Mar, I'm scared," Natalie said, her voice shaking.
"Don't worry, I'm here. Mom and dad will make everything alright," Marcus said, hugging his baby sister tightly.
Arya's fiancé said something that rang through their head, "Kimberly knows the rules." What the hell was that supposed to mean? Did their mother know about all this? Did their father know? Did they both know about the existence of werewolves but kept them in the dark?
Even when they had reached here, the woman who seemed to be Alfa's mother had also asked if they were Kimberly's children. Was their mother somehow connected with this village? They needed to find out.