What lay before them was terrifying. All sorts of machines in a laboratory, with different chemicals in glass jars.
In one corner, tied to a pole was Pete, his mouth covered with a rag.
Kimberly was nowhere to be seen. Arya's heart raced as she saw a figure of a man, in a lab coat, walk up to him and whisper something into his ear, and Pete tried screaming again, only for a muffled sound to come out.
The place reeked of chemicals and sweat. Alfa stood there, half frozen, half angry. How could someone create something this big under his nose without him knowing?
Something came from behind, and suddenly pushed Arya in front, followed by Alfa. They both fell to the ground, and a net fell on them.
As they struggled to get out, a menacing laugh echoed through the cave lab. "I was expecting you," the man said, not turning around.
"Who are you? Show us your face, you looser!" Arya shouted.
"I'm not as dumb as my mate, Aria. She had a tendency to trust the wrong people. I will not do that!"
"Your mate? Who's your mate?" Alfa asked.
"Alfa Flowerew," the man said, laughing again. "You will see your mate die in front of you, then, I'll kill you! I want you to know the pain I went through."
"If this had something to do with my father, then.... "
"Not everything is your fathers doing, Alfa!" He snapped. "Don't worry, I won't really kill her, I'll kill her wolf." Another vicious laugh rang through the room, followed by gasps as Arya realized why her aunt was missing. This man was trying to create a potion that would kill their wolf. All of their wolfs.
"Please just listen," Arya begged.
"Why? Why should I listen?" The man had turned around,but the light from behind him covered his face completely. They couldn't see him at all.
"If we have wronged you, we have a right to know why we're being punished," Arya said, hoping to get some information out of him.
The man flicked his finger, and two men dragged in Dr Gretchen. Arya was shocked, and Ronald jumped out of the corner he was hiding and ran towards him, only to stop dead on his track, when he realized it was just a mannequin wearing her clothes, the reason her scent was there.
The man picked up the mannequin and twisted its neck, then let it fall down in front of them.
Arya realized what this was all about. "You're Patricia's mate."
"You were right, Alfa, she's very intelligent."
"Why'd you hurt Vivien?"
"Alfa, I take it back. She's not as intelligent as you say."
"Who the hell are you ass...."
"I'd mind my language if I were you."
"You wanted us to kill our best tracker, didn't you?" Arya said.
"Close, but not fully true." The man slowly moved into the light, revealing his face.
Arya noticed that he wasn't looking at them; he was staring behind them.
"William?" Someone whispered. Arya looked behind her and saw Garry standing there, white as a sheet. "You?"
"Yes! Me. And hello to you too," the man, William, replied.
"You two know each other?" Arya asked.
No one seemed to hear her, as they kept staring at each other. Arya looked at her mate to see if he knew William, but he seemed just as confused as her.
It was clear that Garry and William knew each other and that something had gone wrong between them. But it still wasn't clear why he'd hurt Vivien.
Arya slowly made her way out of the net, and keeping low, went towards her uncle.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you, luna," William's voice cut through the silence. Arya turned to see he was still staring at Garry.
"Look, I don't know what your problem is with Garry or why you assaulted Vivian, but my family had nothing to do with this, so let them go," Arya said.
"Who told you about Patricia?" He asked, turning to look at her.
Arya couldn't answer.
"She didn't know Patricia would be... it's not her fault. It's mine. Punish me, and let them all go," she finally said.
The man in front of her stood with no emotions. He seemed like a zombie with a brain.
His eyes held nothing, no love, no respect, only knowledge. He had really done his homework since he knew things only she knew.
"Oh, trust me, I will. I will punish you like no one has ever seen. But not now."
"William, it's actually my fault," Alfa began. "I was the one who gave orders for her death. Let them all go, and you can do whatever you want with me."
"It's all your fault. Kimberly told Arya about her. She found Arya and tried to help. You ordering her death. Ronald killed her. Arya agreed to be marked by you, although you had killed someone who tried to help her. And Ronald not doing his research. She had a mate."
"Where does Vivien fit into all of this?" Arya asked.
He laughed. "You're about to die, and your brain is still stuck on Vivien?"
When Arya kept staring at him seriously, he stopped laughing. "Why don't you ask Garry! I'm sure he won't lie to his luna, right Garry?"
"Whatever happened between us, Vivien had no part in it," Garry said, still shaken up.
"Maybe you should have told me before everyone."
"Will anyone tell me what the hell is going on, please!" Arya screamed.
Confusion was clear on her face as she tried to understand what was happening.
The more she tried to understand, the more confusing it got.
"You will get plenty of time in hell to get to know everything," William said as he raised something in his hand, ready to throw it.
A blast echoed through the cave as rocks began to fall. Everyone ran for cover, and Arya took this opportunity to free her uncle.
"Where's aunt Kim," she asked him as she untied his hands.
"The other room," Pete pointed out the direction.
Arya ran to that room, found Kimberly tied to a chair, half conscious.
Quickly untying her, Arya helped her to her feet, and Pete came to help her get out.
Outside the cave, Arya found out that William had managed to get away.
"Garry, who was he?"