As the dust settled on the training grounds, Alfa could be seen panting and bleeding through the nose.
Everyone was stunned, except Ronald, who was smiling. "That's all you got, Alpha?" He asked, mockingly.
Alfa spat and wiped his nose with the back of his hand. "I was just distracted," he spat back.
The Alpha and beta were training after the meeting, and the Alpha was clearly losing.
Ronald reached Alfa's shoulders in height, yet he was swift on his feet. Unlike Alfa, he knew how to stay calm in different situations and plan his strategies way ahead of time.
Alfa ran towards Ronald and tried to kick him, but he dodged the attack and kicked him hard on his back, which sent Alfa flying forward.
"You're getting old, man!" Ronald mocked again.
During training, this kind of language was allowed because on the training arena, everyone was equal. Alpha's rule.
"Oh, fuck you," Alfa screamed, and out jumped Braxen, who charged with everything he had.
Before Ronald could call on Azan, Braxen had pinned him to the ground, growling at his face.
There it was; fear. "I submit," Ronald screamed, putting his face to the side, exposing his neck.
This was a sign of submission. It meant Braxen had every right to either let him go or kill him.
Braxen gave one more growl before stepping aside. Everyone cheered for their Alpha.
"You know that was cheating, right?" Ronald said, his voice carrying a disappointed tone.
'Everything is fair in love and war!' Braxen mindlinked him.
Back in the sitting room, Alfa, Trevor, and Ronald sat together, discussing the meeting that had happened a day before.
"Alpha, I think that giving the pack half the information could be fatal. You should have told them everything, especially about her being a witch!" Ronald said.
"Yes, I agree with him," Trevor added. "Our pack is preparing for war, and they should know who they will fight against."
Both the beta and gamma remembered how their Alpha had told the entire pack that their Luna had gone to Moonstone pack because she wanted to know more about her paternal side of the family.
How she would return back once she gets to know everything she needs to know.
He deliberately missed the part where she was a witch and had gone there to gain her witch's powers by sacrificing innocent little girls.
"I know. But I didn't want the pack to start getting scared," Alfa said in his defense.
"Yes, Alpha, but imagine when luna comes back here to destroy everything, and our men standing there, shocked, thinking whether to attack or not!" Trevor said.
"I will let them know when the time comes. As of now, I'm trying to get her back before she makes any sacrifices."
"Dad! Dad, can I..." Gerald, Ronald's eldest son, called out and stopped when he saw the Alpha and gamma sitting on the sofa.
"I'm... please forgive me, Alpha! I didn't know..."
"Gerald, what happened?" Roanld asked, annoyed.
Gerald looked towards Alfa, silently taking his permission to speak. Alfa nodded, and Gerald said, "Dad, Alpha, gamma, the Moon festival is in town. Can I go with my friends? Please, please, please!"
His voice held such excitement, his eyes wide with hope. He has always taken his parents' permission before going anywhere, even when being sixteen meant you're an adult, and could go anywhere without your parents permission, because you already have your wolf to save you.
"Son, you know that you have to stay home and watch over the twins! I cannot..."
"Wait!" Alfa said, hope filling his voice. "The moon festival is held in the human town, with humans attending it, mostly the homeless people, right?" He enquired.
"Yes, Alpha!" Gerald said, nodding.
"Gerald, why don't you wait outside, and we'll call you in soon!" Alfa said, and the young man nodded, then bowed before heading out.
"Don't you see, Arya has to come there if she wants a girl for her first sacrifice. This is the only chance we can get of getting to her. She will not be able to use her powers in public!" Alfa said excitedly.
"Alpha, you're right, but there will be so many people there, and not forgetting she won't be alone. The rogues will be able to catch our scent from miles away," Ronald said.
"That's where Gerald and his mate come in. Look, we can place Marius at the gate of the Moonstone pack, so we get information on how many rogues accompany Arya out. At the festival, Gerald and Sofia, along with Yalandro, can keep an eye on them. It will look like a couple who went on a date, and Arya won't suspect anything. We will have to get Arya before she abducts anyone," Alfa said.
"We can not do anything without knowing what her plan is!" Trevor said.
"You're right. But we need to get into the rogue territory to do that. I don't think Rodriguez will just welcome us there."
"Alpha, I have a suggestion. Why font we send Michelle! She's excellent in spying on others, and she can act like the whole world is on her head!"
"Trevor is right, Alpha! Michelle. She's loyal to you! She can die for you! She wants a chance to prove herself! She's the best choice we have!" Ronald chimed in.
"Okay. Ronald, you find her and brief her on the situation. Trevor, call Marius and Yalandro. Tell them what to do. I'll tell Gerald what to do."
Michelle was a young woman, orphaned at three years old, who lived in the Moonsglow pack, because Alfa had rescued her from a rogue attack.
Alfa and Michelle got close, and he got a sister he never had. Kane and Genevieve didn't like this sibling like bond between them, so as she grew up, they sent her away into the human world to study.
Over time, Alfa and Michelle lost contact, but to this day, Alfa sees her as his little sister. Trevor was in charge of sending her money that Alfa kept aside for her college, and he also passed on important information between them.
Ronald had also met her during her graduation, that Alfa also attended, but couldn't stay for long, due to pack business.
Michelle had to return the next day, as told by Trevor, for the moon festival.
She worked as an actress in small budget movies, and she's pretty good at her job. She once convinced Trevor that wolves could avoid mosquitoes if they growled and howled at the same time.
Needless to say, Trevor looked like a strawberry for days.
"What's her plan, and why is Aria not getting back?" Braxen asked Alfa.
"That's what I want to know!" Alfa replied.