Arya wore a grey dress, with butterfly prints on the upper body, and a forest print on the skirt.
She wore light makeup and opened her hair, with just a clip to hold it loosely in place.
Donna, her three children, her mate, Melvin, and some of Rodriguez men accompanied them to the festival.
There were food stalls and rides for the children, and in the middle of the huge ground, there was a round fire pit.
The fire was not yet lit, and some men were preparing dried logs and twigs to light.
Meldrich, Donna's seven year old, ran towards the ride, with his father following close behind, while the twins, Nina and Shina, who were five, clunge to their mother.
"This is so beautiful," Arya said, looking around.
She had never even heard about this festival in all the years she lived in the human society.
This festival was celebrated in the same town she had spent her growing years, but it was in a part that rarely anyone visited.
This part of town was known for it crime and poverty. Little did she know that she would one day visit this place and question herself if it was really that bad.
An old man, wearing old jeans and a shirt, stood by the fire pit and announced, "The moon is about to raise. Everyone gather around."
"This is it," Donna said excitedly. "They'll light the fire, then dance and tell stories."
"We welcome all of you to this year's moon festival. Ben, please light the fire," the old man said, as everyone gathered closer to the fire pit.
A tall man, whom Arya was sure was Ben, lit a match stick and threw it in the pit, just as the first light of the moon spread like a blanket over the people.
The people cheered and began dancing around the fire. Many of them were wearing wolf costumes.
"Come on. Let's go there," Donna pointed at a stall. "That old lady is a gypsy. She tells amazing stories about werewolves and how we came into existence."
Arya and her companions went to the stall, just as an old lady came into view. She was wearing a beautiful dress and amazing jewelry.
"Welcome all! She said loudly, as more people gathered around her. "We celebrate the Moon festival for a reason. The moon is a Goddess for wolves, but men... these monsters disguised as humans began to hunt these peaceful animals. The wolves cried out to their Goddess, and the moon Goddess came down from the skies and cursed these men that every full moon, they shall experience the pain these innocent animals faced," the crowd gasped dramatically, as the woman continued, "the hunters shall become the hunted, the Goddess cursed. From then on, the descendents of those hunters became known as werewolves."
Another dramatic gasp left the crowd. Mothers hugged their children closer, and children hid their faces in their mothers chest.
"But do not be afraid! For these werewolves can not hunt without the full moon."
"Are they really around to this day?" A little boy from the crowd asked.
"Yes, my child, they are!" The gypsy woman said, her eyes wide. "Some are even here today!"
The growd gasped even louder, some even looking around with with their hand on their chest, and children screamed.
Arya felt Donna tense. Then, the men wearing wolf costumes ran into the crowd, as the crowd dispersed screaming, and Arya saw Donna relax.
"You became scared, didn't you?" Arya whispered into Donna's ear.
"For a second there, I thought she really knew!" Donna replied, and both women laughed nervously.
Arya looked around, watching the people walking around, talking, children playing, and adults mingling with each other.
Her eyes were also searching for little girls who seemed to be alone, with no one looking after them.
A familiar face suddenly came into view, and Arya felt a sudden fear run down her spine.
Gerald. The son of beta Ronald Sinclair of the Moonsglow pack was here with his mate, Sofia. Both seemed to be enjoying the night eating ice-cream from a singe cone.
They didn't seem to notice her and seemed to be alone. "They smell of Moonsglow pack!" Donna said, noticing Arya go still.
"Do you smell anyone else from their pack?" Arya asked, still looking at the future beta.
"No. Only these two," came the reply.
As if sensing her presence, Gerald and Sofia both looked in her direction, stared, then bowed and walked away without saying anything.
Arya felt a sense of relief and disappointment at the same time. Them staring at her meant they were just as shocked in seeing her as she was seeing them. They bowed, meaning somewhere deep down, they still believed that she's their Luna, and they were giving her the respect of a luna. Them walking away meant they themselves didn't understand what to do. Whether they should say something or not. So they didn't.
These pack members still respected her as their Luna. But why?
It could only mean that Alfa didn't tell them the truth, that she is now a witch, and that she can no longer fulfill her luna duties.
Or does he still believe that she would one day return? Does he love her that much? Or is it just his guilt?
"Miss, are you alright?" Donna asked. She seemed genuinely concerned.
"Yes, thanks for asking," Arya replied.
"Want to eat something?" Donna asked.
"Mummy, can we also have some snacks?" Nina asked, her voice so sweet Arya actually cooed.
"Sure, sweetie. What do you want?"
"Candy, candy!" Both Nina and Shina screamed excitedly.
"Okay," she said, then mindlinked her mate, who immediately came with Meldrich.
"Miss, what would you like to eat?" Donna asked again, as Melvin took all three children to the candy stall.
"I think I'll just take whatever you eat!" Arya said.
She was feeling sick inside. Not with a fever, but with guilt. How was she going to separate a child from her parents?
More than that, how can she kill an innocent child just because she wants to look young?
Before they reached the food stalls, Arya smelled something foul, like rotting meat... like a rogue! She looked at Donna, and her face told Arya that she smelled it too.
"Did you smell that?" Arya asked.
"A rogue. Newly turned," Donna replied.
Donna looked towards Melvin, and he was looking at her with the same expression they had.
They nodded, just as the guards who went with them came looking for them.
Melvin spoke with them, pointing toward the scent, and then walked up to Donna and said, "The guards are going to check on the rogue, as it might be dangerous. We have to get to the car, and inform our Alpha."
As they reached the car, one of the guards ran up to them and asked Donna to go with them.
"It's a young woman who seems to be scared," he told them.
Arya and Donna followed them and saw a beautiful girl in a twenties, with dark green eyes and dark brown hair, sitting in a corner crying.