Kimberly's face went white. "What do you mean 'they're here, but with Arya'?" She looked towards Pete, then at Arya.
Arya looked at the floor. How was she going to tell them?
"Arya, what's going on?" The frown on Kimberly's face was scary. "Arya? Answer me!"
"Aunt Kim, I... he..." "No, no, no. Don't tell me. He outsmarted you, and your tricks backfired!"
"Yes, I couldn't hide it. He had everything, the magazine, the photos, and even my original birth certificate," Arya said, eyes tearing up.
"What?" Pete asked, shocked.
"Yes, Uncle Pete, the original birth certificate, with my parents' names on it."
Kimberly and Pete looked at each other. "You were right!" Kimberly said slowly.
She turned to Arya, "Pete did feel that someone had entered the house that day when we went out. I didn't believe him since nothing was stolen, or so i thought."
"Do you know who came here?" Pete asked, staring at Arya.
"No. He didn't tell me. But I know that Alfa and Ronald were both within the pack territory."
"What about Patricia?" Kimberly asked.
"She... she's dead."
"Dead? How's that possible?... You do know she's a witch, right?" Kimberly was throwing questions at her. "Arya, did you meet her?"
"No, Aunt Kim, she died before we met..."
"Really? You know you cannot lie to me, Arya."
Without saying anything, Arya grabbed the pen and an old magazine from the countertop.
She scribbled something on it and gave it to her aunt.
'They can hear us, and he knows what I'm thinking. Just trust me.'
"Arya, I can never accept him as my son in law," Kimberly said, while writing down something and giving it to Arya. Being a teacher came in handy. 'What's going on? Like really going on?'
"Aunt Kim, he is my mate, and I can't run away from him." 'I'm going to kill Kane as soon as I get a chance.'
"So you found your wolf?" 'You're stepping into dangerous waters. Don't do anything stupid.'
"Yes, Aunt Kim." 'Trust me.'
"Well, I still don't like the Flowerew family, but I trust you. Must be something special about him that you like him," Kimberly said, handing the magazine to Pete, who destroyed the evidence of their secret talk.
"He's charming," Arya said.
"He hasn't marked you, I see."
"Yes. I requested him to let me meet you first. He'll mark me when we return."
"I was hoping you could stay for some time, like a week."
"Well, I have to meet Damion and... " "Arya, you're not thinking of resigning, are you?" Kimberly's face was concerned. She had seen this girl wake up early in the mornings and study.
She had seen the disappointment on her face when she thought she had failed. The excitement when she learned that she had passed.
She remembered the time Arya had bragged that one day, she would become a famous zoologist. And she did. No. Her child can't just quit her life for someone she just met a few months ago.
"Arya, honey... " Kimberly held her hands. "Aunt Kim, I don't want to, but we both know that I don't have a choice. Once I become luna, I can't come here every day... or go for field projects."
Arya's eyes said everything. Kimberly hugged her tightly.
They both heard Pete's phone ring. He picked it up, "Hey man, what's up?".... "Yes, she's here."... "Ok." He handed his phone to Arya, "It's Dan," he said.
"Hi Damion," Arya said.
"Arya, where the hell have you been. Amelia and the team said you were kidnapped, and now you'll be resigning?" A very frantic voice came through.
"Damion, give me some time, I'll meet you in your office in a few..." "You mean now!"
"Ok, now," she handed the phone back to her uncle and excused herself. "I'll be back after I explained to Damion what's going on," she said.
"You were kidnapped?" Her adopted parents asked.
"No, not exactly... I'll explain once I get back."
It was when Kimberly came to drop Arya off at the door that she noticed a black sedan parked outside, with two men looking at them.
"They're with you?" Kimberly asked her. Arya nodded.
After they left, and the couple knew that they couldn't be heard, Kimberly turned to face her husband. "You knew they came?"
"We received a call stating an unfamiliar vehicle was parked outside Arya's house, and two huge guys were outside. We went to check and found they were with Arya."
"That's why you came home early. You knew I would be upset when she told me, right?"
"Anything for you, my Kimmy," Pete said, looking at her lovingly.
They sat at the table. "Pete, I still don't like the idea of Arya with that monster," Kimberly said, looking angry.
"I know, honey! But I also know you can understand where she is coming from... you remember the first time we met, right?" Pete said, smiling.
A soft smile appeared on Kimberly's lips. "Yeah, I was so disappointed that you couldn't feel what I felt. I couldn't let you out of my sight."
"And when you told me about yourself, I laughed, thinking you were pranking me..."
"Oh Pete, I couldn't wait to be Mrs Hunter."
"You even... you loved me so much, you know Kimmy, I was afraid that you'd forget me once you turn human, but you remembered me..."
"How could I forget these brown eyes, and the straight jaw, and the determined young man, so passionate about his life..."
"You gave the ultimate test, just to prove you love me and can do anything for me. I'm truly blessed that I found you... you complete me, Mrs Kimberly Hunter."
They stared into each other's eyes and then kissed passionately.
"Now Pete, what's the catch?" Kimberly asked, knowing her husband wouldn't just bring all this up randomly.
"Well, honey, don't you think Arya deserves this kind of love, even if it comes from the enemy?" Pete's eyes were soft... gentle.
"Pete... you know I want Arya to be happy, but do you really think that man can keep her happy?" Kimberly asked, her eyes searching his.
"Well, for one, I think we should meet him... who knows, maybe he really is different from his father," Pete said.
"I don't want her to marry him just to save us from him and his pack!"
"Arya is smart. She knows what to do and she is talented..." "No Pete! We're not having this talk. Last time you said all this, she went to that cursed place... she was careful, but look what happened!"
"Let's just give her a chance. Meet him. Talk. Then make a decision," Pete said thoughtfully.
Kimberly nodded.