Alfa and Arya sat at the table with Pete and Kimberly. They were invited via a visit from them at Arya's house, and Alfa agreed because he wanted to formally get to know them.
"Well, Arya and you are planning the marking ceremony, I heard," Pete said, looking at Alfa.
"Yes, we were planning to mark each other when we return back..."
"What's the rush? She should first learn about her wolf, then be marked, unless there's something else going on..." Kimberly asked, and Alfa tensed.
"Ma'am, you out of all people should understand the urgency a wolf feels when his or her mate is near, to make them theirs," Alfa Flowerew replied.
"Yes, I do understand. But tell me something, don't you want Arya to know more about herself and her wolf first?"
There was a stretch of silence. Alfa didn't know what to say to that. Braxen did feel Bella was nervous. And a little secretive.
"Aunt Kim, no one is forcing me to do anything if that's what you want know. I asked him for time, and he gave it to me. He respected my decision of wanting time, and that's why I like him," Arya said.
"You don't love him?" Kimberly asked, making her gasp. Yes, she didn't love him, but she did respect him enough to know he would do anything for her.
"I think we both know we are meant for each other. That's all that matters," Alfa defended Arya.
"The chicken's getting cold. Grilled chicken always tastes good while it is still hot," Pete said, drawing the attention back to the food. "Have some more, Alfa, it's Arya's fav." He passed the plate of grilled chicken towards Alfa, who kindly refused.
"So tell us something about yourself, maybe a little peak into the man you are, not the alfa of a pack?" Pete asked, putting the plate down.
"Well, I love swimming, reading and training. I also love the lake and the mountains," Alfa replied, smiling.
"You know, once we took Arya to the pool, and she wouldn't come out for hours... she was enjoying herself so much," Pete said, laughing. "We had to scare her saying there was a shark in the pool, so she finally got out."
"Bobo, you haven't eaten anything," Kimberly said, passing her some more salad and meshed potatoes.
'Bobo?.. looks like I can laugh at your name too...' Alfa mindlinked Arya.
'Nothing beats Flower,' Arya said, as she scoffed. 'Maybe I should tell them your name... '
Alfa tensed, 'Don't you dare do that love, or you'll regret it.'
"You know, Uncle Pete, Alfa has a very interesting name..." "Arya, why don't you have some more chicken. I heard it's your favorite," Alfa Flowerew jumped up, grabbed the plate, and gave it to Arya. Arya started laughing, tears streaming down her face.
Pete and Kimberly looked at each other, and back at the very disturbed Alfa, and a laughing Luna who looked like someone just threw in a laughing gas bomb.
"Do you need more proof that they belong together?" Pete whispered to his wife. She just shot him a look and stared back at them, who seemed to be calming down.
"It's werewolf, spelled backward," Arya said, looking at the relief that flooded across Alfa's face. "What happened love, you thought I was going to say something else?"
She looked away but could feel Alfa's eyes shooting daggers at her.
The rest of dinner went smoothly, with Pete doing most of the talking, and Alfa answered each question patiently.
After dinner, Pete bought out some beer, and both men went out onto the backyard to drink while the ladies went into the kitchen.
"Arya, you seem happy with him. I'm sorry for doubting you and him," Kimberly finally said while washing the dirty dishes.
"It's OK, aunt Kim. He is a good person, and I do really respect him for that," Arya said, as she placed the leftover food in containers to refrigerate.
"How is everyone back at the pack?"
"They're good. Everyone loves Luna Genevieve, but none even like Kane."
"Who's the beta?"
"Ronald Sinclair."
"Sinclair? After your grandfather retired, he did suggest Elvin Sinclair to be the next beta, so I guess Ronald is his son." Kimberly said, remembering the time her father stepped down from the position of beta.
He made this choice since he had no male heirs. Usually, this position would have gone to either Mark or Pete, since they were his closest relatives, but Mark died, and Pete turned out to be human.
So Kimberly's father chose his best friends son, who was just as strong as him, and way more capable.
"Bobo, I want to ask you something," Kimberly said, then paused to look at Arya.
"What is it?" Arya asked when she saw her aunt pause.
"What happened to Patricia?"
Arya looked tensed. She really didn't want to talk about that night, but she also knew that her aunt wasn't letting go. "She was killed in front of me," she finally told her aunt.
There was a stretch of silence.
"Honey, is that why you're agreeing to marry him? Because you don't want us to get killed?" Kimberly asked, now looking at Arya.
"Honestly, at first I was... I was afraid he'd come after you and my friends if I said no. But I realized that he is not the person I thought he was. I've seen the respect each of his pack members have for him and the way he understands me. He could have marked me as soon as I entered the cabin, and found him sitting there, but he gave me time." Arya went on to tell Kimberly everything that happened.
"So, Alfa, what do you like about Arya?" Pete asked, taking another gulp of his beer.
"She's strong-willed. She is naturally talented in disguising herself and she's absolutely amazing in planning escape routine," Alfa said, remembering how she outsmarted him, and without the help from Lord Caspian, he would never have found her. "She's compassionate and fierce. She'd make a perfect Luna, who wouldn't judge people, and treat everyone equally."
By now, it was close to midnight, and the men decided they had enough. As they entered, Arya's phone rang.
"Hello, Arya Hunter here!" She answered.
"Hey, it's Michael. I have one good news and one bad news. Which do I tell first?"
"Just tell me!" Arya said impatiently.
"I was able to mindlink Rodriguez, and he said he'll 'tear you to peices' if you even went close to their pack."
"Can you give me his number?"
"I don't have it. I mindlinked him."
"Michael, please..."
"No!"
"Fine, I'll tell Damion to gift you a silver bracelet and see you wear it. If you don't, I'll tell him about you. If you do, you'll die anyway," Arya threatened.
"You wouldn't."
"Try me."
"Fine, I'll message you his number," Michael gave in, scared.
Cutting the line, Arya turned and froze as three pairs of eyes stared.
"Who was that?"