Aryn

“You totally held unto my hand,” Yil laughed, slumping against the car seat. “And I’m quite surprised that I haven’t gone deaf with all that screaming,” she added, holding her belly as the laughter continued to rack her form.

“Did you see his face when he got down? I legit thought he was going to pass out,” Dina corroborated Yil’s recount of events and I never felt as relieved as I did when I saw the pack house come into view at that moment.

I had endured an hour of their relentless teasing and story elaborations. For one, I certainly didn’t scream like a pubescent male and secondly, Yil held unto me not the other way around. 

“I’m quite happy to have given you two some kind of comic relief,” I feigned a sweet smile and parked the car. “But now that we are home, I’ll go and immerse myself into my duties. At least the documents won’t laugh at me,” I added, getting out of the car with Dinas’ gigantic plush teddy bears, which I had won by dunking this unfortunate park employee.

“Aaah come on Aryn it was just a joke,” Yil smiled, getting out as well with Dina.

“Yeah don’t take it to heart, Alpha,” Dina giggled, coming to hug me. “Thank you so much. I really appreciated the outing despite my initial sour mood,” 

I pecked her on the head and ruffled her hair. “Happy sixteenth birthday kiddo,” 

We all walked towards the door with Dina in front while Yil and I stayed a few paces behind her. As she opened the door, confetti poppers were set off and all at once, everyone gave into an excited shout. “Surprise!!”

Dina clasped her hand on her mouth in awe at the unexpectedness and staring at the fantastical themed designs, she broke down in tears. “You guys still went all out despite my crankiness,”

“We’ve been planning this for weeks now, so no amount of mood swings was going to spoil this day,” Lloyd enveloped her in a warm hug and helped to clean her tears. “You need to change now and so do you Yil,” she added, ushering both of them up the stairs. 

"But remember I don't have an outfit," I heard Yil reply.

"Well about that.." Lloyd started but my grasp on their conversation was cut off by a peculiar scent that ensnared my attention. 

Looking in the direction of its invisible allure, I caught sight of the dark-haired beauty wrestling a package of clothing onto her shoulders. Her amber coloured eyes were lined with bands of gold and the placement of her delicate features commanded attention.

"That's the human, Mirabel," Roy whispered, next to me. I had not felt his presence when he approached me and thus sent a fleeting look towards him in acknowledgement.

"That's no human," I argued, staring intently at her. "But she's no werewolf either," 

"What do you mean by that?" He furrowed his eyebrows and stared at her as well.

"Can't you scent her?" I asked confused and he replied with a dissident nod.

"Hey Mirabel there you are! Come up this way," Lloyd directed from the top of the stairs.

"Sorry I got lost in the throng of people," she answered in an airy tone and climbing up, she looked momentarily in our direction and smiled politely. Roy returned the gesture but I continued to stare, unblinking. 

There was something about her that unnerved me.

"I don't know what you are talking about Alpha but she doesn't have a scent and she's definitely human," Roy turned to me convinced.

I couldn't understand why I was the only one that scented her. It wasn't a potent fragrance that could be easily detected but it was there nonetheless. Furthermore, it was like none that I'd ever scented. The unknown essence that encompassed her being didn't necessarily give off an evil aurora. However, precisely for the fact that I couldn't place my hand on what she was exactly, fuelled my need to have her off my premises. 

"I want your eyes on her at all times and once she's done with assisting Yil, I want her off pack lands. Am I understood?" I ordered. 

At first he was debating on whether to question my intuition or not but sensing the severity in my tone, he nodded firmly and heightened his senses. Firmly believing that I wouldn't be on edge if I hadn't sensed some sort of danger.

"This day is indeed a day worthy of celebration," Leto praised from behind me as Roy climbed up after Mirabel. "The first regressing lycanthrope to live up to sixteen. Who would have thought," he mused, sipping on his champagne.

Remember when I had said that Dinas' birthday party was a pack affair? Yeah, I literally meant the whole werewolf pack in the US region since we were all experiencing the same bizarre phenomenon. Which meant I'd have to endure being in the same room as the other four Alphas' for at least an hour.

"Well the Vanquez gene has always been one of a kind," I threw in a smart retort just as I snacthed up a tropical mix from a moving tray.

"Of course," he laughed, pocketing one hand into his suit pants. His attire was Dracula themed to fit the aesthetic of the whimsical set party and his fangs were slightly bared to further embody the look. "Congratulations again on your win against the Night Prowlers. I didn't think you'd be able to wipe out the whole clan or beat Blade. However, the scars do reiterate the tale of your struggle," he mused, hiding his smirk behind a raised glass.

"Someone had to do it despite the battle scars," I replied, calmly, knowing that his greeting was anything but sincere. "Especially, seeing as you all are dogs without bites," I shrugged as the smirk fell off his face. "I mean you must have let them live that long either because you were waiting on your saviour, me, since you're weak," I theorised, enjoying the grimace that fought to overshadow the dwindling smile on his face. "Or because you made a deal with them?" I stared at him in the eye and quirked an eyebrow.

"That's ridiculous," he waved off, laughing. "Why would I make a deal with scumbags?" He huffed, rolling his eyes.

"Aww come on. It's pretty obvious why," I chuckled, leading him on to my well crafted trap. I just needed him to slip up slightly and that would be the end of him and the other Alpha's. 

"I really don't know what perceptions you harbour with regards to my intentions or capabilities but that's your problem not mine," he evaded the trap and shifted his weight. "Infact, we have diverted greatly from the topic I came here to discuss and that would be with regards to finding the white-wolves,"

"What about them?" I snapped, quite annoyed that he hadn't fallen for my trap and that I was being reminded of the fact that the white-wolves were not only needed by me but by the other Alpha's as well.

"Finding them has become a long and arduous process that no one seems to know the head or tails of," he continued, regardless, unbothered by my attitude. "I suspect the power box to be a counterfeit as well based on its incompatibility with most of the technology," he added, taking in his surroundings.

What else was new? 

"Such hurdles are expected. The device is one of the oldest technologies anyway," I droned, quite tired of the direction the conversation was going.

Fortunately, Fred's interruption saved me from having to excuse myself rudely. 

"Alpha can I have a word?" He asked, bowing curtly towards Leto.

"We can always talk about this during our next meeting. I'll be off now to enjoy the festivities. Do continue," Leto excused himself, beating me to it with a raise of his glass.

"He's catching on to our web of spun deceit and that's bound to cause trouble," I muttered, low enough for Fred's hearing.

"I gathered that much from eavesdropping on the other three Alpha's conversation," he replied with a discreet nod in their direction. 

At the moment they had dispersed from their previously huddled up form to mingle with other pack members. I couldn't care less. Today wasn't about them.

"He came with her again," I commented on the fact that Orson had bought his sex-slave, Valerie.

This time she was dressed much more decently in a form fitting gold evening gown that accentuated her womanly curves. A single heart-shaped silver locket adorned her neck and a lace masquerade mask hid her facial features.

They both glided, effortlessly on the dance floor. Moving in time to the beat and each other's steps. Their closeness was one of sacred affection, creating an exclusive bubble that engulfed them in its fiery orb.

"It's not uncommon for werewolves to be paired with human beings. However, the ongoing animosity between the two species sees that werewolves who are mated with humans would usually go to extreme lengths to hide that fact. More so if the wolf is an Alpha for a human mate is a weakness that can't be condoned," he explained. "So they either reject the mate bond then kill them off or take them as sex slaves. I believe our foe here has done just that," he speculated, grinning at the fact that he had eventually cracked the puzzle.

"What makes you think that they are mates?" I questioned just for added measure. I needed to be a hundred percent sure of this before I put my plan in action.

"Really Alpha? You want to tell me you don't know mates when you see them?" He quirked an eyebrow and huffed. I mean he did have a point and I had always sensed that there was more to them than meets the eye. "For example Dina is certainly not mates with that airhead, Joel has just found his better half, thank God and…" My repressed growl cut him off and he looked back at me in alarm. "What?"

"Some wolves just don't give up," I hissed, furious at the closeness between Cree and Dina who were currently engaged in high spirited dance.

"Ahm why don't you just let her have her dance, huh?" Fred suggested, placing a hand on my chest to stop me from ripping him off her. "Just look at her, she's having fun,"

True to word, a bright smile lined her pristine features as she swished about in her pink frilly get-up. Not far from her, were Lloyd and Yil, engaged in disoriented dancing. They bumped into each other, constantly, and gave into a fit of giggles at their haphazardness.

I moved, compelled, towards her allure. She was a wonder in her midnight blue dress and amethyst drop earrings that I had got for her as a gift. 

"Can I have the next dance?" I rumbled behind her and caught the soft gasp that escaped her lips at my closeness.

"I thought you'd never ask," she laughed, turning to me. 

I led her to the middle of the dance floor as the musics' tempo slowed down to something much more classical. 

"Sorry if I step on your toes a few times before I get the hang of it, okay," she apologized in advance and I chuckled. "Zena and Kiba are much more skilled at this than I am. She'd have really enjoyed this if she were here," she mused, no doubt missing her best friend. The bond between them was so formidable that I felt guilty for being happy when I heard that she had portalled back. 

The she-wolf was just as protective of Yil as Kiba. I could deal with one protective shield and not two.

"Speaking of which, where's Kiba? Did he portal back as well?"

"Very funny," she droned, rolling her eyes at my barely repressed smile. "He's at the astronomical building with Star. He has been really interested in the art of science ever since he walked in there," she laughed, fondly at her bodyguards interest.

"She's meant to be here as well," I mumbled referring to Star's absence at the party. If I didn't know her, I'd say she had been avoiding me ever since we got back from North Dakota.

"Oh she was here. Kiba as well. They just left much earlier. Didn't you see her?" She asked, hearing my silent musing.

"No I didn't," 

It wasn't surprising that I hadn't seen her, I had been occupied with Leto and Fred. But then why had she gone back to work and at this time?

The music stopped after a while but Yil and I continued dancing for a couple of minutes to different types of tunes. By the time we gathered together to sing Dina a happy birthday, the Alpha's had finally made their exit and so it was solely a Black Moon pack celebration. With the lights dimmed, Dina blew out her candles and we all erupted in cheers and ululation. 

She had made it to year sixteen and I couldn't have been happier. However, looking at her joyous expression, I couldn't help the dread that shrouded my consciousness. Yes, she had made it to age sixteen but what was the guarantee that she'd live up to another year.

Yil was my only hope and taking her palm in my own, I made a decision. It was time to tell her, in detail, why I needed a white-wolf in the first place. I couldn't stand by and watch more pack members die, the matter was one of urgency and I only hoped that she would agree to help me.

The festivity was over now and with that came the mess that littered the pack house. Obviously, Roy couldn't be found, Fred as well even Lloyd had disappeared leaving me and a few pack members behind. And lest I forget a note that read:

We were in charge of setting up the whole jamboree so the least everyone else can do for us is to clear up the mess.

Signed: The party organisers.

I was certain Roy was behind this but they'd wait and see as I penned my own heartfelt letter containing their punishment and signed by the party funder.

"They've got a point there," Yil chuckled, peering at the letter as she walked to the large dustbin bag and dumped a pile of rubbish into it.

"You'll soil your gown. Let the pack members take care of it," I persuaded for the umpeeth time.

"Aryn it wouldn't kill you to get your hands dirty and help out, you know," she laughed, placing her hands on her hips. "And don't give me the Alpha excuse. True leaders serve. It's called humility," she drawled, picking up the vacuum.

"I don't see how humility relates to cleaning up," I replied, cheekily. "And there are clear cut roles for each and everyone. I happen to be top on the food chain meaning I don't have to clean up," I picked up a broom and moved it back and forth, absentmindedly. Accidentally tipping a tall arrangement of tin cans which toppled to the floor, noisily.

"You know what, you're right. They are clear cut roles for everyone and cleaning duties is definitely not one of your strengths," she guffawed, evading my grasp when I reached out for her. 

"You better keep running because when I catch you, I'm tickling you till you beg me to stop," I growled, lightly, moving towards her but again she bent down under my arms and ran towards the kitchen island, her laughter following behind her.

"Stay still," I chuckled, moving to one side of the table just as she moved to the opposite side.

"Nu-uh," she stuck out a tongue and wiggled her fingers above her head. "Give up now sucker," she taunted, mimicking a video game character we had played. 

Yeah, yeah this past few weeks I had done a lot of things outside of my comfort zone.

"Never," I roared. Circling the table just as she mirrored my actions. This went on for a few seconds with raucous laughter before she abruptly stopped by the kitchen window and stared out.

"Got you darling," I rumbled, enveloping her in a hug but she remained unresponsive. "What's up?" I asked but I didn't receive a reply. Instead I heard Dinas' voice. 

She was wrapped snugly in a bathroom robe to keep warm, staring fixedly at someone. "Mate," she whispered.

I was quite elated that she was able to sense her mate seeing as she was a regressing lycanthrope but looking at the partially hidden figure in the shadows, I frowned. Kiba stood motionless and unsurprised by the news, as if he had known all along.

I looked back at Yil and found her staring at me already. The confusion in my eyes were reflected in hers and looking back at them we wondered what exactly the Sky Lordians were playing at.
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