I looked at my window and saw a car pulling over in front of the house entrance. I saw a guy stepped out of the car as Aiden got out of the house. They talked for a minute before the guy shifted and ran into the woods. Aiden on the other hand, slipped inside the car and drove away.
I know I’m angry with him but I can’t stop myself to feel sad whenever he’s going away.
I shrugged what I was feeling and decided to head downstairs to look for Aurea.
“Aurea!” I called. She met me at the end of the stairs instantly.
“Luna.” She said, bowling lightly.
“I want to do something fun. What can you recommend?” I said, beaming. If she’ll suggest something like going out, it will be better.
Her eyes saddened and a weak smile formed her lips. “Alpha Aiden’s order is you can’t leave the house while he’s away, Luna.”
My jaw dropped. That answered one of my questions, huh.
“I can’t believe him.” I shake my hand and bit my lower lip. I’m can’t feel any anger for him right now and it is so amusing.
“I’m sorry, Luna. But he said he’ll be back shortly.” Aurea said.
“I doubt that.” Last night, he didn’t even come home to sleep.
“If you want, I can prepare a picnic in the garden. Will you like that? Though it’ll be just you and me.”
I gave it a thought and figured I can ask Aurea some questions about Aiden. My eyes beamed with the idea so I agreed to her suggestion.
I helped her prepare some food. Just enough for the both of us. Some snacks and bread with two bottles of different flavored juice were placed on a basket together with a picnic blanket and two glasses.
“Whoa!” My mouth kept open the moment I saw the garden Aurea was talking about. It’s freaking huge!
“How come I never see this? Wow! This is so relaxing!” I said cheerfully as I sat on the blanket Aurea already laid on the small grass.
Aurea chuckled at my reaction. I scratch the back of my head when I realize I might have sounded silly. Damn girl, have you never seen a garden before?
I have! But everything here is so lively! The flowers, the greens, the butterflies! Wow!
I picked some snacks and started eating them when I saw Aurea looking at nowhere. I immediately figure out that she’s mind linking someone. And I knew who that someone is.
“You’re sending a message to Aiden?” I asked, careful not to scare her.
She gave me an embarrassed smile. “Yes, Luna. Sorry, but it was his order.”
I hummed and nodded. “What did you say to him?” I looked far and put the snacks in my mouth. What does that guy want to know anyway?
“I just told him you liked the garden.” She smiled playfully and I blushed on the thought that Aurea might tell him how naive I looked when I saw his impressive garden.
“Okay..” I whispered, no longer interested in the ‘report’ she’s sending him.
“I should tour you around some time, Luna. Alpha Aiden’s house is big. This is the ancestral home of his late parents.” Aurea said after a long silence. I zoned out without notice.
I stopped munching as she said that. Oh, I forgot I need to gain information about Aiden.
I already know that his parents died from the war with the Ravenous pack a few years back but that’s all I’m aware of.
“Can you tell me more about it? The war, I mean.” I tried doing the puppy eyes that always work with Cruz back home. Aurea chuckled.
“I don’t know the full story but I’ll tell you what I know.”
I nodded and sat properly, eager to listen to her story.
“Ten years ago, Prime pack was the second strongest pack in the North. First was the Ravenous pack, Shadow pack was third, followed by Mystic pack and then Regal.”
I never heard of that before. So my pack was the weakest in the North before? Well, we’ve ranked fourth now. But how come Ravenous pack is the last on the list if they have been the strongest?
“Alpha Aiden’s mother, Luna Tina, was born from the Ravenous pack. Her brother, Zeuracious was the Alpha when she met her mate, Alpha James.”
“Aiden’s father, right?” I corrected it. Sometimes I’m messing up the names.
“Yes, Luna.”
“Okay. And then?” I look like a kid who’s attentively listening to a bedtime story right now. Meh.
“In those times, North was too peaceful that there are no boundaries on pack lands. Wolves of the North were known to be friendly and unlike the other district, the war was almost taboo in the North.”
“Then why did Ravenous and Prime had a war?” If it’s so peaceful back then, what’s the meaning of starting a war and destroying the peace?
“It started when Alpha Zeuracious met his mate. The first in the history of the North that an Alpha was tricked by a stealer.”
I shivered when I heard the word. What? Someone like me? I got nervous hearing the story and my hands started shaking. I hide my hands so Aurea would not notice my nervousness.
One thing kept playing on my mind. How could a stealer like me start a war?
“Do you know what a stealer is, Luna?” Aurea asked when she noticed that I’m zoning out.
I blinked fast and looked at her. I don’t know if I’ll answer her with a yes or a no. I suddenly wanted to hide my abnormality from her. I’m suspicious someone will accept me in this pack now that I knew a stealer like me caused all this damage.
In the end, I shook my head. “W-What’s a stealer?” I asked, trying to make her believe I’m not aware of it.
“Stealers are rare so no one knew too much about them. Some information is gathered from experiences of the past that were passed down to generations. The last time it was taught to wolf schools are when I was young.”
My hands are sweating badly right now. I’m quite grateful that stealers are forgotten to teach at every young wolf because damn, what can happen to me if it does?
“The rest of the story about Alpha Zeuracious was private so everyone around my age just knew he was tricked. But the story was much tragic than what I only knew. It is said that he found his true mate and ended up killing the stealer.”
This story is similar to what Eric told me. But how did that seed a war when it sounds like they’ve solved the problem?
“What caused the war then?”
“The Alpha’s bloodline ended on him. I’m confused with how it happened when in fact he found his mate. I heard his Luna even got pregnant before some Rogue killed her. The pup was even born so I’m not sure how he ended up with no heir to continue his legacy. Then suddenly, news spread that he needed to step down and pass his throne to the strongest wolf by duel. Alpha Zeuracious lost the battle and new Alpha blood was born.”
“It was Alpha Raekon.” I guessed. Alpha Raekon was the late Alpha of Ravenous that Aiden’s father had a war with.
“You’re right, Luna.” Aurea nodded. “Aiden’s mother was furious when his brother was snatched away from his title. Luna Tina believed that his brother had a child with the stealer but she had no evidence to prove it.”
Aurea paused to have a drink, her throat must be dry from continuous speaking.
My mind wandered back from the past. How can Luna Tina impel that his brother had a pup with the stealer? What was the root of it? I thought the stealer died though. So what’s the origin of her theory?
“To make it short, Luna Tina pushed Alpha James to wage a war with the Ravenous pack. She wanted to drag Alpha Raekon down with what she believed was stolen title from her brother. She accused Alpha Raekon of hiring the Rogues to kill his brother’s mate to make him weak a few days before the duel.”