25

Chapter 25
Bounding through the wood, with the cool breeze from the trees rushing through his fur, alpha Jude ran to one of his favorite spots in his wolf form.
Transforming back into his human form when, he saw her figure sitting on the dock, with her feet submerged in the cool water of the lake.
He had been a little skeptical about seeing her here, but it was the best place he could think of at the time, just far from his house but close enough to Westwood for her to come.
To be honest, he had also been afraid she would not find it, but she did, as she could see.
“You are exactly ten minutes late,” Princess said without turning to look at him, throwing a pebble into the calm water and watching the ripples that it expelled.
“Sorry, something held me for a bit.” Alpha Jude said, folding the legs of his trousers and walking to her.
“It’s fine.” She muttered, throwing another pebble into the lake and watching the waves that rippled from it.
“I was scared you would not find it so easily.” Alpha Jude confessed.
“As you can see, I am here.” The princess said, gesturing with her hands. “It really is beautiful here, how did you find it,” she asked curiously.
“Yes, it is, very beautiful.” Alpha Jude answered, lowering himself onto the edge of the dock beside her, gasping as his feet dipped into the icy cold water of the lake.
“Was out hunting one day and stumbled upon it. It became my little happy spot, and my secret,” he said.
“Or so, I hope.” He added when he remembered the possibility of someone else knowing this place.
“So, you wanted to talk to me about?” The princess asked, breaking the silence that had befallen them.
“You know what about, princess, getting the people we love back.” He said, turning to gaze at her.
“You want alpha Damon, and I want my dear Ava back, I want things to go back to how they were before him.”
“And for you to get Ava back you have to get alpha Damon out of the way, which h is why I am involved and very much have a big part in all these, yes?” The Princess asked with a smirk.
“Something along the lines.” Alpha Jude said, not wanting to confess to that just yet.
“What is the plan?” The princess asked, turning to look at him.
“There isn’t a solid plan yet, but I have something to tell you about Ava, something to give you some sort of motivation to be as invested in this as I am.” Alpha Jude said, giving her a mischievous smile.
The princess stared at him, trying to decipher what it could be he wanted to tell her that would spark her interest more than it already was.
“Okay, shoot,” she said with a smile, turning and angling until she was facing him, her chin propped on her palm that rested on her knee.
“So, from what I have gathered, you have been best friends with Aloha Damon for well over ten years now?” He asked.
“Yes,” Princess said hesitantly, wondering where he was getting with this.
Alpha Jude could not hide the smirk that spread on his lips when he heard that, he had thought about it long and hard, if he wanted the princess to be a hundred percent In on this, he had to give her a more valid reason to be.
A reason apart from that which she had, and he had racked his brain until he had just the solution for that tiny problem, all he needed was confirmation.
“And you both went to the same high school?” He asked again, this bit was the one he needed to be sure the most of.
“Yes, why the questions?” The Princess asked, visibly showing signs of frustration.
“I’ll tell you.” Aloha, Jude said, adjusting until he too was facing g her, he wanted to look into her eyes when he told her this.
“Ava is Mitchell Smith of West Wood.” Aloha, Jude said in one breath, he needed to be certain she heard him correctly.
“Who is Mitchell?” She asked, confused at first.
Alpha Jude let out a sigh before he gave her a stare that said really?
“Mitchell Smith, alpha Damon’s then beta, The same girl alpha Damon bullied humiliated in high school.” Alpha Jude said.
He smiled as he watched the princess’s eyes grow wide as saucers as she realized what he meant and who he was talking about.
“There is no way that is her,” she said in disbelief.
“I know it must be difficult to believe, considering how much she has grown and the confidence she exudes now compared to the Mitchell you were used to seeing, I’m high school.” Alpha, Jude chipped in again.
“How did she end up here?” Princess asked.
She could not believe her ears and eyes, the Mitchell she knew was nowhere near that woman called Ava that alpha Damon was dying over.
She also wonders if alpha Damon knew who this woman really was, if was he still going to be with her if he knew who she really was.
He hated her so much in high school, maybe if she told him who she really was he would see her differently, the princess thought.
“Princess?” Alpha Jude called, dragging her out of her train of thought.
“Yes?” She answered, shaking herself out of her thoughts.
“You zoned out.” Alpha Jude pointed out.
“Yeah, sorry.” Princess said, “It is just so difficult to merge Mitchell and Ava as the same person when they exude very different aura and personalities.” She added.
“Ten years ago, Ava denounced West Wood Pack and accepted Mist Wood, our parents were very good friends.” Alpha Jude began, he knew that he had to tell her the behind story so she understood well.
“She was betrothed to me, I’m in return for the favor, we fell in love instantly.” He said, snapping his fingers for emphasis.
“And now, ten years later, she is very much willing to run into the arms of the same man who had hurt her, the same man who had taken her away from her family.” He said angrily.
“Do you think alpha Damon knows?” Princess asked.
“I do not think so,” Alpha Jude said he doubted that he knew, alpha Damon hated her so much in the past, he would not be here if he had the slightest idea or knew who she was.
“You Know, we always wondered d what had happened to her when all of a sudden she was nowhere to be found or seen, thought she fell off the face of the Earth or something.” The princess said snidely.
“Well, she has been here the whole time, and she really took advantage of her stay here, she is one of the best fighters that most good have got at the moment.” Alpha, Jude said proudly.
“She even dares to stand up against me in a fight sometimes, that’s how good she is.” He added.
“Okay,” Princess said with a small smile and a thoughtful nod.
“Have a plan yet?” Alpha Jude asked.
“Not really, but I know what to do to help make this quicker for us.” She said, glancing at him.
“I should be on my way, it’s almost sunset, and I have a meeting with some elders from the park soon.” alpha Jude said, as he stood up.
“Okay, I’ll send a message if I have to, or meet you here when necessary.” She said as she listened to his retreating footsteps.
“Goodbye, princess.” Alpha Jude called as he quickly transformed and dashed into the woods.
Sighing, Princess let the fresh air fill her lungs in a long inhaled, exhaling slowly to calm her pounding head and heart.
Confront alpha Damon on the topic and expose Ava’s real identity, now that she knew so much about her and her past, Princess felt she had the upper hand.
Standing up, she slipped her dress off her shoulders and lowered her body into the cold, freezing water.
Gasping at how unexpectedly cold the water was, she waded in it slowly back and forth. Smiling at how satisfying it was.
Stepping out of the water after a few minutes of enjoying the coldness seeping into her skin, she got dressed and found her way back home
At West Wood, she waited patiently for alpha Damon, all the while thinking of how to bring it up to him that this want whom he seemed to be in love with was, in fact, the sales girl he had bullied all through high school.
Walking into her room, she waited for dinner time, it would be the perfect time to bring it up and watch the shock and hate that would spread on his face at the realization.