ROWAN
“… so, the shipment will arrive latest by next week, unfailingly.”
“That’s good,” I say as I sign the documents before handing it back to our liaison with the human world. You have been most helpful.”
“It has been a pleasure working with you,” the lady says as she heads for the door, leaving at the exact moment Rina and Alden show up.
“Everything good with the shipment?” Rina asks as she settles into a seat.
“Mmm. Just some technical delays, that is all.”
“It better be. All these happenings have made me antsy lately,” she returns.
“You? Antsy? What is the world coming to?” I tease her.
“Haha. Very funny. You are hilarious,” she deadpans. “You know, just because I am an optimist doesn’t mean I don’t worry about stuff.”
“True. And speaking of worrying occurrences, what do you have?”
“We went out to the mainland, as well as sending some of the seasoned ones among us,” Alden speaks up. “There has been no talk about any failed attacks or missing wolves. It is like they are ghosts.”
“Well, we know for a fact that they are not ghosts. Maybe it was covert,” I say. “Maybe it wasn’t broadcasted so as to not raise any suspicions.”
“Maybe, but how were they able to move or transport themselves so close to us without us noticing? Without anybody from the mainland sighting them? Our contacts and spies are just as shocked as we are.”
“They should not be shocked. We offer them a lot so that things like this do not happen,” I retort.
“You think someone among their number betrayed us?” Rina asks.
“It would make sense,” Alden comments. “Maybe he or she had them distracted or had them focused on another subject…”
“While also telling the wolves the best way they can come at us, so that we will not be suspicious,” Rina finishes. “It mama’s sense.”
“It certainly does,” I agree.
“What do we do now?” Alden asks. “Should we inform them of our suspicions, have them look into it?”
“And risk the mole finding out? No,” I answer. “For now, we look into our defenses. Any weakness in them will be closed up. Also, call on more volunteers, there needs to be more patrols stationed at the outside border, at least until we can find a more suitable and permanent solution.”
“Got it.”
“Now, what about our guest, louis.
“Lisa took him round the settlement, the armory, safe houses, escape routes, even the training fields. If he has any desire to attack us, he hasn’t shown it yet,” Alden continues.
“Has he asked any questions?”
“Nothing suspicious. Just the basic ones and well some… leading questions.”
“I see. What did he think about the training field?”I continue.
“He was impressed and wondered if we were actually planning an attack. He also questioned how we got our equipment but Lisa fielded the question and said it was your jurisdiction.”
“Smart,” Rina murmurs. “He won’t be able to come up and Al’s you, at least not without being suspicious and I am sure that is the last thing he wants to be you,” she finishes with a mischievous smile.
“Why is that?” Alden asks.
“Ignore her,” I say as I pull out the folder on Louis.
“No,” he insists. “I am missing something.”
“It is nothing, Alden,” Rina says. “We, and by we, I mean I and Lisa. We think Louis is such a looker and we suggested that Rowan here goes out with him.”
“But, there are other men who are also good looking, why not go out with them?”
“Like I said, ignore her.”
“Okay.”
“Back to the subject, was he recognized? By any one in the settlement?”
“No. We had people covertly pass by him and no one has seen him.”
“That could mean anything,” Rina says. “He is either a person who has never had any reason to step out of his pack or is just a recent rogue.”
“He is not a rogue. We found him with other wolves who were most likely coming to attack us. We just need him to confess it.”
“What of-and I am saying if – but what if he is actually telling the truth and has no recollection of his past?” Alden asks. “What then?”
“Dawn said he had no blow or bruises to his head. There is no reason for him to lose his memories.”
“But what of that is what actually happened?” Rina insists as she stares me dead in the eye. “Are you going to continue suspecting him?”
I hear the unsaid question there.
Am I going to keep suspecting him because he is my mate?
If… if it is true and he has no memories, then we can let him stay and welcome him as one of us. If that is what he wants.
“That is good enough for me,” she says as she gets to her feet. “Let’s go.”
“Go where?” I ask suspiciously.
“To go see what those two are up to.”
“I don’t want to do that. I am busy.”
“You are not that busy. You have already had your most important meeting for the day, the rest are miscellaneous.”
“But-”
“But if you insist, I am sure I and Alden can take some load off you.”
“Sure, I can do that. You deserve a break anyways,” Alden adds as he heads to my desk and picks a few files before moving to the couch to begin going through them.
Annoying.
“Fine,” I say as I get to my feet. “Let’s go spy on them.”
“Not spy,” she replies as we walk out. “We are just going to see how receptive he is to our… welcome.”
“Hmph.”
We arrive at the field and see both of them lost in a chat.
It annoys me.
So, I pretend to be preoccupied by something else while Rina introduces herself.
I am doing a pretty good job of it when I hear a familiar sound.
“Mummy!”
I turn to see Jhenelle running towards me and I can’t help my eyes from moving to Louis.
He looks stunned.
Hah.
Let’s see what he thinks about that.