!

2019

~Aria

Before the cars were scheduled to pick us up, Malik took us to a quaint cafe known for their legendary hot drinks. The girls, who aren't used to the cold are immediately grateful for the warmth that envelops us, as we first walk in.

The place is almost empty, which I can tell Malik is relieved about. I'm sure he doesn't want to be noticed while we are here.

Instead, the only people are an old couple sipping from fine china, while chewing on small tea drenched biscuits. They hardly even looked up when we walked in; too engaged in the local newspaper. The group of us found a table in the corner of the cafe, to not disturb the two, while we talked.

Who knows what about, since so far I have deduced that I don't have much in common with these girls.

As soon as we sat down, a girl with a friendly smile written all over her face came to serve us. I ordered an English Breakfast tea, while everyone else settled for other, stronger drinks like coffee. Honestly, the bitter taste of it matched Mareli's personality...

However, as we started talking-Malik directing the conversation more at Averi, who he had less time to talk to-I noticed the Vengeance Pack girl, Patience, look very withdrawn and distracted. Out of the corner of my eyes, I saw her fiddle anxiously with her watch around her wrist, as if time is of the essence. Detached from the conversation, she kept glancing around, like she is waiting for someone.

I decide to pass it off, trying not to dig myself into her business.

"Aria?"

I jump, dragging my concentration back to the middle of the table. Everyone stares at me expectantly, including Malik. Clearly, I had been asked a question, but I was too busy trying to figure out what was behind Patience's lack of patience, that I didn't hear a word. I thought Mareli was too busy stealing all the attention away for them to actually notice me.

"Sorry?" I say quickly, trying to cover the wound I had inflicted on myself.

Malik smiled softly, knowing I have wandered off into another land within my mind completely. "I asked you how you got your name."

This isn't the first time I have been asked that. My teachers would gush at the answer - as would the elderly. Why my parents named me such a basic name, is because they are such patriots when it comes to our Pack, that they wanted to force it on me. As much as the meaning resides with the person I am meant to be, it sometimes makes me feel a little indecent. Especially with the mission, I'm on right now.

"It means love," I grumble. "And compassion, and nurture and...air, I think. I know, it's stupid-"

"I like it," Malik says, catching my gaze.

Had I noticed how intense his eyes are before, or am I falling into them headfirst like a brainless idiot for the first time? For a good few moment, I can't tear away. How can something be so blue, and so electrically enticing? Really, they aren't exactly what I would consider the normal blue. They are almost too bright, and too impassioned to be considered that mediocre.

Quickly, I cast my gaze down to the coffee stained table, as if I might catch some feelings from just a single look.

"Can I be excused, please?" Patience suddenly asks. I am grateful for her distraction, so Malik won't give me his full attention. Instead, we are all looking at the girl who scrapes her chair backwards, looking deathly pale. At that exact moment, our drinks arrived; the young and friendly girl placing the tray down on the table.

"Of course," Malik says, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion.

We all watch in surprise as the girl quickly ran out of the room, the door banging after her, as she emerges out into the snow, and disappears around the side of the building. Everyone exchanged wary glances, while Mareli glanced down. Did she know something about this? Her face is as pale as Patience's' was when she left.

"She probably just needed some time," Mareli tells Malik, looking out the window as if to avoid eye contact. "This is all a bit much for her."

I don't know about him, but I saw straight through the lie.

We drank our tea and tossed small talk around. Malik asked me a few questions, but I kept them short and sweet. There was no way I was ready to give him my entire life story; especially if I'm not about to stay here for any longer than a couple more days. Until I can get that damn thing off his neck.

I stare at it. He hasn't taken it off since we have been here, which leads me to believe that he isn't about to start anytime soon. Perhaps he takes it off to shower or sleep...I have no idea yet, how I am going to find that out.

"I'm just going to use the restroom," I say quickly, standing. The tea has gone straight through me, so I excuse myself and move to the women's bathroom.

As I washed my hands, I think for a moment.

We couldn't leave until Patience came back. Where she has disappeared to, I have no idea. Out of nowhere, she stood and left like she was going to be late to something. Frowning at myself, I can't help but wonder why. Why do I even care? Why does this not feel right at all?

Just as I thought that, I heard hushed whispers and something that sounded like a giggle drift through the window.

Turning the faucet off, I walk closer to the window, to listen closely. This is probably a rather nosy thing for me to do, but I can't help myself. The restroom is situated at the back of the building, so whoever I am hearing, is tucked around the back. As far as I am aware, no one is supposed to be back there, unless they are staff. These people, however, did not sound like staff...

"I know, I know," a girl whispered breathlessly. "I miss you too."

"Just leave already..." a man replied.

With that, I could hear the sound of clothes rustling, and kissing. Are people seriously getting it on behind a building, in the snow? Yuck. I got to leave, but the next words make me pause.

"I can't yet...I have to be eliminated, otherwise, my mother will kill me. I'm in this competition for a reason, and she will kill me if I quit."

Immediately, I knew how that was. Patience.

Before I could even think through my thrown together plan, I thrust open the emergency door to the bathroom, and wade outside, into the snow. Pressed against the wall, by a man I had never seen before, was Patience. The man didn't look like a Love Pack member at all, so why he is here, I have no idea.

There was no way that what I am witnessing is platonic. The man has his lips on her neck, Patience's hands wound through his dark hair. This can't be...

"What in the world!"

At my shriek, that hardly sounded like me, the girl and the guy looked up in surprise. Instantly, Patience's face dropped, as she realised the mistake she had made. I had caught her clearly cheating on Malik, and now there is no way she isn't going to be able to stay. Despite herself, she pushed the man away, wiping her mouth, before straightening clothes to look at me.

"Listen...I can explain," she says, still slightly breathless.

"This is your boyfriend, isn't it," I say, my mind whirling as I look at the man who shamelessly looks down at the snow his feet are covered in.

She sighed deeply, looking torn. And then she nodded slowly.

****

I could feel Zariah shooting confused glances at me, but I refused to answer her.

Malik had called a meeting as soon as we had got back. Patience was allowed to pack her things before a car came to take her back to the Vengeance Pack. The moment I walked in to tell Malik what happened, his face fell. Had he been expecting something like this to happen? I definitely didn't. Why would apply for this, if they had a boyfriend? It just didn't make any sense to me...

The Alpha stood on the podium, his gaze having drifted off behind us. His expression is grim, and he looks a little shaken. There is no way he saw this coming...It couldn't be more obvious.

Cecily, the former Luna stood beside him, before she stepped up to talk to us. She seems to do a lot of the talking for her son. Sometimes it makes me think that she dictates a lot of what he does, and how and the competition runs. Maybe I am just over thinking, after listening to Zariah and her wild conspiracies and proclamations about her.

It is easy for her to say these things since she hasn't grown up in this Pack.

"As you are all aware, we have had to send another competitor home, after an incident on an outing this afternoon," she said solemnly. Who knows what kind of punishment Patience might have had to endure after what she did. Hopefully, they just sent her straight home, with nothing but a simple warning.

Cecily sighs deeply. "We wanted you all to be able to make this decision for yourself, but unfortunately we are going to reiterate our rules, and make them stronger.

My heart falls. This can't be happening...Even more rules?

"While you are apart of this competition, you belong to Alpha Malik," she says carefully as if she is afraid offending some of the girls here. This information definitely isn't easy to swallow. "Therefore, you are unable to be in a relationship with any other male outside of this."

She then closes her eyes slowly. "We also do not permit speaking to any males, if you have any want to become the next Luna."

All of a sudden, this competition just became a lot more terrifying. And everyone in the room knows it.

💙••💙

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midikacrane

Midika

~Midika 💜🐼