Chapter 22: 22: Engagement of Fate

ARIEL

I ride my bike toward the border to meet with Dom and Helena as they return from their honeymoon.

It’s been a week since Alex and I last spoke. He’s being an idiot but refuses to listen to me.

I can only hope that having his beta back will help knock some sense into him.

I’ve been assigned security detail for some party Maria is hosting tonight so I got pushed to morning patrol for the day.

I gladly took it knowing that I’d be escorting my friends back into the pack.

I’ve started feeling like I have no one left. While Steve and Louisa have been nothing but loving, I miss the feeling of just having a friend my age around.

As I reach the border, I immediately smell a rogue. I stop my bike and turn off the ignition.

Dom and Helena aren’t due back for another half hour and I’m the first of my squad here.

It’s only one rogue I scent, so I cautiously swing my leg over my bike and walk in the direction of the smell to investigate.

I throw off my leather jacket and unlace my boots in case I need to shift.

As I come near a clearing, I hear a female voice. One so obnoxious that it has the power to claw its way under my skin.

~Lola?~

Stealthily, I step closer to hear the conversation. I hear a male voice as well, one that’s unfamiliar.

“You need to be careful,” I hear Lola say in a hushed voice. “I have him right where I want him, but there are eyes everywhere. Something big is happening tonight, so just keep your distance.”

~Something big…~

Selene’s words cascade like a waterfall back into my mind.

~Protect Alex.~

I run back to my bike and get on, not caring if they hear my engine rev. I’ll be going too fast for anyone to catch up anyway.

I pass the members of my squad on their way out to meet Dom and Helena.

“Ariel, you’re going the wrong way!” Steve shouts as I zoom by.

I don’t have time to waste explaining. I have to get to Alex. I have to warn him.

***

“Alex!” I burst through his bedroom door to find him pulling on his shirt, giving me a glimpse of his sextacular body—but I can’t let it distract me.

“Goddess, Ariel!” he says. “Knock, will you!?”

“Alex, Lola’s planning something,” I blurt out. “I heard her talking to someone at the border.”

“Why the hell would she be at the border? She knows how dangerous it is—” he begins.

“EXACTLY!” I interrupt him. “That’s what I’m trying to tell you! She knows she’s not in danger because she has something to do with the rogues.”

“Ariel, that’s enough! I know you don’t like her, but—”

“Will you shut up and just listen to me?!” I yell. “She’s planning something! I don’t know what, but I think you’re in danger. Something is happening. Tonight!”

“We’re more secure than we’ve ever been.” Alex brushes past me toward the hallway. I follow him.

“Not if we’ve been infiltrated from the inside! Lola is—”

“Stop!” Alex booms. “You’re acting crazy! Lola is a good person and she’s done nothing but show appreciation to my parents and me. I won’t allow you to keep speaking of her like this.”

“I’m not making this up!” I yell, not caring who hears me.

“Ariel,”—he stares me down—“I have been a friend to you and I would like to keep that friendship intact. But we both know that…something happened when those hunters had you.”

I can’t believe he’s going there. A lump forms in my throat and I fight back tears as he continues to speak.

“There have been incidents in the past where you’ve behaved erratically, and I don’t blame you for what they did, but you need to start taking responsibility for these outbursts.”

“No matter how you feel about Lola,” he goes on, “you need to remember that you’re talking about a member of the Royal Pack.

“Conspiring against someone of such a station is considered treason, Ariel.

“I need you to stop now before you say something you can’t take back.”

“I…”

He thinks I’m either lying out of jealousy or crazy from what the hunters did to me, and I honestly don’t know which is worse.

There’s nothing left to say here. I just nod my head and walk away.

***

After being reprimanded by General Dave for failure to report for escort duty, I stand outside Maria’s party ready to perform security.

A small string ensemble plays on a stage in a courtyard surrounded by hedges.

At the very least, I can do my best to keep watch, making sure I can snuff out whatever big event Lola has planned.

My wolf paces in the back of my mind ready to pounce.

“Ariel.” I hear Helena’s sweet voice. I turn and she pulls me in for a hug. “It’s so good to see you!”

I hug her back and stifle a sob. I’d forgotten how good it felt to have someone on my side.

“Listen,” I say as I pull back. “Keep Dom close tonight, okay?”

“Is something wrong?” A flash of concern crosses her face.

“I’m not sure,” I say. “I don’t want to worry you, but I’ve got a bad feeling. Just stay close to Dom, and if there’s any trouble, promise me you’ll just grab him and get out of here, okay?”

“Ariel, you’re scaring me,” she says.

~Please don’t think I’m crazy. Please don’t think I’m crazy.~

“What do you think it is?” Helena asks. “Like, something with the rogues?”

“Maybe,” I say. “Alex doesn’t believe me.”

“Alex seems a little…distracted,” Helena says, tilting her head toward Lola. “Has she been here since the ceremony?”

I simply nod.

“Oh, Ari, I’m sorry—” Helena begins.

“Don’t worry about me,” I say. “Really, I’m not trying to stir up anything, but—”

“I don’t trust her,” Helena blurts out.

~Thank the Goddess!~

“You—really?!” I almost can’t believe what I just heard her say, partially because I’ve gotten so used to not being believed, but also because Helena likes ~everyone~!

“Something just feels off, kind of fake, and I don’t just mean that in a petty bitch sort of way.”

I could kiss Helena right now. I thought I’d be going crazy on my own, but she sees it. Why can’t Alex?

“I can’t prove anything,” I finally say in a hushed tone, “and I don’t know exactly what it is, but she’s up to something, and I think she’s using Alex to get it.”

“Ari!” Dom butts in and gives me a bear hug. When he finally frees me, he looks to Helena. “Did you ask her yet?”

“Ask me what?” I look back and forth between the two.

“Well, with all of the rogue activity, Helena and I have been talking about the safest way to go about things now that I’m back on beta business,” he says, looking at me.

“She’s going to be taking on a lot of new responsibilities,” he continues, “which involve her being in the public eye—”

“And I told Dom I didn’t want a personal guard,” Helena interrupts. “It would just be too weird.”

“But then we came to a compromise,” Dom goes on. “If we could convince a ~friend~ who’s also a pack warrior to just, ya know, hang out with her and keep an eye on things when she leaves the palace…”

They both look right at me.

“Are you two asking me to be Helena’s royal guard?”

“Yes,” Helena says, smiling. “If you’d like the position, of course.”

“I would be honored,” I say, smiling back.

“Great!” Dom puts his arm around Helena. “I’ll talk to Dave about it tomorrow and get you reassigned.”

Other couples and groups were making their way into the courtyard, and it was time for me to start inspecting bags.

“We’ll let you get back to work,” Dom says. “Thank you for this, Ari. It means a lot. Really.” He smiles as they walk into the party.

***

It’s been hours at this point, and there’s no sign of any rogue activity. No one even scents anything at the borders.

It feels quiet.

Maybe too quiet.

I hear applause inside the courtyard and peek around the hedges to see Alex taking a spot on the small stage in front of the musicians.

“Ladies and Gentlemen,” Alex says with a somewhat disconnected tone, “I want to thank you for attending this evening. I would like to welcome our beta prince and princess back to the pack.”

I hear more applause as Dom and Helena wave to the crowd.

“And now that I have my beta back here with me, I would like to take this opportunity to introduce a new addition to our pack.” He puts out his hand. “Lola, will you join me, please?”

My breath catches in my throat as Lola glides up to the stage as if she were born to be in front of a crowd.

Alex smiles, but the smile doesn’t reach his eyes. There’s something hollow behind it.

Helena turns and meets my eyes with hers.

~Is that pity in her expression? No, just friendship.~

“Lola,” Alex says, “having you here has been a joy.”

Helena rolls her eyes, and I just barely stifle a giggle. I like this side of Helena.

“You carry yourself with poise, modesty, and devotion,” Alex continues.

~What is he…~

“So, Lola,” Alex pulls out a necklace with the largest moonstone I’ve ever seen.

~Alex…don’t…~

“I ask you here, in front of the Royal Pack…”

~No, no, no!~

“Will you be my mate and luna?”

Everything becomes a blur.

Helena and Dom both share a shocked glance, then their eyes dart in my direction.

I think I’m going to be sick.

I wander out of the courtyard and take a seat on the grass behind the hedges.

Thunderous applause erupts at what I can only assume was Lola’s ‘yes.’

My heart feels like it’s been squeezed to death. I suddenly can’t breathe in my clothing. I pull off my leather jacket and stumble toward the forest.

I need to shift. I need to go for a run. I need to be anywhere but here.