Hidden Lake’s secret

Chapter Eight.

Chapter Eight.

Aria

“We have no way to tell anyone in this pack that we’re here. We cant mind link our mates. No-one knows us. We don't even know where we’re going. We could be going in circles. This is so aggravating…” I grumbled out loud. But it honestly doesn't matter, because everything in me needed to know that Garret was ok. Snow whimpered. She’s annoyed that I wont shift to let her get us there quicker, but she understands my hesitation.

“Well what else were we supposed to do?” Cassidy asks. She knows that I wasn’t really looking for a response, and I can tell that she’s as tense as I am. There’s a moment of silence before she speaks again. “Sky wont stop bitching at me for leaving Ethan when the alarms first sounded.” She say quietly. “She says we abandoned our mates.” She sighs. She never wallows in self pity for long, though. Sure enough she was straightened up her posture and give me a comforting smile. “Buuuut, I know they’ll be fine.” She says convincingly. “They are way to strong to go down that easily. We took down two of the rogues, and I’m sure you noticed how weak they were.”

I sigh and nod my head. I know she’s right. I’m just really antsy right now. Luckily Cass has mastered the art of positivity. She can almost always find the gold lining in the darkest of situations. These days I’m realizing just how much of a front she puts up, but it’s not place to point it out. She always comes to talk to me when she’s ready. For now, I appreciate the effort she's putting in to try to calm my anxiety.

“I’m sure you’re right, but none of that is enough to convince Snow. She’s not happy with me right now either.”

We both know that those rogues weren’t strong enough to take on an Alpha. But logic just isn't cutting it for Snow right now. She wants physical proof that her mate is unharmed. “This sucks.” I say plainly when we head a twig snap.

Cassidy and I jump right into defensive positions, We’ve got to be pretty deep into their territory by now. I feel like we’ve been sneaking through the woods for hours now. I sincerely doubt that any rogues that may have made it this far in would still be alive. I mind link Cass to remind her that these wolves may not our enemies, they could be Garrets pack members. We need to try to resolve whatever is about to happen as peacefully as possible. She gives me a nod in response, and we wait to see who or what comes out.

Not a second later a rather large dark brown wolf leaps out from the trees and lands in front of us with a snarl, snapping it’s jaws at us. I can see Cass go rigid beside me. Snow is fighting me for control, and I’d bet money that sky is giving Cassidy a hard time, too. As I struggle to keep my wolf at bay, I put my hands up in a peaceful attempt to make the unknown wolf aware that we’re not a threat. He stops growling and suddenly shifts back. Standing in front of us is a very naked man that I’ve seen recently, and I avert my eyes quickly. I can’t put a name to his face, but whoever he is, he’s grinning like a goofball at us,

“JAX!” We hear a voice coming from where the wolf just jumped out of. A girl I couldn’t possibly forget, even if I tried, walks out of the trees and gasps. “Aria! Cassidy! Thank Goddess you two are ok!” She shrieks and runs towards us. “Jax! What are you doing just standing there?” She criticizes him like he was a child. “Get some clothes on the sexy ass and link Alpha that we found his and the Beta’s mates!” She pulls Cass and I into a tight hug.

I’m impressed, I though to myself. Sarah was throwing out commands like it was the most natural thing for her. I would've never seen that coming. I mean, she had said that she could be our ‘go-to girl’, but she seemed like such a ditz. I guess I judged her unfairly. I’ll have to thank her for this and try to get to know her a little better once we get our current situation take care of.

Jax smiles at her, clearly unfazed by her demands. “I was literally just about to do that, babe.” He pouts at her playfully. “You never give me a chance to do the important stuff.” She chuckles, then throws a book bag at him and he goes back into the denser part of the woods to change.

Now that Jax has walked away, Cass and I can take a look at our current surroundings. You can see some kind of development through some of the thinner trees. Have we really made it all the way to their pack house? I guess we made it. Cass looks at me and grins. “See, I told you everything was gonna be okay.”

Sarah is still rambling on “I don't know what we would've done if we hadn’t found you! Alpha Garret even called your father at but was told that you went to look for him. So when you never showed up, he panicked. He sent out quite the search party and no-one could find you.” She informed us. I don't know why, but I wasn't expecting that kind of reaction. I kind of thought he’d be mad that we didn't stay put like most of the other she-wolves. Snow is purring incessantly in my head. She is thrilled to hear how worried our mate was for us.

Jax come back out from behind the trees fully clothed. “Alright, the Alpha and Beta are aware that we’ve located you. We’re being directed to bring you to the pack house, immediately.” He motions us to get moving. “Please hustle. Alpha is not very patient these days.” He looks at me out of the corner of his eye. I raise my eyebrow back at him. -“Is he trying to imply that I’m the reason that Garret is losing his self restraint?” I ask Snow. I’m not going to be blamed for a grown man who cant control his emotions. She tells me to stop being ridiculous, and to appreciate that our mate has gone through the trouble of ensuring our safety. I try to take her advice, but I’m still annoyed.

Cass must be able to sense my mood, because she grabs my hand and give it a reassuring squeeze. Her touch instantly calms me down. She's always been able to do that to me. Our connection is so strong. I cant imagine going through this life without her by my side every day. My heart aches. I know that I’ll have to leave her soon. I shake my head to clear my mind. This isn't the time to get emotional.

The closer we get to Blue Lake’s pack house, the more anxious I feel. Does Garret think he’s going to lecture me? The way Jax spoke ealrier, it sounded like maybe he was mad, after all. I refuse to be talked down to because I protected my mother and pack. I did what the daughter of an Alpha should do, and I will not apologize for it. I’m not a helpless maiden that needs a big bad man to save her. “You’re being absurd.” Snow ridicules me, and for once I’m thinking she might be right. I take a breath and try to distract myself with the scenery.

Soon we reach a clearing and I take in the view. Their house seems very inviting, and nothing like I imagined. It’s a little smaller than I expected, but it has an older victorian feel to it with a perfectly manicured lawn. I don't know why I assumed it would be overrun with weeds, and unmaintained. Snow scoffs at me and I laugh. Well they're supposed to be the toughest pack around. I guess even bad ass wolves can run lawn mower. I let out another snicker and Cast looks at me like I’m losing it. -“I’ll tell you later.” I mind link her.

“Whatever you say.” She replies nonchalantly.

Before I could even think another word, I’m being lifted off the ground and squeezed so tight I thought my chest would burst. The smell of a forest after rain invades my senses. I immediately realize that Garret has latched onto me. I squirm in his grasp, and he opens his mouth to speak. Here we go, I think to myself. Bring on the lectures about how a girl like me shouldn't be out all alone.

“Aria.” He whispers before he buries his face in my hair. “I was so worried when Alpha Mark said you weren't there and that you went looking for me. I thought something had happened to you when hours went by and you never came. I didn't know what I would do if something happened to you because of me.” He chokes out and his honesty shocks me again. Everything this man does astonishes me. “Uhm…I’m sorry?” I shrug, “My wolf just needed to make sure you were safe.”

Garret loosened up his grasp on me and stares deep into my eyes. I want nothing more in this moment, than to melt into his deep chocolate pools. Goddess, he’s just so damn sexy. He moves in close and I can feel his nose brush my cheek. “Just your wolf?” He seductively purrs in my ear. The question sends shivers down my spine.

Before I could respond to him, I see a form move in a second floor window, Trying to focus, I see the figure is a man, who happens to look a lot like Garret. As soon as I made eye contact with the man, his face paled like he saw a ghost. He turned away quickly and moved out of view. Curious, I asked “Garret, do you have a brother or something?” He paused, taken aback by the random question. “Um, no. I’m an only child, actually. Why do you ask?” he finally answers.

“Oh. No reason. we have to learn about eachother, somehow, right?” I reply with my best forced smile. Who was that man, and what kind of reaction was that? I thought to myself. Why did he look at me that way?

-“Why not just tell Mate? He will know.” Snow insists. She doesn't like that I’m not being forward with Garret. I’m not really lying or anything. It’s really not anything serious, and it’s likely that I’m overthinking the whole thing, I think to myself, persuasively.

Garret raises one eyebrow at me. “Okaaay, sure.” He sounds very unconvinced. “Well, anyway, why don't we all go inside?” I look up and realize that Cassidy and Ethan have dissappered and Jax was locking lips with Sarah. He broke the kiss and saluted Garret. “Aye, aye, Captain!” He states before stepping onto the porch, pulling Sarah to him. “We’re gonna do just that and, uh, we’ll be probably be eating late, so don't wait up.” He wiggles his eyebrows up and down, to get his point across. Sarah giggles and waves bye, before disappearing into the house after him.

Garret wraps his arms around my waste. “Would you also like to go in?” He asks me. It suddenly occurs to me that we’re alone and I don't know what to do. “Ye..yeah.” My voice cracks, and I clear my throat . “Yes.” I say more confidently. “I’d like to see your pack house.” Then, as though the Moon Goddess herself has cursed me to die of embarrassment, my stomach gurgled load enough that I’m sure his whole pack heard.

I felt the heat rush to my cheeks. Why me? I groan internally and refuse to make eye contact with him. After a couple seconds, that feel like eternity, I can feel him shaking against me. I peek a quick glance up at him, and gasp when I see him. His face is turning red and he's clearly trying to contain his laughter. I roll my eyes “Go ahead, laugh.” I muttered. He let out a small grunt, and tried to regulate his breathing. “I don't know..” He’s clearly struggling to get the words out. “I don’t know what you're talking about.” He gets out, but then loses his composure and erupts into a fit of laughter. I cant help but grin at him. His laugh is addictive and I could listen to it all day. He takes a couple more big breaths, “Ok, I’m good. I’m sorry. I tried…” He starts.

“It’s fine, but I guess I’m hungry. Any chance the kitchen could be the first stop we make?” I question hopefully.

“Of course.” He leans in close to me again. “Anything you want” He whispers suggestively, before leading me through the front door.