HUNTED

Aila pouted at the idea of wearing heels. Nairi gave her false hopes of wearing comfortable shoes.

"These aren't even high. They also go well with what I chose. Now, stop complaining!" Nairi scolded her.

After another twenty minutes, Aila was dressed, her long hair up in a messy bun with tendrils placed out by the side of her face, earrings in place, and light makeup on with a pale pink lipstick dabbed on her lips. The mascara and eyeliner she wore made her eyes pop even more, along with the snug-fitting halter top that showed off her curves and outline of her abs. Nairi clapped her hands and spun her around, praising her own handiwork. 

"Now you look the part," She winked. Aila shook her head and smiled; she also wobbled a bit in the heels Nairi provided her. 

"Okay, the meeting starts soon. Darren is outside." Nairi grimaced before walking towards the door.

"Wait! Darren? Why is Darren here?" Aila asked, baffled at the appearance of the Delta.

"He's your bodyguard.. He should be with you at all times," Nairi looked back at her also in surprise. 

Aila glanced to the side. 

"I prefer Finn," Malia snapped. 

Aila and her wolf didn't like the guy, and although she had Damon and Finn by her side most of the time in the last two weeks, there were a few times she was left by herself. The times, he no doubt, was meant to keep watch over her. She didn't mind at the time, but he was slacking from his duties. 

"His only duty as a Delta, I might add," Malia added to her thoughts. 

Nairi walked back to her, looking at her questioningly. Aila shook her head and smiled, "Of course. I just didn't expect him to need to escort me to the pack meeting."

Nairi nodded, "Ah yes, well, those things can get a little heated sometimes, and you know, we are werewolves. It's better to be safe, you know?"

Aila nodded her head and followed behind Nairi but stopped to quickly pick up her black trainers.

"Better to be safe than sorry," Malia snickered, "you might fall flat on your face on those heels. You know they aren't even high.."

"Did you want to take over and walk in these goddess forsaken things?" Aila snapped.

"Nah, you got this!" She replied in amusement. 

Leaving her room, she looked at Darren, who wore jeans and a blue shirt that contrasted against his auburn hair. Aila smiled politely, "Hello Darren, thank you for waiting."

He let her pass him and stayed quiet; she turned her head back to look at him, waiting for some form of a reply either by a comment or a nod in the slightest. Their eyes met, and she saw a dangerous glint flash across his eyes, and one side of his lips curled up. 

"No problem. Your highness," Darren replied; he said each word slowly and in disdain. 

Aila narrowed her eyes ever so slightly and instinctively tensed; there was something by the way he was acting that was more dick-ish than usual. But she put it to the back of her mind and kept herself aware of the man walking behind her. She treated him like an enemy and was wary by every little movement he made.

They made it outside and walked towards the hall where she trained with Chiara. Aila threw her heels off after sinking into the grass. She held her hands up when Nairi scolded her and picked them up, rubbing them like she threw a kitten to the ground.

"There there, she didn't mean it!" She glared at her, "For shame." 

With a huff, Nairi marched off, making Aila pick up her pace behind her and Darren behind the pair of them. Ajax and Finn sprinted to her side, and she instantly felt better from their appearance.

"Hey! You're not wearing black!?" Ajax widened his eyes and gasped, "that right there is a miracle. Well done, Nairi!"

Nairi giggled, "I do try!"

Aila rolled her eyes at her friends. She didn't wear black all the time.. 

"Yes, you do," Malia piped in.

"Black always looks good, though," Aila retorted. With her joking aside, she glanced back at Darren and faced forwards again as he cracked his knuckles in his hands.

Finn, being ever so vigilant, saw the minor change in her demeanour and mind-linked her, "What's wrong?"

"Darren."

"Don't pay attention to the jerk," Finn slapped her shoulder as he walked by her side and Ajax next to him.

"Not that. There's something off about him. I dunno, I can just sense something is wrong.." She replied. 

Finn kept his face impassive as he replied, "Okay, maybe Ajax should come along. A little extra protection.."

"Isn't that what he's doing?"

Finn scoffed, "No, this is him just 'stretching his legs'." 

"That won't work on Alpha Damon.." Aila eyed Ajax, who was smiling mischievously. 

"I know. Tell HIM that," Finn rolled his eyes before grabbing Ajax by the arm and marching off.

"What was that about?" Nairi asked; she fell back in line when the guys approached. 

Aila shrugged nonchalantly, "I dunno, Ajax being Ajax?"

Nairi chuckled, "Ah yes. That makes sense."

They stood outside the hall now, and Nairi passed her the tanned heels. Aila tried not to grimace when she looked at them again. Slipping them on her feet, she left her trainers to the side, looking forward to when she would wear them again.

Aila didn't ask why she had to wear heels, but she reminded herself again that technically she was meant to be a princess. In fact, if she was a proper princess, Aila doubted she would be wearing jeans right now and something even more uncomfortable. 

"Are you going in or gonna keep giving yourself pep talks?" Darren scoffed from behind her. 

Aila didn't bother turning around, his comment annoyed her, but she needed to keep a calm and collected face.

"Luna, please allow me to open the door for you," Finn suddenly showed up and opened the door for her as he glared at Darren. She relaxed her shoulders and smiled at Finn before stepping through the doors. 

On entering, she saw hundreds of werewolves standing and sitting in chairs in front of tables. The loud atmosphere of chatting among themselves slowly died as all eyes looked at her. Aila rolled her shoulders back and smiled as she looked across the hall as though she was smiling at each and every person in the room.

If it weren't for the tall and muscular men and female warriors scattered around the hall, she would say it looked like a charity event. This was the first time she saw her people in something other than workout gear. 

She looked to the side. In front of the fighting area, there was a long table with Chiara, Kane and now Nairi as she raced towards her mate and flung herself at him. Darren sauntered over to the far end of the table, leaving two spaces in the middle.

Where is Damon?

She sensed him but couldn't place where he was. 

Aila jumped as she felt a hand slither around her waist, and when she looked up, she saw her Alpha lean down and plant a kiss on her lips.