HUNTED

After they finished their breakfast, the group dispersed to their rooms to get changed. Aila decided it was better to go straight from her mum's shop to the shopping centre to meet up with Hollie. Once she was changed into black skinny jeans, a crop top, a leather jacket and some black trainers, she placed some light make-up on her face, with red lipstick and eyeliner. Unlike herself, Hollie was not a tomboy and was much like Nairi; she was her savour on nights out when she did turn up to them, and the girl would help her get changed and make sure she looked fashionable and sexy.

Once Aila was done with her appearance, she took a moment to look around the room. Her mood shifted, and she felt as though there was a missing part of her. Aila knew it was the mate bond; it was a constant tug, trying to get her to go to her mate. But with or without the bond, she felt the overbearing weight of Damon's absence. 

Sighing to herself, she went through their wardrobe and made a last-minute decision of grabbing one of his hats. A black one, of course. She wondered if wearing it made her look more suspicious and for people to stare more. Aila shrugged and threw it in her tiny black backpack that held everything she needed in it. It was better to have it, just in case. But she did not need to wear it until they made it to the shopping centre. 

As Aila descended the stairs, she mind-linked Chiara what her plan was, who instantly replied, "You have to bring Darren with you."

Aila stopped at the last step and sighed while glancing between Finn and Ajax, who stood waiting for her in the reception area. Finn tilted his head by her reaction, but she didn't say anything and instead mind-linked Darren, "Delta."

She glanced down at her phone; it was 9am, so he should be awake. Maybe he was at training? But from how he looked the night before, she didn't expect him to be back so soon, even if he was, in fact, her security detail for the day.

"Aila?" His response finally came through. He sounded breathless.

"I'm leaving the packhouse. I need you to come with me. It's going to be a long day," She replied, her tone neutral as she kept herself professional when speaking to the jerk, even if she did not expect the same from him.

As expected, she heard a sigh come through the mind-link, "Fine. When are you leaving?"

Aila rolled her eyes, "Now."

"I'm not even home!" Came Darren's frustrated response.

"Where are you? We'll pick you up?" She said through gritted teeth. She wondered if he could hear her patience thinning.

There was a long pause until he finally replied, "Lydia's."

"Of course he's at that bitches. Seriously, if there weren't any fricken rules Aila, I swear she would have been dead meat by now!" Malia roared through Aila's mind.

Aila sped forwards and left through the double doors, making her way towards the SUV's in the garage. Finn and Ajax followed behind, she could tell they wanted to say something, but they stayed quiet about her tumbling mood. 

"At some point, she will slip up, Malia. And when she does, we'll be right there to take her out," Aila said while climbing into the driver's seat and turning the key in the ignition.

"Woah, wait…. Are you out for blood as well!?" Malia asked excitedly. Aila rolled her eyes, so far, Malia was the one to take the lead in such matters, but she found herself slowly agreeing to her methods. This wasn't the human world anymore, it was the wolf's, and if she was hell-bent on trying to make herself Luna and Queen, then she didn't mind what course of action was needed to get rid of her. 

Now Aila knew she was in love with Damon; there was no more thinking twice about it. When the time comes, Lydia was dead. She would not let some bitch try and take not only her man but her kingdom that was rightfully hers. 

"Aila…"

She glanced in the rear-view mirror at Ajax.

"You look like you are plotting something wicked.." He sounded concerned. Aila looked to the side and saw Finn also looking at her, worried. 

She smirked, "Jeese, guys. Calm down. There was nothing wicked about my thoughts.."

"Liar!" Aila looked at Ajax again in the mirror as she drove towards Lydia's house. 

"Wicked looks good on you," He winked.

She burst out laughing at his response. Only Ajax would say such a thing.

"Where are we going?" Finn subtly changed the topic.

"We need to collect Darren.. from Lydia's."

Her words set the car into a heavy silence. As she pulled up outside the heavily guarded house, Finn spoke up through gritted teeth, "You won't need to worry about him for much longer."

Aila turned her head to look at Finn and the seriousness his face portrayed; before she could respond, the door to the house flung open, Darren, along with a near-naked Lydia, walked out. She was in a black lingerie set, with stockings and a garter belt clipped together; her shoulders were covered from a light pink satin dressing gown that barely covered her bottom. 

"Close your mouths. You're drooling," Aila said without even looking at the guys in the car. 

She clenched her teeth together as Lydia wrapped her arms around the back of Darren's neck, and they kissed passionately in front of her red door. When they were done, Lydia looked at Aila with a sly smile, as though she was challenging her to make a move. This was Lydia's way of showing that she had Darren right where she wanted him, and Aila was not safe with him by her side. 

"That's a bold move," Malia muttered. Aila's nose wrinkled at her wolf's comment. 

Darren sauntered towards the car with a satisfied and smug smile on his face. Aila pressed the window button, and it rolled down as he approached her side of the vehicle.

"You shouldn't be driving. Let me," Darren grunted.

Aila arched her perfectly shaped brow, "You don't know where we are going. Get in the back. You can drive to the shopping centre after."

Darren climbed into the backseat and grumbled about how Finn or Ajax should drive the future Luna. 

"I don't trust them driving just yet."

"Why?" Darren glanced at the two men beside him.

"Because they were kidnapped and behind bars for five-plus years," Aila snapped. Even though his question wasn't sarcastic, she still didn't like the guy. His mere presence annoyed her. 

"You know," Ajax interrupted the rising tension in the car, "you got a fine bit o' ass right there!" 

Aila sighed as she continued to drive out of the heavily guarded estate. She glanced in the rear-view mirror at Ajax. He was a flirt and outspoken, but he never spoke about girls in such a way, which was why she didn't mind his typically cheeky comments. He never disrespected a woman, no matter who they were.

Darren burst into a peal of hearty laughter and slapped Ajax on the shoulder approvingly, "You got that right!"

Finn relaxed his tense body in the passenger seat, and Aila glanced at Ajax again.

"How'd you do it? You must be doing something right in the bedroom!" Ajax chuckled.

"Dam straight! She can't get enough of me," Darren joked again. Aila had to suppress a gag at the men's talk. She knew what Ajax was doing, and it was pretty brilliant of him. Already his 'banter' showed that Darren was happily sleeping with Lydia. Not only because of her 'bang-able body', as Darren just said while they continued talking, but also because it seemed he wanted respect from other men. Having Lydia by his side showed that he could get such a woman.

"Basically, he's a pig," Malia added.

"Yep, but we already knew that," Aila replied. 

It was quiet for the rest of the journey, but from Ajax's talk with Darren earlier, it seemed there was no tension now, but this did not stop Aila from telling Darren to wait outside the shop once they pulled up. Which almost instantly made the pressure rise again between them.

"I'm your Delta, meant to protect you," Darren growled.

"And you are, these are my close guards, and you.. you are my far guard. Keeping a lookout," Aila said lightly and turned around, ignoring his grumbles.

Aila opened the door to the quirky shop, and the bell rang, revealing their arrival to the owners.

"Welcome!" Mandy came out from some multicoloured chains dangling down through one of the back doors. She stopped her sentence when she saw Aila and the two guys behind her. Immediately, she quickened her step, a broad smile on her face as she pulled Aila into a hug, "You should have said you were coming!"

Aila sighed into her embrace, "I know, but it was kind of last minute." She pulled back and looked down at her mum, "I've also come for a favour."

Her mum narrowed her eyes playfully, and said in a mockingly spooky voice, "Hmmmm, what is it you seek, my dear?"

Aila opened her mouth to ask further but was pushed to the side as Ajax came forwards and pulled Mandy into a big bear hug, lifting her up and placing her back down, "Mandy! You look lovelier every time I see you!"

He pulled back, and Aila was gobsmacked as she saw her mum blush and Ajax flirting with her!