Three

AVENA

We loaded up the truck and my mind didn't stop dancing around in thoughts. It seemed so unbelievable. After so many long years, we were going back. Half of my memory from there was lost especially from the week when I'd lost my parents. But it didn't stop the thoughts. I was going back to where I used to live in, where I lost my parents, where everything started to go wrong.

I didn't have anyone to say goodbye to and once aunt said her goodbyes, we were off.

A few hours later, after driving past what looked like endless hills and trees, we arrived at what seemed to be the territory. A little signboard was hung by the side of the road and it read, "UNITED PACK COALITION".

As we went further, we saw some shifters, seven of them from my counting - both males and females. They were alert; three of them held guns, two of them held clipboards while the rest watched keenly. I was sure some others were hiding in places we couldn't see, and they were careful not to be scented. The ones we saw wore the same khaki combat trousers and either black or Grey shirts. They all looked toned and muscular. In other words, impressive.

"Some of them are scouts and others are hunters." Aunt Mona informed me.

She halted the car as she reached one of them and wind down the window. He placed a hand on the window and leaned down, his Grey eyes studying the both of us.

"Identify yourself," The scout said in a stern voice.

"Mona Slade and Avena Slade, members of the Lunaria pack. We've been away for a few years." Aunt Mona answered.

The guard raised an eyebrow before he scoffed. But he didn't look surprised. Our presence today must have been announced to him already. "Nyxian blood huh?"

Idiot. Sage cursed and I agreed with her. Aunt Mona didn't reply.

The scout checked his clipboard and passed it to Aunt Mona to sign before taking it back.

He beckoned on another scout, "Ayo Tee, escort them to the council."

The guy named Tee came over and joined us in the car. The gates were opened for us and we drove in.

"Your uncle Gray is waiting at the council for us," Aunt Mona informed me making me nod before staring out the window. The scout gave directions and as we passed by some pack territories, it was bad enough that I didn't feel any sense of familiarity about any of them.

The car halted and we came down, letting the scout lead the way while we followed. The council was more like a large open space bounded by trees and harboured a sheltered podium which could contain a handful of people.

Some people were gathered there and there seemed to be a dispute. A dude seemed to be up on the podium trying to settle the dispute.

A faint scent of cedarwood filled my nostrils, making Sage alert, but I ignored it and walked towards the little crowd in front.

"Look, if you keep something at the territory, it means it's not in use any longer," the first man stated, which seemed to infuriate the shorter man and some members of the crowd.

"I was moving the dresser to my sister married into your pack. How could you claim it as yours?" The second man retorted causing the first to growl loudly.

As we walked closer, I felt like someone was watching me. Sage must have felt it as well cause she was restless now and highly alert, the scent causing her excitement to double.

"Why don't you just give him back the dresser and stop all this. Kleptomania isn't cute." The dude who was mediating said to the first guy gaining some agreement from the crowd.

The scent became stronger a bit this time and it made Sage almost go berserk. This was the first time she was reacting like this.

There was only one thing that could make her react like this and at the moment, that particular thing wasn't something I was looking forward to any longer.

I didn't want to face the heartbreak that I'd gotten from the last so I had decided to be reluctant about it.

The noise clapped down immediately and everyone began to turn around. They had noticed our presence. As soon as they saw us, there was little murmuring in the crowd, and some gasped loudly.

The dude who was mediating locked eyes with me, a warm smile taking form on his lips. He dismissed the crowd and came over to where we were.

He was still smiling and this was the first positive reaction we've had from someone in the past few years, "Avena. It's really you." He said. His voice was filled with excitement and his brown eyes twinkled with happiness.

Brown foxy eyes, Brown hair, a little scar on his chin, more manly, taller and muscular than I remember. My lips widened in a smile as I recognized him, "Marco. Marco omg I've missed you!"

Marco was a close friend when we were younger and I remembered him coming to our territory often. Marco drew me into a hug and I hugged him back tightly, my eyes starting to feel watery.

My skin prickled, the strange sensation of being watched coming over me and I scanned the environment, attempting to see who it was that was boring their eyes into my soul. But I couldn't catch it, no matter how much I tried.

Marco acknowledged my aunt and the scout who came with us before turning back to me.

"God, Avena. I thought I'd never see you again. We have a lot to talk about. It's been so long." He added.

"Mona!" A high raspy voice said stealing our attention. "And my not-so little princess Avena."

Older man, Silver hair overtaking his black ones, a little belly and a lazy walk. Uncle Gray. He had to be Uncle Gray.

"Sir Gray." Aunt Mona replied as tears began to drop from her eyes and he drew both of us into a hug. "I missed everyone so much."

"Then you should have come home faster like I requested. We missed you too." Uncle Gray replied softly.

"You're here too Marco. Been a week since I've seen you." Uncle Gray said and it made me wonder if they were close.

Marco didn't take his eyes off me throughout the session. And the hidden person watching me didn't either. Uncle Gray dismissed the scout and we registered our presence with Marco at the council.

Uncle Gray said we needed to go to the Alpha meeting as he had something important to announce to them, which he didn't want to tell us.

Marco was excited the whole time trying to get me to talk as much as I could. Like he said, we really had a lot to talk about. He also offered to drive our truck and stuff back to our pack house while we got in with Uncle Gray in his car.

We bid him goodbye and reversed the car, from the corner of a tree, I saw exactly whom I'd been looking for. A guy was leaning by the tree trunk, hands in his pocket and his gaze directed at me, staring intently.