Seeing the color drain from her face, Rodriguez felt guilty for asking, but he needed to know. "Arya, I know it is hard... but I need to know!"
Arya looked up at him, right into his eyes. They were pleading for clarity, begging for any kind of closure.
She took in a deep breath, "It was Braxen. Alfa's wolf."
She felt something break inside of her. She knew the consequences of revealing this information. Knowing this, she agreed to become Alfa's luna! The luna of the one responsible for their parents' death! How will she explain this to Rodriguez, and will he understand this?
She saw Rodriguez eyes slowly going wide with realization. "Alfa... as in your mate, Alfa Flowerew... oh Goddess, you let that murderer mark you?" Rodriguez half screamed in shock, half in anger and disbelief.
Arya flinched at the sudden rise in his voice. She did expect this burst out but didn't expect the anger that came with it.
"I had no other choice! I was scared, and the mate pull was stronger than I had thought," Arya replied, her voice full of anger and frustration. "I was scared that if I didn't do what he wanted, he'd go after Aunt Kim and Uncle Pete. They were the only family I had left. What was I supposed to do, let them die?" Tears were flowing freely from her eyes as she recalled how she had tried to escape with Patricia and her team.
"He had Ronald kill Patricia in front of me just because she was helping me and my team escape! He held my team hostage and, with the help of the vampire lord Caspian, found me trying to escape with my friend Rebecca and my team. I was afraid. I did everything possible to pull the marking ceremony forward, but I couldn't for too long!" Arya eyes were now pouring torrents down her cheeks.
"Arya, calm down. I didn't know!" Rodriguez said, holding her hand from across the table. "I'm so sorry you had to go through that."
"It's nothing compared to what you went through! I heard how you defended the pack from not only outside threats but the ones inside as well," Arya said.
Rodriguez pursed his lips. Arya sensed that he didn't really want to be reminded of every event that he went through.
"Hey, I didn't mean to upset you," she said quickly.
"Let's talk interests. What is your most favorite food in the whole wide world?" Rodriguez asked.
"Grilled chicken and meshed potatoes. Also, salad. How about you? What do you like eating?"
"Anything with pickles. Could be meat, vegetables, or even just pickles!"
Arya made a face of disapproval. "Really?"
"Why? You don't like them?" Rodriguez asked, surprised.
"It's an absolutely no no for me!" Arya said, making a face like she was about to throw up.She noticed Rodriguez smirking.
"What?" She asked, frowning.
"No, nothing!"
"No, what is it?"
"Grandpa Michael made that same face when I first told him. You reminded me of his face," he confessed.
"Really? What was he like?" Arya asked, wanting to know more.
"He was really cool. Taught me survival strategy, hunting, and even swimming. He was also funny, despite being under so much stress," Rodriguez said, smiling as he remembered those memories.
"He cooked too. Despite hating pickles, he used to make some for me all the time."
"That sounds fun."
"When he wanted to be, he turned out to be the funniest man on earth. But when it came time to training, he became a total feral animal." Rodriguez straightened his arm, pointed to a scar, and said, "See this? This was when I took a training session too lightly. Grandpa Michael scratched me and wouldn't apply any antiseptic. He told me to learn that weakness could result in fatal results and that during wars, I might never get a chance to reach medical help."
Arya stared in shock with raised eyebrows. The scar ran from his upper biceps to the middle of the lower arm. It had healed wrong, showing that it was a deep wound.
"Wow. How old were you?" Arya asked.
"Around eleven. He told me that training would get tough. And it did!"
"He truly made you the strongest Alpha out there, didn't he?"
"According to the journal," he said, gesturing to the open book in front of her, "I'll become the strongest Alpha with you by my side. Even in the letter, Elora mentioned this. But none mentioned my mate!"
Arya felt a knot form in her stomach. How could she tell him that his mate could be a spy? She wanted to, but she knew Rodriguez would behead her before she completed her accusations.
If she were to expose Michelle, she needed concrete proof that she is indeed working for Alfa. She needs to gather that information herself, as no one would help, and if she even mentions it to anyone, they will tell Rodriguez.
"Arya? What is it?"
Arya looked at Rodriguez and saw him staring at her with the same look a parent gives a child when he had been caught lying.
"Rodriguez, it nothing. Trust me," Arya said, giving an awkward laugh.
"Arya! What. Is. It?"
Arya froze. He was using the same technique he used to get information out of her twice.
"Do you really have to do that?"
"Do what?"
"That calm person act. The more calmly you ask, the more I feel terrified!"
"Well, good. Now tell me," Rodriguez replied calmly.
"You think me being terrified is good?" Arya asked, trying to direct the question the other way.
Rodriguez smiled. "You know Arya, that method won't work for me. I'm an Alpha, and I've come across every way a wolf tries to change the subject. I know you are thinking something concerning my mate, and I want to know what!"
Arya tried to swallow a lump that wasn't even there. Her mouth felt dry, and she tried to think of something that was the truth without revealing too much.
"Well, I don't know... it's just that I don't really trust Michelle. I mean, I have trust issues, and after what Alfa did, I certainly won't trust her that easily, so I just need some time to adjust to her... I mean, warm up to her," Arya said at last.
"Huh. I thought it was like she was a bad girl or something," Rodriguez said, relaxing.
He didn't notice the breath that Arya let go. He had believed her.
"Speaking of which, where is she?" He asked, looking at Arya.
"I don't know. I did see her before coming here the first time, then I went to the cave," Arya said, and felt that Rodriguez was thinking something else.
"Are you alright? You seem to be stressed!"
"It's nothing. I think she just needs more time before the marking ceremony," Rodriguez said, but his face said something else.