"Not if they didn't have any scent!"
Rodriguez looked at Arya as if she had grown two heads.
"What is that supposed to mean?" He asked curiously.
"Have you ever heard of scentless wolves?" Arya asked him as they settled onto a chair.
"Well... yes... but do they really exist?" Rodriguez asked, his red eyes piercing into her blue ones.
"Yes, they do! I have met not one but two of them."
"O.... kay! But what does that have to do with this situation about your aunt finding out that she's my aunt too?"
"I believe they are nearby, somewhere either in the territory, or close enough outside to hear everything and not be detected."
"Hhmmmm, that makes sense. But I don't believe there's any wolf inside who does not have any scent, but outside... there are tall grass and shrubs where anyone would be able to hide and not be detected," Rodriguez said after thinking it through.
"Maybe we could send someone outside to clean up the ground that is near to the pack gate, just in case!" Arya suggested, just as Michelle walked in.
"Hey, just in case what?" She asked, plopping down on another chair beside them.
"Oh, I just feel that there is someone inside or outside of this pack who transfered the message about us to my mate, Alfa Flowerew, Alpha of the Moonsglow pack!" Arya said, looking straight into Michelle's green eyes.
Something flickered in them. Fear.
Just for a second, fear crossed her eyes, then concern replaced it. Her heart rate must have also spiked because Rodriguez looked at her.
"Are you alright?" He asked.
Arya couldn't make out if he was concerned or confused.
"What... yeah. I'm fine. I'm just shocked to hear that." Michelle said quickly.
"Michelle, you know we're both wolves. You can't lie to me."
By now, Arya was able to hear Michelle's heart racing in her chest.
This was one opportunity for Arya to act concerned while pushing the green-eyed girl to the curb.
"Michelle," Arya began, holding her hands gently. "If you know something or have seen something, you can tell us. We're here for you. You don't need to be afraid," she said in the most concerned voice ever.
Michelle looked at her, and Arya knew one thing, she was deciding who to throw under the bus, herself, or her two accomplices.
"I... I could be wrong... but I think I saw someone outside the gates when I first came here!"
Yes. There it was. She threw her accomplices into the mouth of the wolf to save her own ass.
"Why didn't you tell anyone?" Rodriguez asked, and she flinched.
"Rodriguez, please, she didn't know," Arya said to him, before turning to Michelle, "It's alright. You must have thought it was someone passing through or taking a break. It could even have been one of the rogues."
"Yes, I thought it was one of the rogues and didn't think much of it," Michelle immediately took the phrase thrown at her.
"What we need to do now is clear up the overgrown bushes around our pack. If Alfa's men are still out there, we'll either catch them, or they'll run off. No more secrets will get out."
Arya noticed Michelle getting stiff, then relaxing. She got the answer to her question. Michelle is the mole! Now, she just needs to catch her red-handed, and it may come soon. She had to somehow get word out to Marius and Yalandro, and when she does, she's dead.
Alfa fell straight into Arya's trap. Now, his own people are working against each other, trying to save themselves.
If they get caught, Alfa loses two of his most trusted allies, and Michelle's secret could be exposed. Even if they don't get caught, Michelle will be left
alone, and Arya plans on accompanying her outside whenever she decides to go out.
Alfa wanted information about her, now she's going to play his own game, by giving him information that finally leads him and his father into this territory, only to get their heads separated from their bodies.
"Arya, you with me?" Rodriguez asked, making Arya jump.
"No, I'm sorry. I was thinking about something else. What did you say?" Arya said.
"I said from now on, whatever we talk about stays between us three. Michelle and I will never tell anyone else, and I expect you will also keep things to yourself," he said.
"Understood."
"That being said, I need to organize a clean-up day."
Rodriguez went still, his eyes staring into space, and then he got up and went towards the exit.
Michelle stared at him leave, and for a second, her face flashed with a worried expression. Her face completely changed when she realized Arya was still sitting there with her.
"I think we should go see what happens," she said, and Arya smiled.
"Yes, we should."
They both got up and went towards the door. Most of the men were getting ready to head out with knives and rakes.
Arya noticed Michelle looking almost terrified when she thought no one was watching her. She smiled and talked with anyone who approached, but secretly, she was dying inside.
Arya watched her closely and noticed that she was sweating, although the temperature outside wasn't that hot. It was windy and cool.
As the men groaned amongst themselves, thinking why they suddenly needed to do a clean-up, Michelle looked like she was about to faint. As much as Arya enjoyed seeing her in stress, she didn't want her cover to be blown. At least not now.
"Michelle, while the men are working, why don't we grab some coffee?" Arya said.
"That would be great," the other agreed.
Both girls went into the kitchen, and one of the kitchen staff offered to make their coffee. Both agreed and went to wait at the dining table.
While they waited, Arya planned on her next move. She knew that Michelle would need to tell Alfa what had happened here, and Alfa would need to warn Michelle about her suspecting a mole. Arya needs to do something so that Alfa is sure that Arya doesn't suspect Michelle. At all!
"I understand that I have never told you about myself!" Arya began, just to buy some time.
If any of Alfa's men are caught or seen, Arya can push the entire blame on them and get Michelle in the clear so that any plan they make reaches Alfa safely.
"Yeah, you haven't."
Arya then began to tell her everything about herself, her life, and things she knew Alfa already knew.
The tension on Michelle face was now gone, replaced by curiosity and intrigue. She had heard a lot about her, not only from Trevor but also Alfa. Now she was listening from Arya herself.
"Do you still love him?" She asked when Arya completed her story.
"Maybe. If I'm being honest, I don't know. I saw him yesterday, and a part of me felt excited, while the other part felt angry," Arya admitted.
"Don't worry, everything will be alright," Michelle said, just as the coffee arrived.
They both thanked the girl, and that's when they heard the men return. Rodriguez walked in, saw them, and his face told them that they had found something.
"What is it?" Michelle asked.
"We didn't find anyone, but a space on the ground under a tree suggested that there might have been more than one person camping there."
Arya saw a flash of relief flow on Michelle's face. Then Arya followed her eyes and saw blue smoke rising from the west direction of the pack, and by the way Michelle was staring, she knew it meant something.