The Old Man

The Old Man
ARIA

I can't stop pacing the bedroom floor. 

I've never felt this pressured to take action before. I'm restless at this point, needing to do something but not knowing where to start. How can they think that this is alright for them to do?

How did things get so bad for us? We had so much hope earlier on, even through all the mess. These people walked into our lives to turn everything upside down. If we'd known, we would never have accepted their brotherhood. 

It's clear to me now that they had an agenda from the start. They took half our pack and now, Ironclaw has more people from other packs than natives. It would be so easy to overthrow Ryder. Without the proper support, how would he be able to fight them?

I'm worried sick about him. I want to pack my things and go home. 

But how can I do that? What about the people here? I promised Luca that I would do something. 

I run my fingers through my hair and tug at the roots. My mind is racing right now and I can't focus on any particular thing. 

Goddess, how do I navigate this? 

What should I do?

I can't help but think that Anne would know exactly what to do, and that kills me. My heart fills with longing and the realization that she's gone just hits me all over again. Tears make my vision blurry and I sniffle while rubbing my eyes. 

Anne wouldn't want me to have a weak moment, not when I'm in a den of dangerous wolves. 

I decide that the room is way too small for me. I need more space where I can think and breathe. I make my way downstairs and it doesn't escape my notice how, this time, I see more uniformed men standing around, watching me. 

Yarina doesn't even care that it's obvious that she doesn't want me hanging around the farm. 

Thankfully, nobody stops me from going out into the garden. I breathe a lot easier. Though the sun is high in the sky, the wind is cool and feels wonderful against my clammy skin. I fold my arms and start walking around. 

There are fruit trees all over. I walk up to an apple tree and pick up one of the fallen apples. I rub it against my pants before taking a bite. I'm just about to start thinking about what I can do again when I'm approached by an older man. 

He's wearing a straw hat and overalls, which makes me think that he's from the farm. He has a long wooden cane with a curved end in his hand, too. I offer him a small smile and start turning away, but he steps toward me with an urgency that makes me think that he wants to say something to me. 

I immediately think about Luca. 

"What is it?" I ask him in a low voice. "Is there something you want to say to me?"

He opens his mouth and sticks out his tongue—whatever is left of it, at least. Horror washes over me but I barely have time to wrap my head around what's happening when he starts writing on the dirt around the apple tree with his cane. 

Wilson. 

That's what he writes. 

"What about him?" I ask, stepping forward. 

He taps on the ground, then points at himself. 

"Wilson did this to you?"

He shakes his head, then points at his own chest again. I frown as I try to figure out what he means by that. My heart is beating so fast and I have an even worse feeling about things now. But we don't have a chance to finish this strange interaction because Yarina starts walking toward us with three men and he steps on the word he wrote before backing away from me. 

Her eyes are on me, and she isn't smiling this time. 

"Luna Aria. You're always up to something, aren't you?"

"I wasn't aware that I shouldn't be out here in the garden."

Our eyes lock and I challenge her to say something else, but instead, she tells the men behind her to take the old man back to his place, and the two of us are alone now. 

"Why is he being removed from my presence?"

"He has to get back to work."

"Is this how you treat people? Do you think it's right?"

She steps closer to me. "This is how I handle the pack. If you don't like it—"

"Then what? I can leave?"

Anger flashes in her eyes. "If you wish to. You're not a prisoner here."

I can't hold my tongue. "What about the other Ironclaws? Are they prisoners?"

Yarina tilts her head to the side and continues in that same cold voice, "Everyone who stays here should work, Luna Aria. I don't know what you heard, but we're not unreasonable people."

"Then I'll do the same."

"You don't have to. You're a special guest here. Wilson insisted."

I notice how tense she gets when she says his name, and I tell her, "I don't want to be treated differently. If they're working, then so will I."

She chuckles and steps even closer to me. Our faces are merely inches apart. "You think you're so brave and courageous, aren't you?"

"Do you think otherwise? "

Her tone is aggressive when she answers, "I think you need to stay in your damn lane and be grateful for what we're doing for you and your pack."

"I wasn't aware that you were doing us any favor, Yarina. This war is for everyone's benefit. In fact, I think I need to remind you that we're a small pack, yet that didn't stop us from making an effort. You were here and did nothing!"

Her nostrils flare and she grits out, "How dare you? You don't know what we've been through! You have no idea what we had to do to even make it here! You—"

She stops herself and backs away from me. I watch as she struggles to compose herself. Her cheeks are red and she's breathing heavily. Then, her eyes meet mine again and I see an anger so sharp that if it could kill, I'd drop to her feet right this second. 

Nothing else is said as she turns on her heel to head inside. 

I look in the direction where the old man was taken, and wonder what the hell is going on here for the hundredth time.