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The first week went by faster than she thought it would. She had spent her days walking around town, trying to take in all she saw. The buildings in the downtown area were all so tall. The sidewalks and streets seemed to always be congested with people and cars. It was odd for her to be out and not see onefamiliar face. Rarely did anyone smile back at her when she tried to be friendly. Adria felt a little disconnected.
But at least I don’t have to see him again. Staying here might be worth that, at least,she surmised.
Adria settled into city life as best as she could. It was strange getting used to the noise and the amount of people, but she did and now it was as if she had always been a part of the hassle. Luckily, Sly took her to a small forest just outside of town where they could shift, run, and be free.
Before she knew it, she had a great job working at a small daycare center. She loved working with the kids and talking with the parents. Her coworkers were all very nice, and some tried to become friends with her, but she knew she had to be guarded. Living with the humans was hard, she had to make up excuses not to go to gatherings all the time. She wanted to go but was afraid she might slip up and say or do something that would raise suspicion. She was thankful to have weekly dinners with Sly, she had so many questions on how to act in the big city.
When she got her own apartment, she was overjoyed to have made it and could now invite Moira, Beth, and Everley over. They were so excited to help her decorate her new place, and have her show them around the city. They had many weekends of them hanging out over the years, hence Adria was caught up on all the things that were happening back home. She had bitter-sweet feelings of hearing about people finding love, having babies. Her friends were great at trying to keep Spencer out of the conversations. She knew sometimes it couldn’t be helped, and deep down, she often wondered how he was doing. She was shocked to hear from Beth that he still hadn’t found his Luna.
***
During one of her and Sly’s dinners, Adria prepared Sly's favorite of meatloaf and baked potatoes. She wanted to show him her appreciation for everything he had done for her. But she could tell something was off when he walked through the door. The look of worry in his eyes kickstarted her panic.
“Sly? What is it? What’s wrong?” she asked, wringing her hands.
“We need to talk. There’s something I have to tell you.” Sly took off his jacket and hung it up before sitting at the table.
“So, getting news here is a little slower than some places because there aren’t many of our kind here. Plus, we have to keep our identities secret. I just found out that there is a hunter on the loose. He’d been sporadic over the past decade but has been popping up more. There hasn’t been one for a long time, and this one seems to be on a mission. He’s already killed a few wolves, not sure how many.” He took a deep breath and rubbed his face.
“You and I will be okay, though. We keep a low profile; we don’t cause any waves. We'll just have to be extra careful,” Adria tried to convince him. She had heard about how ruthless hunters could be, and that their tracking abilities were in comparison to the wolves' tracking senses.
“I know that it’s easier to hide in the big city, Adria, but this hunter has been hitting smaller towns. His pattern is so familiar, but I just can’t put my finger on it. He’s been making specific hits, and, with how he’s moving, I doubt he’ll be coming here at all.”
“Then everything will be fine for us. I’m sure the head Alphas council will take care of this hunter. They always mess up sometimes, somewhere, and we are superior to them, right?” Adria knew she wasn’t helping to ease Sly’s mind, but she didn’t know why he was so worried.
“Adria, you don’t understand. He’s killing Alphas, targeting them specifically, and anyone who stands in his way, and he’s headed straight for Rosewood,” he blurted out. Shocked, she shook her head in disbelief. The thought of all her friends, family, and Spencer being in danger shook her badly.
“Okay, but don’t forget that there had never been any hunters in Rosewood. They always bypass us. Don’t forget the legend of the red oak tree. Somehow, Rosewood is protected.” Adria was now trying to convince not only Sly but also herself. The hope that the oak tree legend was true had her shaking.
“Are you sure, though?” He got up and paced the room, making her even more nervous.
“No, I’m not. I only hope that it is. That all my friends and family are safe… Oh no, Sly! This is more serious than I thought. What can we do? Is there anything we can do?” Panic gripped her fiercely.
“The Rosewood Alpha and council have to be warned. So far, he seems to be a few weeks off, but that could change in a heartbeat. Like I said, his patterns are familiar. You could call now and tell them if it would make you feel better,” he suggested, but Adria knew better.
“No, I don’t want to speak to him. I don’t want anything to do with him.” Adria covered her face with her hands.
She knew what she had to do. She had to make sure her friends and family were okay, that they were ready and able to take the proper precautions. Most of the people of Rosewood put all their faith in the oak tree, thinking that they were forever protected. Adria had always been on the fence. It was just a story, after all. There was no actual proof that it did anything. She dreaded the thought of possibly seeing Spencer again; it made her almost sick to her stomach. She had no choice. She had to warn them. The lives of the people she loved and who lovedher were far more important than her pride.Besides, I don’t have to stay long.
“It’s still light out enough. I’ll leave shortly and meet up with Moira, Beth, and Everly. I can call them when I get to town and keep our meeting under wraps.” She hoped her friends would be able to keep it to themselves that she was back, but just for the night.
“Up to you, Adria. I wish I could come with you, but, well, you know.” Sly hung his head. Adria smiled at him. She felt bad for Sly. He’d had to leave the pack long ago when he challenged Spencer’s dad for the Alpha position and lost. It was a terrible defeat for him and, because of that, he was cast out.
“It’s okay, Sly. I’ll be okay. Let me get my stuff together. I’ll be back tomorrow.” She smiled and hugged him.
As she put her simple overnight bag in her car, she had to take a deep breath.I can do this, she thought to herself. She had to make sure they were all okay. She had to see for herself that everyone was alive and well and not relying on a tree to save them all. The drive back to Rosewood seemed like the longest drive of her life. As she entered the town she grew up in, a sense of home washed over her. Everywhere she looked, memories of happier times flooded her mind. Until she saw the oak tree. Was it a pillar of faith and protection, or was it a curse, giving false hope?
Chapter 2 - Spencer
Spencer’s mind reeled with all the new responsibilities surrounding this looming danger that he, as an Alpha, needed to take on. Keeping the pack safe was the number one priority, but keeping up morale was more challenging than he had ever thought it would be.
When news of the hunter attacks came to light, it spread through the town like wildfire. He still believed in being truthful with his pack about everything. Consequently, he had been receiving a barrage of phone calls and emails from people worried about the fate of the pack. Some were ready to fight, some wanted reassurance that the oak tree would save them, and others were just scared. He couldn’t count how many times he told them they were taking the threat seriously and that the tree was just a legend; they couldn't rely on that. He was praised, doubted, and feared all at the same time.
All the measures he could think of were taken accordingly—they upped security around Rosewood, sent out nightly patrols, and kept in contact with other packs on anything to do with the hunter. It wasn’t until the last two weeks that reports of hunters being close came flooding back. He had hit two small towns up north, killing their Alphas and almost wiping out the entire pack. Everyone was on high alert again.
Over the years, he tried his best not to let his mind take him to some dark places, places he would rather forget. But damn, did he wish he had Adria to talk to right now. She had always been there for him when he needed her. She would let him get out everything he needed to and offer advice if necessary. The connection with her was unlike any he had with all his other friends, and he never had that with any girl he dated over the last decade. Every time he thought about the last timehe saw her, a stab of guilt hit him. Her friends never told him where she went or how she was doing, no matter how often he asked. He was always given a fake smile with stone wall eyes as they told him not to worry about her. He knew that meant that they were hiding where she was from him; he didn’t blame them. He knew he was the last person she would ever want to see again.
“You doing okay, son?” his dad asked from the office door at the town hall. “You’ve been at it pretty hard for the past couple of days.” Spencer smiled at the look of concern on his dad's face.
