HUNTED

"Girl! Where have you been!? We need to meet. What's up with you? I went to your mum's shop, and she said you are out of town.. I was so worried, you weren't replying to me.." Hollie rushed her words out.

Aila pursed her lips as she rounded the corner and entered the living room, only to go to the patio door that Charles replaced after seeing Ajax and Finn playing an army game on the PlayBox while snapping at each other where to go on the map. Closing the door behind her, she walked a few steps before sitting on the ground.

"Sorry," Aila began to mumble until Hollie cut her off, continuing to blabber on about Aila's disappearance. 

There was something off about the way her friend was talking. She sounded nervous. Nervous about what? 

".. Ugh, look at me going on and on. You haven't even said a word! Aila, let's meet. Are you free at the weekend?"

Aila paused a second before replying, "Yeah, I can meet you Saturday?"

"Sweet! We need a good catch up! Okay, and no cancelling! For all I know, you're hiding a pregnancy... Are you pregnant? Is that why you've been avoiding me? You know if you are.. I am here for you.. Whatever you need.."

"Hollie!" Aila laughed, albeit a little forcibly, "I am not pregnant. I have just been busy. I'll see you Saturday."

"Promise?" She whispered.

Aila frowned, letting the line go quiet for a moment. All jest had left Hollie's voice. Aila tried to listen to Hollie's background noise, but there was none. She usually had music playing or was shuffling around doing something. The girl couldn't sit still and hated wasting time, normally getting bored even if she was on the phone to Aila gossiping. 

"Aila?" Hollie's voice removed Aila from her reverie.

"Yeah, I'm here. The line cut off. Are you in a bad area?" She probed a little. 

"Oh, yeah, I guess I am," Hollie breathed back.

"Where are you?" 

"Aila, I have to go. Do you promise me not to cancel?" 

"Yeah, yeah. I promise," Aila said begrudgingly. Hollie knew Aila always kept her promises. She found it odd that she was asking her to make a promise only to meet up. It wasn't like she has cancelled on her before; if Aila was busy or working, then she never made plans with her or her other friends in the first place.

"Pinky promise?"

"Jeese, Hollie! I will be there. You're starting to sound paranoid or something.."

"Haha," Hollie chuckled, yet the sound didn't sound natural, "send me the details, yeah?"

"Sure."

"See you Saturday!"

Before Aila could reply, the phone went dead. She looked at it for a few seconds as alarm bells seemed to be going off in her head. Something wasn't quite right. There was something off about her friend.

"Hollie was acting strange," Malia interpreted where Aila's thoughts were going. 

"Yeah, she sounded nervous," Aila unlocked her phone and checked her messages from Hollie the evening before.

[8:20PM Hey it's been a while. I haven't heard from you. Are you okay? Message back please, I am worried about you xx]

[9:00PM Not cool, A. Txt me back! Where are you?  xx]

[10:00PM Nevermind. We need to meet up though, I have some juicy gossip for you ;-) x]

[11:00PM Aila this isn't funny. I hope nothing terrible has happened to you. Please call me. ]

[ 12:00AM Call me. ]

[Today 11:30AM Are you avoiding me? That hurts real bad. Call me if you are still my friend ]

Paranoid indeed. 

Aila and Hollie had a mutual system whereby if the other did not reply for a few days, even a week or two, it meant they were busy. That was why, when she went missing initially, Hollie was not the first to message her. 

Aila stood up and went back to the living room. She slumped down on the sofa and crossed her ankle over her knee, tapping her phone on top of it, lost in thought. The seat next to her dipped as she felt the weight of someone sitting next to her. This pulled Aila out of her reverie. She looked to the side and saw Finn looking at her and Ajax complaining about him leaving the game and ultimately dying.

"What's wrong, Aila?" Finn asked. Aila grimaced; it seemed like Finn asked her this a lot.

She forced a smile, "Why do you think anything's up?"

"Your body language shows you are anxious about something." Aila looked up to the two women entering the room. Gamma Chiara and Nairi. 

"Hmm, looks like I need to get better at hiding my feelings," Aila muttered.

"Aww, no, honey. Not in the packhouse. It's only us. You can trust us," Nairi sat down elegantly, crossing her legs and sipped from a hot drink as she stared at Aila intently with her big brown eyes.

Aila leaned back on the sofa, relaxing her arm on the back of it, as she eyed everyone in the room, "Chiara, are you going with Alpha Damon on Saturday?"

Chiara shook her head, "No, it's only him and Beta Kane. I need to stay here with you. Help protect the pack while they're gone."

"Okay," Aila glanced at Finn, "I'm meeting my friend on Saturday for a catch-up. But something seems off, maybe I'm getting paranoid, but I think It's best if I had some guards."

"Can we wear suits?" 

Aila looked at Ajax bemused and raised a brow in question.

"I want to look the part.." Ajax continued.

"How old are you, Ajax?" Chiara scrutinised him from head to toe, making a chill pass through Aila.

"26, why?" Ajax smirked; he looked as though he wanted to say more but stopped.

"Because you act like a child wanting to play dress-up…" Chiara rolled her eyes, crossing her arms as she leaned against the wall. 

"Don't hate a man for always wanting to look good, doll," Ajax winked.

Chiara took a step forward, "Don't. Ever. Call. Me. Doll." She emphasised each word threateningly. 

Aila held back a smile as Finn mind-linked her, "Here we go.. the day Ajax goes too far.."

Ajax gulped before his usual easy-going smile replaced his fear, "Baby, you tell me whatever you want to hear, and I'll say it."

"I think that's my cue to leave. Aila, you don't need to ask; I'll be there," Finn said as he looked at his phone, "Shit, I'm late."

Without another word from Finn, he dashed out of the room, leaving Aila to watch the comical scene in front of her. Finn was right; Ajax may be going too far this time, unfortunately for him, he couldn't stay to watch the show.