Nature in Hiding

59- The Finance sponsor of the plan

After the initial shock and series of questions to confirm whether it wasn't a prank, Ravi inquired about the reason behind the call.

"I heard you were planning to help save the elements' reputation."

Ravi's hands trembled as he looked around in shock. They had just discussed this. It was impossible for this news to travel this fast unless someone was spying on him.

"What...what nonsense? Why would I do so? Who told you such absurd lies?" Ravi lied through his teeth, while gesturing to the kids to hide somewhere.

Right now, the elements were the criminals; the villains who were a stain to the society. Siding with them meant becoming traitors to society. Ravi prayed that whoever was spying on him hadn't noticed the children. He wouldn't want them to fall in trouble alongside him.

"It's not a lie and I have my ways to find out. Just so you know, if someone heard you talking about it then they definitely heard the people you were having that conversation with," Hritika informed, before clicking her tongue.

"Stop hiding the kids. And listen up," she ordered, while thanking her luck for having werewolves and humans both on her side. Her human contacts brought her information about him, while the heightened senses of werewolves helped her know what was going on inside that hospital room. Even the slightest of the noise got detected by those wolves and putting dots together was her forte. The sound of movement of chairs and curtains, and the slightest sound of the tip-toeing of multiple footsteps was enough information for Hritika to understand that the man was hiding the children while having the conversation with her.

"Don't harm them. They are just kids with a huge imagination. They haven't done anything wrong," Ravi pleaded.

"That's the main reason I need them. Their imagination, their different point of view to see the world would lead us to the evidence that everyone thinks is impossible to find."

"What?" Ravi sat there baffled, not understanding what was happening.

"Relax, I am not an enemy. I am on your side to prove the truth of elements." Hritika rubbed her ears as she received a 'what' again in response, but this time in a loud screech.

Tired of guessing and getting scared about what was happening, Sarah snatched the phone from Ravi, before putting it on speaker.

"Let me know the plan. If I find it effective enough, I will provide you with as much finance required for the purpose," Hritika said, making the kids glance at each other with excitement.

"Pinky promise?" Ayaan asked in a loud voice, his eyes wide with eagerness.

Ravi shushed him, before putting the call on hold. "Don't get too excited. It might be a trap," he hissed.

"I think Uncle is right," Rewa agreed, "we should tread carefully."

"How can it be a normal day unless the ever so intelligent Rewa pours water on our excitement?" Sarah rolled her eyes.

Rewa looked at her with hurt, before saying, "I was just...,"

Sarah interrupted her, before Rewa could complete her sentence, "Chill, no need to explain. You must be right, like all the other 99.9% of the time. I am just irritated upon getting my hopes up for nothing."

"Okay, now everyone shush. Let me talk," Ravi said, before resuming the call.

"You do realize that if I can hear your plan then obviously I could hear your whole discussion despite being on hold, right?" Hritika asked, her eyes narrowed with annoyance although they couldn't see her.

Hritika had smiled hearing his voice while thinking, 'He must be Avan's brother. He sounds just like him.' She was about to give into the childishness and pinky promise the kid, but the adult had to interrupt and make her roll her eyes yet again at his stupidness.

She chuckled as she found out that he was cursing himself for his stupidness. Hritika particularly enjoyed troubling the oh so great elders. And this just made her day. Remembering that it wasn't the time to joke, Hritika cleared her throat and waited for him to lead the conversation further.

"Your offer is great, but I can't seem to trust you. The whole world thinks of them as villains. Then why don't you? Can you tell me at least one reason why you want to help us out?"

"Mr. Ravi, why do you trust them? It is probably the same reason as yours," she said candidly.

"I was in love with one of them, yet it wasn't until their death that I came to my senses," Ravi answered truthfully, his eyes looking down in shame.

"I had a crush on one element too. And just like you I took some time to trust them too. I guess, not exactly but we are still on the same page." Hritika spoke the half-truth. Everything else was true except the fact that she spoke in past tense. She couldn't let out the fact that they were alive, unless she had made it safe for them to re-enter the human world.

"Crush? On who?" Dhruv asked curiously.

"Not the time," Sarah scolded the kid.

Dhruv pouted in dismay, but then the chirps of birds grabbed his attention, making him forget his own question.

His attention span was really low. Sarah wondered how he was silent for so long, before her eyes went to his sticky hands and crumbs all over his clothes. That idiot was busy eating during the tense situation.

"Anyways," Hritika cleared her throat to gain back the attention towards the topic. "You really don't need to trust me, because I am not going to do anything except provide you with money. Umm...seeing that I am a little desperate right now, I don't even want to know your plan. Just hurry and prove their innocence."

"What if we run away with your money?" Tejas asked, earning the slap from the two girls of his group.

"Why the hell are you trying to ruin our chances of getting help?" Rewa whisper-yelled.

"Ditto," Sarah said, while glaring at Tejas.

"Ditto? Seriously?" Tejas scoffed, although he was the one getting yelled at the moment.

"I couldn't have worded it better than her, so why not?" Sarah shrugged.

"Listen Miss," Rewa started in a polite tone, "Please don't lose your trust in us. We don't have a concrete plan on how we are going to make this happen, but we definitely know the loopholes that can help prove the elements' innocence. If you could give us some time, we will present the entire plan to you. So please don't take back your offer because of our inability to properly converse in a formal situation."

"Time given. Take as much as you need, but give me results," Hritika said, before cutting the call.

The kids whooped in joy, finally being able to do something for the elements' that were like a family to them.

"I give it to you, Rewa. If not for your politeness, I don't think we would have managed to earn her trust," Sarah praised, looking slightly uncomfortable.

The smile on Rewa's face was so bright that it could even give Sun a competition. Receiving a compliment from Sarah was more rare than finding a needle in the dessert.

Hritika chuckled upon finding out what they were discussing after the end of their call. Rewa's politeness had really impressed Hritika. But she would have given them time and money even without it. Hritika wasn't really expecting a formal presentation type conversation while speaking to the kids.

"You do realize that this is an invasion of privacy, right?" Yara asked, shaking her head at Hritika who was listening to their conversation.

"I need to know whether they are actually going to help us or are going to waste my money," Hritika said defensively.

"Oh please, don't give false excuses. You are just enjoying listening as if it was a drama," Yara muttered.

"Like you weren't enjoying it until now. Who was the one who gave me all those details? Why the sudden guilty conscience?"

Yara looked at her sheepishly, before they both bursted out in laughter.

"Let's go now, before the Alphas find out about our shenanigans," Yara said, ushering Hritika to hurry and go back to their pack.

This whole thing was just between the sister-in-laws. While Hritika wanted to do everything to help Neer, Yara wanted to do it for Hritika, who had finally given her heart to someone for the first time in her life.