He was here.
Relief washed all over me at the familiar face. I couldn't stop the tears that threaten to fall, and i let it fall freely down my cheeks.
"OREN."
The two guards gasped at my sudden outburst, probably because I addressed the Alpha without his title or because I know the Alpha.
Oren was with two other men, whom I didn't recognise nor did i give any heed to.
At his name been called, Oren turned around swiftly with an alert look probably because no one calls him by his name anymore.
When his eyes landed on me, they were unrecognizable, he assessed me with scrutinizing gaze as if I was an enemy. He didn't make a move just stood there staring at me.
My heart hammered wildly at his unflinching and strange gaze. Did he not recognize me?
But after what felt like eternity, Oren finally spoke up.
"Meryl? Meryl, is that you?" With every word he took a step towards me until he was standing before me. I nodded my head repeatedly unable to form a word as happiness coursed through me at being recognized.
"Alpha." The two men beside me acknowledged the Alpha with bowed heads and respect.
"Untie her." He ordered the guards beside me who obliged without a word. "We will talk about this later, Hayes." Oren's voice took a dark tone as he looked at the second guard.
I held my now free hands closed to my chest and massaged it one after the other. The pain at the back of my mind as relief was the only emotion I paid attention to.
"Yes Alpha." Hayes excused himself and walked away with the other man when he was dismissed by Oren.
"Is something wrong, Alpha Oren?" One of the two men who Oren was with before I called him out, asked made his way towards us.
"No, everything is fine, Bretton." Oren answered to his question and that's when I dared to look at Bretton's face closely. He was followed by the other man who had his eyes on me- hard and unwavering. His gaze made me uncomfortable.
Bretton probably noticing my source of discomfort, chuckled lightly. "You're making her uncomfortable, Yuta."
Bretton was a small built man probably in his mid fifties or more because werewolves hardly age, his hair almost gray and wrinkles at the corner of his eyes evident he had seen generations.
"Sorry Sir." Yuta muttered looking away from me.
Yuta was huge. He had a deep scar just below his left eye making him look all the more intimidating. He was way more build than Xerxes and Xerxes was the biggest man I had ever seen but to see Yuta up-close he even beat Xerxes'.
Xerxes.
It ached to think about him so I held myself from thinking about him, focusing on what was going on before me.
"I am sorry, Meryl but I had to go with them now." As soon as Oren said this, a young girl came running towards us. She stopped huffing and puffing to catch her breath before addressing the Alpha.
"She is Zeze. She'll accompany you wherever you want to go." Oren informed me but his voice lacked the softness and concern he used to have whenever he used to talk to me, that was three years ago when he wasn't an Alpha and just Oren, my friend.
"Okay." I nodded my head in understanding.
I forgot about the two men for the time being but it wasn't easy to ignore people who had a dominating presence and an aura that demands attention from people around them.
Yuta wasn't staring at me but his presence alone made me feel uncomfortable while Bretton blatantly stared with a smile that didn't look friendly.
The girl was obediently standing beside me but her curiosity obvious.
Oren turned around to walk away and he had only taken a step away from me when he turned around suddenly and faced me taking me by surprise.
He placed his hand on my head and soothed my hair as he always did when we were younger. The back of his hand trailed on my dirty cheek but he didn't look repulsive by my current state.
His gaze was warm and filled with concern as he looked down at me. "I will come to you later." Oren said softly, the same tone he always used with me.
"Okay." I nodded obediently and smiled at him. He didn't change. Oren was still the same Oren I knew and that made me happy.
With a soft sigh, he walked away with the other two men leaving me alone with Zeze.
"Hi, I am Zeze." The girl introduced herself even though Oren already told me who she was.
"Hi, I am Meryl." I mumbled meekly.
Hunger was gnawing in me and I had no strength left.
"So where to?" Zeze asked me enthusiastically. Her chirpiness and enthusiasm rolling off of her in vibes.
"Home."
She looked confused by my response but I was so tired and hungry to the point I was annoyed at no one in particular.
"Where is that?" She went on with her questions which irked me more.
"Beta Gerard house." I answered her nonetheless wanting to get this over with quickly so I could eat and sleep.
"But they're not at home. They went on a vacation with Alpha Mason and his wife." Zeze informed me with furrowed eyebrows.
"Then take me anywhere where I can get food and sleep." I snapped irritably but as soon as I saw the hurt look on her face I regretted how I behaved.
She was only helping me and I let my hunger get the best of me.
"I am sorry Zeze. I am just so hungry and tired." I apologized quickly.
"I understand. I will take you to the pack house then." She smiled at me in understanding and started walking towards the direction of the pack house.
I trailed behind her, both of us falling into a peaceful silence, making no sound.
The part of the pack we were current walking was eerily quiet because they were off limits to the pack members until said otherwise.
"How old are you, Zeze?" She looked younger than me even though we were of the same height.
"I am 15 years old. It was my birthday yesterday." She answered me with a radiant smile on her face. She fall in steps beside me, a smile still etched on her face.
Her happiness was obvious and her smile contagious making me break a smile of my own.
"Happy belated birthday, Zeze."
"Thank you, Meryl." She grinned broadly at me making me feel all the more bad for my earlier behaviour towards her. "Are you friends with Alpha Oren?"
It took me a moment to answer her question because I didn't know for sure where I stand in his life now. It's been three years since I last saw him, he was sent away from the pack three years ago to Gordon, like all soon-to-be Alphas were, to train and learn about their duties as an Alpha.
But no matter how he regard me now, he was my friend and will always be regardless of what he thinks.
"Yeah, he is my friend."
"How is he? Is he funny? Does he even have a sense of humour?" Zeze started asking me all sorts of questions and I answered every one of them until we finally reached the pack house unnoticed.
A bath was prepared for me by Zeze and I took my time just soaking in the warm and homely feeling I got being in the pack house that I longed to feel.
Food was brought to my room by Zeze along with a fresh set of clothes and skimpy undergarments for me to wear.
"What is this..." I trailed picking up the thin material in my hand. It was an underwear or what it was supposed to be.
Letting out an awkward laugh, Zeze answered. "Veronica was the only one who was as the same size as you." Scratching her head awkwardly, she continued. "They're new, she said so herself."
I was still wrapped in the towel which stopped just below my butt as I continued to assess the tiny material in my hand when Zeze spoke up again. "I would have lend you mine but you're more curvier than me."
I dropped the tiny material on the bed not responding to her remark but thanked her for the food and clothes. A moment of silence stretched between us but it was soon disrupted.
"You still forget to lock your doors Mer-"
Oren stopped mid sentence when he saw the state I was in. I looked at him then at myself covered in a tiny towel before yelling at him to get out.
Oren was quick to make a dash out of the room leaving me alone with Zeze who apologized repeatedly for not locking the doors even when I said it was okay.
"I guess, I will take my leave now. You get dress and eat. Sorry again Meryl." I was thankful she didn't say anything about my obvious red face and the embarrassment I felt a few minutes ago.
She walked out of the room and I followed behind her, to lock the doors. Sighing heavily, I walked towards the bed where the clothes were kept and started getting dressed before digging into the food Zeze brought for me.
I was half way through my food when a knock on the door resonated around the room.
"Meryl, it's me Oren."
I opened the door for him and let him in. I felt my face burn with embarrassment remembering what had happen a while back.
"Sorry about earlier." Oren apologized scratching his head with a sheepish smile, a habit when he was embarrassed or nervous. "Your door was unlock so I didn't know you were..."
"It's fine. Let's not talk about it. It's embarrassing." I was beyond embarrassed to say the least I was mortified.
Oren dropped the topic and was back to his usual form. "You were eating. You can finish it." He gestured towards the half eaten food.
I was still hungry so I happily obliged what he told me to. He stayed silent, sitting opposite of me on the bed he watched me eat and it wasn't creepy.
When we were young, the only friends I had was Karl and since Oren was Karl's best friend he automatically became my friend too. They visited me often and kept me company.
Oren was always gentle and smiling around me making me admire him. I always liked him because he was an incredible human and to be honest when mum first started telling me about mates, his face popped in my mind making me wish he'd be my mate. Because if that happened, I wouldn't have to leave the pack nor would be it awkward being with him.
But that's all wishful thinking. He was not my mate nor would he want someone as weak as me as this pack's Luna.
"Done." I said after gulping down the glass of water and kept the tray on the bedside table before taking my previous seat on the bed beside Oren.
Beaming brightly, Oren lovingly rubbed my head. "I see you're still the same." He always did that when I do something that makes him proud. Though that makes me feel like a pet, it made me happy. " Glutton." He added before throwing his head back and laughed out loud at my offended expression.
"Take it back." I pushed his hand away but his smile didn't waver.
"Okay, sorry Meryl." He wasn't sorry.
He was still the same Oren I knew before he went to Gordon- a place where the future Alphas were sent for three years to study and train about their duties.
A sudden gloomy look crossed his features, all traces of smile and humour vanishing from his face.
"What's wrong?" I asked worriedly at the sudden change in the atmosphere.
"I am so sorry Meryl." Oren said meekly looking guilty.
"It's fine. I am used to it, you always -"
"No, not for calling you glutton." He paused smiling a little at my glare. " I am sorry for not recognizing you sooner. It's just..."
I realised he was talking about our first meeting after three years that is, on the way to the dungeon. I was meeting him after three years and my first impression had been of a captive with the rouge tag on her head.
"It's really fine." I whispered looking down at my adjoined hands.
It was not fine. He took longer than I had expected to realised it was me. I know it's been three years since we last saw each other but I was certain i didn't change much. I recognised him as soon as i saw him but he didn't and that hurt.
"It's not fine, i know." Oren groaned, a hand on his forehead as if he was in a deep dilemma. "Karl won't be happy if he comes to know about it. But it's just..." He kept his sentence hanging spiking up my curiosity.
"It's just..." I pressed wanting to know what his reason was.
His eyes met mine, something lurked behind those enthralling ocean blue eyes which i couldn't pin point.
"It's just you're not the same little Meryl I knew three years ago." He ended it with a sigh.
Oren was a very handsome man. I considered him the most beautiful man i have ever seen from the day i met him. His ocean blue eyes clashed with his almost white hair, he was as tall as Karl, well built and whenever he's around me he makes me feel safe and secure and he was always around me along with Karl.
Karl didn't get to make much friends as a teenager because he was always made to babysit me but he never complained, not once. He's two years older than me and so was Oren.
Despite Karl being obliged to always stay around me Oren didn't mind and instead he hang out with him and let me tag along with them or tag along with Karl whenever he was on babysitting duty.
Oren was very easy to please and was always like an open book but now, he was confusing me with his words.
"What does that mean?" I tilted my head, trying to comprehend what he meant by that.
Oren smiled at me but it looked forced. "Nothing, forget I said that." I wasn't given much choice but to drop the topic as he started talking again. " By the way, Karl will be here soon."
"You told him I am here." I was grinning widely as he nodded in confirmation.
I miss Karl, I miss everyone.
"I know that the first person you want to meet the most are your parents but since they're on a vacation along with my parents, Karl was the first person I told you about. But I will inform your parents once-"
"When will they be back?"
"A day after tomorrow."
"Don't tell them, please." I shook my head deciding against his plan to inform my parents.
Oren looked surprise by my request. "I miss them and as much as I want to see them right now, they probably need this vacation more." I smiled at Oren reassuringly.
Knowing my parents, they were probably depressed about my absence and worried for not been able to get in touch with me so I want them to relax and forget about me even if it's for a few days.
"But I am sure they-"
"I am not going anywhere... At least not anytime soon. I will be here when they come back. I will be here." I said the last sentence more to myself then to Oren. I wanted to believe I'd get to live here for a long time if not forever.
Xerxes will eventually find me. I had a bad feeling about it but at least for now I was certain he wouldn't be able to locate my location, I know Lisa will do her best to help me from there.
"You're obviously not the same Meryl I knew. You've matured quite a lot, tiny winy Meryl." Oren said with a proud smile on his face, despite the annoying name he addressed me with I couldn't help but to smile back at him.
Our little moment was interrupted by someone barging in the room.
"MERYL."
***