Archie's POV
The incessant ringing of my phone shattered the tranquility of the morning. Annoyed, I picked it up to find Erma's name flashing on the screen. Reluctantly, I answered, bracing myself for another one of her incessant requests.
"Archie, I'm afraid you were too busy to check my message last night, so I had to call," Erma's voice echoed through the receiver. "I need to see you. I have something important to report."
I sighed, irritation evident in my tone. "Tell Brad what you need. I don't have time for this."
"No, Archie, it's not about asking for anything from you," Erma's voice trembled with urgency on the other end of the line. "I've stumbled upon a secret about Alisha."
My brow furrowed instantly, my annoyance shifting to concern. "Stay away from her," I warned sharply.
She pleaded with me, tense evident in her voice. "Archie, please, just hear me out. Alisha doesn't deserve to be the Luna of the Golden Crest. I'm at Centro Cafe. Come here, and I'll show you I'm right."
Erma abruptly ended the call, leaving me torn between the pressing matters at hand and the nagging curiosity that gnawed at me. Alisha was still asleep, and I couldn't afford to waste time playing Erma's game.
However, just as I was about to leave Erma's words behind, my phone vibrated, alerting me to a received picture. With a sense of foreboding, I opened it, only to be confronted with a stark realization—it was a picture of Alisha's wedding ring, Moon Heart. I put it on her ring finger personally on our wedding day.
Why did Erma have a picture of the ring? Suddenly, a memory resurfaced—Alisha had mentioned selling the ring to a jewelry store during her hallucination. It all clicked into place. Erma must have somehow acquired the ring from the store.
I quickly initiated a mindlink with Brad, desperately seeking answers. "Brad, have you discovered where they sold the ring?" I have asked Brad to ask Alisha's human friend about this thing.
"Sorry, Alpha, I asked Luna's friend, but she refused to tell me. I can resort to force if necessary," Brad suggested, his loyalty evident in his willingness to do whatever it took.
I considered his proposal for a moment. It was tempting, but I hesitated. Last night, thanks to Alisha's friend who informed me in time to save Alisha, so I couldn't overlook that. Besides, I didn't want to upset Alisha further when she woke up.
I sighed, "No, there is no need now."
"I am sorry, Alpha. And I will call Grace to help me. Her Gift is very useful to human." Brad tried to find another way to solve this problem. Grace was an omega in my pack. Her Gift was hypnosis, which was only useful to the human.
I replied, "I might have known the answer. Just keep an eye on Alisha's friend for now."
After ending the mindlink, I stared at the picture of the ring, my emotions conflicted. On one hand, I was furious at Alisha for selling our wedding ring—a symbol of our union—for money. But on the other hand, I felt a sense of relief that I had found it in time.
Determined to reclaim the ring, I told Mireya, "I need to deal with something. Take care of Alisha." Then I made my way to Centro Cafe where Erma was waiting. Her attire—sunglasses and a mask—set her apart from the other customers, allowing me to identify her easily. Erma glanced in my direction and removed her glasses, raising her hand to catch my attention.
Approaching her table, I didn't waste any time with pleasantries. "Tell me where the ring is," I demanded, my voice laced with impatience.
"I ordered your favorite, a cup of black coffee," Erma said, attempting to ease the tension with a smile.
I looked down at her. "Enough with the small talk. How do you get the ring?"
Erma hesitated for a moment, her face turning pale. "Archie, just a moment....." she began, but I cut her off sharply.
"Didn't you hear my words?" I growled, my voice taking on the Alpha's commanding tone. It was rare for me to treat Erma this way, but my impatience got the better of me.
"I'm sorry," she stammered, standing up immediately. "In a jewelry store," she replied, her voice meek.
I tilted my head, signaling for her to lead the way. Erma obediently followed my command. As we exited the cafe, I noticed her removing her mask, drawing the attention of some onlookers. Ignoring their curious gazes, I focused on following Erma to the nearby jewelry store.
Upon meeting the store manager, I managed to convince the store manager to show me the Moon Heart ring in the safe box. As I laid eyes on it, a mix of emotions surged within me. Should I be furious? Probably. Alisha had callously sold our wedding ring for money. It was the symbol of the Golden Crest's Luna—how could she do such a thing? Did she lack respect or sanity?
Yet, a sense of relief washed over me. At least I had found it in time. Turning to the manager, "I'll buy it. How much?" I asked the manager, determined to reclaim what was rightfully mine.
The manager hesitated before replying. "The owner of the ring is asking for at least 50 million dollars. I understand it's a substantial sum. If you like, you can rent the ring for special occasions."
Without hesitation, I handed my card to the manager, sealing the deal. As I walked out of the store, the weight of the ring in my pocket served as a reminder of Alisha's fucking action.
Erma, her worry etched on her face, couldn't resist making one final attempt to convince me. "Archie, now you know Alisha doesn't respect you at all. She sold your wedding ring for money. She's not worthy of being your wife or the Golden Crest's Luna."
I halted in my tracks, fixing Erma with a stern gaze. "Forget this thing. I don't want anyone else to know. What's more, I must remind you, as a member of the Golden Crest, you are supposed to show respect to Alisha. She's pack's Luna. How dare you speak ill of her behind her back!" My voice carried a warning growl.
"I-I'm just telling the truth. I want you to know her true face," Erma pleaded, tears welling up in her eyes.
"Enough is enough! Alisha is my wife, and no one can change that, including you. If you dare offend her again, I will banish you from my pack. Do you understand?" I asserted firmly, leaving no room for argument.
"No, Archie, you promised to take care of me. You can't do this!" Erma cried out, desperation evident in her voice.
"I have been taking care of you all these years, but don't make me reconsider my decision. Otherwise, you will regret it," I declared, leaving Erma behind with her tear-streaked face.
Although I was relieved to have the Moon Heart back, my happiness was short-lived when I discovered Alisha was not at home after getting back Golden Crest. Frustration seeped into my voice as I confronted Mireya.
"Where did she go?" I snapped, the anger barely contained.
"I don't know, Alpha," Mireya replied, her voice low and submissive.
"Damn it! She hasn't fully recovered, and you let her leave?" I seethed, my impatience fueling my anger.
Mireya kneeled immediately, offering an apology. "Luna seemed to talk to her friend on the phone, and then she left home."
This news only deepened my concerns. I immediately contacted Brad through the mindlink, seeking answers. "Brad, did Alisha go to meet her friend?"
"No, Alpha. I've been with Nova, and Luna never showed up. What's going on?" Brad responded, his voice filled with confusion.
Growing increasingly troubled, I commanded, "Ask Nova if she knows where Alisha went."
After a tense wait, Brad relayed the unsettling information through the mindlink. "Alpha, according to Nova, Luna... Luna seems to be on a date ... date with a man."
A surge of fury surged through me, nearly breaking my composure. I almost can't forebear my desire to shift, unleashing my anger upon the man who dared to cross the line with my Luna, tearing him into pieces.
"Calm down, bro," my wolf interjected, trying to comfort me in my mind. Last night, to avoid exposing my identity and causing panic in the midst of humans at the pub, I locked my wolf in the bay last night, but just now my control has weakened with anger, allowing its voice to emerge. "Alisha is a good girl. Despite your flaws as a husband, I don't believe she would cheat on you. Why don't you call her and ask directly?"
Though my wolf's incessant chatter often irritated me, this time its words carried a semblance of reason.
Taking a deep breath, I dialed Alisha's number. However, my call went unanswered. Was she too engrossed in conversation with that despicable man to bother with my call?
"Perhaps she's intentionally avoiding your call. Frankly, I'm amazed at how she has endured you for so long. It's no surprise she would choose to ignore you," my wolf taunted.
"Nonsense! Do you want to be locked in the bay again?" I warned, my patience running thin.
"Wait! Wait! You need my help! Let me think... Ah, now that she doesn't want to talk to you, why not send her a message? Something that can attract her attention. She'll likely respond."
That seemed like a reasonable idea. I quickly composed a text message to Alisha, intending to provoke a reaction. "I'm going to call Joey and discuss his beloved niece!" I typed, knowing that Alisha wouldn't want me to engage in conversation with Joey.
Sure enough, her reply arrived promptly, confirming that she had purposefully ignored my previous calls.
She truly refused to answer my call just now. This time, I must give her a lesson!
As Alisha came back, I snorted, "Where do you fool around?"
Alisha didn't look awkward or nervous, but retorted, "How dare you question me? I was just having a cup of coffee with a friend, while you were fooling around with other bitch, buying things to please her. And now you have the audacity to turn it around and accuse me!"