Chapter 11: Wolf In Sheep's Clothing

Alinta tucked her hair behind both ears, her posture shifting as if she wanted to make herself smaller. "Honestly, I don't know anymore. At first, I thought he had been stalking me for the last month, but after the run-in with him on Sunday, Bellinor carried on as if all was well and seemed oblivious to everything. It’s possibly my paranoia."

"Wait, what?! Sunday? This past Sunday when I saved your arse, and you didn’t tell me?!" Helen gasped.

"Sorry, I didn’t think to mention it, but yes, we crossed paths and exchanged words. Jenny wasn’t at the front desk, and Bellinor was impatient, asking if I could help him with his books." Alinta paused when the waiter arrived, carrying a tray with coffee and cake.

"Thanks, Rodger," Helen beamed, then slapped Alinta's hands away as she pulled the tray closer to her. "You continue your story while I prep our coffee and treats."

Alinta shook her head and continued, "I swear it feels like he’s getting closer every time I see him. At first, when Ange and I began to suspect we were being watched, we would only see shadows disappearing from the corner of our eyes. As time progressed, we started to smell him and then see him looking at us before walking away when he realized he was caught, or that's what we thought. Anyway, I was so worked up by the encounter I decided to come straight home, completely forgetting about our meetup."

"Holy shit, that is not cool! Do you think that’s why you passed out? You probably had a panic attack when he approached you," Helen said tenderly as placed the plate with carrot cake close to Alinta, and then reached for her friend’s fidgety hand.

"Hmmm, I wouldn’t be surprised if you hit the nail on the head. It’s been quite unnerving," Alinta admitted, looking away and visibly showing fear and unease towards Bellinor.

"Maybe you should confront him the next time you see him, stalking," Helen suggested, making air quotes around the word "stalking." She poured hot water into a cup, stirred it, and handed it to Alinta, who accepted it gratefully. "It’s possible that he’s seeking closure. Just tell him you want to talk somewhere public, and I can be nearby to intervene if needed. Although Mr. Crassus seems like a decent man from what I’ve seen and heard, perhaps he has changed."

Alinta shivered at the suggestion and shook her head. Understanding her friend's hesitation, Helen thought for a moment and quickly asked, "So, what are we doing on your special day?" She took a bite of her lemon meringue cake, looking as if she had died and gone straight to heaven.

Alinta giggled inwardly at her friend's reaction, but her expression turned serious. She wished Helen hadn’t brought it up because she knew her friend would want to come with her. "Well, you see, I always wanted to travel somewhere alone. Angela and I just found a place for an adventure, and we decided to take this coming weekend to do it."

Helen looked at Alinta with an unsure expression, pondering what to say for a few moments. "That sounds exciting! I’m a bit bummed you won’t be here because I wanted to spoil you, but I can still do that when you get back! So tell me more about when and where?" she asked, excitement brightening her usual personality.

"I want to go to the Bare Mountain's Shadow. They’re hosting some kind of event tied to werewolf history and folklore. You know I love those kinds of things. It’s happening on Saturday, my birthday."

"Yup, that’s not my cup of tea! But I’m so excited for you. Good for you, my friend! You need an adventure! How are you going to get there, though? Those mountains are super far and in the middle of nowhere!" Helen exclaimed, with a paled expression.

"That’s true. I was thinking of taking a cab from here to the bus station to Silverside Airport, flying to Mercurysburg City and finding my way to Bare Mountain's Shadow. I still need to do a bit of research and see what shuttle services are available."

"How about this, since you’re abandoning me, let me help plan your transportation and find you a decent hotel?"

"Oh no, Helen, I can’t let you do that. I’m a big girl now—hitting the big 3-0!" Alinta laughed.

"Please!!!! It’s not like I’m going to pay for it. I just want to help!!!" Helen whined like a child, attracting the attention of other customers at their table.

Alinta became self-conscious and whispered in defeat, "Okay, okay, you can help! People are starting to stare!"

Helen immediately transformed back into a civilized adult, beaming with a huge smile. "Good! Now send me the dates, times, and venue so that I can organize everything."

Alinta finished the last bite of her cake and said, "Thank you so much, Helen. You truly are such a sweet friend. I need to use the lady's room quickly; I'll be back." With that, Alinta got up from her seat and disappeared into the cafe.

Helen took out her phone, typed her new to-do list, and quickly sent a message. She didn't have to wait long before her phone began beeping constantly as messages flooded in. She put her phone on silent and tossed it into her handbag, releasing a sigh as she lost herself in thought.

"What’s wrong? Did you miss me that much?" Alinta giggled as she returned.

"Ha ha ha, of course!" Helen laughed. "Also... work has been such a pain lately. I'm sometimes forced to turn off my phone just to have a moment of silence," she admitted honestly.

Alinta observed her friend and noticed how tired Helen's eyes looked, despite her good attempts to hide it. Feeling a pang of sympathy, guilt tugged at Alinta. "In that case, I can't let you waste the little time you have..." Knowing what Alinta was going to say, Helen shot up and placed her index finger over Alinta's lips.

"Not another word," she warned darkly. "Just send me all the information I need. Come on, I'm waiting."

"Damn girl, I surrender! You even have Ange speechless," Alinta laughed nervously as she took out her phone. She typed a short list of times and dates, along with the link to the function, and sent it to Helen. Her friend opened the message, smirked, and nodded in approval.

"I'll leave you to do your shopping and prep work for your trip. I'll catch up with you later when I have a break from work. I see I have a meeting I need to prepare for," she grumbled.

Helen lifted her hand to call the waiter for the tab, but Alinta crossed her arms and said with a sly grin, "No need—I took care of it."

"Took care of what?" Helen asked, confused. But before Alinta could explain, Helen realized what her friend meant. "You sly little fox! That settles it; you definitely have vixen in your genes. Don't think you can get away with this," she said calmly.

Alinta just laughed. The two women got up and hugged each other before parting ways. Alinta decided to visit some shops to pick up items for the trip before heading back home. She didn't linger too long, as she had a list of things to buy and wanted to stick to her schedule. Once she returned home, Alinta took out her notebook and began crossing off items from her list. She retrieved the new suitcase she had purchased and started packing the things she needed for the trip. "Wow, someone is enthusiastic," teased Angela.

"I know it's a bit early, but I've never done something like this before, and I can't afford to forget anything."

"True that! I’ll think of more things to help you. I’m so excited! I'm also grateful Helen took it so well. She really is a darling."

"Indeed she is," Alinta said with a fond smile. She then thought about her upcoming adventure and realized it was the first time in years that she looked forward to her birthday.

Meanwhile, in the lavish parts of Umbre Valley Estate, Helen was sitting in her room when the phone rang. As soon as she saw the caller's name, she quickly answered, "Good evening! What do I owe the pleasure of your call at this hour?"

"Watch yourself, Dolion! You almost failed me again today!" snarled a very angry voice on the other end of the line.

Helen pouted and replied, "How? The moment she told me her plans, I immediately texted you! I was just as caught off guard as you were. When I saw her on Sunday, she never mentioned anything to me, so her decision must have happened yesterday! I did try to talk her out of..."

"Shut up!" the voice roared, making Helen flinch. "Last Sunday you failed to get Alinta to meet you at the café, now this? I can't afford anything to happen to her. I have been protecting her for all these years. Just when I started to believe she had accepted her fate here in this town," he sighed in frustration, "that woman will be the end of me."

Helen rolled her eyes, grabbed a bottle of red nail polish, and spoke while opening it, "It's not like she's running away or anything. She's a big girl; the worst that can happen is she bumps her head and learns something from the experience."

"Are you fucki..." the angry voice paused as he considered something, then continued, more gently, "Hmmm. I'll confess, Dolion, you do sometimes have your moments."

"Hmmm, talk to me like that more often, and I'll be more than willing to go out of my way for you, no matter the task," Helen replied flirtatiously, finishing coating her second nail.

A deep laugh could be heard on the other side of the line, and then the man answered in the same tone, "Is that so? Then I will try to be more considerate," he paused as he took a strained breath, then continued, "but mark my words, if anything happens to Alinta you would wish you had never existed! Do I make myself clear?" he hissed venomously.

"Y..yes sir," Helen stuttered.

"I will email you your next set of instructions shortly." He said coldly, and the line went dead.

"All this after being rejected, why even bother...," she sighed and continued to paint her nails as she waited for her email to come through.

Her phone vibrated after twenty minutes passed, "Perfect timing," she said pleased as her nails had dried.