"Here is your lunch. Don't break the container this time." Ron lightly scolded Maria as she was getting ready to go to school.

"Yes, Uncle Ron."

"Be a good girl. Come on."

Ron carried Maria's bag and held her hand as he escorted her out the house to Charles's car. Since when Maria began living with them, Ron had restarted her to the school that she had been going when her parents were alive. He didn't want her to miss out more than what she had missed when she was in the hospital. Charles dropped her off since the school was on his way to work. Ron helped her into the car and secured her seatbelt before closing the door.

"Charles!" Ron shouted for his mate to hurry up.

"I'm coming." Charles shouted back and soon enough he was making his way out the house.

Charles stopped before Ron and Ron scanned him for a minute before nodding. His mate looked nice and smart,so it was okay for him to leave the house for work. He had packed everything Charles might need already, so there was nothing holding them back.

"You, have a nice day. Be back home straight from work, I have some news." Ron whispered while embracing his mate.

"Thanks, and you have a good day too and don't be late to pick up Ria today." Charles teased his mate and kissed him, shutting his complaints up.

"It was just one day and it was because of traffic." Ron breathed heavily after Charles released his mouth.

"Whatever, shorty."

Ron watched as Charles drove away and he waved them goodbye until they were out of sight. He sighed and made his way back inside the house. He had a lot to do and hopefully he would​ be done before it was time to pick up Maria.

***
Charles waved​ at Ria as she made her way inside the school gates. He waited until he didn't see her anymore before driving off to work.

Things have been going well since they began living with Ria. She's been a great addition and Charles loved​ her presence even though she was very shy with him but carefree with Ron. The two had became good friends and Charles loved​ seeing them together.

Everyone back home was aware of their mating and they've been asking about when they would​ be going​ back home. Ron was still a beta and was needed back home, to his pack. Charles would be living with him there, to make it possible that Ron see to his duties without a hiccup. So it's​ expected that they would be going home and since they couldn't take Ria, she would have to stay.

Charles had been looking in with the orphanage to hear any updates but there still was no space for Ria. Later on, Charles decided to took it upon himself and renovate the orphanage that had a space for Ria but poor environment. He had asked Sanjay to join him and Sanjay agreed to even be a sponsor for the orphanage.

So while Charles was preparing to leave the city with his mate, he was also preparing a better home for Ria to stay in when they are gone. Ron wasn't aware of the renovation project and Charles planned to tell him later that night.

Charles arrived at work and sorted out his schedule, making sure nothing was available to hinder his leave after knocking off time. He remembered Ron needed him home after work and he wanted to make it in time. He didn't like what his work for the day consisted of because he hated talking to authors and telling them their books suck and would not be published. He knew every author possibly put in their best when writing a book and telling them off was bad but then again, this was business and he had no choice but choose the best of the best.

***
Ron picked up his bag and walked to the door with keys in hand. He was a bit earlier than usual to the time that he went to pick up Maria. He didn't want to be late again.

He was locking the door when he felt something off. He stopped and turned around, his wolf was on edge at the possibility of danger. He scanned the woods across their home, where he felt like someone was looking at him. Slowly, the feeling disappeared and his wolf calmed down. He wanted to go and make sure whatever it was, was gone, but he didn't want to be late to pick up Maria again. Ron sighed and locked the door then walked off. As he hailed a cab to Maria's school, he wondered who was in the woods and what they wanted.

Shaking off all the thoughts that had occupied his mind, Ron entered Maria's school gate. He looked around the playground where for Maria since that's where the parents picked up their kids, but he couldn't find her. The bad feeling that he had felt at home came back and his heart began beating faster. He raced around until he noticed one of the teachers for the school.

"Miss Brown, where's Maria? I can't find her anywhere."

"Oh. I'm sorry, Ron. There was a bit of a situation earlier and Maria is being looked after in the director's office."

Ron sped away when he heard where Maria was. He didn't even knock on the door when he arrived at the office. When he opened the door, his eyes went straight to Lucy who looked like she had been crying.

"Uncle Ron." She sobbed and launched herself at Ron.

"It's okay." Ron cooed as he held the little girl while trying to calm her and himself down.

Maria cried herself to sleep and Ron held her in his arms and sat himself on the chair. He had to know what had happened to Maria.

"When the children were let outside, a man came to pick her up but she refused to go with him. Thankfully a teacher came around in time but unfortunately, the man ran away." The director explained.

"Did you call the police?"

"No. We had the situation under control. There was no need to involve the police-"

"What the hell are you talking about?" Ron murmured angrily. "You must know about what happened to her parents and you think when someone tries to abduct her it's nothing? What is wrong with you people?"

"We didn't want to create a scene and alert the other parents on something less."

"You know what? I'm never bringing her here again." Ron yelled and left the office.

He hailed a taxi back home and got Maria in bed. Surprisingly, she had slept throughout the yelling in the office and the drive home. Once Maria was tucked in, Ron took his phone out to talk to Charles and tell him about what happened.

"I'm sorry, shorty, this isn't a good time for a call."

"Charles, this is really important. Maria g-"

"I promise I'll be home as soon as I can. I won't be late."

"Okay." Ron sighed and pocketed his cell.

For the first time, since Ron came to look for Charles, he wished he was back home with his pack. Being here all alone with no one to lean on, he felt lonely and insecure. Ron also realized he's never been this long away from his pack. He wasn't sure of how bad the threat out there was, he felt so revealing in the face of the enemy since this wasn't his pack. He was all alone to face any danger. Ron had no doubt Charles would protect him and Maria if anything was to happen and not forgetting, he himself was capable of protecting Maria and himself in Charles absence. But still, it was better in numbers than alone.

When Maria woke up, Ron and her played around until it was time to start preparing dinner. Maria offered to help and Ron couldn't say no, so together they prepared dinner and set in on the table later on. Checking his time, Ron deduced that Charles must be on his way home since it was a good half hour after his knocking off time.

Their surrounding was fine, that's why Ron walked out of the house and sat on the veranda with Maria and waited for Charles. Time went by and before Ron knew it, an hour had passed since they came out of the house but Charles wasn't home yet. He stood up, leaving Maria on the veranda and walked down the driveway until he reached the main road to check if any car was coming. He sighed when there was no car in sight and decided to go back home but before he left the road, he looked up across from him where the woods were. His morning thoughts came running again in his mind but he shook off the urge to enter the woods. Maria was sitting on the steps and looking at him impatiently.

Ron turned around and ran back to the house. He picked Maria up and swinged her around before settling her back on her goes.

"Let's go inside, baby girl, Uncle Charles will be late today." I lead her back inside the house.

"But why? I wanted to see him eat the meat I helped cooking."

"He will eat it, don't worry."

"But I won't see him eat it." She pouted and I sighed.

Me too hate preparing dinner and wait for someone who comes late. With Maria here, when it's times like this, I just eat with her and leave Charles food which he finds it cold and has to warm it up in the microwave. I hate that and he knows it too, especially when Maria wasn't here. I would prepare dinner which I later ate on my own. I told him if he knew he won't be home for dinner, he must tell me so that I don't cook but order something out because that's better than cooking and eat all alone.

"Uncle Ron."

I sighed​and looked at Maria who was standing by the door. I had yet to enter the house, thinking of Charles being late made me stop and I was getting angry.

"Let's go and eat." I told Maria and she skipped her way to the dining room and I locked the front door then followed her with a smile. There was no need to get angry when Charles wasn't even here.

We were seated in the dining room, eating, when I suddenly felt off. I shushed Maria, as she was telling me about a story that happened somewhere, and listened. I could hear some movements outside and I tiptoed to the window and peeped outside through to the curtains. My heart jumped when I saw a good number of wolves coming towards the house and I was dialing Charles number right away.

I cursed when I got no answer and tried him three times before throwing it on the table and picked up Maria up to our room upstairs. I sat her on the bed and gave her a phone to continue dialing Charles. I opened my bag and gathered the little equipments, I had brought with me when coming here, for a fight. I didn't take much since I never expected to use them but the warrior in me couldn't make me leave without taking a few and now I'd use them.

"Stay here, don't open this door for anyone." I told Maria and then listened until she locked the door when I was out.
I made my way outside the house, the moonlight provided a good light in the darkness.

"Who are you and what do you want?" I yelled.

"Alpha's orders: get the girl."

It sounded like a multiple voices replied back at me. I could see their shining wolf eyes since they were in the darkest areas where the moonlight didn't touch.

"I won't let you get the girl." I wanted to add 'over my dead body' but decided to leave it at that.

"Get the girl and kill anyone standing in the way."

I guessed they were finishing their alpha's orders but I wasn't shook. I knew I could handle my own and I wasn't gonna let them anywhere near Maria.

So we fought.

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suki86

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