Chapter 5

I was abruptly awakened by a knock on my door and a voice calling out my name. "Adie?" the voice said.

I rubbed my bleary eyes and replied, "Yeah?" while sitting up on my plush bed.

"It's me, Bell. Can I come in?" she asked through the door.

I perked up at the sound of her voice and smiled, "Yeah sure. Come in."

As the door opened, Bell entered with a smile on her face, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "Did you sleep well?" she asked cheerfully.

I let out a big yawn and stretched my arms above my head, "Yeah. This bed is really comfortable, and I was really tired."

"Alpha has asked you to come downstairs."

"Is his name, Alpha?" I couldn't help but ask confused to why people keep on calling him that. In return, Bell just smiled nervously "It's Dylan."

I got up from the bed and opened my bag, taking out a black sweatshirt and jeans. I grabbed my bra and panties and went inside the bathroom to freshen up.

After a quick shower and brushing my teeth, I braided my hair to the side and got dressed. As I emerged from the bathroom, I saw Bell holding my family frame.

I asked in a neutral voice, "What are you doing?"

Bell replied with regret, "Uh, I was thinking to unpack your things and I found this frame. I'm sorry. I didn't want to intervene in your personal things."

I reassured her, "Oh no, it's okay." I gestured for her to help me with the rest of my things, and we were done within fifteen minutes, putting everything in its place.

I picked up the frame and put it on the bedside table, next to the lamp. Bell asked me, "Is this your family?"

I replied with a smile and nod, "Yeah," as I looked at the frame.

Bell then asked, "Where are they now?" I whispered with a smile, "Very close to me."

"You are really lucky, you know that?" Bell said. I turned to her, raising an eyebrow, curious as to why she would say that.

I noticed her saddened posture and glistening eyes as she continued, "You have a family. A perfect family. A mother with whom you can share things. A father who will protect you and will be there for you always. A brother and a sister on whom you can shower your love. A perfect family. But me, I only have my brother."

My heart clenched at hearing her say those words. I couldn't help but ask, "Where are your parents?" I regretted asking when tears began to roll down her face.

"Where are your parents?" I had asked, hoping to get to know her better.

"They left me and Cole when we were small in an Orphanage with a letter that they were unable to give us a perfect lifestyle," she explained, her voice breaking with emotion. "They said that they were poor and didn't have enough money to parent us, and they were really sorry for doing that. They even wrote that they were forced to take such a big step only for us. They wanted us to be happy and asked us to forgive them."

My heart went out to her as she broke down in tears. "Oh, I'm so sorry," I said, hugging her tightly as she sobbed on my chest.

"It's okay," she said, eventually calming down. "I'm sure that they really loved you and wanted the best for you," I said truthfully, patting her back. It was difficult to imagine how hard it must have been for her and her brother to grow up without parents.

"Anyways, let's go down. Everyone is waiting," Bell said with a smile before turning towards the door. However, I couldn't help but feel confused by her words and actions.

"Wait a minute," I said, quickly reaching out to grab her forearm and turning her back towards me. "What do you mean by everyone?"

Bell's expression shifted slightly, a hint of uncertainty flickering in her eyes. "Uh, well...I mean, just everyone in the pack. Alpha has invited everyone for lunch."

I furrowed my brow, still feeling a bit uneasy about the situation. "But why would everyone be here? Is there something special going on?"

Bell hesitated for a moment before responding. "Not really, it's just a...a tradition, I guess. Alpha likes to have everyone together for meals whenever he can."

I couldn't shake off the feeling that there was more to it than just a simple tradition, but I decided to let it go for now. Bell seemed to be telling the truth, and I didn't want to make a big deal out of nothing.

"Okay, let's go then," I said with a shrug, following Bell out of the room and towards the dining hall where I would finally get some answers.

As we descended the stairs, I couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. Bell's words had piqued my curiosity, and my confusion only grew as we walked for what felt like an eternity. Finally, we arrived at a large door, and as we stepped inside, my eyes widened in shock.

There were people everywhere. The room was packed with what looked like hundreds of individuals, all chatting, eating, and gossiping away. Some were old, while others were young. There were teenagers, kids, and adults of every age in between. It was as if we had entered an entirely different world.

"What is this?" I asked Bell, my voice barely above a whisper. "A small city of your own?"

She laughed, shaking her head. "No, not quite. This is just the pack. Everyone lives here together, like one big family."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. It was like something out of a fairy tale - or a horror story, depending on how you looked at it. But there was no denying the sense of community and belonging that permeated the room. It was both beautiful and overwhelming, and I couldn't wait to learn more about it.

As soon as I stepped in, the room fell silent, and everyone turned to look at us. I could feel the weight of their curious gazes on me, and my heart started racing with anxiety.

"What is this?" I whispered to Bell, still in disbelief.

"Welcome to my family," she replied, grinning at my reaction.

I scanned the room again, taking in the sheer number of people gathered there. It felt like a small city, with tables and chairs filling up the space. There were people of all ages, from toddlers to the elderly, and they were all busy chatting, laughing, and eating.

Suddenly, the room fell silent, and I realized that everyone had stopped to look at us. I felt a lump form in my throat, and my palms started to sweat.

Then, as if on cue, they all stood up and bowed their heads.

"Luna," they said in unison, their voices respectful and reverent.

I couldn't help but scratch my head in confusion, looking around me to see if there was anyone else who could be the subject of all this attention. But as far as I could tell, it was just me.

"Who is Luna?" I whispered; my voice barely audible over the sound of all the whispered conversations going on around me.

The curious looks I received from everyone only served to deepen my confusion. Some seemed genuinely happy, others ecstatic, with tears of joy in their eyes. Others were more neutral in their expression.

Turning to Bell, I asked the question that was on everyone's mind. "Who is Luna?" I could see the colour drain from her face as she struggled to find the right words.

"Uh, it's I mean it's-" she began to stammer, and I could feel my patience wearing thin.

Suddenly, the chatter died down and the room went silent. I watched as everyone stood straight, their eyes fixed on something behind me. I turned, feeling a knot form in my stomach, and saw the Alpha Guy, Taylon, standing there with all the confidence as if he were some king.

"Alpha," everyone said in unison, bowing their heads.

I was completely lost. It was the same guy with the weird poem early in the morning.

"Hi Taylon," I waved at the guy, trying to break the ice. But instead of responding to my greeting, he scowled and glared at me.

"It's Dylan," he corrected me, and I couldn't help but roll my eyes. This place was really getting on my nerves. I could see the amusement in Cole and Blake's eyes as they looked between us but soon maintained a serious posture once Dylan looked their way. I could tell, Dylan held a high place in the whole house as if he were the head of the family. He was respected but some looked scared of him and that made me wonder why.

The Alpha entered the room with an air of authority, his presence commanding the attention of all who were present. "Good afternoon, everyone," he announced, his deep voice resonating through the room. "We will be having Miss Aderyn Brookes as our guest for some time, and I hope you all will make her stay a pleasant one."

As the Alpha paused, I leaned forward in anticipation of what he would say next. However, to my confusion, he fell silent, leaving his statement unfinished. I furrowed my brow, wondering what he could have possibly meant. But before I could voice my question, the Alpha continued with his orders, motioning for everyone to take their seats and start their lunch.

I stood my ground, refusing to let the Alpha's intimidating gaze get the best of me. I waited patiently for him to respond, wondering what he could possibly want to say that he was hesitating over. But as the seconds ticked by without a word, I began to grow impatient. Finally, I couldn't take it anymore and snapped at him.

"Are you going to say something?" I demanded, my tone firm and unyielding.

The Alpha's glare intensified, but I refused to back down. I crossed my arms over my chest and raised an eyebrow, silently challenging him to respond. Despite his imposing presence, I was determined to stand up for myself and not let him intimidate me.

I was taken aback when he turned back to face me and took my hand. As soon as his skin touched mine, a strange sensation coursed through my body. My skin tingled, and a shiver ran down my spine. He jerked his hand away, as if he had felt it too. I looked at him, trying to make sense of what had just happened.

As he locked eyes with me, I felt as if he was searching for my soul. His fluttering eyelashes and furrowed brows gave away his intense concentration. At first, his face appeared blank, but then confusion started to creep in. Suddenly, it twisted into frustration, and before I knew it, anger took over, contorting his features. The sudden change in emotions was unsettling, and I couldn't help but feel that something very strange was going on.

He hesitated before opening his mouth, his gaze flickering around the room. After five minutes of intense staring, he abruptly turned and strode out of the room with Blake and Cole following in his wake.

Beside me, Bell wore a nervous expression and kept nodding as if in conversation on an invisible phone. I realized that I would have to find answers on my own.

My mission was clear: to uncover the truth behind this strange encounter.