Chapter 5

ASTRID'S POV

The encounter was frightening enough and my legs were wobbling by the time I made it back into the room that was assigned to me in their quarters.

The Lycan brothers room was just a few hallways away from mine and I was given a room of my own.

There was a sudden knock on the door and I jerked slightly, my palms sweaty as I opened the door to see a maid standing there with a bunch of clothes in her hands as well as a scowl on her face. She clearly didn't appreciate waiting on me but there was a small sense of triumph in me at the way the tables had been flipped.

“Here's your clothes” She forced a smile at me, handing the clothes to me.

“Thanks” i muttered, collecting them from her.

She didn't leave immediately, she looked me over with a disgusted look on her face. “You don't belong here” She spat.

My heart deflated at her words but before I could open my mouth to speak, I heard a voice from outside. “I don't think that's your place to note”

The maid paled, bowed and scurried away and then one of the brothers materialized in the hallway. He was the one who was a bit different from the others. They looked the same but this one had heterochromia… one eye being grey and the other hazel. “Done staring?” He crossed his arms.

I blinked, my cheeks flushed. “Uh, what do you want?”

He rolled his eyes with a smile. “Saving your ass, Astrid. You seem to attract trouble”

“Huh?” I muttered, confused. “Whㅡ”

“Rogues, the Alpha, us… you seem to have a knack for attracting dangerous things” He smiled.

I blinked rapidly. “What's that supposed tㅡ” That was as far as I got before he interrupted me again.

“Get dressed and come down to the meeting hall. We named you our advisor so you better start acting on it” He clicked his fingers at me.

Huh?

He was already gone and suddenly it dawned on me.  Advisor? What the hell?!

I stared at the door for a second too long, my heart pounding in my chest as the words echoed again. We named you our advisor… start acting like it.

Advisor to Lycans? I didn’t even know what that meant, let alone how to act like one. I had no idea what they were planning, what the hell they even wanted from me. 

But I didn’t have the luxury of questioning things anymore. I had been dragged into this world, and if I wanted to stay alive, I needed to play along.

I got dressed quickly, my fingers trembling as I tugged on the fitted blazer and pants that had been left for me. They actually… looked good. Professional. Strong. Like someone who belonged.

Too bad I didn’t feel that way.

I opened the door and stepped out, forcing myself to keep walking as my legs wobbled beneath me. The long hallway led down to the main floor of the Lycan quarters.

By the time I pushed open the large doors of the meeting hall, the room was already filled.

The tension hit me instantly like a freight train. Eyes. So many eyes.

I recognized the people of Silver Hollow, seated around the long table. Most of them looked at me like I was a curse, an unwanted pest that had somehow wormed her way into the heart of their greatest allies.

The triplets were seated at the front of the table—Lucas, calm and unreadable. Logan, bored and tense. Landon, smirking at someone’s comment.

And then there was Alpha Ren, sitting beside a man I immediately recognized to be his father—Alpha Williams. That old bastard.

Ren’s eyes darted away the moment they met mine. Guilt? Shame? I didn’t know. But Alpha Williams? His stare could’ve burned holes through my skin. Pure hatred radiated from him like poison towards me.

I walked slowly to the triplets and stood behind them, feeling like a child out of place at the adult table.

“Ah,” Alpha Williams stood, his voice booming across the room, drawing everyone’s attention. “Let me officially welcome the Lycan heirs to Silver Hollow.” He gave a stiff nod. “It’s an honor, of course.”

Lucas nodded politely. “We’re glad to be here. Though not for the reasons you might hope.”

Alpha Williams gave a tight, fake smile. Then turned his attention to me.

“And I see you've brought… baggage.” He tilted his head at me, sneering. “I hear she's now your advisor?” His voice was mocking.

I stiffened, my cheeks heating up. Lucas stood without hesitation, his voice low but dangerous. “Watch your mouth.”

Alpha Williams laughed, but there was no humor in it. “Of course. Forgive me. I just didn’t realize our military strategies were now being handled by rejected pack girls.”

My throat dried. My hands curled into fists at my side at how his words stung.

Lucas didn’t say another word, but the look he gave the Alpha was enough to send chills down my spine.

Alpha Williams sat back down with a smirk and slid some papers across the table. “Since your advisor is so eager to help, let her take a look at these.”

I hesitated, but Lucas nodded, so I stepped forward and picked up the sheets.

Numbers. Names. Attacks. Dates. Locations. All scribbled down in messy handwriting. I scanned through them, my mind working to find something—anything—that made sense.

Everyone else kept talking. Strategizing. Arguing. I wasn’t even sure if I was supposed to talk, but I caught a pattern… maybe. My voice wavered, “Are we sure these are rogue attacks?”

The room went silent and Alpha Williams barked a laugh. “What else would they be? A pack throwing us a party?”

I shrank a little at his biting words. “It’s just… the reports. They don’t follow a clear pattern. Some of them are too… clean. Organized. Rogues don’t usually—”

“Enough,” Alpha Williams cut in. “You’re here to listen. Not teach us what we already know.”

Lucas sat up straighter, but this time it was Landon who intervened.

“Alpha Williams,” he said sharply, “let her speak or shut the hell up.”

Alpha Williams’ eyes burned with fury, but he leaned back again. I tried to focus on the reports, flipping through each one. I felt like something was off but I couldn’t concentrate. The room was too loud. 

“She’s an advisor, isn’t she?” Alpha Williams’s voice was loud and mocking. “Then let her advise. We’re all waiting.”

All eyes turned to me. I opened my mouth. Nothing came out. My throat burned. My heart pounding in my chest.

Say something. Anything. Just—

“If she can’t be of use during meetings,” Alpha Williams said coldly, “then perhaps she should remain in her quarters while the real discussions happen.”

I blinked. The words didn’t hit me immediately. But when they did, they cut deeper than I thought they would.

I looked around. No one spoke. Not even the triplets. Not Ren, who looked like he was about to say something but didn’t. His mouth opened—then closed again. He looked at me, guilt all over his face, but I didn’t care anymore.

I was already moving. I turned and walked out, ignoring the sting in my eyes. My footsteps echoed down the hall, faster and faster until I reached the corridor.

Then, I stopped. Breathed. One tear fell. Then another. I wiped them away quickly, but the damage was done.

The realization hit me. I didn't belong here. Not then… not now. And they all knew it.