Chapter 8

Kat's POV

I walked back to the pack hospital, my legs feeling kind of weak, like jelly. My chest still ached from what I had seen on the training field. I didn’t want to think about Alpha Liam and that beautiful blonde girl, but no matter how hard I tried, the image kept popping back in my head. Him smiling a little, her standing close, looking like she belonged next to him. It felt like I had been punched in the stomach, even though I had no right to feel that way.

I sighed and pushed open the door to my hospital room, hoping to lie down and bury myself under the covers for a while.

But the moment I stepped inside, I stopped.

There was someone in my room.

A young girl was standing there, waiting quietly. She looked like she might be around fifteen or sixteen. She had a sweet face, light brown skin, and soft curly hair tied back into a neat ponytail. She was wearing simple jeans and a grey hoodie with the pack’s emblem on the chest.

For a second, we just stared at each other.

“Um… hi?” I said carefully, my hand still on the doorknob.

She smiled a little and gave a small bow of her head, like she’d been taught to be polite. “Hi. My name is Maya. Alpha Liam sent me.”

I blinked. “Sent you?”

She nodded. “Yes. He asked me to escort you to your new room in the pack house.”

I was quiet for a moment, confused. “Pack house?”

“Yes,” she said kindly. “Alpha Liam said you’re well enough to leave the hospital now. He had a room prepared for you in the main house.”

“Oh…” I stared at her, my heart thudding a little faster now. I didn’t know what to say. No one had told me this. Alpha Liam hadn’t come to speak to me himself. He just… sent someone else?

Still, I didn’t want to seem ungrateful, so I just nodded slowly. “Okay. Thank you.”

Maya smiled again. “Of course. If you’re ready, I’ll take you there.”

I glanced back at the bed one last time, then followed her out of the room.

We walked down the hallway and out of the hospital. The air outside was cooler now, the sun hanging low in the sky, painting everything in shades of orange and gold. A soft breeze blew past us, carrying the scent of pine trees and something that reminded me of home.

The walk was quiet at first. Maya didn’t say much, and neither did I. I was too busy looking around, taking in more of the pack territory. There were more buildings spread out around us, some homes, some looking like offices or training rooms. Wolves moved around, talking, laughing, working. It felt like a real community.

After a while, I glanced at Maya. “So… do you live in the pack house too?”

She shook her head. “No. I live with my mom and little brother closer to the east side of the territory. Only high-ranking wolves and guests usually stay in the pack house.”

“Oh,” I said softly, looking down at my shoes. “I guess that makes me a guest then.”

Maya gave me a strange look, like she wanted to say something, but she kept quiet.

Finally, we arrived at the pack house.

I stopped walking for a second and just stared at it.

It was a big, two-story building made of dark wood and grey stone. It looked warm and strong at the same time. The front had a wide porch with a couple of rocking chairs and potted plants, and the windows glowed with soft yellow lights. It was beautiful, in a simple, quiet way. It reminded me of something out of a storybook.

“This is it,” Maya said beside me, her voice full of pride. “It’s been part of the pack for a long time.”

“It’s really nice,” I whispered, still staring.

We stepped into the pack house, and the moment I crossed the threshold, I could feel how different it was from the hospital. It was warm here—not just in temperature, but in feeling. The air smelled like cinnamon and baked bread, mixed with something woodsy and fresh. Maybe pine. It reminded me of something from a dream.

The girl beside me, Cindy, looked calm and at ease, while I tried my best not to look like a nervous wreck. I wrapped my arms around myself, partly from habit and partly to hide how tense I felt.

“Welcome to the pack house,” she said with a soft smile, her voice kind but not too cheerful. She didn’t make me feel like a stranger, but I still felt out of place somehow.

People were coming and going. Some were chatting, others carrying baskets or trays. I saw a couple of kids running past with loud laughter, their bare feet slapping against the polished wooden floor. No one really paid me much attention, which I was secretly thankful for. I didn’t want all eyes on me—not when I didn’t even feel like I belonged yet.

Cindy guided me past the main hall. It had a huge fireplace crackling softly, big couches with throw pillows, and a long wooden dining table with enough chairs for a small army. Everything looked cozy and lived-in. It wasn’t fancy or too clean, but it had that “home” feeling. Something I hadn’t had in a long time.

We reached the stairs, and Cindy started up without saying much, so I followed. The stairs creaked gently beneath our steps. On the first floor, I caught a glimpse of what looked like a library, with tall shelves and armchairs. On the second floor, there were more rooms and even a balcony. But we didn’t stop there either.

We climbed all the way to the top floor—probably the third floor or so. My legs were getting a little tired by the time we reached the hallway at the end, but I didn’t complain.

The hallway was long and quiet. The lighting was soft and golden, not too bright. The walls were painted a light cream color, and there were paintings hanging in between the doors—landscapes of forests, wolves howling at the moon, rivers cutting through valleys. I slowed a little to look at one of the pictures of a giant grey wolf with striking eyes. It looked so real I felt like it was watching me.

Finally, Cindy stopped in front of a door near the end of the hall. She pulled a small key from her pocket, unlocked it, and pushed it open gently.

“Here we are,” she said, stepping aside so I could go in first.