Chapter 7

Veronica’s POV

Something shifted in the way they treat me.

“Anything I request for?” I eyed him with furrowed brows.

“Yes,” the pack Beta Eamon, as he finally introduced himself to me earlier, answered in a monotonous voice.

“What if I will only eat boiled virgin rabbit soup from the Highlands of the South?” I asked.

I bet he is a strict general in their pack because I watched how hard he fought back rolling his eyes. Tough guy. It was quite amusing.

“Then we will procure you the boiled virgin rabbit soup from the Highlands of the South,” he answered with an evident grudge.

I held back a snicker but grinned widely after successfully messing with him. This is my first genuine big smile since my life went down the drain. I don’t know what changed but I will not poke around a blessing and risk jinxing it.

“I would very much like a big bowl of lasagna and a medium-rare ribeye steak with a tub of sundae of all possible ice cream flavors with lots of sprinkles, chocolate syrup and marshmallows then your finest wine!”

He looked at me with judgement in his eyes. I only blinked at him innocently.

Because hey, if they're gonna kill me after this sudden generosity, I must enjoy my last meal, right?

“Anything else?” He asks.

I shook my head and he turned towards the door to leave right away. I’m not sure if he was scared of my food choices but he is definitely judging me.

However, before he closed the door of my room, he told me, “You are invited and expected to attend the pack dinner later.”

There was no room for complaints in his statement.

My heart dropped to my stomach.

I knew the request-any-meal-you-like thing didn’t come for free.

**

The food didn't quite taste as good as it should have. My brain started working overtime. Why the sudden invite to the pack dinner?

It has been almost two weeks since I arrived here. They never hinted about what they were planning by keeping me locked up in a room. I gotta say that they have been treating me pretty decently despite it not really stopping me from having nightmares or making me feel safe.

I was sprawled on my bed and staring at the ceiling I have memorized already. The chandelier could fall to me right now and I would be thankful.

Well, I guess I did rant last night about how I have never left this room since I was brought here. I just didn't expect that I would speak it into existence overnight. I was just being dramatic when I told Red Eyes that— goodness, what a turn of events!

A knock in the door snapped me from spiraling. I sat up quickly and to my shock, two new faces entered.

“Good afternoon, Miss,” the lady with a pixie cut bowed politely to me and I was taken aback by how respectful she is. She lifted her head and introduced herself, “My name is Isolde. I have been one of the escorts guarding you since your arrival. I will be helping you prepare for the pack dinner tonight with Analynn here.”

“Prepare?” I asked, confused. Why should I prepare for a simple dinner?

“Yes. We brought clothes and accessories,” Isolde gestured to Analynn and the latter left shortly to pull a rack of dresses after. As the girl named Analynn brought bags and bags of what I assume were the mentioned accessories, my face remained confused.

Why are they primping me? Aren't I supposed to be a prisoner of some kind here? What is really going on?

At the back of my mind, I don't wanna accept the only conclusion I have about this.

The bath was long and meticulous. I have never had anyone helping me bathe even back when I was a Luna. My mind flew through the whole process. There was a lot of pampering that occurred to which I would have never thought of. Yet I continued spacing it. This could only mean one thing.

I am set to meet the Alpha. Sebastian.

OhGodOhGodOhGodOhGod. Don't panic! Am I gonna die? Stop thinking! He will kill me. Calm down!

My hands are shaking but I held them together. I looked at my face in the mirror.

They were braiding my wavy brown hair and putting color on my cheeks and lips. I finally looked more decent again. I was wearing a simple beige dress. I chose the most plain I could despite the other girls’ disagreement. I don't feel like looking pretty tonight, I feel like a ghost. A phantom. A soul afraid of wandering.

Perhaps staying in this room was my safest bet.

I bit my tongue and sighed. I decided to try and ask, “Am I supposed to meet your Alpha tonight?”

They didn't answer. I expected that. Still, the silence is very telling. They cannot respond to me but if it was another thing, they would have said no. They didn't.

I am racking my brain for a plan but my mind is going blank. I cannot think. I am scared.

They would not eat me alive, would they? I am not strong enough to survive the entire Helios clan baring their fangs at me.

Suddenly, I wasn't so sure again if this was a worse hell compared to my previous pack.

In a blink of an eye, I was heading out the door escorted by the two ladies. Time went by too fast and dinner is happening so soon. Analynn vanished sometime while I was overthinking. I looked at another man I do not know who bowed the moment I stepped out.

I’m meeting a lot of people today, huh.

“My name is Soren, Miss. I will be guarding you together with Isolde,” only after introducing did he lift his head again. Are the Helios pack really just polite? They didn't seem like it from the rumors.

Soren was younger. I could tell that he just recently came of age. He was blonde and lean. He is an inch shorter than the red-haired Isolde. She was muscular and tanned, she looked beautiful and tough at the same time. They guided me through the maze of the mansion.

This time, I could pay a bit more attention to my surroundings. I noted which turns we took and I observed the vintage kind of decorations adoring the walls and the hallways. I wanted to remember our path even if it was really confusing.

Just like that, we arrived in front of giant doors. The ones that go almost from the ceiling to the floor. I gulped. I could hear people from the other side. Chatting. The sounds of utensils. The sounds of an entire pack awaiting.

Soren moved to hold the handles and open the doors.

For the first time in days, my wolf stirred inside me with fear.

I guess this is it.

I entered the Helios dinner hall.