Chapter 7: The Dinning Hall

BAELA

Inside of the castle was alive now, as I stepped out of my bedroom door into the passageway. Too alive to be precise.

I gave a rather suspicious look at the guard that was standing not too far from my room.  There were usually no guards stationed on this floor, they only used to patrol here at night. 

"Hmmm". I pondered, as I stepped out of my room, shutting the door behind me. I was wearing an attractive all black gown, short in length and above the knee. I also wore matching black boots to complement my black gown.

"Could this be the handiwork of my father?" I thought to myself, staring at the guard some feet away. He was standing perpendicular to me and wasn't looking in my direction.

There was only one way to find out, I had to ask him. I walked towards him with curiosity before stopping right in front of him. He was a Delta werewolf. Only they could be assigned to this role of guarding the fourth floor. The Beta guards were with the Alpha on the second floor and that was where my parents were too.

I hadn't taken notice of him before, his face was rather unfamiliar.

"Hello, Delta...?" 

I said, dragging the DELTA, so he could give me his name and I could complete it. I didn't need to give him mine, my parents were popular and I was notorious.

"James...Delta James!" He said in response. 

He wasn't so much taller than I was but despite the closeness of our heights, he was avoiding making eye contact with me.

"Alright, Delta James". I smiled at him.

"I believe there must have been a mistake on your guard duty roster because you are on my floor". I said in a friendly tone.

"Are you sure you are on the right floor? This is the fourth floor".  A smile was still plastered on my face all through as I said this.

"Yes I am. I want NO TROUBLE, I am just doing my assigned duty!" Delta James said, still rooted to the spot, while avoiding my eye contact.

His rather serious tone and lack of eye contact spoke volumes and told me all I needed to know. He too was shunning me like the rest of the pack and he was positive he was assigned to guard my floor.

"Only father could reassign him here...he was the chief of the Alpha's guard" I thought to myself, upset. 

Father wasn't angry at me before dawn but it seemed I was wrong. He didn't seem to trust that I won't sneak out again to Abbadon's house or to somewhere else more dangerous this time around...like beyond the mountains.

I hurriedly walked away quickly from where the guard was standing towards the bend. I wasn't offended with the guard anymore, I was upset my own father was putting me under castle arrest. 

"I am lucky the guard isn't following me everywhere in the castle". I whispered to Aria, as I turned briefly to look back at him.

Aria hovered beside me as I made the bend leading to the staircase and suddenly I froze in my tracks, as I caught sight of another guard stationed in front of me. 

"Two guards?!" I was shocked, as I said in disbelief. 

I felt like running back into my room and locking myself up as I took a step back. 

My privacy had been compromised and I felt like I was being watched, everywhere I went now.

"We have to keep going". I heard Aria say, as she flew ahead of me to the front.

"I am certain you could speak to your father and convince him to have your privacy restored". She suggested, urging me to step forward.

Aria was right. I could always speak to my father about everything and he would listen. I just needed to show I was trustworthy and earn his trust and that of mom back.

I hesitated a little bit before stepping forward towards Aria and continuing on my journey towards the flight of stairs. This time around, I walked past the second guard without saying a word. I was sure he too didn't want to be here and he didn't want to speak with me either.

I was down to the second floor in a hurry. I had come across two more guards stationed on the staircase to ensure I exited on the right floor. I was now on the Beta's floor as I walked into a large hall and immediately I walked in I could see their stares fixed at me. 

There were probably close to twenty of them here, tough hardened warriors that guarded the Alpha. Not like the Alpha needed protection himself, he was more powerful than any one of them.

They blocked my path but as I approached slowly, with my heads staring at their boots they stepped aside one after the other, clearing a path for me in the centre. 

They shunned me the most and would not even respond to my greetings or speak to me. I had stopped trying, after I figured they weren't going to stop anytime soon despite my dad being the head of the Alpha guards.

Their hostile presence humbled my spirit as I approached my father. My father was very tough, tougher than most of the Beta werewolves except for only the PRIME BETA.

The Prime Beta was only inferior to the Alpha and that meant he was given an even greater role, that of guarding the entire city!

He was in charge of the Beta and Delta werewolves, numbering in their hundreds guarding the city walls. My father also answered to him. 

I took a deep breath in as I walked into the presence of my father and mother to have breakfast as usual. 

"Good morning father and mother". I greeted, still looking face down as a sign of respect to their hierarchy in the pack.

"Good morning Baela". I heard my parents return my greetings cheerfully, as I made my way to my seat at the dining table but then I heard a second greeting.

"Good morning Baela".

I instantly looked up, as I recognized that familiar baritone voice. It was God-like and my eyes lit up as I caught sight of him seated across at the dining table.

I was speechless for a few seconds out of excitement and nervousness because I wasn't expecting him to arrive so soon for breakfast.

"Are you alright?" Abbadon asked, sensing I had not responded to his greeting. 

"Good mmm...good morning Abbadon". I stuttered nervously. I wasn't one to lose my composure so easily but around him, I was unsure of myself.

"You came early!" I was flushed, the excitement getting a better part of me.

Maybe because of what happened between us earlier today or maybe because I was just excited to see him.

"I did". He said, revealing no emotion which I hated so much but loved because it excited me and I wanted to unravel him.

"Baela, come dear and have your seat". I heard mom say, as she motioned for me to sit beside her. 

They were seated at a 20 seater wooden dining table used by the Beta werewolves for merriment. It wasn't the most fanciful because it had both claw and knife marks on it but it was a sturdy dining table.

Father and mother sat in their regular seating arrangement. Father sat at the extreme left of the dining table, while mother sat beside him. I would usually sit at the other end, close to my father but today Abbadon was sitting there and that meant I had to sit next to my mother.

I did as I was told as I pulled out my chair and sat beside her as an obedient daughter would. 

We only had natural light to illuminate the dining hall during the day, as with most places in the castle, except for the Alpha's chambers which were large and luxurious.

I was staring down at my empty plate in front of me on the dining table before looking across to Abbadon quickly to steal a glance. 

I smiled faintly as I looked away. We were both wearing black matching outfits, as I had figured he would. He looked as handsome as ever in his black shirt and jacket and I hoped he thought the same way about me too. 

"Abbadon". Father said, drawing his attention to him.

"I know I have not done enough to make you feel at home here but I promise to change all that starting today".

"We all know you as Abbadon but do you have any other names?" Father asked. 

I looked across at Abbadon curious to know too. This was someone I had feelings for yet I knew next to nothing about him, not even his other names.

"Yes I do. My name is Abbadon -" He said, as he paused, as he looked at father.

"ABBADON DARGAN". He said, looking across at each one of us...