Chapter 84

Aria

Darren’s arm stayed firmly around my shoulders as we walked into the village, his touch steadying me as my boots crunched softly against the snow-covered path. The crisp air nipped at my cheeks, but it wasn’t the cold that had my heart racing.

It was the stares.

They came from everywhere. Windows opened, doors creaked, and heads turned as we passed. Like we were some kind of spectacle. And I supposed we were; had a human ever even set foot in this place before?

The houses themselves were breathtaking—historical but with a modern touch, with steep roofs and intricate wooden carvings along the beams, like something out of a fairy tale. The architectural details felt ancient and steeped in history, and yet the solar panels discreetly embedded on rooftops and the soft hum of modern utilities took me by surprise.

“We’re very environmentally conscious here,” Darren whispered, noticing my stare. “We have modern amenities, but everything is self-sufficient.”

I nodded, impressed. No wonder it was so beautiful here; they really cared about the environment.

But the beauty of the place was overshadowed by the way they were all… staring at me. Wolves—both in human form and pup form—peered at me from porches and yards, stopping their activities just to look.

I caught sight of one group of pups playing tag, their small forms darting through the snow, but as soon as they saw me, they stopped mid-stride. Even their wide, curious eyes held something darker beneath the surface.

Hatred. Or was it… fear?

Whatever it was, the air around me seemed to thicken with it, making it hard to breathe. No one spoke, but the silence was even worse than any whispers could have been. The adults stared coldly, not bothering to hide their glares.

I told myself that no one here could harm me—not directly, anyway—but my stomach still churned with unease.

Darren’s grip tightened slightly as if he could sense my discomfort. “Ignore them,” he murmured in my ear. “They won’t bother you. Not with me here.”

I wasn’t sure if that was true after what Tracy had allegedly done right under Darren’s nose, but I nodded anyway, grateful for his presence. Without him, I wasn’t sure I would have made it more than three steps into this place.

The path curved, and a massive structure that Darren referred to as the ‘pack house’ sat up ahead.

It was a sight to behold—long and imposing, with intricately carved wooden pillars flanking the entrance and massive doors with two enormous metal wolf-head knockers on the front. The roof was steeply slanted, its edges lined with detailed carvings of wolves and moons. Smoke curled lazily from a stone chimney at one end, and warm light spilled from the high, narrow windows, casting a golden glow against the icy snowbanks.

Darren led me up the steps, Lucas scampering ahead in his human form now. As we reached the doors, they opened slowly, revealing a familiar face that made my stomach tighten.

Arthur.

His sharp features twisted into something between a smirk and a sneer as his eyes flicked to me. He dipped into a bow, but it was stiff and mocking, his lip curling as he drawled, “Luna.”

The disdain in his voice was unmistakable. My throat tensed, but before I could respond, Darren’s hand dropped from my shoulder, and he stepped forward.

“Mind your manners, Arthur,” Darren said coldly, striding right past him and into the warm structure with hardly a glance. “Or you won’t have the chance to speak again.”

Arthur flinched slightly, but his sneer didn’t completely fade. “Of course, Alpha,” he said. “Just doing my duty.”

“Your duty,” Darren repeated, his voice now a low growl, “is to make yourself scarce. I hope not to see your face while I’m here, Arthur. I’m still mad at you after what you did.”

Arthur’s bravado quickly faltered. His expression flickered with something like hurt before he bowed his head again, this time more genuinely. “Yes, Alpha,” he murmured before turning and quickly disappearing down a hallway.

I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding as Darren turned back to me. His expression softened ever so slightly as he motioned for me to follow him inside.

The interior of the pack house was just as grand as the exterior, with dark wooden beams overhead and walls lined with tapestries. The floors were made of dark stone, and the faint scent of pine and smoke filled the air.

It was clear to me that this must have been the first structure built on this land, but like all the other homes, it had been modernized. Electric lights hung from the ceilings, and as we passed by what must have been the kitchen, I could hear the sound of voices, water running, and electric appliances humming.

Darren led us to a cozy waiting room off the main hall, where a fire crackled warmly in a massive stone fireplace. Thick fur rugs covered the floor, and plush chairs surrounded the fire.

“This will be more comfortable than waiting in the main hall,” Darren said, helping me out of my coat and draping it over a nearby chair. He knelt to help Lucas out of his little boots, ruffling his hair affectionately when he was done.

I sat on one of the soft chairs and sighed a little with relief after that long hike, the warmth of the fire immediately soothing my cold fingers. “Are you going to meet with the elders now?” I asked quietly, glancing up at Darren.

He nodded, his expression growing serious. “Yes. I won’t be long.” His gaze softened again as he stepped closer, leaning down until his face was level with mine. “You’ll be safe here, Aria. No one will dare bother you with me around.”

I nodded, but my heart still raced as he reached out and squeezed my hand briefly before straightening. “Stay with Lucas,” he added, who was already kneeling on the rug, arranging some wooden blocks he had found in a corner.

I watched as Darren crossed the room to a set of double doors that led to the meeting room. When he opened them, I caught a brief glimpse of the room beyond—a long table surrounded by older men and women. I assumed they were the elders.

My stomach twisted, then, as I recognized Tracy among them. She caught my gaze and slyly wiggled her fingers at me, a smirk stretching across her lips before the doors closed behind Darren.

I turned my attention back to Lucas, trying to push the image of Tracy’s smug face from my mind. “What are you building?” I asked, kneeling beside him.

“A tower!” Lucas announced proudly, stacking the blocks higher and higher. I smiled and helped him work, but my attention kept drifting to the meeting room doorway, where two guards stood like statues, their eyes fixed on me.

Their stares were colder than the snow outside, but they said nothing. I tried to focus on Lucas, laughing when his tower toppled over and helping him rebuild it. But I could hardly breathe beneath the scrutiny.

Just as I was starting to feel like I couldn’t take it anymore, the outside door opened, letting in a gust of icy air. I turned, expecting another warrior or servant, but froze when I saw who it was.

An older woman stepped inside, her long silver hair gleaming like moonlight against the dark fur of her handmade parka. She shook the snow from her shoulders, silver earrings clinking softly as she moved, and glanced around the room for a moment before her piercing eyes landed on me.

But unlike everyone else’s stares, hers wasn’t filled with hatred or suspicion. Her lips curved into a warm, genuine smile as she crossed the room in a few quick strides.

Before I could react, she dropped to a crouch in front of me and enveloped me in a hug.

“It’s so nice to finally meet you after all these years,” she murmured into my hair.