章節 11: Facing the Inevitable

"His name is Zane," Jasmine whispered in my ear as she settled beside me, holding a plate of roasted meat and a crusty, warm loaf of bread. She had keenly noticed my fixed gaze on him while he conversed with her elder sister, Sabrina, and Damon.

Zane....weird name.

Back at Mystic Falls, Jasmine had approached me in her smaller wolf form as I stuck close to Sabrina. Her fur was a blend of black and white, and her gleaming amber eyes mirrored her cheerful spirit. She had kept me company and created playful distractions that made me laugh like never before. All the while, I felt the weight of the Alpha's penetrating gaze on us, even as we played, before he eventually departed, likely returning to the pack grounds.

It was a strange experience, being surrounded by so many wolves at once, displaying a unique array of colors and sizes. Surprisingly, no wolf had approached me with hostility, even though my scent must have been a pain to deal with.

Afterward, we had made our way back to the pack territory, where everyone reverted to their human forms. Jasmine changed into an adorable white floral dress, while Sabrina replicated her previous attire. Together, we headed to a spacious building that Jasmine had referred to as the dining hall during our tour. Here, the pack members gathered to eat at specific times, and others came for various activities.

The dining hall was a grand and imposing space, adorned with long wooden tables, wooden pillars, and intricate carvings of wolves on the walls. The atmosphere was lively, as pack members gathered to eat and engage in various activities.

The long wooden tables stretched out across the hall, similar to banquet tables. Pack members sat on long stools, talking and enjoying their meals together. The hall echoed with laughter and conversation, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere.

The scent of a diverse and hearty feast filled the air, laden with a spread that would satisfy anyone's appetite.

The main dishes included roasted game meats such as deer, boar, and rabbit, all cooked to perfection over an open flame. There were also grilled fish, seasoned with herbs and grilled until they were just right.

Side dishes featured root vegetables like potatoes, carrots, and turnips, either roasted until they were crispy or mashed into creamy goodness. Wild mushrooms, picked from the nearby forest, were served with savory sauces for added flavor.

Warm, freshly baked bread with a crispy crust and soft interior was there, perfect for enjoying with some butter.

I sat with Jasmine and Sabrina, feeling like an outsider for being here. Amidst the crowd my eyes had spotted and settled on the Alpha, who had also transformed to his human form and was communicating with Jakayla and Damon.

He appeared to be deeply engaged in a serious conversation with them, the lines on his forehead furrowed in thought. However, the atmosphere suddenly shifted when Damon shot a glaring look in Zane's direction. Damon's expression was one of suspicion and defiance, his aura matching Zane's, despite holding the position of Gamma in the pack.

Suddenly, all three of them simultaneously turned their gaze in my direction. Panicked, I quickly averted my eyes, afraid that they had noticed me watching them.

To my relief, Sabrina came to my rescue, placing a plate filled with grilled salmon and mashed potatoes in front of me, effectively reducing the awkwardness of the situation.

"Eat," she more or less ordered, resuming her original position opposite me. Jasmine, on the other hand, happily munched on her meat. My heart raced as both Damon and Jasmine approached me, while Zane disappeared into the crowd of people sliding about with their plates.

"Hey, runt," Damon greeted, slipping in beside Sabrina and fixing me with an icy stare. Jakayla took a seat next to Jasmine, offering me a friendly smile.

"Rude much?" I snapped back at him, trying to hide my unease by shoving a spoonful of potatoes into my mouth. Damon's eyes remained cold and distant, and the scar over his left eye continued to intrigue me, leaving me wondering about its origin and significance. The corners of his lips curled into a sinister grin, and I swallowed.

Damon's sinister grin lingered, and he leaned in a bit closer, his voice low and almost taunting. "You've got a lot to learn about how things work around here, runt," he whispered, his words sending a chill down my spine.

Jakayla, noticing the tension, placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder. "Ignore him," she advised, her voice a soothing contrast to Damon's harshness. "He's just trying to rile you up."

I nodded, trying to focus on my meal and not let Damon's presence get to me. Yet, a nagging feeling told me that there was more to Damon than met the eye, and I couldn't help but wonder what secrets he was hiding beneath that icy exterior.

As I tried to push Damon's taunts out of my mind and concentrate on my meal, something strange happened. Damon suddenly shot up from his seat, his nostrils flaring as he took in a deep breath and his expression shifted from smugness to alertness in an instant.

All eyes at the table turned toward him, confusion etched on Sabrina's, Jakayla's, and Jasmine's faces. They were clearly taken aback as was I by Damon's sudden change in demeanor.

"What's going on, Damon?" Sabrina asked, her concern evident.

Before he could answer, a tense silence enveloped the dining hall. Damon's sharp senses had detected something unusual in the air, and it wasn't long before the room was filled with a foreboding presence. The atmosphere grew heavy, and an unsettling feeling washed over me.

At that moment, a dark and sinister figure, materialized at the entrance of the dining hall. Its eyes gleamed with malevolence as it surveyed the room, and an eerie quiet fell upon the pack members. My eyes widened and my breath hitched as realization of what it was dawned on me.

It was a Malefica.

The Malefica had a ghastly appearance, with features that blended the grotesque and the monstrous. Its skin was pale and tightly stretched over its emaciated frame, giving it a corpse-like appearance. Long, gnarled claws extended from its bony fingers, and its eyes glowed with a sinister greenish hue, devoid of any human warmth. Tattered, blackened robes clung to its skeletal form, swaying eerily with each step.

Its entrance into the hall was eerie and unsettling. It seemed to emerge from the shadows themselves, gradually stepping into the light as if it had materialized from the darkness. Its movements were unnaturally graceful, reminiscent of a ghostly apparition.

The dining hall fell into a hushed silence as pack members recoiled in fear, their eyes locked onto the Malefica. They couldn't look away from the horrifying sight before them.

Damon's earlier arrogance and taunts were now replaced by a determination to protect us. He rose from his seat, his stance shifting into one of readiness as he prepared for the impending confrontation with the Malefica.

The air crackled with tension, and before I knew it, the hall erupted into chaos.