Chapter 108 108

Chapter 108 108
Maddy's POV
I stood in front of the mirror, wiping away the steam with the palm of my hand. I reached for my hairbrush and began to comb through my damp hair, untangling the knots. The brush glided through, leaving my hair smooth and shiny.
Once done, I left the bathroom and picked up a dress from the closet. Once I was done fully dressing up, I looked at myself in the full-length mirror. There were little black circles right below my eyes, probably because I kept crying till it got late.
With a sigh, I sat back on my bed and picked up my phone. I wanted to try reading novels like Olivia, but I'm not just caught out for reading things without pictures. No matter how fascinating it may be, especially how she explains the book, With that in mind, I decided to just go for BL comics, as I found them more fun.
This is a plus or minus between Hazeland me. I do not like novels because there are no pictures or head figments, not even the facials of the lead characters. Hazel doesn’t like comics because they are mostly sexually explicit and all sexual scenes are arranged.
We both barely have a thing in common; if we were a couple, then red flags would be all that could be seen. I began reading this comic book, Demoralized Plaything. It was quite interesting, but it ended quicker than I expected. Just when I was about to begin on Jinx, a maid came in.
"Miss Maddy." She called, alerting me. I slowly raised my head up from my phone to see her gazing at me with a soft smile on her face.
"Alpha Draven has invited you to come have breakfast with them." She announced. "No i-" I was just about to refuse when the events of yesterday replayed in my head. 
Even if he didn't say it, I am sure Draven was quite annoyed by everything. I would just have to obey his order for now so as not to come off as rude or self-centred.
"No?" The maid repeated. "No, Yes. I mean, I'll be there." I said, and she left. With a sigh, I got out of bed. Keeping my phone to the side, I went out of the room. 
And just like that, I found myself standing at the entrance of the dining room, biting my lower lip, and feeling an uneasy knot form in my stomach. 
The door was slightly ajar, and I could hear the clinking sound of silverware against china. From the sounds of it, Draven and Hazel were already seated, but then they were eating amid an unsettling silence that loomed over the room.
Why were they so quiet? Was it because of me? These thoughts were the only things in my head. A sudden wave of guilt washed over me. 
Had I caused a rift between them? My heartbeat quickened at the thought, and I closed my eyes, taking in a deep breath to steady myself. I let it out slowly, feeling my chest rise and fall, and tried to push my guilt away by not jumping to conclusions.
"No, Maddy, you can't just stand here," I chided myself softly. I needed to face whatever was happening inside that room. I exhaled one more time, squared my shoulders, and pushed the door open.
To my surprise, it was only Hazel sitting at the dinner table, her brow furrowed as she looked up from her plate. The chair where Draven usually sat was empty.
"Hi, Maddy," Hazel greeted me, wishing a bright smile on her radiant face. "Draven isn't mad at you, if that's what you're worried about."
My eyes widened. How did she know what I was thinking? I swallowed hard and stepped fully into the room. "What...what happened?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
Hazel signed and put down her fork. "I explained everything to him; he finally understood and held no grudges."
I nodded, sitting down across from her. The knot in my stomach loosened a little. What about the rest?" I couldn't help but ask.
Hazel paused for a moment before answering, "If you're talking about Jason, then I sincerely have no idea. I just want you to know that everything will be okay. Have faith."
My heart felt a little lighter after hearing her words. I nodded, managing a small smile. "Okay, Hazel. Thank you."
Just as I was starting to feel a little more comfortable, the dining room door swung open, and in walked Draven, with Jason trailing behind him.
"Good morning, Hazel. Good morning, Maddy." Draven greeted us with a warm smile. His eyes were soft, and his voice was gentle; he seemed unexpectedly happy today. I let out a sigh of relief—Draven wasn't mad at Hazel after all.
However, Jason was a different story. His face was a stony mask, and when his gaze met mine, his eyes were icy and distant. I flinched at the coldness, a sharp pang of hurt echoing in my chest. He quickly looked away, refusing to meet my eyes again.
Draven seemed oblivious to the tension between Jason and me, or maybe he was just ignoring it. He walked over to Hazel, planting a kiss on her forehead before taking his seat at the head of the table. I watched them with a small smile, thankful that things between them seemed okay.
"Apologies, everyone." Jason spoke up suddenly, his voice cool and detached. "But I don't think I'll be joining you for breakfast today."
But before he could turn to leave, Draven's voice cut through the silence. "Jason, your seat is next to Maddy. Have a seat and eat your breakfast."
Both Jason and I turned to him in shock. "What?" We blurted it out in unison.
"Actually," Jason started, clearly trying to change the subject, "I just remembered that I have to help with the patrol schedules for the next week."
But Draven was not having any of it. "Jason," he said firmly, his gaze fixed on him. "As Alpha, I'm ordering you to have your seat. Eat and enjoy the breakfast."
The room fell silent. Jason looked like he wanted to argue, but he knew better than to go against Draven's orders. With a resigned sigh, he pulled out the chair next to me and sat down, his face still cold and distant. 
I could only hope that breakfast wouldn't be as awkward as it was shaping up to be. The dining room was filled with an uncomfortable silence as Jason reluctantly took his seat next to me. 
I could feel his icy demeanour, and it made me nervous. I picked at my food, unsure of what to say or do. Jason seemed determined to finish his breakfast quickly; his movements were swift and efficient. 
It was obvious he wanted to leave as soon as possible. Just as he was about to push his chair back and make his escape, Draven's voice cut through the tension.
"Jason, hold on a moment," Draven said firmly, his gaze fixed on his beta. "We need to discuss some pack-related matters."
Jason's eyes flickered with annoyance, but he reluctantly sank back into his seat, his body tense. I watched their interaction, curiosity getting the better of me.
"What do you want to talk about, Alpha Draven?" Jason asked, his tone clipped and guarded.
Draven leaned forward, his expression serious. "I've noticed some unrest within the pack lately; I initially thought it only had something to do with the rogues. We need to address it and find a solution."
Jason scoffed, his shoulders stiffening. "Unrest? You mean the disagreement about the territorial borders? It's a minor issue. We'll handle it."
Draven's gaze didn't waver. "It may seem minor to you, but it affects the entire pack. We need unity and cooperation."
Jason's voice grew defensive. "I've been doing my best to maintain order and ensure the pack's safety. I think the only tension must be because the pack members have no idea that the threat has been eliminated."
Draven's eyes softened, and his voice carried a note of understanding. "Jason, I'm not questioning your loyalty to the pack. But as the Alpha, it's my responsibility to ensure the pack thrives and remains strong. That means addressing any concerns and resolving conflicts."
Jason's jaw clenched; he knew he was upset, but not at Draven. A little bit at Draven, but he couldn't argue with Draven's logic. "Fine," he grumbled. 
"What do you suggest?"
Draven's voice grew more authoritative. "I want you to inform the pack members that there will be a pack meeting. Everyone will have the opportunity to voice their concerns and opinions. We'll work together to find a solution that benefits us all."
Jason's eyes narrowed, but he nodded begrudgingly. "That's a wise decision, Alpha Draven. But I hope it doesn't turn into a chaotic mess."
Draven smiled with a glimmer of hope in his eyes. "It won't. I have faith in our pack's ability to come together."