Chapter 6 Correction Of Perception
Sylvie POV
I woke up before the room fully got bright.
For a few seconds, I just lay there, staring at the ceiling like it might give me answers.
The bed beside me was empty. Zarek was gone.
I should have been happy not seeing him, especially with the fact that I barely know anything about him.
Zarek not being around shouldn't have mattered. It absolutely shouldn’t have. But my body noticed it anyway, like something in the room had quietly shifted out of place.
I sat up slowly, pulling the jacket tighter around me without thinking.
It still smelled like him.
That same cedarwood and something darker underneath it. Something I was starting to notice more than I wanted to.
I swung my legs off the bed and stood.
The compound outside the window was already awake.
People moved in structured lines below, not rushing, not wandering. Like everyone already knew exactly where they were supposed to be.
I watched for a while.
It was organized and controlled, like a system. It made me admire Zarek a bit because as a leader you have a responsibility which revolves around keeping the pack in check.
I left the room quietly.
As I walked down the hallway, I became aware of how quiet everything was inside the building compared to outside. Inside felt… watched.
I followed the corridor down, unsure where I was going until voices reached me.
The kitchen was large, far too large, with warm light spilling over polished surfaces and long counters.
And at the center of it all was an old woman.
She moved so effortlessly and meticulously, clearly she was the house keeper.
Her hair was silver, pulled neatly back, but I noticed her scent wasn’t quite strong.
She suddenly turned to pick up something, but she didn’t look surprised to see me, she just gave me a quick glance.
“You’re awake early,” she said without looking up from what she was doing.
I hesitated at the doorway. “I didn’t know where else to go.”
That made her finally look at me properly but in an assessing way.
“You’re the girl Zarek brought in,” She muttered in a disappointed tone.
I didn’t correct her. Something about the way she said it made the correction feel pointless.
“Yes,” I replied to her instead.
She hummed softly like that confirmed something she already knew.
I stepped further into the kitchen.
It smelled like tea and fresh bread, which was strangely normal for a place like this.
“I’m Sylvie,” I added after a moment.
“I know.”
Of course she did.
I watched her carefully. “And you are…?”
A faint smile tugged at her mouth. “Call me Mara.”
There was something steady about her presence. The kind of person who had survived being around powerful men without losing herself.
“I didn’t see Zarek this morning,” I voiced out slowly. “Do you know where he is?”
Mara finally placed a cup down on the counter in front of me.
Tea.
I hadn’t even asked.
“He left before sunrise,” she said calmly, while giving me a questioning look.
But I wasn’t bothered by that. I frowned slightly. “For what?”
She shrugged lightly. “Work.”
That word didn’t feel like it belonged to him.
I sat down slowly at the counter anyway, watching her move. “What kind of work?” I asked, unable to hide my curiosity.
Mara glanced at me briefly, then returned to her task. “Complicated kind.”
That didn’t help at all. I wrapped my hands around the warm cup. “Is he always gone like this?”
“Not always,” she began, but then added. “But often.”
Then, like it was an afterthought, I unconsciously voiced out. “He doesn’t sleep much.”
That made something in my chest tighten slightly before I could stop it.
I didn’t know why I cared, I shouldn’t but I did anyway.
Mara studied me for a moment. “You should eat,” she changed the topic.
“I’m not hungry.”
“You will be.”
That tone didn’t invite argument.
I stared into my tea instead.
After a while, I asked quietly, “Where is everyone?”
“Training,” she replied.
“Training? For what?”
Her eyes flicked up again.
“This is Zarek’s territory,” she said simply. “Nothing here is idle.”
I went still at that.
I looked down at my cup again, then asked, “What about me?”
Mara didn’t answer immediately.
Then she said carefully, “You’re still being observed.”
I frowned. “By who?”
She finally looked directly at me. “By everyone.”
A beat passed. Then, more gently she added, “And by him.”
Something in my stomach dropped slightly at that. Before I could respond, footsteps echoed faintly outside the kitchen.
Mara noticed it too.
She straightened slightly, wiping her hands on a cloth before stepping back from the counter.
“You should finish your tea,” she pointed to me.
Zarek walked in like he owned the silence before him.
Mara dipped her head slightly.”Alpha, is there anything you need?”
He shook his head.
I watched him stop just inside the kitchen. His gaze landed on me immediately. Like I was the only thing in the room.
He held something in his hand, a sleek black garment bag.
He walked forward and placed the bag on the counter beside my cup.
“I got you clothes,” he crossed his hands, acting nonchalant.
I blinked. “…You what?”
His expression didn’t change. “You can’t go downstairs dressed like that.”
I looked down at myself automatically.
It was just a borrowed shirt and whatever I had been wearing the night before.
“I’m dressed fine,” My mouth ran fast.
“You’re not.” He insisted.
I frowned slightly. “Where did you even get—”
“Take it,” he interrupted. “Change. Then come downstairs.”
My fingers tightened around the cup. “And why exactly am I going downstairs?”
His eyes held mine.
That same steady focus that made it feel like he already knew everything I was going to ask before I asked it.
“To meet the pack.”
The words settled heavily in the room. I slowly set my cup down.
“…Now?”
“Yes.”
Mara moved behind him quietly, already clearing space like she understood this was not a discussion.
I looked at Zarek again.
“It’s too early, and besides, I don’t think they like me.” I whispered, feeling a bit nervous.
His jaw shifted slightly. “They don’t need to like you, because that might not even happen and the faster we act the better.”
That should have scared me more than it did. Instead, it just made my chest tighten in a way I didn’t like.
I glanced at the garment bag again. “So this is what?” I asked. “A gown?”
His gaze dropped briefly to the bag. “No.” Then back to me. “A correction.”
I frowned. “A correction of what?”
“Perception.”
“How am I even sure it’s my size?” I sighed, feeling frustrated with the way things were going as of lately.
“I have sharp eyes.” He smirked.
Outside the kitchen, I could hear movement now.
I exhaled slowly and reached for the bag. It was heavier than I expected.
Zarek turned slightly as I picked it up, already half-rotating toward the door.
“I’ll be outside,” he let out.
Just before he passed through the door, his eyes returned to me one last time.
“They’ll be watching you,” he added softly. “Don’t let it show you’re aware of them.”
Then he left.
And the moment he did, the entire kitchen felt different again.
Like the air had loosened… but only slightly.
Mara watched me for a moment. “You’ll be alright,” she gave me a slight smile.
I wasn’t sure if she meant it as reassurance or preparation.
I tightened my grip on the bag. “Why won’t they like me?” I asked Mara.
“It’s not about you, it’s more about him and don’t ask me about it further.” She emphasized.
“He seems to respect you and unlike the rest, you don’t seem afraid of him. Why?” I voiced my observation.
Mara’s expression softened a fraction. “He owes me a favor, that’s all I can say.” she murmured.
I nodded at her then I turned toward the hallway.
Because whatever Zarek was about to introduce me to… I needed to prepare myself mentally.