Chapter 23

Selene’s pov

"I hope you're not going to take me down to see them," I said to Ira as we moved away from the window.

"That would not be the best option at the moment," she said somewhat hesitantly.

I thought as much. I figured that going down to meet all the werewolves would cause a huge disturbance. If only the Elders had been so hostile to me, what would a bigger gathering do? They certainly wouldn't accept me, especially when an introduction by the alpha had not been done. But why hadn't Lucian introduced me to them all yet?

"So let me guess, you're not going to take me to see other buildings in the estate either? We are staying in this one?"

"For today, yes," she informed me. "Maybe some other day we could see every other place, on some much further day."

I nodded. It hurt a bit not to be accepted, especially when I hadn't asked to be here, but I wasn't going to let it show.

"This place is like a maze," I commented when she kept leading me through different hallways and doors. I could never find my way around here on my own, at least not yet.

She laughed heartily. "You haven't even gone up to half the place."

She pointed out the armory, the kitchens, and the training grounds. I wanted to go in, but she said I'll have enough time to see the interior while training with Lucian. Time was running out, and she needed to get me to him.

"You don't seem to hate me," I said, glancing at her. If I could read her energy correctly, it seemed more like she was excited to be around me. In a place like this, that was very odd.

"Why would I hate you?" she asked, sounding shocked.

"Because I'm a vampire," I said bluntly. "I don't belong in this place, and yet Lucian is forcing me on you all."

Her expression softened. "Though it seems majority do, not everyone here sees you as a threat. Some of us know that life is unpredictable, and others like me are actually glad to mingle with other types of people."

I wondered how many people were like her. Raven seemed comfortable with me, but how much of that comfort was from the fact that she had no choice but to welcome me? Even Daisy walked around me like she was on eggshells.

"You can always find a place here, you know," she continued.

"How?" I asked, genuinely curious. If I was going to live here, I'd need to belong, else I would always feel miserable as an outsider.

"Show us that vampires are not what we've been told," she replied. She stopped in her tracks to face me. "Ever since I was little, everyone around me spoke of vampires like they were the lowest, most cruel of the supernatural creatures, and it doesn't help that you are obliged to drink blood."

I clenched my fists. "So my kind is hated all over?"

"Not by all of us," she stressed. "I knew there had to be some of you that are not as they say. It's only a stereotype. I've always been welcoming, not just to vampires but to whatever other supernatural creature I find."

"Now that you're here, you have to prove to everyone that their impression is wrong. That's the only way you'll be accepted."

I started moving forward, and she hurried to join me.

"I won't prove anything to anyone," I huffed. "If they don't like me, then they'll have no choice but to send me back."

"Selene," she began like she was about to dissuade me but then stopped.

I stopped too, hearing the loud angry voices coming from the closed door.

"The conference room," she informed me. I heard the sharp edge of a voice I knew so well now.

"Is that—" I began.

"Wait here," she said, moving forward, but I wasn't going to be told what to do. I stepped around her and close to the door.

"You think I don't know what to do?"

Oh, it was Lucian alright. And he sounded angry.

"We have to tread carefully with these people to avoid making more enemies," another voice filtered through the door. Raven this time.

"What's going on in there?" I asked, glancing at Ira.

"Pack business," she said, her voice tight.

I placed a hand on the doorknob, but Ira gripped my shoulder tightly.

"I don't think you want to go in and interrupt them."

"Why do they sound so seri—" I was saying when the door swung open to reveal Darius. His eyes landed on me immediately as he stepped out.

"Well, well," he said, a smirk replacing the serious look on his face. "Our little guest of honor graces us with her presence."

Lucian appeared in the doorway behind him, his icy eyes hard as he looked between me and Ira.

"What's she doing here?" he asked.

"I was just showing her around," Ira said calmly, though she did not meet his eyes.

"She was supposed to meet with me 30 minutes ago."

"Well, it's just as good that she shows up now," Darius replied. "Gave you enough time to listen and address the issue."

Now I was getting really worried. What was the matter that got them all so worked up?

"What's going on?" I asked, staring at Lucian. It was like I could feel the frustration in him, even though that sounded odd. Why was I even worried? Whatever their pack issues were was none of my business.

"Training starts now." He moved around me, ignoring my question.

Just before I turned to face him, I saw Raven through the open door, staring right at Lucian with an expression I couldn't place. Was that pity?

"Selene, let's go!" he thundered from the end of the hallway.

I opened my mouth, intending to remind him that I wasn't a child so I wasn't to be spoken to that way, but his eyes met mine and the fight went out of me. This was the worst time to be defiant. I nodded gently and strode to his side.