Chapter 218 - Indulge in Luxury

Chapter 218 - Indulge in Luxury
Amaia's POV
The drive back to the Black Matter Pack was a fast and smooth ride—the road seemed to guide us back home. As the familiar landscape whizzed by, a sense of anticipation bubbled within me. I could almost feel the energy of the pack welcoming us back.
Anthony kept quiet most of the time, yet as soon as we neared the border, he pulled out his phone and made a call.
"We're here," he said, and cut the call.
"That was odd," Rieka said. "What's Anthony up to?"
"I don't know," I replied, as I caught his gaze in the rearview mirror. "He seemed a bit anxious about something." His eyes kept sliding back and forth in the rearview mirror, looking at me.
"He's hiding something?" she growled. "I can feel it."
However, as soon as we stopped at the border gate, I could sense a different kind of atmosphere among the pack members. They seemed even more chirpy than normal, but when they noticed me, they tried to hide their excitement.
I leaned closer to the window, straining to catch snippets of their conversation. It was as if they were keeping a secret just out of reach, and I couldn't shake the feeling that whatever it was, it was somehow tied to me sitting in the passenger seat.
"Drop me off here," I told Anthony when we entered the pack. "Rieka wants to go for a run."
Fear flashed in Anthony's eyes as he looked back at me in the rearview mirror. However, he ignored the instruction and carried on driving.
I glanced out the window, the trees blurring by, each one a reminder of the urgency I felt.
"Anthony, stop the car!" I insisted, my voice rising with frustration.
He hesitated for a moment, his grip tightening on the wheel, but he ignored me and kept on driving.
"What the hell!" Rieka exclaimed. "What the hell is wrong with him?"
"Anthony," I growled. "Stop the car this instant. It's an order. Do it now!"
"I can't, Luna," he whimpered.
Panic surged through me as I realized that Anthony wasn't just ignoring my command—he was terrified.
"Why not?" I snapped, grabbing hold of the doorhandle and trying to open it—but it was locked.
"Alpha's orders," he said, and pushed the controls to close the partition window before I could sink my claws in him.
"Anthony!" I hissed. "Open this bloody door!"
"Soon," he called back. "I promise."
"No!" I snarled. "Now!"
"Can't do Luna," he said, his voice quivering.
"Anthony, I am warning you!" I snapped, anger and anxiety mixed together. I felt like a trapped animal in the car. "Stop this vehicle this instant and let me out!"
"I wish I could, Luna," he said. "But I would rather not. I'm more afraid of Alpha Lennox than..."
"Me?" I growled.
"Y-yes!" I stammered. "No, sit back and... we are almost there."
Almost there?
What the hell was going on?
Was Roland planning something?
I knew he was planning a surprise, but was Anthony involved?
"The bigger question is," Rieke said. "What are they planning?"
I had no idea.
Roland acted all normal this morning—nothing seemed out of place. My mind raced, searching for clues.
Roland ate breakfast with me, kissed me on the cheek before I left with Anthony for the trial, and even told me to go visit my parents' graves.
The more I thought about it, the more suspicious I became. I couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to this than met the eye, and I was determined to uncover the truth behind their secretive behavior.
Everything else seemed normal, too. The pups were fine and getting big. The nannies all pitched in for their duties.
Barrett was still in the hospital with no changes. Hugo did his normal routine by popping in for a casual chat about Roland's activities for the day, and Charles... I stopped at the memory. He acted suspiciously this morning.
"He sneaked something in," I whispered. "And he gave it to Roland, thinking I didn't see it."
I couldn't see what it was, except for Roland hiding it quickly. I did find their behavior odd, but I didn't have the opportunity to ask them what they were doing.
I huffed, frustrated and sat back in the seat. It was only a few minutes before we'd be at the packhouse.
I could see that Anthony visibly sighed with relief when I didn't fight him any further, which made me think he was scared. I had magic too.
I could feel the familiar tingle of energy coursing through my veins, ready to be unleashed if necessary.
As we pulled into the packhouse driveway, Anthony stopped the car in front of it and quickly got out, leaving it running while I was still inside.
I growled out loud and tried to mindlink Roland, but his link was blocked off. I tried Charles's, Hugo's, and Rosemary's—all of them had blocked off their mindlinks.
What the hell was going on?
Frustration bubbled within me as I realized I was on my own.
I growled frustrated.
What game was this?
I took a deep breath, focusing on the magic that surged inside me, preparing for whatever confrontation awaited. I was just about to use my magic and rip the car to shreds when I heard the driver's door open.
"Hi Luna," I heard Luca chirp. "My apologies for making you wait..."
The car started moving again, in the opposite direction.
"Where are you taking me, Luca?" I asked.
He ignored my question and instead said, "I hope you are still comfortable. There is some champagne on ice for you to enjoy and some strawberries to go with it. Help yourself. It's Alpha's treat."
I silently rubbed my forehead as I got annoyed. I didn't want to indulge in luxury when I felt so out of place.
"Luca, I really need to know what's going on," I insisted, trying to keep my tone steady despite the rising frustration.
"It's a surprise, Luna," he replied. "There is nothing to worry about. Now, make yourself comfortable and enjoy the ride."
I sighed, crossing my arms as I glanced out the window, trying to shake off the unease that clung to me. The landscape blurred past, but my mind was racing with questions.
The further we drove, the more my curiosity gnawed at me. I could feel the tension in the air, thick and palpable, as I wondered what Roland was planning and why he was being so secretive about it.
An hour later, Luca stopped the car. He got out and opened the passenger door for me.
In silence and rage, I stepped out and bared my canines at him. He seemed not to care and kept his composure.
I wasn't in the Black Matter Pack anymore but on the outskirts of the Dark Howl Pack.
My gaze shifted to the abandoned building. It looked familiar.
Why did it feel like I had been here before?
"What are we doing here?" I snapped. "Black Matter Pack is that way.... This isn't home..."
"It's a surprise, Luna," a familiar female voice chirped, and my gaze snapped toward the figure coming from the back of the building. "Trust me," she said. "You would love the surprise he arranged for you...!"