I follow her out of the room and over to the wardrobe, where she presents a selection of slip-on shoes. Among them, I opt for a pair of black shoes that fit me comfortably.
Mia claps her hands together in approval. 'Great choice,' she remarks. 'I'll meet you downstairs for breakfast. Ryker should be ready to escort you down any minute,' she adds, her smile still radiant.
'Thanks, Mia,' I say with gratitude.
She nods and leaves the room.
After spending a few minutes exploring the room, curiously rifling through drawers and examining the assortment of random contents, I decide to check in on Ryker since he hasn't yet come to my room. With that in mind, I leave my room and stand outside Ryker's door. My hand hovers near the wood, poised to knock, but I halt when I catch the muffled voices of Ryker and Seth conversing within the room.
'You know this isn't going to go down well with Alice,' Seth says, a note of annoyance colouring his words.
Ryker responds, his voice carrying determination and unease. 'I know, but I have my mate now, so the plans have changed.'
Not wanting to eavesdrop on their private discussion, I finally knock on the door. The voices inside cease, and Ryker promptly opens the door, his face lighting up with a smile when he sees me.
Seth, standing behind Ryker, also turns his attention to me. 'Luna, did you sleep well?' He asks with sincerity.
'Well enough, considering last night's ordeal, thank you,' I reply softly.
Ryker takes my hand in his and offers me a warm smile. 'You look beautiful, Astrid,' he compliments me with genuine admiration.
'Thank you,' I respond, a blush creeping onto my cheeks.
'Are you hungry?' Ryker asks.
I nod affirmatively. 'Yes, quite hungry,' I admit, my stomach rumbling quietly in agreement.
Ryker nods thoughtfully. 'Well, you're about to meet Alice, Kane and Hayley downstairs. Alice is the cook,' he says, a hint of nervousness in his voice.
'Okay,' I respond, gazing at him with a trace of uncertainty. I wonder why he's so anxious about me meeting the cook.
Ryker continues, seeing the confusion across my face. 'I intend on explaining things further, preferably later tonight. There are some important things you should know. I'll tell you then.'
'Okay,' I reply, though I can't help but feel puzzled about what else he might need to share with me. It can't be worse than the revelation that we're all werewolves, can it?
Seth chooses this moment to excuse himself. 'Mia will be waiting for me. I'll see you both in a minute,' he says before descending the stairs.
With Ryker's hand in mine, we descend the stairs together.
As Ryker and I enter the dining room, our hands still intertwined, my attention is immediately drawn to the sharp sound of a plate shattering against the floor. I glance over to see an older lady with an expression of anger, glaring daggers at the sight of Ryker's hand clasped firmly in mine.
'What is the meaning of this?' She demands, her voice dripping with frustration.
Mia, sitting nearby, intervenes with a stern tone. 'Alice,' she admonishes, 'the special guest I was telling you about is our Luna.' A warm smile graces Mia as she adds, 'Can you believe Ryker finally found his fated mate?'
Alice's glare remains fixed on me as she sizes me up, but she begrudgingly shifts her attention. Through gritted teeth, Ryker instructs her, 'Alice, now that you've met your Luna, Astrid, you can return to the kitchen and finish serving breakfast,' he says.
With an irritated huff, Alice storms off into the kitchen, leaving a heavy tension lingering.
I can't help but comment, 'You and your cook don't seem to like each other.'
Ryker sighs, his expression conveying the complexity of their relationship. 'It's complicated. I'll explain later, but for the record, I'm not fond of her.'
Guiding me to my seat, Ryker takes the one next to me. Seth, sitting beside Mia, affectionately kisses her hand. Glancing around the table, I notice the presence of other unfamiliar faces.
'Astrid,' Ryker begins, 'you already know Seth and Mia, and this is my Gamma, Kane, and his mate, Hayley.' He gestures toward the couple seated across from us.
'It's a pleasure to finally meet you,' Hayley greets me with genuine warmth, her eyes sparkling.
'Luna, a pleasure,' Kane adds, inclining his head respectfully.
I return their greetings with a polite smile. 'It's lovely to meet you both.' Then a hint of curiosity takes over. 'Is Alice always this grumpy?' I ask, glancing around the table.
The question elicits hearty laughter from everyone present.
Hayley, still smiling, reassures me, 'She can be pretty full-on at times, but just ignore her.'
I nod, grateful for the advice. 'Okay, if you insist.'
Alice returns from the kitchen, her demeanour frosty, with a stack of pancakes clutched in her hands. She slams them down onto the table abruptly, her glare never leaving Ryker. Without a word, she turns on her heel and stalks away.
Ryker's irritation, simmering just below the surface, growls softly in response. 'Excuse me, Astrid,' he says, his tone tense. 'I need to get myself some water from the kitchen.'
Ryker rises from his seat and strides into the kitchen. Within moments, the distant sounds of their argument reach our ears, with a tense exchange of words echoing in the background.
‘Is everything okay?’ I ask at the table, but unease settles around the table at my inquiry, their expressions shifting into uncomfortable contortions as they exchange furtive glances.
Hayley, attempting to redirect the conversation, offers me a reassuring smile. 'I'm sure everything is fine, Luna,' she says gently, her tone meant to calm my growing apprehension. 'I hear you'll be eighteen soon,' she adds.
I muster a forced smile, my anxiety steadily mounting. 'Yes,' I reply with a tight nod.
'How exciting! You must be thrilled to meet your wolf,' she continues cheerfully.
The words hit me like a tidal wave, and my chest tightens, my breathing quickening as the implications of her statement sink in. Ryker had mentioned something about me shifting into a wolf on my eighteenth. Panic surges within me, and I can't shake the dread of what's to come. I don't want to shift. I don't want to be a wolf!
'Luna, are you okay?' Mia's concerned voice pierces through my spiralling thoughts.
I glance at them, my eyes wide with terror. Unable to contain my panic, I push away from the table and stand abruptly. 'I'm sorry, I can't do this!' I exclaim, my voice trembling, before bolting from the room.