Chapter 9 The Family's Dinner

• NARAH'S POV
• The loud argument in the dining room kept everyone busy, they didn't even notice I had been standing there for a couple of minutes.
• My hands were fidgeting, and in the cool atmosphere, I began to feel sweat dripping down my forehead. What is Luna Tauriel doing here? I thought.
• She was pointing her finger at a handsome man who resembled Alpha Van, screaming, “I can come here whenever I wish. It's my daughter's home too.”
• I pursed my lips and fixed my gaze on her as memories of how she treated me in my past life flashed before my eyes. The big bad wolf was a name Minsi used to call her. I subconsciously giggled over the memory.
• My anxiety skyrocketed out the ceiling when all eyes at the dining table turned to me. Their gaze burned my skin like hot coal, melting my confidence away.
• I shot one quick look around the table. F**k! An empty seat right next to Luna Tauriel. Just what I needed!
• “Hi,” I said, waving my hand in the air awkwardly. My nervous feet managed to take me to the empty seat and I sat down.
• Luna Tauriel's eyes widened. She scrunched up her face in disgust and pinched her nose, shooting glances of disapproval at me.
• “The maid is sitting with us?” She asked, “Worst of all, next to me?”
• Gina's face shared the same expression as her. I was flushed with embarrassment, my eyes fell to the table, avoiding everyone's gaze. She gasped, “Mother is right, she's a filthy maid. She shouldn't sit next to—”
• “Enough!” Alpha Van said. His deep voice vapourized the noise in the room at once. Honestly, I wasn't even mad or sad, I was quite uncomfortable. I hadn't seen my stepmother in years, still she gave off the same energy like she used to.
• The maids brought in the dinner, setting everything on the table while we all eased into the quiet.
• “Well, well…” Luna Tauriel began, “my daughter Gina, is the Luna of Woodwick Pack and since she brought in this thing,” she gestured her head towards me. “I am sure it's for a good cause. I trust my daughter.”
• Thing? Did she just call me a thing? Seriously?
• “Narah is a person, she's not a thing,” said a cute boy with curly brown hair and freckles on his nose.
• “Shut the f**k up. Nobody asked you to speak,” Gina snapped. She talked like she had an unresolved quarrel with the young boy.
• “Hanadin, that's enough, it's alright,” The man who resembled Van spoke again. He apologised for the way things were going and introduced himself as Liam Killian. The cute, curly brown-haired boy, Hanadin, and everyone else I hadn't met, introduced themselves to me.
• They asked how I got to Woodwick's territory, and I came up with a story of never belonging to a pack, which wasn't entirely wrong. I explained how my supposed father killed my real father, and I had just learned that I was a werewolf.
• “However, I haven't had the opportunity to shift, so I came to Woodwick to start a new life,” I said anxiously.
• Kacy was the first to welcome me into the pack.
• “You can come to the packhouse whenever you want,” she said excitedly. Van looked at me, observing my reactions. I also noticed everyone's attention was on me.
• “I'm honoured, Kacy. Of course, I'd love to come to the packhouse,” I said.
• Kacy yelped, “That's great! I can train you and maybe you'll be able to shift when you get strong enough.”
• “She doesn't look like a warrior. She's small,” Beta Solomon said with a straight face.
• “I can't sit here any longer,” Luna Tauriel sighed, and took a glass of wine. She stood up, pushed her seat aside, walked to Gina, and planted a kiss on her head.
• "Mummy," Gina whimpered.
• Luna Tauriel strutted outside, no-one stopped her. I was even glad she left. A smile was about to spread across my lips, then Gina stood up angrily and yelled at me.
• “B**ch, look what you've done,” she said, breathing heavily with teary eyes.
• “She didn't do anything, Gina. Your mother left on her own,” Hanadin chimed in.
• “Stop talking, Hanadin,” She screamed at the top of her lungs. Something about his voice kind of knew how to provoke her. Then she turned to me. “Why the hell was this maid even invited for this dinner? Who f**king invited her?”
• “I did.” Alpha Van said in a calm tone, his hands running around the rim of his glass cup, while his eyes stared deeply into mine.
• I was stunned when I heard this shocking revelation. Even though Alpha Van was the one who called me downstairs, I had thought it was Gina’s idea to invite me for dinner, in order to meet the family.
• His eyes still fixated on mine, he asked her, “Do you have a problem with that?”
• Gina's voice broke, easing into a subdued whisper, “No, Alpha.”
• My gaze shifted to her. Tears were already streaming down her face. Poor Gina. She worshipped her mother. Any slight discomfort Luna Tauriel felt, Gina felt the same.
• Luna Tauriel was obviously uncomfortable sitting next to me, and that made two of us. Thank goodness she was gone. Hanadin was smiling at me, I smiled back, and grabbed a forkful of spaghetti Bolognese and savoured it.
• “This is delicious,” I mumbled while chewing the food. Gina's eyebrows furrowed.
• “Read the f**king room,” she said angrily, and stormed out, screaming at the maids who stood outside.
• I wished I hadn't come for dinner. It was a disaster. The rest of us finished our meals in silence.
• Sharon and Liam went outside for a stroll. Kacy and Hanadin asked me to come with them, but I was too tired and told them I'd rather go back to bed. They agreed and went outside.
• Beta Solomon and Henry sat next to Alpha Van. I stood up, ready to go back to my room. I opened my mouth to say goodnight, but stopped myself when I noticed the three of them were discussing seriously.
• “Another dead pack member was found just outside the territory,” Beta Solomon said.
• “The rogues are turning into something else completely. The night guards need to infiltrate their turf,” said Beta Henry. Sounding almost mad.
• Beta Solomon’s left hand rubbed the bridge of his nose, shaking his head in frustration. “They don't have no turf, Henry. Do your research, will you?” His eyes slightly rolled heaven wards. “Ever since they were ambushed in ‘87, the rogues have run wild and free,” he said.
• ‘87? Woodwick's rogues were always out in the woods craving the warm blood of their next victim, just like they did to my mother in 1987. That's when their hideout was burned to crisp.
• Alpha Van's eyes landed on me where I stood firm, eavesdropping on their conversation.
• “Can we help you?” he asked me. The others turned to look at me. Then, I realised I was breathing too loud, my jaws and fists were clenched. I faked a smile and shook my head.
• “No, thank you for the dinner. Goodnight.”
• They didn't respond. Instead, they resumed their meeting immediately, paying no attention to my presence. Only this time, their voices turned to silent whispers.
• I exited the dining room with my head full of thoughts. As I walked upstairs, my heart almost stopped when I saw Luna Tauriel standing in the hallway, her arms folded furiously.
• “Let's have a talk shall we, dirty maid?”