Chapter 149: An Outsider

HELENA. I stood in the grand hall of the Alpha House, trying to soak it all in. I just realized I hadn't taken the time to actually appreciate this place. The place was unlike anything I'd ever seen…stone walls lined with intricate tapestries, and towering portraits of wolves that I assumed were past alphas. Luna had said something about them earlier, but I wasn't paying attention. Everything about the house screamed power and history. It felt like stepping into a different world, one where humans like me were definitely out of place. Yet here I was, standing in the middle of it all, feeling small but curious. My eyes wandered to a large painting that hung over the fireplace. It depicted a fierce-looking wolf standing on a cliff, overlooking a valley. The detail was mesmerizing…the muscles in the wolf's legs, the wind in its fur. It looked almost alive. 'That one's always been my favorite," Luna said, breaking me from my thoughts. I glanced over at her, surprised. 'Really? What's the story behind it?" Luna walked over, crossing her arms as she studied the painting. 'That's Taryn, one of the first Alphas of LunaVille. He was Theodore's father, my Alpha. He led his pack during a time when humans tried to take over our land. He fought them off, kept the territory safe. They say his spirit still watches over us." I blinked, slightly taken aback by the intensity at which she spoke. 'That's… kind of amazing." Luna smiled softly. 'He was. There's a lot of history here, Helena. You're standing in a place where legends were made." I nodded. 'I can tell. The whole house feels like it's filled with stories." We stood there for a moment, both staring at the painting. I could sense Luna's pride in her heritage, in the strength of her people. It made me feel even more out of place, but I pushed the feeling down. I was here for a reason, even if I didn't fully understand what that reason was yet. Suddenly, a sharp squeal echoed from the room down the hall, causing both of us to look in that direction. Luna's eyes widened, and she sighed. 'Tyrus. That little rascal is always getting into trouble." I chuckled. 'Sounds like you've got your hands full. I haven't seen her since we got here. " 'You have no idea," she said, shaking her head. 'I better go check on her before she tears the place apart. Will you be okay here for a bit?" 'Yeah, I'm fine," I assured her. 'Go ahead." Luna shot me a grateful look before heading off down the hall, leaving me alone in the grand room. I exhaled, feeling the weight of the silence settle around me. My eyes went back to the painting, and for a moment, I let myself imagine what it must've been like to live during Taryn's time. Fighting off invaders, protecting your people… it must have taken a kind of strength I couldn't even begin to fathom. Lost in thought, I didn't hear the footsteps until they were almost right behind me. I turned, startled, to see a tall, striking woman approaching me. Her presence sent a ripple of tension through me. Something about the way she carried herself, the sharpness in her gaze, made me instinctively tense. 'Who are you?" she asked, her tone flat but with an underlying edge. Her eyes raked over me like I was a strange thing. 'I'm—" I started, but she cut me off. 'You're with Aaron, aren't you?" Her words caught me off guard, and I hesitated. 'Yes, I came with him." The woman's eyes narrowed, her lips twisting into a bitter smile. 'Of course you did. He always has to bring someone new around, doesn't he?" I blinked, confusion clouding my brain. 'I'm sorry, I don't understand—" 'What's there to understand?" she snapped, taking a step closer, her voice lowering into a dangerous hiss. 'You think just because you came here with him, you're part of us now? That you belong?" My heart raced, but I forced myself to stay calm. I noticed her ears, and panic surged through my veins. She was a wolf. Her eyes were crimson, and it added to the intensity. Her hair, or otherwise fur, was a weird golden brown. I wasn't used to confrontations like this, and I definitely wasn't used to wolves. But I wasn't going to back down either, no matter how much my instincts screamed at me to get out of there. 'I don't think that at all," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. 'I'm just here to support him." The woman scoffed, circling me slowly. 'Support him? Is that what you're calling it? You think you can just waltz in here, latch onto the Alpha, and that'll be enough to make you part of this?" I could feel the tension in the air thickening. My throat tightened, but I lifted my chin, determined not to show how scared I really was. 'Look, I don't know what you think is happening here, but I'm not trying to cause any trouble. I'm just—" 'You're just what?" she interrupted, her eyes flashing with something that looked like jealousy. 'Just another one of Aaron's little distractions?" Well I'll be damned. I didn't know how to respond to that. I didn't even fully understand what she was implying. All I knew was that she was furious with me for simply being here. For being with Aaron. And for some reason, that made me very angry. I wasn't going to let her see that I felt scared. I wasn't going to let her intimidate me. Besides, she couldn't tell I was a human. I had an edge. 'I'm not a distraction," I said, my voice firmer now. 'And whatever you're upset about, it's not with me." Her nostrils flared, and for a second, I thought she might lunge at me. But then she stopped, her gaze piercing through me. 'You don't belong here. Not with him. Not with us." I swallowed hard, trying to stand my ground even though my heart was pounding. 'That's not your decision to make." For a long moment, we stood there, locked in a silent standoff. The air between us felt electric, and I could feel the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. I didn't know how far this would go, but I was prepared to defend myself if it came to that. But just when I thought things might escalate, a familiar voice broke through the tension. 'What's going on here?" I turned to see Aaron standing in the doorway, his eyes narrowing as he took in the scene. The woman immediately straightened, her posture stiffening as she turned toward him. 'Aaron," she said, her voice suddenly sweet, like she hadn't just been threatening me moments ago. 'Leave her alone," he said, his tone cold. The woman blinked, clearly surprised by his harshness. 'I wasn't doing anything—" 'I said, leave her alone." he repeated, his eyes hardening. She clenched her jaw, her eyes darting between the two of us before finally letting out a frustrated huff. Without another word, she turned and walked away, her footsteps echoing in the hall as she disappeared. I let out a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding, my legs trembling slightly. Aaron crossed the room to me, his expression softening as he looked me over. He placed his hand on my shoulder, calming my frazzled nerves. 'You okay?" he asked, his voice gentle. I nodded, though my heart was still racing. 'Yeah… I'm fine." He gave me a small, reassuring smile. 'She won't bother you again." I wasn't so sure, but I nodded anyway. 'Thanks." Before I could say more, Brielle tugged at Aaron's hand, looking up at him expectantly. 'Can we go home now?" Aaron glanced down at her, his expression softening. 'Yeah, let's go." He gave me one last look, his eyes filled with something I couldn't quite place, before he turned and left with Frida. The room fell quiet once more, the tension finally easing. Just then, Luna reappeared, her eyes immediately going to me. 'What happened? You look shaken." I let out a shaky breath, trying to compose myself. 'I'm not sure. Some wolf… she seemed angry that I was here with Aaron." Luna's expression darkened. 'Female wolf? How did she even get in here?" I shrugged. 'I don't know." The front door? 'She won't bother you again. Not if I have anything to say about it." I nodded, grateful for her support, but a part of me still felt uneasy. This world was still more dangerous than I had realized, and I wasn't sure if I was truly ready for it.