Chapter 155: Let Me Show You Around

AARON Helena's face paled as she read the letter, her hands trembling slightly. When she finished, she looked up at me, fear clear in her eyes. 'He's coming, isn't he?" she whispered. 'Yes," I said, my voice tight. 'He's coming. And we need to be ready." Helena glanced around nervously, as if expecting Dorian to appear at any moment. 'What are we going to do?" 'I don't know yet," I admitted. 'But we'll figure it out. Together." For a moment, we stood there in silence, the weight of the situation pressing down on us. Everything had just gotten a lot more complicated, and the danger was closer than I had anticipated. But I wasn't going to let Dorian win. Not this time. I took a deep breath, trying to clear my head. 'First things first, we need to talk to Luna. She's been researching the scroll, and if anyone has insight into what Dorian might be planning, it's her." Helena nodded, though the worry still lingered in her eyes. 'You're right. Let's find her." We hurried back inside, and Quincy joined us as we made our way to Luna's study. He was strangely quiet, but I didn't blame him. Anyone knew when it was time to get serious. The door to her Luna's was slightly open, and I could hear the faint sound of papers being shuffled. I knocked softly before pushing the door open. Luna looked up from the scrolls spread out on her desk, her eyes narrowing in confusion at the urgency in our expressions. 'What's going on?" she asked, sitting up straighter. I handed her the letter without a word. Her eyes scanned the contents, and as she read, her expression darkened. 'Dorian," she muttered under her breath. 'I had a feeling something was off, but this..." Her voice trailed off as she set the letter down, her fingers tapping the desk rhythmically as she thought. 'The festival would be the perfect time for him to strike. He could easily blend in with the crowd, use the chaos to his advantage." 'Exactly what I was thinking," I said, sitting down across from her. 'And we still don't know what his ultimate goal is." Luna shook her head. 'No, but it's clear he's not working alone. The female wolf—she's dangerous, Aaron. If she's watching Helena, then we need to take extra precautions. I'll find her." I glanced over at Helena, who was still standing by the doorway, her arms crossed tightly over her chest. She looked like she was trying to stay calm, but I could see the fear in her eyes. 'Helena," I said softly, but the moment her name left my lips, I felt a sense of unease. She interrupted me, nodded slowly and took a seat next to me. 'I trust you, Aaron." Luna stood up, her expression hardening with determination. 'I'll dig deeper into the scrolls. There might be something we've missed, some clue as to what Dorian's next move could be. Until then, we need to prepare for anything." I nodded, feeling a mix of relief and anxiety. We had a plan, but it still felt like we were grasping at straws. The clock was ticking, and Dorian was getting closer with every second. HELENA I leaned against the railing of the balcony, the cool breeze brushing against my skin. My mind was spinning, caught up in the events of the past few days. Dorian. I had never heard of him before, but from what little I had gathered, he was trouble. The way Aaron had tensed up when Frida spoke about her dream… it didn't sit well with me. Whoever this Dorian was, he had everyone on edge. Even Luna. I could tell something bad was looming, like a storm you could see rolling in from the distance but couldn't yet feel. And for a moment, I wondered if I should say something about the pair of eyes I had seen the night before. The memory sent a shiver down my spine—those golden eyes gleaming from the bushes, watching me with a silent intensity. Should I tell someone? Should I tell Aaron? But as quickly as the thought came, I pushed it away. What would I even say? That I saw a pair of eyes in the dark? There were wolves everywhere in Lunaville. It could've been anyone. I didn't want to add to the tension, especially when everyone was already on high alert. And besides, Aaron had just gotten back. I didn't want to burden him with more worries. 'Are you alright?" Aaron's voice broke through my thoughts, gentle and concerned. I turned around to face him, managing a small smile. He was standing just a few feet away, his eyes soft as they searched mine for any sign of distress. 'Yeah," I replied, though the worry was still gnawing at the back of my mind. 'Just… thinking." Aaron stepped closer, the warmth of his presence instantly making me feel a little more at ease. His expression shifted, and I could tell he was about to bring up something else. Probably to distract me. 'So… how's Frida?" I asked, before he could change the subject. 'Why did you end up staying over?" A smirk tugged at the corner of his lips, and he let out a soft chuckle. 'Well, my mom practically begged me to stay. Said it was ‘family time' or something like that. Trust me, I tried to leave, but she wasn't having it." I found myself smiling at his tone, but as he spoke about his family, a quiet sense of melancholy started to creep in. I hadn't had family time since I was twelve. Not since my parents… I swallowed hard, quickly pushing the memory aside. That was a wound I healed from a long, long time ago. 'I'm glad you got to spend time with them," I said softly, not wanting to dampen the mood. 'Frida seems sweet." 'She is," he said, his face lighting up at the mention of his sister. 'She's a handful, but she's smart. Quick, too. She's already gotten so good at teasing me, it's like she's known me for years." I laughed, though a part of me felt a little hollow. It was good to hear Aaron talk about his family like that, but it also reminded me of what I had lost. I didn't have siblings, no parents to go back to, no family dinners to look forward to. All I had were memories of a time before everything had gone wrong. Sigh. But I kept that to myself. Aaron didn't need to hear about my sadness. He had enough on his plate already. Besides, he was here, and that was more than enough to lift my spirits. 'You know…" Aaron's voice was playful, breaking me out of my thoughts. 'I never really got a chance to show you around Lunaville, did I?" I raised an eyebrow, curious. 'Show me around?" 'Yeah, I mean… it's a bit different from what you're used to, right? I could give you a tour, show you some of the more interesting spots," he said, a grin spreading across his face. 'If you're up for it." I felt a genuine smile tugging at my lips. The idea of exploring Lunaville with Aaron sounded more appealing than I'd like to admit. 'I'd like that," I said, nodding. He clapped his hands together. 'Great. We'll go at your pace, don't worry. I won't rush you through the wilderness or anything." He winked. I laughed, though I could feel my chest tightening slightly. Being here in Lunaville was still strange, and with everything going on, part of me was afraid that things were going to spiral out of control. But Aaron's offer felt like a breath of fresh air. Like, maybe, for just a little while, I could just enjoy being here. With him. For now, that was enough. Even if the storm was coming, at least I wouldn't be facing it alone.