Chapter 38: Chapter 38

"Are you ready?" He asked me from the other side of the door.

I sighed and looked at myself in the mirror. I am wearing a white flowy dress that Jeff asked his shopper to buy. We were supposed to buy it but Jeff went to work and he didn't want me to go out with a stranger. Which, I don't understand.

I touched the chiffon fabric and nodded in affirmation. The dress was simple but it looked so elegant when worn. And it fit me well. I wonder how the personal shopper knew my size. I don't even know if she had seen me.

She also bought me a pearl white necklace that went perfectly with the dress. I have to commend the shopper's fashion sense.

I wore a pair of crystal stilettoes and walked to the door to open it. Jeff was there, wearing his black three-piece suit and a silver necktie. He looked at me from head to foot before smirking. "Wow," he said in a satisfied tone. "You look... he trailed as he blinked several times. "... amazing."

I swallowed hard as I felt my whole face heating up because of his compliment. Even when I'm still annoyed at him for the silly rule he made, he still can make my heart flutter whenever he's in his usual self.

I pressed my lips together and cleared my throat." T-thanks," I said with an awkward smile. "You look g-good, too."

He reached for my hand and led me down the stairs without saying a word. We're going to the packhouse today because his mother said we should visit. I wouldn't have wanted to go there if not for Jeff persuading me that we should go and be seen by the other members of his pack.

After all, I will need to know them shortly as I pretend to be their Luna.

"Are we near?" I asked Jeff as I finally saw a clear

the road after passing a bushy path.

"Yes," he replied and just as he turned to the left of the crossroad, I saw a huge compound with several houses.

I looked at him. "Did you make your village in the woods?" I asked him.

He shrugged and just kept driving towards the sign that says, Private Property. Do not enter. It has a huge gate and an arc with tribal characters.

I was in awe when I realized how their gate was properly maintained. It doesn't look like some abandoned village in the middle of nowhere.

"Are there no humans coming here?" I asked again as he parked in front of the biggest house which I think is the packhouse.

"No one knows about this place," he replied. "Besides, even if they come, it is clearly in front that this is a private property."

My lips parted when I stared at the huge house in front of me. It's bigger than his mansion-which is a given because a lot of people live here. I think this is at least a four-story mansion.

But unlike Jeff's private house that looked modern, this one looks antique. It looks like it has been built for decades or maybe more.

Ambrose turned off the engine. "Let's go," he told me. I reluctantly looked at him before nodding. I unbuckled my seatbelt and stepped out of the car.

The balcony has a chandelier. That was the first thing I noticed aside from the four white pillars holding the wooden barricade. It also has at least four marble tables with four chairs each. It was elevated and we need to go up to four flights of stairs before we could get inside.

It doesn't have a huge garden like Jeff's mansion but there are several other houses around.

"What are those houses for?" I asked Jeff as I pointed at them.

Jeff turned in the direction I was looking at. "That's the elderly wolves' house," he said, pointing at the one with the white paint. "We keep in a separate house with a guard at night?"

I nodded. "How about that?" I asked, pointing at the oldest-looking house in the compound.

"Clinic," he replied. "We have a resident doctor in the compound because there are wolves who get injured when we're practicing.

I narrowed my eyes at "Practicing what?"

He shrugged. "Fighting," he replied. "We need to make sure the members are strong enough to defend themselves."

I nodded. "And that?" I asked.

"School," he replied.

My jaw dropped. "You have a school?" I asked him in shock. Now, I can't help but compare this to ours. We didn't. have a school in ours before. We attended a public school within our territory.

"It's only for basic knowledge," he explained. "My family. owns a school downtown for those who want to go to college."

I cannot believe this. "That's a normal university? A school with humans?"

He nodded. "That's where I graduated," replied. "And besides, we're not harmful. Unless we're triggered. And we also don't go around crowded places when we can't control our wolves yet."

I stared at him in awe of their family riches. No wonder my former hated them. They are well-maintained and rich. I believed Xavier's family was wealthy but I'm sure they're not as rich as Jeff's. He's just...oozing with wealth.

"Are you okay?" he asked me when he noticed that I was suddenly in a daze while trying to process everything. I smiled and nodded. "Yes," I replied.

"We have a function hall at the back. We also have an Olympic pool, tennis court, basketball court, volleyball court,t, and a football field," he said. "I'll tour you around tomorrow. Wow. The members of the pack surely loved staying here with all the facilities available. They have everything. This could be their city.

Jeff held my hand and led me to the huge double doors of the packhouse. "Everyone is here, even the elderlies because Mother announced that you'll be coming with me."

My eyes widened. I suddenly felt chills running down my spine. Well, I think we forgot to discuss the most important thing! "What am I going to tell everyone?!" I asked him in a panic.

He looked at me and smirked. "Nothing," he replied. " Mom already did the talking." He sighed. "All you need to do is to ride on the conversation and you'll survive."

"What exactly did she say?" I asked. Did he think I would calm down with what he said? That only made me nervous! He shrugged. "You got lost from the wildfire and I saw you running around the forest." He said it so nonchalantly that I don't even know if he was telling the truth. "Seriously?"

He gave me a look before leaning down to my ear, making me ticklish. "Then what do you want to hear? Do you want to tell them you're a rogue?" he whispered viciously.

I frowned at him. "All I'm saying is you could have told me about this while we were on our way here." I hissed.

He shrugged. "You seemed so comfortable in the car, baby. I thought you already know what's going to happen," he uttered before pushing the doors open.

"Andrea!" Rosemary's voice was what could be heard.

Everyone looked our way as Rosemary came to hug me and

kiss me on the cheek. "Finally, you have come here!" I looked around the room and saw them all smiling at me-especially the older wolves. Everyone was dressed for an occasion. Is this only because I, the supposed mate of their Alpha, am coming?

I turned to Jeff with a fake smile before his mother pulled me to meet other wolves. She led me to a table of middle-aged wolves. Their pieces of jewelry are sparkling with the lights.

"Oh, is this the Alpha's mate?" The woman with white hair and almond eyes asked. She stood up and walked up to me to shake my hand. "I am Elinor, the doctor of the pack." I nodded before smiling. "Nice to meet you, Dr. Elinor," | told her.

She looked at Rosemary before chuckling. "Just call me Elinor," she said. "Anyway, I am sorry for your loss. Rosemary already told me that you lost your family from the wildfire."

Rosemary looked at me with a wide smile and I was forced to smile back at Elinor. Jeff was right. His mother already cleared things out. "I'm good, Elinor," I told her. "I have already gotten over it.

Elinor nodded before letting out a sigh of relief. "That's good to know," she said. "Now, please meet the other elders." She motioned at the middle-aged woman sitting down on the couch.

They're not elders yet. They're just probably around my parents' age. Rosemary started introducing me to everyone. I can't process everything. Everything is just happening too fast. I doubt I'd remember their names.

They asked me about my experience in the wildfire and I just answered the most generic way possible. Not long after, Jeff came and led me to a group of wolves our age.

Ryan and Nelly were the only ones I can recognize...until my eyes went to the blonde guy standing in the corner with a brunette beside him. Her hands are all over him while he's staring at me intently. He's the man who saw me from the window of Jeff's house.

"Who's that?" I asked Jeff.

"Ah, that's Pires, the Beta." Ryan seemed to have heard my question because he's the one who replied. "And the girl with him, that's Wynona."

"His mate?" I asked

Ryan nodded. "It seems to be."

I nodded and gave them one last look one more time. He's still looking at me with narrowed eyes as if trying to read my mind. I bit my lip and looked away.

Jeff leaned to my ear. "Don't look at him," he ordered.

I remember what his mother told me. The Beta and some wolves who are against Jeff's reign are waiting for the right time to take over the whole pack. I bet he's not on good terms with Pires. But that shouldn't be. They're the two strongest wolves in the pack.

A tall girl with black wavy hair and an hourglass body came up to me. She smiled and held my hand. "I'm Dior, "she replied.

"You're Andrea, right?" I nodded and watched her as she looked at me from head to foot. She smiled and then turned to Jeff. "I guess, I have good taste. She looks so elegant with the white dress and white pearls."

Jeff smirked before snaking his arm around my waist. He leaned in and kissed my temple. "Act as you love it," he whispered before chuckling while facing his friends again. I smiled and snaked my arms around his waist, too. My left hand rested on his well-toned abs.

Ryan, Nelly, and Dior were shaking their heads with crazy smiles on their faces. I'm already guessing that they are Jeff's close friends.

Dior groaned as she hit Ryan's arm, "I never thought I'd see the day that Jeff would be wrapped around some woman's finger!" She beamed.

I smiled weakly. If she only knew the truth. It's Jeff who got me wrapped around his finger, not the other way around.

Nelly shrugged. "I guess we all change upon finding our mates," he uttered in his low-tone voice.

"Yeah, maybe Dior would stop playing when she finally meets her mate!" Ryan teased, causing Dior to punch his arm repeatedly in full force.

Dior glared at him. "Maybe you will, too!" she shot back. "Since you have been playing with... she trailed as she turned to the direction of a woman sitting quietly in the corner before giving Ryan a knowing and meaningful smile. " ...everyone.

Ryan glared at her and motioned to tickle her when Jeff interjected. "Enough with that, you two," he said. "

Dion, can you accompany Andrea to get her food?" he asked.

Dionessa nodded. "Sure, Alpha," she replied before smiling at me. "Let's go," she told me as she led me to the table.

The table was filled with a lot of food. I can't even choose what to get. I looked at Dior and saw her smiling at me. "I think we will be good friends," she said.

I smiled. "I hope so."

She chuckled. "Well, there are only three women you need to stay away from," she said as she helped me in picking the food to eat.

"One is the lady with the Beta, Wynona. She's vile and she thinks she's beautiful."

I nodded and took a mental note.

"Two is the Aura. She's the last fling of the Alpha before he met you. She was already announcing that she's the mate until she knew of your existence," she said. "She's there, near the stairs."

I nodded. "I know her."

She narrowed her eyes at me. "How?"

"We saw her in the mall," I replied. "She's pretty."

Dior rolled her eyes. "What are you talking about? beamed.

You're the prettiest here!" she smiled weakly, I know that it's a lie though.

"And last, Carl," she said. "She's not flirty or what. But everyone thinks she's possessed by a deity because she's always out of it. "She's a good fighter, though."

I nodded. "Where is she?" I asked.

Dior looked around. "There," she pointed at the woman who's alone in the corner.

"She looks nice, though," I commented.

Dior nodded. "She's nice. She's just...weird sometimes. But she's not as harmful as the other two but you should still be careful of her."

I nodded. "Thank you for the heads up," I told her. She smiled. "We're all happy that Jeff finally found you," she said. "The other side is forming a committee with some of the elders, wanting Jeff out because he doesn't have his mate yet."

I sighed. "They're changing him with the Beta?" I asked. She nodded. "Pires is nice, though. He's just influenced by the others," she said. "Right now, he still respects Jeff. But we don't know for how long."

I bit my lip and realized the gravity of Jeff's situation. "Well, he's safe now, right?" I smiled.

Dior nodded. "Of course. He's safe now because you're finally here," she said before we headed to her original seat.