Chapter 7: The Layers of power

☆☆LILA☆☆

The next morning, I adjusted my top carefully, trying to calm my nerves even though my stomach felt like it was being twisted into knots. 

I look around the room for any sign of Zio before seeing Nanny Rosa coming out of the kitchen with her apron on.

“Where is Zio ?” I asked her as I adjusted the sleeves of my blouse. 

She paused for a minute. “He hasn’t come home yet,” she said finally, her voice laced with concern but she didn’t look at me, and that alone told me enough. 

Before I could ask her questions a knock sounded. She opened the door to find Theo waiting at the door 

“Ready?” His tone was flat, unreadable, but something about it said I didn’t have a choice.

The ride to the pack house was longer than anything. I kept imagining what the place would look like, would it be like the one in the movies surrounded with stone walls, wolfish carvings, flickering torches at every corner, maybe something ancient, I don't know what to expect, I don't even know what to make of this. 

Theo and I did not say a word to each other till we arrived at our destination. The place didn't look ancient at all, instead it was a huge, modern, mansion.

I didn’t realise I was gaping at the building until Theo called out for me

"Let's go inside"

Gaurds stood alert at the door. I wondered if they were werewolves too.

The pack members filled the halls, every single one of them watching me. Their eyes followed my steps, whispering just low enough to make me know that they were talking about me.

Some of them looked familiar, I've seen them at our house before 

I forced myself not to look at them as Theo led me to the living room.

I was shocked by the faces I saw sitting down in the living room. 

The same people who stole the last thing I had from me.

The board of directors 

All seven of them.

   It was obvious that they were all waiting for me. Theo then moved forward to greeting them all the the reality dawned to me they were the elders

I couldn’t stop the bitter laughter that escaped from my mouth.

What the actual hell? 

All this time, I thought they had only controlled my life in the boardroom. But here they were again, dressed in another layer of power. Not just manipulating my future at the company but also  holding the reins of this pack as well. 

Miss Renard leaned back, arms crossed, her expression sour. She looked like she would rather be anywhere else but here.

"So what kind of trouble did you get yourself into this time?" 

"Excuse me?" Was she playing with me or something? 

“You are a problem to this pack,” she said, her tone dripping with disdain. “Her mark only drags trouble to our doorstep.”

"That's enough Renard!" Zio who has been been avoiding looking at me finally spoke up 

"You don't get to tell me to stop Alessandro! You had one job!, to keep this brat in check so she won't bring trouble to us." She stood up anger seeming from her 

Jackson, seated at the edge of the circle, shifted in his seat uncomfortably. He didn’t meet my eyes. And my uncle couldn't even look at me. His gaze stayed fixed anywhere but on me, like looking at me will make things worse, no wonder he was hell bent on trying to make me accepted by the directors. 

Their voices blurred into arguments about the rogue clan. Whether my mark had lured them here. They just kept talking like I was not in the room, like I was invincible.

"Excuse me please " I said as I quickly stood up, 

I slipped outside, desperate for air. It was so tense inside, so suffocating. 

“Don’t mind them.” 

I turned. A girl around my age stood leaning against the wall, arms folded loosely, a smile tugging at her lips. 

“They are always intense like that,” she said. “You’ll get used to it.” 

I blinked. “And you are?” 

“Raya.” Her grin widened. 

"Oh I'm Lila" I said pushing my hand forward 

" I know, you are quite popular around here" she said, scrutinising me with her gaze.

Right Of course everyone knew about me.

I looked around to distract myself from her gaze, this place looked nothing like I imagined.

“You looked surprised." 

"I just didn't expect everything to look like this" 

"What did you expect? Cloaks? A bonfire? Maybe a circle of wolves chanting under the moon?” 

A laugh escaped me before I could stop it. “Something like that, yeah.” 

We both laughed, and for the first time that day, the heaviness in my chest eased. 

I looked back to see Theo talking with one of the people standing in the hallway. 

“You’ve got quite the catch with Theo,” Raya teased, nudging me. 

"Theo?"Heat rushed to my face when I realised what she was insinuating "No it’s not like that,” I said quickly. 

She tilted her head, looking at me doubtfully 

"We are just friends. We were at least" the reality of everything dawned on me the way they all lied to me and kept me in the dark about everything. 

"He hasn’t told you, has he?” 

My brow furrowed. “Told me what—” 

“Lila.” 

Theo’s voice cut through, smooth and commanding. He gave Raya a polite nod ,

He looked at me, his gaze unreadable as always. “There’s someone important I need you to meet.”