11

Hillary's POV

I woke up the next morning feeling groggy and groaned loudly when the first image in my head was one of me hugging Lucas. What was I thinking? Why did I hug him, and most importantly, why didn't I look up in time to gauge his reaction. Was he shocked, angry, pleased? Irritated?

Wait, hold on a sec, why should I be concerned about his reaction?

I shook my head as if to rid it of thoughts of him and the night before and sighed. Maybe I should try talking to him… see how he feels about personal contact and maybe apologize if I'd crossed any boundaries. After tossing and turning for several minutes, I finally concluded that I did the right thing by hugging him. And if I really wanted to know his thoughts about my actions, obviously, I wouldn't get any answers by rolling around. Communication is key.

My mind wandered back to the barrier, another heavy topic that'd been weighing down on me. Was that why there was no morning here and the weather was cooler than what would be considered normal? Why do they have a barrier in the first place?

I needed answers, and there was only one available person. I quickly slid into the warm bath to get ready. I should have been all done by the time the maid came for me, and I quickly slid on a silky dress before going to sit on the bed in wait for the maid that never came. The wheels in my head started to turn.

The maid had never missed a day, always here at exactly 8 in the morning to invite me to breakfast with the Alpha, even on days that she'd got nothing but a shut door as a reply. I paced the length of my room for a while, thinking about how strange it was, before deciding to go downstairs myself. Just as I reached for the doorknob, it twisted from the other side and walked the maid.

“Oh!” She exclaimed, taking a step back to dip into a bow, “Good morning, Luna," she greeted, her voice trembling slightly. "The Alpha just left for an urgent mission, and he won't be back for a while."

My heart sank, and I felt a pang of disappointment. I had been hoping to see him this morning to clear the air about last night, obviously. Looked like that wouldn't be possible anytime soon.

"What about breakfast?" I asked, hoping my disappointment wasn't too evident.

"The chef has breakfast ready. If you'd rather have it in the dining hall today, we'll have it set in no time.” She replied curtly. "But please, be careful, Luna. The Alpha has left strict instructions to keep you safe."

I nodded, feeling a sense of unease but not voicing it. What did she mean by that? Was I in danger? Even within the Mansion?

As I made my way to the dining hall, my mind raced with questions and doubts. I entered the hall and was surprised to see the teenage boy who had tried to flirt with me the other day. Eros, yes, that was his name. Eros watched as I walked closer, but his expression remained unreadable.

"Good morning, Eros," I greeted, but he just stood up from the table and wordlessly walked out.

I watched, confused as he walked away, wondering what had just happened. Had I done anything to upset him? I turned to the maid, whose name I still didn't know. I wasn't exactly good at making friends, so I turned to her, clearing my throat awkwardly.

"Hey..."

"Zara, my name is Zara, Luna."

I smiled at her, grateful she had spared me the trouble of asking her name. "How long have you been working here?"

"Two years, Luna."

I nodded. There's a brief pause before I proceeded with my question, “So, who is he?” It was clear that he was a member of this family. If I was going to be living with an unpredictable teenager, I should at least know who he was.

“That was Gamma Eros, Luna.” She answered simply, and I couldn't help my surprise.

“He's the Gamma? At that age?"

"I don't really know the details, Luna, but I heard he’s been living here for quite a long time."

“And his parents?”

She shook her head, and my face fell as I came to the realization that he was an orphan. I could understand the emptiness. Sure, I still had my father alive, but he'd be better dead anyway. I rebuked myself for the thought and stared at the now empty seat, thinking back to how he had smiled and easily brought me into a conversation on our first encounter. He was kind and probably needed a friend. Whatever he was feeling now, he probably needed someone by his side, too.

I didn't know where the courage came from as I was getting to my feet with newfound determination; maybe Layla was starting to rub off on me. "Zara, I want to make something for Eros. I think he's having a bad day.”

I watched as her eyes lit up, and she nodded. "That's a wonderful idea, Luna! The kitchen staff would be happy to help you."

As we entered the kitchen, the staff scurried about, clearly intimidated by my presence. I could sense their anxiety, their eyes nervously darting towards me with a mix of fear and curiosity, but I wasn't there to intimidate them. Hell, I don't even know how to do that. All I wanted to do was make friends and bake some cookies.

I smiled stiffly and introduced myself, extending a hand in greeting. "Hi there, I'm Hillary… the uh… Luna."

Okay, as far as introductions went, that had to be the worst.

The staff exchanged nervous glances, but I could sense the tension relieving even if by a little, and then slowly, they all introduced themselves, taking turns.

"I wanted to make some cookies…. f- for Eros," I stuttered out, smiling nervously.

"Oh dear!" A plump woman, probably in her early fifties, clasped my hands. "You don't need to be nervous around us. If anything, we should be nervous around you."

"I'm sorry, I mean, thank you."

She offered a smile, "So how about some chocolate chip cookies?" she suggested. "They're his favourite."

I clapped my hands together, brimming with excitement. "Really?! I know how to make those. They are also my favourite!"

And just like that, the stiffness in the kitchen dispelled into dust.

With their help, we whipped up a batch of freshly made cookies , the aroma filling the kitchen and making my stomach growl with anticipation. I couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment as we worked together, a brief chatter filling the room as they began to tell me about their favourite recipes and cooking techniques.

"I can't believe how easy it is to talk to everyone at once," I said, a smile on my face.

"Ah, you never know what to expect, so we all had to play it safe. Besides, the Alpha asked us to treat you as we treat him, and we fear him, so …” a staff supplied with a wink, and I laughed, feeling well included.

“Oh, I hear you.” I agreed, taking the tray out of the oven.

“Mm, these taste amazing!" I exclaimed after taking a bite.

"Thank you, Luna," one of the staff members replied, beaming with pride. "We're happy to help you with anything you need."

"I appreciate that," I said, smiling. "I have to admit, I'm a bit of a novice with baking. But I'm sure I will be a pro in no time with your help.” I said cheerily, and hums of agreement fills the room.

Zara led me to Eros' room, and I knocked softly before entering. He was engrossed in a book, his shirt off, revealing chiselled abs that seemed to gleam in the soft light. He blushed furiously as I entered, his eyes darting towards me with a mix of surprise and embarrassment. But I wasn't fazed. I had seen my fair share of half-naked men in the pack. Besides, I was there to make friends, not to gawk.

"Hey, Eros, I made these for you." I said, voice gentle and smile warm as I held out the plate of cookies.

He seemed sceptical, his expression unreadable except for the slight raise of a brow. I felt a surge of embarrassment, wondering if I had overstepped some boundary. "I…. Guess I'll just leave them here.” I said, leaving the plate on a small stool and turning around to leave, a little deflated.

“Wait, Hillary.” He called hurriedly, his voice holding a trace of vulnerability, “I'm sorry.” He said when I finally turned around.

He had a small pout on his lips when he said his next words in a mutter. “I'm just angry at the Alpha for leaving me behind."

I nodded understandingly, an encouraging smile stretching on my lips. “I get it. But don't you think we'd be stronger if we combine the powers of our anger?” I said lightheartedly, and it seemed to work, seeing as he scoffed in amusement.

I felt myself relax as he patted a spot next to him with a smile, and I brought the cookies with me. He took one from the plate as I sat down beside him, feeling a sense of relief wash over me. The cookies were still warm from the oven, and the chocolate chips melted in my mouth as we munched on them in comfortable silence.

As we finished the cookies, Eros turned to me with a grateful smile. "Thanks, Hillary."

"You're welcome, Eros."

"You know, the first time I saw you, I was like…. whoa." He exclaimed, hands flailing around.

I snorted, shaking my head. “For me, I thought you looked a little lonely.”

His smile waned, and I cursed myself for bringing up that topic.

"So why Eros?" I immediately switched, hoping I hadn't messed things up again, and he hummed.

"My mom loved Greek philosophy. And she loved my father too, so….” He finished with a shrug, and I felt a tug at my heart.

“I'm sorry, I heard…”

"Yes, they are dead," his voice suddenly turned quiet, yet so cold that I almost flinched.

I was such a fool, and it looked like I was hellbent on just messing things up. When I looked at him, he had a faraway look in his eyes, and I was immediately swarmed with regrets. I shouldn't have tried at all.

“I will take the tray downstairs and see you later?" There was no reply.

I hurriedly picked up the tray and left the room. This time, he didn't call me back.