Chapter 9

Getting out of the hallway, my jaw dropped as I caught sight of the huge camp surrounding the pack house.

Unlike Ronan’s boring pack, this place looked completely different. Everything seemed more organized, more guarded, and somehow more dangerous. There were soldiers patrolling almost every corner, dressed in dark uniforms with weapons strapped to their bodies, their eyes constantly scanning their surroundings. Some of the men standing around looked nothing like ordinary wolves either. They had hard faces, intimidating builds, and an aura that made me instinctively lower my gaze whenever I passed them.

There were several camping tents scattered around the pack house, but they weren't the small, ordinary tents I had imagined when I first heard the word camping. Most of them were large enough to accommodate several people, and they were arranged in neat rows around the compound.

Then my eyes landed on something much bigger.

There was a massive tent-like structure standing a short distance away from the others. At first, I thought it was some kind of temporary building, but the closer we got, the more confused I became. It looked like a tent from the outside, yet its walls appeared to be made from something as strong as concrete. Thick pillars supported the structure, while dark fabric covered the upper parts of it. It was strange, almost magical, as though someone had combined a fortress with a tent.

I couldn't help staring.

Where exactly had I been brought?

The girl leading me didn't seem surprised by any of it. She continued walking as though everything around us was completely normal.

We eventually stepped inside the huge tent house, and my mouth fell open again.

The inside was even bigger than I had expected. It was almost like walking into another world. There were different sections everywhere, each one serving a different purpose. I spotted people working on weapons in one area, carefully shaping blades and checking the edges of what looked like specially crafted swords. There were also tables covered with strange tools, pieces of metal, and objects I couldn't even identify.

Further ahead, people were training, while others carried boxes from one section to another.

But the moment I walked in, several heads turned in my direction.

Then more followed.

Before I knew it, almost everyone around us was staring at me.

I suddenly became painfully aware of myself. My clothes felt too tight, my hands felt awkward at my sides, and I had the uncomfortable feeling that I was standing in the middle of the room completely naked.

I swallowed and tried not to show how nervous I was.

“Where are we going?” I asked anxiously, keeping my voice low.

“Just ignore the eyes,” she replied without even looking back at me. “We are going to our group.”

Our group?

What did she mean by that?

I frowned as I followed her, trying to understand what was happening. I had barely been here for a few minutes, yet everything already felt confusing. I didn't know where I was going, what I was supposed to do, or what exactly I had signed myself up for.

Moon Goddess, maybe I should have chosen to be a maid instead.

At least I would have known what to expect.

We walked for several minutes until I finally noticed another group of people standing together. They were wearing uniforms that looked almost exactly like mine, and the sight of them made me release a small breath I hadn't realized I was holding.

Maybe these were the people I was supposed to stay with.

As we approached, I noticed something strange.

Their uniforms looked slightly different from mine.

I looked down at myself, then at the girl who had brought me here. Hers was different too. The difference wasn't huge, but it was obvious enough to make me wonder why.

Before I could ask, she stopped.

“Hey, guys, we have a new member,” she announced.

Every person in the group turned toward us.

I immediately felt their eyes on me.

There were twenty of them, about seven girls and the rest males. They all stared at me with expressions ranging from curiosity to confusion, and for some reason, none of them looked particularly welcoming.

I nervously clasped my hands together.

Then a thick male voice suddenly cut through the tense air.

“You have to be kidding me, Rhea. A human?”

The moment he said it, the entire group burst into laughter.

My face heated instantly.

I clenched my fists at my sides as my heart skipped.

Human?

Why were they calling me a human?

Before I could say anything, the girl beside me quickly stepped forward.

“Hey guys, calm down. She's not a human, she lost her wolf.”

The girl who had brought me here immediately stepped forward to defend me, and for the first time, I properly registered her name.

Rhea. Cool name.

I glanced at her briefly before my attention returned to the group in front of me. I was still trying to understand what was going on when the tall girl stepped forward.

She was easily one of the most intimidating people in the group. She had a cold expression, sharp features, and a grin that didn't look friendly at all. Something about her screamed trouble, and judging from the way she looked at me, I had a feeling she wasn't planning on making my first day here any easier.

“That's even more interesting,” she said, crossing her arms over her chest. “Losing a wolf? That means you once had a mate and got kicked out, right? What did you do?”

A few people around her exchanged amused looks.

My stomach tightened.

So that was what they thought of people who lost their wolves?

I looked at the girl, trying to keep my expression calm. Deep down, my hands were already trembling. I could feel the nervousness creeping through me, but I refused to let it show on my face.

I had been bullied before.

I knew what happened when you allowed people to see that their words could get to you. They only became bolder, louder, and crueler.

I wasn't going to tolerate that again.

Not now. Not ever.

“Well, that's my business,” I replied, forcing a small, cold smile onto my lips. “But I'm intrigued by what your business is.”

Her grin disappeared slightly.

I didn't stop.

“Wait,” I added, tilting my head as though I was genuinely curious. “Is your business as a soldier mocking someone you don't even know?”

The laughter around us slowly died.

“Or is your business being a jobless female soldier who spends her time mocking another female soldier?”

Her expression changed immediately.

I could see the irritation flash across her face, and suddenly, the entire group went quiet.

I swallowed. My heart was beating so hard I could almost hear it, and I secretly hoped nobody noticed how badly my fingers were shaking.

But I kept my face straight.

If I backed down now, I knew they would eat me alive.

“So now I want to know,” I continued, giving her another cold smile. “What exactly is your business?”

Her face fell completely.

The amusement that had been there moments ago vanished, and several people around her exchanged uncomfortable glances. Nobody seemed to know what to say.

For a few seconds, the entire group remained silent.

Then someone at the back let out a low whistle.

“Wow.”

The tall girl narrowed her eyes at me.

“Such a sharp tongue,” she said, her voice colder than before. “I doubt if you would survive a day in this pack.”