Chapter 6

Cyhilenia’s POV

We matched slowly and noiselessly through the hallway with Irene leading the way. The emptiness that was before us as we took each step was definitely what I needed at that instance.

Finally, we got to the area where our rooms were located and she stopped right in front of her room and extended her hands towards the door.

“Is this your room?” My eyes widened as she opened the door to the same room I was allocated.

“Yea. Why?”

“Wait! This is your room too?” Irene said again without giving me any chance to speak. I simply nodded and she extended the wideness of her lips.

“What are the odds? This is definitely fate working. Welcome, Roomie.”

I feigned a smile as the feeling of uncertainty crept into my mind. I wasn’t sure if I was to be happy or sad.

I stood right in front of the door and watched Irene sit on her bed with a little force which made her bounce twice.

“Come sit.” She beckoned to me and I instantly feigned a smile.

“Don’'t worry, I don’t bite.”

I smiled with a little chuckle, and then I walked into the room, but instead of sitting, I stood right next to her and looked around the room.

“It's not so bad, we can shape it into whatever we like.”

I liked the fact that she was positive about things and even though I still found her character really weird, I was happy that I didn’t have to stay with Skylar.

“Hey, why don’t you unpack? We could be summoned at any time.”

I didn’t even realize that my backpack was still strapped to my back. Gently, I took down one hand and then the other before I placed the backpack on my bed.

I didn’t come with so many things, just the essentials that I felt I needed. In all honesty, I didn’t really have much to myself.

My father stopped buying me clothes years ago some of the little ones I had were either undersized, torn, or worn out.

“You really didn't come with a lot of belongings.”

“Yeah.” My voice followed her words in a low tone. Irene was so excited to be there and I wish I shared in her feelings, but mine was laced with a lot of uncertainty.

For a few seconds, I was really enjoying the silence that was in the room as I unpacked, but that did not last for a long time.

“What Pack do you belong to?”

Irene only met my silence. I wished she could just be quiet and allow me to unpack! I really was on the edge at that moment as I didn’t want to conjure any thoughts, knowing that she was going to read my mind again.

“I belong to the Crimson Pack.”

I sighed, then I let go of the blue jacket in my hand and turned towards her.

“Willow Pack.”

“No way! That’s so cool. My mother belonged to that Pack before she met my father and realized she was his mate.”

“Oh great,” I said in a low tone with little or no interest in her words.

“Yeah. She died two years ago.”

“Oh.”

My sensitiveness got a grip on me and forced me to move closer to the girl who seemed to have lost her excitement for a few seconds.

“I am so sorry.”

“That’'s ok, she is happy where she is.”

“Do you hear her too?” I asked with my eyes wide open and my ears expecting to hear more shocking information.

Irene chuckled, then she looked at me and smiled at the way my countenance reflected the curiosity in me.

“Oh no, not like that. I just mean that the memories we shared keep her alive in me. We used to be the best of friends.”

“Oh,” I mumbled. The nervousness that was rising from within slowly went away.

For a moment, I admired her courage, the fact that she could find solace even in the midst of affliction was quite recommendable.

I realized that we shared something in common, and even though I really didn’t like the weirdness she came with, I was ok with being friends with her.

“He must have hurt you so badly.”

“Hmm?”  I returned from my thoughts and gazed at my eyes as Irene.

“Yeah. You were thinking about him.”

“Can you stop doing that?” I pleaded assertively.

“Not when you drift away in the middle of a conversation. I can’t help it.”

I scoffed almost immediately after Irene spoke, then I went back to continue unpacking my stuff.

“Ok, I am sorry. I just couldn’t help it.”

I sighed, and then I turned almost immediately and looked at her. Her face was so pitiful even though knew she had made it up.

“You have to promise not to be getting into my mind. That’s very creepy.”

“I am sorry.” She apologized with a low tone that was very difficult to neglect.

“I promise.”

“That’'s ok,” I replied, causing her to get up from her bed and grab me instantly.

“Thanks.”

I really didn’t know why she was so excited, but I didn’t want to make her feel bad in any way, so I kept mute even though I was almost choking on her right embrace.

“You can let go now, Irene,” I said with a shaky tone.

Gently, she pulled away from my body and looked right into my eyes.

“Friends?”

I looked at her for a few seconds, I had already considered her my only friend at that moment and I wondered why she wanted to be so dramatic about it.

“Yes, I guess.”

Irene smiled at me and went back to her bed.

Just then, we heard the sound of an ascending alarm blaring from the hallway.

“I think that's our queue.”

Irene got up and adjusted her flowery gown, and then she sighed and made her way to the door.

“You are coming?”

“Yeah, I will be right behind you.”

“Don’t worry, I will wait.”

I smiled at her words and left the toiletries I was trying to get into a corner of the bed.

“Let’s go,” I said quietly and we left immediately, following the sound of the alarm.

Soon, I started to hear the voices of some of the other girls at a distance who were also following the sound of the alarm.

My eyes glared widely and my heart clutched for a second when I saw Skylar up ahead, laughing and chatting with Eva.

“She really doesn’t know what she had gotten herself into,” I mumbled with so much pity for the innocent-looking girl who was about to be bitten by the venomous snake walking beside her.

We followed the alarm until we arrived at a large hall with lovely chandeliers hanging from several angles of the roof. I could see my reflection on the stainless marble floor each time I looked down.

“What do you think would be our first assignment?” Irene whispered bending her head to my ear but I ignored her. Did I forget to mention that she was about two inches taller but appeared to be more welcoming than me?

“I see you managed to find someone to deal with your cowardly self.”

What the hell does she want?

“Why are you here Skylar?” I asked but she ignored me and turned to Irene.

“It’'s a pity that you would have to put up with her for such a long time. Sorry in advance, for soon she will show you that side of her that she is hiding.”

I didn’t want to create any scene, so I decided to be quiet and not give in to her words, no matter how they hurt.

“Watch your back Cyhilenia.” Those were her last words before she signaled to Eva and they walked away chuckling at whatever she must have said.

Irene looked at Skylar for a few seconds, then she turned to me and asked.

“Who was that?”

“That was my half-sister Skylar.”

“What?”

“Yeah. Don’t worry about her, I just have to ignore her and we will be fine.”

I knew that I was lying, but I didn't think there was any other thing I could say at that moment.

“Ok. If you say so.” Irene whispered after she had taken her eyes away from Skylar who was standing at a corner with her new friend.

I looked around the hall and discovered that there were about thirty other girls around my age in the hall filled with the same sensation of uncertainty. Some of them were visibly anxious we they wondered what fate awaited them in the Lycan Castle.

“Assemble up in a line all of you!” Peyton commanded as she emerged from the door to the hall, with two heavily armed guards walking by her sides.

We all formed a single line almost immediately and faced the middle-aged lady who walked stylishly in her long black gown and raven black hair.

“Once again, welcome to Blood-moon Pack. It is so good to have you here. You are gathered here to give you the proper attire you will be putting on for the purpose of your coming here.”

A few seconds after Peyton had spoken, ten female servants started to walk toward us from the door. In their hands were several bundles of white clothes which they carried with so much meticulousness.

Peyton looked toward them and they hastened their steps almost immediately within a few seconds, they were standing right next to her and facing us.

“Are they really going to make us wear uniforms?”

“Shush Irene. She will hear you.” I warned her.

We were standing almost in front of Peyton and I wondered why she didn’t see that or maybe she chose to ignore that.

“The servants will group you in your different sizes and you will pick two attire each. Make sure you always put them on whenever you are carrying out your duties.” Peyton paused, and then she looked at all of us and then turned to the servants.

At once, they placed the clothes on a long wooden table behind Peyton and picked up five girls who were of different sizes.

Next, they started to direct some of us to stand behind the girls who were used to figuring out the sixes of the clothes to be distributed.

“I think we are of the same sizes,” Irene said, making me look at my body and then at hers.

“I think so,” I responded, then she gently dragged me to the third girl from the left out of the five girls standing in front of Peyton and the long table.

When they were sure that all of us were grouped behind all the girls in front, the servants went back to Peyton and stood beside her.

After carefully looking to see what had been done, Peyton nodded in satisfaction but maintained a plain face. She turned to one of the servants and gestured to her with her hand.

“You shall now approach the table and pick your outfits. Like I said earlier, you should always have your attire on whenever you are carrying out your duties no matter the time and place. Failure to abide by this rule could lead to severe punishments.” She warned with an imperative voice.

I looked at some of the girls who began to panic, they had already succumbed to the fact that it could really be difficult wearing a particular uniform all the time. I looked at the clothes lined up on the table, but I couldn’t see the type of clothes they were.

The servant that Peyton gestured to signaled to the rest of the servants and they went behind the long table to distribute the clothes to us.

Gradually, we started to match forward toward the table to pick two of the attire that we were given. Irene was standing in front of me, and when it was her turn, she took the two clothes and went behind to join the others.

The uniform was a white gown made of nice fabric with blue stripe lines streaming down from the neck. As much as they were nice, I hated the fact that I was going to be putting on the same clothes as everyone else, especially Skylar.

“The Alpha is here!” Said the resounding male voice from the other end of the hall.

Instantly, the eyes of everyone in the hall turned toward the direction the voice came from, and lo and behold, my eyes met with doom.

Mate!