Chapter 7 - Silencing the Group

Lilly's POV

The second the royal packhouse came into view, my heart started to race uncontrollably in my chest. The building was massive and intimidating—stretching high, wide, and proud. I had never seen such a big building before.

How many wolves lived here?

My gaze swept over some smaller buildings surrounding the packhouse. It looked like a little town protecting it.

The limo stopped, and my gaze swept back to the packhouse.

Two guards quickly ran closer. They looked just as intimidating as the packhouse—big, strong, and powerful, wearing royal blue-colored uniforms.

James lowered the window, and the two guards stopped.

"Senior warrior, James," the one said, surprise crossing his eyes as his gaze shifted toward me.

"Yes, my brother, Jacob, and I," James replied, his face stern and his eyes cold.

"Who is the she-wolf?" The second guard asked.

Jacob lowly growled next to me, startling me, and the two guards immediately stepped away from the vehicle, dropping their gazes as fear crossed their eyes.

I frowned and shifted my attention toward Jacob. Why did he suddenly look so annoyed?

Jacob ignored my stare; he simply opened the passenger door and got out, stalking toward the two guards.

"What is going on?" I muttered, surprised at Jacob's behavior.

James chuckled before he opened the passenger door and got out.

Jacob was growling furiously at the two guards and was now barking orders at them.

James, on the other hand, was grinning from ear to ear—enjoying the show. He seems to find the situation amusing and hilarious.

What was Jacob's deal? Was I the cause for his temper?

My eyes widened, and fear filled my insides. I don't want to be the reason for his anger. I will never survive a beating from him.

"Aren't you coming?" James asked.

I reverted my gaze toward him. Did he say something?

James seemed puzzled by my behavior. Could he see and smell my fear?

"I—" I stuttered, my gaze shifting back to Jacob. He looked so angry now.

"Don't worry," James said, holding out his hand to me. "Everything is fine. Jacob is just annoyed at how they stared at you. It's nothing to worry about. He is just a bit... uhm... overprotective of you—like a brother."

"Overprotective?" I whispered the words, letting them slip from my lips.

"Yes," James said. "Jacob is very sensitive to how others treat you. He cares deeply for you—well, we both do. We've seen the circumstances in which you live..."

They feel sorry for me. They pity me! I never wanted that.

I internally sighed.

"Come on," James continued. "The party is inside, and it's getting late. Everyone is already waiting for us."

I forcefully pushed my anxiety aside and carefully scooted closer to the door, careful not to ruin my dress.

"Are you ready?" Jacob asked once I stepped out of the car. He appeared to be back to his usual self.

"Yes," I whispered, my gaze tracing the outline of the enormous packhouse. It felt even larger and more intimidating than just moments before.

Jacob winked, turned around, and climbed the few steps to the top and waited for me and James.

James patted my hand, and we started to the top of the stairs.

A small gasp escaped my lips when I spotted two enormous golden Lycan statues standing sentinel by the packhouse double doors. They were crafted with such intricate detail that they appeared almost lifelike. Their sapphire-colored eyes seemed to pierce through you, boring into your soul, while their imposing presence radiated an aura of power and authority.

"You have seen nothing yet," James whispered to me.

The two guards from earlier quickly opened the door for us.

Jacob gestured for us to go first and stepped aside.

My eyes widened as I beheld a fountain positioned in the center of the vast foyer, natural light streaming from the ceiling and illuminating it from above.

The fountain was enormous and truly remarkable! I had never encountered such a detailed and beautiful fountain before. The statues and orb were meticulously carved from the finest white marble, with shimmering golden flecks adorning the surface.

I stepped forward, drawn to admire it up close, eager to touch the smooth marble with my fingertips.

My gaze settled on the centerpiece—a woman perched on a platform, encircled by four Lycan wolves.

Each Lycan held a symbol and faced a different direction.

"It's spectacular, isn't it?" Jacob asked as he came to stand next to me.

"It's something," I muttered in agreement.

"The statues symbolize the four former Lycan kingdoms," Jacob said.

"Four kingdoms?" I asked, frowning. "I don't understand."

"Well, the Goddess created the Lycan wolves first. Each kingdom possessed its own magic and inhabited the four corners of the world," Jacob explained, gesturing toward the symbols. "The Northern kingdom was gifted with the ability to manipulate water; they are known as snow wolves. The Eastern kingdom had the power to shift into fire, which is why they are called fire wolves."

My eyes widened.

"The Southern kingdom," Jacob continued. "Could move the earth."

"Earth wolves?" I muttered, and Jacob shook his head.

"Mire or mud wolves, and the Western Kingdom rode the wind," he continued. "And they were called stormwolves."

"So, what happened?" I asked, curious.

"King Xavier," James interrupted, and his gaze swept toward his brother. "It's not the time to give Lilly a history lesson. They are waiting. Beta Zack just mind-linked me, asking where we were."

"We will continue this a bit later," Jacob said, and he nodded toward his brother.

I followed them into a long hallway full of paintings of kings and queens. The last painting caught my attention, and I stopped dead in my tracks.

Those eyes. They looked so familiar, as if I had seen them somewhere.

"King Alpha Alexander," Jacob said, proudly. "He is our current king. Prince Lex's father."

My gaze found Jacob's. "Is there a painting of the prince?" I asked, feeling something stir inside me.

"These are only for kings who have already ruled," he replied.

"Only when Prince Lex formally takes over the kingdom will his painting be hung on the wall," James added.

I nodded in understanding, and we walked in silence down the quiet hallway until I could hear excited chattering further down.

"We're here," Jacob announced.

James came to a stop and quickly assessed my appearance. He gently removed a stray hair from my face and made sure my dress was straight.

"You look perfect," he said.

"Like a princess," Jacob chirped.

Before I had a chance to blush, the ballroom doors swung open, and a wave of high-pitched screams erupted, as if a celebrity were making their grand entrance among a throng of adoring fans.

I shifted my attention toward the commotion, interested in learning what it was all about.

At that moment, a group of wolves stepped out of the ballroom, and I immediately recognized Beta Zack among them. He turned his gaze toward us, as if he had sensed our presence. He caught my eye, smiled widely, and waved.

I raised my hand to wave back, but the tall, dark-headed wolf beside him shifted his focus to where Zack was looking, effectively silencing the group of she-wolves surrounding him.

My breath caught in my throat when his gaze locked onto mine...

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