Chapter 6

Ilana POV:

The bus let me off at a lonely stop on the edge of the main road, leaving me to walk the long, private driveway to Blackwood Manor alone. Towering pine trees lined the path, their branches forming a dark canopy overhead that made the late afternoon feel like twilight. Ahead, the wrought-iron gates of the estate loomed like the jaws of some great, sleeping beast.

Two guards in crisp, black uniforms stepped forward as I approached, blocking my path. They were warriors, their bodies tense and alert, their eyes sharp and assessing. They radiated an aura of disciplined danger.

"Halt," one of them said, his voice a low, gravelly command. "This is private property."

My throat went dry. I swallowed hard, forcing myself to speak. "I'm... I'm here to see Cole Blackwood," I stammered, my voice sounding small and weak in the vast, quiet space. "My name is Ilana Meadows."

The mention of Cole's name didn't change their stoic expressions. But as I said my own name, a crackle came from the other guard's radio earpiece. A flicker of recognition crossed his face. Silas. My brother must have put my name on a visitor's list, just in case. The realization sent a complicated pang of gratitude and guilt through me. He was always one step ahead, always trying to protect me, even when I was actively ignoring him.

The guard's posture relaxed slightly. "The Gamma's sister?" he asked, his tone shifting from suspicion to professional courtesy. "You may enter."

They swung open a smaller pedestrian gate set into the massive ironwork.

A wave of relief washed over me. I was in. I was so focused on my success that I completely missed the real reason for it. I thought they were letting in Cole's girlfriend, not the Gamma's sister.

Stepping through the gate was like entering another world. The Packhouse was even more imposing up close, a modern fortress of dark stone and vast panes of glass that reflected the grim, gray sky. It was magnificent, but cold, built to project power, not welcome.

I crossed a manicured lawn that was greener than anything I'd ever seen and pushed open the heavy oak doors to the main building. The great hall stole my breath. The ceiling soared two stories high, and the floor was a polished expanse of black marble that reflected the stern faces of the past Alphas whose portraits hung on the walls.

I felt small, insignificant, like an ant that had wandered into a palace of giants. The warm, sweet-smelling paper bag in my hand suddenly felt childish and out of place.

A few omegas, the lowest rank in the pack, moved silently through the hall, polishing silver and dusting furniture. They glanced at me, their eyes wide with a fleeting curiosity, before quickly looking down and scurrying away. Their deference was a physical thing, a learned response to the oppressive weight of the power that permeated this place. It made my skin prickle with discomfort.

I stood awkwardly in the center of the vast hall, scanning the area for any sign of Cole. The place was huge, a maze of hallways and staircases. I had no idea where to even begin looking.

Taking a deep breath to steady my nerves, I approached a young she-wolf who was carefully cleaning a large porcelain vase. "Excuse me," I said, trying to keep my voice friendly and non-threatening. "Do you know where I can find Cole Blackwood's room?"

The girl jumped, startled, her eyes darting around as if she'd been caught doing something wrong. In a place like this, simply speaking the name of an Alpha's family member was a transgression.

"The... the Blackwood... masters' rooms..." she stammered, her gaze fixed on the floor. "They are on the top floor. The West Wing."

It was the most she dared to say. The top floor was the family's private sanctuary, a place servants were forbidden to speak of, let alone enter. She pointed a trembling finger toward a grand, sweeping staircase that dominated one side of the hall. "Up... up there."

"Thank you," I said. The girl gave a jerky nod and practically fled.

I was left alone, staring up at the staircase. It felt like a path to a forbidden kingdom. A knot of fear tightened in my stomach. But then I thought of Cole, of his tired voice on the phone, of the smile I so desperately wanted to put back on his face.

The thought gave me courage.

Clutching my paper bag, I took the first step onto the plush, crimson runner that carpeted the stairs. The thick carpet muffled my footsteps, creating an eerie silence that was broken only by the frantic beating of my own heart. The walls along the staircase were lined with more portraits, older ones in black and white. The stern, unsmiling faces of generations of Blackwoods seemed to follow me, their painted eyes judging me, this intruder in their sacred home.

I hurried my pace, eager to escape their silent scrutiny.

Finally, I reached the top. A long, dim hallway stretched out before me, lined with identical, imposing dark wood doors.

*The West Wing,* the servant had said. I turned left, my sneakers sinking into the thick, blood-red carpet, and walked into the lion's den.