Chapter 4 4

NEXT DAY

ELENA WINSLOW

After spending the entire afternoon with my mom, I received a call from the Alpha's right-hand man, inviting me to a forest party where the entire pack would be present. I felt a wave of excitement; tonight, I could get to know them better.

I put on my best dress and said goodbye to my parents, trying to hide the nervousness bubbling inside me.

"Take it easy, Elena," my mom said, hugging me.

"Just be yourself and have fun!" she added with a smile.

"I'm so proud of you, sweetheart. Take care, okay?" my dad said, his pride evident in his voice.

"I'm fine. Well, I'm off now," I said with a smile, bidding them goodbye before heading out the door.

*****

When I arrived at the party in the heart of the forest, Zane's right-hand man, Tomas-his nickname-approached me to greet me. I returned his greeting, feeling the curious stares of the surrounding wolfs.

A group of three wolfs walked over to me, introducing themselves with warm smiles.

"Hi, I'm Rony," said the first, a tall, muscular man with dark hair. "This is Fred," he continued, motioning to a blond man with bright green eyes, "and this is Tulio, one of the elders of the pack."

Tulio, with a serious expression and an experienced gaze, gave me a slight nod.

"Nice to meet you," I replied, trying not to seem too nervous.

A female wolf with curly brown hair and curious eyes approached, smiling brightly.

"And I'm Julia. I've been looking forward to meeting you, Elena. I've heard a lot about you."

"I hope you've heard good things about me," I said with a more relaxed smile.

"Yes, some wolves know your parents. It's been nice learning a little about you," she said, smiling gently. "Come on, let's sit down. We'd love to hear more about you."

We sat together near the bonfire, chatting for a while.

I found out that Rony and Fred were cousins and that Tulio had many stories about the pack, as he had been around the longest. Julia seemed curious about me, but I only shared the basics about myself; there wasn't much I thought was worth telling.

"Elena, how does it feel to be one of us? Have you had the chance to get to know our Alpha better?" Julia asked, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. Before I could answer, I felt an imposing presence behind me. I turned around and saw Alpha Zane.

His intense gaze locked onto mine, sending a wave of electricity through my body.

"Elena, may I have a word with you?" His deep voice sent a shiver down my spine.

"Of course," I replied, standing up. I glanced at the others, giving them a small wave before turning my attention back to Zane. He led me to a quieter spot in the forest, surrounded by blooming flowers, far from prying eyes. The faint sound of music and chatter echoed in the distance. He made a soft noise, drawing my gaze to his.

"Well, everyone seems curious about you. Aside from drawing attention as the newest wolf, you also possess a rare beauty, Elena." He paused, studying me intently, causing my heart to race. "I thought you might be feeling overwhelmed." He was being overly kind; I didn't know what to say.

"Thank you, Alpha. I truly appreciate your thoughtfulness." A grateful smile appeared on my face. But as I looked into his dark eyes, I sensed there was more he wanted to say but was hesitant to voice. "Is something bothering you, Alpha?" I asked, curious. He let out a deep sigh and stepped closer, his strong, pleasant scent enveloping me.

"Elena, I want to be honest with you," he began, his voice filled with sincerity. "I don't know if you felt it too, but when I saw you yesterday, I felt a connection with you. In truth, I felt it the first time I saw you." He studied me closely, continuing, "We've seen each other before, but we never spoke for long. And now that you're part of our pack, now that your wolf has awakened, everything feels stronger. You're my Luna, Elena." His last words were sweet, almost a whisper, making my cheeks flush. It was true that I had felt something yesterday, but I wasn't certain about it.

Yet, the connection we felt was undeniable. I couldn't deny that Zane made my heart race, but I still didn't fully understand these feelings. Everything was so new.

"So?" I asked, still confused as my thoughts raced. The Alpha smiled, taking my hands in his, making my heart pound faster.

"I hope you'll accept me, Elena. By my side, you'll always be protected and loved." I had never heard such words in my life. No one had ever shown me this kind of affection before; not even Cassius had said anything similar.

I nodded, feeling the heat from his hands radiating into mine. "I need to think about it, Alpha Zane," I said with a faint smile. Zane stepped closer, nodding. He released my hands and took a small step back. I could tell he wasn't entirely happy with my response, but I hadn't outright rejected him.

"Of course, Elena. I was too forward. This is all new to you, I understand. So... take all the time you need." His deep, raspy voice sent another shiver through me.

"Thank you," I said shyly, glancing at the moon to hide my embarrassment.

"Alpha, Zane, we need you."

I turned to see who it was, but didn't recognize the man standing there. Zane looked at me and gave a small nod before heading toward him.

I let out a deep breath, overwhelmed by everything I was feeling. I returned to sit with the wolves I had been chatting with earlier, and they handed me a bowl of stew.

I began to eat, finding it delicious.

From time to time, I glanced at Zane, who was speaking with one of his men. Every time I looked at him, my heart beat faster, and my face grew warmer.

I really do feel something for him... But... what should I do now?