Roxi left the room with Aliana and headed for the Alpha's chamber, where he was meeting with his Beta and Gamma, who were still concerned about the danger.
Once inside the chamber, Roxi bowed her head slightly in respect, while Aliana kept her head up, watching her brother with Gamma and Beta.
"She's a human! I never dreamed I'd meet one," Roxi began.
"Explain," Caspian said.
Roxi continued:
"According to our ancient writings, humans are mystical beings with different powers. Humans came to our continent thousands of years ago and helped the shape-shifters establish themselves as a species. They led our civilization for a long time until the goddess Selene removed them from our lives as punishment for the wars we were having, or at least that's what they say. I don't remember the stories in detail since I thought they were just myths.
Roxi also gave details about the human's life, such as her origins, lineage, the death of her parents, etc. She recounted everything that her excellent memory could repeat.
When she finished her report, the three men fell silent. They looked at each other, and the Gamma asked,
"Do you think she's dangerous?"
"She could be, after all, she almost destroyed our eardrums," growled the Beta.
"With all due respect, I don't think she's a risk. She's a good girl, and besides, that was because of the torture she suffered. Don't you think it's normal to try to defend yourself?" Roxi commented, bowing her head again in respect.
"I'll decide that," the Alpha said in a stern voice. "I'll have to lock up the human until we're sure what to do with her. I'll interrogate her personally."
"Brother, my dear Alpha, I don't want you to torture her again. The woman just woke up. She's weak and confused. All she wants is to go home. Today, when she heard your voice, she wet herself out of fear. Let me take care of her for a few more days and take her back to the forest so she can leave."
Aliana's pleading face was evident. Perhaps it was her pleading face or the remorse of seeing her suffer as a result of his actions that made him accept his sister's deal.
The Alpha's unjust and violent life had carved his character into a hard and cold one. The human's life caused him no pain or regret. He had only done what he had to do under circumstances where they believed she was the enemy. Now that he knew it was a mistake, he felt no empathy for the creature, let alone pity or regret. If she was someone or something that could not serve his purposes, he didn't care what happened to her. He didn't think much of that human because, if she had great power, it wouldn't have been so easy to tame her. In fact, he almost killed her. An Alpha's decisions are often difficult and sometimes harsh and calculating. Only a handful of those close to him could have a real effect on the psyche of this young Alpha, and one of them was his sister.
Later, Aliana had dinner with Luz, and after chatting for a while, she left.
That was the first night Luz slept feeling aware of where she was. She slept alone, without the company of her omega caretaker. She knew that Aliana was in the next room and that her doors were guarded by a huge guard.
She went to the bathroom, brushed her teeth, and put on a light white nightgown to sleep. She lay down on the soft bed, closed her eyes, and began to dream. First, she dreamed of her parents still alive, which always brought her peace and happiness, but her dreams were interrupted by darkness, and the happy images of her life gave way to heartbreaking images of war. She saw them as if she were immersed in a movie, with the difference that she not only saw men, but also hundreds of wolves, bears, elves, dwarves, and fairies, all engaged in battle and all against a dark enemy, but she couldn't see it. She only knew that it was something dark and sinister. Her guts were filled with terror. It was too real to be a dream. Suddenly, she felt a dark mass grab her by the feet, climb up her legs and back until it reached her neck to strangle her. Luz fought, but she couldn't get away from it, until an agonizing voice came out of her mouth saying, "Go away!" Whatever attacked Luz retreated without trying again. This time, the girl opened her eyes to see only darkness. It was just a bad dream.
The next morning, Aliana entered her chambers with a big smile, accompanied by an omega carrying breakfast.
"Good morning, Luz. I got some delicious sandwiches to share."
Luz's face lit up, and in an instant, she forgot her bitterness.
The two were close in age and shared the story of losing their parents in terrible circumstances. They talked for hours. Their curiosity about each other's worlds was fascinating. Luz explained what life was like on her planet, and Aliana brought her up to date on everything about her people and the different creatures that inhabited the continent, among other things. Every so often, laughter could be heard from inside the room, attracting the attention of everyone nearby.
Gamma Cristian was the most curious of all. He walked through the corridors doing the typical tasks of a Luna, as the Alpha had not yet been blessed by the goddess Selene to find her. He took care of most of the Luna's tasks when they weren't fighting. He currently had a lot of work to do as a very special date was approaching for all werewolves: the Blue Moon festival. It is celebrated once a year, and it is during this event that you have the best chance of finding a mate. In general, mates can be found on every moon, but sometimes they did not pair up because their potential mates were in other packs. It is during this festival that the singles from all the friendly or rival packs come together. It is a time of truce and joy, and this year it was his pack's turn to organize it, so he was now in charge of the preparations for the Blue Moon Festival to worship the Goddess. Amidst all the hustle and bustle of going here and there, I notice laughter.
Two or three times a day, he made his rounds, finally stopping in front of the door with the women inside talking and laughing. The guard posted to one side bowed his head in respect and, without being noticed, glanced sideways at the Gamma, smiling slightly at the childishness of the situation.
On one of those many occasions, Aliana quickly opened the door and closed it behind her as usual.
"What are you doing?" Aliana confronted the Gamma. "I think you're spying on us since you've stopped in front of the door several times. Do you have a problem?"
Cristian, who was four years older than her, wasn't used to being treated this way and reminded her of his place in the pack. Of course, she didn't take his words well and, exasperated, said:
"Did my brother send you to spy on me?"
"Of course not," Gamma took a step back, feeling the pressure from this stubborn girl.
"Then why do you stand in front of the door several times a day?" Aliana said in a disgusted tone as she frowned and crossed her arms in front of her chest.
"I must admit that I'm curious to see the human. I have vague memories of my grandmother telling me some myths about them. She said they had enormous powers. The problem is that I don't remember the stories in detail, and with all the preparations for the full moon, I haven't had time to look in our books. I'd love to see what the human is capable of."
Aliana was confused. In all their conversations, Luz had never mentioned powers. It wasn't that it was unusual. Wizards and witches possessed magic, but it wasn't a big deal. For that reason, she didn't buy the story about Gamma and respectfully asked him to leave, pushing his back with both hands in the opposite direction of the room. The motionless guard posted at the door just glanced sideways at the scene, smiling slightly and trying hard not to laugh out loud.
Aliana was just waiting for Luz to feel better so she could help her leave.
"It's been five days since I arrived and I already feel fine. I want to go home. You promised you'd help me. Will you?" Luz said pleadingly, clasping her hands together in front of her face.
"Don't worry, I have a plan," Aliana said excitedly.
Her plan was simple: leave the herd, go deep into the forest, find the spot where the trap had been set, and follow her footsteps in the forest in the opposite direction of the herd. It seemed like a good idea in the simple, childish mind of a young girl.
"We'll wait until dawn and then go into the forest. That way, you can find your people and be free," Aliana assured Luz.