Lunar Temptations

Ch 67

By the time we had arrived on the island, a new day had started - well, not because of the 10-hour flight but because of the time difference. Senenia Island was 19 hours ahead of California, and it was already the evening of the next day. I was grateful for the unplanned nap I had taken on the plane; otherwise, I might not be looking so presentable right now.

The moment we landed, Zayden made sure to have Audrey escorted to a separate car from ours, and I hadn't felt more relieved in the past 10 hours than I did then. Her presence was unbearable by the end, and I continuously reminded myself that in a few more minutes, this would be over. I was sure she would have sat in our car if our destinations weren't different. She was a sponsor and was not to reside with the leaders.

The leaders would stay at the Direwood Hold, which was known to be one of the most breathtaking and old holds in the world. Legend has it that this was the place where our first ancestor spent the rest of his lifetime with his mate after he was exiled by the humans. He had retired to Senenia Island and cut off his ties from the human world to prevent any threat against his mate. This place was an epitome of love and sacrifice, telling a tale that none other could remake. Although Direwood Hold was located and stood exactly as it did centuries ago, it had been renovated a lot. The initial structure was long lost in its renovation, and by the time we got there, I could tell easily. The building was artificially given an old look; however, it was too restored to ignore that. Nobody could be blamed, though; no building could survive centuries and appear magnificent.

"It is glorious, exactly how Mom described it," I murmured lowly to Zayden, who was watching me intently. He thought I didn't know that he had been stealing a few glances at me the whole ride here. At times, I would pretend to be oblivious and hide the blush creeping on my cheeks. His words were still lingering at the back of my head, and I wasn't regretting my stunt at all; I was looking forward to it even.

He was awakening a side of me that I didn't know existed.

"Wait till you see the antique parts," he said, finally looking away from me. I arched a brow at him to get him to spill more, but he remained quiet as we came to a halt outside the huge gates. They stood magnificently tall at the entrance, as they parted open for us slowly. Their weight slowed their pace but made it nothing less than a scene pulled out of a fantasy book. I gasped inaudibly. Our car moved in, and I took in every sight carefully, so as not to miss a bit of it. Vines crept up the walls of the hold in a maintained way as many servants and guards stood outside, welcoming us. Many leaders were to arrive today and no wonder they stood attentively. Everything done here was well planned by the council, and the leaders were expected to respect it.

We got out of the car, and our stuff was carried off to our room immediately. A chaperone guided us inside. He led us inside through the bricked hallway, which resembled the exterior of the Hold. A deep red carpet was stretched as we walked deeper into the hallway, at the end of which a door was held open by two guards standing on either side.

The chaperone motioned for us to wait before disappearing inside. By then, my insides were twisting from nervousness. This was my first time here, and leaving a good impression on the council members was very important diplomatically. My parents had taught me about this, and Mom had managed to maintain good relations with the members; hence, she was able to pull some strings and get me to represent our pack for this year's loup-garou. Pressure built up on me with passing moments as I fidgeted with my hands.

"You will be fine," he reassured, taking my hand in his and squeezing it. Upon arriving, leaders were greeted and hosted by one of the council members assigned to them. It was decided by drawing among the council members, and I knew it because Mom had shared it in the document. Whoever was assigned to us would be my task, my mission to establish good relations with, or it could backfire on me, and I would have to try my luck next year.

I gulped, grasping his hand tighter as the chaperone reappeared. He nodded at us, "CM Samara awaits you, Mr. Castillo and Miss Dawson."

His words left me baffled. This was not the name I was expecting. Heck, nobody would expect this name or her favour ever in their lives. CM Samara or Council Member Samara was a mystic woman who was incomprehensible and the hardest among them all. I closed my eyes and breathed deeply. I was already failing at this; there was no way I would be able to win her favour, let alone impress her. She wasn't an easy one to deal with.

However, Zayden appeared calm and unbothered. Suddenly he was harder to read. His face was expressionless and a thousand thoughts could be going through his head, and I wouldn't guess it now. Well, his relaxed stance spoke a lot. This man had enough favours to not have to impress anyone anymore. He was powerful and influential in our world; people were willing to die for him, and no pack dared to stand against his, or shall I say, ours now?

We walked inside hand in hand. My eyes followed the carpet's trail inside as I gathered courage with each step we took. The floor suddenly seemed far more interesting than anything, but I stripped my gaze off it soon to look up. The hall was different from the corridors. Though the theme was similar, it looked renovated while the passage held an antique look to it. The room was well-lit than the place we had walked in from, and the number of servants circling it was distracting. I took in every detail before pausing at the centre of the room where a woman stood in a maroon collared gown with a badge on the left of her chest, denoting her position as a council member.

"Welcome to the Direwood Hold; I have been waiting for you," she said before either of us could speak. I shivered lightly when I found her gaze on me when the last word left her mouth.