As they drove down the small road leading into the woods, Elena gazed out the window at the passing trees. The sound of leaves rustling and twigs snapping beneath the tires of the car were the only sounds, creating an eerie yet serene atmosphere. Suddenly, Jack broke the silence, "We will now hit the border guards, leave it to me to get it sorted."
Elena tensed up at the mention of border guards, wondering what kind of place they were headed to. As they approached the border, she saw two large men standing guard. Jake spoke to them briefly, and they were allowed to pass without any further questioning.
As they continued driving, Elena spotted a large, imposing pack house in the middle of a valley, surrounded by mountains and forest. The house was full of character, with intricate wooden carvings decorating the exterior.
Jake pulled up at a parking space in front of the house and turned to Elena and Nick. "We'll have to go and see my father before we can go upstairs and see you to your rooms."
Elena nodded, feeling nervous about meeting Jake's father. She was also a bit overwhelmed by the sheer size and beauty of the pack house. As they got out of the car and approached the house, she could feel the power emanating from it. She wondered what kind of people lived here, and what kind of world she was entering.
As Nick and Elena enter the alpha's office, they notice the decor - a mix of modern and traditional, with antlers mounted on the wall and a large wooden desk in the center of the room. The old Alpha, a tall and imposing figure, sits behind his large wooden desk, scanning a document. He looked up and gazed at the trio standing before him. His eyes lingered on Nick, then Elena, and finally Jake. After a moment of silence, he spoke.
"What brings you here, Nick?" the Alpha asks, his voice deep and authoritative.
Nick takes a deep breath before replying, "We had to leave my father's pack. He was forcing us to be mates, even though we're not true mates."
"Nick, I find it hard to believe that Alpha Simon would force his own son to mate. What is the real reason you left your pack?"
Nick hesitated for a moment before he spoke, "It's true, Alpha. My father was trying to force me to mate with someone I don't love. I couldn't stay there any longer."
The Alpha raised an eyebrow, "And who is this young lady with you?"
Nick turned to Elena, "This is Elena. She's an Omega from our pack."
The Alpha looked at Elena and then back at Nick, "So your father was trying to force you to mate with an Omega? I find that hard to believe."
Nick felt a wave of frustration wash over him. He knew that his father's actions were hard to understand, but he hoped that the Alpha would believe him. Nick reached for his phone and pulled up the video someone had taken at the party, where his father had been shouting about forcing Elena to be his son's mate.
"Here, watch this. You'll see for yourself," Nick said, handing his phone over to the Alpha.
The Alpha watched the video in silence, his expression darkening as he listened to Alpha Simon's words. After the video ended, he handed the phone back to Nick and leaned back in his chair.
The Alpha's face softens slightly as he hears Nick's explanation. "I see. Well, you're welcome to stay here for as long as you need. We have a spare rooms upstairs that you can use."
Nick let out a sigh of relief, feeling the tension slowly dissipate.
Elena looks at Nick with relief in her eyes, grateful for the Alpha's kindness. "Thank you," she says softly.
"Thank you, Alpha. We really appreciate it," Nick said, feeling grateful.
The Alpha nodded, "Of course. Now, let me show you to your rooms."
With that, the Alpha stood up from his desk, and led the way out of the office, down a long hallway, and up a flight of stairs. Nick and Elena followed behind him, their hearts feeling lighter with each step.
The rooms are comfortable and spacious, with large windows overlooking the surrounding forest. Once Elena was left alone in her room she quickly went straight to have a shower, she needed one really badly and was dreaming of this moment for a while.
When she came out of the shower, wrapped in her towel, she found a young girl sitting in her room, on her bed.
"Hi, I am Sarah" the girl said "I just thought you may need some clothes, so I brought you this". She points out at the clothes spread on the sofa.
"Hi, thanks... that's actually perfect..." Elena responded looking at the clothes. "I am Elena" Elena quickly picked up everything she needed and went to change in the closet. When she came back out wearing a pair of blue jeans and a purple t-shirt. She was still drying her hair with a towel
"Thank you so much Sara, I have been wearing this dress for two days, since my birthday party..." Elena looked at the blue dress hanging on a chair in the corner of the room and Sarah looked at it as well.
"And I am so grateful that I can finally wear something comfortable... and clean" Elena giggled
"You had a birthday party two days ago? How old are you?" Sarah asked
"I just turned 16" Elena responded sheepishly
"Oh, and did you find your mate yet?" Sara asked excited
"No, not yet..."
"Oh, maybe he is here? Part of our pack? Wouldn't that be amazing?" Sara continued full of enthusiasm.
"I guess that would be great..." Elena was still unsure about this whole mate thing. She still had a lot to figure out about her life and this whole mate thing felt like this big task, she also had to add to her 'to do list'.
The girls chatted for a while and Elena learned that Sarah was Jake's younger sister. Sarah stayed with Elena and helped her to settle in, then she gave her a tour of the pack house. As Sarah showed Elena around the house, she couldn't help but feel a little nervous about meeting the rest of the pack. She had heard stories of how territorial and protective wolves could be, and being an omega in a new pack made her feel vulnerable. However, Sarah's friendly and welcoming demeanour helped put her at ease.
As they walked down the stairs to the dining room, Elena could feel the eyes of the pack members on her. She could hear the whispers and mumbles, but she tried not to let it bother her. She knew that as a newcomer, she would be a topic of conversation.
Once she reached the table, she felt a sense of relief when she saw Nick sitting there. He gave her a reassuring smile and gestured for her to sit down beside him. "Hey, you made it," he said.
Elena nodded and took a deep breath. "Yeah, thanks to Sarah," she replied, giving her a grateful smile.
As they started to eat, Sarah filled them in on some of the pack's customs and traditions. Elena listened intently, trying to absorb as much information as she could. She was determined to make a good impression on the pack and show them that she was worthy of being there.
Despite the initial nerves, Elena started to relax and enjoy the company of her new friends.
As Elena lies in bed, her thoughts are consumed by the events of the day and the uncertainty of her future. Despite her newfound freedom, she can't shake the feeling that something is still missing, something that holds her back from truly moving on.
As she falls asleep, she is pulled into her recurring nightmare. But this time, it's different. A beautiful woman appears, holding a little boy named Samuel. They smile at Elena and invite her to come with them. Elena follows, but they move too quickly and she can't keep up. She's left alone with the big wolf from her previous nightmares, but this time he speaks to her.
"Elena... Elena... Elena..." he calls out, his deep voice sending shivers down her spine.
Elena is filled with a mixture of fear and curiosity. She wonders why the wolf is calling her name and what it could possibly mean. The dream is unsettling, but at the same time, it feels like a message that she can't quite decipher.
As she wakes up, Elena is left feeling confused and anxious. The dream has left a deep impression on her, and she can't shake the feeling that it's trying to tell her something important.
As she sits up in her bed she realises that its early morning. Elena decides to make an early start and go for a run.