As soon as Lucien stormed out of the library, leaving Elvira to her thoughts, her stomach let out an intrusive growl, a stark reminder of her hunger. She sighed, her irritation with Lucien momentarily overshadowed by her need for nourishment. She exited the library but soon found herself hopelessly lost in the labyrinthine halls of the pack house.
Elvira was determined not to ask Lucien for directions, given his earlier behavior. Instead, she continued wandering, hoping to stumble upon the elusive kitchen. However, her wanderings took an unexpected turn when she found herself in the packs training grounds.
She couldn't help but facepalm herself at the irony of the situation. "This isn't the kitchen," she muttered to herself, frustration and hunger fueling her exasperation.
As she glanced around the bustling training grounds, Elvira noticed the pack members engaged in various forms of combat and physical training. Wolves sparred with one another, their swift movements and strength on full display.
Elvira's attention was soon captivated by a particular duo engaged in an intense training session. Her gaze fixated on Lucien, who was sparring with another wolf, their movements a blur of agility and power. She couldn't deny the impressive display of skill before her.
Unconsciously, she found herself studying Lucien's every move, his strikes, and defensive maneuvers. Her initial thought, "He's amazing," was an involuntary admission of his formidable abilities. However, as quickly as that thought surfaced, her stubborn resolve returned.
"He's not amazing," Elvira whispered to herself, shaking her head slightly. "He's a jerk." She clenched her fists, a spark of determination igniting within her. "I bet I could take him."
Elvira's candid remark about Lucien's personality drew an amused smirk from Layla, who had revealed herself from her hiding spot.
"You need to work on your stealth moves," Elvira quipped, prompting Layla to raise an eyebrow in surprise.
"How did you know?" Layla asked, her curiosity piqued.
"I told you, you need to work on your stealth skills, didn't I?" Elvira replied with a playful grin.
Layla couldn't help but roll her eyes at Elvira's teasing. "I thought you were supposed to be in the library," she inquired, sounding genuinely puzzled.
"I got hungry, and I didn't wanna ask that jackass for directions, so I got lost and ended up here," Elvira explained with a hint of annoyance.
Layla's eyes widened with realization. "Who are you talking about?" she inquired further.
"Him," Elvira replied, her gaze directed toward Lucien, who was still engaged in his training.
"You two have already met, huh?" Layla mused, intrigued by the interaction.
"Unfortunately," Elvira replied dryly, making Layla burst into laughter.
"Well, since you don't know him or any other person here, let me give you the rundown," Layla offered, eager to provide some context.
"I know he's an arrogant, egotistical prick, that's enough," Elvira quipped, her initial impression of Lucien clear in her words.
Layla chuckled, recognizing that Elvira's first encounter with Lucien had left quite an impression. She was ready to fill Elvira in on the dynamics of the pack house and the individuals who called it home, knowing that she would need all the information she could get.
Elvira listened attentively as Layla provided a brief introduction to some of the key individuals within the pack house. Layla's explanations shed some light on the dynamics and personalities of the people around them.
"Those two guys yelling at each other over there. The one on the right with blonde hair is the omega, his name is Kurt Wellington, and the one on the left with brown hair is the delta, his name is Sean Myers. Those two are always at each other's throats," Layla explained.
Elvira raised an eyebrow, intrigued by the ongoing feud between Kurt and Sean. "Why?" she couldn't help but ask.
"Hell if I know," Layla replied with a shrug, indicating that the source of their conflict remained a mystery.
Layla continued her introductions, pointing out a young woman overseeing the training of the pack's younger members. "The girl over there training the young wolves, her name is Claire Evans; she's the gamma."
Elvira nodded, mentally cataloging the information. She was beginning to piece together the intricate hierarchy of the pack.
Layla then shifted her focus to two men engaged in combat. Elvira's attention sharpened as Layla described them. "Those two guys over there fighting. The hottie on the left is Noah Lockwood, 21; he's the second in command, which makes him the beta. And the one on the right with jet black hair is Lucien Ashton; he's the alpha of the Crimson Moon Pack; he's 22. They're best friends. At this point, they're basically brothers."
Elvira couldn't help but absorb the information, particularly the revelation of Lucien's full name. "Lucien, huh? So that's his name," she mused quietly to herself, her thoughts lingering on the enigmatic alpha who had left such a strong impression on her, both positive and negative.
As the training session came to a close, Lucien and Noah, drenched in sweat, took a moment to catch their breath. Lucien's authoritative voice cut through the training ground as he announced, "That's enough training for today," prompting all the wolves to halt their exercises. Many of them sat on the floor to rest, their bodies weary from the intense session.
Noah, still panting from the exertion, broached a different topic as they both wiped the sweat from their faces. "Did the girl Kylie found this morning tell you anything about what happened to her?" he inquired.
Lucien's expression darkened as he replied, "No, not a thing. She's being stubborn."
Noah pondered the situation, offering a possible explanation. "Why, though? Maybe she doesn't trust us yet."
Lucien's frustration flared, and his response was curt. "How the fuck should I know, Noah?"
Noah rolled his eyes at Lucien's irritation, not pushing the matter further. However, he soon noticed a shift in the atmosphere as he observed half of the unmated male wolves directing their attention toward something or someone.
"What are they looking at?" Noah asked, curiosity piqued, while Lucien scanned the area to identify the source of their interest. It didn't take them long to figure it out.
The guys were staring at Elvira, who had unknowingly caught their attention. Lucien's expression darkened further, and his fists clenched white with anger.
"Why are you so angry all of a sudden?" Noah inquired.
Lucien, struggling to hide his frustration, simply replied, "Nothing." Deep down, he couldn't explain why he felt so possessive and angry over a girl who wasn't even his mate.
Noah followed Lucien's gaze and quickly grasped the reason for his friend's fury. A mischievous grin crept onto Noah's face.
"Ohhh, I see now," he said with a teasing tone.
Lucien's warning was clear. "Wipe that stupid grin off your face before I do it myself."
With a stern command, Lucien ordered everyone to leave the training grounds, his anger palpable. Everyone scattered, leaving only Lucien, Noah, and the source of the commotion.
Meanwhile, Layla, noticing the situation from a distance, decided to intervene. She approached Elvira, offering an escape from the tension-filled atmosphere.
"Come on, Elvira, let's go inside. I'll show you the kitchen," Layla suggested.
Elvira, hungry and perhaps seeking refuge from the tension, relented, though she made her motives clear. "Alright, fine, just because I'm hungry and not because that arrogant prick said so."
Lucien turned to leave the training grounds, and Noah called out to him, a teasing tone in his voice. "Hey, where are you going?"
"To take a shower. You should too you stink," Lucien retorted.
"Are you sure you're not going to follow her?" Noah said with a smirk
Lucien's irritation flared again. "Fuck off, Noah," he shot back, prompting a chuckle from his friend.