As we continued down the path through the fields, what struck me most were the smiling faces of the people at work. Men, women, and children moved through their tasks without a trace of technology or machinery in sight.
The scene felt so primitive, like a scene from a history book. In the city, all the farms were highly advanced and operated from within specialized hydroponics laboratories.
In the distance, a woman was harvesting potatoes out of the ground, using nothing more than a simple hand tool. I marveled at the amount of effort she put in as she tilled the soil and pulled the roots from the earth.
I watched this scene repeat itself all across the fields as we continued to travel down the path. Occasionally, the people closest to us would look up and bow their heads slightly before returning to their work.
It seems ranks matter quite a bit. If I remember correctly, the Beta should be just under the Alpha.
My eyes flickered over to where I thought Mr. Stone Wolf was walking.
He's probably one of the strongest ones in the pack.
I began to measure myself up against him in my mind. Even in his unshifted form, he would most likely pose a great threat to me if we were to get into a fight. Beating him would be quite the challenge.
If he's that strong, I wonder how strong the Alpha is...
My stomach tightened slightly. I knew this would be a difficult mission, but I didn't realize how tough it would actually be. The only way to succeed was to outwit them. Strike first and strike fast.
The scenery remained unchanged for over half an hour. So much land was dedicated to farming, I couldn't help but feel that it was a complete waste. Just one of these fields could have housed thousands of humans, sparing them from a life underground.
The farmlands eventually turned into forested lands, except this time, the trees were enormous. Pines as tall as buildings towered above me. They carried a cool, refreshing scent— one that I've never breathed before.
"We're here. Welcome to our home, Esther," the female Elder said with a warm smile.
I immediately noticed the first set of houses just beyond the tree line. They were all mostly made of wood and stone, but no two houses were exactly alike. Many of them shared a similar style, using rounded windows instead of square ones, but other than that, they each held a unique charm.
My eyes brightened, though I kept my lips firmly pressed together. I hated how much I loved the place– the design, the uniqueness, the way nature wove itself into everything. It was all so stunning that I couldn't tear my gaze away.
As we continued to walk farther in, I couldn't help but get more excited. I began to visualize what the interior of these houses looked like. I also noticed that the houses started to get larger in size until we eventually arrived at what looked like a mansion.
It was grand. Two massive, intricately carved wooden pillars stood framing the entrance from each side. And though it was only a few stories tall, the width was truly impressive, nearly spanning the entire width of the small mountain behind it.
I looked up at the beautiful balconies lining the upper floors. For the first time in my life I felt a magnetic pull to experience what it would feel like to stand there and watch the sunrise.
"This is what we call The Lodge. Anything from domain affairs to sacred rituals is held here, but most importantly, this is our Alpha's residence," she said with a proud smile.
"Alpha?" I repeated, biting my tongue. "When will I have the honor of meeting him?"
It was strange enough that he didn't show up to such an important meeting. I was certain that he would at least be waiting for my arrival, but so far, I haven't spotted anyone.
"You will. He's just... occupied with a very important matter. We will ensure that your stay here is comfortable." She replied quickly, but I didn't miss the slight pause.
'There's something they're not telling me.'
A few reasons for the Alpha's absence crossed my mind, but I narrowed them down to two: either he was hiding for safety reasons, or he was simply too proud to greet a mere human.
I leaned toward the latter but it didn't matter. Nothing would stop me from completing my mission, not even his pride.
The female Elder led me inside. Through my short interactions with the werewolves, I've realized they don't seem to like introducing themselves, and her name was still a mystery to me.
I froze just inside the doorway. At the top of the staircase stood Mr. Stone Giant. The light blue tunic he had worn at the peace conference was now replaced with a white one, making him look even colder.
'When did he arrive? He even had time to change…?'
He only spared us a quick glance before continuing up the stairs in hurried steps. The Elders ignored him and gathered at the base of the stairs.
"Welcome again. Elder Thea will show you to your room and help you get settled. We hope you enjoy your stay with us, Miss Esther." With that, he turned and disappeared down the hall with the other Elder.
I turned to the female Elder, whom I finally knew was called Thea, and waited for her direction. I expected her to lead me back out of this magnificent mansion, but to my surprise, she began to make her way upstairs.
"We have prepared your room on the second floor. Please follow me," she said with a soft smile.
My heart raced. I had not expected them to settle me in such a magnificent building. Not only was it beautiful, but it was also the Alpha's residence. I wouldn't have to search too far to find him.
As we moved down the long hallway, I couldn't help but marvel at the beauty of this building. Large wooden archways divided the mansion into elegant sections, each crowned with a silver ornamental sconce shaped into flowers and leaves I couldn't identify.
Large and delicate tapestries hung from the ceiling, fluttering from the occasional breeze. It didn't feel like I'd merely crossed into another territory; it felt like I'd stepped into another world entirely.