Chapter 383
Hidden Depths
Ava’s POV
The coming-of-age celebration turned out even better than I’d hoped. Colorful lights hung from trees, transforming the forest clearing into a magical wonderland. Laughter filled the air as teenagers celebrated their first full shift.
“This is amazing!” Ellie tugged on my dress, her eyes wide with wonder. “When I turn eighteen, can my party be just like this?”
I knelt down to her level, smoothing her unruly curls. “Yours will be even better. I promise.”
“You’ve outdone yourself, Ava.” Kenneth appeared beside me, looking handsome in a tailored suit. His eyes swept over the celebration with obvious approval. “I’ve never seen the pack this energized at a ceremony before.”
“It wasn’t that complicated,” I shrugged, though pride swelled in my chest.
This wasn’t too difficult for me. I had been a manager at Thorne Enterprises and had worked on office designs before. I was pretty familiar with planning events like this.
“Don’t downplay your talents,” Kenneth said, his hand warm on my shoulder. “You’ve been here barely two weeks and already made yourself indispensable.”
A group of teenagers rushed over, still buzzing with excitement from their first shift.
“Miss Ava!” A lanky boy named Tyler grinned. “This is sick! Those photo stations you set up are awesome.”
His friend nodded enthusiastically. “And the music! Not the usual boring stuff we always have. My parents actually admitted it was cool.”
Kenneth chuckled. “High praise indeed.”
I was happy that they liked it. Having my work recognized really made me feel valued.
Later that night, Kenneth looked at me from across the party. He nodded toward the main house to show he wanted to talk. I excused myself from Sarah and followed him to his office.
To my surprise, he wasn’t alone. Two wolves I recognized from the pack stood stiffly by his desk, looking like children caught stealing cookies.
“Please close the door, Ava,” Kenneth said, his voice colder than I’d ever heard it.
When I did, he gestured to a chair. “Have a seat.”
The tension in the room was thick enough to cut with a knife.
“Do you know why I’ve asked these two here?” Kenneth asked me.
I shook my head, though I had my suspicions.
“Sarah informed me they’ve been spreading malicious rumors about you throughout the pack.” His eyes hardened as he turned to them. “Would you care to repeat what you’ve been saying to Ava’s face?”
Lisa moved around uncomfortably. “Alpha Kenneth, we were just—”
“I didn’t ask for excuses,” Kenneth cut him off. “Repeat it. Now.”
Mike’s face flushed red. “We…we said that she’s only here because you want her in your bed. That she’s trying to become Luna by seducing you.”
My stomach twisted, but I kept my expression cold.
“And do you have any evidence for these claims?” Kenneth asked, his voice dangerously quiet.
“No, Alpha,” they mumbled in unison.
“So you’ve been spreading lies about someone under my protection. Someone who has done nothing but work tirelessly to improve our pack.” Kenneth stood, his powerful frame towering over them. “Lisa, you’re going to the holding room for a week to think about what you did. Mike, same for you. When you get out, you’ll have to do twice as much pack training.”
“Alpha Kenneth,” I interjected, “that’s not necessary—”
“It absolutely is.” His tone left no room for argument. “They need to understand there are consequences for their actions.”
After they were dismissed, I sighed. “You didn’t need to do that. Gossip is inevitable. Punishing them won’t stop others from talking.”
Kenneth leaned against his desk, arms crossed. “You’re wrong, Ava. In pack, power and respect go hand in hand. Only through consequences will they learn to respect you. Without strength, there is no respect.”
“That sounds rather… harsh.”
His expression softened slightly. “It may seem that way to you. But I’ve led this pack for years. Trust me on this.”
He was right. Within days, the whispers stopped completely. People who had previously avoided me now smiled and greeted me warmly. It was remarkable how quickly attitudes could change.
A week later, Kenneth invited me to join the pack council meeting—a privilege usually reserved for high-ranking pack members.
“Are you sure about this?” I asked as we walked toward the meeting room. “I’m not even technically part of the pack.”
“You’re organizing our events, managing community relations, and essentially functioning as my administrative right hand,” Kenneth replied. “Your input would be valuable.”
Eight council members were already seated when we entered. All conversation stopped as Kenneth led me to a chair beside his.
“Everyone, I believe you know Ava Flynn,” Kenneth said as we sat. “She’ll be joining us today.”
I could feel their stares, a mixture of curiosity and wariness. One elderly woman in particular kept watching me with an intensity that made me uncomfortable.
The meeting began with reports from each territory section. When they reached border security, a grizzled older man spoke up.
“We’ve had increased activity from rogue wolves along the northern boundary,” he reported grimly. “They’re trying to establish a drug network within our territory.”
Kenneth’s jaw tightened. “What kind of drugs?”
“A new synthetic that’s particularly potent for our kind,” the elder replied. “Makes wolves aggressive, reckless. The rogues see our young as potential customers.”
“Absolutely not,” Kenneth’s voice was steel. “I will not allow this poison in our territory.”
A younger council member leaned forward. “They won’t back down easily. Our patrols have already had confrontations.”
“Then we increase security,” Kenneth stated. “Double the border patrols. Any rogue caught with these substances will be dealt with severely.”
The meeting continued with discussions about pack finances and upcoming territory maintenance, but I couldn’t focus.
As the meeting concluded, the elderly woman who had been watching me approached.
“You have a remarkable face,” she said without preamble. “You remind me so much of someone I knew years ago.”
“Thank you,” I replied carefully. “I guess I must have one of those familiar faces.”
She studied me more closely. “No, it’s quite specific. Your eyes, especially. The shape and color…”
Kenneth appeared at my side. “Elder Abigail, I see you’ve met Ava. She’s done great work these past weeks.”
“I’m sure she has,” the woman said, her eyes never leaving my face. “Quite remarkable indeed.”
Kenneth interrupted, “Ava has some excellent ideas for the harvest festival. We should discuss them now.”
He guided me away with a hand at the small of my back.
“What was that about?” I asked when we were out of earshot.
“Abigail can be… intensely curious,” he answered vaguely. “Don’t let her intimidate you.”
Later that night, I finished organizing proposals for the harvest festival. The full moon shone brightly through my window, unusually large and luminous. I decided to bring my completed work to Kenneth’s office, knowing he often worked late.
To my surprise, his office was dark and empty. Strange—he was always there at this hour. I checked the kitchen and main living areas of the pack house, finding them eerily quiet.
As I turned to head back to my room, a cool draft caught my attention. It seemed to come from behind a decorative wall panel that was slightly open. I had never noticed it before.
I got curious and pushed the panel. It revealed a hidden staircase going down. A basement? I didn’t know the pack house had one.
The stairs were made of stone, worn from years of use. As I went down, I heard quiet sounds. Voices, maybe, or movement.
It got colder with each step. The walls changed from nice wood to rough stone. This wasn’t just a basement. It was much older than the rest of the house.
At the bottom, there was a heavy iron door. The metal had scratch marks on it and looked very thick. It seemed like even a shifter couldn’t break it open.
Standing in front of the door, the voices were clearer now. I could hear low, controlled growls of dangerous beasts.
My heart beat fast as I moved closer. I should go back upstairs. This clearly wasn’t something I was supposed to see. And yet…
“Ava? What are you doing here?”