My Most Precious Human novel Chapter 162

I was told that Draven should recover in a day. The cut he received from Sariel was quite deep, but it was meant to make him unable to fight, not to kill him in an instant. Of course, it would have been deadly for a regular wolf, but it was way not enough for a strong Alpha whose healing process started immediately after his flesh had been torn.

Even defeated, Draven kept his position in the pack. Sariel couldn't care less about becoming the werewolves' leader. Besides, I doubt he ever had their complete loyalty. Certainly, it didn't make Draven's position any less complicated, and I bet his dreams of becoming a king would have to wait for a while. Nonetheless, the Moon Hill Pack deserved to rule over the entire north and south, and that automatically made Draven the leader of the werewolf race.

The fact that Alpha Randall D'Apolito had been killed by some unknown creature was hidden from the majority of the packs' members. Only a few knew the truth. Sariel, Leo, Beta Ari, and I decided that it would be the best option until we could take full control of administrating the area. With Alpha Draven still healing, we needed to maintain the feeling that everything was working just fine. The information about a mad, killing creature that might have still been around the area surely wouldn't have helped. We needed to avoid anything that could lead to absolute chaos.

There was a lot to be done in a matter of hours, and a lot of bodies to be buried. The wolves from the Southern Woods Pack who surrendered or willingly joined our side turned out to be very helpful in securing the crucial facilities and informing the rest of the pack members about the change in leadership. For some reason, they felt comfortable listening to orders coming from me. They knew that I was the daughter of Alpha Randall and Alpha Eve, which naturally earned me their respect… Sadly, I had to come to my father's pack with an army and whoop their wolf asses for them to acknowledge my existence. Their unexpected submission to me put me in the group of leaders dealing with the south crisis.

My new position came with consequences. Sitting at one table with the members of the Moon Hill Pack felt awkward and annoying. Neither Ari nor Raiden looked me in the eyes. I could see that they were more comfortable talking with the Vampire King who had just beaten the shit out of their Alpha, than saying a single word to me. Their attitude pissed me off. As soon as our meeting was over, I rushed over to Ari and blocked his way out.

"You knew, didn't you?" I glared at him.

He sighed as his eyes finally met mine. "Yes… but I was against lying to you like that."

"But you lied anyway," I hissed

"Draven is my Alpha."

"Perfect excuse," I scoffed. "Did the whole pack know that I wasn't his mate?"

"Only the inner circle…" he replied hesitantly. "It wasn't a publicly announced fact since Jade, Jetta's sister, died soon after their bond linked them together. Draven was young, and he suddenly had to step in as an Alpha… He kept blaming himself that he couldn't protect his mate."

"And how's that an excuse to manipulate me?!" I snapped.

"Please, Lilith…" Ari lowered his head. "He lost his father, and then he lost the one who was supposed to be his Luna. When your father offered you to him, he initially wanted to make you the key to his revenge, but then he realized that you could be the way to fill his void."

"Void, my ass!" I grunted. "Do you have any idea how I felt? He made me believe that I was special to him, that he felt something when I was with him, but the worst of all was the guilt he implanted in me. He made me feel guilty for not loving him and made me torment myself that there was something wrong with me."

"I'm sorry, Lilith! I don't know what else you want me to say!" Ari burst out.

"Now… I don't want you to say anything," I said coldly. "It was your job to tell your Alpha that his idea was a terribly bad one, but you didn't have the balls to do it. I hope you'll grow a pair someday." I turned around and walked out of the room, leaving Ari alone with the bewilderment I gave him.

Only once I stepped into the corridor did I notice Leo leaning against the wall with a wicked grin on his face. His expression proved that he listened to every bit of my conversation with Ari, and found it entertaining.

"I like the new you," he commented, looking me up and down.

"You think I've changed?" I raised my brows at him.

"Not physically… maybe you lost some weight, but you surely became bolder." He nodded his head in appreciation. "Don't lose that confidence when you talk to the King. I'm sure you have a lot to discuss…" Leo chuckled, then patted my shoulder before walking away.

I smiled wryly as he passed by me, uncertain whether it was a compliment or mockery. Nonetheless, I knew he was right. Sariel and I were about to have THE conversation, and I was freaking out at the thought of reopening every issue that made me hurt before.

Sariel stood at the end of the corridor, talking to Patrick and two other soldiers from the Royal Army. He held a composed and confident expression that made him irresistibly sexy. That dark and dangerous kind of look fitted him perfectly. I walked towards him, ogling at him like an idiot until his eyes unexpectedly turned my way. I gasped and nearly stumbled, but when I regained my balance and looked at him, I noticed a sudden change in his expression.

His eyes brightened and welcomed me with warmth. His features softened as if he felt more relaxed by merely watching me approach him. As I took another step, he impatiently reached out his hand and pulled me closer. I smiled nervously. Unlike him, I felt more tense and more anxious, not knowing what to expect and how our discussion would end.

Sariel dismissed everyone around and led me down the corridor, which surprisingly ended in a beautiful orangery. Various plants filled the space, creating a mosaic of beautiful shapes generously decorated by the sunlight. The vines went up, ornamenting the wall-size window frames while the flowers sparkled in every color known on Earth. There was a white round table and two matching chairs standing in the middle of the room, making it the most romantic place I had ever seen.

Sariel pulled out a chair for me, inviting me to sit. Then he left me for a second and came back holding a bottle of wine and two glasses. He put one glass in front of me and filled it with deliciously fragrant Pinot Noir.

"You're doing it on purpose." I frowned and started nervously tapping my fingers on the tabletop.

He grabbed my hand and leaned closer. "I just want you to relax." The sound of his voice sent an electric wave down my stomach.