Her eyes stayed locked on him, scanning every detail like she was afraid he would disappear if she blinked.
That face was exactly like Jacob!! The only difference was the long hair and his ancient attire. Even the way he sat was calm, controlled and distant, it all felt too familiar to be a coincidence.
"Jacob?" The name slipped out again before she could stop herself.
For a brief second, something flickered in his eyes, so fast that she almost thought she imagined it. Is he trying hard to control his temper?
But she didn't care, after confirming he was Jacob, she smiled in relief, as she had just found something she didn't even know she had been desperately searching for.
At least she wasn't alone. Thank Beast God she wasn't alone in this madness.
Without thinking, she moved closer to him, "I'm glad you are here too," her confusion slowly turning into something close to excitement.
"How did you get here…." she reached out her hand to touch his shoulder in excitement.
But a low, threatening sound cut her off, an inhuman growl that would scare a well-trained German shepherd away.
Elena was stunned. Before her fingers could touch him again, the man suddenly turned his head sharply toward her, his lips pulling back in threat, revealing his sharp, dangerous teeth.
Her breath hitched unexpectedly, her body reacted before her mind could catch up as she flinched back immediately, her hand snapping away as she had almost touched fire.
What… was that?
That wasn't Jacob! That couldn't be Jacob!
"Behave yourself, Lady Cece."
His voice was cold and flat, very unfamiliar!! Elena blinked at him, her brows knitting together in confusion as she stared at his face again, trying to find even the smallest trace of the person she knew.
But there was nothing, no warmth, no recognition, no tender care he used to show her in her past life.
"Jacob?" she called him in disbelief, she knew him so well, his expression didn't change, in fact his bombastic side glance attitude was still there, she looked at him like she wasn't even sure anymore.
If anything, the irritation on his face deepened. "I believe your acting skills are upgrading day by day, and you aren't aware they are long expired," he said calmly, his tone carrying a warning that made it clear he didn't like this interaction at all.
Elena just stood there in a daze, trying to process and understand this new version of him but she failed, letting a quiet heaviness settle in her chest.
So… he was here… but he wasn't her Jacob…
Before the silence could stretch any further, Lord Zenobius's voice cut in. "Enough, Damon."
A sharp glance was thrown toward the Alpha before his expression softened immediately as he looked at Elena.
"Don't mind him, darling," he said with a gentle smile, as if nothing had just happened. "Come and eat your food."
Elena didn't move immediately as her eyes still lingered on the Alpha for one more second before she finally looked away, he had changed a little, he's more good-looking, colder, and powerful…
"Yeah." Her voice came out quieter than she expected, she couldn't believe she was even an enemy to Jacob of all people…
"Cece!" The cheerful voice pulled her attention to the side. The "old" woman waved at her enthusiastically, intentionally ignoring the tension in the air like it didn't exist.
"Come here, come and try this meat! It's so delicious!"
Elena blinked, this woman… she didn't even look that old, in fact, she looked more alive than everyone here combined. There was something about her energy that felt strangely comforting… and chaotic at the same time. 'Nice one Cece, I get where you got your talents from!'
Two maids rushed towards an empty stone and replaced it with a clean red ruby stone, it was shaped in a square… the stone that can make her challenge their president's position?
They cleaned it and put a red fur on it, Elena sighed softly and walked toward her.
If she stayed there any longer, she might actually lose her mind.
The moment she got closer, the woman excitedly pushed the prepared stone toward her and pushed a flat rock filled with red meat and freshly prepared fish that still gave off a rich, mouthwatering aroma.
"Eat, eat!" the woman urged, her tail swaying happily behind her.
Elena sat down slowly, still a bit distracted, but she didn't refuse.
Food was food and honestly, she needed something to ground herself right now.
The four elegant women beside her smiled warmly, immediately moving into action as if they had been waiting for this moment.
One adjusted her seat, another poured a drink, and one carefully arranged the food closer to her. "Your Highness, please try this."
"This one is very fresh."
"You might prefer this texture…"
Elena stared at them, then at the food, then back at them. "Why are you all working this hard?" she asked in confusion, they treated Cece like a treasure and Elena didn't see why they were doing it from Cece's memories, but she's sure Cece despised them.
The women froze for a second before their smiles stiffened slightly. "It is our duty," one of them replied carefully.
Duty?
Elena picked up a piece of meat and stared at it for a moment before taking a bite.
Her eyes widened and she almost spat it out, but she tried hard to chew it, she quickly reached out for a cup and drank from it. "Okay."
She nodded in understanding, she thought the food would be as good as the aroma…
'these beasts…'
She glanced at Jacob who was eating his meat, he was so calm… eating with a fork… fork?
Then she looked at the rest and was surprised… forks and glass cups?!!!
Something isn't right and the system may be right… They really need help and cubs aren't their problem… she didn't see anything strange in Cece's memories, there's no way they would have these forks and glass cups unless they collaborated with greedy humans!!