Lyla's POV
Three days had passed since I last set my eyes on Damon. I don't know where he disappeared to but the fact remains that I've been in this mansion for three days and for those three days, things have been moved, almost everything around here.
"Do you know where I can find Damon?" I asked Ruth for the tenth time.
This sudden attraction that I'm feeling towards Damon is questionable. He had misunderstood me after I asked him about what happened at the arena and I wish to explain myself.
I'd put myself between him and Lucas after he attacked Lucas when he threw a huge log at his head to stop him from killing his father. He only pushed me away from the center of danger and I was grateful he did even though he wasn't in his human form.
"You will see him at the packhouse today. He'll be joining us once we move the remaining stuff"
It wasn't news that Damon was moving back to the 'packhouse' as Ruth had informed me two days ago.
"What's the pack house like?" I asked out of curiosity.
"Damon had forbidden me from answering any questions concerning us. He just wants you to make a decision about what you both discussed. The car would soon be here, get ready"
"Okay! I'll go get my phone so we can leave"
I was about to walk back up the stairs when Ruth called out my name.
"Why didn't you leave with your friends?"
Even though Tunde had given me the chance to go with them, I refused. I was actually expecting Pearl to persuade me but she had this huge plea on her face for me to stay.
Lucas said he'd promised Damon not to go back with me but he still had to ask for my decision and when I decided to stay, he gave me the phone and the first person I called was my brother.
"I have a mission to fulfill," I replied, smiling widely.
"What mission?"
"Love task"
I replied before walking up the stairs to pick up my phone. I also took one of Damon's shirts with me and wrapped it around the shorts that I was wearing.
I need clothes and I'd told that to my brother even though he insisted on coming over here with the police to arrest everyone instead of my clothes. So, I gave up on that chance.
With the way he had stopped mentioning the police since yesterday, I think Pearl and Lucas had successfully persuaded him about the issue.
"I'm ready," I called out to Ruth.
"Be ready to meet my people," she smiled as she placed her hand on my shoulder when we walked towards the car.
We got to the packhouse minutes later and the first thing I noticed was how huge the building was.
"How many people live here?" I asked.
"A lot of families. Damon stays on the last floor. I'll take you there first"
She did as she promised and as soon as we got out of the elevator, I saw Damon standing in the corner with Tunde, the huge guy who Pearl wanted me to keep an eye on.
"Hi," I waved at the both of them. Tunde smiled while Damon frowned at his smile before walking away from us.
"Hey Lyla, you look radiant" Tunde complimented me and I blushed.
"Thanks. It's been a while since I last saw you"
"I've been occupied with my new boyfriend over there," he replied, pointing to Damon.
"How's Pearl?" He suddenly asked.
"She's okay, I guess"
Pearl isn't okay, to be honest. She has been miserable and I was able to get this little information from Her twin sister, Aurora. We've both been pestering her to tell us what went wrong but she kept on denying it and told us both that she was fine.
"Do you need her number?" I said, showing him my phone.
"I have it, thank you" he replied.
"If you need anything, just let me know. I'll do my best"
"Sure"
Tunde left with Ruth and I was left with Damon at his place. He was practically ignoring me by doing every other thing available.
I used that opportunity to look around and saw there was a kitchen right beside the sitting area, a balcony that looked like that of his previous apartment, a study room, and just one room.
One room!
That revelation rang in my head twice.
"Damon," I called out to him in the study room. He didn't respond, he just lifted his head to look at me.
"I'm staying" I informed him.
He nodded nonchalantly and continued arranging the books on the shelves.
I decided to join him to help out.
"Where should I put these?" I asked, showing him a Harry Potter book. I would've talked about it with him but I couldn't, not with his present mood.
"I can fix them. You don't have to do anything" he replied.
"I want to help. If I'll be staying here, I want to help around".
"And I said your help isn't needed, Lyla," he murmured my name.
"Okay," I answered sadly.
I left the study room and decided to check out this packhouse. I reached the first floor and saw some girls talking and laughing. They all looked at me, stopped talking almost at the same time.
At that moment, they started whispering.
"Lyla," Someone suddenly called out to me and I turned to see who it was.
"Ruth," I walked towards her.
"Don't mind them, child. Come help me in the kitchen if you're bored but if you want to look around, I won't stop you"
I refused the latter offer.
"I'll love to help you in the kitchen" I smiled and followed her into the kitchen.
The kitchen was nothing like what I saw in Damon's place but it was still huge and neat.
"Did Damon inform you of tonight's ceremony?" She asked.
"Ceremony?" I asked in response.
"I guess he didn't"
"He's not talking to me at all and I'm still bothered about what I'd done," I confessed. It was nice to actually have someone to talk to.
"Whatever Damon's attitude is towards you, just ignore it. He's not angry at you because of anything you think you did. He's just going through some hard time, okay, dear?" I nodded.
"Can you tell me about it?"
"Do you know anything about werewolves?"
"No, I don't think I do"
"Then, I think that'll be Damon's job," she smiled.
I nodded twice in understanding.
"So, what's the ceremony all about?"
"It's more like an inauguration. Damon's inauguration as—let's say—community leader" she said.
"But not a community leader, right? But a sort of leader to your people"
She nodded.
"You're smart, I'll give you that," I laughed at her words.
"Have you contacted your parents?" She suddenly asked.
My *demeanor changed at the mention of my parents and I became sad.
"They're dead and it's just been me and my brother for a while now. I've called him by the way" I replied.
"I'm so sorry to hear about that. What about your grandparents?" She asked.
"It's nothing to be sorry about. It has been the four of us for as long as I could remember. There have been no grandparents in the picture" I told her
"Would you love to meet my granddaughter? She's fifteen" I nodded quickly.
"I'll bring her to meet you later at the ceremony"
I nodded.
She brought out some ingredients and asked which one I could handle. I told her I could perfectly do anything. I love cooking and Henry has taught me a lot about cooking.
Ruth continued telling me stories of her granddaughter as we cooked up a storm. Minutes later, three ladies also joined us in the kitchen. I was expecting them to ignore me but I was surprised when they actually involved me in their conversations.
"Go back upstairs before he starts looking for you, dear" Ruth whispered into my ear.
"I'll see you later"
"Yes darling"
I washed my hands and walked back to Damon's place.
I noticed some men in suits waiting at the front door, wearing dark sunglasses, hands folded info don't of them.
As I turned to walk, I collided with a wall. I looked up to see a younger version of Damon staring right back at me.
"Are you okay?" He asked, waving in front of my eyes.
"I'm okay"
"Are you sure? Because you appear as if you've seen a ghost"
"I'm fine, thank you" I moved away from him.
"Wow, you smell like roses," he said, suddenly bringing his nose closer to my neck.
What a pervert!
"Thanks" I replied nervously.
"What's your name beautiful?"
"I don't go about telling strangers my name," I replied.
"Just one kiss and I'll no longer be a stranger, Mi favorita"
I quickly found a way to walk away from him before he could act any more strange.
As I got to Damon's room, I heard the shower running and I concluded Damon was using the shower, so I sat on the edge of the bed.
He looked at me for a few seconds after he came out of the shower and I couldn't stop staring at him as well. My eyes traced the water running from his hair down to his eyes, to his chest and I swallowed hard out of embarrassment.
"I heard about a ceremony"
"You don't have to attend," he simply replied.
"Did I do something wrong?"
"It's not you Bunny"
"Do you want to talk about it?"
"With you?" I nodded.
He smirked, "I don't talk to people about my problems. Do you need anything before I leave?"
I shook my head.
He picked up some clothes from his wardrobe and walked back into the bathroom.
I dropped to the bed and groaned loudly out of frustration. I hugged the pillow and groaned the second time.
"Is everything okay,?"
"I need a hug," I cried out before I could control my mouth.
Shit! I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn't notice he'd walked out of the bathroom and even answered his question subconsciously.
I almost cried out in embarrassment.
"Come here," he pulled me out of the bed and directly into his body as he wrapped his arms around me.
I relaxed into his body and inhaled his scent, closed my eyes to enjoy the moment.
"Thank you for staying, Bunny," he kissed my hair twice before he started rubbing circles on my waist with his fingers.