When Stars Fall

Chapter 4

I awoke to the sound of knocking on my door. I stumbled out of bed and padded towards the door, rubbing my eyes. Swinging the door open, I came face-to-face with Olivia.

"Hey!" She exclaimed. "Sorry to wake you. I just wanted to let you know that dinner is ready." I nodded, managing to stifle a yawn.

"Thanks," I replied. "I'll be right down." Olivia glanced down the hallway before turning back to me.

"Would you like me to show you where the dining hall is?" She offered. "It's easy to get lost." I shrugged, opening the door wider.

"Sure," I responded, heading towards the dresser. "Do you mind if I change first?" Olivia shook her head, taking a seat on the desk chair.

"Take your time." I rummaged through the dresser drawer before pulling out a dark red sundress. I hurried towards the side door, pulling it open to reveal a pristine bathroom with marble tiles. There was a luxurious bathtub with golden taps, a shower with elegant white curtains, a polished commode, and a huge sink.

I shut the door behind me, letting my rumpled clothes drop to the floor and pulling the sundress over my head. I undid my ponytail, removing my hair tie and allowing my dark hair to cascade down my back. I grabbed a hairbrush from the countertop and ran it through my hair until I was satisfied with its glossy appearance.

Picking up my discarded clothing, I opened the door and strode towards the dresser, where I placed the clothing in the bottom drawer. I then slid out of my comfortable sneakers and donned the pair of black heels I had brought with me.

"Wow," Olivia remarked from behind me. "Who are you trying to impress?" I laughed, turning to link my arm with hers.

"Just your brother," I joked. Olivia slapped my shoulder playfully before pulling me out the door.

"We'll see about that," she teased me as we descended the stairs, "Someone else might just get to him first."

"Really?" I asked, halting beside Olivia at a pair of extravagant doors. "Who?"

Olivia turned away from me to rap her knuckles on the door.

"Well, it's complicated—"

Olivia paused as the set of doors opened and a woman stepped into the hallway. Just like Olivia, she was a brunette, and after glancing quickly between the two women, I concluded they were related.

"Olivia, you're here!" The woman exclaimed, grabbing Olivia's arm. "Where were you? You were supposed to be here an hour ago for kitchen duty!"

Olivia pulled away, a sheepish look on her face.

"Oops."

The other woman's eyes narrowed. "Olivia-"

"Wait, I have an excuse!" Olivia exclaimed, gesturing to me. "I was helping out with our guest."

The woman turned to face me, a smile spreading across her face.

"My name is Rose," she told me. "You must be Dr. Cummings. Nice to meet you." I shook her outstretched hand, flashing her a charming grin.

"Yes, that's me," I replied. "It's nice to meet you, too." Olivia grabbed my hand, pulling me towards the door.

"Now that you've met my mother, it's time for you to see the dining hall. Trust me, you're going to love it."

Olivia threw open the doors, and I gasped at the sight before me, not bothering to hide my awe. The room was enormous, with scarlet walls, a sparkling chandelier, and an extremely long dining table. To my surprise, most of the chairs around the table were already occupied, and as I stepped into the room, the joyful chatter immediately ceased. I felt exposed as Olivia guided me to the front of the room, aware of the many eyes following my every moment.

We stopped at the head of the table, where a man was seated. He stared at me for a moment before acknowledging me with a quick nod, and standing up to address the occupants of the room. I gathered that he was Ace Miller, the alpha of the pack.

"Good evening, everyone! I hope you all are well. Today is a special day. As many of you know, we are taking part in an exchange program with Oak Hill Hospital. In doing so, we hope to increase our general medical knowledge." Ace paused, and gestured towards me. "I'm pleased to welcome Doctor Samantha Cummings to our facility."

Someone began to clap, and before I knew it, applause was echoing throughout the room. I straightened my back and smiled, determined to make a good impression.

Ace raised his hand, and the applause slowly died down.

"I expect you all to give Dr. Cummings a warm welcome," he concluded, surveying the room with his steely eyes. After a few moments of tense silence, he clapped his hands together. "Well then, now that that's over, let's eat!"

A line of women entered the hall, each one bearing a tray of food. As soon as the food was set upon the table, the seated pack members began to dine, each person piling their plate with what they desired. The group of women quickly filed out of the room, leaving me very curious. Were they paid workers, or were they servants?

Olivia grabbed my hand, leading me to an empty seat at the table. She waved at Ace, who flashed her a smile before turning his attention to the food before him.

"That's Ace," Olivia informed me, scooping some mashed potatoes onto her plate. "He's handsome, isn't he?"

"Sure," I responded sarcastically, reaching for a chicken drumstick. " I know who I'll be dreaming about tonight."

Olivia stifled her laughter with her hand, her eyes mischievous.

"You're not the only one that feels that way," she remarked after a moment, scanning the room. I followed her gaze and found that several young women were shamelessly ogling Ace from afar.

"Wow, he sure is popular," I commented. Olivia shrugged, spearing her asparagus with her fork.

"Yeah, I guess. It doesn't matter though. Ace doesn't care about any of those desperate girls; he's waiting for the right person." She winked at me. "Maybe it'll be you."

I shook my head and swallowed my mouthful of chicken. "I doubt it. I'm not really interested in a relationship at the moment."

Olivia pretended to pout, but within seconds her signature grin was back.

"That's a pity, but hey, there are plenty of fish in the sea. And who knows, maybe you'll even change your mind!"