Lilly
I felt sunlight stream in from the blinds, allowing lines of bright light to cast over my closed lids.
My eyes were swollen shut and the only sound being heard were the birds singing their songs and murmurs from the wolves outside, splashes from the lake followed.
Glancing at my clock I noticed it was already 10 am, my brother Nic would be here at 12.
We were having a pack celebration for his homecoming, I could smell the pig roasting from outside the pack house.
'How will I make it through today?' I asked myself before sighing and getting out of bed.
I trudged to the bathroom and as I got in, I looked at myself in the mirror, my reflection wasn't me.
Dark circles, gaunt cheeks, pale...
What I've been dealing with has put my health on the lowest mark of the totem pole.
Grace comes from a pack that lies on old traditions and I felt in my heart that despite Zain's words, he would mark her eventually.
He would have to if her father demanded something else if he refused to mark her, which would either be unmated she wolves or pack land.
Pack land was the most sought after but they had a large amount of unmated males from what I heard, he could request he come here and let them see if any of our women are theirs and take them.
Women always went to the men's pack in that situation.
But I had a gut feeling that he would want the pack lands, something inside me told me he would do anything to sway the Alpha into forcing his son to mate with his daughter.
A woman without honor especially the alpha's daughter would be a shame for him and a spot on his family record.
No alpha wanted that and no alpha wanted to lose packlands, especially a future alpha.
Zain would have no choice.
I felt that familiar nausea rolling my stomach but I took deep breaths, calming myself as I repeated in my head that this wasn't my fault.
It was Zain's and Grace's, more Grace's since he couldn't smell her heat coming.
An unmated man around an unmated woman was like kryptonite.
The wolves take over and they don't think about trivial things such as condoms which is why we all get locked up with a house mom in charge.
My heart hurt and I felt dead inside still.
I was alone now...
Quickly showering, I fixed my hair up into loose and wavy curls, applied little makeup and put on a grass green sundress and gold sandals.
I wanted to look halfway decent for Nic's homecoming.
The embarrassment I would have to endure at this gathering had my nausea coming back double time, yesterday's fight didn't help.
Now they would all be whispering.
Pulling myself together, I made my way downstairs, making sure no one was down there so I wouldn't have to see anyone.
I can only imagine what the girls and women would say about me.
The teenagers most especially anyways.
Deciding to skip breakfast in fear that I would see someone, I dipped out of the side door and ran up to the Alpha's office.
The visit with my parents could wait. I didn't want to stretch this out, worrying all morning about what he would say to me. I knew it would be about Dan but I had to be strong for this part.
Knocking softly, I was answered instantly.
"Come in lilly," Alpha Blake's firm yet softened tone had me pushing the door open quickly, dipping inside quickly.
I inched into the room, hands shaking from anxiety and I could see he smelled my nervousness.
"You wanted to see me?" I asked as I held myself together anticipatingwhat was going to come.
Alpha Blake seemed sad, eyes far off. He was like a second father to me, I grew up with this man and his family as part of my own family.
"Lilly, have a seat," he said and I eased myself Into a chair before his desk and folded my hands in my lap, looking down at the floor.
Ready for whatever he has to say.
A long sigh expelled from his mouth, taking in my scent of sadness.
"I'm sorry Lilly but as the Alpha, I'm going to have to ban you from being around Dan," he let out a I felt my body go numb. "Just for a while because it had become unhealthy for Zain to witness you two together while his wolf is preparing to be a father," he added and I glanced up into his eyes with mine blurred with images tears, not being able to see properly.
"Lilly," he called my name again and I looked away. "Please, I'm sorry. I wouldn't have allowed this if I didn't think it benefited everyone, it is just for a while. Zain is more possessive with expecting a pup and you are still his and he sees Dan as a threat and that can destroy the pack, Grace could also miscarry.." he spoke up again bite his voice trailed of at the mention of Grace miscarrying.
Hot lava burned through me, drying tears in its wake.
"I want her to, I hope she does. We all hope she does, Zain too," I spout out without thinking.
His brows furrowed before he spoke up, "you don't mean that Lilly, you are just upset," he said and he flashed teeth a moment letting me know that I was walking on thin lines.
I was wishing the Alpha's grandpup to die.
He himself wasn't happy about this union and if she did miscarry, it would be rejoiced by the pack but at the same time, no one wanted to lose a pup, especially an Alpha pup.
I lowered my head, bowing in submission.
I felt angry, hurt, betrayed.
Everyone I loved was fawning over this whore of a woman who wound up pregnant with my mate's pup.
I bristle slightly, a low warning growl came out of Alpha Blake's chest, advising me to calm down.
My wolf surfaced slightly, her eyes seeing Alpha Blake's and Alpha Blake snarled.
"Reign in your wolf Lilly and put away your claws," he commanded. "There are things you don't know that I don't want you to hurt over, go to your family and enjoy the day. Stay away from Dan and if you must see him, make sure you don't get caught and that you don't smell like him or I'll have to punish you," he added and I looked up at him, "can you do that?" He questioned, silently pleading with me and I was surprised to say the least.
He was giving me a way out.
A way to still see my best friend.
I nodded, bowing my head.
I felt like dying inside.
All this pain.. All this torture...
Everyone's decisions have inadvertently affected my life for the worse and I'm the one who suffers but what did he mean that there are things I don't know?
With his dismissal, I stormed out of his office, heading down and out of the back door to my parents home.
I just wanted to be with my family now. I'm too cried out to feel sorry for myself. I just felt angry now.
Just angry.
As I ventured down the dirt road, I noticed a few she wolves my age whispering, looking at me and I wanted to hide but my wolf wanted to come out and challenge them to fight.
I stopped, catching their eyes with mine, holding their gazes.
Both their eyes widened a fraction before looking away.
They didn't want this fight, not with a stronger wolf then they.
Dam and Nic have always made sure I was trained in fighting, enough to hold my own.
Turning back to the dirt road, I rounded the bend and walked up to my parents front door.
That familiar turquoise door that I grew up with, the smell of home calming my nerves and I could already tell my mom was baking her famous cherry pie.
Walking inside had me jogging down memory lane from my youth.
"Hey sweetie," my caller as she came up to me, her cheek pressing into mine, mixing our scents.
She pulled back, holding my arms to study my face.
Her green eyes held that sadness, I'm sure my own reflected what I was feeling inside.
Numb.
"What's wrong Lilly ? Did something happen?" Dad asked as he came towards me, Forrest green eyes scanning my face.
His wolf bristled, alert that something was going on with his pup.
"Alpha Blake ordered me to stay away from
Dan."