*What is happening?* Lily ask as she was being pulled somewhere. A light spread around her as she was now staring at a waterfall that was all to familiar with. It was behind the Palace in the forest towards the mountains. Seeing herself sitting on the rocks near the shores edge.
*I remember this,* she thought seeing the memory begin to play out.
Deep green eyes were looking her way from the treeline. A wolf she'd never seen before was there his aura seemed familiar, but she couldn't place from where. As if her soul had awakened invisible strings felt like they were attaching to Lily from the wolf, pulling her to stand up and walk over to him. Every cell in her body, every fiber of her being was pulling to this one wolf and she couldn't stop walking towards him. With beautiful black and blue fur a coloration I'd never seen before, but no less brilliant shimmered in the moonlight.
""It was him,"" Lily thought awestruck seeing the whole picture,""It's really Max.""
As Lily got up from her seat next to the waterfall stepping closer towards him, but he steps back suddenly running off into the forest. Taking two steps towards the wolf falling to her knees she starts to shake from the overwhelming feelings. He felt like someone who was to protect her, but she had no idea who this person was. How could she expect him to accept a cast off with no real family. Sitting there weeping as the wolf ran causing feelings of unworthiness, rejected. Lily wasn't a wolf, but she wasn't really human either and that scared people. Staring up at the moon she just keep wishing this pain would go away.
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Lily's visions begins to clear as her soul jolts back to her body. Eyes flutter as she finds herself in Max's arms laying on a couch in one of the extra parlors. Sitting up too fast he has to catch her again to stop her from falling.
"Hey slow down don't move to fast okay? You fainted out of no where so I brought you here so no one would give you a hard time," he said brushing is hand along her cheek. A heat trail followed his hand as he stoked her cheek.
Lily thought he just dyed his hair out of personal choice. Sitting up slowly while looking into his eyes that matched the wolf she seen so long ago. "Yes....I think I'm alright. You may have been right about not eating enough for lunch," Lily said as, if on que, her stomach growls.
He chuckles softly as he helps her to stand. Still feeling a bit wobbly so she leaned into him more grabbing his arm for support. *He smells like the night air after a fresh rain in a meadow,* Lily thought.
"Don't go fainting on me again," he says steering them back to the dining room.
Everyone looks at us as we walk in. The Luna leans towards Lily asking in an annoying tone, "Is everything alright? We are supposed to be celebrating Alisa finding her mate, not waiting on you to return."
"Yes Lily wasn't feeling very well so we sat in the living room. Apparently I'm a better judge of dietary needs than this lady right here," Max said making a joke while pulling Lily's chair. Alisa stares daggers at her then turns back to her mate answering something he said to her. Alisa's mate Tanner seemed a bit concerned, but she said, "She's always making excuses to not participate with the family. Pay her no mind."
Over dessert Lily examined Tanner and he seemed attentive and caring to Alisa. If he actions are truly genuine and kind maybe things will work out for the better. Looking over at Max he is looking at the couple making his own assessment taking a bite of cake. "Lily, after dessert come to my office," the Alpha says to Lily as she finished her last bite. Lily signed nodding then moved to get up, but Max put his hand on her shoulder. "I'll go with you," he said finishing his plate.
We entered the Alpha King's office after we finished dessert and there on the table in the sitting area was a wood box. It is very old with an ornamental scene with no seams around the box. The scene had the same image as my necklace. The pendant around my neck started to heat up before he spoke, "This is the reason I wanted to speak with you. You've been with use for 27 years now so I thought it was time to give this back to you. This was with you when we found you in the forest, does it look familiar to you?" he gestures towards the box looking at me intensely. It seemed familiar to, but she couldn't place it. Seeing it she pulled out her pendant looking at the image. "Its the same," Lily said looking between the two items.
"Where did you get that necklace?! How is it in your possession?!" The Alpha King yelled at her. "Only the Alpha Pair's Bloodline could have this pendant! Who are you girl?!" He shouted at her grabbing her arms roughly. Max stepped in pulling his father off of her pushing him into the couch. "What do you think your doing, Father?! She's been with us all this time! How could she know anything if she doesn't remember?!" Max said defending Lily. Lily reached for Max's arm saying, "If had known anything about my family I would have told you. Please don't be so cross with me this is just as new to me as it is to you." "Hmph! If I find out you've been holding out on me there with be consequences!"
Not wanting to angry him more Max and Lily quickly walk out of his office back to the living room. Lily was still a bit shaky sitting next to Max. "What's that you have there? Is that what dad wanted to give you?" He asks looking at the box in my lap. "Yeah apparently it was with me when they found me. I guess I was sitting on it. It seems familiar," I say running my hand over the scene. "Really? Wow I didn't know dad had that. It's a good starting point if you wanted to find out about your birth family," Phil says shocked that his father would give it to me. "Yes that's some intricate work done, I wonder what the symbols around the edge mean," he asks leaning in to get a better look.
"I had no idea he had this," I said looking concerned at Max . That intense look on his face has her wanting to blush and she was about to ask him about it when Alisa and Tanner walk over to sit on the adjacent couch. Tanner looks at the box, but doesn't touch it. Alisa looks at it bored saying disinterested, "What is that?! It looks old and useless probably some storage box he had in a backroom he wanted to get rid of. It can't be all that important if he took this long to give it to you. Is that what dad wanted to talk to you about? Really?," she whined as she reached out to touch the corner.
A loud crack had her hand thrown off causing Alisa to yelp loudly. "Ouch! It shocked me!" She cries out pulling her hand close to her rubbing the spot that was shocked. No wanting her to destroy her only clue to her real family Lily said, "I'm sorry that happen to you. I'll take this home. Maybe when I open it, if I can, it won't do that again. Tanner it was nice to meet you," she said getting up holding the box tightly to her chest.
"I'll take you home I brought you here," Max says standing as well ushering me through the doors. Grabbing out coats we head down the stairs to the car. Opening my door I get in as he walks around getting himself in. We leave not saying anything to eachother for most of the drive.
"That was enlightening," I said trying to lighten the mood. "Yes indeed let's hope it's the last one for a while," he says stealing glances her way. He reached for her hand again giving it a reassuring squeeze. The feeling from earlier returns and her body is all too aware of Max again. They get to her apartment just sitting there for a few mins in silence before get out of the car. "Now that your back maybe we can hangout more casually," Lily said trying to break the silence. "I look forward to it since I would like to spend more time with you," he said playing with her fingers in his hand then letting them go.
Walking up to Lily's door she went to unlock it when I felt Max close the space between them as he leans in to kiss her passionately. Fireworks exploded in her mind as she leans in and letting her rational brain melt away. His soft gentle lips nipping then sucking on her bottom lip gently as he turns her leaning them into the door. This was the spark she had been hoping to feel when she found her mate. However the rational part of her brain kicked in suddenly forcing her to pull way from him. Rushing to unlock the door Lily stumbles through the door saying, "Even if your not blood related I shouldn't be doing this," She said hastily unlocking the second door scared of who seen and if she'd be in trouble.
"Wait! Please!" he shouts reaching out stopping her mid way up the stairs, "Please don't run," he says pulling her in looking into those eyes. His strong scent so close to her triggered a deep wildness she didn't know was there. She knew those eyes as they stared intensely at her were the same eyes as the wolf she saw all those years ago. It is you.