Chapter 4: Lily

Aolis has given me what I asked for, time and space. I didn’t really ask for the space, but he’s given it to me anyway. I’ve barely seen him over the past year and when I do, he’s been very standoffish. So, while I see him looking at me, he doesn’t approach me like he used to. Everyone is irritated with me, including my brothers.

“You can’t keep doing this to him, Lily. Make a decision. You either want him or you don’t. It’s not that hard.” Cohen says to me one day after Aolis leaves our pack.

“It’s not that easy.” I try to explain.

“It is that easy, Lily. You’re the one making it hard. I have a lot of respect for Aolis, and I hate that it’s my sister who is treating him like this. If it was anyone else, I’d tell him to reject you and move on.” My brother Clint says to me.

“How can you say that?” I ask him, appalled that he would even think that.

“If I didn’t know better, I’d say you were toying with him. It’s cruel, Lily, and I would never have expected you to be cruel to your mate." Cohen says before stomping off, Clint right on his heels.

"They’re right, sweetheart.” My mother says, coming into the living room where we were talking. “You need to decide, and you need to do it soon. You’re hurting him and I guarantee you, he won’t wait forever.”

I sigh and nod before walking to my room. I have a date scheduled for tonight. Since the Alphas in nearby packs realized that I was dating and hadn’t accepted my mate, I’ve been inundated with dating requests.

Honestly, no one has made me want to leave Aolis. My feelings for the Alphas I've dated are superficial compared to what I feel for Aolis. Maybe because they aren’t my mate, or maybe because I don’t know them very well. Either way, I’ve been very careful to not do anything that would cause Aolis pain. I haven’t kissed anyone and certainly haven’t gone farther than that. I know my brothers think I’m being cruel, but truly, I’m just trying to figure out my feelings. After a year, I’m coming to realize that Aolis is exactly who I want. No one compares to him. I just need to get over the whole brotherly feeling.

I’m picked up by my date at the front of our packhouse. I have kept my room in my parents’ packhouse. Besides not wanting to live alone, I’ve always known I’d be leaving Canyon Ridge once I accept Aolis as my mate.

This Alpha is as arrogant as the others I’ve gone out with. I realize early in the evening that I’m not interested in him at all. Most Alphas have some level of arrogance. She-wolves fall at their feet, they are the leaders of their packs, and they are the strongest of the wolves, well, except for the Guardians.

“So, Lily, I thought we’d go have a nice dinner then I want to take you to a special place where we can look at the stars.” Alpha Cain says to me.

“Where are we going for dinner? I hope I’m dressed appropriately.” I say, he didn’t say anything about a nice dinner. I’m in jeans and a dressy top with knee high boots.

“You look great.” He says.

When we arrive, I realize that what he thinks is looking great and what I would have worn if I’d known where we were going is very different. This is a fine dining restaurant and I’m wearing jeans. I get he wanted to surprise me, but this is not a good surprise.

After looking down her nose at my attire, the hostess turns all her charm onto Alpha Cain. “You’re usual spot, Alpha?”

“Yes, Marie, thank you.”

Usual spot, great. He brings all his dates here. Does that mean he uses pack funds for his date nights? What a waste of money. My family has always been very cognizant that pack funds are for the pack, not for the Alpha family, but not every Alpha feels that way.

As we walk through the restaurant, he puts his hand on my lower back, guiding me to our table. From every table, people say hello to him. He acknowledges them as I watch the she-wolves assessing me. I’m not unused to this, but usually people are assessing me because I’m a Guardian. I haven’t spent any time with this pack or the Alpha, so no one here knows who I am.

When we’re seated, I watch the hostess stroke Alpha Cain’s arm as he passes her. He smiles at her before pulling out my chair for me. I’m already wondering how long is long enough before I can get out of here. Hera can run back to our pack more quickly than it took us to drive here.

When our waitress arrives, it’s much the same. Lots of flirtation from her, smiling and acknowledging from him. He orders a bottle of wine for both of us, without asking what I might like or want. Then when it arrives, he toasts to ‘making new friends’.

He takes a sip of his wine, then reaches over and begins stroking my hand with his thumb. I intentionally pull my hand away and put both hands in my lap.

He narrows his eyes at me. “You’re not like other she-wolves.”

“Probably not. I’m an Alpha and a Guardian. I have no intention of falling at some Alpha’s feet just because he’s an Alpha. I’m surrounded by them every day.” I smile, taking a sip of the wine. I have to say, it is good.

“I’ll admit, I didn’t know what to expect from a Guardian. I guess I thought you’d be more like other she-wolves.”

“Why is that? Simply because of my gender?”

He takes his glass, sipping his wine and shrugging as he looks at me. “Is it true what they say about the strength of a Guardian?”

“I don’t know, what do they say?” I ask, just as our waitress comes back.

“Allow me to order for you, Lily.” He says and turns to the waitress to give our orders without waiting for my response.

“Great selections, Alpha.” She tells him.

She seems much more impressed than I am. I don’t need a man ordering for me and I certainly don’t need some Alpha thinking he knows what I want more than I do.

He turns back to me when our waitress walks off. “They say you’re stronger than an Alpha, stronger than the vampire royalty and even the fae royalty. Is that true?”

“Yes to the Alphas, yes to the vampires, and I’m not sure about the fae. I’ve never tested it.” I give him a fake smile. His reminder of the fae has me thinking of Aolis and wondering what I’m doing here. My family is right, I need to make up my mind.

“So, conceivably, you could control this entire room with just your aura.”

I look around the room, sniffing the air. There are mostly ranked members here eating and mostly omegas working as waitstaff. I sniff a bit more and catch the scent of Alpha Cain’s family here.  I turn and look at him.

“You want to know if I can control you and your entire family, along with the others in this room? Or did you just want to see if I would recognize that your father, mother and brothers are here?”

He smiles at me. “Touché, Lily.”

“No, touché would be if I actually did take control of the room putting all of you on your knees. However, I don’t abuse my power, so I won’t insult you and your family that way.” I give him my fake smile  again.

“I think we’re done here.” I stand to leave.

“Wait, Lily. I apologize. You’re right. I was testing you.”

I raise my eyebrow at him. He turns toward his family. “Leave.” He growls under his breath.

His brothers huff but I can see his father is aggravated at being commanded by his son. His mother looks like this is common. Another reason to not like this Alpha. He doesn’t seem to truly respect the females in his pack or those he’s dating. If he doesn’t respect me now, he definitely won’t later.

I sit back down and Alpha Cain becomes more engaging over dinner. The food was good, but not what I would have chosen for myself. When we’re done, he pays and then escorts me to his car.

“I really do hope you like my special place.” He says as we pull out of the parking lot.

“How special is it Alpha Cain? Is this a place you take all your dates or is it a place you go when you need time alone.”

“Both.” He says sheepishly. “But it really does have the best view of my pack lands.”

When we arrive, I see that it is a beautiful area, overlooking the mountains and forest that surround the pack’s lands. I like our pack land's view better, but this is very nice.

When we get out of the car, he takes my hand and pulls me to the area he wants to show me. When we get there, he pulls me to him and begins kissing me. I’m so shocked it takes a moment for me to pull away.

“What are you doing? You know I have a mate.” I say, pushing against him.

“If you have a mate, what are you doing on a date with me?” He says, attempting to pull me against him again.

I hear a crack of thunder in the distance, and I know that Aolis felt that kiss. I snarl at Alpha Cain, releasing my aura on him. He wanted to see how strong I am, well, he’s about to get the full thrust of a Guardian’s aura. He’s on his knees in an instant as Hera pushes forward, growling at him.

“Never touch me again. Am I clear?” She snarls at him.

His wolf pushes forward, fighting against Hera. She pushes him even harder, forcing him to yelp and bare his throat to us.

“AM. I. CLEAR?” She snarls, getting in his face.

“Yes, Guardian. Very clear.”

Hera turns, shifting mid-air and begins running toward Canyon Ridge. I need to get home and call Aolis. I need him to realize that I didn’t do that on purpose. That I would never disrespect him like that. I needed time, but I never intended to disrespect him.

As we cross out of Alpha Cain’s pack lands, the rain begins. The closer I get to home the harder the rain is coming down. When I finally get to our pack lands, Hera is soaked. I quickly find a stash of clothes, shift and pull on a large shirt, racing into the packhouse and up to my room.

“Lily, are you…?”

“Later.” I shout at my brother, but I don’t stop moving.

I race into my room and almost instantly I smell Aolis’s scent of freshly fallen snow. He’s sitting by the open window of my room in the dark.

“Aolis.” I whisper.

He slowly turns his head to look at me. “You know I can feel it, right? You know I can feel it when you’re with someone else?”

“He kissed me, I didn’t realize he was going to do it until it was too late.” I take a step toward him. “I’m so sorry, Aolis. I would never disrespect you like that.”

“But you were on a date, right? One of many, if the rumors are true? You’ve been dating for the last year.” He sighs, rubbing his hands on his face.

“Aolis….”

He cuts me off, not letting me finish. “I’ve been patient Lily. I’ve waited over nineteen years. I can’t wait any more. I can’t keep pretending that it doesn’t break my heart every time I hear you’re out with someone else. But tonight was the last straw. There’s only so much I can take.”

He turns to look me in the eyes. “You have one week, Lily. One week to decide. After that, I’m moving on. I can’t keep waiting around, hoping for something that is never going to happen.”

Before I can say a word, he leaps out the window and races as fast as he can through the pouring rain. Races away from me.