Chapter 4

Lily POV

My eyes fluttered open, my head pounding with the worst headache I’d ever experienced.

For a moment, I lay still, trying to piece together what had happened. Then like a wave, everything came back to me. Lucas’s rejection, Vanessa’s words that night, the pain I had felt when Lucas rejected me. Everything I had feared would happen had truly happened… the moon goddess knew how to give the best birthday gifts.

I sat up abruptly, ignoring the wave of dizziness that washed over me. This wasn’t a nightmare after all. The ache in my chest was enough proof that everything had happened. This was my new reality and it was a bleak one.

“Happy birthday to me,” I muttered bitterly, my voice hoarse.

As I buried my face in both hands, trying to remember when I had kept the pain meds in my room, the door of my bedroom was thrown open and Lucas ran in. When he saw me, relief flooded his face.

My heart clenched painfully as our eyes met. Part of me wanted to scream at him to go away, to never show his face again to me but another part… the part that still loved him despite everything, wanted him to gather me in his hands and tell me everything would be alright but I was so done with this.

“What do you want?” I asked straightening my shoulders as I glared at him. “And is that a relief expression I had just seen moments ago? Did you think you had killed me with the stunt you played? I bet you’re happy,”.

“No!” he shook his head and rushed to my side. “I’m just so happy that you’re fine. I was worried, you fell hard,”.

“Great news!” I scoffed “Now, can you please leave? Go be with your girlfriend… I don’t want to ever see you around me,”.

“Lily, I…” he started ignoring my threats, then faltered. I watched as he took a deep breath and tried again. “I’m so sorry for everything. I’m sorry that I cheated on you and for everything I said that you must have heard. What I did… what I said … it’s unforgivable but I hope…”.

I laughed humorlessly, interrupting him. “You’re right, Lucas. What you did is unforgivable and I’m not sure I have the good graces to forgive you anyways. Is that all you came to say?”

He shook his head, as his eyes darted nervously to the door and back. His expression grew serious. “Lily, listen to me. You need to get out of here, it’s not safe for you anymore. You need to leave,”.

“Leave?” I glared at him, wondering what he was talking about now. “As in leave the pack? Are you mad? Is it because you’re now marrying my sister that you want me to leave? How much space can I possibly take up by being here? Or did she put you up to this too? She did right?”

“No!” Lucas yelled, running a hand through his hair. “did you hear me the first time. I said it’s no longer safe for you, so you need to leave,”.

I blinked, realizing he wasn’t joking. Confusion replaced some of my anger. “What are you talking about?”

He ran his hand through his hair, for the second time in a few minutes – it was usually a sign that he was agitated. “I overheard something a few minutes ago. Your father and Vanessa your sister, they’re planning something. Something bad. You need to get out of here, now!”

My mind reeled from curiosity and fear. After everything that had happened, now this? Was this another one of Vanessa’s ploy?

“Lucas, slow down. What exactly did you hear?” I asked.

But Lucas was already moving. He grabbed a bag from my wardrobe and started to throw clothes into it. “There’s no time to explain everything. Just trust me, Lily. You’re in danger here,”.

“And you expect me to go with you? You who betrayed me some hours ago,” I scoffed, climbing down from my bed. “Listen, Lucas, my father and Vanessa do not regard me as anything. If that’s the danger you’re talking about, be rest assured it’s normal. So please…”.

Before I could say, Jack, Lucas crossed the room and grabbed my hand, pinning me with his stare. “Why are you so damn stubborn. I just told you your life is in danger and you’re here…” he trailed off, letting go of her hand. “I’m sorry for raising my voice but I don’t care if I have to carry you on my shoulders. We need to leave now,”.

“Fine!” I squared my shoulders. “I’ll go with you but I need to check something. Give me a few minutes. I need to talk to my father,” I said my voice stronger than I felt. I’d spent my whole life trying to earn my father’s love, trying to belong in this family. I couldn’t just leave without answers.

Lucas looked at me like I was crazy. “Lily, No! We need to go,”.

But I was already moving, marching out of my room and down the stairs. I found him in his study, buried in his usual pile of paperwork. As soon as he saw me, he looked up from what he was doing, with a calm expression.

“Ah, Lily,” he said  “Feeling better, I hope?”

My hands clenched into fists at my sides. “Why?” I demanded, my voice shaking as tears gathered in my eyes. “Why can’t you love me like you love Vanessa? What did I ever do to deserve this?”

He sighed, closing the lid of the laptop. “Lily, I know you’re upset. Perhaps, we should have this conversation when you’ve calmed down…”.

“No!” I shouted, surprising even myself. This was the first time I was raising my voice at him. “I want answers and I want them Now!”.

He stared at me for a while, his expression blank and unreadable. Suddenly, he smiled – making me take a step back in shock. It wasn’t a kind smile.

“Very well,” he said, his voice suddenly turning cold. “You want the truth? You’ll get it. I hate you because you’re the reason why I lost my mate. You were never meant to be a part of this family in the first place,”.

“This same, old story again,” I bit my lips trying not to cry. “I’ve spent every waking moment of my life apologizing for that. I’m sorry, Mom had to die giving birth to me but I’m also sure that she would never want you to blame me for her death, I didn’t ask to be born,”.

“Oh shut up!” he snapped “We lied, okay! She didn’t die giving birth to you… she died protecting you. She gave her life for your sake…”.

I froze as the weight of his words settled in. “What…what are you talking about?”

He stood and came to where I was standing, looming over me. “Your blood, Lily… it’s special and you’re the vessel. You were handed over to my mate by some strange man when you were a child with instructions that she must take care of you and protect you. I guess she took it personally,”.

“That’s… that’s not true,” a tear rolled down my cheek as my voice cracked. “She was my mother… she gave birth to me….”.

“And you think I’ll treat my daughter the way I treat you?” he scoffed “Please... I don’t want to laugh,”.

Tears stung in my eyes but I refused to let them fall. “Then why keep me around all this while? You could have gotten rid of me the moment your mate died? Why bother to keep me here only to maltreat me?”

“Because,” he said, his smile turning cruel “I made her a promise and I intend to fulfil it. By the way,” he paused, went back to his desk to pick up a file which he stretched in my direction “I secured you a spot to go to college in the neighbouring pack’s territory,”.

My head spun; this couldn’t be happening. “You…you want me to leave?”

He nodded, his voice taking on a fatherly tone. “It would be good for you. A chance to start fresh and I could finally have some peace in my own house,”.

“I don’t want to leave, Father, please…” I cried trying to reach for him but the stern look on his face stopped me.

Then everything dawned on me.

“You’re lying,” I whispered turning to face him. “This isn’t about college is it? You’re trying to get rid of me,”.

The smile on his face was replaced instantly by a smirk as he sneered. “Smart girl. Always too clever for your good,” then he sighed. “Yes, the truth is, you were going to leave tonight anyways and as soon as you do, I’m going to declare you a rogue and if you ever try to come back, you’ll be treated as a rogue… just so you know, there are lots of packs who hate rogues, I wish you the best of luck surviving out there,”.

I staggered backwards, bumping my back on the edge of the table in the room. “You can’t do this,” I said, my voice barely audible. “I’m your daughter,”.

“You’re not my daughter!” he repeated “You’re just some stupid girl with no wolf and great blood running inside of you. You have until midnight to leave or I’ll have you dragged out myself and thrown out. Hurry my dearest, Lily… time is not your friend,”.

I felt numb as I dragged myself out of his study, and back to my room where Lucas was done packing. As soon as he saw me, he murmured.

“I’m so sorry, Lily… I never thought… I never knew…”.

I nodded not trusting myself to speak. My entire world had crumbled around me in the space of a day. My boyfriend, my sister, my father and a mother who wasn’t my mother after all. I went from being the girl hated by her father and sister to a … BASTARD! Everyone had betrayed me… I had nothing left.

A few minutes later, I reached the edge of the pack lands with my bag and Lucas hovering behind me. He had kept apologizing and asking for my forgiveness but I had managed to successfully avoid him.

Beyond these lands… I will now be a prey… but it’s fine…I had nothing to lose now.

Without turning back, I drove through the gates.