Birthday breakfast for the girls.

Lilly’s POV

Having finally heard back from Violet, I can relax and tune back into the conversation around the dining table. We rarely use this room, as it’s a little too formal for our pack. We only use it for special occasions, or when snobby and backward thinking Alphas come for meetings. The heavy oak table that was carved in the pack still has an earthy scent to it. Although it is beautiful in this room, with the floor to ceiling window wall and the crisp white walls, I’d much rather be out on the rear decking where we hold all pack occasions. I feel like I’m about to be lectured or play the role of Alpha when we eat in here. My mothers light laugh fills the space as she makes bets with her Beta about who mine and Violet’s mates may be. I glance to my brother who is elbow deep in his pancakes smirking at me whilst chewing. He’s enjoying this way too much. I roll my eyes and mouth ‘you’re next’ to him. His smile instantly turns into a scowl and I try to smother my smug laughter. My father, who never misses anything, turns his body towards me. As the Alpha family, we sit at the head of the table. The top two seats are for my mother and father. My brother is facing me across the table, and seated next to my brother. Meaning I am next to my father… and with his massive body turned towards me, and laughter in his eyes, I know this conversation is one I’m going to want to avoid.

“So, birthday girl, you’ve had your pancakes… it’s time to spill.” Crap. He’s not going to…

“Feeling any pulls yet? Tingles? Smelling anything delicious?” He continues to my horror. Yep. He wants to know if I can feel my mate in the pack house. How the hell would I know? I’ve never had a mate bond manifest before for Goddess sake!

“Daddy. I love you. But no.” I say, having a staring contest with my chocolate chip pancakes. With only half of one left… I know he’s going to force this on me when I finish. So I begin picking at the edges with my fork.

“No pull or no you’re not discussing it?” He says, clearly not giving this conversation up. Damn.

“I’m not discussing it. I haven’t ever felt a mate bond before so how would I even know? Just give it time ok? Maybe my mate isn’t here.” I say. I sound as bitter as I feel, and avoid eye contact as much as possible.

“Well, I want to be the first to know. As your father it’s my job to scare the shit out of whoever the Goddess thinks is good enough for my little Lilly pad.” He continues. Pulling on my cheek embarrassingly. Ugh. I swat his hand away, clearly annoyed.

“I’ll tell you first I dear but please da…” I stop. Suddenly it feels like my stomach is being dragged out of my body across the room. I slam my hand over it harshly. What the hell! I look up and my father is smiling knowingly. Oh crap! Not now!

I freeze. Not knowing what to do. My body feels suddenly too hot and too cold at the same time. Who the hell could be in the pack house? Aren’t the warriors already out training? I look up searching the room. No. The Gamma family are all here. That means training must be cancelled as they run practices. Crap.

But which warrior would come to the pack house for breakfast on his day off? Especially at this time? Surely, none of them, as they would be taking this rare opportunity to sleep in?

My stomach suddenly drops. That leaves the Beta family. My best friend Violet. She has a younger brother. No. Goddess you cannot pair me with her brother. She would be livid with me for being mated to the one person who makes her feel like she’s worthy. She would think I’m taking him from her. Please no.

Not to mention… he’s 8 months younger than me. I can’t walk around feeling this yanking in my guts for 8 damn months! Are you kidding me? I have to become Alpha! How will I ever concentrate on dragging this pack into the twenty first century when I’m being twisted up like a blender by a mate bond? A mate bond that he can’t even feel yet?

I look down at my phone next to my leg. I had placed it out of sight as we aren’t aloud to use them at the formal dining table. I’d be covertly texting Vi under the cover of the tabletop earlier. Now I have to try and text whilst slowly burning up whilst simultaneously freezing, and being yanked by the stomach. Perfect. What could go wrong.

I hold the phone in my shaking hands. Holding it down under the table. I am vaguely aware that the conversation has resumed, but I can feel their glances at me every so often. Nothing like feeling like an animal in a Zoo. It’s like they’re expecting me to bounce up out of my chair like a rabid dog and run to find my mate.

I can do that… can I? Would it stop the yanking? No. I’ll stay. This is my place. My responsibility. I open the text thread to Violet.

Lilly: where are you and Ce?

I wait. It’s probably been less than 30 seconds but I can’t wait.

Lilly: seriously. Where are you. I’m kind of freaking out.

They change to read. No reply. Great.

Lilly: answer me? Where the hell are you guys.

Nothing. Fuck.

I raise my head to look at my father. His smirk still firmly in place. God dad. Smug much?

“Erm. Thanks for breakfast… but I need to go. I have meetings with mom this morning and I need to get ready. See you tonight dad. Love you” I say. Giving no room for argument as I know he wants to ask a million questions. I clamber out of my chair and shoot a quick “thanks guys see you tonight” over my shoulder as I skip out of the door and into the garden.

Turning towards the rear decking, I figure, if my mate is here, he’s probably a warrior getting breakfast. Ugh, that means he’s clearly a morning person. That could suck. I quicken my pace, hoping to stop this damn pulling. Why hasn’t my wolf told me where the hell to go!?

‘Lo! What the hell man? Am I supposed to run around all day with no help? Who am I looking for?’ I bark.

No reply. Again.

Why in Goddess name had everyone abandoned me today. First… Vi… now my wolf. God this sucks. I start a slow jog, hoping to hurry this part of my day along. I need to get this over with. Find this mate of mine, go to meetings, become Alpha. Busy day.