Chapter 4
The Intruder Lilian. “Lilian Hawthorn!” A hard voice called out from the back and the crowd parted to see who called my name. Five elder council members stood at the door, and it was only then I realised the severity of my case. The elder who spoke had a grim expression on his face as he took cautious steps towards us. “Are you a friend or foe to the pack?” The question had me rooted to the spot as I paused to reflect that question. Of course, I am a friend to the pack as long as my family is still kept captive by the Alpha. No matter how badly treated I was, I didn't want any harm coming to the pack if I could help it. The crowd parted the more as the five council elders strode forward and stopped a few centimetres from me. “Again, Lilian, are you a friend or foe to the pack?” His eyes were kinda as he spoke to me. “A friend…” I quickly rushed out. “And how long have you known that you were mated to that thing?” A coil of thick fury rose somewhere deep inside me, and I didn't know when I yelled out at him. “He is not a thing!” My eyes were filled with rage and disgruntled murmurs at my outburst surfaced, but I did not care. A hard slap landed on my face, making me more disoriented than I already was. “Kneel!” The Luna's voice was sharp and commanding as I grudgingly fell to my knees. “How dare you speak to an elder of the council in that manner?” “Relax, Elena, it's normal. It is normal that she would defend her mate, as we all would do. That is why we are here,” the elder was still soft-spoken, his face bore no hint of anger at being disrespected. “As far as the link between them is not severed, she will always be loyal to her mate. Now, Lilian,” he turned towards my kneeling figure, “You have a choice to make. Either you reject the Predator as your mate and have the full protection of the pack, or accept him and bond with him as your mate and face the full wrath of all the packs in the world. The choice is yours to make, and you can take your time to do so. We will all reconvene in the pack house in a week's time to hear your decision.” “Wait,” I said worriedly as I turned to the Alpha. “What about my family? I want to see them. I…” “Enough!” The elder's voice was firm this time. “Everything will be laid clear in a week's time. For now, go home, Lilian.” * I stepped on the porch of the little lonely house I called my home. The insides of my tummy were biting, reminding me that I hadn't had anything to eat since yesterday. Today has been really trying for me. As I stepped in to unlock the door, the door gave way, opening quite slowly until I came face to face with a huge bulking handsome figure—my mate. I could feel it stronger this time, the mate pull. I felt the electricity coursing through my veins as those stormy grey eyes pulled me even closer to him. “Ahem!” He cleared his throat quietly, snapping me out of the different things I was feeling at once. “I…” I struggled to find what to say to him, but I was at loss for words. “Come in, Lilian. We need to talk,” he said a little coolly which madee shiver. I unconsciously pulled the rags I wore tightly over my body as I stepped into my house. I was mildly afraid, I mean, mates would not consciously inflict harm on each other. But my mate was a Predator, and he could kill me with two fingers if he felt like it. “I don't even know your name,” I said suddenly as he closed the door behind me. “Daemon Pierre.” Came his short reply. “We cannot be mated, Lilian.” Daemon said suddenly as he walked past me into the living room. His statement threw me off balance and I felt a painful pinch somewhere in my chest. I didn't understand the feeling until I felt the tears begin to well up in the corner of my eyes. “Why not?” I didn't know why I cared so much about his reason, I mean, I was about to reject him as well. But I was curious… I know I'm ugly, weak, pathetic, bony, and all the lowly things one could ever think of, but I still wanted to hear it from his mouth. “Is it because I'm not beautiful? I'm too skinny? I'm pathetic?” “What?” A dark twisted frown formed on his really handsome face as he turned to face me. “Who the hell has been filling your head with all that crap about yourself? Let me shut their mouths up for the rest of their lives!” I could feel his fury rising and the air around me suddenly became so tight that I began to choke for air. His eyes flew open in surprise as he rushed to my side, holding up my face delicately with his pinky finger. “I'm so sorry, Lilian. I'm so sorry,” he became really restless as he pinched the space between his brows in frustration. “We can't be mated because I could kill you one way or the other. Even unconsciously, my mood swings affect the environment and people surrounding me suffocate in it. And for the first time in my life, you're the only person my wolf and I doesn't want to kill…” “Wow…” I said, still gasping for breath. “That's a lot of words. You did that? With the air?” I was still reeling in shock at what just happened that I did not register the meaning of his words. Daemon regarded me slowly before replying. “Yes, my surrounding gets affected by my mood. That is my curse. One of my curses, I mean,” he gave me a small sad smile. “Is that the only reason why you don't want me?” My voice was so small as I cranned my neck to stare at him clearly. He studied me closely for a few seconds, I could see he was battling with a lot of emotions. “I want you,” his voice was really thick as he said that. “I've never wanted anything or anyone like I want you, Lilian. I want—need— you in my life, but I just can't!” He looked frustrated as he was torn between his feelings and trying to calm down so it wouldn't affect me. I could see all that. “All because you're scared you're going to hurt me?” I asked again to be sure. “Yes, Lily.” Lily. The softness of his voice warmed my insides and I couldn't help but blush at the new nickname. “I also have a lot of enemies who want me dead, some who have made it their mission to eradicate every last one of my kind. Now, they could easily get to me through you.” “So, I'm literally your weakness?” “Yeah, something like that.” I chuckled slowly. “I don't know if I should take that as a compliment or be offended.” Daemon gave a sexy light chuckle as well which sent the butterflies in my tummy haywire. “Yeah, I understand that,” he said. I paused for a while to enjoy being in a conversation with someone. It felt really good, even better since it was in the company of my mate. “You know, I thought you would hate me.” My eyes snapped to his in a frown. “Why would you think that?” “Well, I killed a lot of your people yesterday. Most of who you loved and who loved you as well.” I scoffed and gave him a grim smile. “I'm kind of the filth of the pack. No one would care if I lived or died. Almost everyone treated me like shit. The only one who didn't is still alive. I felt nothing for them, I just want to get my family back.” “Your family? You're not aware…” his voice suddenly trailed off as his head perked up. Three flower vases by the window suddenly fell and shattered on the ground, and in the blink of an eye, Daemon had disappeared. Immediately, there were harsh knocks on my door, and before I could reach out for it, it was uprooted from its hinges. Before me, in my house that was about to be turned inside out, stood the elusive Alpha King of the Northern Packs, in all his glory. “Tear this house down and bring him to me!” The Alpha King's voice thundered against my ears, and my weak knees gave out to the ground. “Come here, Lilian Hawthorn!”Chapter 5 The Truth Lilian. I was surrounded by fifteen bulky warriors of the Alpha King as I was being led towards the pack hall. The warriors were on high alert as they constantly looked around for any form of threat–my mate. I could barely think clearly because everything was happening so fast. First, the pack attack, then my mate being at the center of it all, and finally being asked to choose between my family's freedom and my mate. Everything was just too much to handle and I felt like my mind would explode at any time. The Alpha King stomped angrily in front of me, occasionally turning to give me a deep look of contempt. "It is greatly unfortunate that you are mated to a demon! And I promise that if you don't choose right, I would make your life miserable as he made mine!" The Alpha King spat out ruthlessly, his bloodshot eyes darting to give me a sinister look. "Your decision timeline has been revoked since you're already consorting with the devil! You will make a
Chapter 6Her Decision.Lilian.Right there in the warm arms of my mate, I felt my blood run cold when that statement was made."D-dead?"I asked, my voice shaky with disbelief.My family was already dead? A sudden cold draft spread across the room, and I knew it was my mate's doing. It affected me too, but I didn't care much. My body was numbed by the sudden revelation."Deservedly so," The Alpha King spat out menacingly in fury. "Do you understand what it means to lose a pure bloodline of Alphas in a pack? The continuous bloodline helped to keep this pack in place and her miserable parents took their lives!""Took their lives?" I heard a deep scoff from my mate. "Is the bloodline of the former Alpha so weak that he can be killed by lowborn werewolves?" He taunted.The Alpha King growled in anger, while having the sense to keep his distance from my mate as his eyes were blazing. "How dare you?!""The previous Alpha of this pack was already a weak one if he could be killed by the lowes
Chapter 7RevengeLilian.There was a pin drop silence in the pack hall as people looked at me in shock.I know they expected me to choose my mate and watch them suffer because they made me suffer as well, but I had another agenda in mind.I saw as my mate gave me a look that broke my heart to pieces as I chose the pack over him."Daemon, I..." I was at a loss for words, I didn't know what I could say to him."Take care of yourself." He whispered softly to me as he turned away.The pain in my chest did not subside as I watched his back to me when he took long strides out of the pack hall. His movements were stiff, and his back was tense. And somehow, I knew he was holding himself back from letting any form of emotion show as it would hurt people around."You made a good choice, Lilian." The Alpha King said to me in his crouched position. "He will not hurt you or anyone in this pack as long as you have rejected him."A disdainful scoff escaped my mouth as I looked down on the Alpha Kin
Chapter 8.Enemies.Lilian.Numb.That was all I was feeling at this moment. As the Alpha King advanced towards us with the silver chains in hand, all I could do was slump my shoulders in surrender."You will kill a pack member just to hurt the Predator?" Hailey asked the Alpha King shakily."I've done it once before already," He said as his eyes fixated on mine. Was he referring to my family?"Is it true?" I had to ask. "Is it true that my family never really killed the Alpha and his wife?"An evil smirk formed on his face as he twirled the silver chains before giving me an answer. "How can your weak family take on an Alpha and his family? We just needed a scapegoat and they were at the right place at the right time.""But...why?" My voice broke as I listened to him. "What of my siblings? They were also innocent. My family was innocent!""Or that's just what you think..." He said and nodded to the men who surrounded us.As they closed in on us, a shrill scream could be heard piercin
Chapter 9.Conflicted.Lilian."You're what?" The disbelief was evident in my voice as I stared at her."Daemon's girlfriend and soon to be fiancée." She repeated herself. "I'm here to advise you to actually reject him. If he rejects you, you will not survive it. Seeing your..." She eyed my little figure up and down. "Less than a scrawny appearance."I opened my mouth to retort, but nothing came out and I shut up."You better not say anything, Lilly." She sneered as she mocked me with the nickname. "I wonder why he even bothers to protect you when you're almost dead." She spat out bitterly."Now, that's enough." Wilder said as he turned away from Oliver. "We have orders to follow." He carefully picked me up from the floor and held me in his arms."Wait!" I suddenly exclaimed. "What about my friend? What about Hailey?" I looked towards Hailey who was still passed out cold on the ground.Wilder glanced at Hailey's figure. "She will be fine, Lilian. The entire packs in the world are not
Chapter 10.To be destroyed.Lilian."Alpha Blackthorn requests the presence of Lilian Hawthorn." A messenger of the Alpha said in a loud voice.Wilder's lips curved into a smirk as he set the food tray aside and stepped out of the room. "She will be on her way." His voice was smooth as he spoke, there was a humor in it that one could not miss."She wouldn't be going anywhere." A hard voice said from the door and I recognised it instantly.Daemon was here.I quickly shot out of the bed and almost headbutted him, but he was faster as he caught me and steadied me on my feet."Hey..." I said as I looked up nervously at him.This was the first time I saw him in the daytime, and he was so breathtaking. His eyes were deep gray which pierced my soul as they stared at me."Lily." He breathed out softly as he lifted a finger to my face and stroked my chin softly.His jaw clenched and he withdrew his hand from me almost immediately, and that stung. Daemon swiftly walked round me and went to sit
Chapter 11.Pitied Weak Wolf.Lilian.“In the meantime, I promise to find the cure for your predicament.”“What predicament?”“Your wolf, I mean.” He paused. “I know how much you or anyone wants to have a connection with their wolf side.”I still felt hesitant about the whole plan. I mean, I was rightfully angry at what I just heard, but something kept egging me in the back of my mind that this was a terrible idea.“I don't know.” I said, avoiding his eyes as I felt drained. “I don't know what to do. I don't know what to think. I don't know what to believe anymore.”I heard a shuffling of clothes and looked up to see Kieran lowering himself to my seated position.“I'm not saying you should believe me right away, this concerns you and the family you've worked so hard to bring home. I also know you have numerous questions about being a wolf born under the first full moon of the year. You have questions about the reason anyone would want to suppress the gift inside you.” He paused. “Daem
Chapter 12Compromising PositionLilian.“Lilian!” I heard my name being called, despite the bulk of emotions I was going through.It was Hailey.I was both surprised and relieved as I ran into her arms and broke down completely. Hailey was a lot healthier than I was, as she started being an Omega recently.She pulled my bony frame into her arms and hugged me tightly.“I can't, Hailey. I can't…" I sobbed into her chest. “He doesn't want me. My parents are dead. He is the reason they are both dead.”I let myself feel all the pain, anger, and hatred that I kept bottled up for the past few years.“I'm deeply sorry, Lilian.” She mustered as she rubbed the small of my back gently. “Everything will turn out well, Lilian, I promise.” She tried to be optimistic and cheer me up, but I could feel her hands trembling.Something was wrong.“Hailey?” I said in a small voice, pulling away from her to assess her. “Is everything okay?”“I'm sorry, Lilian.” She apologized with furious tears streaming
Chapter 76Missing Her.“Do you think this plan worked out?” He asked her, his face filled with worry. “There hasn't been any change between them since that night, it's almost like nothing happened.”Oliver twirled the contents of her wine glass slowly in her hands, and she pursed her lips and took a sip of the wine. Leaning into the half wall, she said. “Don't worry about that. Have you found out what I asked you to?”The man gave her a long stare before he sighed in resignation and pulled out an envelope from the pocket of his finely sewed black suit.“Yes…" He paused, opening the envelope and taking out its contents. “True to your suspicions, the Predator has been making secret moves. Presently, he is away in the Borderland Packs.”Oliver raised her brows at that. “That far? What is he doing there?”Oliver wondered to herself as she tried to understand why Daemon and Wilder had gone off the radar these past few weeks. She barely heard from any of them, and somehow, she felt abandon
Chapter 75Show Me.“You smell so gooood...” Her eyes were half closed as she gazed at him with a soft smile on her face, her eyes slowly tracing his sexy face.Her arms were wrapped around his neck, and she was leaning into him, feeling the heat seeping from his body to hers. Her arm around his neck tightened, and she drew his face even closer, burrowing her nose into the crook of his neck, taking a deep sniff of his natural scent.“Lilian.” Daemon growled as his eyes darkened.What was this woman doing? This wasn't the right time for this! Hell, they were about to get separated from each other anytime from now. When her fingers brushed the back of his head, he felt his body stiffening.Just a few minutes, he thought, then he would place her on her bed and leave. He could feel his demons stirring from the abyss as he locked eyes with hers, his gaze tracing her soft skin, and her small and supple lips that were always too inviting when she opened her mouth to speak. He looked straight
Chapter 74The Party.The hall was full to the brim with teenagers and adults, though the adults outnumbered the latter.Lilian peeked from the corner of a room upstairs, with a satisfied look on her face. Her plan for this party was to smoke out the patrons using her powers— hearing hushed whispers or distant noises if she tried so hard to concentrate on them.“Are you not joining the party?” She heard a deep voice behind her, startled, she turned to find Daemon staring at her from the corner of the room.“When?” Her brows rose confused, “How did you get in? How did you know I was here?”Daemon just shook his head, his eyes still not leaving her figure. “It's okay to feel like backing out, I told you this party was useless in the first place.”Lilian gave him a mirthless smile and shook her head, tilting her head to the side, she said calmly. “I think you need to, you know, clear your head with this party. You've been stressed and tensed up lately about getting the patrons, I think y
Chapter 73Tomorrow.“You wanted to see me?” The man with an obviously fake mustache leaned closely towards her, “I don't have that much time before someone notices me.”“I need your help.” Her voice was low. Her back was straight, and her eyes were staring intently at the clipboard in her hand, she was barely looking at the man.“Of course, you need my help!” He inwardly rolled his eyes as said, unable to hide the growing irritation. “Just what do you need? And at what price are you willing to give?”“I need their identities before this evening is over.” She said calmly, and it took a few moments before he could understand what she was talking about.A small frown formed on his face. “You saw them during the exchange,” He said in a serious voice, standing from his crouched position, his face straight. “Why don't you reveal their identity yourself?”She pursed her lips for a few seconds. “I can't. It was sealed in me.”Her mind flashed back to the night during the first exchange, that
Chapter 72Changing Her Mind.“You've been moving up and down since the beginning of today.” Daemon spat out in an irritated tone as he glanced slightly towards Oliver. “Can't you do this somewhere where I don't have to see you?”Daemon was leaning against the stone wall of the pack house in deep thought, waiting for Wilder's message when he periodically got distracted by Oliver's movements.“All thanks to your mate!” Oliver pursed her lips when she replied, turning away from him to leave.At the mention of Lilian's name, Daemon's head snapped up in concentration.“What about her? Is she okay?” He began to pull himself away from the wall, his voice filled with worry.Oliver felt the hollow pain in her chest as she watched Daemon's concern for Lilian. When was he going to see her the way she saw him? Was he ever going to look her way even for a second? She bit her lips, trying to force away the tears that came with the pain in her heart.“Nothing.” She shook her head, before realizing
Chapter 71.An Opportunity.Oliver was carefully tapping her perfectly manicured nails on the table, in deep thought about Lilian's proposition.“Friends?” She scoffed at herself and rolled her eyes. “Sure, when hell freezes over!”Suddenly, the door opened, and a mysteriously cloaked man walked into the room. Oliver casually glanced at him before going back to her thoughts. She had been expecting him for over an hour, and she had given up on waiting for him.“I'm sorry for the delay.” The man said in a gruff voice and slipped on quietly into the room, closing the door behind him with a soft click. “I had to weave through many guards before I could come up.”“Just stop with the lies.” Oliver looked uninterested. “There are barely any guards or warriors around this time of the night.”The man began peeling off the coat from his body, hanging it on the nearest chair he could find.“Maybe things have suddenly changed, or,” He shrugged, “You're not as observant as you think you are.”“And
Chapter 70.A Party.The pack hall was dimly lit when she entered, the once rowdy hall quietened as soon as she took her first steps. It was as if they could sense her as all heads turned towards her direction.Lilian let out a shaky breath as she made her way into the pack hall, making sure her gaze on people was steady, showing no form of fear or coldness. It was difficult to keep up with the neutral position of her face as some people either stared daggers at her or cowered when her eyes landed on them.This wasn't going to be easy, she thought to herself.She was finally able to make her way to the podium, and she suddenly remembered the last time she stood on the wooden platform. Her fate was being decided by the elders of the pack, and it was then she learned about the death of her parents– her aunt's family, rather– who had died in the hands of Alpha Blackthorn.“Hello, everyone.” Lilian cleared her throat and spoke, softly and calmly, yet clear enough for everyone to hear.All
Chapter 69A New Proposition.“What do you think of her plan?” Wilder asked with a straight face, his hands in his pocket as he strode in step with Daemon. “Will it work out?”Daemon did not reply for a few seconds as he checked his watch, and when he replied, he completely ignored Wilder's question.“Has anyone other Alpha reached out to you?”Wilder sighed at his response and shook his head. “Only three Alphas have shown interest so far.”“Apart from Alpha Callow, who else?”“I know that Alpha Nolan and Alpha Ryker are planning to join hands with Lilian. Alpha Nowel will undoubtedly be on our side even though he hasn't revealed the patron for this pack yet.”“And the other four Alphas?”“I guess they are still contemplating their answers.”They reached the large garage beside the pack house and it was filled with different kinds of expensive cars– mostly acquired by the late Alpha Blackthorn and was now given to Daemon to be used at his disposal. They walked confidently into the gar
Chapter 68Can We Be Friends?“What do you think you're doing?”Lilian sat casually on the black sofa of the living room when Daemon burst into the room angrily with Oliver and Wilder following behind.“Helping you.” Lilian replied without looking his way, a small book sat on her lap as her eyes ran through the page she was reading.“How is what you're doing being helpful?” Oliver burst in, her face twisted in anger and her hands shaking. “You offered them so much…"“Well…" Lilian cut her off sharply, closing the book with a soft thud before giving Oliver a cold look. “Isn't it better that they think we are divided?”Wilder gave the woman on the sofa a calculating look. Something had changed in her, and he didn't know when the change started. She was calmer this time, and there was also an edge to her. Lilian had an aloof expression on her face as she spoke to Oliver.“Why should they think we are divided? They wouldn't trust us, or want to join forces with us.”“I'm not speaking of t