Chapter 1

Lily

Today Rose and I turn fourteen. Mother and father are throwing a party as Roses request. Me on the other hand could have cared less. I didn’t want a party that would be full of people I did not want to see, Rose only wanted to see Ethan and her friends.

I don’t have friends. It's better this way to not get attached to someone when you could be swept away at any giving moment.

“Happy birthday, Lily,” My brother Wyatt says walking into my room.

Wyatt has always been my favorite amongst my brothers. Wade found love with a girl that moved here with her family and Riley gave him the opportunity to leave if she did not wish to live this lifestyle. Wade had been working for Riley since he was ten years old; he would do anything Riley asked him to do no matter how difficult the request was.

Jenny, the girl Wade loved, didn't want to give any babies she would have in the future away, so with Riley’s consent Wade left us last year.

I miss him.

“Thanks,” I half smiled at Wyatt.

Wyatt hands me the small red box with a purple ribbon tied around it. I know what’s in the box the same as every year since I was nine: a charm for my bracelet. The Lycan Prince brought me when I was a toddler and never looked back. No calls, no visits, nothing but a charm once a year.

“Why aren’t you at your party?” Wyatt asks, leaning on elbow on the bed.

“That’s Rose's party, not mine,” I replied.

I don’t like parties, dancing and music is not my thing. That’s Roses thing, mine? My thing is books.

“Would it kill you to get your nose out of that book and at least make an appearance?”

“It might,”

Wyatt mutters a line of cursed words as he pulls the book from my hands and tosses it on the bed.

“Hey, I was reading that,” I punched his arm.

“You're going downstairs,”

I shook my head as I fell back against my pillows and folded my arms over my chest.

Wyatt shakes his head and stands from the bed with his hands held up in surrender.

“I tried,” He says and leaves my room.

I grab my book and continue to read the last chapter.

……….

A few weeks have passed since the party and since it’s summer we have no school. Rose begged me to go shopping with her at the mall the next town over for a new dress to wear when Ethan comes to see her tonight. When I refused her she used my love for books against me and told me they had a new bookstore only two doors down from the dress shop.

I couldn’t pass up books, I’ve read all of mine and I did need new ones.

Riley isn’t a bad person, he just does bad things, sometimes. I tried to get a part-time job but no one would hire me because of my age so my father asked him to meet with me and I told him how badly I wanted my own money so I didn’t have to depend on my parents' money.

My parents worked hard for their money and I didn’t feel right taking it for books.

Riley told me his beta’s mother owned a diner in town and she was looking to hire but no one wanted the jobs because of the low pay. Two days later Riley introduced me to Georgia. We talked for an hour and she offered me the job. Once I started as a waitress Rose and a few other girls decided they also wanted jobs so they could buy clothes.

I make four hundred and sixty-five dollars every two weeks plus tips. Most days the tips are good but on slow days not as much. I’ve been saving every penny I earn, only spending twenty bucks every now and again on books.

“Rose try this one on,” Beverly says, handing Rose a short pink dress. Her eyes lit up upon seeing it and she grabbed it and ran to the dressing room. She’s only gotten excited about every dress Bev has shown her. Beverly was to a beta of the west-gate pack three hundred miles from here. She also gets visits and phone calls.

“Tell Rose I’ll be at the bookstore,” Beverly nods without looking up as her prime focus is on finding a dress.

I told myself I was only going to buy one book if I was going to save enough money to escape from this hell hole of a town. If this so-called prince thinks I’m going to be his pet he’s wrong…so fucking wrong.

I’m no one’s pet. Not his, not anybody’s.

“Will this be it?” The tall woman with blonde hair asks.

I nod.

“That will be 85 dollars and 54 cents,”

I bit my tongue.

Damn it Lily you can’t be spending so much on books. But this is the last time I will buy them for a while. Four should last me for a bit……maybe.

I reached into my purse to grab my wallet when an old hand put his card down.

“Use this,” His rough voice sounds like he smokes a lot of cigarettes.

“Uh, thanks but I can manage,” I tell him politely.

He shakes his head. “I insist on it. It’s every day you see such a young beauty like yourself buy books, most reads from their phones,”

“I prefer holding my books,”

He nodded. “As do I,”

“Thanks,” I tell him as he walks with me to the door.

“Ms. Lily, have you opened your gift?”

I froze. How did he know my name? And how did he know about the charm?

No…….is this old guy the Lycan prince?

“How do you know my name?”

“I know a lot of things about you,” He replied.

Creepy.

“Uh…..thanks for the books but I have to go now,”

“Ms. Lily. My name is Sedrick, I am Prince's butler,”

I stopped walking.

I glance over my shoulder.

“Is he here?”

He shakes his head.

“Afraid not Ms. He has been really busy, so he sent me to ask why you have not opened his gift?”

I sighed with relief he wasn’t here….wait….how did he know I haven’t opened the charm yet?

“How does he know I haven’t opened the gift?”

Sedrick walks closer.

“Why don’t we get you something to eat,” He suggested.

“I’m not hungry,” I lied.

“I must be getting back. Please open the gift once you return home,”

I nod.

Sedrick smiles at me and bows his head as he walks away.

“Wait,” I call after him.

“Yes, Ms?”

“When is he coming for me?”

I needed to know how long I have so I can escape before he arrives.

“I’m not sure Ms. Lily, I do apologize,”

………..

Once I returned to Rose and Beverly Rose had just found a dress. We ate some burgers and headed home. I never mentioned Sedrick to any of them and I don’t plan to. Sedrick said the prince wanted to know why I hadn’t opened his gift yet. How did the prince know I didn’t? For hours now I’ve been staring at the red box wrapped in purple ribbon in my hand.

Why am I afraid to open it? It’s a charm…right? He always sends a charm.

Taking a deep breath I pull the neatly tied ribbon off the box and slowly open it.

I raise my brows.

A phone? He brought me a cell phone and it has an apple on the back.

I hate apples.

I grab the phone and flip it over and fidget with it and it finally turns on.

Rose would have known how to use this thing she does have one all of the girls do even the boys, I didn’t want one before never had anyone to talk to, still don’t.

So why would he buy me a phone?

The phone dings. And I glance down at it.

The text messages are read across the screen and touch the screen to read it.

: Happy birthday Lily.

So that’s how he knew I didn’t open it.

I put the phone under my pillow and began to read my new books.

“Lily, dinner,” My mother Josephine yells from downstairs.

I sit my book down on my bed and stand on my feet when another ding comes from the phone.

I grab the phone and see another text message I open it.

:I see you opened my gift. How do you like it?

Biting my lip on whether or not I should reply it’s rude not to and these things are expensive according to Rose. But he told Riley I’d make a good pet.

I tap on the screen and it lit up and I send him a quick reply.

:It’s okay but the constant dings from you are disturbing me when I read.

Dots appear on the screen and seconds later another text.

:There’s a button on the side. If you push that down the phone will be silent.

I looked and sure enough there was the button I pushed down and silent mode appeared at the top of the screen.

:Thanks. Not trying to sound rude or anything but why a phone? What happened to the charms?

…

:I figured you were getting too old for them and you would like this more plus I can talk to you. Figured you wanted to know about me before you came here.

“Lily Rae Monroe. Come down now,” Mother yells again.

I slipped the phone into my pocket and ran downstairs.

“Sorry mother.” I say taking my seat I take the phone from my pocket and hold it under the table.

“Lily, since you're last to the table you know the rules,” mother says as we all join hands, well everyone but Ethan he doesn’t believe in god he says werewolves believe in the moon-goddess, which is weird but that’s his choice we don’t judge anyone for what they believe.

We bow our heads.

“God, we thank you for this food by your hands we are fed. Give us lord our daily bread, this we ask in Jesus name, amen,”

“Amen,” everyone says but Ethan of course.

That's the same thanks I give when it’s my turn to give thanks. It's my favorite.

I place my hands under the table to check my phone and I see multiple texts.

:Did you figure it out?

:Lily?

:I’m going to say since you're ignoring me you did.

I type a quick reply.

:Sorry, my turn to say grace, before dinner and yes I did. You know….you know my name but I don’t know yours.

“Lily?”

“Huh?” I looked up at Luke and frowned.

“Someone not paying attention,”

I narrowed my eyes on my brother.

“Sorry, what did you say?”

“I was just saying that if you keep your grades above average you’ll get into a good college,” Luke smiles with encouragement.

“Luke, you know she won’t be going,” My father Kurt scolds.

“That’s the plan Luke,” I reply.

I glance back down and text is waiting.

I hesitate to open it so I really want to know? To know him in any way? I’m leaving as soon as I get enough cash.

I opened it.

:Archer.

Not knowing really what to say I text back and say.

:Lily.

…

:I know.

I pressed the button on the side of the phone and the screen went black and I sat quietly and ate dinner.

“Lily, do you want to go with Ethan and me to watch a movie at the park? They have a big screen and everything,” She says with excitement.

I shake my head.

“Come Lily, you never do anything with me, I'm your twin. You’ll miss me when I’m gone,”

Rose has never been good at hiding emotions like now you can see the sadness in her eyes and my stomach twists at her words and I know she’s right I do need to spend more time with her.

“Fine, I’ll go,” I tell her and she jumps and squeals

I cover my ears.

“I’ll go grab my sweater,” I say heading for the stairs.

“Grab mine to please,” Rose yells after me. Such a Rose thing to do. I love her but she’s lazy.

I grab our sweaters and send Archer a quick text.

:Going to see a movie with my sister and I think her boyfriend? Anyway, I’m leaving the phone at home so I’ll talk to you later maybe?

…

:Take the phone.

I reply.

:Bossy much? I can’t text and watch the movie besides the phone dying and I can’t charge it at the park. I’ll send you a text as soon as I get back, promise.

Why did I just say that? I don’t need his permission. He doesn’t own me like he thinks he does.

I plug the phone in and place it under my pillow and head downstairs.

…………

After the movie, Rose wanted a milkshake so Ethan brought us to the ice cream parlor. We chatted and laughed. Ethan's not as bad as I thought he’d be and he seems to care for Rose or he’s good at pretending.

“Ethan, you seem real nice, but how do I know for sure you care for my sister?”

“I love your sister, she's my mate,”Ethan says but he hasn’t taken his eyes off Rose.

She blushes.

“Mate?”

Ethan’s forehead creases.

“Yes, do you not know about wolves?” He asks.

“She never would listen when our parents tried to tell us things. Lily is what you would be stubborn and hard headed, yet she’s the polite person with the biggest heart,” Rose tells him and she smiles at me.

“Listen, it's late. I’m going to head back to you to have fun,”

I was enjoying myself tonight but I didn’t want Ethan to bore me to death with his stories on werewolves.

……….

I take the phone off the charger for four hours and it should be charged up. My eyes widen when I see all the texts and missed calls.

Shit.

:It’s not up for debate, take the phone.

:Lily?

:You did not disobey me.

:Something you need to know about me. I love when people disobey me, I get to punish them. Is that what you want, Lily?

I swallowed hard as I read the last message.

:Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

I tap on the screen to reply.

I’m sorry.

…

:You will be.

I put the phone back under my pillow and climbed in bed. I try to have one night of fun for the first time in my life and now I’m going to be punished? I shake away the thoughts that he can't punish me, first of all, I’m fourteen and second of all he doesn't live close so how is planning on punishing me?

I push the thoughts out of mine and close my eyes. I have a headache all of a sudden and I need to sleep it off.

Instead, I find myself thinking about Archer which is crazy given the fact I know nothing about him besides him being bossy.

I try to imagine what he looks like as my eyelids become too heavy and I fall into the deep ibis of darkness.