The Survivor Queen

Eighteen

~Edited~

Ch. 18

~Lily~

Suddenly I sit up, screaming. "Hey! Hey, Lily, I'm right here. You're okay." A soft voice from beside me says, as if from far away. Hands pull me back into someone, one rubbing my back.

My scream ceased as fast as it started, now only silent tears crawl down my face. "Lily, what's wrong?" Callum asks, looking down at me with a concerned face. I look back up at him, remembering the dream, the nightmare.

I have to keep reminding myself, that wasn't him. It was a version of him my mind made up. He'd never say those things to me. He grabs the sides of my face, making sure I see him, not just look at him.

I gulp and breathe in. "N-nothing. Just... a nightmare." I whisper, tears still in my eyes. "Do you want to talk about it?" He asks gently. I shrug. "I-I don't know. I think so." I whisper. As much as I want to tell him, and have him comfort me, I don't want him to think that I think of him in that light. Then I remember what my mom told me, 'Don't suffer in silence. It's not worth it.'

"Okay. You don't have to." He asks, I nod. "Okay. I-" I take a deep breath. "I was back at my pack. It was... horrible. Fire, screams, blood. Then I was in my house. There was blood, like that night, but my parents' bodies weren't there. They- they walked out. I thought they were going to comfort me, or, I don't know."

"They got mad, Liam was there too. They kept telling me how- how I murdered them. How it was my fault. They were saying I wasn't..." I trail off. Should I really tell him that I don't feel fit to be Queen?

"What were they saying?" he asks, still gentle as ever. "That- that I'm not worthy of being Queen. How could I if I couldn't protect my own family? And- and..." I don't want to tell him. That he was there. Saying the same.

"It's okay, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to." He says with a smile. I nod, looking down at my hands. "Lily, look at me?" He asks. I turn my gaze up to meet his. "You didn't murder them. You had no idea there was an attack coming. How could you? There was no warning. I'm sure your parents would say the same."

I smile, nodding. "If they came back, I don't think they'd address it, honestly. My mom would just be ecstatic Liam and I found each other and our mates." I say with a laugh. "She'd absolutely freak out if she found out I'm going to be Queen, and that Liam is the Royal Beta." I continue.

Cal smiles at me. "It sounds like your mom was an amazing person." He says. I nod. "She would sing Liam and I to sleep. Every night she'd make herself tea and sit with my dad as he read the daily newspaper. In their chairs by the fireplace. I can't remember a time when we didn't have those two rickety chairs." I say with a loud laugh.

"I think my dad would like you." I say thoughtfully. His face lights up, "Really? You think so?" I nod. My dad would respect him for being a good king. The two years before the attack on my pack while Callum ruled were great.

He put in some new laws that restricted the punishments that could be dished out to Omegas, as well as making sure they had good living quarters. My dad would love Callum. "Max is my Dad's name." I say suddenly.

Callum looks relieved. "What? You thought it was some guy from my old pack?" I ask with a smirk. His cheeks flush, "Maybe. I only found out from Jasmine that you were called Max because it was on your jacket. I didn't know it was your dad's name."

I laugh, a real laugh. "Hey! It's a valid concern." He defends himself. I shake my head. "I'm gonna get ready. Then we can eat. Dr.Nelson will be expecting us before lunch." I say, climbing out from under the covers.