Freedom Series: Chasing Butterflies

Chapter 16

He was just one big ball of imperfections, locked in a case of insecurities, surrounded by a wrapper of disappointment. 

  That's all that he would ever be, and to think that he could be anything else was a child's dream.  

He felt a hand slide across his shoulder turning him towards the person. "It's okay babe, not everyone can be perfect. And even though you fall shorter than most, I still love you." She whispered to him, caressing his face softly before leaning even closer and bringing him to her. "Because no one else will."

<8>

It had been two weeks and Nova was still thinking about the tingling feeling that had been left upon her lips. She sat in a park rocking Neil back and forth in his stroller and just, enjoying the unseasonably warm day in Washington. Two children ran past in front of her, laughing, as one boy tackled the other to the ground no doubt dirtying up their clothes. Neil watched them and smiled attempting to pull himself out of his stroller like he wanted to go play too.

"Not yet Neil, not yet." She murmured, taking one of his own toys and trying to distract him. When that didn't work she plucked him out the stroller and sat him on the grass, watching as he pushed himself up and grabbed leg taking a few shaky steps towards the two boys. At just nine months he was already trying to walk on his own, she laughed as he clumsily fell to the grass and then begin to roll around, already losing interest in the two boys.

 In all her enjoyment with Neil, Nova failed to notice the red-head sitting two benches down from her watching her steadily.

Lily wondered how she would cleverly, but subtly, eliminate this new threat that was in her life. There had been other girls who had attempted to steal Anderson away but they had been wolves, and therefore were able to be dealt with like wolves. Violence was a lot less political and easier to do in the Were community since they were, in fact, part animal. However, killing a human girl? That would involve police, and media, and an investigation. Things that she could not allow to get traced back to the Were community.

She groaned as her head began to pound and was not sure if it was because of the harsh thinking she was doing or the sun shining brightly on her raging hangover. So she decided to call her equally red-headed brother Ash to see if his side of the plan was going well.

"Lily." He answered, dryly. She frowned, her brother never took an interest in much. Which is why it's so easy for her to enlist his help. What was the saying 'if don't stand for something, you'll fall for everything'.

"Is my mate out of town?" She questioned him. Ash only had one job and that was to get the whole Greyson family out of the way. The Alpha and Alpha Female were already halfway across the world on a three-week trip abroad so they would not be interfering with her plan.

"Your mate?" Ash questioned, his confused tone ringing through the phone. "I don't quite recall a bonding ceremony taking place." He said, mockingly then began to laugh at his own statement. She waited for him to stop impatiently.

"So he's gone then?" She questioned him sharply.

"Oh no he's here somewhere, I just lost him." He said, nonchalantly. 

"You what?" She hissed holding her head, enraged. She watched as Nova answered a phone call and then urgently stood up, grabbing Neil and making her way towards her car. A new plan began to form as she watched them leave and she smirked, this could still work.

"Meet me on Route 5, Ash." She said standing to her feet as she watched Nova drive away.

"Why?" He asked, bored.

"Because we have someone new to follow."

<8>

Nova sat watching Neil play in the grass when her phone began to ring. Since she walked around with her phone in her hand she watched as an unknown number slid across her screen. At first, she was going to ignore it, but just as she decided to lock the screen again her hand began to move almost as if it was compelled and betrayed her by answering the phone call. She stared at it and then lifted the phone to her ear, not knowing what to expect. What she definitely wasn't expecting was a gruff voice to answer.

"Hello?" A deep masculine voice barked. Fear struck straight through her, was this one of her father's games? Just as she began to hang up, her hand shaking, the voice spoke again. "Is their someone there that knows an Anderson? Because he needs your help."  

<8>

Oops, bad Anderson.

But do we still like him?