2 weeks have passed, wolf packs from the other countries were on their way to Croatia. No one knew when the war was going to happen, but now that they had Lilliana there. They said it's better to train now, just so they could be prepared. It was best to take an opportunity when they had an open shot. Today she was going to learn how to use and control her powers from her mom's friends Karen, Tija, Prilla, and Grim. Lillian was still training with Sahara and improving on tactics and combat. Lillian was still hesitant with being around Sahara. She thought about what Leon told her and felt she was intruding on a relationship. She was confused because she had feelings for Brian, and she had this urge to be around him. She wasn't sure if it was because she felt safe around him because he was just a bodyguard or if it was something more. She wondered if she was his mate after hearing what Leon told her. She may have been a princess, but it wasn't definite that their assumptions were right. She just concluded to herself that all she felt was a crush and being Brian was the first guy in her life then she had a hard time accepting that he was no longer interested in her. She tried getting along with Sahara, but she didn't want anything to do with her. Lillian went to the living room to watch TV.
"Hey Lilly!" said Chris sitting on the couch next to her.
"Hey...you're here! Where's Carla? " asked Lillian.
"She'll be here with her pack later today" said Chris.
"Pack?"
"Yeah-wait you didn't know?" Chris said confused.
"No" said Lillian. She felt betrayed because she never thought her friend would lie to her after she said she wouldn't.
"Wow I thought you knew she was a wolf. Especially since all of this is happening" said Chris as he rubbed his neck nervously.
"Why wouldn't she tell me?" asked Lillian fidgeting with her fingers.
"You have to remember that everyone has kept secrets from you-
"How many more lies? Is everything so bad that I'm kept in the dark?" said Lillian.
"She's coming tomorrow. You guys can talk it out. But hear her out, just like how you heard us out" said Chris. Lillian sighed and walked away.
Lillian went outside and sat on a bench that was around a water fountain. She looked at her hands. She looked at the water and ran her hands through it. She swished her hands back and forth. Her hands glowed and water formed into a ball. She used her other hand and started forming more water droplets. She let out a breath and the water froze. She gasped and the ice turned back into water and the droplets fell back into the water. Leon came walking through and he saw Lillian sitting down. He sighed as he stared at her. He could only imagine the stress that she was going through. It must be extremely hard to process everything and try to accept it. She didn't realize the whole world was on her shoulders, yet everyone made it out to seem that it wasn't. He slowly approached her.
"You ok?" asked Leon.
Lillian didn't answer and just stared at the birds that came and went as they pecked at the water.
"What's wrong?" asked Leon as he sat down next to her.
"I don't know anymore. I honestly don't want to be here no more" said Lillian somberly.
"Just relax, everything will be okay" said Leon, trying to be the encouraging friend.
"Do you have a mate?" Lillian asked.
"Yeah, I do" said Leon with a smile.
"Is she a werewolf?" asked Lillian, her interest peaked.
"Yeah, she is" said Leon as he smiled bigger.
"Have you seen her? How is she?" asked Lillian.
"She's fine. I told her I had business to take care of. She'll be arriving soon" said Leon.
"How did you guys meet?" asked Lillian.
"I was walking and accidentally punched her. She ended up punching me back. We were about to be at each other's throats but when our eyes connected, we found out we were mates. She punched me in the face one more time, kind of to warn me not hurt her again" said Leon, smiling at the memory.
"That's an unusual way to meet someone" Lillian laughed.
"Yeah, but she's amazing. She's shy but she'll defend herself when need to" said Leon.
Lillian smiled. She imagined how the two met, and she smiled. They met unusually but they got along. If only her and Brian were that way. She scolded herself as she thought about him again. 'He's trash, move on' she said to herself.
"He still likes you Lilly" said Leon. Lillian let out a disbelieving laugh.
"Brian doesn't cast out people, but he cares about them" said Leon.
"He cast me out. He kissed me and then he pushed me away. Said and proved that he's just a guard for me. He was only assigned to watch out for me until the time was to bring me here" said Lillian.
"Give him a chance" said Leon.
"He dissed Sahara" Lillian gave another point. "But now I feel like I'm intruding on their relationship. But it feels I'm more for him"
"Just...give him-
"him and Sahara?" stated Lillian but came out as a question.
"No" said Leon.
"He pulls me in and pushes me away" said Lillian.
"He- He's still confused. He cares for Sahara. Give him time." Said Leon.
Lillian shook her head and got up and walked away. She went to the library. She just wanted to help with whatever she could, and then go home, or go start her own life. She would find out about the history and start a life on her own by herself. She wouldn't go back home, there was nothing left for her there. She looked through the bookshelf and started to read a random book.
*******
Lillian woke up and looked at the clock on the wall and saw it was 10pm. She walked out the Library and started walking to her room. Lillian saw a light on and went to it. Down the hall she turned and saw Brian in his room reading on the bed. Lillian tried not to make a sound and watched Brian. He looked handsome. All he wore was his pajama pants and nothing else. She could tell he's been working out because his muscles were bigger. His hair wasn't normally spiked, and it was just tousled. His face was calm, but he looked serious or determined about something as he laid on his bed, reading a book.
"What do you want Lilly?" asked Brian still looking at his book. He could tell she was there by hearing low breathing and smelling her scent.
"Oh I...um..."
"It's me in my room and I'm reading a book" said Brian reading her thoughts.
"How was practice?" asked Lillian ignoring his rude behavior.
"It was fine" said Brian in a clip voice.
"Brian, why didn't you tell me about Sahara?" Lillian asked. She knew it was none of her business, yet she had the right to know.
"What's to tell?" asked Brian.
"You led me on-
"No, I didn't, you fell for me because I was being nice" said Brian.
"If you loved her why did you kiss me? Why did you give me hope?"
"I didn't kiss you. It was a mistake for me to lead you on and I apologize for that. I felt something different with you. I felt the need to be by you and protect you. I was-
"You were sent to protect me but instead it was you who fell in love with me?" said Lillian knowing the words he was going to say.
"I don't love you..." said Brian closing his book putting it down
"Oh...You have feelings for me though" said Lillian, trying to ignore the stabbing pain.
"Lillian...stop-
"I know you care about me. There's something there" Lillian spoke out.
"I still have feelings for her alright!" yelled out Brian.
"So am I nothing when you think of her also!?"
Brian jumped on Lillian and grabbed her by the neck and held her down on the floor. Lillian banged her head.
"Lillian everything I'm doing is only my job. I feel nothing for you. Do not make the mistake of thinking me watching you is me wanting you" said Brian viciously.
Lillian sobbed, no longer able to hold her tears in. Brian's heart broke and his wolf was trying to break out, but he held him back. Brian let her up and just watched Lillian stand there, pain on her face. Brian never had the intention to hurt Lillian nor wanted to. But he already had an arranged marriage and he didn't want to lose Sahara. He chose his mate and that was that. He thought about Lillian and he didn't want to lose her, but he refused to accept that they were supposed to be together. Brian pushed his thoughts away and opened the door and silently waited for her to leave. Lillian stood there and she walked towards the door. She tried to look back at Brian, but he was already closing the door on her, making her speed up her walking. The door clicked behind her and she hurriedly walked down the hall. She noticed maids looking at the ground. It was as if they heard what had happened and knew the pain. Lillian squared her shoulders and walked to her room. She closed the door and collapsed on her bed. She let herself cry. She didn't bother to be loud or quiet. She just let it out.
It was the next day, Lillian woke up with a headache. She didn't bother getting up. She just stared out the window. She heard rummaging and talking downstairs. Everyone was up and getting ready for the day. She honestly wished her mother were here, or someone was here for her. She must've been there for a while because she heard a knock on her door and the doorknob jiggling. She sighed as she remembered she locked the door. She ignored everyone and went back to sleep. Lillian woke up to banging on the door. She ignored it and waited for the person to leave. The person kept banging on the door.
"Lillian! Stop acting like a child. There's a meeting and your presence is needed. Get yourself ready" said Brian as spoke through the door.
Lillian hopped up when she heard his voice, seeing red she went towards the door and swung it open. "Leave me the alone!"
Brian was taken back but his eyes went black, "Watch your tone with me" he growled, his wolf coming out.
"No, you watch your tone! Have the meeting by yourself! You can tell them you're responsible for everything! I hate you!" Lillian screamed at him. Brian shoved her in her room and closed the door.
"Get out of my room!" Lillian cried out. Brian saw her eyes spark blue and then back to her regular eye color.
"You need to calm down. I don't care what me and you are going through, but it's going to stop! Other packs are gathering here, and we have an important business meeting. They did not come here after waiting so long to find and meet you just see and hear you throw a temper tantrum. You're a princess, start acting like one" Brian scolded her, and Lillian wanted to scream shout at him, but she knew he was right. There were bigger things going on and her heart breaking wasn't part of it.
"Fix yourself. Take a shower and look presentable. Enough of this, enough" Brian told her one last time and he walked out of her room, closing the door behind him gently.
Lillian sat there and she felt like she's been scolded by a parent. She ignored her feelings and took a shower and got dressed. She wore a light blue dress that flowed to her knees. A big blue flower was on the left side of her dress that started at the top strap and then down to the bottom of the dress. She wore white heels and blue pearl earrings. After putting on mascara and putting her hair in a high ponytail and spraying on perfume and deodorant, she was ready for the meeting. She looked at herself in the meeting, she looked older, she would have felt older if she hadn't thrown a temper tantrum. She sighed and went downstairs. She saw a guard and he escorted her to the room where they would hold the meeting. She arrived at the room and there were people seated at a large table. Everyone had two guards standing behind them. She watched silently and went over to an open seat at the end of the table.
"You must be Lillian. My name is Grim. I was one of your mother's friends." The guy introduced. Lillian smiled and greeted the man. She then remembered the letters that she read and thought if he was the one who warned her mother.
"I'm Karen, this is Tija, and Prilla. It's finally nice to meet you. We're glad you're here" said the woman.
"It's nice to meet you" said Lillian softly. She sat down on the chair and everyone was talking and getting settled.
Lillian was nervous. What was she to say? She knew nothing about politics or the Kingdom. She was just shoved into this and expected to play the part of lost princess and control everything. Everyone went silent when Brian came in. He was dressed in a nice dress shirt and slacks and shoes. He wore his designer watch and a chain around his neck. He was dressed nice. Her heart stopped when she saw Sahara come in next to him. Her hair was curled and pinned to the side. She wore a pink dress that was covered with lace. She wore white pink heels to match her outfit. She looked beautiful and Lillian smiled sadly. She looked away when Sahara held on to Brian's arm.
"Thank you everyone for gathering here today. I hope you had a safe trip. We are gathered here to discuss the war. I'm hope everyone is settled into their rooms. We have Lillian Abriella Arsenio here" said Brian and gestured to her.
Lillian smiled as some people stared at her and then stared back at Brian. Lillian sat there silently as the meeting went on. In all honesty, she felt she had no place in this meeting. She did the only thing she knew she could do and that was take notes on what everyone was speaking about.
"Are we ready?" said a man.
"We just need to make sure everyone knows the plan on our attack" said Chris
"How are we going to enter the palace?" asked another wolf.
"We need to see why –
"We don't have time! Brian knows how to enter, and Sahara will go with him" said one of the leaders
"Sam that's not enough people. We need two more people for backup. Send Leah and Zack" said Chris.
"How will Miss. Lillian play a part in this. She doesn't even know how to fight" said a woman and some people nodded.
"How do you know that? You have never been here" said Leon.
"My sources tell me" the woman gestured to Sahara and everyone looked to her.
"She is improving but she has a long way to go" said Sahara.
"Lost princess...More like lost hope. She may be beautiful, but she could be a weakling" said a man in disbelief.
"She had time-
"Apparently not enough. Does she even know what she's capable of?" said someone else and everyone muttered in agreement and protest.
"You're not even giving me a chance!" Lillian cried out. Everyone went silent.
"You all have hidden me in the dark. You find me and bring me here expect me to know everything about your stupid problems! I will train until my legs fall off, but if any of you question me then I will go to the enemy myself and point them in your direction, so you can fend for yourself. I am here, the same as all of you to train and to fight, but if you ever cross or question me, I will kill you myself. And I will be sure everyone knows your funeral is taking place." With that Lillian stormed out of the room, the guards opened the doors for her.
"How do you like her now?" said Leon and laughed out, breaking the stunned silence.
Lillian came downstairs dressed in training gear. She went out to the small field away from everyone else and practiced her magic. She focused on the apple on top of the stump and from her hands and electric flow went from her hands and destroyed the apple.
"That was a powerful speech you gave" said Karen. She had no hair and she wore a dark blue dress with black leggings underneath.
"I don't know what I'm doing. No one shows respect. I'm just something that's there. Everyone looked to Brian-
"King Brian" said Karen.
"I don't care. How do you demand respect without crying out or looking like just some object?" asked Lillian as she tried lighting her hands up with blue fire.
Karen came to her and helped her find the right position. She then practiced Yoga and more of her magic and fighting. Sahara came to Lillian and saw her learning and getting better at her moves and powers. She stood there and watch until Karen turned and demanded her to leave.
"Make sure you're in a stance. You're going to feel the energy here in your stomach. Let it build up and let it flow. It's like water. Let it go where it wants. Your hands control where the fire goes" said Karen. She gave an example by getting in a strong stance and she let her energy flow. Fire blew out from her hands and she lit it in the air. Lillian gasped in shock and wonder. Karen let her other hand on fire and the fire blew in the air, twisting and turning. She closed her fist, extinguishing the fire. Lillian gave it a try. She felt the fire sting a bit but then it started to cool down. She bent her fingers and more fire came out. She stared at the fire and thought about the meeting.
"Bring the fire down!" Karen yelled out, causing Lillian to snap back to what she was doing. The fire started to get bigger. Before she could close her hands, a tree caught on fire. She started to freak out. Suddenly, water was thrown on it.
Lillian turned and it was Prilla, Grim, and Tija. She looked at the ground, expecting to be scolded at. She was surprised when hands grasped hers.
"You're still learning to bend your powers. Don't count yourself out yet" said Grim. Lillian smiled and gave a small nod.
They stood back as Karen continued to train Lillian how to bend fire. On occasions Grim would have to put the fire out. Lillian grimaced and immediately apologized.
"She's getting better" Prilla whispered to Grim.
"It's her first day. My concern is how much time do we have to train her before she is fully ready" mumbled Grim.
"Remember how her mother was" said Karen as she approached them, leaving Lillian to practice as they watched on.
"You mean when she almost burned my hair off?" said Grim.
"You don't have any hair, it's just tattoos" said Prilla and Grim growled, causing her to smile.
"She'll get better. Remember, her mother was a quick learner" said Karen.
After practice, it was soon nighttime. Lillian was sore as she sank down in her tub. After learning to fire bend, Karen and Tija helped her fight in combat and how to use her fire bend at the right time and not to burn anyone but the enemy. She sighed and scrubbed herself clean and relaxed in the tub for a little longer. Her stomach growled but she wasn't interested in sitting down with everyone. She thought back to the meeting and everyone looked to Brian and Sahara. They looked at them as the future and looked to her as a guest. She thought back to what Brian told her and she wiped at her face. Everyone was looking for her, but they didn't look to her. They doubted her. They didn't believe or trust her. She dipped her head under the water and came back up. She got out of the bath and got herself ready for bed. As she was about to lay down, she heard a knock. She stared at the white door, contemplating on opening, or ignoring the person. She decided to answer the door.
"Hey!" squealed Carla. Lillian let out her tears and collapsed in her friend's arms. Lucky Carla was taller than her.
Lillian sat on the bed as Carla closed and locked the door. Carla sat there patiently as her friend cried and then went silent. "How are you holding up?" asked Carla.
"I don't know what I'm doing" said Lillian as she stared at the ceiling.
"How are you and Brian?" asked Carla.
"He wants nothing to do with me" said Lillian and covered her eyes.
"What? But you guys were always together, what happened?" asked Carla, surprised at the change of everything.
"He has no feelings for me, he was just sent to protect me" said Lillian.
"Hmmm...is there someone else?" asked Carla
"He has this relationship with a girl, and they've known each other for a long time. He admitted to me that he loves her" said Lillian, her heart broke, and she wiped at her face.
"I'm sorry Lilly. Chris filled me in on everything. I want to apologize for telling you that I'm a wolf. I honestly didn't know you were the princess, or a princess. I'm sorry that I didn't tell you about my secret. It's not something you share with people" said Carla.
"It's okay. I understand where you're coming from" said Lillian.
"I'm sorry your father is a crazy person and about your aunt and cousin. I can't imagine being thrown into a life that was a complete lie. I would honestly make everyone's life miserable for making mine miserable" said Carla and Lillian laughed.
"I'm so glad that you're here" said Lillian and Carla squeezed her hand in reassurance.
"So how are you and Chris doing?" asked Lillian.
"Really good, he marked me" said Carla, she sat up and showed a bite mark on her shoulder.
"What does that mean? What do mates and having a mark mean?" asked Lillian.
"When mates find each other, they have this connection. It's when they feel inseparable. Your pain is theirs and vice versa. When you mark each other, you and your wolves are more connected. Everything is connected. You can mind link and you know where each other are. When one dies the other dies also, it's a way to have mates spend eternity with each other" said Carla. Lillian sighed and smiled at what Carla told her. She understood how Brian and Sahara's relationship was. Her and Leon's conversation was nagging at her. She felt bad that she was intruding, and she was stressing Brian out.
"She's his mate" said Lillian. Carla looked at her in confusion.
"The other woman, or the girl that Brian is in love with, they're mates. I feel bad that I gave him such a hard time for leading me on" said Lillian
"Leading you on?" asked Carla.
"He always paid attention to me, took me out on dates, and he kissed me" said Lillian and Carla's mouth dropped open in surprise.
"There has to be something there if he kissed you" said Carla.
"It doesn't matter, he regrets it and wants nothing to do with me" said Lillian.
"When you're with Brian did you feel sparks or feel like something is being ripped from you?" Carla asked.
"Yeah, but Brian is the first guy who has ever paid attention to me. I just assumed it was a crush and I'll just have to let it go" said Lillian and Carla sat there confused.
"What is it?" Lillian asked her friend.
"I think you and Brian are true mates" said Carla.
"No because him and Sahara really like each other" said Lillian.
"Brian and Sahara have known each other for a while, and it may be that they have chosen each other as mates" said Carla.
"That means I can't fight for him" said Lillian sadly.
"What-oh. You know the history" said Carla and Lillian nodded.
Carla cried softly, "I'm sorry Lilly. I can't imagine if I tried fighting for Chris, but I couldn't if he already made the decision to reject me. Oh my gosh this hurts" Carla cried softly again and shook her head. Chris tapped in her mind and asked if she were okay and she reassured him and told him how much she loved him, and she would never reject him.
After Carla and Lillian caught up with each other, Carla went to go find Chris. Lillian went downstairs to the kitchen. Everyone was just leaving, and no one bothered to greet her. She went to the fridge and started getting ingredients to make herself a sandwich. After making herself a sandwich and put everything else away. She sat down and started to eat her food silently. A maid came in and looked at her. Lillian smiled and the maid frowned. She put towels away in the kitchen jour.
"Please make sure you keep it clean, thank you" said the maid.
Lillian smashed the plate against the wall causing the maid scream out. Lillian stormed out the kitchen. People who were hanging around stared, but she ignored them. When she reached the door to the backyard, she blasted the door open. She stormed out and went to the clearing far away from the mansion. She began practicing her combat moves. Everything was catching up to her and she was tired. She was somewhere where she didn't feel she belonged. She kept thinking that she should just go home and let everyone else just figure out how to protect themselves.
"You're getting better" said Sahara approaching Lillian.
"But...you need more guts and anger" said Sahara
"I know about fighting" said Lillian still practicing.
"Look, I really don't like you. You stole Brian from me, and he was going to be my fiancé and be my husband" said Sahara pissed off
"Yeah, I know he loves you. But all that doesn't matter because there's a war going on and I have to be make sure I'm ready" said Lillian back talking Sahara.
Sahara took off her jacket and slapped Lillian in the face.
"What is your problem?!" yelled Lillian covering the place where she got hit.
"You're just so stupid! He doesn't love you! He's mine! Nobody cares about you and you're just a brat who thinks you're special!" said Sahara grabbing her sword and started aiming for Lillian. Lillian's hands glowed with a blue light.
"Sahara, Brian loves you!" said Lillian and dodged an attack.
"Ever since your father has been ruling, you're all he thinks about! He hasn't talked to me and he comes here and makes sure everything is centered around you! I just wish your father will kill you already!" Sahara yelled out.
Lillian blew a blast at her and Sahara dodged just in time.
"Everything was fine until your dad ruled but now its torture because his men killed my mother. He killed everyone and he continues to do it because of you" said Sahara
"I don't know what happened so stop putting your anger on me!" said Lillian as she dodged a move.
"Just stay away from Brian, he's mine! You have no place in his life. He's mine! You hear that, mine!" said Sahara throwing down her sword a filling up with tears.
"Sahara I did not know. My father hates me! He doesn't care about me or what I do! He was supposed to be my father! He killed my mother and my aunt and anyone in my family! I have nobody! Brian does not want me. He made that clear again and again. I don't have Brian, you do. I have nothing and nobody!" Lillian cried out, her hands glowing a soft blue.
Lillian felt her body fill with heat, and she screamed out. She tried to control her power, but it took control of her. Lillian fell to the ground screaming. Sahara stood back and saw Lillian glow in blue and felt a big flow of energy. She saw Lillian twist and turn and rise in the air lying limp and still glowing causing a large light in the sky. Sahara's wolf felt threatened and turned into a wolf. She did a warning howl to contact all wolves in the house. Five minutes later, everyone came and saw Lillian floating. Everyone changed back into human form and saw what was happening.
"What happened?!" asked Brian as he stared at the figure in the sky.
"I-I don't know. She and I were fighting and she just-
"Her power got out of control" said Leon
Grim and his other friends came and saw what was happening. "If you do not stop this...you will signal other wolves and Vampires to find Lillian" said Grim.
"How can we stop her?" asked a wolf named Jason.
"You need someone who cares deeply for her to speak to her" said Karen.
Everyone looked at Brian. Brian looked at Lillian and then at Sahara. Sahara shook her head in confusion.
"Brian, hurry up and do it!" Yelled Chris.
Brian walked over to Lillian and watched her float. "Lillian, come down! I know you're mad about your life and what's gone on! Your mother, she wouldn't want you to be angry! She knows you hate being alone and you have nobody. But you have me, my pack, and the kingdom. We consider you as family! Carla loves you also and she's always been by your side and you know that! All of us will protect you We'll never leave you nor hurt you. We'll get through this. We'll take your father down and beat him for what he's done...for hurting other people, your mother...and you" said Brian. After Brian said his words, the light stopped shining and Lillian started coming towards the ground. Brian ran over to Lilian and checked to make sure she was okay.
"Brian, we have to get her back to the house" said Prilla.
Brian picked up Lillian and started walking back towards the house with Leon and everyone following. Leon dismissed everyone back to their respective rooms.