Tristan stared at Byron's messenger. He expected it, but now that it was happening he felt so many emotions. Anger and frustration were the most prominent.
He finally had his mate...
And they were going back to war.
Bryon was already sending their vulnerable in small groups to Rafe's pack. He already promised Byron to house whoever Rafe couldn't, so he expected they'd be getting some soon.
Pack wars were always hardest on the pack members. With their hunters fighting instead of providing, food became a problem, and it was a cascade of bad from there.
"My Alpha asks when can we expect you?" The wolf said. Tristan felt the tension in his body at the thought of leaving again. Right when he could start to fix things... Tristan glanced at his mother, Edith and Noah. They had solemn expressions.
"He is our Alpha now, it is unfair of Byron to even ask that, and it would leave us vulnerable, Ulmer has directly threatened us." Noah said. Tristan felt the anger course through him again at the reminder of it.
That day Lo escaped from Moro, Cecil sent a message to them that had enraged him. Demanding his 'mate,' or he'd attack them and take her by force.
"Their focus is on us currently, and your allies are close." The messenger said firmly. Tristan glanced at Noah again.
"We need to discuss what aid we can send, it was never agreed in our last meeting with your Alpha, all he asked was to house your vulnerable." Tristan said.
"... if Eyolf takes us down, you know they will come for you next, don't you? It would be in your best interest to aid us." The messenger said.
"Tell him we need to discuss it. I will get back to him as soon as we can." Tristan said. The messenger bowed his head.
"Please don't take long." He said as he turned to leave. Tristan looked at Noah. He looked bothered, and deep in thought.
"I don't like it." He said. Tristan agreed. He had no obligation to help Byron, they had no treaty any longer, especially not with all the shit he pulled, and he had other allies now he could draw from with his connection to the southern pack.
And something about this made him uneasy. They were already vulnerable with their fighting force down, they couldn't split themselves even more.
"What are you thinking?" Tristan asked, he wanted to make sure they were on the same page.
"I think Hutch is right. We should hit Ulmer, and do it as soon as possible, especially if he split his fighting force to aid Eyolf. If we can go for minimal causalities, get to Cecil and take him out... we need his numbers." Noah said.
After taking out an Alpha in a pack war, they would either have to absorb them or kill them all. It was their way. Most packs chose a mixture of the two, opting to only keep the females and very young to not have trustworthiness issues from the males of fighting age.
Tristan didn't know how he felt about absorbing Cecil's pack. He'd never been there, never seen much of his pack members. But gauging from Cecil and those he had met, he didn't know if he wanted wolves like that around his own. Especially not around Lo.
But they also needed numbers, and that bastard needed to die...
He wanted that damn bond off his mate so she could heal.
"This feels like a ruse to draw you away." His mother spoke up. Tristan looked at Noah. He had the same thoughtful expression.
It was clear that thought was in all their heads.
"We have to wait for our scouts to return to make any decisions anyway. And set up a meeting with Rafe and Hutch." Tristan said.
Tristan glanced at his mother. He could see the worry in her.
"I'll send a messenger tonight. See when and where they want to meet." Noah said. Tristan nodded.
"We'll decide what to do from there." Tristan said. He wanted to get out of there and get home. He had no idea if her friend returned. But something about her potentially being alone was bothering him.
He should have sent enforcers there. Tomorrow he'd have some stationed nearby. Just in case. If anything, for peace of mind..
It was making him nervous. Anxious to get back.
"It's late, let's continue this tomorrow." Tristan said as he headed for the door without looking back. No one stopped him.
Tristan made his way back down the path that would take him home, when distant arguing from familiar voices caught his attention. He abruptly stopped. It was dark. They were out in the forest, where there were no houses.
...why were his cousins out there?
He listened hard for a moment.
"-the hell were you thinking?!" Jake snarled.
"Jake?" Tristan shouted. Both went quiet. He glanced down the path that led to Lo, before looking back to the forest
Dammit...
Could anything just go right tonight?
They started heading back toward him, Tristan went to meet them half way, and the moment they came into view, shock hit him hard at seeing the state of them.
"What the hell are you doing?" Tristan growled. Both Jake and Will looked like they'd been physically fighting. He'd never seen them so much as raise their voices to each other...
"Nothing." Jake growled. He looked furious. Tristan looked at Will. His cousin had grown quite a bit. He was taller than Jake now and with his age, he likely wasn't even done growing yet. Will was avoiding his eyes.
"What happened?" Tristan asked furiously. What the hell?
"Nothing." Jake growled and brushed past him back onto the path. He continued on without looking back. Tristan looked at Will expectedly. He rubbed his shoulder awkwardly.
"Just a misunderstanding. Sorry we missed dinner." Will said.
"Doesn't look like a misunderstanding." Tristan began angrily. They couldn't have fighting within their own, not now, of all times. Will stared at him for a moment.
"It's not what it looks like. Okay? Can we just leave it at that?" Will said. Tristan studied his face. He seemed genuinely uncomfortable.
Tris wanted to say no, he really did... but he had somewhere to be.
"Fine..." Tristan said as he turned to keep going. He'd figure it out later, for now he just wanted to get home.
"Don't let Edith see you like that." Tristan growled back at him.
What the hell could have caused that? His cousins were even tempered and rationales males, at least they used to be. Jake was losing that reputation in the last year... but still. That didn't look like a small little scuffle.
His aunt was going to be furious when she found out.
Tristan abruptly stopped again as he approached the house when he caught Emma's scent. He looked back toward the trail, where Jake and Will were arguing wasn't that far back.
What the hell went on?
He felt instantly angry. Emma had never even been to the Alpha house since he'd moved there. There was no reason for her to even come here.
Tristan looked to the house, most of the lights were off. He closed the distance and shoved through the door. He caught her scent there too. It was quiet, and as he observed the front room, there was nothing off or out of place.
He felt himself relax slightly, he didn't even realize he'd tensed. But anger hit him regardless. She had no business there. No reason at all to be around his fated.
He'd deal with that first thing tomorrow...
The house was cold. Tristan glanced to the fireplace, and inwardly cursed himself for not showing them where the wood was. He'd completely forgotten.
He didn't expect to have them there...
Tristan immediately bound upstairs, but his fears were quelled when he felt the heat in the hallway. Clearly they'd figured it out.
Sil was in the first room in the hall, he heard her moving around inside. He continued toward his own, unable to help the sudden building nervous anticipation inside him from his wolf.
That damn female had put it in his head... not that he expected it. But the thought she might be there waiting for him had crept in. So he couldn't help his inner self's disappointment when he heard her in the room opposite his.
Tristan paused. He felt irritated by that useless meeting taking away the rest of the evening. He could clearly hear her settled in bed, she wasn't moving much.
He stared at the door for a time, surprised by the almost overwhelming urge from his wolf to go throw her over his shoulder and take her to bed with him.
... there was the briefest of moments where he seriously considered it, before he shoved that beastly part of him down and forced himself to continue to his own room.
This was going to be harder than he thought...
-
Lily lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling. She couldn't sleep. The whole altercation with Emma was going through her mind.
She hated that she sympathized with her a bit... and blamed it on her own pregnancy. The female was clearly scared and hormonal.
...but what triggered that?
And Lily couldn't help but feel deeply bothered the female still thought she had a claim on Tristan.
Lily glanced to the door again. It had to be over an hour now since Tristan got home. She clearly heard him hesitate near her door.
But she hadn't heard anything from him since...
Lily sighed and rolled over to stare at the crackling fire in the hearth. She had hoped he would have knocked. Or... something? Her wolf felt weirdly disappointed.
She started thinking of what Sil had said.
...the bed she lay in felt awfully big, and empty...
Lily glanced at the door again. Ugh... why had Sil put it in her head? Now her wolf couldn't let go of the idea. She couldn't stop thinking of how warm and safe it felt to be in his arms, at least in that brief time they had before everything went so terribly wrong.
But the thought of when he'd tried to hold her when they were at Byron's came back to her, and how something inside her had felt strange and painful. Lily frowned and brought a hand up to her neck, she pressed into the bandage and flinched at feeling the still torn flesh.
It felt no different than days before. Clearly whatever Edith did hadn't worked...
Lily chewed her lip and glanced at the window. She needed to shift soon. She'd have to ask them to take the stitches out again... and that would just make it worse again.
Frustration dug deep inside her. Anger too. She concentrated on that violating feeling inside her, and was at least grateful to notice she couldn't feel that awful male much, even without the ama.
Did that mean it was fading? Edith said it had healed a little...
Lily looked at the door again. She thought of Sil, she hadn't answered the door when she tried to talk to her again. Something was obviously wrong. But it was clear she had no intention to confide in her.
With a sigh she turned over again and closed her eyes. She just needed to stop thinking. She needed to sleep.
And eventually she quieted her mind enough to do so.
-
Tristan awoke before dawn. He couldn't seem to sleep long with everything on his mind. The house was still quiet after he got dressed and left his room. He couldn't help but pause and stare at her door for a moment. She was clearly still sleeping.
...it was strangely comforting waking up to an occupied house.
But he hated that so much else was on his mind right now. He couldn't just stay around and wait for her to wake. He had a thousand things to do... and if he was going to have any free time at all to spend with her, he'd need to go get started.
But as he turned to leave, he couldn't help but pause. Tristan glanced back at her door again. He could barely hear a crackle in the fire. Tristan stood there for a moment, considering. Would that be overstepping?
Tristan didn't let himself think. He carefully tried the handle and found it unlocked, so he quietly opened it. She was asleep, facing away from him. Tristan glanced to the fire, it had burned down to embers by then. She had no extra logs.
Tristan went back to his room, grabbed a few and quietly returned to set her fire going again. He kept glancing over, afraid she would wake, but she didn't. He quietly shut the door and headed down the stairs.
Sil was awake, sitting in the living room in front of the fire. He eyed her for a moment, pausing to see if she had anything to say to him, but she didn't even acknowledge him, so he pushed through the door into the crisp morning air.
It was going to be a cold day, he glanced up at the sky. It looked like more snow. Tristan headed down the path toward the pack house, but veered off once he reached the fork in the road toward the higher ranked pack members. First... he needed to address last night. His wolf was still bothered by it.
"What?" Jake growled as he answered the door Tristan had just pounded on. By the state of him, clearly he'd woken him. Tristan gave him a hard look.
"Just because you're my cousin, doesn't mean you get special privileges to disrespect your Alpha." Tristan growled. He couldn't help it. The wolf in him was adjusting to the role. And he was becoming more intolerant of snappish behavior.
Jake's pissy attitude was getting to him.
"I told you... last night was-" Jake began in a calmer tone.
"Why was Emma at my house?" Tristan demanded. Jake furrowed how brow in confusion. Clearly that was news to him. Tristan flicked a glance behind him. He could hear her, very much awake in the back room. Jake glanced back as well.
"She needs to stay away from my fated." Tristan said with a hard tone. Jake released a heavy breath,
"She wasn't there for her... that female she brought with her, we had a bit of an altercation last night is all..." Jake said hesitantly. Tristan studied him hard.
"Sil?" Tristan asked oddly. Confusion hit him. Why the hell would they have an issue with each other? They'd never even met.
"I think Emma was just feeling threatened... you know how pregnant females get." Jake said vaguely. Tristan stared at Jake. He seemed strangely nervous. It was clear he wasn't telling him something...
And the thought struck him suddenly. The shock of it was jarring.
...Sil had a mark of fate.
"Is she your gifted?" Tristan asked firmly. Jake seemed almost startled by the accusation.
"What? No..." Jake said, but his tone was awkward as he glanced back into the house.
"It's been sorted just... let me deal with it." Jake said. Tristan studied him. He was hiding something, but it was clear he wasn't going to admit to it.
"She needs to-" Tristan began furiously.
"Stay away, yeah... got that. Or I'll imagine you'll put even more restrictions on us." Jake said bitterly. Tristan glanced beyond him again. He would have preferred to talk to her directly, but clearly she was deciding not to come out. Technically, Jake was her proxy now, being her pseudo mate, so he couldn't even demand it of her unless she did something outright criminal.
But he knew she could hear them.
"Maybe she doesn't have enough restrictions if she thought that was a good idea." Tristan growled. He couldn't help that his wolf was still furious.
Regret was still his companion these days. Having her around was a constant reminder how much he fucked up, but he also knew he couldn't needlessly punish her for their past unless she actually deserved it. Emma suddenly appeared in the hallway, looking upset.
"It was her fault... and that bitch almost strangled me and she attacked your cousins. She's dangerous! She shouldn't be allowed to stay!" She growled.
Tristan just stared at her for a moment. She truly looked unsettled. He looked at Jake in question, Sil attacked them? He avoided his eyes. He looked nervous.
"It was just all a misunderstanding." Jake said. Tristan was truly baffled. He couldn't think of any other reason they would have issues with each other.
And she was a female, they were two fully grown males. What the hell could she have truly done to them?
"I told you, I'll deal with it." Jake said firmly. Tristan studied him for a moment. Nothing about this made sense. But he reluctantly trusted his cousin.
He didn't know the female well either, but she was there for Lo. He wasn't about to cause problems with his gifted. He'd admit, Sil grated on his nerves a bit, but she didn't seem like an irrational female that would go picking fights for no reason.
He suspected he could just ask her when he got back to the house...
"Fine. All of you stay away from each other." Tristan commanded and turned to leave. He had to find his mother and Noah. They had a lot of discuss... and he needed to send a few enforcers over to watch his mate. Dena in particular, she was the only one he'd fully trust with her. She could show her around if she wanted.
Now that he couldn't even trust his own damn pack members..
-
She woke to the smell of cooking. Bad cooking... Lily frowned and sat up. She glanced at the window. Though it still appeared dark out, she was well rested. She could see dark clouds.
She sleepily glanced at the fire, it had clearly been restoked, and she caught Tristan's scent in the room.
...she had slept through that?
Lily stared at the fire. The gesture wasn't lost on her... and she felt oddly warmed by it. But she didn't hear him in the house any longer. He must have left early.
Before she could think much on that, the smell of burning food was growing stronger. Lily quickly got up and hurried downstairs.
"What are you doing?" Lily asked from the doorway of the kitchen as Sil was attempting to wave the black smoke out the door with a towel. It was freezing outside. The cold air blowing in was both refreshing and jarring.
"Trying to figure out the damn stove... dammit cooking on fires is so much easier!" Sil growled with frustration. Lily quickly moved to help her. Sil never cooked unless it was basically tossing a kill over a flame.
What had got into her?
"What were you even trying to make?" Lily asked her as she looked at the charred remains once they got the smoke situation under control.
"Nothing." Sil said, but she was eyeing it in a defeated way.
"He did offer us a caretak-" Lily began.
"Ugh, no, you just do it then." Sil said as she went to sulk at the table. Lily frowned and got to work making them breakfast with a new pan. She doubted the one Sil used could even be saved. She glanced back at her a few times, but she refused to meet her eyes.
As she was setting the table, Lily eyed her again.
"Is something wrong?" Lily asked. Sil gave her a big fake smile.
"Not at all." She said. Lily didn't ask again, and they ate breakfast in awkward silence. Lily just kept looking at her worriedly.
It was bothering her.
"Where did Tristan go?" Lily asked something she figured she would answer instead.
"Don't know... he left early." Sil said as she got up and dumped her plate in the sink before she walked away. Lily sat there and listened to her go upstairs. Her door shut a moment later.
...what was wrong with her?
Lily spent the next hour wandering the house. There wasn't much there, not all the rooms were even furnished. Most rooms looked like they weren't even touched in a long time. When he said he wasn't there much, he truly meant it...
Eventually she began to feel a little stifled. Tristan didn't say not to wander...
Lily got dressed and put on her coat and boots. She decided she should visit Rose, and maybe ask about getting the stitches removed... She was starting to feel the need to shift.
Lily paused at the door and looked back at the stairs. It sounded like Sil had gone to sleep.
...did she not sleep last night?
Lily frowned. None of this was like her. But Lily knew pushing her wouldn't do any good, she'd come back and check on her later. Lily took a breath of the cold air the moment she was outside, and was mildly surprised to see a two enforcers standing not far from the path, along with Dena. Their attentions on her.
...had Tristan sent them? It didn't occur to her he may have scented Emma there. Was he worried now? Or maybe he planned to all along...
Lily didn't feel unsafe there. None of the pack had given her any kind of hostile feelings. She felt odd inconveniencing them like this.
"Good morning." Dena said with a smile. Lily returned it.
"Good morning." Lily answered.
"Did you want to see the territory? I can show you around." Dena offered. Lily again looked at the others there. She hated how strange this felt.
"Okay... will Tristan be busy long?" Lily asked. She had visited plenty of packs, but she realized for the first time she truly had no idea what the Alpha family did, or how long they were occupied for each day. They didn't spend that much time with the Alphas. Only the pack members.
It was giving her a bit of anxiety thinking about potentially standing beside him. Knowing so little...
"I don't imagine he'll stay busy all day. Do you need to see Rose? We can go there first, then I can take you around. My mother wishes to see you, we can have lunch with her." Dena said politely. Lily just nodded. Dena glanced behind her to the house.
"Does your friend wish to come with us?" She asked. Lily glanced back as well.
"... not right now." Lily said awkwardly. She truly hoped Sil would tell her what was wrong. She was starting to worry she regretted coming with her...
But then again, she was acting out of sorts at Rafe's pack too.
"Okay then, shall we?" Dena said with a smile as she started down the path. Lily once again returned it and followed her.
The first hour at Rose's went by about the same as before. She checked and cleaned her wound and insisted she try something else. Lily just asked if she could at least remove the stitches so she could shift later. It stung more this time than she remembered when Priet had done it. She hoped it was because it was healing more.
Lily sat still as she bandaged it to stop the blood flow that began the moment she started pulling them out. Lily couldn't help but feel the deep frustration start again...
Why wasn't it healing?
"... have you thought of maybe... letting the Alpha mark you?" Rose asked gently. Lily looked at her. She had a contemplative look on her face.
"I just... a gifted mates bond will always supersede any others. If he marked you, it would most likely break this unwanted bond and I'm sure it would heal." Rose said. Lily didn't know why she suddenly felt so much anxiety by just the mention of it.
She had decided to move forward with him... so why did that thought still scare her so much?
"How is your relationship with him? I hear you are staying with him... I know things started out... unfortunately, between you too... but maybe..." Rose said in that same careful tone. Lily fidgeted nervously and glanced to the doorway. Dena had stepped out earlier and was chatting with enforcers nearby. She could see her a small distance from the house through the open doorway.
"We are just... trying to figure it out." Lily said. Rose studied her curiously.
"I'm sorry if I'm overstepping but... what's holding you back?" Rose asked. Lily studied her face, she felt uncomfortable talking about this.
... but it's not like Tristan brought it up either.
"... we just... want to take it slow." Lily said awkwardly. Rose canted her head.
"Hm... well... it may be the answer we need... though a previous attachment to a partner definitely strengthens a bond... so I understand if you want to wait until you feel more strongly about it. Your hesitation speaks volumes. Fated mates in particular have a very potent bond, but if you aren't ready for that commitment, there is another way he might be able to help you. Did Priet not mention it?" Rose asked. Lily frowned.
"What?" Lily asked with a furrowed brow.
"You know how marking works don't you?" Rose asked. Lily blinked at her.
"Um... yes." She said.
"He's built for you, in every way. I'll let you work that out in your mind." Rose said. Lily stared at her for a moment, before she felt a bit of heat come to her face.
... was she suggesting he...?
"In the meantime though... I have a few other things I can try." Rose said as she turned back to the counter. Lily fidgeted a moment as she watched her gather jars. So many things were going through her mind... namely what she had just told her.
...and how much her wolf felt elated by the idea.
Lily forcibly pushed that from her mind as she watched Rose's back, but as she smelled the different herbal remedies she was mixing, nervousness was really sinking in. Could any of that hurt her pup? Priet had known. Rose didn't...
And what was more, a question began to burn inside her. An inkling.
She sat quietly for a few moments more, before she couldn't help it.
"... is it not healing have anything to do with maybe... pregnancy?" Lily asked awkwardly, unsure how she should phrase it.
"No, it's not typically an issue, if anything you would heal better, everything would be ramped up." She said matter of factly as she opened a few more jars and laid out some cloth beside her mixing bowl.
"I believe this is entirely due to your body rejecting the forced bond. Something prevented your gifted's bond from fully dissolving." Rose added. Lily felt her nervousness creep in further as more thoughts began to cross her mind.
She didn't want to keep pushing, but she was starting to truly believe her carrying had something to do with this...
"... if I was pregnant when that male tried to bond me, would that have kept it from fully breaking?" Lily asked. Rose turned back to look at her.
"I don't know, that's not something that's happened before." Rose said. Lily looked away from her. Of course it wouldn't have. Why did she think it was a good idea to ask? Or that she would even know?
"...but it would make sense in a way. I imagine a part of your bond would be instilled in a shared pup between two fated, since you pass along that gift. Not that it could be the case here though... our Alpha was here during the mating moon... and you were forced bonded before that weren't you?" Rose asked. Lily said nothing for a moment.
It still felt uneasy talking about it.
...but she knew she should tell her, to make sure she didn't give her anything that could hurt her pup. Lily looked at the jars she had behind her.
"And even if it were the case... it would be far too early to tell." Rose added, but she sounded more inquisitive than speculative. Lily met her eyes, and they stared at eachother for a moment.
"... I was given a heat starter." Lily said. Rose studied her face. She showed no emotion.
"When?" She asked.
"The day before this." Lily said as she gestured to her neck. Rose furrowed her brow.
"Two weeks ago?" Rose confirmed. Lily nodded.
"...It would have been close enough to the mating moon. It may have took." Rose said interestedly. Lily just stared at her for a moment. Understanding finally crossed Rose's face. And she looked bewildered.
"... how did I miss that?" Rose said exasperated. Lily again looked to the jars behind her.
"Nothing you've given me will hurt will it?" Lily asked. Rose laughed.
"Oh no, pups are resilient little buggers, but I'll keep it in mind moving forward. Lay down." Rose said. Lily cast a nervous glance to the door.
"I'd rather keep it between us for now." Lily said quickly.
"Does the Alpha not know?" Rose asked. Lily shook her head slightly.
"No... I'm trying to find a way to tell him." Lily said. Rose glanced to the door, before she moved over and shut it.
"Lay down, I just want to confirm." Rose said. Lily did as she asked. Rose lifted her shirt and gently ran her hand down her lower belly, before pressing in on two different places. She let out a breath with a bit of a smile.
"Your uterus is starting to firm. There's definitely a pup in there." Rose said. Lily took a slow breath and stared at the ceiling. Even knowing it, it was still strange to hear.
She was going to be a mother... and she certainly wasn't ready.
"No one ever feels ready, if that's what you're thinking. This is a blessing for you both." Rose said warmly. She seemed excited. Lily just forced a smile.
She truly wanted to believe that... he seemed to have changed. He was showing her every indication that he did. But his words of her vile blood still rung in the back of her mind... of what he thought of having pups with her. It wouldn't go away. That little nag.
It instilled even more nervousness in her as she thought of telling him. Rose was studying her hard.
"Let him mark you. Have him close your wound. Let him try. Trust me... it will help... you're going to start feeling very vulnerable soon, and having his mark will be a comfort to you, for you both actually... his wolf will want to know where you are at all times once he'a aware." Rose said. Lily studied her face, before she glanced to the window.
Logically she knew this wasn't something she should be upset about... but internally, she felt... upset? Angry? Maybe both...
She couldn't tell which it what more of.
Everything that should have been sacred about their bond seemed to be taken away from them. All their choices. When to lay together... when to have a pup... and now possibly when to mark each other...
She knew it was their own faults for some of it, but it didn't take away the feeling of loss from it.
She had hoped to get to know him. Be ready for his mark. Want his mark. And they were far from that right now.
... but what did that matter now? Maybe they just should get it over with. Even if she didn't really want to this way...
Love would come in time... wouldn't it? Though she couldn't deny she still felt an unnatural pull toward him, she knew for certain she didn't love him.
She didn't know him... not truly.
Lily glanced up at Rose when she realized the female was watching all her changing expressions. Lily fidgeted nervously again and looked away.
"I know it feels like a big decision, but you are fated. Meant for eachother. You won't regret it..." Rose said. Lily glanced back at the mark of fate on Rose's face, before looking to her claimed neck. Her mate's teeth marks were barely visible on her skin, finely healed.
Lily brought a hand up to Cecil's bite... and for the first time wondered if she'd have a permanent ugly scar even after it healed. A permanent reminder...
It was not a clean bite, he was not being gentle and careful as a mate would have. She felt a bit sick as a sudden flash of memory hit her, being pinned there as he forcibly bit into her neck. Feeling his awful touch, she had felt numb at some point, but she knew he'd had his hands all over her once she had gone limp. Places she had never wanted to be touched by a male she didn't want. Lily took a shuddered breath.
She hated to think what may have happened if Tristan's wolves hadn't shown up at that very moment.
"Are you okay?" Rose asked. Lily nodded slightly but kept her eyes averted. She tried to think positive. The other wounds had healed, only very slight bruising remained. That too would fade. Maybe she was overthinking.
If Tristan marked her, this may go away completely too...
Maybe she should just ask him to... Then they would know for sure if their bond was truly gone or not...
But something Rose said began to bother her.
"What do you mean by previous attachment?" Lily asked.
"Oh... just with those that have no fated mate. A previous attachment to a wolf before marking creates a stronger bond. They say some can even be on par with fated mates if they love each other enough." Rose said. Lily frowned.
"With our connection severed, if he marks me now... would it not be as strong then?" Lily asked. Rose just studied her with a frown.
"There is no way of knowing, I'm sorry... it is possibly you will regain the connection you lost... or it's possible you will have something on par with two mates that have no gifted." Rose said as she started to remove the cloth at her neck again to place the ointments.
Lily sat there in contemplation.
Why did this have to be so complicated? Risk having him mark her now... and never feel anything like they had again just to heal her wound, or wait until they felt something more for each other than what fate instilled in them, and possibly have their connection back?
Or maybe it would come back either way... or not at all.
Lily felt suddenly disheartened.
"Done. Give it an hour before shifting, it should keep it from bleeding for a little while at least." Rose said. Lily just nodded absently as she stood.
Rose began cleaning up supplies as Lily began heading for the doorway.
"There is a nice path beside the lake near the mountain, it's a calming walk. You can ask Dena to take you there." Rose said, but something else came to her mind.
Lily paused and glanced back at her.
"... where is your grave yard?" She asked.
-
"This is a surprise." Ada said as she hugged Hutch. Tristan studied his grandfather's worried expression.
They expected a messenger to return, not he himself.
"I planned to visit Rafe and meet his new mate anyhow. And these are matters I thought we should discuss in person." Hutch said as he looked at Tristan.
"Has your scouts returned?" Tristan asked. Hutch nodded.
"Yes, I don't believe he has sent any aid to Byron, maybe a few wolves if anything to make it seem so. They aren't split like they're trying to make it seem." Hutch said. Ada sighed deeply.
"I think we need to prepare for a hit on our border." Ada said as she looked at Tristan. He looked at his grandfather. He seemed worried.
"Do you know what kind of fighting force he has?" Tristan asked. Since their treaty, he knew at least Lykaia hadn't been keeping track. Hutch shook his head.
"No, he seemed to expect we'd scout him too." Hutch said. Tristan felt even more frustrated as he glanced to the large windows of the pack house. And just at that moment, he saw her walking with Dena on the main pathway a short distance away. Her white hair unmistakable.
They were talking in an easy manner as they walked, and he suddenly couldn't pull his eyes away. Not even when they disappeared beyond sight, he still just blankly stared.
"... why don't you take a break? I'd like to catch up with your mother." Hutch said. Tristan's eyes snapped to his, before he looked at his mother. Had they been trying to talk to him? He had no idea. They were both looking at him in a knowing way.
"And we can have Noah and Edith join us later, I'd like their insight on some things." Hutch added. Tristan knew what they were doing, the weight of their gazes felt heavy.
And he found he didn't even care.
Tristan didn't bother responding, he just headed out the door to follow after their trail. He already had an idea where Dena was taking her.
-
Lily stood in front of her mother's grave, staring down at the plain placard that said her name. There was no extravagant headstones like she'd seen in some packs, the Lykaia stayed simple, nothing was erected. It was on the side of the hill, with plenty of trees all around.
So many emotions filled her, but what she didn't expect, was that tears did not come. Maybe she'd cried them all already...
Dena and the other enforcers were giving her space.
Lily glanced at the well maintained grave of her mother's. Beside it, was a worn down area of grass... like someone spent a lot of time sitting there.
Lily frowned. She had an idea who it was. She felt strange. Where was he? She hadn't seen him once... not that she wanted to... or did she? Why?
... maybe because he was the only other person in the world she knew mourned her mother. That strange kinship was still there, even though he hated her.
Lily glanced around the nearby graves. They all seemed to be the Alpha's family. Her eyes trailed over Ivy's name. There were flowers there. Lily stared at it for a time, before she looked to the ones next to it.
Elly and her family... Lottie and her mate... all had fresh flowers.
Lily swallowed the uncomfortable lump forming in her throat as she looked back to her mother's grave. She felt the slight sting of tears begin. So many lives lost... for no reason.
A cold drop landed on her cheek. Lily blinked and glanced up. Soft snow flakes began to fall, swirling down around her and growing in number.
Lily stared up at the snow and felt a strange calm in her soul. She held out her hand and caught some soft little snow flakes. She felt them sticking to her hair, and clothes, but she didn't care.
Her wolf loved the cold...
Lily just stood there for a time, letting herself feel it. The cold little drops started getting caught in her lashes.
It was then that she felt his eyes on her. Lily quickly glanced over toward where the other wolves were. Tristan was standing there at the distance, staring at her with a look that gave her strange flutters deep inside...
It made her suddenly feel vulnerable standing there in the open. He just started walking out toward her with a casual gait. Lily tucked her cold hands into her coat pockets and felt the nervousness build as he came to stand in front of her. They stared at each other for a moment, before his eyes went to the grave behind her.
"I'm sorry... I should have brought you here sooner." Tristan said. Lily shook her head.
"No... it's okay." She said as she looked back at the grave. She could see her breath evaporating into tiny puffs, the sky grew darker as the snow began to fall harder.
An awkward silence settled between them.
"Dena says you plan to go have lunch with my mother?" Tristan asked. Lily looked back at him and nodded.
"I'll walk you there when you're ready." He said. Lily frowned.
"You won't join?" She asked. Tristan grinned a bit.
"I didn't exactly get an invite, I think it's females only." He said. Lily studied him for a moment. Everything Rose had said was playing in her mind.
She had to tell him...
... but why did she suddenly feel so tongue tied?
"... did you want more time? I can give you space," Tristan said. Lily looked back at her mother's grave.
"No... I'm just happy she was taken care of." Lily said, and a tense pause followed.
"...my mother always told me to never speak to the dead. That it wasn't worth the heartache to remember... but now that I have some distance from it all, I find myself second guessing so many things she told me... knowing what trauma she went through..." Lily said with a sad tone.
"I don't know many who would have survived as well as she... she was a strong wolf to endure what she did... and keep you as safe as she could." Tristan said. Lily kept her eyes on the grave.
"I know it wasn't easy for her, but I don't think I'll ever understand... why she made some of the choices she did, and why she kept things from me..." Lily said, unable to stop the sudden flow of tears... she didn't even know why she was crying exactly.
It went quiet between them for a few minutes, but it wasn't uncomfortable. Lily was just awkwardly trying to get her tears to stop. Wiping them away with her coat.
"...It was snowing like this the day you were born. I remember on my tenth birthday... it wasn't any particular thing. My parents were busy with pack affairs, and my younger siblings were driving me crazy. I went for a long run to get away from them." Tristan said. Lily glanced back at him. He was staring up at the snow now.
"I'd felt restless most of the day, and then It was near evening, the snow let up, and the clouds broke enough to see the sun setting over the lake. And for some reason, I remember suddenly feeling at peace. More at peace than I'd ever felt. I felt... happy, for no reason." He said. Lily glanced toward the mountains where she knew the lake was. It was a small distance from there.
"Looking back now... I realize that it must have been because somewhere deep inside of me, I must have known you came into the world." Tristan said. Lily studied his face with wet eyes. He looked over at her as well and they just stared at each other. Those damn flutters had started again deep inside her...
"Lo! Are you ready?" Dena called from the distance. Both of them glanced over.
"Um..." Lily said awkwardly as she looked back at him, but he just offered his hand. Lily hesitated only a moment, before she took it. He grinned, and Lily felt another bout of warmth inside her as he guided her back toward the path, side by side.
...maybe loving him wouldn't take as long as she thought.
-
A/N: Cut the chapter short so I could get something out. It was the next part that was giving me trouble. Hopefully won't be late this Thursday and have a longer chapter for you.