I have Eric take Jade and Morgan home. All I want is to tell Vincent the things that have happened, but Lilly disagrees. She'd rather I leave this unspoken of. Either Lilly's embarrassed to have been beaten by a human, or the awkwardness arose between us. A sense of dread fills my gut. I sit down just as Chery's serving dinner.
"Miss Chery," Eladia begins.
"Yes, M-Miss Lakefall," Chery inquires, her eyes focused on the table.
"This is burnt," Eladia complains.
"Yes, Lady Lakefall," Chery answers. She bows her head and rushes to the kitchen for a replacement plate. It smells of eggs, meats, and some of the most exquisite cheese that had probably been bought from the village. Following Chery leaving, Edmund and Jade come in with the rest. It smells of meat, cheeses, and spices brought in from town. Her dark brown curls hide her eyes, but for a split second, when she straightens up, I see them. Two pools of light brown hazel pools. Her eyes remain fixed on the plates. For a brief second, those alluring eyes flicker over me and nearly take my breath away.
"So, how's your morning?" Lilly questions. Her eyes fall on me. Her eyes are bright and energetic, but I still remember how they looked yesterday.
"Good, how about you?" I ask. Anger branches through my chest, across my chest. Put it aside. I lean in and peck her on the cheek. The humans disappear into the kitchen, leaving us to enjoy our meals. It'd be nice if it weren't so warm in here. Lilly's foot slides over, nudging mine. I catch her eyes, smiling at me, and I pull my foot away. She averts her eyes, looking disappointed. We both feel it; there is a connection lacking between us.
"Something troubling you?" my father notices.
"It's a little warm," I complain, pulling at my shirt collar.
"Really, it's feeling a little drafty," Suzah disagrees.
"Go for a walk," Eladia suggests.
"Lilly," my father chimes in.
"I-I'm fine. By myself," I stammer. I might be feeling a bit heated, but not for Lilly, not like that. I excuse myself and head for my bedroom. The cold stone walls do little to help the fire of the wolf inside. It burns with anxiety, agitated insomnia that will not quiet. I stumble around the corner, right into Jade. The clumsy girl falls, dropping a couple folded quilts.
"Oh, I'm so sorry, sir!" Jade blurts out accordingly, falling to a bow before me.
"No, it's fine," I shrug her off. I take her hand, her small, soft, warm hand, and help her to her feet. In an instant, my inner wolf surfaces and yanks my consciousness beneath it. It's taking all my will power just to hold still and not do something. What I'd do, I'm not sure. Actually, I'm perplex by this warm, bubbly, almost giddy light in my chest. She blinks blankly at me, her mouth hanging open ajar.
"Just go," I murmur and shove past her to get outside. I need to get some air.
Jade:
I run right into him, Hunter Lakefall.
"No, it's fine," he ignores my clumsy blundering and pulls me up. Not a trace of anger crosses his face, but his gaze remains fixed on me. Those green eyes, they're golden.
"Just go," he dismisses me and pushes me aside into the wall. I brush off the dust and continue my way back to my quarters. My daily chores have been nailed to the board; I'm on bedroom and bathroom work. Among other's duties, there's firewood to be chopped, laundry to be washed, food to be prepared, the kitchen to be cleaned, and Lady Lakefall has someone accompany her throughout the day. What a horrible task. I don't know who might be worse to tend to, Vincent or Eladia. Vincent might beat one to death, but Eladia will break you with her sharp, witty tongue. I shudder, Jade, you have work to do. I head for the bathrooms first. The rooms smell of scented candles, jars of fancy smelling soaps, and perfumes. These are the things I used to ogle and gawk at in the village market. On my way home from my fabric stand, I would stop at Castile's market to browse. They had imported spices and herbs to make their works from countries afar. I return upstairs to find Chase, Eric, and Lilly in the hallway.
"He's left, the man needs to cool down," Chase states.
"I'll go find him," Lilly offers. I slip by unnoticed as I work.
"I don't think that's what he needs right now," Eric disagrees, "He and his inner wolf are in animosity,"
"I- I don't understand," Lilly whines, "He should be able to tell me if something's wrong," she complains, "Our wolves must bond," she murmurs.
"He left," says a voice, it was Eric. My fragile nerves relax for a moment. I go to close the window and turn to Eric.
"So, what's on your mind?" I ask curiously.
"I don't know if you know, but Hunter-" he begins.
"Eric!" Chase yells from a few rooms over. Eric couldn't talk to me for Chase barged in.
"Where did Hunter go?" he demands. Eric shrugs unsurely, and in his anger, Chase threw a punch towards Eric but missed.
"What are you looking at?" Chase snap.
"Nothing, sir," I reply and bow, respectively. I feel my nerves tense, and Vincent's words replay in my mind 'Remember your place!' Chase takes a step towards me, so I awkwardly stumbled backward out of my fear. Chase laughed at me and continued laughing despite the mean glares coming from Eric.
"Pitiful and clumsy," Chase says as he walks out. I turned to Eric,
"What were you talking about earlier?" I question him.
"Oh um- you know what I'll tell you another time," he says and left as well. I stand motionless for a few moments before picking up a sheet that had been kicked off of Hunter's bed and smoothened out the blankets.
I head in the bedrooms to replace sheets and blankets. Hunter's room, in particular, tends to be a mess. Books are scattered around his desk. Paperwork has blown off his desk from the window being open. The crisp, cool breeze blows in, bringing in the smell and air of the pine trees outside. I pause at one book.
"Alphas of Vetus," it reads.
"You are not to be lounging about in my mate's bed," Lilly complains, flying into the room. I pop up to my feet.
"Sorry, Miss Brook," I apologize, bowing my head before her. She circles around me, watching me, looking me over while I work. I train my eyes on the tasks before me. Oh, I feel like prey. With the predator stalking me. To take me down soon.
"Watch yourself. I do not tolerate incompetent servants," Lilly warns me, "I don't like humans, and I don't trust humans.
"Yes, Miss Brook," I murmur.
"There's something off about you. Your scent," Lilly complains, still circling around like a dog about to pounce on its prey. I haven't a clue if I should say anything. "Tell me, and answer me honestly, for I'll sense your lies; have you ever been with a man?" Lilly inquires.
"I-I'm sorry?" I blurt out. Did I just hear her correctly? My face flushes deeply, and I drop my gaze. Why would she ask such a thing!
"Answer me before I lose my patience," Lilly demands.
"No," I blurt out, "I've never been with a man," I admit, trembling before Lilly and her judgment. Why on Earth would she want to know?
"So, no mate has claimed you, yet," Lilly mutters as if talking to herself now.
"Y-yes, Miss Lilly," I murmur, and her eyes narrow on me. Good Lord, I might faint.
"Look here, you stay away from Hunter. He's a busy man and can't be wasting time," Lilly warns me. Wasting time, with what, me? "I don't want him getting close to a human," she sneers, looking down at me like I'm beneath her but not like before. No, before I was just a mere clumsy human. Now she's looking at me like I'm a threat to her. As if! "Not when our packs are finally at peace with one another," Lilly murmurs.
"Yes Miss Lilly," I answer her, dipping my head in respect to her.
"Now go on," she dismisses me, and I cannot race out fast enough.
"Watch yourself. I do not tolerate incompetent servants," Lilly warns me, "Now go on," she dismisses me, and I cannot race out fast enough.
Hunter:
"Oh, I missed you!" Lilly bursts out. She rushes to me, jumping into my arms. She brings her lips to mine without a moment's hesitation. Her enthusiasm is sloppy and forced.
"I wasn't gone that long," I remind her.
"Come, dinner is being served," Lilly tells me, taking my hand in hers. We join the table. I get a look from Eric, shortly disrupted by the food brought in. I press my lips into a tight line and feel my temperature rise. Everything, I can't ignore it now that I know it. I can focus all I want on eating. The warm, spices greet my nose; the sweetness of jams and spreads are all wonderful. But I can't ignore that calling to Jade.
"Son, we haven't talked business in a while," my father begins.
"What's there to talk about?" I wonder. Where is this going now?
"It's fortunate you and Lilly pair up so nicely. It makes the merging of our packs much smoother," Vincent reminds me, "The bonding ceremony must be soon. So that the packs can be united," he adds.
"Why the rush father?" I inquire, "Can't we just take our time?"
"Young love," my mother gushes.
"We need numbers to fend off the barbarians," Vincent states, "The Brooks would give us the upper hand," he hopes, "We crush the barbarians, we ensure the hunts continue no more. Never again will they hunt our children, and our children's children,"
"And the village, we'll tear it to the ground," Lilly boasts.
"No! We don't wish for their destruction, my dear," Vincent states, "We only want our safety," he adds.
"But humans have trapped, skinned, and hunted us," Lilly points out, "We should dispose of them," she decides. My father raises his brows, eyes distant, and the tenseness in his shoulders. It's the sort of, "this isn't over," look he has.
"We'll figure this out after you two are fully committed mates," Vincent decides.
"Father, I'm not sure I-," and I bite my tongue until I taste blood. He shoots me a lip. Damn, "May I be, excused?" I blurt out.
"If you must be," Vincent grumbles, picking at his food, and he makes that face again.
"Thanks, father," I say quickly. I leave the dining room and start heading towards my room. As I walk down the corridor to the stairs, I hear footsteps behind me.
"What do you want, Eric?" I question.
"So, which one are you going to choose?" he wonders, his voice is shaky. He knows it.
"That obvious, man?" I point out, rolling my eyes.
"Your wolf has picked Jade," Eric points out.
"Ridiculous. That girl is not a wolf," I remind him.
"Doesn't matter. It's who your wolf picked," Eric fires back, his voice rising. I gesture for him to walk with me outside. "Don't act like it's not a big deal,"
"Because it isn't. I'm with Lilly," I call over my shoulder.
"Are you really? Because when you were faced with defending Lilly or Jade, you went after Lilly. You were going to rip her to shreds," Eric recalls, and I haven't a word to say because he's right. "And the moment Jade touched you, when your wolf was taking over, you calmed the hell down. Because she's the one,"
"I can't be with her. Not like that. I have to remain devoted to Lilly. It is my duty. I can't just give up my responsibilities to my pack," I remind him.
"You will only hurt yourself. You'll hurt Lilly, too," Eric fires at me, seething, his hands balled up into fists. "She isn't meant to be yours," he goes on, charging up to me all to challengingly. I straighten up, meeting him eye to eye.
"And who's is she meant to be with, tell me, Eric. Who's your wolf picked?" I begin, "Eric? You've been giving me dirty looks now. Following Lilly and I around everywhere," I point out, "Just what did you mean by that? You'll end up hurt?" I inquire.
"I-I don't know what you're talking about, man," Eric stammers, choking on his words, "I've been your right-hand man," he reminds me, and he's not wrong, but something is off with him.
"Hunter, I would never touch your mate. You and Lilly are our alphas," Eric promises.
"But what does your wolf say?" I demand to know, and he's tight-lipped because if he lies, Eric knows I'll sense it. Eric drops his gaze, looking lost in his head. I just want an explanation. We've always been good friends, so why are we at each other's throats now?
"She's all I think about. Her face... she makes me smile... she makes me sad. I just want to hold her," Eric murmurs, "I haven't been able to phase,"
"You can't phase?" I scoff at him, earning me a sharp glare. I shake my head and shrug, "Maye it's stress. You know- it's hindering your body from being able to phase and change?" I suppose, "I'm sorry, but... I- A human can't be my mate. Even if it were someone else, another wolf, Lilly and I are betrothed to one another. It's already been decided," I state.
"Then make a new decision. You're the alpha's son, the beta," Eric suggests.
"Shut up, and how can you be sure that Lilly is your mate? She was born an alpha. You were born to a sub-pack at the edge of the territory," I suppose.
"And you're an alpha who's wolf picked a human!" Eric snaps at me, his eyes glassy, eyebrows arching. You're crossing the line, Hunter.
"I have responsibilities, Eric. I can't just do as I feel like," I state. Images of Father's violent fury flash in my mind, "Hours a day, going through lessons on what's right and wrong and paying for my mistakes!" I remind him, "And now I find that my wolf belongs to the very kind that we're supposed to be fighting," I murmur, "I don't know what to do anymore,"
"Let's figure this out, alright?" Eric suggests, "Before we both lose our damn minds," offering a handshake.
"We're both dead men now," I state.