Chapter 2

Lilly

Dan finally managed to drag me out of the shower. I had given up on showering once my hair was washed. I had exerted myself to the point of exhaustion, just by washing my hair. I was weak from the malnourishment my body was going through.

That's when I had felt strong hands pull me up.

I looked up, seeing Dan's light blue eyes and mess of dark hair, my mind was playing tricks on me, thinking it was him, his brother.

I can't even think his name.

Once I was dried off, I managed to dress while Dan turned away, giving me privacy, even though he's seen me thousands of times. It's how wolves are. We are used to it, but it's different when it's just the two of us and no other wolves.

I let him drag me outside into the late summer warmth, the hot, humid air surrounding me, caressing my skin every now and then with a breeze.

Dan made sure to lead us through the woods beside the enormous Pack House, so we wouldn't run into anyone at the barbecue, which was still in full swing in the back yard.

He knew I didn't want to be seen.

I followed him meekly, my small hand in his large ones. He had been my rock in times of despair, always holding me up when I felt like falling. As we walked, I noticed how tall he had gotten over the years. I had never really paid attention, but Dan had really grown in the past two years. He was not as tall as his brother, but he was close, he would be a full grown adult male before too long.

"Lilly," Dan's voice, deeper than ever, jolted me out of my thoughts. I realized I had been looking out at the large spans of water, deep in thought. Something hypnotic about how the surface of the lake reflected the deep blue sky above us, while the ripples made it seem like a lake of glass, sparkling in the light. I had been on autopilot this whole time, not even realizing we had arrived at the dock, I was lost in my mind.

No, I was loosing my mind.

Moments later we were in the canoe, floating across the warm water of the lake. We used to take the boats out all the time, just laughing, joking, having our moments. I have so many fond memories of it, but these days, I don't feel so happy.

Dan and I have always been best friends. I didn't have many female friends because I just didn't like them, all they ever thought about were males and how much they looked forward to finding their mates.

Now here I was, wishing I hadn't found mine.

The girls who wanted to be my friend knew I was friends with Danand that was the sole reason they came to me with their fake smiles of friendship. Either that or they wanted to befriend me to get closer to the men in my family. Eve was the only girl that I kept as a friend, I really wished she was here right now.

There were a few girls that I talked to, but I would never consider them friends.

We rowed lazily, listening to the stirring of the water and the drip from our paddles. The canoe bobbed slightly, reminding me not to wiggle.

The sun had sunk into the western part of the sky, yielding a beautiful, pink horizon in the distance which gradually turned into the deep cerulean blue that hung overhead.

Like his eyes.

I shook the thoughts out of my head. I wasn't going to let him have that hold over me, not today.

"Stop. Let's rest" Dan's voice brought me out of my thoughts once more, I wondered if I was annoying him by not paying attention.

Since we had come from the docks in the woods, further down from the Pack House, we wound up behind a line of trees that crowded the shore, blocking the bright evening sun. We were obscured from the wolves' line of sight as the barbecue went on, Dan and I just hanging out like we always did.

Looking up at Dan, I felt a pain in my heart I could not describe, looking in eyes that were similar to his brother's. I didn't want to talk about anything to do with my 'mate' situation.

Dan, however, wanted to talk about it, I knew he would.

"Lilly. Say something." He urged.

"Something," I whispered, dipping my hand in the water, avoiding his gaze.

He chuckled, dipping his own hand in the water and flicking it up, splashing me with its warmth.

"Hey!" I narrowed my eyes at him.

A smirk played at his lips before cracking into a full blown grin, flashing his brilliant white teeth.

"Hay is for horses." His smirk was still there.

Sighing, I flicked some water at him. "I know what you're doing."

He shrugged. "Is it working?"

I shook my head, looking out at my reflection over the side of the canoe. If 'tragedy' had a picture beside it in the dictionary, it would be of me.

"Lilly... Have you talked to him? Has he told you if he was going to mark her or not?"

Lifting my gaze to his, I frowned. "No. What would it matter? I'm sure he will. She's having his pup. Your brother is a gentleman, unfortunately." I grumbled the last, pouting over the fact that my mate was too busy worrying about doing the 'right thing' rather than doing right by me.

I willed myself not to cry. He was such a good wolf to stay by her side because of his mistake and it killed me that he had to go and do the right thing by this she-wolf. He wouldn't let her be without honor.

But he'd let me be humiliated. It was too late to go back on his word to her now, she was already here.

"Lilly. What exactly did you and my brother talk about the night he came home? What did he say?" Dan leaned forward, taking my hands in his, probing for answers with sincerity in those blue eyes.

I remembered that night well, it haunted my dreams. The day a wolf finds their mate is supposed to be magical, but this night was one I wanted to forget.

Two weeks earlier.

It was the night of my shift-celebration. My eighteenth birthday had been last week and I had shifted successfully, my wolf making her appearance after hours of bones snapping and moving, realigning to fit my wolf. Alpha Blake had thrown a shift-party for me like he does with all newly shifted wolves, everyone in the pack was invited.

I was having so much fun with Dan and my family at the party when Dan's brother pulled up. He had just arrived home from his summer away at Blue Moon territory and the entire pack had wandered to the front yard to greet him, he's the Alpha's son after all, and Crescent Moon's future Alpha. I knew he was coming home that night because Luna Phoebe had told me and I was feeling excited to see him and show him my wolf.

I had always had a crush on him. Dam and I were joined at the hip, but his brother was the one that had always caught my eye, even at such a young age.

When I had made it to the front yard with Dan, I watched as his brother got out of the truck, his frame larger than it once was. He had packed on muscle this summer while training and he looked good.

That was when it hit me and the world tilted on its axis.

His scent