"You look so beautiful, Lily. You should smile. Are you not feeling well?" one of the Omegas said as she tended to Lily's hair, her hands moving mechanically, oblivious to the turmoil brewing within Lily.
"I have nothing to smile about. I am once again a slave in my own home," Lily countered, her frown deepening.
"Well, that's all going to change after today," the Omega said with unwavering optimism. "You just wait and see. Life is going to be so much better for you. Fred is such a lovely man. You will see."
Lily nodded, offering a small smile that failed to reach her eyes. She stood before the mirror, a simple, long white gown draped over her figure. Her reflection appeared distant as if it belonged to someone else. Her stomach churned with a nauseating mix of fear and dread.
'I do not want to be mated to another wolf. I would rather die, Dina,' Lily complained silently. Every room she had been in was a cage. Silver-laced doors and windows ensured her captivity.
'That is not going to happen. You need to have more faith in our friends and family,' Dina responded.
'We have no family,' Lily thought bitterly.
'Stop that! We have Luna Debra. She is our grandmother. We have Tiffany, Luna Debra, Garrett, Alpha Jack, and Luna Kelly! Stop this pity party. We will be brave and we will endure like always,' Dina scolded.
Brandy entered the room, interrupting their silent exchange. She gestured for the Omega to leave, who promptly bowed and exited the room. Lily turned to face Brandy, her eyes immediately drawn to a bruise over Brandy's left eye.
"What happened?" Lily asked, concern etched across her features. "Who hit you?"
"It really doesn't matter. You need to worry about yourself," Brandy replied, evading the question. "I was careless. I was trying but I couldn't find a way to get you out of here. I'm sorry."
Lily shook her head, determination in her eyes. "There is nothing to be sorry for. I told you we..."
Brandy placed a finger over Lily's lips, silencing her. "The walls have ears, Lily. You rejected our pack bond, so you can't hear what they're saying. Whatever you have to say, keep it to yourself."
Lily nodded and Brandy removed her finger. "I understand, Brandy. There is nothing to be sorry for. None of this is your fault."
With a heavy heart, Brandy led Lily to the stage in the heart of the pack territory, where announcements and proclamations were usually made. Kenneth was already standing there in a suit, his demeanor poised and calculated. He extended his hand to help Lily onto the stage.
Addressing the pack, Kenneth's voice was smooth and authoritative. "My fellow pack members, I stand before you today to make amends for the ill-treatment Lily has suffered in the past."
A murmur of surprise and curiosity rippled through the gathered crowd. Lily looked at Kenneth in surprise, knowing that he was a proud man who had never apologized for anything before.
'Don't let his words fool you. He has never been this nice to us unless he needed something. Keep your guard up,' Dina warned Lily.
'We're here for you, Lily. Don't be afraid,' Tiffany's voice reassured her through their mental connection. Lily scanned the audience and finally spotted Tiffany.
'Why didn't you tell me you were coming?' Lily exclaimed through their link.
'Wait and see,' Tiffany responded, cutting off the telepathic link.
Lily tried not to show too much emotion, not wanting to tip Kenneth off that something was amiss. She could barely hear him speak as she searched the audience. Lily saw Tiffany's parents, but that was all that was there.
Kenneth continued, "It's time for our pack to grow stronger. I have welcomed Lily back into our fold, and I formally apologize for her past suffering."
The pack watched in rapt attention as Kenneth revealed his intentions. Kenneth's words became a nightmarish reality as he declared, "Lily will be taking a bigger role in our pack. She will be my new Luna." Lily's heart froze, and a surge of horror washed over her.
The stunned silence that followed was broken by Lily's horrified protest. She recoiled, her voice trembling with defiance. "No!"
Tiffany's voice rang out in agreement. "Are you out of your mind? She is your daughter!". Some pack members voiced their support for Lily.
"Not by blood she is not. I abandoned her and only allowed her to live in our pack house for appearances only. I have never seen her as my daughter and she will do what her mother should have," Kenneth explained.
"No, I will not do this. I will not accept you as my mate," Lily refused.
Kenneth's gaze turned cold and merciless, his patience running thin. "You have no choice, Lily."
Before he could advance, his teeth bared to mark her forcibly, and an alarm sounded. It was the alarm that they were under attack.
Kenneth's patience ran thin, his gaze turning cold and merciless. "You have no choice, Lily."
Before he could advance, an alarm sounded, alerting them to an impending attack. "What is going on?" Kenneth demanded, his frustration evident.
Wolves and tigers, allies of the Grey Blood pack, surged forward. Ethan led the charge, his eyes ablaze with fury and purpose. Bethany and her warriors followed closely behind, their determination unwavering. The Blue Creek pack was thrown into disarray.
Kenneth dragged Lily off the stage and handed her over to one of his warriors. "Put her back into her room until I handle this," he growled, ripping off his suit and shifting to join the fray.
Lily struggled against the warrior's grip. She managed to bite his hand hard, causing him to release her momentarily. She seized the opportunity to flee, attempting to run, but the warrior quickly caught up to her. Brandy intervened, crashing into the warrior and sending him tumbling to the ground.
"Let's go!" Brandy said, grabbing Lily's hand, and they ran off into the woods, putting as much distance as possible between themselves and the chaos.