18. Lily

Chapter 18

Lily

" I 'll go and see Mum and the pack in person," Sam says after a few minutes. "I think it would be best if I go and make a case. George is less involved in this."

"Well, I don't know about that," I mutter and then smile as Sam gives me a curious stare and add, "Thanks. I'd appreciate that."

Sam leaves the shop, the bell tinkling as the door shuts behind him. Jack gets up and starts faffing about with some plants near the window. He's trying to look busy, but I know he's keeping an eye out for any sign of Nigel.

"You don't have to stay in the window like that dog in the song, you know," I say with a giggle.

Jack looks up from the pot he's been pretending to examine and snorts. "Course I do. That prick Nigel's still out there somewhere. And I'd better not be some cute puppy in this analogy, but rather some fierce and protective guard dog."

I nod, grateful for his presence. "Always fierce and protective. I just hope Sam can sort something out with his family."

"He will," Jack says, more confident than I feel.

I tidy up the counter, my mind racing. Emily is upstairs, probably scared out of her wits, and here I am, worrying about alpha drama and how to get my wandering thoughts off Sam Knightley. Get a grip, Lily.

"I'm going to check on Emily."

Jack nods. "Yeah, that's probably a good idea. We don't want her to have second thoughts and be planning her escape. I'll hold down the fort."

Nodding and worrying about the state of my shop when I return, I head upstairs and open the front door. "Emily? It's just me. Are you okay?"

There's a shuffling sound, and then Emily's voice comes from the kitchen. "Yeah, I'm okay." I'm delighted to see she has a sandwich in her hand that she seems to be enjoying. "Any news?"

"Not yet. Sam's gone to chat with his and George's family about taking you in for a while," I explain.

Emily's eyes widen and her cheeks flush at the mention of George. "Do you think they'll be okay with taking in a stranger? One that might bring danger to their door?"

Sighing, I give her an honest answer. "I'm not sure. I don't know them personally, but Jack does, and Sam is a town hero. Only good people could have raised him. Is that okay? We can look elsewhere if you're not comfortable."

"No, it's fine. I'm becoming a burden, and I hate that."

"Hey," I say, going to her and placing my hand on her shoulder. "You are not a burden. None of this is your fault."

"Thanks," she mutters. "I'm scared."

"I know. But I trust Jack with my life. He was the one who helped rescue me. He wouldn't steer us wrong about this. If he thinks Sam and George's family are safe, then I trust him."

"Okay," she says, but I can see the worry still lingering. I don't blame her. I just wish I could keep her here. But right now, that isn't an option for either one of us.

"Thanks, Lily. For everything."

I give her a reassuring smile, but inside, I'm a mess. I need to figure out what I want out of Jack and possibly Sam and, by proxy, Max , insert eye roll, before my heat hits. This is getting way too complicated for my liking, but I know Jack and I can't go on like this. It isn't fair to either of us.

As I head back downstairs, I catch Jack waiting for me. "How is she?"

"Scared. Don't shout at me, but can we really trust Sam's family pack with her?"

He gives me a soft stare. "Yes. I wouldn't have said if I knew otherwise or didn't know at all."

Our eyes meet, and for a moment, I forget about everything else for just a second before he clears his throat and steps back.

"Right," he says. "Back to work, I suppose."

"Yeah."

The rest of the afternoon drags on. I serve customers, arrange bouquets, and try to act like everything's normal. But my eyes keep darting to the door, half-expecting Nigel to barge in at any moment.

Jack helps around the shop, pretending to water plants or rearrange displays. It's comforting, but also a bit distracting. Every time he brushes past me, I get a whiff of his scent, and it sends my stomach into knots.

"Any word from Sam?" I ask, breaking the silence that's fallen between us.

Jack checks his phone. "Not yet. But no news is good news, right?"

I'm not so sure, but I nod anyway. "Yeah, suppose so."

As closing time approaches, I start to feel antsy. The street outside is quieting down, paving the way for idiot enforcers to try their luck.

"I might as well lock up," I murmur, trying to control my nervousness.

Jack looks up from his place behind a bunch of carnations. "Might as well. I'll do a quick sweep outside first, make sure the coast is clear."

He slips out the door. I chew my lip until he comes back inside, locking the door behind him.

"All seems clear," he says. "No sign of Nigel or anyone else suspicious."

"Good. Let's hope it stays that way."

On our way upstairs, Jack's phone buzzes. "It's Sam. He's back."

I raise an eyebrow. "Good news or bad?"

He shrugs. "Doesn't say. Guess we'll find out soon enough."

Our fingers brush, and I feel that familiar spark when we both reach for the door. Our eyes meet, but he clears his throat. "I'll see you inside, and then I'll go down and let him in."

"Okay," I bleat, wishing things weren't like this. I hover in the doorway, glancing over my shoulder to see that Emily is already asleep on the pullout sofa. She must've been exhausted after being on the run.

Moments later, I see Jack and Sam coming up the stairs and slip out, closing the door quietly so we can talk without waking Emily up.

"Well?" I ask, not bothering with pleasantries.

Sam grins. "Hello, to you too."

"Get on with it," I snap, my nerves on edge.

Sam grins and holds his hands up. "Wow, is that the thanks I get for sorting this out?"

"Your family will take Emily?"

"Yeah. Mum is ecstatic although she is trying not to show it for fear of making everyone feel bad, they aren't her omega daughter, like, but yeah. The pack is buzzing, and Dad is already sharpening his knife in case that enforcer guy shows up."

"Seriously?" I ask, choking up as tears prick my eyes.

He gives me a soft stare. "Yeah, seriously."

"Thank you, Sam, and please pass on my thanks to your family's pack. I'll send a big bouquet of flowers to your mum tomorrow."

"She'll like that," he says, his gaze lingering on mine in all the right ways.

"When are they expecting her?" Jack asks quietly.

"Tomorrow. We can't move her now when it's dead as a doornail outside. We need the cover of activity, and tomorrow will be better because the Council is going to be on the green planning their summer festival. It will be buzzing."

I nod and then frown. "Didn't you have a shift tonight?"

He chuckles. "Yeah, I'm going now."

"Okay," I say, feeling a bit disappointed. "Well, thanks again for everything."

Sam nods, his eyes lingering on mine for a moment longer. "No problem. I'll see you both tomorrow morning."

Jack walks him to the door, and I can hear their low murmurs as they talk. When Jack comes back up, there's a thoughtful look on his face.

"Everything okay?" I ask.

"Yeah," he says, running a hand through his hair. "It's a lot to process, you know?"

I nod, understanding completely. "Tell me about it."

We stand there for a moment, the silence stretching between us. There's so much I want to say, but I'm not sure how to start.

"We should probably get some rest," Jack says finally. "Big day tomorrow."

"Right," I agree, placing my finger on my lips as we creep into the flat.

As we head to my bedroom, I can feel the tension building between us already. There's so much left unsaid, so many feelings we've been dancing around. But for now, I'm just grateful for his presence, for the sense of safety he brings.

Without words, we settle into bed, the familiar warmth of Jack's body next to mine both comforting and electrifying. He flicks the TV on quietly, but I'm taking the opportunity to sleep, too nervous about tomorrow to eat. Jack will sort himself out, I'm sure. As I start to drift off, I can't help but wonder what tomorrow will bring. With Emily leaving and my heat approaching with no clear way forward, everything feels like it's on the brink of change.

But for now, in this moment, I feel safe. And that's enough.