Chapter Twenty One

Lillian

I don’t dare tell him that I’m running back to my grandmother’s cottage. Instead, I wait until he’s out of sight, then rush toward it without a word. Once I make it to her cottage and swing the door open, I notice she’s not in there. I walk quickly to her bedroom and find her sitting on the edge of the bed with a smirk plastered on her face.

“Well, I thought you were off on that date.”

“It’s not a real date and you know it,” I snap.

I cross my arms over my chest as I stare at her for a solid minute in silence. She only snickers and slowly stands.

“Oh, my poor child, you know what you must do, but you keep running from it. No one can decide this for you, so you better figure it out soon.” Using her cane, she supports herself and hobbles closer to me. “No one, and I mean absolutely no one else, can do this for you.”

A deep sigh escapes me as her hand rests on my shoulder.

“Yes, I know, but it’s not like you are very forthcoming about things. You left me with two options, but I don’t know the reasoning behind it. Nothing adds up. It’s like a puzzle with no end pieces.”

She laughs softly as she removes her hand from my shoulder. “My dear, you don’t need to put the pieces together to look at it. It’s a simple choice and the fate of everyone lies on your shoulders. Just look within, and that will tell you what you need.” She glides past me and heads into the kitchen. “Do you want breakfast while you are here before your date?”

“It’s not a date,” I say again under my breath. Then I look around her bedroom and the memories begin haunting me. This is where I learned my parents were gone. I choke back the sob threatening to escape. “I don’t want breakfast. It’s time that I go home and get ready. But when I’m done, you and I are going to discuss my recent shift.”

When I step into the hallway, I can already hear her shuffling through cabinets and getting things ready. Once I’m in the kitchen, she’s looking at me with a curious gaze.

“Oh, I remember that, but I’m asking you if you want breakfast?”

My eyes widen with surprise as I realize what she means. “Are you insinuating that I should be late for the date? You know he will be outraged if I am late and there is no telling what he will do.”

She quirks one brow as a mischievous look crosses her face. “Do I look like I’m concerned about what will happen to me? I’m an old woman who lost her mate years ago. My time is coming, but you have a full life ahead of you, and I don’t want you stuck with Corbin, even if it means I die in the end.”

I pull out a chair at the dining room table and plop down with a hard thud. “So, you want me to lose you and be with him? That’s what is going to happen. No matter what I choose, he will not stop until he owns all of me just because I’m another alpha and he wants strong pups. At least if you are alive, then it will be bearable.”

Her eyes cut in my direction as she grabs some eggs from the refrigerator. “If there are no more ties to this pack, then maybe you will embrace yourself and do what needs to be done.”

I don’t even want to begin processing what she means by those words. “It’s fine.”

I scoot the chair away from the table and stand before heading to the door. “I’m going on that date now.”

As I open the door, I hear her calling out for me, but it’s too late. I have made up my mind to do things this way.

I will not lose her. Yes, I may be accepting a fate that is less than what I deserve, but I have no other choice.

As I run down the narrow path, I hear the familiar rustling of leaves, but I don’t flinch.

“I’m sorry, beast, but I have to choose my family,” I whisper as a single tear slides down my cheek. “Whatever destiny we may have can never be.”

I run toward my house before I hear his words or think too much about what I’ve said. Once I’m inside, my heart begins to pound and I throw up every single shield in my mind I can. If I hear his voice, I’ll be a goner.

I quickly wipe my face and head to the bathroom to take a shower. Everything is like a blur as I get undressed and step under the warm spray. Scrubbing myself and washing my hair takes no time at all. I feel like I’m in a trance.

Once I’m out, I head to the closet and try to find something to wear. None of my outfits are really that nice. Mostly long dull colored skirts with holes in places. The blouses are thin and very worn.I only have two pairs of pants that are decent, but I try to save those.

But that isn’t what I find. I gasp as I find brighter colored fabric in its place. Everything looks like something Ophelia would wear and it makes me cringe at the thought of it touching my skin. When did this happen and who would dare fill my closet with such nonsense?

Suddenly, I remember opening the door without unlocking it. “Corbin.”

The door to my small home opens with a creak, with heavy boots taking a step inside. “Kitten, are you ready?”

I grimace as I hear that ridiculous pet name. Who calls a wolf Kitten? I shove that thought aside and suppress the growl threatening to escape. “No, I’m not quite. I’m just admiring all these bright pieces of clothing.”

I can’t even call them beautiful because they’re not to me.

His heavy steps echo throughout the house and then he reaches my room, which isn’t where I want him.

I’m in a towel, standing in my closet. This is not a good situation to be in.

“And why are you not ready? It’s been forty-six minutes.”

I freeze as he starts walking again. Then he’s behind me, sucking in a breath. I don’t dare turn around.

“Oh, Kitten,” he purrs. “You’re making me not want to wait until the full moon to claim you.”

I barely glance over my shoulder, only to see his glowing orange eyes looking at me. “Corbin, no, we can’t do that. Our union will not be blessed if we do.”

Slowly, I turn and back up until I’m pressed against the back wall of the closet, against the clothes. I clutch the towel tightly to my chest and hope he doesn’t try anything.

He stalks closer, slower, as his eyes seem to glow even brighter. “Why are you running, little alpha? Is someone scared of the big bad wolf?”

I want to laugh, but I hide my amusement. Right now is not the time for that. I’m in danger and this could end badly.

“Corbin, we can’t,” I remind him. “I’m not scared of you.”

The big bad wolf is the last person I fear. But Corbin is different. He’s not like the beast in the woods.

Corbin stops just in front of me, his hand reaching out to touch the back of my hand, where I clutch the towel. “Maybe you should be.”

His hand trails up my arm a little way until it begins tracing down the towel to the bottom. While I’m watching that hand, I completely miss his other hand moving. When he grasps me around the throat, I quickly look up and meet his gaze.

He is struggling to fight for control and I can tell any second he might snap. I look past him toward the closet door. It’s hopeless. No one is coming to save me.

I try to wiggle free, but stop when he squeezes my throat. “You have to wait until the full moon, Corbin. Our pups won’t happen otherwise.”

He steps forward, making his body flush with mine. “You forget, little alpha. I am the alpha of this pack now and I make the rules. If I want to take you, then I will without anyone questioning my authority.”

“Every alpha is subject to the rules of nature, including you. If we do not wait, then there is no blessing.”

He slides his hand down from my throat and traces the skin above the towel. Instead of removing my towel, he leans forward to rest his forehead against my shoulder. He takes a deep breath, inhaling my scent.

“You might lose the pack’s respect as well,” I say, hoping that I sway him.

“That’s just it. I don’t care if I lose it. I want what is mine, so why not take it now?”

His hand plays with the bottom of my towel as he shakes hard from trying to hold his wolf back. My mind whirls as I run through each scenario.

All end with him claiming me today, and I don’t want it to end that way.

"Corbin, please. Not today. Wait until the full moon." I clasp my hands on both sides of his face, pushing him away, and making him look into my eyes, but his wolf is in full control.

A low growl escapes his lips, and he heaves in another breath. His voice becomes guttural as his wolf takes over his speech. "Mine."

He whispers something under his breath that sounds like he can’t have what is mine, but I’m not sure what he is talking about nor do I understand.

As I stare into his eyes, I can't say anything. Reaching up, I brush a stray hair from his forehead. "I'm not yours yet. The full moon is soon, though.”

I bite my lip as I realize I shouldn’t have mentioned it. Those words just seem to make his wolf angrier.

He growls deep in his chest. “You keep telling me to wait, but you are mine, Lillian. Mine. No one else’s. This body belongs to me.”

He finally raises up, and I flinch. Instead of biting me, he uses his tongue and licks me at the base of my throat, all the way to my ear. I stand there frozen, uncertain of how to react out of fear of setting him off. A wolf’s basic instinct is to hunt for their mate. If I take off, it may trigger something I don’t want.

Corbin leans away with a smirk, pulling at the corner of his lips. “Now, you will smell like me and no one will touch you.”

My wolf feels repulsed. I feel violated. But if this is what it takes to keep him from going crazy, then so be it. “Are you better now?”

He moves against me slightly until there isn’t space between us. “I want you.”

I wedge my hand between our chests and attempt to push him away, but it’s like moving a brick wall. It’s not working. “We’ve already discussed it and I’m done saying it.”

“I’ve heard your words, little alpha, but my wolf is demanding that I take you as mine. No one else can have you and if I wait any longer, they might.”

My eyes narrow as confusion sets in. Does this have something to do with the beast and my destiny? Is there a clock they have to beat?

No, that’s nonsense.

“I’m not sure what you are talking about. You’re the only one dying to claim me, Corbin.”

He lays his head down against my shoulder again and raises his hand to play with the ends of my wet hair. “There are secrets in this pack. Ones I can never share. If only you knew.”

“What do you mean by that? What are you all hiding?”

Corbin stands and takes a few steps back from me. His eyes are a normal shade now and he seems in control. “Nothing. Get ready. We have some dress shopping ahead of us. You have five minutes to get dressed.”

He turns and leaves quickly. All I can do is stand there with a gaping jaw as I process everything. What was that just now?

As I look at the clothes, I sigh, as I know I have to hurry and get ready.

After a quick five minutes, I’m standing in the living room, fully dressed and ready to go in one of the new outfits. It’s a simple pair of pants with a cream top. For once, I don’t want to wear a skirt.

Corbin is sitting on the couch, twiddling his thumbs as he waits for me. But one look and he’s smitten. “I love that on you. There is something we need to discuss, and it is about your living situation. Your house is awful.”

“Your dad chose the smallest cabin for me.”

"That changes now that you will be my queen.”

I want to correct him and say luna, but digress quickly. Corbin stands from the couch and crosses the small space to grab my hand. When we head out the door, he turns the lock and closes the door.

"I didn't grab my key."

He smiles as he holds up a key from his pocket. "Don't worry. I got you covered."

My heart sinks as I realize he is indeed the one who had unlocked my door.

As I let him lead me wherever he wants to go, he finally says, “Oh, I took a roll around your bed while I was in your house. Your sheets reeked of something.”

I play dumb. “Oh? Well, I stay at the cottage most of the time, so it probably just needs a good washing.”

"Good to know. I think you should move into the alpha house with me in the next couple of days. It’s the most reasonable next step. We’re almost to the full moon, anyway.”

My eyes widen as I gaze up at him. "Wait, what?"

"?Yes, I think it will be good. I mean, we'll be mated in just a few days, so why not?" He halts and turns to look at me with a confused expression when I don’t respond right away.

"I don't want to go too fast."

"Kitten, wolves' mate quicker than we do all the time. You shouldn't be nervous. Don't you want to move into something more comfortable with your mate? It has to be better than that hole you're living in."

He closes the small gap between us and brushes my hair from my face. I bite at my lower lip and look up at him with wide eyes. I have to find a way to buy myself some time. "It's just a lot to process."

Can you imagine waking up and smelling like him on a daily basis? Get us out of this.

As I chew on my lip, he watches every move. Before I know what's happening, he leans down and kisses me again.

Get those things off me . My wolf cries out.

Corbin and I both jerk away from each other when a loud howl fills the air.

"What is that?" He asks as he looks around to see who could have howled like that.

I know exactly who it is as I hear him loud and clear. You are mine, little wolf. Get his lips off you.