She found no harm in answering. “My name is Lily and I’m one of the alphas of the Evergreen pack. Now, who are you?” She continued to scan, but other than the normal forest creatures, nothing stood out.
Alpha, yet not. Omega, no more.
“I’m really getting tired of people pointing that out.” Lily didn’t miss the fact that whoever this was had avoided answering her question.
Why? It is the truth.
Great, she had an asshole on her hands. A disembodied asshole, but still an asshole. “Maybe I don’t like having my faults thrown into my face. Show yourself.”
A flash of light blinded her for a second before she began to make out the features of a woman’s shadow. As her eyes cleared, the shadow remained without a solid person to attribute the shadow’s presence. This was getting stranger by the second. As if, a disembodied voice is normal.
Okay, she had to admit she was suspending belief at the moment. After all, she was having a conversation with a shadow. “Who are you?”
You may call me Net.
Lily wasn’t sure why that name was familiar but she would figure it out later. Now she had bigger concerns.
Why do you perceive yourself as lacking?
She really was trying to push every one of Lily’s buttons. Lily took a deep, fortifying breath before answering. “I am not lacking anything.”
Then why can you not accept the fact that you are neither full alpha nor omega?
“Can we drop the subject? I know what I am and I will help lead the Evergreen pack back from the brink of devastation. They deserve to live in a bounty such as this.” The vehemence in her voice shocked even her as she spread her arms wide to indicate the entire area. It was true she’d adopted the pack as her own, but until that moment Lily hadn’t realized how deeply they had rooted into her soul in such a short period of time.
Bain comes here often. He looks for answers that I cannot readily give.
Lily realized it was a quick change of subject but she went with it as she sat down on a thick blanket of grass. It had already been a long day inspecting the fields and the hike into the forest only tired her more. “Such as who his parents are and why he was left in the forest alone?”
Yes. I have made a path for him so that he can come here whenever he wishes.
That knowledge would’ve been helpful before she’d tracked through the dead underbrush. “Do you talk to him as you do with me?”
No. He simply sits among the trees, closes his eyes and tries to remember a past he hopes is real.
“Then why talk to me? I noticed you’re great at picking away at people, but what did I do to garner your attention?” Yes, she was still sore about Net’s previous comments. Lily laid her back down into the soft grass, her eyes growing heavier by the moment.
You interest me, Lily. We will talk again soon, perhaps in a location more familiar to you.
Lily couldn’t fight the pull of sleep any longer, but she had to know, “Are you a god or a demon?”
Net’s response was muffled by the multitude of voices vying for attention in Lily’s mind until the peace of sleep enveloped her.
***
Voices pulled at her but not the same ones as before. Warm hands cupped the side of her face as she struggled to open her eyes.
“Come on, baby, open those eyes.” Jensgar’s deep voice and warm breath washed over her. Her sleep-addled mind cleared and her eyes flew open. “There you are.”
Her mate’s handsome face came into view, making her smile. “How long have I been sleeping?” Lily could still feel the grass beneath her and see the lush greenery above so it couldn’t have been too long.
Jensgar’s relieved smile told her that this might be a little more serious than her taking a nap in the middle of the forest. “You took off over two hours ago. Thanks to Bain and the GPS on your cell phone we were able to find you.”
Lily leaned forward to get up but was quickly scooped into her mate’s strong arms. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to worry anyone,” she explained. She started as she looked down to where she had lay, and saw flowers that made a perfect outline of her body. It was like a crime scene chalk outline but made from the white blooms of Gerbera daisies.
Warriors, farmers, Bain and Amalia wandered through the area. “How can this be?” one of the warriors asked from behind them.
“We should take some of the fruits and vegetables back for the pack,” another said.
Bain maneuvered along a path that Lily hadn’t noticed before now. He came up to a tree laden with large apples. He picked one off a branch and said before taking a big bite, “While they are delicious and bountiful here, the moment you take anything past the threshold surrounding this area, it decomposes and dies.”
Lily laid her head on Jensgar’s chest. She wouldn’t admit it but she still felt a little off. Her mate kissed the top of her head and began walking down the same path Bain had used that led out into the dying parts of the forest. Again, it would’ve been nice to know this path existed before her trek.
“I’m taking my mate home,” Jensgar announced, and Lily could feel the anxiety pouring off him. She knew that they’d be having a conversation about this later and she began to feel guilty for causing any of his worry.
Instead of apologizing again, she simply laid her head back against his muscled chest and closed her eyes.
***
Jensgar knew the moment his mate fell back to sleep. Her muscles relaxed and her breathing evened out. The walk back to their truck gave him time to settle down and calm his wolf. When he’d found out that Lily had gone off into the forest alone over an hour earlier his wolf had gone ballistic demanding he shift to find her. Thankfully, years of training had kept the beast at bay while he organized a search party.
He hadn’t stopped to appreciate the abundance in the area of the forest where he’d found her. All he cared about was locating his mate and bringing her home. When Jensgar had seen her lying in the grass surrounded by flowers his heart stopped until he could make out the rise and fall of her chest as she breathed.
His relief was short-lived when he found it difficult to wake her. Yes, he was happy to have her back in his arms, but he was angry that she didn’t take her safety more seriously. Lily didn’t even make a sound when he slid into the back seat of his truck while Marcus jumped into the driver’s seat.
The ride back to town didn’t take long and soon enough Jensgar was walking into the pack house.
“Call the doctor,” he ordered over his shoulder while heading straight to their private quarters.
Pack members cleared a path for him, and Katrina ran ahead, opening doors as she went. The lights were turned on and bed linens turned down before he gently placed his still sleeping mate on the mattress.
“Lily, baby, wake up. The doc should be here soon.”
Her beautiful blue eyes opened and she looked around. “Did I fall asleep again?”
“Yes. Before we left the forest. The doctor is on his way,” Jensgar explained before sitting on the side of the bed and taking his mate’s small hand. “You were in the forest for a long time. Do you remember anything from before you fell asleep?”
Lily’s eyes squinted slightly and her nose crinkled as she focused on what he’d asked. Her eyes flew open and she said, “A woman—there was a woman. At least I’m pretty sure it was a woman.”
“Who? Have you seen her before among the pack?” If a member was trying to hurt his mate, he would root them out and they’d be dealt with harshly.
There was a knock on their bedroom door a moment before the pack doctor poked his head in. “I’ve been told I’m needed, Alphas.”
“Yes. Lily needs to be checked over from top to bottom.”
“No I don’t,” Lily argued.
“Anything in particular that I’m looking for, Alpha Jensgar?” The older man asked as he approached the bed with a leather bag in tow.
“I’m fine,” Lily countered before sitting up and leaning
back against the headboard.
“She was found unconscious in the area of the forest that still grows, and she seems to be having a hard time staying awake,” Jensgar explained, knowing every member of the pack was already aware of the location.
“I see. Are you in any pain, Alpha Lily?” Doc asked before setting his bag down on the bed and opening it.
Jensgar stood back only a couple feet to allow the doctor the room to examine Lily. Jensgar didn’t care if she viewed this as unnecessary. It was going to happen. She would not fall asleep suddenly, especially in a strange location. Something wasn’t right.
A second knock brought Jensgar to the door. He opened it a few inches, not wanting to reveal his mate as she was being checked over. Marcus stood on the other side of the door. Jensgar made sure to block Marcus’s view into the room as he joined him in the hallway.
“What have you found?”
“We searched the entire area and found no one, but when I returned to the spot where Alpha Lily was found all the flowers that had surrounded her body were dead,” Marcus explained.
“Lily had mentioned a woman being there with her.”
His son’s body tensed and went on full alert. “We found no sign of anyone else, but I will take a few men back to the area. If my stepmother says there was someone out there, then there was.”
Jensgar couldn’t help but pull his son into a hug. His children had been so supportive and understanding. “Your mom would be proud of the man you’ve become.” Hell, Jensgar knew he was.
“Love you, Dad,” Marcus said softly before pulling away and walking down the hall of the private wing. His son wasn’t comfortable showing emotion, but he had always seemed to feel them much stronger than anyone Jensgar knew.
He went back into the room as Doc was finishing up with Lily. She did not look past the doctor at him, but again, Jensgar did not care. They were going to be having a long talk once they were alone.
“How is she?” he asked as he crawled up the end of the bed to sit beside his mate.
“Well, other than being exhausted, the only other concern I have is how low her iron level is,” the doctor said while looking at the screen on his laptop. They may be a farming community, but they had all the necessary high-tech gadgets to save a life.
Lily curled up against Jensgar and settled her head on his chest before the doctor continued. “This could be contributing to her exhaustion. I’ve already given her a shot to increase that deficiency and the alpha should be good as new by morning.”
“She is right here. Please don’t talk about me as if I’m invisible,” Lily requested with a bit of a growl.
The man immediately bared his throat in submission at her anger. “I am sorry, Alpha Lily, I meant no disrespect.”
Jensgar felt her body relax before she said, “No, I’m sorry. I’m a bit off today. I shouldn’t have placed my anger on you. Thank you for your care.”
The older man immediately fisted his hand over his chest in a show of respect and exited their bedroom. Jensgar pulled Lily close and threw the blankets over them. He took a moment to gather his thoughts knowing that Lily was fighting for her independence and finding her new place in the world.
“I didn’t mean to worry or upset you. I only wanted to investigate this odd place to see if there was any chance of bringing that abundance to the rest of the pack,” Lily mumbled into his chest.
“I know your intentions were good and your heart is always in the right place, but your disregard for your own safety worries me. I don’t want to stifle you or hem you in in any way, but taking risks when we both know there’s a lot more going on here than simply barren fields is reckless.” Jensgar felt Lily’s body tense at the word reckless. “You could have taken Edward with you.”
“You don’t believe I can take care of myself?” Lily asked without looking at him from her perch on his chest.
“I know you can take care of yourself. That isn’t what this is about. Haven’t you noticed that I tend to travel with at least one warrior?” Lily looked up at him for the first time. “I ask nothing of you that I don’t demand of myself. I need you to realize that. You’re finding your place and I understand that, but at the same time, you need to understand that I wouldn’t survive losing you. So, if anything, view your safety as a way to keep me healthy and happy.”
Lily fought the grin that threatened to break out. “Keep you healthy and happy, huh?”
“Yes, I’m completely selfish that way,” Jensgar stated, hoping to make his mate understand that he wasn’t doubting her. “You are the strongest woman I know. You’ve already saved my life. Hear me when I say, I can’t bear the thought of losing you.”
His mate was quiet for a good length of time and he began to worry that he hadn’t explained himself properly. Jensgar was about to try again when Lily finally spoke. “I will accept Chris back as my personal guard and promise to try to keep him with me when I’m not with you or in the pack house. However, we will revisit this once we figure out what exactly is going on here and save our pack.”
Jensgar knew how much it took for her to agree to his demands as she was discovering a new type of freedom. “Thank you, love.”
Lily snuggled her face into the crook of his neck and was asleep in moments. She may have thought he was exaggerating, but he swore every word he spoke was the absolute truth.
He wouldn’t survive without her.
Chapter Thirteen
Even after multiple searches, there had been no sign of Net, the shadowy woman from the forest, but Lily knew what she’d seen and heard. On a more positive note, the fields they toured days before had miraculously regenerated and the seedlings were growing strong. No one seemed to be able to explain why, but nobody was complaining either.
When she’d woken up the morning after her trip into the forest, Lily had felt fine. No indication of any lasting effects, and she was back to normal, making her wonder if all the hard work and stress were the causes of her random nap and not something more sinister. Either way, that knowledge did nothing to calm her mate or her returning bodyguard.
The new signs of life in their fields had slightly boosted the morale of the pack. She would take it. Any positive sign for these desperate people was always welcome.
Lily hissed as she skinned her knuckle for the second time.
“I should be the one fixing this,” Chris protested from somewhere below her. “If you fall, I’m a dead man.”
“Don’t worry, I don’t intend on falling,” Lily hollered down as she walked along the peak of the main house’s roof.
She’d had the satellite give out almost a half a dozen times while she was busy working through the books and balancing accounts. Someone had mentioned the satellite was loose, but as of yet no one had gone up to fix it. That’s where she came in.
“Even if I fall, I’m a shifter and not that far up. There’ll be minimal damage.”
“Yeah, minimal damage, that’s what I’m going to tell Jensgar when he wraps his hands around my throat,” Chris huffed as he began pacing back and forth on the back deck. Lily had to admit she liked the man—he was a good warrior and friend to Marcus—but he really needed to lighten up a little. Considering she’d jumped from higher while in her wolf form Lily doubted there was any need to worry.
As she neared the satellite attached to the roof, Lily pulled the adjustable wrench from her back pocket. With a few turns, the bolts were tightened, and she was making her way back to the ladder, victorious.
She had a stack of paperwork to get through before supper while Jensgar was out checking on their latest delivery of supplies. Lily understood why the pack members didn’t warm to the idea of depending on others to survive. However, now there really was no other choice.
She turned and started down the ladder when she heard a deep growl that made her consider climbing right back up onto the roof.
“Good afternoon, love.” Busted.
Lily continued down until both of her feet were
again on solid ground before turning around. Her mate’s expression was unreadable but his emotions ranged between concern and amusement.
“You’re back early. Did you find a problem with the deliveries?” That’s it…steer the conversation away from the ladder. Of course, Chris was of no help as he stood silently a few feet further away than he had been moments earlier.
“No, no the deliveries were fine. I wanted to bring the paperwork up to you,” Jensgar explained as he raised a stack of paper he was holding in his left hand. “Everything okay here?”
Lily removed the wrench from her back pocket and smiled sheepishly. “Yep, all fixed.”
His chocolate brown eyes sparkled in the sunlight as he held out his hand for her to take. “Good. Care to join me for lunch?”
She couldn’t help but smile as she readily took his hand and they began walking back inside the house. She handed Chris the wrench on her way by. Lily could feel that her mate wasn’t angry that she’d risked herself to go on to the roof and she wondered why.
The moment their office door closed behind them, Lily had to know. “Why aren’t you mad? You’re freaking me out here.” The click of the door lock brought up all kinds of new questions.
Jensgar set the papers down and turned to face her. The hunger in his eyes was unmistakable. “I’m not mad. You would not have been hurt falling two stories with our shifter strength.”
“Then why the growl?” Lily asked as she backed up into the desk. He was stalking her, and Lily’s wolf rose in excitement. She ran her tongue along the sharp edges of her canines making her mate growl once again.
“Because Chris was directly beneath you staring up at that gorgeous, jean-covered backside of yours.”
“He was making sure if I fell that he caught me. Something about you strangling him if anything happened to me.”
“Smart man.” Jensgar didn’t even bother to deny the fact. “Still, no one needs to be looking that intently.”
“You’re jealous.” Lily laughed as she wrapped her arms around Jensgar’s thick neck.
“Not jealous,” he denied like a petulant child, complete with the jutting chin.
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