Lily's Trust

by Lilli Carlisle

  “Baby, you have to know there’s no one else for me. You’ve been in my dreams since the moment I met you back at the Omega Celebration. Even after I had to leave you behind, I knew there would be no one else because you had my heart.”

  “I should have never let you go.” Jensgar growled low before kissing his way down her neck until he reached the mark left by his mating bite. “Mine.”

  Lilly gasped when he began licking and sucking the mark until her body began to shake. Waves of pleasure ebbed and flowed through her body until her legs gave out and Jensgar easily lifted her on top of the large oak desk. Luckily, there wasn’t much on it, and she really didn’t care what fell to the floor.

  She heard fabric tearing and realized it was her pulling at her mate’s shirt, desperate to feel his warm skin against the palms of her hands. Jensgar took the hint and quickly stripped off his clothes and helped Lily out of hers. His hot, wet tongue travelled over her quivering body, leaving goose bumps and fire in his wake until she was reduced to moaning.

  One moment she was lying on her back on top of the desk, the next, papers were flying as she was lifted and spun. She found herself on top of Jensgar who was now lying on the desk underneath her.

  “Well, well, now I have you just where I wanted you,” Lily taunted before running one of her extended canines over his peaked nipple, causing Jensgar’s back to bow up off the desk. She latched onto her mating bite on his chest.

  His moans drove her on but soon Jensgar’s large hands took hold of her hips and raised her up over his hard cock. “Put me inside you, mate. I need to feel our bodies joined together.”

  Lily reached down between her legs and lined the head of his cock up to her core. With care, he lowered her until she impaled herself on him. The feeling of peace washed over her as it always did when they made love, the undeniable knowledge that their souls were joined.

  She braced her hands on his chest before rising up and making her mate groan. “Yes, mate, love on me. Give me your passion.” At his sultry words, Lily did as asked.

  She slid her body up and down while tracing the mating bite on his chest with her claw. Soon she was lost in a world of sensation as his nails dug into her hips with every thrust. The ecstasy combined with that small bite of pain set off an orgasm that exploded from her core out to every tip of her body.

  Jensgar had taken over as she watched the play of emotions and raw need wash over his face. His lengthened canines bit into his bottom lip and she used the tip of her index finger to wipe the small amount of blood from his chin before bringing it to her mouth to taste his essence.

  His eyes shone with the iridescence of his wolf moments before she was lifted once again, this time ending with her back pressed against the office wall and her legs wrapped around his waist. Jensgar’s deep growl vibrated through her body as he drove in and out of her. Lily had never felt so out of control, so needy, so loved, and a second orgasm swept through her body, only this time she took her mate with her.

  Lily felt her mate pulse inside her before he howled his release. Heavy breathing was the only sound in the room as they both fought to slow their racing hearts. After a few minutes, Jensgar carried her over to the nearby couch and carefully lay down with her safely tucked in his arms. Exactly where she wanted to be for the rest of her life.

  There was no need for words. They were deeply rooted in each other’s hearts.

  ***

  Lily took a shortcut behind a few of the businesses on Main Street with Chris dutifully following along. She spent the morning at the school sorting out what upgrades needed to be made, as well as spending time with the youngest members of her pack. She’d received a call telling her that they had a visitor. Apparently, Ceva had teleported in, scaring more than one member of the pack. Lily couldn’t help but smile. She loved Ceva.

  She felt the pull seconds before the shadow from the forest appeared before them on the path. Chris pushed a button on his walkie-talkie as he came to stand in front of her, his sword raised—they were dealing with something bullets would simply float through. Typically, the same would be true for a sword, except each of the warriors’ swords had been blessed by a white witch, enabling them to fight against anything otherworldly. This definitely applied to the “thing” floating before them.

  Hello again, Lily.

  “Tell me you heard that,” Chris growled without taking his eyes off the shadow.

  “You’re not crazy. This is Net, the ‘woman’ I met in the forest the other day,” Lily replied before the area around them exploded with warriors, Jensgar and Ceva blocking Net’s path.

  Well, this won’t do, Net said seconds before a bright light blinded Lily. When she opened her eyes, she was no longer standing behind Chris, or even still on the path. Lily was back in her bedroom. “How the hell…”

  Oh, you’re nowhere near hell…yet.

  “Is that a threat?”

  More like a distinct possibility.

  “Shit.”

  ***

  A primal roar ripped out of Jensgar’s throat as his mate disappeared into thin air. “Find her!” His warriors scattered in search of his missing mate and he looked down at Ceva in question.

  “No, I don’t know who this Net is, but I intend to find out.”

  “What good is that to us now that she has my mate? How do we find her?” Jensgar’s heart was racing as he fought his panic to come up with a plan. A shadow had disappeared with Lily. Where was he supposed to start looking?

  Ceva turned to him, her black wings folded close to her sides. “You should be able to sense her as Lily’s mate.”

  “Lily can sense me and my emotions but I’ve never been able to do the same with her.” Was he screwing their mating up somehow?

  The white witch studied him with her piercing golden eyes but he refused to flinch under the scrutiny. Jensgar had lost count of how many times he had come close to death fighting in battles all over these lands. He never flinched, except at the thought of losing Lily.

  “You’re still holding onto your guilt.” It wasn’t a question.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Jensgar turned and walked to his truck. “Can’t you sense her with all your powers?” He couldn’t simply stand here. He had to find his mate.

  “Don’t you think I’ve already tried? Someone is blocking their location. However, nothing can stop the bonds between mates.”

  Jensgar reached for the door handle of his truck when the six-thousand-pound vehicle vanished. “Ceva, where the hell is my truck? I have to find Lily.”

  “You’ll never be able to sense her until you let this guilt go.”

  “This is not the time to become a shrink.” He could feel his wolf clawing at his insides to be set free.

  “You can never fully bond with her because part of you still believes that everything that happened to Lily is your fault.” Ceva was a pain in his ass.

  Jensgar had enough of this game. “I should feel guilty for what happened. The pain I caused her. There, happy?”

  “Not hardly, but it’s a start,” Ceva shot back. “Lily made her own choices whether you want to see that or not. Yes, you should have snatched her up the first time she told you she wanted you as her mate, but after that, her decisions were her own. In case you haven’t noticed, your mate is a strong-willed woman.”

  “I love that about her.” Jensgar was quick to defend his mate. Lily was everything that was right with the world and he wouldn’t allow anyone to say less.

  “I didn’t say it was a bad thing, but it was her choice to retreat to her wolf form and stay out in the forests around Black Ridge. Her choice to go for a walk alone that night when she ran into that crazed alpha, and again, it was her choice to sacrifice herself and her abilities.”

  “I’m the one who got the whole messed-up ball rolling with my refusal.”

  “I wouldn’t be so sure about that,” Ceva replied cryptically, but continued before he had a chance to question her as to w
hat she meant. “Do you think Lily wants you to hold onto this guilt?”

  Jensgar knew Lily wouldn’t and she’d probably kick his ass if she knew. Was he compromising their bond by holding onto the guilt? He concentrated on his amazing mate while fighting back any thoughts of the past. He focused in on their future, their life together and all that was to come.

  He felt Ceva’s hand on his shoulder. When had he closed his eyes? Then the lightest of touches to his mind tickled, only a little at first, making him push even harder. He threw all his second-guessing and doubts about not being good enough for Lily aside, until he felt the dam break and Lily pour into his subconscious.

  Fears, anger, all hers, flooded him as he tried to pinpoint her location. “I’ve got her.”

  Ceva touched his arm and ordered, “Show me.”

  Immediately the world began swirling around them.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Lily felt her body growing tired once again as she sat on the side of the bed and wondered if Net was the cause. It would make sense considering the same thing happened the last time they were together.

  “Are you the reason I’m weakening?’

  Yes.

  “Well, at least you didn’t try to deny it.”

  It is the truth, whether either of us like it or not.

  That statement made Lily wonder. “You aren’t doing this intentionally?”

  No. I don’t wish to harm anyone.

  “Then why kidnap me? What do you want?” She had to want something. There was always one thing or another.

  I did not kidnap you. We needed to talk without someone getting hurt.

  Why did Lily get the feeling Net wasn’t talking about Lily being hurt? “I still don’t know what you are. My guess is a god?”

  Perceptive. Unfortunately, I have not been among their ranks for almost three hundred years.

  That was a familiar number. “The former alpha died around that time.”

  Yes, an unfortunate event.

  “I’m sure the woman would appreciate her death was ‘unfortunate’ for you.” Lily was having a hard time keeping her eyes open and lowered herself to lie on her side. “We’re never going to be able to have a conversation if you keep knocking me out. How does Bain manage to stay awake when he visits the forest?”

  I never approach him. I stay away.

  “Lucky him,” Lily replied as she fought back a yawn.

  Indeed.

  Net’s shadow floated closer and Lily couldn’t move her body to get away.

  Instead of draining your life force from you, I will share this memory instead. We will talk again soon. Net’s shadowy hand settled on the side of Lily’s face. The pain made her cry out before the room filled with gusting winds and her world went dark once again.

  She was really getting annoyed with this shit.

  ***

  Net knew time was running out, and her only hope, the entire pack’s only hope, lay unconscious yet again. Every day, Net fought to keep what she took to a minimum but after all this time there wasn’t much left to take. She floated through the streets unseen by all.

  Sure, she could simply project herself back to her forest, but today she was selfish and wanted a look. Like a moth to a flame, Net followed his scent until she found him once again with his books and maps surrounding him.

  Bain, the man she could never have, but would forever love.

  A knock on his front door had Net retreating through the patio wall. She watched from her position outside Bain’s living room window as a young woman with long black hair walked in carrying a large baking dish. The adoring smiles they exchanged tore at her even after so many years. She wanted to vent and rail against the injustice, but time tended to put perspective on things.

  Right now, perspective was all that remained.

  ***

  Lily felt as if she were inside a dream. She was still on pack lands but everything looked so different. The sunset brought the warm glow of yellows, dark oranges and reds over an area covered in lush greenery. The pack house stood to her right but people continued to walk by without appearing to notice her.

  Frustrated, she reached out to tap on a nearby woman’s shoulder. When Lily’s hand travelled straight through the person’s body, she couldn’t help the small cry that escaped her lips. What the hell was going on?

  The woman turned and walked through Lily while she talked to another man. She realized that she recognized that voice and ran after a young Diane as she climbed the steps to the pack house.

  “Now, Diane, our family has been given the honor of caring for this house since the beginning of Evergreen,” the older man explained as he wrapped his arm around Diane’s shoulder.

  “Yes, father.”

  “You’re nearing your three hundred and fiftieth birthday and it is time for you to carry on this duty and privilege. Your mother is ready to retire after over six centuries of caring for the alpha’s home.”

  “I will make you both proud, father.”

  “I know you will, sweetheart.”

  The two disappeared into the house but for some reason Lily could not follow. By the time she made it back out to the square the sun had set and twilight blanketed the area. She could make out buildings she’d seen before but now they were new and nicely painted. The lawns were green, and trees were covered in leaves, their branches laden with fruit. Was this what the Evergreen pack used to be like before it began dying?

  She had to admit it wasn’t a big reach to assume so, considering she’d seen the younger version of Diane.

  Lily carried on into the backyard, marveling at the bountiful lands and forests surrounding her. She didn’t know how anything so lush could become barren. What happened here?

  The sound of a sliding door opening had her turning to watch as a stunning woman hurried down the porch steps, shifted, and ran into the forest. By her markings, the woman was the alpha, meaning if it was her, she wouldn’t be returning from the forest if the stories were true. Lily had no idea why she knew this was the night that everything changed in Evergreen.

  Before she even thought about it, Lily shifted into her white wolf and followed the alpha. She kept her distance at first then realized the other woman wouldn’t even see her, and sped up. The alpha was a large, black wolf and ate up the distance. When they finally stopped, Lily recognized the place almost immediately. The lake where she’d seen fish clamoring at the shore and the first place she’d met Net.

  “What are you doing here?” Lily spun around at the question but quickly realized they weren’t talking to her.

  A willowy woman with golden hair and eyes stepped out from behind a tree.

  “Net, I felt your brother’s presence in the area,” the alpha said after she’d shifted. “You have to leave.”

  The look of fear on Net’s face surprised Lily, considering Net had to be a god. “Can you sense how far away he is, Beth?” Lily hadn’t realized until that moment that she’d never heard the alpha’s name spoken before. Odd. Were Net and Beth friends?

  “No, but he’s near.” Beth’s head whipped around, scanning the area.

  Net turned around as Bain walked out into the open. “You have to go, my love. Beth, please take him with you.” Lily was not only shocked by the fact that Bain was here, walking, but that he appeared to be the same age, though this happened centuries before.

  “I will not leave you here to face him alone,” Bain argued but before Net had a chance to respond a sudden gust of wind whipped through the clearing sending Bain crashing into the side of a stone-covered ridge.

  Beth ran to help Bain while Net turned to face the new arrival, placing herself in front of him. The man had the same golden eyes and hair as Net, but that’s where their similarities ended. His smile seemed almost vicious and the sneer on his pale face only highlighted the three healed claw marks that ran from his eyebrow to his jaw.

  “Slumming with dogs again, dear sister?” The sound of his voice grated on Lily’s nerves.


  “What do you want, Gamal?” Net asked. Her body tensed and she placed her hands out to her sides at the ready.

  “Don’t call me that.”

  “It is your given name.”

  Gamal’s eyes turned sad for a fraction of a second as he ran the tips of his fingers along the scar on his face. “My name is Vengier, and you of all people should remember that. Gamal represents beauty, and thanks to your pet dogs I am no more.”

  “That was millennia ago and we were at war. You were the one to escalate everything when you attacked Fenrir’s mate.”

  The god of all wolf shifters has a mate. Information flooded Lily from somewhere or someone. She felt her gut clench at the realization that in fact the god’s mate was dead.

  “War is war. No one escapes it.”

  “Fenrir’s mate was a mortal shifter and off limits in a battle between gods. You knew that, yet you sought her out and the moment Fenrir was called away you attacked. There was no honor in what you did.” Net’s voice sent a chill down Lily’s spine. Deadly was an understatement.

  “They’re dogs, nothing more,” Vengier stated coldly as he opened his right hand to reveal a small glowing orb.

  “How did you get that?” Net asked as she backed up closer to Beth and an unmoving Bain. “It does not belong to you.”

  “I disagree, and I believe now is the time to test it out.”

  Net turned to Beth and yelled, “Get him out of here.”

  Beth took Bain into her arms and stood, but before she had a chance to run a beam of light shot out of the orb and slammed into the alpha. Bain fell back to the ground as Beth was lifted higher into the air.

  “Let her go,” Net demanded as the ground rolled and roots burst through, headed straight for Vengier.

  With a wave of his hand, the roots turned to dust. “Such a weak attempt.”

  Boulders rose into the air and began to pummel at Vengier, but when the dust cleared, he stood untouched.

  “My turn,” Vengier hissed as the beam of light surrounding Beth turned black.

  Lily doubted she’d ever be able to get the sound of the screams out of her mind. Beth’s body crumpled as the life was sucked out, leaving what the pack members stated looked like a mummy.