Don’t come back here, Lily

Lily’s POV The Birthday That Changed The Norm “You know, you don't have to put in this much effort just to see him.” I jumped at Irina's voice from the doorway. She leaned against the frame, watching me with an amused glint in her eyes. “Have you seen the way he looks at you?” she continued, walking into the room. “You could show up in a sack, and Phil would still swear you were the prettiest girl in the world.” My best friend was right. I’d been seeing Phil for over a year now, and he still acted the same way like he did the first time he asked me to be his girlfriend. Smitten and loyal. I turned back to the mirror, adjusting the necklace against my dress. “I wish Mom were here,” I murmured. “She would've known exactly which jewellery went best with this.” Irina stepped closer, brushing a stray curl away from my face. “She's here, Lily. Maybe you can't see her, but she lives on in you. And I'm sure she's proud of the woman you're becoming.” I nodded, swallowing the lump in my throat. It was my birthday, and the first one I'd be celebrating without Mom. I had promised myself I wouldn't spend the day crying. I turned away from the mirror and twirled for Irina. She smiled, giving me an approving nod. “You look sweet, honey.” Honey. My smile faded. Only Mom used to call me that, and hearing it from someone else never felt right. It was a small thing, perhaps, but I hated it. And Irina knew that. “Sorry,” she said with an awkward laugh, quickly changing the subject. “Have you called Phil to tell him you're coming?” I shook my head. “I want to surprise him.” The light in my eyes was easy. Free. “He has no idea that Dad has invited him over to the pack house for dinner tonight. I want to deliver the news personally.” Irina hooked an arm around mine and walked with me down the dimly lit hallway and then the stairs. Dad was nowhere in sight, which meant I could slip out without having to explain why my dress was so short. And trust me, it wasn't exactly the kind of dress he'd approve of. But I was certain Phil would love it. “Be back soon.” I nodded at Irina, walking over to the door before I realized something. These days, I felt bad that I’d left her all alone. She used to be my ride or die, but since I lost my mom and found Phil, I’d just been concerned about myself, leaving her all alone. I’d forgotten that my mother also played the role of hers. I’d forgotten that, unlike me, Irina grew up an orphan, all alone. Making a mental note to return earlier to spend the rest of the day with her before dinner, I walked to my bike, already parked out on the curb. Donning my leather jacket, I allowed the screaming engine to bring a smile to my face before riding towards Phil's house. I stopped a minute away from his home, deciding to walk the rest of the way. He would be able to hear my bike from a mile away, and I didn’t want that to happen. Hopping happily on my feet, I made the short walk to his house, my fist poised on his door. Deciding against it, I sauntered in, a grin on my lips. “Phil?” He wasn't in the living room, so I headed straight for his bedroom like I owned the place. But he wasn't there either. I called his name again, turning towards the back door. Then I saw it. Blood. Everywhere. And Phil was nowhere to be found. *** Irina was the first person I called. I was in tears, huddled on the floor behind Phil’s house when she raced in. “What happened, honey?” I was too disoriented to mind it a second time. “I got here… and I… I didn’t see…Oh my God! There is blood and…” She pulled me into her arms, gently shushing me as I buried my face against her shoulder. Her familiar scent filled my senses, but something about it made me pause. For a fleeting moment, I thought I caught my father's scent on her but I barely had time to register it before she pulled away. “Let’s get you home,” she whispered, pulling me to my feet. “We can call your father before we get there. He’ll know what to do.” “My bike…” “The Beta’s son will come get it.” We got into my father’s car, which he let no one drive, but again, it wasn’t important at the time. We were driving along the road leading to the private street of the pack house when something across the bridge caught my attention. Phil. My heart lurched. “Stop!” I screamed, throwing open the door before Irina could bring the car to a complete halt. I was already running, veering towards the bridge. “Lily!” She screamed exasperatedly. “What are you…” I jumped over the short bridge onto the other side. Irina’s screams got louder, but before I could take one more step, strong arms wrapped themselves around me, pulling me to the other side. “No!” I muttered, struggling hard against whoever it was. “I saw Phil there. They are going to hurt him. They’ll hurt him.” “Lily.” “Dad!” I looked up at him with tears in my eyes. “The Bloodfangs have him.” “It’s fine,” he whispered, pulling me into his arms. “We’ll get Phil back. They crossed the boundary to get to him, and that means they violated the rules.” But none of that mattered to me. The Bloodfangs were known for their cruelty and their hatred for us. They must have known Phil was my boyfriend. They must have been planning a means to overthrow us. “Dad…” “Shhhh,” he patted my hair delicately. But I wasn’t calling him because I needed assurance that everything was going to be fine. Not that. I called him because there was someone watching us from the woods.