Lycan Princess

Breathe

~Lilly~

I was visibly vibrating as the elevator lowered the three floors to the first floor of the castle. I was waiting for the elevator to stop and my father yank me back into my suite and the fear of that was trying to over-whelm me. However, when the doors opened, I was blinded by the brightness on the floor. Our floor always had the blinds drawn close, so seeing a floor flooded with light was something I wasn't used to.

"Come on," Cam smiled at me, holding out his hand to me.

At first I wanted to tell him I could do it myself, until I remembered that he was acting as my mate. Taking a deep breath, I nodded, taking his hand. Wincing slightly, it took a minute for my eyes to adjust to the bright light. The sun from outside was bouncing off of the white marble floors and white walls, making the room almost blinding. "Who decorated this place," I hissed out.

"I think your mother did," Avery groaned, rubbing her eyes. "And it gives me a headache every time I come down here."

"I think its amazing," Allison twirled in the grand hall.

"You would," Nadelle laughed as we all headed for the door. I watched as each of them exited the castle but my feet felt frozen in place. I looked at the outside world and even though I couldn't see anyone I was terrified. I had been locked away fro so long that I was beginning to feel like I was making a mistake. "You coming?" Nadelle frowned, holding the door open for me.

"I..." I was about to tell them no and run back upstairs when the scent of icecream filled my nose. 'mate' Zion whimpered softly. Frowning, I looked around but I didn't see anyone other than my friends. "Yeah I'm coming," I whispered softly, following my friends out of the castle. 'Zion what are you talking about,' I frowned at my wolf who was pacing in my mind.

'I smelled them,' She whimpered.

'Who?'

'Our mate,' She whimpered softly. 'Turn around. They were in the castle.'

'Zion, I have had you for years. If they were in the castle we would know it by now.'

'We know no one in the castle. You said that yourself. Why are we still walking away!'

'Because I don't want to find our mate," I growled at her. 'Why would I trade my father's cage for my mate's cage?'

'They won't cage us!'

'You don't know that!' I growled at her, creating a barrier to lock her out. I was just now breathing my first breath of fresh air and she wanted to take that away from me! None of this was fair. I understand a wolf's desire to know and seek out their mate... but couldn't she understand my desire not to?

"You okay?" Cam asked, wrapping his arm around me. I almost gagged as his scent covered me completely, Zion did not like having the sent of another male on her. "Lilly?"

"I'm good, but your scent is making me nauseous," I groaned, pushing his arm off of me. "Better."

"Sorry I forget how strong my scent is right now, and how sensitive your nose is," Cam laughed, nervously rubbing the back of his head much like his father did. "But that was after I put my arm on you. I saw you talking to Zion... what's going on?"

Frowning, I watched our friends head to the club as Cam and I stopped walking. When I knew they were out of ear shot I sighed softly and looked at him, "Zion smelled our mate."

"Really!" Cam beamed, turning towards the castle, "Lets go back and find them!!!"

"Stop!" I snapped, grabbing his hand. "I don't want to find them."

"But... why?"

"Do I have to explain that to you too?" I groaned in annoyance. "I just... I need time to find myself before I am trapped by another man like my father."

"Lilly, not all of us," Cam started, but I lifted my hand to stop him.

"I just had this conversation with Zion, i don't need to have it with you. Yes, I get that you are not all the same, but you cannot guarantee that this one is not the same? Can you tell me with all certainty that he will not confine me due to fear like my father?"

Cam frowned, thinking about my question for a minute but eventually sighed, shrugging his shoulders, "I get it. You win, we will go and party and forget all about this for the night."

"Thank you," I beamed, happily grabbing his hand. "Lets go before the twins start using the fact that I'm the princess to get extra drinks."

"They wouldn't... okay they would let's go!" Cam laughed as we ran to catch up to our friends.

Slowly, I opened the door to the club and was met with an eardrum shattering amount of music, loud laughing, dark lighting mixed with strobe lights, and the stench of s*x, alcohol and weed. I had been sheltered for so long that I didn't know what to do with all of the new smells. I could feel Zion whining through the barrier as the smells assaulted her.

"Over here!" Allison waved excitedly as they sat at a table on the other side of the room. My eyes grew wide and happiness filled me when I realized that they had picked a table near the only window in the place. Beaming, I walked over to them, "Thought the window might help that lycaon nose of yours."

"You don't know how much I appreciate that," I giggled, happily taking a pink drink from Avery. "What is this?"

"It is a drink that will loosen up those nerves of yours." Avery smirked, sipping on her drink, "I'm your cousin, don't question me and just drink it."

"If it was anyone else I would be throwing this in their face," I snickered softly as I took a swig of the drink. "Why does it burn!" I whined as I choked on the drink. "Nothing this pretty should taste like lighter fluid."

"And to think we got the watered down version," Allison giggled as she sipped on a drink that looked like a slushie.

"Well, excuse me for living off of water for the last few years!"

"And ice cream," Cam's sister hollered as she walked up to the table. "Don't forget the ice cream."

"Why did I come out with all of you," I grumbled in annoyance as I looked at them.

"Because we are cute," Allison laughed happily.

I opened my mouth to say something when the scent of mint chocolate chip icecream filled my nose. 'Mate!' Zion yelled, breaking down the barrier I had created. Growling, I looked around, trying to pin point where the scent was coming from. If I could do that, then I could avoid them like the plague.