Lilly Among Wolves

1:Antispation

Lilly and Rose were lying on the large creme-colored lawn chair with an umbrella shading them from the July heat in Sterling, Colorado. Maria was tanning her light brown skin. Lilly had wished she could tan, but her pale skin wished the sun would already burn out. She had to use high-rating sunscreen or keep most of her body covered in summer. Ian would joke she was a vampire and not a wolf at all. Lilly sighed and gently moved her leg, accidentally brushing against her little sister Rose.

Rose groaned but stayed asleep. Lilly exhaled and moved away from her younger half-sister. Roselynn could be a little blonde demon when woken suddenly.

"Lilly, will you be dancing tonight?" Daisy, a short black-haired maid, said as she stopped with laundry in her hand. Lilly smiled, nodding her head, as Maria, her legal guardian, was on the phone.

Lilly loved and hated being a muse. It had been her idea to be an entertainer, even though she was five when she decided now she was about to be 18. It was funny to think that the idea of a child had come into bloom, and Lilly wanted more now than the pretty dancer. Lilly wanted more than to be protected by the Hillgaurds. She wanted to feel useful. Instead of protecting human muses, Lilly wanted to be a daughter in arms protecting the pack from hybrids.

Daisy smiled before moving on and out of Wanda's way. Wanda was Lilly's and Roselynn's grandmother from their mother's side. She was also protected by the Hillgaurds. Wanda was a tall, grey-haired woman of 65 hobbling over. She always wore her hair short and curled, with no hair out of place. She was a sweet, loving woman but seemed to hide from her past like their mother did. Lilly knew the feeling. She dealt with her pain the same way.

"Lilly will be great practice. If you can keep her safe at Crestview, you'll be a great alpha for the pack. " Maria stated, catching Lilly's attention. Maria smiled, running her hands through her long red-brown hair, smiling as she kept talking to her only son Ian.

Ian held a grudge against Lilly after the incident 11 years ago. Lilly stayed away from Ian as much as she could, but Ian enjoyed trying to make her life complicated when they had to be around each other. Lilly swallowed, knowing they were talking about her going to Crescent College to study wolf business and art. Ian was going to be her "protector" because the school was full of supernatural beings and humans were the weakest men on the pole due to them almost wiping themselves out. Lilly was a halfling and that was even worse than being human. They were outcasts at birth, they were wild and tame at the same time. Ian says Lilly's only saving grace was she couldn't shift and smelled human. Lilly hated the fact she was defective.

"It's about time you took responsibility and became her protector. Lilly will need it since she is about to start at Crescent College this fall." Maria sternly added. Lilly could hear Ian arguing at the other end.

"No, it has been decided, and you will be her protector when she attends college," Maria snapped into the phone. Lilly bit her lip worried; if Ian didn't become her protector she couldn't go to school. Humans were not allowed to the academy without an immortal protector, since other supernatural beings went to the academy. We were protected but accidents happened.

Lilly was caught up in her thoughts when Maria got off the phone shortly after. Maria picked Lilly up like she wasn't a 140-pound young adult and sat her on her lap.

"What's wrong honey?" Maria asked, brushing her brown hair back from her aged face. She has always been like a second mother to Lilly. She was 366 but only looked like she was a healthy 36-year-old Native American woman. She used to be a model before the world turned itself back a few hundred years, due to the spec virus that almost wiped the human population out. But now she has helped her husband Alistair protect the Sterling moon pack and Sterling City from the infected humans.

"I'm sorry to pry, but it doesn't seem like Ian is thrilled being my protector?" Lilly murmured.

"Ian is going to be alpha when he is 25, and he needs to start taking responsibility because he is almost 20 years old. Alistair and I thought it would be nice if Ian was your protector during your college years. We know that other immortals go to school there as well and wanted to make sure you were looked after". Maria shared, touching Lilly's cheek. Lilly smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes like normal.

"Well, until he can lead the pack, that is," Alistair piped, smirking at Lilly. She smirked back but hid it from Maria quickly. At least Alistair wasn't trying to sugarcoat it. He had been the one to keep his son out of real trouble and not let Maria know. Ian had got caught drinking and driving and was going to be put on probation, but Alistair sent him to Wolf boot camp instead.

"It will be a good bonding experience for you both," Maria insisted, trying to ignore Alistair's remark.

"Are we sure he won't get me killed?" Lilly retorted.

"You'll be fine. I have put the fear of the moon goddess in him. He had better treat you well. You'll be living on campus with him until Christmas break. If you don't like it, then we will find you a female protector. Alright?" Maria insisted on rubbing her tanned forehead against Lilly's. Lilly smiled, feeling the family bond they shared.

"Alright. " Lilly added, smiling at her.

" Now go wash up and get ready for dinner, Lilly. Ian will be joining us this weekend," Maria insisted. Lilly nodded, going into the grey-blue-themed mansion. Her sandals slapped the bottom of her feet as she went up the gray marble stairs to her sister and her's room.

Rose and Lilly shared a loft room; It had two twin-sized beds, the headboard against the west wall. The balcony windows were closer to the bed Lilly slept in, while Rose's bed was closer to the door. Two nightstands between each bed held a lamp and a few nighttime stories. On the east wall were two doors. One led to their gray and blue tiled bathroom and the other one was to our walk-in closet. Lilly fixed her tan sweater before looking into their walk-in closet.

The Hillgaurds didn't allow their older muses to run around in "performance attire" as most other elites did. They allowed them to dress comfortably when no visitors were there, and they had their performance dresses with s****s underneath when they had to entertain guests. Some outfits of hers were a little revealing due to the dances Lilly was performing. But tonight, Lilly will get to dance whatever she wants and wear what she chooses to do since tomorrow is her 18th birthday. Lilly chose "Fireflies by Steven Moccio". It was one of her favorites to dance to with light leaps and twirls throughout the dance routine.

Lilly went to their bathroom where Wanda was waiting for her, to get into the already prepared bath. Lilly took off her clothes and got into the honey-scented water. She sighed, relaxing in the water. Wanda went into the room, grabbing the dress she decided to wear.

"This is the dress you chose to wear?" Wanda questioned, looking at the slightly revealing pink ballerina dress. It had see-through sleeves and a train that trailed behind the light pink fabric that made up the corset and skirt; it hit just above her thighs. It had little embroidered flowers all over it, making them look like they had fallen on a train of the dress. It was beautiful, and it was comfortable enough that Lilly could do ballet in it.

The choker she chose to wear with it was made of pink silk with diamonds. Between each was a rose quart jewel. In the middle of it was a white lily dangling from the center.

"Where are your shoes?"

"Barefoot ballet", Lilly sang, looking at her smiling. Wanda mumbled something to herself, shaking her white hair before going into the bedroom to get Rose, her younger sister, ready.

"Don't be wild like your sister." Her grandmother warned Rose. Lilly laughed, brushing her hair and letting it dangle from outside the tub.

"I'm a labrador instead of a wolf nanny." Lilly half-joked.

"You are as much wolf as you wish to be dear," Wanda said as she came back after she had got Rose ready. She did Lilly's hair in half with a braided bun that looked like a flower.

"Thank you, Nanny." Lilly giggled, kissing Wanda's wrinkled pale cheek. She waved her hand at Lilly, leaving her to get ready.