Lilly and the wolves

16:Family History

Lilly's muscles ached as she trudged towards the packhouse, the adrenaline from the day's training finally ebbing away. The sun had begun its descent, casting long shadows across the grounds of Crescent Moon Pack. Chase had pushed her hard during their sparring session, their wolves clashing with a fierce intensity that left her breathless. He had been relentless, his eyes cold and calculating, as if trying to provoke her. But she had held her own, refusing to let him see the turmoil raging inside her.

Two days of intense training with Chase had left Lilly physically exhausted, but it was the emotional weight of her father's presence that was wearing her down. Nathen had been present at each session, his expression unreadable, his words few. The connection she had hoped to feel with him was still elusive, his stoic demeanor keeping her at arm's length. There was no warmth, no tenderness in his gaze when he looked at her—only the calculating eyes of an Alpha who saw her as a member of his pack, not as his daughter.

Lilly knew she couldn't go on like this. She had been thrown into a world she barely understood, and the emotions that came with her heightened senses as a werewolf were overwhelming. She had to confront her father. She needed answers, not just about the pack, but about her mother—about the life she had been ripped away from when Daliyah fled with her and her grandmother, Wanda.

In front of the large, rustic packhouse, Lilly hesitated, her fingers curling into fists at her sides. The log structure loomed before her, its sturdy walls a reminder of the strength and resilience of the pack that called it home. This was Nathen's domain, and even though she had been part of it for only a short time, it felt more familiar now. But not comfortable. Not yet.

Taking a deep breath, Lilly squared her shoulders and pushed open the heavy wooden door. The interior was warm, the air thick with the scents of pine and earth. Wolves moved about, some conversing quietly, others preparing for the evening meal. Nathen was in his usual spot, near the large stone fireplace that dominated the main room. He was speaking with one of the older wolves, his tone measured and authoritative.

Lilly waited until the conversation ended before she approached him. Her heart pounded in her chest, each beat reverberating in her ears. Nathen looked up as she neared, his blue eyes—so much like hers—locking onto her. He said nothing, just watched her with that same unreadable expression.

"Alpha," she began, her voice stronger than she expected, "we need to talk."

Nathen's eyes narrowed slightly, but he nodded. "Let's go to my office."

Lilly followed him through the hallways, her mind racing. She had rehearsed this conversation in her head a hundred times, but now that she was about to have it, she felt unprepared. When they reached his office, Nathen pushed the door open and stepped aside to let her in. The room was sparsely furnished, with a large wooden desk, a few chairs, and shelves lined with books and maps. The walls were adorned with trophies and artifacts—remnants of a life spent leading and fighting.

Nathen took a seat behind the desk, gesturing for Lilly to sit opposite him. She remained standing, the words she needed to say bubbling up inside her like a storm.

"I need to know about my mother," she said, her voice trembling slightly. "I need to know what happened between you two, why she left... why she took me away."

Nathen's expression hardened. He leaned back in his chair, his gaze flicking to the side for a moment before returning to her. "Lilly, this is not an easy story to tell. There are things you don't know—things I'm not sure you're ready to hear."

"I'm ready," she insisted, her fists clenching at her sides. "I've been ready since the day I found out who you were. I've heard my mother's side of the story, but I need to hear yours too. I need to understand."

Nathen sighed deeply, the sound heavy with resignation. He looked down at his hands, his fingers tracing the edge of the desk as if searching for the right words. "Your mother, Daliyah... she was everything to me. When we first met, I was a different man. I was younger, more reckless, but I knew what I wanted. And I wanted her."

Lilly listened intently, her heart aching at the vulnerability in his voice. This was a side of her father she had never seen before—a side that was more than just the stoic Alpha.

"Our pack was broken," Nathen continued, his voice quieter now. "Feral, some might say. The Alpha before me... he was brutal. He ruled with fear, and the pack suffered under his reign. When I challenged him and took over, I had to rebuild from the ground up. It wasn't easy. The wolves were wild, and untrusting. I had to be strong, had to show no weakness, or they would have torn me apart."

He paused, his gaze distant as he recalled the past. "Daliyah came into my life during that time. She was beautiful, fierce... everything I could have asked for in a mate. But she was also headstrong, and independent. She didn't want to be tied down, especially not to a pack that was still healing from its wounds."

Lilly felt a pang of empathy for her mother. She could understand that—how could anyone want to stay in a place that was filled with so much pain and turmoil?

"She tried to leave several times," Nathen said, his voice growing hoarse. "But I couldn't let her go. I loved her too much. I thought... I thought if I kept her close, she would learn to love me too. That she would see what I was trying to build and want to be a part of it."

Lilly swallowed hard, the weight of his words settling over her. "But she didn't."

"No," Nathen admitted, his eyes filled with a sadness she hadn't expected. "She didn't. And when she found out she was pregnant with you, she was terrified. She didn't want you to be raised in a pack like ours—didn't want you to grow up in a place that was still so raw, so dangerous."

"So, she ran," Lilly said softly, piecing together the fragments of the story she had heard before. "She took me and left."

"Yes," Nathen confirmed, his voice barely above a whisper. "She left in the dead of night, with her mother Wanda by her side. I didn't even know she was gone until the next morning. I searched for you both, but it was as if you had disappeared into thin air. I was... devastated."

Lilly's chest tightened her emotions a maelstrom of anger, sorrow, and confusion. She had spent her entire life believing one version of events—that her mother had been a victim, fleeing from a cruel and controlling Alpha. But now, hearing her father's side, she realized it wasn't so black and white.

"Why didn't you try to find me sooner?" she asked, her voice laced with bitterness. "Why did you wait so long to come for me?"

Nathen looked up at her, his eyes filled with regret. "Because I thought it was what was best for you. I knew Daliyah would keep you safe, away from the pack and the dangers that came with it. I convinced myself that you were better off without me, that you deserved a life free from the burden of being my daughter."

"But you turned me into a wolf," Lilly said, her voice trembling with the accusation. "You made me part of this world whether I wanted it or not."

Nathen's expression hardened, the regret in his eyes giving way to something darker. "I did what I had to do to protect you. Your human side was too weak to survive the challenges ahead. You needed the strength of a wolf if you were going to survive in this world. And now, you're part of the pack—part of something bigger than yourself."

Lilly felt a surge of anger rise within her, her wolf stirring restlessly under her skin. "I didn't ask for this! I didn't ask to be a part of your pack, or to be caught in the middle of all this pain and history."

Nathen stood, his presence commanding as he crossed the room to stand in front of her. "Lilly, whether you like it or not, this is who you are. You're my daughter. You carry my blood, my legacy. And now, you carry the responsibility that comes with it."

Lilly met his gaze, her emotions a whirlwind of conflicting feelings. She wanted to hate him for what he had done, for the years they had lost, but she couldn't. Not completely. There was a part of her that understood, that recognized the pain he had carried all these years.

"I just wanted to know you," she said, her voice breaking with the weight of her emotions. "I wanted to understand why everything happened the way it did. I needed to hear your side of the story."

Nathen's expression softened, and for the first time since they had met, Lilly saw a flicker of something more in his eyes—something that resembled the love of a father. He reached out hesitantly, as if unsure how to bridge the gap between them, but Lilly took a step back, the hurt still too raw.

"I'm sorry," Nathen said quietly, his voice filled with genuine remorse. "I'm sorry for everything. For the pain I caused you and your

mother, for the choices I made. I wish... I wish things could have been different."

Lilly nodded, the weight of their conversation settling over her like a heavy cloak. "Thank you for telling me," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I needed to hear it."

Nathen looked at her with a mixture of pride and sorrow. "You're stronger than I ever could have imagined, Lilly. And I'm proud of the woman you've become."

The words took her by surprise, and she felt a lump form in her throat. She had wanted his approval for so long, even though she hadn't realized it until now. But as much as those words meant to her, the wounds between them were still fresh, still raw.

"I'll see you tomorrow," Lilly said, turning to leave the office. Nathen didn't stop her, but she could feel his eyes on her as she walked out of the room and down the hallway.

The air outside was cool, the twilight sky tinged with shades of pink and orange. Lilly inhaled deeply, trying to steady her racing heart. The conversation had taken more out of her than she had expected, and all she wanted now was to be alone—to process everything she had just learned.

As she walked back to the log condo she shared with Charlie and Molly, the red-headed twin sisters who had quickly become her friends, Lilly couldn't help but feel the weight of her family's history pressing down on her. The story her father had told was different from the one she had grown up with, and it left her with more questions than answers.

When she reached the condo, she paused at the door, her hand resting on the doorknob. She could hear Charlie and Molly laughing inside, their voices a comforting reminder of the bond they had formed in the short time they had known each other. But Lilly wasn't ready to join them yet. Not tonight.

She needed time to think, to process everything that had been said. With a sigh, she pushed open the door and stepped inside. The twins looked up as she entered, their laughter fading as they saw the expression on her face.

"Lilly, are you okay?" Charlie asked, concern etching her features.

Lilly managed a small smile. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just... tired."

Molly exchanged a glance with her sister before nodding. "Well, we saved you some dinner if you're hungry. It's in the kitchen."

"Thanks," Lilly said, though she wasn't sure if she had the appetite for food right now.

As the twins returned to their conversation, Lilly slipped into her room, closing the door behind her. The room was small but cozy, with a bed pushed up against one wall and a window that overlooked the forest. She crossed to the window, gazing out at the darkening sky, her mind a whirlwind of thoughts.

She had learned more about her parents in the past hour than she had in her entire life. The picture she had of them was no longer black and white, but filled with shades of gray—complicated, messy, and filled with emotions she wasn't sure how to navigate.

Lilly sat down on the edge of her bed, her fingers tracing the edge of the blanket. She had always wondered what her life would have been like if her mother hadn't run, if she had grown up in the pack, knowing her father from the start. But those were questions without answers, and there was no point dwelling on them now.

All she could do was move forward, one step at a time. She was a part of this pack now, for better or worse, and she had to find a way to reconcile the different parts of herself—the human girl she had been, and the wolf she was becoming.

For now, though, she needed rest. Tomorrow would bring another day of training, another day of trying to find her place in this world. And maybe, just maybe, it would bring her one step closer to understanding who she was.

As Lilly lay down and closed her eyes, the weight of the day slowly began to lift, replaced by a quiet determination. She was Lilly, daughter of Nathen and Daliyah, and she would find her path through the shadows of her past.

But first, she would sleep. And in the morning, she would rise stronger, ready to face whatever came next.