“And how are you going to stop me?” He says, stepping forward. Growls came from everywhere and I didn’t even see anyone coming over, too busy watching what was happening directly in front of me. Wolves suddenly appeared from everywhere as they circled around us.
“Like I said Damien, we won’t watch you treat her like this, won’t let you throw her away. So you either let her come with me until you can see fucking clearly and pray she forgives you. Or” She waves around to all the wolves and they all growl at him. Damien looks at them, yet I don’t see an ounce of fear in him. He knows he could take them all on and still come out just fine, yet I can feel he doesn’t want to hurt his own pack. And I doubt Darian would even let him shift as I feel his agreement with Tabitha’s words.
“So what is it going to be Alpha” Tabitha says, stepping closer.
“Don’t make the same mistakes your parents did, don’t let this pack fall for Estella. You know she couldn’t have done this, you're just to blind to see it. Lily Loves you, even if she won’t admit, we can all see it. Just like we can see you love her. Now move aside”
“I can command you,” He says, looking at all of them.
“But you won’t, you know we are right Damien” Natalia says, stepping forward and touching his arm. He looks down at her hand.
“You’re better than this, son. Better than them, don’t make the same mistakes your father did. Your mother was never yours to protect Damien, she was meant to protect you. She is just stirring trouble like she always does. Why would this time be any different” Damien looks at her and I can see the hurt in his eyes and feel that he doesn’t like being referred to as his father.
Damien steps past her, and I thought at first he was going to grab me again. Instead, he walks over before bending down and brushing my hair out of my face, his eyes watching my face. I feel his longing through the bond and also his own churning anguish over his mother. He kisses my head before standing and walking off heading behind the pack house and I know he is going to shift and try to run his thoughts off. Tabitha and Natalia let out the breath they were both holding.
“Come on, let’s take her to my place,” Tabitha says, pulling me up. Tatum suddenly shifts before walking over and picking me up. Taking me from her. We walk toward Tabitha’s house and I can hear the entire pack's voices in my head asking if I am okay and for the first time I can feel, they truly think of me as one of them, as their Luna or they wouldn’t have just risked their lives for me.
And to think I thought I had daddy issues, but at least my father changed to be a better man. Clearly though, Damien had his own issues, one’s he needed to work out before I would ever stand by his side.
Chapter 38
Lily POV
Tabitha’s house was not at all what I expected, stepping in I was shocked to see actually how homely and lived in it was, neutral colour scheme and warm tones filled her lounge room when I first stepped inside, pictures hung on the walls of who I assume must be her family and there were already quite a few of her and her daughter along with her mate. Tatum placed me on her couch and Trey walked out, yet he didn’t seem fazed that Tatum was standing close to his mate. Almost as if he accepted that he would be around more since he fathered her daughter. And I was happy that things were working out okay for Tabitha.
“I will go make you some tea” Tabitha said, when suddenly I heard the baby crying in the distance. Trey looked to Tatum, and he walked off. Only Trey left in the room with me along with Natalia. Looking at Trey, he had denim jeans on and a singlet. Since coming here he had filled out and no longer looked like a rogue.
I could also see the faint outline of Tabitha’s mark on his neck and smell her scent all over him. He smiled before sitting on the couch next to me. Tatum walked out with his daughter in his arms. She looked like Tatum, with her wispy hair and dimples.
“What’s her name?” I ask Tatum who gazes at his daughter lovingly making me think of my father.
“Tilly” He says before offering her to me and I hold my arms out for her. Tatum placed her in my arms and I smiled down at her. She yawned, her eyes fluttering. I caressed her little hand softly while she lay nestled in my arms, which I had to support on my knees.
“She is beautiful” I tell him just as Tabitha walks in.
“I see you finally met Tilly properly” Tabitha says with a nod.
“I blended our names. I hope that isn’t weird, I felt you deserved that after delivering her and everything I have put you through” She was sitting on the other side of me.
I feel my heart clench that she would add a piece of me in her name.
I hand Tilly to Tabitha and I notice Trey is gone before he returns with a bottle for her and hands it to Tabitha.
“I should head back to the Pack house Lily, you will be right here. I will let you know when the Alpha comes back if you like?” She says leaning down and hugging me. I nod and watch as she leaves. I feel a little awkward here. If anyone had said a few weeks ago, I would be sitting in Tabitha’s house with her, I would have laughed at the thought but she was proving to be quite a good friend despite our troubled and awkward past.
“What you said out there, about Damien. How do you know so much about his childhood?” I ask, turning to Tabitha who looks a little awkward at the topic change.
“We grew up together, Damien in the Packhouse and I lived two houses down with my parents. We used to play in the park together on the rare times he managed to sneak out. I knew he was the Alpha’s son, but every time I would see him, he would have new injuries. I knew things were bad at home for him. He always had broken bones and bruising or cuts like on his back” She said and I could see by the look in her eyes she was reliving those memories.
“He took a bad beating for me once, I snuck into the pack house wanting him to come play and his father caught me. I didn’t know then that they allowed no one in the pack house. We had just moved here and been accepted in the pack, when I saw him in the window and wanted to ask if he could play. I was four, Damien six, his father went to hit me with his belt but Damien ran out just in time and threw himself over me taking it so I didn’t have to. We became friends after that.” She said softly.
Her words reminded me of Aria and all the crap she copped at the hands of my father, I truly owed my sister my life and I knew if we could go back she would do it all again because that’s the sort of person and sister she is.
I smile sadly at her. “His father was horrible but despite the beating his mother was worse in my opinion”
“How so?” I ask,
“Might be best if he would tell you, I never witnessed any of it, but I have heard the stories”