Chapter 3
They walked through the forest catching up as though they were old friends, their hearts knew each other although for their own reasons each was weary of the other. Lily knew this was either the start of something beyond her wildest dreams or the beginning of a nightmare. Apollo only knew he had to marry this girl, as caught up in the mate bond as his wolf.
Throughout the next month the Alpha and his mate spent almost every day together, waiting at the end of the path of Appledean Range one day he broke the news that there was someone he wanted her to meet. They strolled through the outskirts of the pack community, Apollo had an oversized scruffy navy jacket on, the hood up, a disguise as sorts although not many of his pack knew precisely what he looked like, tall lean with an athletic build, eye so dark brown they was almost as black as his hair. His tanned skin and chiselled facial features gave him the appearance of a Greek god. Although he usually likes to be shaved smooth to give off a professional appearance, he had come to learn it did more for Lily if he had a couple of days’ worth of stubble, a rough and ready look she called it, which is what he had today.
Once they reached the gates of his Chateau, a place Lily had never ventured and only heard about. A broad blonde man rushed up, “A moment of your time please Alpha” the werewolf they called Snapper asked. Lily guessed this would be Apollo’s Beta. The Alpha stared at his straight in the eyes, Snapper looked immediately to the ground, the two men were clearly mind linking each, Apollo wanted to know how urgent the matter was and if it truly required him to leave his brand new mate to meet his family alone. They gave each other a nod proving they had reached an understanding.
“I am terribly sorry Lily I must go, it is an urgent matter, but please go ahead in the garden there are two people I would love for you to meet.” Apollo looked at her apologetically, “it is fine, no problem at all my Alpha.” Lily did not wish to make him feel bad. He shook his head “How many times have I told you to call me Apollo, although perhaps when we are alone Alpha may be suitable” he gave a sexy smirk and a wink, the s****l tension between them was excruciating, she had not even kissed him yet something he found strange as every other she wolf he had ever met had thrown their selves at him. Something that had gotten into trouble in the past but that is another story.
Lily giggled but as soon as she looked around, they were gone and the gate was open. Stepping through and walking up the path lying between two immaculate lawns and leading to a huge fountain created from a Viking warrior upon his steed, Lily looked around, who one earth was it so important that she meet? Taking the path to leading around the left wing of the Chateau Lily could hear voices, as she turned the corner there stood a woman – older than herself, possibly slightly older than Apollo, who was eight years her junior as it was. The lady turned around she had tanned skin and long black hair and although it was thin and fine, a larger chin than most and not the most attractive of noses although it gave her a harsh strong look. In her arms a chubby and adorable three-year-old boy. Lily’s heart completely sank. He was already married and even further he already had a child. Guilt overwhelmed her, grateful only to the fact that she had not acted upon her physical attraction to the man, although she still blushed at the thought of all the intimate dreams, she had had of him.
“Oh hello, you must be the girl Apollo has briefly mentioned to me. I am Hecate and this is Nathan.” The lady in front of Lily’s lips curled into a strange type of smile. “Yes, my Luna, I am Lily” Lily stared at her feet, feeling foolish for putting make up on that morning, for wearing such an enhancing dress, god she even curled her hair. Hecate was pleasant enough and the women spent an hour or so together laughing at the chubby toddlers’ antics. “I am sorry I must leave soon, my mother will be concerned my Luna, but I thank you for a lovely afternoon.” Lily excused herself so glad to have an escape, although it was a lie her mother whom had always been so overprotective had barely been home since she met Apollo, disappearing at all times of the day and night. But Lily needed to cry, her broken heart had stayed strong long enough. “Come on Lil’s let’s get out of here” Lula soothed. “Mum and Nan were right, they told me to be careful, how could I have just trusted him? How could he have not told me and how could he have left me without some explanation, to just find out this news alone.” Lily was asking her wolf for explanations she could not give. “ Maybe we just assumed the fairy-tale of the mate bond, after all his is far too old to not have had a mate already, it would be a clear route for him to marry and produce an heir anyway regardless whether he had met his mate or not. After all the pack must be protected and always have a clear Alpha Line.” Lula was sad, of all the wolves the Moon Goddess could have paired her with it would be a married man. Lula was a part of Lily and understood completely how infidelity was a line Lily could never cross. It was black and white and clear as day, they would suffer a lifetime alone without their mate rather than accept an already married man with a pup at home. This was the pure heart of a white wolf. Morals of a gypsy and more.
The sight of this young girl leaving the Chateau was sore for any wolf to see. Although Apollo’s men could not understand why, their Alpha had clearly met his mate, and this was her, their future Luna. Although she came across timid and meek the warriors could smell a strength and power in her. The past month their alpha had softened, laughed more and far easier. His eyes had lit up in a way no one had seen before, despite him being missing or unavailable increasingly regularly. Why in the mood goddess’ name was she leaving so sad?
As Lily left the gate she turned right to head back to her lonely isolated part of the pack, she would return, possibly even leave the pack, move to the mountains and live life wild and as a rouge. Certainly, her mother would join her, they would be closer to her Nana and practically lived as rouges already. This was the only way he would never find her.
SNAPPERS POV
My warriors had mind linked me, something had gone wrong with our new Luna. I had already given them the order to contact me directly should anything untoward happen at the chateau and to not disturb the Alpha at the meeting of the Elder Council. Damn I knew I couldn’t trust that damn sister of his – Hecate. This woman caused so much anguish in my life, if I hadn’t seen her shift into a wolf with my own eyes, I would swear she was a witch. How she came from the same womb as the Alpha whom I love with my whole heart I could not and never would understand.
“Excuse me my Alpha.” I interrupted, they were discussing something about forces gathering to the North of Liard River, as Apollo’s head of command I was not concerned, as a pack we had warned off far worse enemies and would again, I have complete trust and faith in my warriors. Apollo nodded for me to go; he believed me to be bored of the conversation. It was his duty as Alpha to listen to these boring old croaks not mine, they hadn’t lived in the real world for century’s and something we laughed about all the time.
Once I left the old hall door, I shift into my wolf form, I needed to be quick Lily had already had close to twenty minutes head start, taking a deep breath and from all angles I caught her scent and we was off. Within 17 minutes I had the trail of her white dress in my sights, she was shapely and beautiful. I loved her as Luna already for the effect she had had on my best friend and Alpha, I loved her as a sister as their bond grew and so did my need to protect her, and even as something more, but this was something I could never admit to anyone ever. For one it would hurt everyone I cared about, secondly it would almost certainly have me executed and thirdly I was already mated. This girl, this young meek girl had some hell of a pull on me though, and she didn’t even know it. Trotting up alongside her she was crying. I muzzled her hand that hung loose at her side and she jumped. Staring straight into my eyes Lily knew exactly who I was, she stopped, and I turned the corner by a bush shifted and dressed myself into some shorts and a shirt I had carried with me. “Lily why on earth are you crying?” I asked pushing a hand through my hair, I already knew this would be something to do with Hecate. “Please leave me Snapper, I am not now and not ever going to be prepared to accept a man already married whether he be my mate or not and I certainly will not be party to the breakup of a family. I accept the heartache this will put me through, but I must leave.” Lily had drawn breath and stood up dead straight to tell me this. Clearly meaning to come across as strong but I could sense her crumbling inside. “Married? To who is he married? My Alpha, your mate, is not married.” I looked at her confused. I was expecting Hecate to have warned her off her brother to have slapped her, bullied her or humiliated this beautiful sweet girl in front of me, but this was bizarre and unexpected.
“Hecate, Apollo’s Luna and their son Nathan.” Lily pushed further and looked at me coldly, I answered quickly “That is the Alphas sister and nephew, you are to be our Luna, and by god do we need one.” I watched her ponder this, how this could ever have got confused? Lily laughed a little and c****d her head to one side pondering but relieved. For some reason I could not get into this beautiful creatures mind, I could not mind link her or read her, hell I didn’t even know she was part of our pack and it made her all the more intoxicating to me, digging at my curiosity. “But I spent all afternoon calling her Luna, she never once corrected me.” Lily spoke plainly to me,
“of course she wouldn’t, the game playing twisted sick…” my wolf was growing angry in my head, he wanted to rip off Hecate’s head, once again meddling in the happiness of her brother. I was angry myself but as a human I knew how much Apollo loved his sister, and I had witnessed what became of anyone who ever crossed her, including Apollo’s first mate. “Must have been some confusion my Luna, please let me walk you home.” I replied simply.