Harper

I kept as much as I could in the shadows as I followed Lily through the woods. I didn’t want her to see me. Not just because I wanted to see what she was doing, but also trying to explain why I was following her would be a tough sell. The last thing I wanted to do was cause issues between my potential sister-in-law and me because Damien decided it would be fun to f**k with us. So until I had concrete evidence that what he was saying was true, I would be cautious but keep it to myself. I would need to speak to Tommy about that too. Lily wasn’t just Elias’ sister, she was also Marcus’ mate. That could lead to some very awkward times.

We made our way through the woods towards the southern border. Lily seemed to know exactly where she was going and moved with purpose. We weren’t far away from the camp that I had happened on and for a moment I wondered if that was where she was going. Sure it was suspicious that she would be talking with demon bloods but I already knew that Caroline had visited them herself.

Just as we got close Lily turned down a different path to the one I took yesterday. She headed down to the border and stopped at the edge. I watched as she tested the invisible line where the pack territory started. It was something that was hard to explain, but you could feel a pressure change, like a resistance when you were at the line. I also knew that Tommy, as acting Alpha, and some of the pack warriors could tell if someone crossed the line in either direction.

Lily looked around her for a few moments. I could tell that she was checking to see if she was alone. I kept myself in the under bush, hoping that the quickly rising sun wouldn’t give my position away. I knew I was upwind so there was less chance of her being able to scent me. Finally she seemed satisfied that she was alone and looked out past the border. She seemed to straighten up, her posture was less the frightened victim and more confident woman. She whistled quietly, just loud enough that I heard it. Then she stood and waited.

I saw movement from just beyond her as three men came out of the shadows. They all looked broad shouldered, rough and mean. As they neared, I could see one of them stepping forward from the others. I could tell by his sneer that he didn’t like Lily, but there was still a gleam of anticipation in his eyes that I didn’t like. I prepared myself to attack in case they went for Lily. But instead I heard Lily speak.

“Took you long enough,” she said, her voice full of contempt.

“We aren’t at your beck and call, you know,” the man in charge said. I saw him look around. He may have been mean looking, but he was obviously smart as well. He scanned the woods quickly and with an almost bored look. But I could tell he was seeing everything. Or almost everything, thankfully.

“Really?” Lily sneered, “That’s funny, because the way I see it you don’t have s**t without me.”

“I told you, we have our plans,” the man replied. “Just because you have shared yours, doesn’t mean we agree.” Lily sighed out loud.

“And I told you that if you want to know the pack security, then you are going to have to wait,” she said. “I almost have the Luna in my pocket. There was a slight setback, but I am working on getting that remedied as we speak.” The man quirked an eyebrow.

“And what setback was that?” he asked.

“Harper got to her friend,” Lily said, “She derailed my plans a little, but she won’t be around for much longer. And then I will have the child the moment it is born.” My eyes widened at her words. The child? Was she talking about Tommy and Louise’s baby?

“What do you mean she won’t be around much longer?” the man asked as he narrowed his eyes at Lily.

“I mean I am going to make sure that she won’t be disturbing my plans,” Lily said.

“The Master isn’t gonna like that,” the man said and Lily laughed.

“I don’t care what your master wants,” she said. “I care about what my master wants.” Master? Did I just hear that? Lily had seemed shocked when Elias mentioned he was a demon b***d. Did this mean she was one too? She had been lying to us. I needed to tell Tommy straight away. I started to ease out of my space to get back to the pack house when I heard Lily again.

“More importantly,” Lily continued. “I care about what I want, and the last thing I want is that murderous b***h on the-” She stopped suddenly and I heard her growl. She spun around, and I knew I had been seen as she made eye contact with me.

“f**k,” I whispered.

“b***h,” she hissed.

I set off running through the woods back to the pack house. I could hear something crashing through the trees back to me. I had the advantage that I grew up in these woods and knew them better than she did. I weaved in and out of the trees and burst into the clearing on the inside edge of the woods. I was about to pass into the woods again, knowing that the pack house was just beyond this next bit when I heard a growl. Seconds later I was knocked off my feet and went flying into a tree. I smacked my head hard into the trunk before collapsing to the ground.

“f**k,” I exclaimed as I felt hands in my hair. There was a sharp pain, and I was dragged backwards into the clearing. I braced against the pain and ripped at the hand in my hair, probably taking half my hair with it, before vaulting my legs over my head and tucking into a backwards roll. It was enough to pull Lily off her momentum and I put space between us before jumping back up to my feet.

I turned to face her as she rushed me and side stepped her before sliding my leg out and sending her flying to the ground.

“What the f**k,” I exclaimed as she was back on her feet, quick as lightening. It was clear now that not only was she not the sweet girl she was playing, but she was a skilled fighter in her own right. I caught sight of movement in the woods just in time to see one of the men she was talking to bursting out of the bush. s**t! They had followed, and I was seriously outnumbered. I reached down to my angel blade and pulled it from the sheath on my thigh and plunged it into the man’s chest. His own momentum helped the blade to sink in deeper as it lit up and he screamed. The air was suddenly full of burning flesh as the blade burned him from the inside demon out. The man dropped to the floor, his eyes wide open and empty.

The other two men had seen it all and were being much more cautious as I pulled the blade from his dead body. I tried to keep all three of the people in view as they tried to circle me. I looked at Lily.

“I guess you haven’t been so truthful,” I said. She snarled at me in response.

“And you fell for the victim act so easily,” she answered. “Just like you fell for it when I had that b***h kidnapped. I knew your self-righteous a*s would come running.”

“You leave Louise and her baby alone,” I growled back, and she laughed.

“The funny thing is,” she began to walk slowly closer, and I noticed one of the other men had separated slightly from the group, “When I planned to lure you here I had no interest in how I did it. I just wanted you here. The fact that the brat will be an angel b***d is a bonus for me.” I growled again, but I was starting to get concerned. The guy had made his way slowly around the clearing and I was having trouble keeping everyone in my line of sight.

“Then why did you want to lure me here?” I asked. I knew she was trying to distract me and I needed her to know that it was working.

“Because you deserve to die,” she growled.

“Wow,” I said. “I mean sure, I know that plenty of folks have a grudge against me. Is there any particular reason you do?” She snarled again. I could tell my flippant tone was pissing her off. Good, the more angry she was the more likely that she would make a mistake.

“Because you need to pay for what you did,” she snarled. I felt a rush at my back and swung around quickly to slice the blade through the throat of the man behind me. His face registered shock for a second before the searing pain set in. He tried to scream but b***d gurgled up and choked him and he dropped to the floor clutching his throat. I dropped beside him and sank the blade into his chest. Again the blade lit up the clearing as it burned him inside out. holds text © rights.

I turned and looked at Lily as I pulled the blade out slowly. I wiped the b***d on my leg and smiled. The man with her started to look uneasy, and I switched my attention to him.

“Two down,” I said, and he seemed to flinch. He glanced at Lily and started to back out of the clearing.

“Don’t you go anywhere,” she snarled at him and he froze.

“Whoa,” he said, holding his hands up. “This isn’t my fight, if she gets killed then he will have my head.” Lily rolled her eyes and spun around to face him.

“Useless piece of s**t,” she said. Then her hand moved and a line of b***d appeared on his throat. My eyes widened as he mimicked his friend and clutched his throat.

“Wha..” he gurgled, and she grinned.

“Because now you are part of the plan,” she said and plunged her hand into his chest. She pulled his heart straight from his chest and he dropped to the floor still clutching his neck and with a gaping hole where his heart used to be. Lily turned back to me still holding the heart in her hand. I could see that the end of her figures had claws on them, and b***d dripped down her arm. Her eyes zeroed in on me and she grinned. I would normally have thought she looked pretty bad a*s if I didn’t think that I was next on her kill plan.

“Now,” she said calmly, as she dropped the heart to the ground. “What was I saying? Oh yes. You are going to pay for what you did.” She advanced slowly towards me and I backed up against the edge of the clearing to make more room between us. I gripped my blade ready for when I needed it.

“And what is it that I did you crazy psycho b***h?” I asked. She growled and the calm expression on her face slipped ever so slightly. I knew that if I baited her enough, she would make a mistake. Whatever she thought I did, it was personal to her.

“You killed my father, you b***h,” she snarled, and I quirked my head to the side. Well, I guess that was kinda personal. But as far as I was aware her father was alive and well.

“Are you sure?” I asked. “I mean don’t get me wrong, I have killed a good few people in my time. But Elias is with your parents now.”

“That pathetic Alpha isn’t my father,” she spat and my eyes widened. Was she saying that she wasn’t Elias’ sister?

“Then who?” I asked.

“Does the name Nathaniel Bethrinton ring a bell in your long list of murders?” she sneered and my eyes widened further. Well, yeah it did. Nathaniel was my mentor. He betrayed my trust, oh, and he also killed me. Luckily it didn’t keep.

“Nathaniel was your father?” I asked, “But Elias…” Lily laughed.

“Oh my poor little brother,” she said. “He had no idea the secrets his family hid.”

“Oh,” I said and then I grinned at her. “Well, you’re right. I did kill Nathaniel. In fact, it was right over there in front of the pack house that I slid my blade into his body and sliced him open, before sending the bastard to hell.” Lily snarled at me. And I knew I had hit the nerve. I braced myself as Lily rushed at me, with murder in her eyes.