“Well you know what James, suck it up,” Lily snapped, angry. “We don’t always get what we want how we want it. This may not be the way you want me, but it’s the only way you’ll get me. It’s not that I’m using you, it’s just the way it is!” James walked up to her until he stood right in front of her, his face completely stoic which rather unnerved her.
“Lily if the only way I can have you in my life and be your mate is by doing it this way,” he started with a cool calm. “Then I don’t want to you in my life or your mate.” With that, he turned and started to walk to his truck.
“That’s it?” Lily called out after him in disbelief, and he glanced back at her with a nod. Her blood boiled with bitter angered betrayal. Was he really refusing to help her? “You God damn hypocrite!” She shouted at him, and he stopped as just before getting in the car and shot her an angry look. “You were just talking about how you would do anything to protect me from Silvano, and yet now here you stand refusing to do the one thing that could help me save me for good!”
“Hypocrite, me? What about you Lily?” He demanded with venomous anger. “You always demand so adamantly to have your decisions and way of life respected, but you sure don’t give out that same respect to me!”
“Because your decisions are stupid,” she replied childishly before she could stop herself and his eyes flashed at her angrily and he scoffed.
“Really? You think my decisions are stupid? Well, I could say the same about yours!” James started. “I don’t think I have seen a good result from any decision you’ve made yet. In fact, I would go so far as to say every decision you’ve made has only caused everyone else pain and suffering!” He finished and got into his truck, slamming the door closed before speeding out of the parking lot.
Awestruck, Lily watched him leave till he disappeared. His words had sliced through her as if he’d struck her. She wiped away a few rogue tears from her eyes before going back into the gym to get her things before speeding out of the parking lot as well. She drove around aimlessly, not ready to go to the Robert’s or James’ when she got a text from Chris.
A small smile broke out across her face as she read it and drove towards his hotel. Her smile grew as she parked and quickly got out the car. A small young Chinese woman tapped her foot as she looked at Lily. “Just can’t keep yourself out of trouble can you?” she playfully lectured her and Lily shrugged.
“Well I’m sure between what Chris has told you and what you, yourself know of me that it should be enough to know already that I can’t Qin Xuan,” she replied, walking up and hugging her friend. “What are you doing here? I didn’t know you were coming.” Qin Xuan turned and looked at Chris, slapping him lightly on the arm.
“You didn’t tell her?” She shot at him.
“Hey I been busy with the alpha making plans and all that,” he justified and Qin Xuan shook her head back and forth as she made a “tsk” sound and even Lily gave him a look of disapproval.
“Men,” Qin Xuan said with mocked exasperation. “Chris told me what that vampire king wants to do to you, so I’ve come to help. I know of a charm that I believe will eliminate his power of persuasion over you, Lily.” Her eyes widened as she looked at her friend and asked if she was serious. The smaller girl giggled before throwing her arms around Lily then nearly squeezed the life out of her.
“So I’ve made one for you and will make some for some of the alpha’s enforcers,” she explained then took Lily’s hand in hers. “So this is your hometown huh? It’s charming.”
“Charming?” Lily repeated, “Is that city girl talk for one horse town in the middle of nowhere? If so then yeah I guess it is.” Qin Xuan grinned with a bubbly giggle.
“Kinda,” the other admitted then gave Lily’s held hand a tug. “But home is home… so when can I see this Lacrosse I’ve heard so much about?” she asked, the curiosity on her face very apparent. Lily’s smile faltered and she shrugged.
“I don’t know, maybe not for a while… we had a fight today,” Lily told her dejectedly.
“When do you two not fight?” Chris chimed in earned a scathing look from his mate and he shrugged. “Hey, it’s true… what was it about this time?” Lily joined the tiny woman, shooting him a nasty looked then with a sigh she told them about her plan of the mark. Once again Qin Xuan shook her head and made a “tsk tsk” at Lily and Chris was giving her a look of disapproval as well.
“Oh Lily, I don’t blame him for getting angry. If Chris had said something like this to me I would have been upset too,” Qin Xuan said with a tone of a disapproving mother. Lily looked at them confused. “Alright Lily, since you’re still fairly new to being a part of this world I guess I will let you pass on this,” she told Lily, her playfulness returning slightly. “Let me try to explain this so you will understand.”
“Lily imagine that you’re madly in love with someone and now imagine that this person came and asked you to marry them but at the same time also telling you that this was only for their convenience and that they would never ever love you back. Wouldn’t that upset you, honestly?” Qin Xuan asked and Lily grimaced slightly. When she put it like that, it did sound like a major dick move. Lily sighed and shook her head.
“I didn’t mean to be a dick… I was just trying to be honest and I thought it was the only way I could protect myself,” she explained then shot a look at Chris. Maybe if she had known about the charm, she would have kept her mouth shut.
“That’s the thing Lily, the mark isn’t meant to be used in such a trivial manner. The mark isn’t just a bite mark of possession like a dog pissing on a tree. It’s got meaning and power. It’s a symbol of the connection between two people, two souls and it’s not something to ever be taken lightly.” Qin Xuan explained.
Lily groaned and let her head back against her shoulders. “So basically I royally screwed up again?”
“Yep, pretty much” Chris jumped in earning yet another scathing look from Qin Xuan.
“I’m sure if you just go and apologize…” Qin Xuan started and then smiled. “Till then want to come eat dinner with us?” She asked and behind her Chris shook his head no side to side with an expression that told her he clearly wanted to be alone with her. Lily laughed causing Qin Xuan to look back at Chris, who not so smoothly tried to act innocent.
“Thanks, Qin Xuan,” Lily said still chuckling. “But I think I need to go try and fix this new mess of mine, maybe tomorrow or something” Qin Xuan narrowed her eyes in mock suspicious anger at Chris then smiled as she turned to Lily.