“Alright, makes sense. You’ve convinced me. I’ll talk to Tony and to the Aequivalere, see if we can’t get someone down there to check it out. At the worst, I’ll do it myself,” Lily told him and Greg nodded.
“Thanks but I don’t think you should do it yourself,” he told her and Lily raised an eyebrow at him in question. “It’s you he’s after Lily, no point in making it easy for him,” he added and Lily sighed.
“Fine Mr. Smarty Pants, I won’t go down there, at least not alone, but I will make sure someone will go down there!” Lily said and clapped her hand over his shoulder in farewell causing him to jerk forward and mess up what he was typing. She gave him a smirk as he gave her a glare and walked into the house.
“Lily,” someone called from the kitchen as she pass and Lily back stepped to the doorway. Sandy, Harley, and Liz were all in various stages of cooking various foods. Since the voice who had called her hadn’t been familiar, she assumed it was Harley that called her. “Help us with lunch will ya?” She asked and Lily glanced at Liz. A scowl fluttered across Liz’s face before she could stop it.
“Thanks but I should-” Lily started, not wanting to step on Liz’s territorial instincts more than she had already.
“Whatever it is, it can wait,” Sandy told her warmly but the tone was firm with command. “We could use an extra pair of hands, isn’t that right Liz?” Sandy said with the same tone to Liz, but Liz’s stance turned rigid and a determined look entered eyes.
“Actually I think we have things under control,” she replied to Sandy with a smile then pierced Lily with a steely gaze. “You’re not needed here so you can leave,” she told her, obviously meaning much more than lunch. Harley made a quiet sound of surprise and Sandy didn’t take her eyes off of the other alpha wolf. Lily again tried to hide the hurt. The truth was this house or this town wasn’t her home anymore. She was now painfully aware of that now.
“I can see that. I’ll just…” she said, jutting her thumb out behind her and took a couple of steps back.
“No. No, you will not,” Sandy demanded, anger apparent in her face and voice. “Get in here and take care of these rolls. They need to go in the oven and then you will help Harley season the steaks,” She ordered as she ripped off the apron tied at her waist then took Liz by the elbow. “My dear I think it’s time you and I had a little talk. Come with me,” she told Liz, her voice sweet yet hard.
“I’m the alpha, not you. Not anymore. I make the rules now!” Liz complained, trying to free her arm but Sandy’s grip was firm as she literally pulled the younger woman out of the room. Lily watched in awe as she moved to let the two women pass then looked back to Harley, who didn’t look at all as surprised.
“Well come on girl, let’s get this show on the road,” she said in a cheery voice as if nothing had happened. Lily walked into the kitchen and glanced back to where the two alpha women had gone. She could hear them arguing but having been on the receiving end of many of Sandy’s lectures Lily knew Liz didn’t have a chance in hell.
It was about a half hour before Sandy and Liz returned to the kitchen. Liz had a rather put out look on her face but she didn’t look or speak to Lily and Lily did her best not to antagonize Liz. The alpha wolf never did like Lily all that much. After lunch had been eaten and Lily had taken A. J. to take his nap, she sat in a wooden lawn chair with her legs crossed and feet propped on the table, sipping a glass of iced tea.
Tony glanced at her feet then back to her and gave her a sharp look, but she simply smiled and continued to sip her tea. If he thought she was going to listen to him anymore now than she did before just because he’s “alpha,” he was sadly mistaken.
Lily turned her attention to the others on the back yard patio with them. James sat to her left, leaning back in his chair with relaxing posture. Keon sat across from him. The large man was resting his forearms on the glass table and talked with James about something, but she wasn’t paying attention to what. Andrew sat on her right, enjoying a mug of coffee and commenting on James and Keon’s conversation here and there. Tony sat in front of Lily.
“Alright, that’s enough, let’s get started. Lily has to leave in an hour or so to meet with the Aequivalere,” Tony announced and she wondered how he knew that little piece of information. The others grew quiet and waited for Tony to continue. “Greg so far has found three possible places for us to search. Keon, I want you to organize the search parties,” Tony explained and Lily pulled her feet off the table.
“And what about his suggestion of searching the sewers?” She asked and the alpha shook his head ever so slightly.
“I see you have been talking to him,” he said with what sounded like irritation in his voice. “I’ll tell you what I told him then. The sewers are dirty and rank with only God knows what. Silvano is a king and he would never be caught traveling through a place like that,” he explained and Lily decided that Tony was indeed irritated at having to discuss an idea he thought was a waste of time.
“Yeah that’s what I thought but Greg made a good argument, if you actually listened long enough to hear it,” Lily replied and Tony stiffed with the barb. “Look, whether you agree or not Tony it won’t hurt to go take a look.”
“Yes it would hurt, Lily,” Tony told her, his voice clipped. “It would take manpower from the other, more realistic, searches and waste valuable time.” Lily made a rude snort at the thought and smiled a small smile.
“They are not more realistic at all. I can’t see Silvano actually staying in these woods, can you?” She asked with a little laugh.
“Enough Lily,” Tony suddenly shouted and Lily jumped in surprise, the humor falling from her as if it was never there. “I don’t want any of your bullshit right now! I have made my decision and you will do as I command!” Lily took a sharp intake of breath, feeling as if Tony had struck her instead of yelling at her. The shock was quickly replaced with anger. It trickled through her, causing her to nearly shake as its warmth filled her.
Lily leaned forward, placing her hands on the table as she narrowed her eyes at Tony. Her expression must have been a savage one because everyone scooted back in their seat and away from Lily. “My bullshit? Do as you command?” She repeated, surprised her voice was steady and calm. Tony kept his gaze on her, not dazed by her expression.
“Yes Lily, I’m your alpha and that means you have to follow my orders, even if you don’t like them,” he explained as if he was talking to a misbehaving child. Her anger flared even more and her body tingled painfully all over, signaling that her beast was close to the surface.
“You are not my alpha,” Lily told him, her voice had become deeper and gravely as if her throat and mouth were parched. “I have no alpha!” She yelled and before she realized she had done it, she smashed her first into the glass table, shattering it and sending the shards over everyone. She got to her feet, turned on her heel, and walked down the porch steps and around the house.
It wasn’t until she was walking down the street and away from the house that she realized what had happened. “Damn it,” she swore, feeling angry with herself. She had promised herself not to let anger get the better of her and cause her act like that anymore. Letting her head fall to her chest, she continued to walk and only stopped because she heard James call her name.