“You’re different Lily. I don’t know how it’s possible, but your werewolf instincts are much weaker than ours. You’re a vampire and a werewolf, but you still act and think like a human. It’s why the pack is scared of you and don’t want you to be a part of the pack. They wanted you out of our territory and gone even more than they did with James because you are something unknown and that makes you dangerous,” Liz told her.
“Well I don’t want to be a part of your pack,” she retorted, sounding like she was five then sighed, sticking her hands in her jeans pockets. “But I can’t leave. A. J. is James’ son and if anyone thinks that they can get me to leave my son then they better be ready to see the monster I can really be,” she said, nearly growling in anger. Yet again Liz smiled and gave her a nod with what looked like approval.
“Of course not… werewolves do not abandon their young,” she replied. “You better go. We both know how Tony loves waiting,” she said with a laugh and Lily grinned. “Don’t forget I want him to know what I think of his messenger.”
“Sure, no problem,” Lily replied back and walked around the house to her car. The oddity of Liz being nice to her was just plain… freaky and kind of creeped her out.
The same old wolf was at the entrance of meeting hall. Lily gave her a little salute and walked passed her despite the woman demanding she stop. “Look lady, we both know I’m here to see the big kahuna so let’s not do the whole power trip where you act like you actually have some power over me, okay?” Lily told her then with a smirk and a wave, not letting her get in a word. “Right, okay, buhbye!” She turned her back to the wolf and walked down the hall.
Lily knocked on the doorjamb to get Tony’s attention from whatever he was working on at his desk, standing instead of sitting in his chair. “Answer me this Lily. Was this,” he started pointing to her shoulder area. “The plan you said that you and James had in the works when we set up the plan B?” She started to answer him when he cut her off. “Damn it, Lily! Are you insane? Do you realize the fallback that would come if you had your accident? What it’d do to James, to our friendship?” He demanded.
“I think you’re making a bigger deal than need be Tony. I would only have that accident if Silvano made me a mindless slave. James would get that and your friendship would be fine,” she told him and Tony laughed dryly as he shook his head side to side with his hands on his hips.
“You’re his mate Lily. He wouldn’t just get it!” he argued.
“We’re not actually together,” Lily started, but he cut her off.
“Oh don’t sell me that bullshit! You can pretend that he’s just your friend all you want and he can even go along with it, but we’re all adults here and we all know that’s not true,” he told her and Lily rolled her eyes at him. Everyone kept telling her that but James was perfectly normal this morning. He did nothing even close to romantic or show any interest beyond friends. They were wrong. James saw her as a friend not matter what his wolf or anyone else said.
“Whatever. Anyways, Liz told me to tell you that the message boy scared the kids when he screamed like a little girl when I tried to get him to tell me the message you had for me. She’s not happy,” she told him and at his surprised look she added, with a smirk. “Oh yeah, Liz has left the “I hate Lily” club to join the “eh, she’s not so bad” club.”
“Well that’s something at least,” he said, ignoring the Liz isn’t happy part obviously. “Come on, everyone should be gathering in the conference room.” She followed him out and into a maze of identical halls. After the second turn, she had totally lost all sense of direction. Finally, they reached a large room with a long rectangular table. Apparently they were the last ones to arrive as all the other chairs were filled.
She looked around the table at all the familiar faces, even Greg was there. Deciding to test Liz and Tony’s theory. Lily plastered a large grin on her face and walked over to the omega wolf. She tapped on Keon’s shoulder. “Move over,” she told him and he looked at her curiously, obviously expecting her to sit in the empty chair by James but when she made a shoo motion with her hands he got up. “Thanks,” she said shooting him a grin then turned to Greg.
“Hey Greg,” she greeted him, putting the flat of her arm to rest on his shoulder. “That was such a great call on the sewers. You were so totally right,” she said then leaned over and gave him a peck on the cheek. Lily watched Greg turned a bright rosy pink, muttering something similar to thanks but her attention on James. For a brief second, his lip curled and his eyes flashed golden, but with clench fists he seemed to come to himself, looking anywhere but at her and Greg.
Satisfied, she patted Greg on the shoulder and rested her arms on the table instead. Liz and Tony totally didn’t know what they were talking about. His wolf may think whatever but it was James that was in control. “Alrighty boys, so what’s the game plan,” she asked, grabbing a piece of blank paper and a pen that was in the center of the table. She looked to Tony, waiting for him to speak, as she wrote a note and slide it over to Chris sitting across from her.
Qin Xuan doesn’t deserve to be treated like your dirty secret. It’s hurting her. You tell them or I will tell them when the meeting is over.
Chris looked up at her with a horrified look on his face and Lily simply nodded to him slowly, letting him know that she would do it. He paled and glanced to Tony and then to Andrew by his side. “Alright, here is what we know so far,” Tony stated, then began to list what had happened so far. “We know that the vampire king is going to come for Lily. It’s safe to assume that he’ll come tonight. What’s security like Keon,” he asked.
The large bear of a man leaned in his chair, the chair complaining at the weight of his muscled frame. “The witch was able to craft five charms so far. Every patrol is now comprised of two enforcers. The five teams with a charmed enforcer, three will be placed around the Robert’s home where the children and those close to Lily whom could be possible targets for the vampires. The other two will be patrolling throughout the territory since Greg is so adamant that the vampires are hiding within our limits,” Keon explained.
“What about the uncharmed ones?” Tony asked, and Lily tried her best to keep focused as Keon continued to explain the enforcer patrolling details. While it was important, Lily didn’t find it important to her. “Now for enforcers to be at Lily’s side when the vampire tries to complete the bond…” Keon started and Lily snapped her head towards him.
“No,” she said loudly and everyone turned to her. “None of your enforcers will be near or around me,” she told Keon, who glanced over at Tony. Tony gave her an impatient look but as soon as he opened his mouth she stopped him. “No enforcers will be protecting me,” she demanded, standing up. “None of them, none of you except James here has fought a vampire before. They… we… are something you have no idea how to go up against,” she explained.
“You use stealth, camouflage and numbers to take down your prey,” she said, walking around the table, gradually giving her vampire more influence till the warmth of the sunlight started to sting against her skin. “Vampires,” she started, her voice turning sultry. “Use stealth as well but we charm…” she continued, running her hand along the back of James’s chair. “Persuade…” she went on, letting Tony feel her vampiric persuasion pull at his senses.
Feeling his will give in ever so slightly she continued to walk on, stopping behind Keon. Leaning over she whispered, but loud enough for all to hear. “And we seduce,” she said, letting her voice carry her persuasion. She turned his chin towards her. “Keon,” she spoke softly, trapping him in her gaze and in that short amount of time, she had him. “Stand up,” she demanded and everyone stilled when Keon stood.
“Go, kill your alpha. Go to Tony and break his neck,” she demanded.
“What?” Everyone exclaimed at once, but Keon without any hesitation walked over to Tony but as soon as he reached Tony’s side Lily commanded him to stop. “Good boy Keon, now come sit back down,” she demanded. Once he sat back down she released him. Keon blinked then looked at her in shock before turning to Tony apologizing over and over.
“What was the point of that?” Tony snapped and Lily gave him a fully fanged smile before going back to her balanced self.