Moving back

"um.. I'm sorry if the is all too much for you." Xander spoke quickly as they stood staring at each other. "But I'm committed to someone else. I can't be your mate. I hope you understand."

"Thankfully, I'm not interested in any mate stuff." Lilliana replied honestly. "I think you should be able to choose who you want to be with. I think it's a little bit crazy to be pushed into a relationship with someone you don't even know. I don't know much about what mating ceremony means." She gave a quick shudder. "That's not something I'd want to do with someone I don't know, or care about...or love." Lilliana spoke the last few words softly but Xander's werewolf hearing picked up on it.

"You know... That's why they want to take you back to the pack now.they want us to relate with eachother and maybe develope feelings but I don't want to give you the wrong idea. I'm already in love with someone I love deeply." Xander looked at Lilliana square in the eyes. "Do you want to join the pack?"

Lilliana shrugged her shoulders "I don't care about your relationship or the pack, but I certainly do want to get to know my dad." She said, choosing her word carefully. "Even if I go back it's not like I'm expecting anything from you." She assured him. "I'm on your side here...I want to be with someone I love too. I want to fall in love too." Lilliana smiled softly at the mere thought of that. Life is too beautiful to waste being with someone she doesn't love.

Xander nodded and was momentarily taken aback when he saw her small smile. She has a cute smile...

Shaking his head and internally scolding himself, Xander gave her a forced smile in return.

"It's nice we are on the same page." He spoke up.

Lilliana turn around to walk back inside thinking about all that has been revealed to her. Should she join the pack and get used to an entirely new life, or should she stay here where she was in her comfort zone?

* * *

Four days later...

In the end, Thomson managed to convince Lilliana and she found herself packing up everything with her aunt to move back to the pack territory. The other day she found the courage to finally exchange numbers with Karen to keep in touch. Lilliana didn't think her departure would bother Karen all that much. All the girls fawned over him and it's not like he had ever remotely shown any interest in her. But Lilliana couldn't shake of the lovely feeling she felt of how visibly agitated he'd been when he found out she was moving. Summoning up her courage, Lilliana had exchanged not only phone numbers but also email addresses as well and told him he could slightly and he seemed visibly appeased.

Feeling giddy over the fact that maybe her crush really did have feelings for her, Lilliana checked her email and text messages for the upteenth time as she approached pack territory in her aunt's flashy car.

"So all our money was actually coming from the Pack's funds?" Lilliana asked, setting aside her cellphone disappointed that Karen hasn't sent a message to her.

Auntie Sarah nodded affirmative, bobbing her head up and down with the music.

"The previous Alpha had dispersed funds for us. I do have my own money which is how I bought this baby here" she patted the dashboard of the car lovingly.

"We're here!" She exclaimed excitedly

* * * * * * * *

"Lily!" Exclaimed Jennie, coming over to give her a big hug as Sarah and Lilliana entered the Alpha's mansion. "My! You've grown!" She pulled back to give Lilliana a once over, her eyes misting.

"Apparently not much," Xander scoffed. He was leaning against the wall into the foyer's entryway behind him were double doors opening into a huge conference room, where the pack usually had their meetings.

Lilliana shot him a glare for his rude comment. He may be the Pack's Alpha, but that didn't mean he could bully her around.

"Xander!"admonished Jennie "be nice! Lilliana is just a late bloomer!" Then Jennie realised her outburst and looked sheepishly at Lilliana

"By the way I'm Jennie, Xander's mom" she introduced. "Hi, ma'am" she greeted

"Silly, don't be formal just call me Jennie, okay"

"Hi Jennie" she gave a small smile

"Excuse me, I'll go over to my dad" Lilliana excused herself, stepping into into the pack house where her dad have brought her to meet everyone.

Jennie turned to her son.

"Xander Eduard!" Jennie scolded, rounding in on him. "I've taught better than that on how to treat a lady." Her shrill voice was so loud, almost everyone turned to see their powerful Alpha being scolded by his petite mother who dotes on him.

To his credit, the Alpha shrugged his shoulders over his mother scolding him in front of everyone.

He just gave a small srugg and replied sardonically. "A lady? Mom, she's a child. Look at her. Are you sure she is 17? She looks like a 12 years old. And you want her to be my mate? Sorry mom, but I'm not into little girls."

Jennie reddened. "She's a lovely lady Xander and no one's asking you to take her for a mate for now. We'll visit the topic when she turned 18. You're only two years older than her, you know." His mother pointed out. "You, be nice to her and make her feel welcomed. That's all everyone is asking if you. No need to be so rude. She's part of the pack and your responsibility, just like everyone in this pack." Jennie snapped.

Xander didn't say anything further, even though he was itching to. Instead, he simply walked over to his girlfriend, Sandra, and slung an arm around her waist. He didn't know why but Lilliana's mere presence was setting him on edge. He was never this mean to anyone but Lilliana seems to be bringing out the mean streak in him.

"Let's get out of here baby." Sandra purred, running a perfect manicured hand through his slik blonde wavy hair. Glancing back at the crowd in his house, Xander saw that most of the people were all watching to see what he'll do. Go to his supposed mate or follow his girlfriend?

Lilliana on her part, had her back to them, claiming to be indifferent, with a wolfish grin, Xander pulled Sandra out of the pack house and they got in his car, driving off to someplace they could have some privacy

Meanwhile...

Lilliana clenched her plastic cup a little to tightly as Xander followed Sandra out.

....you are not expecting anything from him she scolded herself. But she couldn't help it because ever since she'd met him, she couldn't get his achingly pretty face out of her mind. He was good looking and his brown eyes...oh gosh. Shaking herself out of her thoughts, Lilliana had to admit it felt good to finally be part of.... something. Up till now, her and aunt had always lived a very secluded life. She owned it to these people to be what they needed her to be.