Chapter 149

The morning sun filtered through the heavy velvet curtains of Lillian's bedroom, casting golden streaks across the silk sheets. She stirred awake, her werewolf senses immediately picking up the faint scent of lavender and bergamot that always lingered in Sebastian Blackwood's mansion.

"Miss Lillian?" A gentle knock came at the door. "Mr. Blackwood requests your presence in the dining room."

Lillian groaned, rubbing sleep from her eyes. "Tell him I'll be down in fifteen minutes, Sophia."

The maid's footsteps retreated as Lillian dragged herself from the warmth of her bed. The marble floor was cool beneath her bare feet as she padded to the ensuite bathroom. The reflection staring back at her showed dark circles under her eyes - remnants of another sleepless night spent worrying about Donovan's sudden reappearance in her life.

She dressed quickly in a simple emerald green dress that brought out the gold flecks in her hazel eyes. The mirror showed the faint scar along her collarbone - a permanent reminder of her last encounter with Donovan. Her fingers traced the raised skin unconsciously.

The dining room was already bustling when she arrived. Sebastian sat at the head of the long mahogany table, his broad shoulders tense beneath his tailored suit. Little Oliver was chattering excitedly about his upcoming school play while Victoria sipped her tea with practiced elegance.

"There you are," Sebastian said, his deep voice sending an involuntary shiver down Lillian's spine. "We have matters to discuss."

Lillian took her usual seat to Sebastian's right, accepting the coffee Theodore immediately poured for her. "What's happened?"

Victoria set down her teacup with deliberate precision. "Donovan was spotted near the northern border last night. With Evelyn."

The porcelain cup trembled in Lillian's grip. "What were they doing there?"

"Scouting," Marcus Grayson answered from his position near the doorway. "Our patrol caught their scent but lost them near the old mill."

Sebastian's knuckles whitened around his fork. "He's testing our defenses. Again."

Oliver's small hand found Lillian's under the table. She squeezed it reassuringly, though her own pulse was racing. The last time Donovan had breached their territory, people had died.

"We need to—" Lillian began, but was interrupted by the sudden ringing of Sebastian's phone.

The Lycan chairman's expression darkened as he listened to the caller. When he hung up, his golden eyes burned with barely contained fury. "That was the security team at the university. Donovan just walked onto campus with Evelyn, demanding to see Lillian."

The dining room erupted into chaos. Victoria stood so abruptly her chair toppled backward. Oliver began crying. Marcus was already barking orders into his own phone.

Lillian felt the blood drain from her face. After all these months of hiding, of rebuilding her life, Donovan had finally come for her in broad daylight. And he'd brought his new mate with him.

Sebastian's hand closed around her wrist. "You're not going."

"I have to," Lillian whispered. "If I don't, he'll hurt someone. You know how he gets."

The air around Sebastian crackled with barely restrained power. For a terrifying moment, Lillian thought he might shift right there in the dining room. Then his grip loosened.

"Fine. But I'm coming with you. And Marcus. And the entire security team." His voice dropped to a growl. "If he so much as looks at you wrong, I'll tear his throat out."

As they hurried to the waiting cars, Beatrice came sprinting across the lawn, her phone clutched in her hand. "Lil! I just got the alert from campus security! What the hell is Donovan thinking?"

Lillian swallowed hard. "I don't know, Bea. But we're about to find out."

The convoy of black SUVs sped toward the university, each mile tightening the knot in Lillian's stomach. She'd spent months trying to forget Donovan, trying to move on from the toxic bond they'd shared. Now he was back, and he'd brought the war to her doorstep.

As the university gates came into view, Sebastian's phone buzzed again. He listened for a moment before turning to Lillian, his expression unreadable.

"They've taken hostages."

"Alright," I finally murmured after a weighted pause. "We don’t need to discuss this anymore."

"Can you go now?" Victoria whispered, exhaustion lacing her voice. "I just... need to rest."

I gave a stiff nod and turned toward the door, but something made me hesitate. Glancing back at her, I added, "I thought you should know—Donovan is sleeping in one of the guest rooms. We found him unconscious at the bar. Some woman was about to take advantage of him."

Victoria’s face drained of color instantly, her breath hitching audibly. "What?" she gasped, her hands trembling. "Why didn’t you tell me sooner? I have to see him!" She bolted past me toward the hallway.

I didn’t stop her, but as she rushed away, I called out, "Victoria."

She froze, her back rigid.

"I love you," I said, my voice rough. "I hope you know that."

For a heartbeat, she stood there, unmoving. Then, without a word, she hurried off to find Donovan.

I exhaled sharply. There was no reaching her.

The next evening, I was surprised when Lillian showed up to train Oliver. After our last encounter, I’d half-expected her to avoid me entirely. Yet here she was, and despite everything, relief flickered through me. I owed her an apology for my harsh words—words spoken in anger, not truth.

But maybe it wasn’t my place to make her see reason.

I kept my distance, watching from the shadows as she guided Oliver through his drills. My wolf stirred restlessly, urging me closer, but I held my ground. My gaze never left her.

Victoria and Donovan had spent the entire day together, acting as if last night’s disaster had never happened. Donovan seemed blissfully unaware, while Victoria clung to his side like a lifeline.

But something else caught my attention—the tension between Lillian and Victoria. Every time they crossed paths, Victoria’s eyes flicked toward Lillian with unmistakable hostility. A glare, sharp enough to cut.

I frowned. Weren’t they supposed to be friends? What had changed?

Then Lillian’s phone buzzed. She pulled it from her bag, her expression shifting as she read the screen. After murmuring something to Oliver, she stepped away to take the call.

Curiosity gnawed at me. Who was so important that she’d drop everything to answer?

Lillian’s POV

When I saw Beatrice’s name flash on my screen mid-training session, my pulse spiked. We hadn’t spoken in days—no school, no time. I’d left her a message earlier, needing to ask her something urgent.

Now, here she was, calling back.

I excused myself from Oliver and answered.

"Beatrice?"

Her voice was breathless, rushed. "Lillian, you won’t believe what just happened—"

And then she told me.

And my world tilted.

Lillian lived alone in her cozy apartment... which meant I desperately needed to see if I could crash on her couch for a while. At least until I figured out my next move.

"I'll be right back," I told Oliver, ruffling his hair. "Just keep practicing your aim, okay? I need to make a quick call."

He nodded, already adjusting his stance with the focus of a future warrior. "Got it!"

Stepping away from the training field, I pulled out my phone with shaky fingers. Beatrice's contact flashed on the screen. I pressed call and held my breath as it rang.

"What's so urgent?" Beatrice answered, her voice laced with exhaustion. I could practically hear her rubbing her temples—she'd just gotten off another grueling shift.

"Rough day?" I hedged, stalling because the words stuck in my throat.

"Ugh, the worst," she groaned. "Got written up for slapping some creep who thought my ass was part of the lunch menu."

My grip tightened on the phone. "That disgusting pig! I swear, if I'd been there—"

"Yeah, yeah, you'd have ripped his throat out. I know." A tired chuckle. "So? What's up?"

I swallowed hard. Time to ask.

The scent of pine and damp earth filled Lillian's nostrils as she trudged through the dense forest, her boots sinking slightly into the soft ground. Moonlight filtered through the towering trees, casting eerie shadows that seemed to move with malicious intent. She could feel Donovan's presence before she saw him - that familiar, once-comforting scent now turned bitter with betrayal.

"Did you really think you could run from me forever?" His voice slithered through the darkness, sending chills down her spine.

Lillian whirled around, her golden eyes flashing in the dim light. "I wasn't running. I was giving you a chance to reconsider this madness."

Donovan stepped into a patch of moonlight, his handsome features twisted with something ugly. Behind him, Evelyn emerged like a ghost, her lips curled in a triumphant smirk. The sight of them together made Lillian's stomach churn.

Sebastian Blackwood's warning echoed in her mind: "Don't confront them alone." But she'd been too angry, too hurt to listen. Now she stood surrounded by trees and enemies, with only her wits to protect her.

"You've made your choice clear," Lillian said, forcing her voice steady. "But you won't get what you want."

Evelyn's laugh was like shattered glass. "Oh, we already have. While you've been playing house with that Lycan chairman, we've been busy."

A twig snapped somewhere to Lillian's left. Then another. The forest came alive with movement as figures emerged from the shadows - Donovan's new pack members, their eyes glowing with hostility.

Lillian's pulse quickened. She'd walked right into their trap. The realization hit her like a physical blow, but she refused to show fear. Instead, she squared her shoulders and met Donovan's gaze head-on.

"You'll regret this," she promised, her voice low and dangerous.

Donovan's smile didn't reach his eyes. "No, little mate. That honor belongs to you."

As the circle tightened around her, Lillian reached for the small silver dagger hidden in her boot - the one Sebastian had insisted she carry at all times. The cold metal against her palm grounded her, gave her focus.

The first attacker lunged. Lillian moved like lightning, dodging and striking with precision born from months of training under Professor Montgomery. But there were too many of them. For every enemy she felled, two more took their place.

Just as a particularly large werewolf grabbed her from behind, a bone-chilling howl split the night air. Every head turned toward the sound. Even Donovan paled.

The trees at the edge of the clearing shook violently before exploding outward in a shower of splinters. And through the debris stormed Sebastian Blackwood in full Lycan form, his massive body radiating pure fury.

Lillian had never been so relieved to see anyone in her life. But as Sebastian's glowing red eyes locked onto Donovan, she realized with dawning horror that she might have just started a war neither of them could stop.