Bullied Mate Of The Lycan Kings
Chapter 83

Lily's

POV

"Girl, I have been waiting for you. Thought you changed your mind and decided to go somewhere else. I was so scared. I'm glad that you're safe though. So glad." Bia said, pulling me into a tight hug the minute I reached where she was. Pulling back to grin at her, I cupped her cheek.

"Where else would I go?"

"With that hot guy holding your cat and walking towards us right now is where else, right?" Bia said, wiggling her eyebrows and even though she thought it was a joke, I could not help but smile because I knew she would be shocked to replace out that Ren and I had now spoken about our feelings and were in sync more than ever.

"Thank you," I said shyly as Ren handed Fiona to me and Bia took her from my arms, peppering her chubby face with kisses. He dropped the duffel bag beside Bia and came back to take my hand in his.

"I'll get the phone to you tomorrow. I would have said I could come back tonight but I'm sure you'd want to settle in and be with your friend right now." Ren said, closing the distance between us as he looked down at me and thank God for the dark of night because I was sure that I was as red as a tomato.

"I'll see you tomorrow then. Goodnight Ren." I said shyly and when he raised his eyebrows with a smile, I wondered what was on his mind.

"Goodnight, Lily." He whispered, still holding my hand and I had just turned, about to release his hand when he spun me around and captured my lips in a kiss that had me rising on my tiptoes and grabbing fistfuls of his shirt.

My toes curled and I was sure that my weak legs would have sent me to the floor if Ren's arm was not secured around my waist, the other angling my face so his tongue could slide into my mouth.

This was bliss. It was utter bliss and when we were done, I was smiling wide like it was Christmas, my heart running a mile.

"Where did you think you were going without a goodbye kiss?" He whispered against my lips.

"I'm sorry." I answered and he rubbed his nose against mine, finally releasing me.

"You can make up for it tomorrow. I can't wait to see you."

The purr of my cat reminded us that we were not alone and my eyes widened as I turned around, forgetting that I had kissed Ren with Bia there, watching us.

She was still standing where I left her, Fiona in her hands but her body was frozen in shock, her jaw on the ground, her eyes wide enough that I was almost sure they would fall from their sockets as she stared at the two of us.

"D... did that just happen?" She asked me and when I nodded, Ren chuckled, kissing the side of my face and waving at her before entering his car and driving off.

Gently, Bia dropped Fiona on the ground and ran towards me, squealing loud enough to wake the neighbors.

"Oh my God, you are going to tell me EVERYTHING, Lily Beauregard. Not one thing out, do you understand?"

Laughing, I let her help me with my duffel bag and carried Fiona into the house, following her up the stairs to her bedroom.

"Dad's out on a date again. He said to not wait up for him." She told me as I settled into her bed, dropping Fiona to her soft carpet and watching as she arranged a bowl of milk for her.

"Ooh, things are getting serious with the girlfriend, aren't they?"

"Yeah yeah, don't think you can get out of this conversation. Now, tell me everything and young lady, I mean everything and first of all, start from that kiss, will you? You guys blew me away. I'm listening." She jumped on the bed and laid down beside me, staring at the ceiling like I was doing.

And because it was Bia, it felt easy to tell her everything that had happened today. From the leaks and the whole issue with Aiden, how Ren and I were now together and how Zac was acting out of character.

Her face scrunched up at the mention of Zac and she turned sideways to face me.

"Wait, Zac... he's that a*****e that hurt you at the club. That hurt me! I still have scars from that awful night, Lily. What the hell are you doing with a guy like that?"

"The million dollar question, huh?" I said quietly. "I don't know but he apologized and I-"

"He apologized? He hurt you. An apology isn't going to cut it. I don't trust him, Lily," she said, a worried scowl on his lips.

I pressed a hand to my chest, "I know this is only going to get you more enraged but I... I trust him. He proved himself today and I don't know why he suddenly changed but I do trust him."

"What exactly did he do to convince you?" She narrowed her eyes at me and I told her all about how he had helped me out at school, drove me back home, helped me with Tate, my mother and even calling Ren over, never once leaving my side.

He had every opportunity to hurt me again but he didn't. And maybe I'm a fool, maybe I'm naive or I'm just starved of friendship, but I trusted him almost as much as I trusted my friends now.

"I don't want you associating with that Zac guy because he's clearly bad news after everything he did to you but if he saved you from Tate, then maybe he isn't so bad? I don't know. I still despise him and I wouldn't still trust him just yet if I were you." "Yeah I know." I answered, remembering how different Zac had been today and how I was sure that I had imagined whatever sparks between us. Maybe it was because I was alone and in need of comfort. Maybe it was because I was able to rely on him? Bia was right, though, I needed to be careful with him.

"That's by the way. More importantly, I am team Ren, like I always have been and I'm so happy for you. Does this mean you're dating now?"

I shook my head.

"It's not as easy as that. He has to reject his mate first before we can officially be together."

Her brows furrowed in confusion.

"Mate? He has a mate?" Her eyes widened." Oh s**t! Isn't that like someone that is meant for you or something?"

"Yeah, his mate is this girl from school, Mauve."

"And let me guess, she's a witch incarnate?"

I turned to look at her. "How'd you know?"

"I mean, just look at Ren. He's been your ride or die since day one. Something tells me that he's fiercely loyal to things he loves and if there's a fall out, ninety percent of the time, it's not his fault. Except I'm reading him all wrong."

"No, no. You're right, actually." Ren had told me that he had tried his best to preserve their bond in the beginning, but Mauve delighted in hurting him to prove a point. In using him. My heart would never stop aching for him. I guess I should thank Mauve for being who she is. She makes it harder for me to feel guilty about my clandestine relationship with Ren.

"Mauve gives me the ick. She's never been mean to me, but her vibe is just... off, now that I think about it."

I fisted my hands at all the things she had done to Ren. Using her past against him. Manipulating him. Threatening to kill herself to keep him in the bond... Blocking me from his phone.

"So, it's possible to be with someone that is not your mate?"

"Yes. We both want to be with each other." I answered, my heart swelling when I thought of how Ren's kiss had filled me up and made me feel whole.

Yes, we were choosing each other. For once, our choices mattered. For once, we both had a say in our lives.

"Does every werewolf get their own mate?"

"More or less. Fate and coincidences put us on the right path to replaceing our mates. It's like an intuition. Only stronger, but it leads you to who's destined for you. Like a hunger you can't satisfy until you've been with them." If the textbooks are right, that is. "So... Sooner or later, you'll replace your own mate who's destined for you."

My heart stopped. I saw the direction she was heading.

"So what happens if your mate shows up? I mean, Ren is rejecting Mauve to be with you but what about you? Your mate hasn't shown up yet. What's going to happen when he does?"

My best friend stared at me expectantly and I realized that I was flawed and had no answers. I had never even considered that option.

"My... my kind of wolf, we're called omegas, we usually replace our mates a lot later than others because our wolves awaken at eighteen for the first time."

Some omegas are wolfless, but you can never know for sure until you're unable to turn after your eighteenth birthday. I always suspected that I was wolfless because I lacked the basic instincts of an actual werewolf. But recently, the random voice popping in my head that I was gaslighting myself into believing was me hearing things... I couldn't ignore it anymore. I had to entertain the possibility that I did have a dormant wolf somewhere in me that would awaken on my eighteenth birthday.

And I was dreading it.

"Well, then. Your eighteenth is already days away." She said excitedly and I realized that she was right. I had been so occupied with many things that I had forgotten my birthday was around the corner.

"Can I throw a party? You can invite Ren, his sister and her friend and even ugh... Zac, if you want."

I chewed my lip, considering it. "Yeah, sure, but make it small, okay?"

"Got it. Let's go over the plans now."

As Bia started talking about the ideas that she had, I tried to listen but I could not help the dread that filled my chest at her question.

Ren was going to reject Mauve to be with me and I would have to do the same when my own mate was revealed. With any luck, my mate would not even want me thanks to my reputation and the fact that I was an omega but that knowledge scared me even more because I doubted that I would survive the rejection.

I was just an omega afterall.

Honestly, if I was wolfless, it would make the whole thing better. I won't have a mate to look forward to because I don't have a wolf. I'm practically human.

Holding my hands tightly together, I made a silent prayer to the goddess for the first time in a long time. I prayed that I would be Ren's second chance mate and that when my birthday came, he'd be the one I'd imprint on.

Second chance mates were rare... very rare. That's why I'm praying for this miracle.

Since I was praying with all my heart, the goddess was sure to answer me right?