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I didn't sleep last night, I couldn't. Everything came crumbling down on me, thinking through the situation with Lily. I let her slip through my fingers and now I regret not trying harder, trying to understand her rather than scaring her off.

The rest of the night went by slowly and I was distracted, Fran kept asking what was wrong but I never told her. I didn't tell anyone and I plan on keeping it that way until I have Lily's trust, to bring her back to the pack and show her that I can give her a good life.

It's for your own good, you'll just end up regretting this, regretting ever meeting me.

Those words have everything inside me clenching because she thinks nothing of herself, nothing of her ability to settle down with her mate. She's not even given me a chance and she's already made up her mind.

But now I'm more determined than ever. I've waited years for this moment and I'd be a stupid man to let it slide, to give into her words.

She might be a troubled young girl but if she needs help, support or anything, then I should be the one there for her. Mates are meant to care, they're meant to be there until the end, no matter what happens.

The Moon Goddess made her for me and I am made for her.

There is nothing more to it. I have to do something before I can never find her again.

I ponder my next moves whilst I'm getting ready, if she wasn't invited to the committee meeting then she must live somewhere near that house. There is no reason for her to travel miles for something like that, the first option is to search the local area.

The markets, the shops, anywhere that she could target.

If that's her livelihood then she must be there somewhere.

I tell Fran and Milo that I'm stepping out of the house for a little while and I'll be back later. They don't question where I am going, which I am grateful for because I don't want to explain anything, I just want to go with my gut and see if it pays off.

When I'm done getting ready I head back towards the location we were in last night and I follow the signposts for the local market. I didn't expect the town centre to be so busy on a Sunday but I guess people still have to earn a living.

I weave in and out of people, glancing over stalls and keeping my senses heightened to catch a smell of her scent. The one that I have memorised and kept close to my heart, it's one that I never want to forget.

My head pokes down long alleys and I glance up at the citizens in windows shouting at the people below, selling meat and fabrics, nuts and fruit. Even though the area might have rich attributes, every location has poor parts.

If she's here then I know that she is not in a good position.

Women call out for their fruit, selling four apples for a pound. Then men shout louder, selling legs of lambs and ribs of cows. My eyes can't keep up between the sellers, the visitors and customers.

"Hey!" There is a loud voice behind me, I whip my head round to see a tall, angry man pointing a finger across the path. "Stop that girl!"

The hairs on the back of my neck stand and I dart my eyes between the market-goers, fingers tingling until my feet start walking forward. I catch a glimpse of blonde hair swaying from the back and I take off towards her.

She's fast I give her that, she's already lost the meat seller who can't keep up and no one else even attempts to go after her.

I keep my eyes on the back of her head and I don't let her go out of my sight, she twists and turns and she finds herself down a little alley. Her breathing is heavy but she doesn't turn around, she doesn't even know that I'm here.

But her scent is back in my lungs, in my head, in my entire body.

My wolf wants to lunge for her but I stop myself. She needs to earn my trust and I cannot make any mistakes now, that will ruin everything and I'll never see her again.

"Real smooth moves you've got," I call out to her.

She jumps and whips her head around to face me, her expression struck with shock. She really thought no one caught up to her but maybe she should be relieved that it's only me and not someone who could punish her for her crimes.

When her eyes settle over my face and she recognises me, she relaxes for a brief second. That's something new that I was not expecting.

"Yeah well," she brushes her blonde hair from her face. "He clearly put on his glasses today."

I furrow my brows and take a step closer. "Stealing isn't something to be proud of."

Lily rolls her eyes and then stares me down. "I couldn't give a fuck what you think." She exhales and moves away.

"Where are your family?"

"What family?" She scoffs with a sad laugh.

I study her and she looks away, the subject of something she doesn't like to talk about. "You don't have any family?" I drop my tone so I don't patronise her.

"I'm a rogue," she spits harshly. "Can't you smell me? I reek of disappointment and failure."

My teeth chew down on the inside of my mouth as I keep my eyes firmly on hers. I cannot smell any rogue qualities on her, my wolf can only focus on the idea that she's our mate. Her scent is deep and musky, masking everything else about her.

"Where are you sleeping?" I question curiously.

"That's none of your business."

None of my business? Protecting her is certainly my business.

I step closer and cross my arms over my chest. "I said where are you sleeping?" There is more determination in my voice.

Lily glances at the wall, then to the floor and shakes her head. "That tone doesn't work on me, I won't be your puppet."

My hands hold up in defence and I raise my eyebrows. "I'm not trying to make you into a puppet," I comment and focus on her eyes again. "I'm just asking you a question, are you safe where you are sleeping?"

She then crosses her arms and exhales a long morbid sigh. "Well it's not the Ritz, I'll tell you that."

I open my mouth to speak when I hear, "There she is!" Behind me.

My head turns over my shoulder and I see the man from earlier. "Fuck," I curse under my breath and turn back to Lily. "Run."

We sprint off down through the alley, she's quick on her feet. Probably has a lot of experience in running away from these guys, they're most likely sick to death of her. But there has to be a reason why she's stealing, perhaps she's hungry, she needs things because she cannot afford them.

If she doesn't have a family then she won't have a house, she will have nothing and that thought doesn't sit well with me at all.

When we reach a stack of barrels I grab Lily by the shoulder and pull her against the wall, tucking ourselves behind the dark wood. She doesn't react when I touch her and we face forward, attempting to hide.

"Come on, this way!" The guy shouts before storming off in the other direction.

I give it a few moments before I duck my head into the alley and wait to hear nothing but silence. Lily steps out from behind me, her lips are parted and she's catching her breath again.

"They will find us here," she tells me before walking down the alley.

My feet fall in line beside her and she doesn't tell me to fuck off so I presume it's okay to accompany her to wherever we're going.

"You do that a lot?"

"What?"

"Steal from those markets."

She shrugs and keeps her eyes low on the cobbled streets. "Sometimes."

I remain silent as I follow Lily out of the back of town and towards a grungy alley, something you'd see in a horror movie. My face grimaces at the dampness, the darkness and the danger.

She stops and I pause beside her. Her hand floats in front of us and she points to the floor. "Welcome," she says sarcastically and steps out of the way for me to see.

Cardboard and a beaten up sleeping bag, some of her belongings are tucked behind a brick wall but this alarms me. My eyes can't stop scanning over everything, I wince mentally because it must be painful to sleep here.

On the hard cold floor with nothing but a damp sleeping bag to keep her warm.

"You can't be happy here?"

"Who said I'm happy?" She sighs heavily and dumps her bag onto her so-called 'bed'.

I find her cold blue eyes again and I instantly frown. She has no family, she's living on the streets, stealing for food. No wonder she has no trust, no wonder she thinks that I'd be better off without her.

She's probably embarrassed, trying to spare me a life that she doesn't think I want to live.

"Did you not plan on meeting your mate one day?"

Lily shrugs and cups her hands around her arms. "Guess I just thought they would take one look at me and fuck off. I'm not the sort of person you'd bring home to your family." The quietness of her voice makes me believe that she's thought this through a million times and it never makes her feel better.

Seeing her talk so low about herself cuts through my heart.

"Why not?" I frown.

Lily laughs to herself sourly and her expression turns dark. "Have you seen me? I'm just not."

I close my eyes for a brief second and exhale a breath I didn't realise I was holding. "Well you can't stay here," I tell her. I decided the second I saw her living situation. No one can live like this, it's unsafe.

"I have to," she rolls her eyes again and it triggers my wolf. "I have nowhere else to go."

"Come home with me."

Her eyebrows go wide and she chuckles deeply. "I'll pass."

"Why?" I recoil from her reaction. "I'm not trying to move to you or anything. It's not safe here, you'll be safe in my pack."

I watch as her mouth falls open. "Your pack house?"

"Yes," I automatically stand taller. "I am the Alpha."

"Oh my God," she presses a hand to her head and smiles, but it's not a happy smile. It's a smile of utter disbelief. "Wow, this just gets better and better."

My arms cross my chest and Lily watches the action. "I'm not taking no for an answer. You're telling me you'd rather sleep here on the cold floor than in a nice warm bed?" My head begins to shake.

Her eyes close and she bites her lip. "Your pack will know I'm an intruder," her voice drops to a whisper.

"They won't if I tell them you're a friend. I don't have to tell them anything, or that we're mates. Nothing. I just don't want you sleeping here tonight." My tone increases to one of authority but I simply won't let her stay another night here in this disgusting alley.

"I've slept here for the past three years."

I wince at her words and a pang of guilt hits my chest. Three years?

"Even more reason for you to come and stay at mine then," I say, holding my ground.

She looks up at me and copies my actions, arms folded across her chest. "Why would you want me to stay?"

"Because I want to keep you safe."

Her eyes flick between mine, trying to find the lie in my voice but she can't because I'm not lying. Of course I want to keep her safe, she's mine. She's mine to protect and I will fail her if she sleeps another night here.

"Will you hold me there so I can't leave?"

"No, you will be free to do whatever you want. You can leave, you can come back. But you will sleep at my pack house because it is safe there and I want to protect you."

Lily ponders for a second, thoughts flying through her mind a million miles a second. I can read the expression on her face, she doesn't want to give in but I know a part of her does.

She breathes in deeply and then exhales sharply. "Fine, but I'm not sharing a bed with you or with anyone. I want my own space."

"I was never expecting you to share a bed with me, Lily."

"Glad to know that we're on the same page."

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Author's Note

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Ooop our poor Lily is homeless

But I love Everett's persistence and patience. I adore him, he's such a cinnamon roll🥲🥲🥲

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