Chapter 74
0074 I rub my right hand down my face. Is Luke right? Lily leads us away from the luau and towards some benches near the ocean. She directs us to each sit down on a separate bench. Again, I have no ability to resist her directive. It is honestly starting to freak me out. (Lily POV) I hate to admit it, but my newfound ability to order James and Brady around is sort–of fun. On the way. down to the ocean, I started to imagine all the things that I could make them do. Rose laughed at a couple of my ideas, but then told me that we needed to be serious. Party pooping wolf. I tell Luke and James to sit down on separate benches while I try to figure out what to do next. “Lily, I am sorry for creating a scene back there,” Brady tells me. “Who is Evelyn, Brady?” “He hasn’t told you about Evelyn?” James asks in a judgmental tone. “Clearly the two of you are not close then.” shut up, James,” Brady growls. “You have no idea what you are talking abou “Don’t I?” James growls back. “BOTH OF YOU, STOP TALKING!!!!” I yell at them. To my shock, both of them become immediately silent. “Yeah, you gave them alpha orders again,” Rose tells me. “Oh. Oops. I’m not used to this power yet. Well, maybe it is good that they are quiet for now. I need to think.” “No, let them talk. Just tell them not to fight,” Rose urges. I sigh. “Ok, fine.” “You can both talk, but please do not fight with each other right now.” I begin to pace back and forth in the sand in front of where they are sitting. +15 BONUS “Lily, we… we need to talk,” James says gently to me. The sound of James‘ gentle voice stops me in my tracks. For some reason, it triggers something in my heart, which is now aching. “Rose, what is happening? Why is his voice getting to me? And why was it not getting to me before?” “He is our mate. His voice is supposed to have an impact on you. It is just that this is the first time in over six years that he has talked to you with a gentle voice. With the exception of the time at the waterfall –when he thought you were Stephanie– every other time you have heard his voice, it has been filled with anger, hatred, or bitterness, so it did not impact you the same way,” Rose explains. 1 I stop pacing as I realize that she is right. As the full weight of that realization settles in, I look at James. with tears in my eyes. “Six years, James. Do you realize that it has been SIX YEARS since you have used that tone of voice with me?” “What tone of voice?” he asks. “A normal one.” “Huh?” “Until just a minute ago, I had forgotten what your regular voice sounds like. For six years, I have only ever heard the sound of your voice when you were saying something angry, hateful, or vile towards me.” James looks at me curiously. “That’s not true, Lily, I “You are right. There was that time at the waterfall when you thought I was Stephanie. But I hardly think. that counts, does it?” I glance at Brady, who is looking at me sympathetically. “Lily, sweetheart, I I shake my head. “No, Brady. I can’t do this right now. I am sorry. It has been a long day and I am really tired. We planned to meet in the morning, right? Let’s just all go to bed and meet in the morning like we originally planned.” I start to walk away, but then I realize neither of them are following me. “They are still under your alpha- order to sit down on the bench.“Rose reminds me. Urgh. “Sorry – you are both free to get up,” I yell back at them. I begin walking again until James speaks. “Lily, I cannot allow you and Brady to share a room.” 2/3 www +15 BONUS I let out a low chuckle. “Wow. Amazing how you think you can ‘allow‘ me to do anything, James. But thank you for reminding me what your vile voice sounds like.” Just before I enter the hotel, I glance over my shoulder and see Brady and James not far behind me. “Not that it is any of your business, James, but Rose wants Luke to know that I have my own room. See you in the morning.”