Lily Flower
*Lily's Pov, Next Morning*
I heard something moving near my head. My hand reached groggily up and felt around until my fingers came in contact with someone's nose. I snapped my eyes open and looking over to see who was lying with me.
Max's sleepy eyes stared back at me for a moment before his face split into a tired grin. My heart sputtered and I had to do a double take. He was so adorable in the morning! I felt like squealing and devouring him.
"Good morning," he murmured, running a hand through my bed crazy hair. I sighed happily and snuggled up against him, wrapping my arms around him. We lay in the bed, watching the sunlight come in through my open window. The wind coming through the window was probably the only reason that I hadn't had a heat stroke yet.
"I should probably be heading home soon. My mom needs to know what time you're coming over," Max said, looking down at me. I hung onto him tighter before releasing him from my grip.
We sat up and looked around my room. All my stuffed animals were thrown in the floor and the bed sheets were tangled up at the foot of the bed. I'm not sure which one of us did this.
Max chuckled and gave me an apologia smile before stumbling off of my bed. "Sorry, I've been known to be a crazy sleeper," he explained to me as he started stacking my animals in the corner. I watched carefully, enjoying his body while I could still look at it.
"Mom is going to be so thrilled about us," Max exclaimed once he was done "cleaning" my room.
"What about us?" I asked curiously. I wasn't really sure what he was talking about anymore. Didn't he know we were still just friends? Last night's kiss didn't mean we were together or something.
"That we are sort of together. She'll be really happy for us. I'm sure she'll break it to Embry for you," Max explained to me. He was already heading towards my window.
"Wait! Just because we kissed doesn't mean we're together, Max. I'm still leaving after the summer is over for college and you're going back to Canada," I said quickly. I had hoped that he wouldn't be upset with me.
Max was frozen in place, half turned towards me. His eyes were narrowed and I could tell that his mind was working quickly, maybe looking for a sign that he thought he had missed.
I felt like crap, really I did. Max was great and I could actually see myself having a summer romance with him and possible falling in love but I couldn't let that happen. I wasn't going to hurt both of us if I could avoid it.
"Oh," Max muttered finally. He looked at me with pleading eyes. I wanted to scream yes at him, that I'd freaking marry him if it made him happy or to a less extreme date him but my future job was on the line here.
"I'm sorry. I really do like you and everything but we have to think sensibly about all this. We're both leaving soon anyway," I exclaimed guiltily. I could feel my tear ducts kicking in but I didn't want to cry in front of him.
"Sensibility is for school and work, not matters of the heart, Lily," Max stated thoughtfully, giving me a meaningful look. I glanced away from him, suddenly embarrassed and shy.
"We can talk more about this later. I don't want dad to find you here," I murmured, staring guiltily at my giant teddy bear in the corner. I heard Max sigh and his quiet footsteps coming back towards me.
"I'll see you at seven o'clock," he said before leaning down and giving me a light peck on the lips. My heart picked up and a blush went across my cheeks. By the time I recollected myself Max had already escaped through the window.
I sighed angrily at myself and stomped around my room for a few minutes until I calmed down enough to properly dress myself for the day. I decided on a black skirt that fell to my knees and a dark green baby doll shirt. I didn't bother with shoes right now.
I made myself breakfast then sat my butt down in front of the TV to mourn my loss silently. I was a little upset with myself at the moment and I didn't want to be bothered until I had to leave for dinner tonight.
*Max's Pov*
Friends? Just Friends? How could she even say that? We were perfect for each other and she's blowing it off just for college. She can go to college anywhere, right?!
Mom smiled brightly at me when I stormed into the house but she quickly caught on that it didn't go as planned. She immediately started making eggs, pancakes, and bacon for me. I sighed gloomily and sat down at the kitchen table.
"How bad was it?" my mom whispered hesitantly.
"It was great, perfect really until this morning. She says we have to stay friends because she's going to college soon," I grumbled, staring off into the distance but I was really replaying the scene in my head.
Mom frowned and shook her head. "How silly of her to think that she'll just be able to leave you," she exclaimed, flipping a pancake then some bacon. "Lily is going to cause herself much grief if she doesn't get wise," she continued.
I didn't reply but let myself get lost in my memories of last night while we kissed. Her lips had been so soft and her reactions to me! Ugh, my body just screamed for me to run back to Lily's house and start another make out session.
"I love her," I muttered faintly, my mind just hours behind the real world. Mom didn't hear me though and kept making breakfast for me. I sighed and pulled myself out of my own mind and decided to try to help her cook.
*Six thirty p.m.*
I was pacing in my room, chewing on my lip as I worried about Lily coming over for dinner. The plan for tonight was that dad would bring up the legends and all of us would try to explain everything to her before dessert. I really hoped everything would go smoothly and easily. That was the game plan anyway. I doubted that would really happen but a wolf could wish.
All the other guys had told me how their imprints took it and my chances of Lily taking it coolly are slim. I remember Jared said once that Kim fainted while Paul's imprint, Rachel, tried to stab him. I had made sure mom had hid the knives already before dinner even started.
I kept running my hands over my collar shirt, making sure it was smooth and wrinkle-free. I wanted everything to be perfect tonight. I could not blow this right now!
"Max, come help us with dinner," I heard dad say loudly from the kitchen. I made sure I had everything that I needed (shirt, shoes, etc.) before heading out of my childhood room. Mom was seasoning the meat with dad was making the salad. I started helping with the rice.
All three of us kept glancing at the clock every few seconds, waiting for the clock to hit seven. I didn't even feel hungry even though the food was practically shoved under my nose. My gut kept churning and lurching every time I thought about Lily finding out about me. I am sure that my face was faintly green by the time I heard Lily's little hands knocking on the door.
Mom went to open the door and greet Lily while dad kept me from escaping out the back door. I wanted to vomit and I didn't want her to hear my lunch come up.
"Hi Emily, I hope I'm not too early," I heard Lily exclaim when my mom opened the door. My nerves calmed down slightly at the sound of her voice and I poked my head out to get a glimpse of her.
Lily was dressed like an angel. Her hair was flowing around her and her eyes were shining brightly as she gave my mother a toothy grin. Her clothes were revealing enough to let my eyes wander to her legs but the outfit still left me guessing about the rest of her. A Lust Angel as come to visit me.
"Hey Max, glad to see that you made it home okay from my house," Lily said once she spotted me peeking at me. I smiled at her and noticed how awkward she seemed now with me in the room with her.
Dad cleared his throat from behind me and made the suggestion that we go ahead and start dinner. I pulled out Lily's chair for her and made sure she was comfortable before I let myself sit down right beside her. Mom sat down on the other side of her just incase she needed woman's support later during the meal.
We served ourselves; dad and I got large portions while our ladies got a little bit of everything. I made to let mom make all the small talking before dad came in with the legends and wolfy details. Of course, we were leaving the imprinting legend for later; we didn't want to overwhelm her.
"So Lily, what is your major going to be?" mom asked curiously. I glanced over at my imprint, waiting for the answer myself.
"I'm hoping to be a neurosurgeon. Since my high school paying part of the money for me it is best if I take advantage of the opportunity since I have little money," Lily explained. She looked at me while she said all this though. She was trying to make me understand.
I stared pointedly back down at my plate and stabbed my food moodily. Dad shifted uncomfortable in his seat now, waiting for my permission to begin. I gave him a small nod before taking a long drink.
*Lily's Pov*
I looked gloomily down at my food. I didn't feel like eating anymore. Max was still upset with me for picking my education over him.
"Lily, do you remember the legends of our people? I know it has been a while since you've heard them," Sam said, watching me carefully. I noticed that his wife was has well while Max just sat tensely beside me.
I remember my father telling me of the spirit warriors and how they became wolves somehow. "Some of them," I muttered, looking back down at my food. I wasn't too interested in this conversation topic.
"Good, that makes explaining easier. What if I said that all the legends were real?" Sam said cautiously, eyeing me, probably to make sure I was paying attention.
"I'd say 'prove it' I suppose," I stated before eating more of my rice. Max kind of sputtered and choked on air before coughing and wheezing. I patted his back and rubbed his arm, trying to calm him down enough so he'd even have a chance to breath.
"Show you?! You want us to show you?" Max finally got out, his eyes watering now.
"Huh, are you saying that they are true?" I exclaimed, surprised that this was where the conversation had taken us. They whole family shifted uncomfortably from my question. I gasped. "They are true!"
While I was thinking back on all the legends that my dad used to tell me the Uley family was having their own little conversation in hushed tones. We weren't paying attention to each other though.
"Lily, would you like to come outside with us? We can show you if you want," Emily said hesitantly, grabbing my attention even if I was in fantasy land right now. I nodded eagerly and stood up from my seat and was already heading towards the back door.
Once we got outside, Max walked into the woods while Emily and Sam stood on both sides of me. I could faintly hear Sam talking about wolves now but I was too busy looking for Max to return that I wasn't really paying attention to anything now. Emily grabbed my arm as if to hold to where I was while Sam took one step in front of me as if a shield.
My eyes caught movement along the line of trees but I couldn't focus on the shape that was moving around. I reached out and clutched at Emily in excitement. Whatever was moving over there was started to take a form a shape. It was big from what I could tell.
My excitement quickly turned into disbelief. A fuzzy horse stepped out of the woods. My eyes adjusted though and I quickly realized that some kind of giant dog/wolf thing was standing there looking at the three of us.
I gasped and clutched Emily's arm with one of my hands and the back of Sam's shirt with my other hand. "What is that?" I choked out, never taking my eyes off of the animal. Sam glanced back at me but didn't reply.
"Max, come over here, please," Sam said. I was frozen as I watched the animal crawl over to us on his belly; the sign of submission. "Come on Lily," he said, forcing me away from Emily. He out behind me and jockeyed me forward inch by inch until I was only a foot away from the animal.
Now that I was closer I could it was defiantly a wolf but it must be some kind of mutant because I know for a fact that wolves do not grow this big naturally. I swallowed nervously while I let Sam hold me up because my legs weren't working right now.
"Sam, will it hurt us?" I whispered shakily.
"Of course not. Wolves are pretty normal around here. Even though these wolves are huge they're just a bunch of softies. Why don't you go ahead and pet him?" he suggested happily, nudging my hand forward. I shook my head but Sam lifted my hand anyway and buried my hand in its fur. It was soft and a very warm.
I glanced down at the wolf, making sure it wasn't about to freak out on me and took a shaky step up to it. The wolf bowed its head and waited for me to make my move. I glanced back at Sam for reassurance before kneeling beside the wolf. I ran my hands through its fur slowly being extra careful. It started to rumble; a wolfy purr. I giggled breathlessly while I continued to pamper the wolf.
"So you're okay with this?" I heard Emily ask from behind me. I nodded but my back was to her so I wasn't sure if she saw. The wolf started to wag its tail and started to nudge me.
"This is awesome! I didn't know that we had mutant wolves in La Push. So this is what you wanted to show me about the legends?" I said, looking up at Sam. He glanced at the wolf before looking back at me.
"This is only half of it. The second part is even crazier," Emily exclaimed. Sam backed me away from the wolf and back towards his house. Where was Max at? He was missing all the fun!
"Watch carefully Lily," Emily murmured to me. I nodded eagerly and watched the wolf closely. It started to shake and shiver and its shape seemed to disappear and started to shrink in size and lose its fur. I gasped. It was like mutant wolf molting going on right before my eyes.
Suddenly Max was standing just a few yards away from us, butt naked yet again, and staring right at me without a bit of shame and was waiting for me to do something.
Author's Note: Yeah! Very important chapter this one was and so will the next one. Review review review!
