Chapter 108
Lily POV
Nothing changed after that day in the hospital.
I tried my best, put in effort to reach out to Kai, but when he wasn’t in the hospital, he was home sleeping, so I stopped trying and I stopped going to the pack house. There was nothing for me there.
Since I couldn’t bear to stay idle and bemoaning my situation, I threw myself into training. Over the last few weeks, the training grounds were my refuge, a place where I could channel my frustration into something productive. Coach Jake was always ready to guide me despite his impairment.
The training room echoed with the rhythmic sound of my fists hitting the punching bag. Sweat trickled down my temples as I pushed myself harder, trying to drown out the image of Kai sitting next to the she-wolf, gazing at her tenderly.
“Push a little harder, Lily,” Jake called out to me, pulling me out of my thoughts. “Your form is getting better. You’re stronger than you think p>
I gritted my teeth, ignoring the way my muscles were burning as I welcomed the pain and continued working. The ache in my chest was fuel. I continued working until I finished that training session.
Jake limped over, a quiet smile on his face as I slumped onto the grass, wiping sweat from my brow. He handed me a bottle of water before writing something in my progress file.
“Well done,” he murmured.
“Thanks, Coach,” I wiped my forehead with my towel, twisting the cap off the bottle. “Thank you for making time for me and teaching me personally. I truly appreciate p>
He nodded and settled on the space next to me. “You’ve been pushing yourself a lot lately, Lily,” he started quietly. Right from the first day I had met Jake when Celeste had taken me to the mechanic shop to get my car fixed, and the days afterwards we settled into this comfortable friendship that had boundaries and plenty of privacy.
We were just comfortable around each other and whenever I’m with him; he makes me forget that I’m supposed to be sad.
“What’s on your mind? Do you want to talk about it?” He asked gently.
I emptied the bottle of water. I couldn’t look into his eyes.
I was worried that if I did, I would see the pity in them and start bawling like a child.
“It’s nothing you don’t know about,” I murmured. Biting my lips. “Kai and the she-wolf? Didn’t you hear p>
He didn’t answer immediately. “I did p>
“Yeah,” I shrugged, wishing I had another bottle of water, anything to distract me. “He’s been so distant. In the beginning I wanted to be understanding, to read nothing to it, but I feel like he’s slipping further and further from me. And no one is telling me anything. He spends so much time with this strange woman and I don’t understand why p>
Jake’s brow furrowed. “Have you talked to him about it p>
I laughed dryly. “Talked, cried, begged I sighed. “I’ve tried, coach,” I said, my voice breaking slightly. “But he brushes me off or shuts me out. I don’t know what to do anymore. I’m up to my wit’s end and well p>
“I know how frustrating it is because not everyone knows you’re his mate,” Jake mumbled.
“Yeah,” I nodded, attempting to look at him. “But I don’t think we can ever go back to being mates anymore. It’s too late for us, Coach. We’re too far from each other p>
Silence reigned between us for a few minutes before I broke it again.
“I know I’m being silly, pinning over a man like this,” I said, staring at my hands.
“You’re not silly,” Jake whispered. “Come on, I want to show you something p>
“What?” I asked warily, not attempting to rise to my feet.
“Sometimes, the best way to clear your head and release tension is to run, get away from the hustle and bustle of the pack and just drink in nature. Come on p>
I blinked as he stood and offered his hand to me. “Where are we going?” I asked.
“You’ll see,” he said with a small smile.
He led me to the edge of the forest behind the training facility. The afternoon sun filtered through the tall trees, creating dancing shadows on the forest floor. Without warning, he started taking off his clothes, alarming me.
“W-What are you doing?” I stuttered.
“Changing into my wolf form. Let’s go for a run, Lily. C’mon p>
I moved to a large oak tree to give him privacy. When he was done, he growled quietly, and I came out. I gasped with delight as I gazed at his wolf. It was big, bigger than most wolves I’ve seen and grey with a slight limp.
He lowered himself, gesturing with his head for me to climb on p>
“Jake, no—your leg p>
He huffed impatiently and I couldn’t help but laugh as I carefully mounted his broad back. Despite his injury, Jake moved with surprising grace through the forest. We ran together through the forest, weaving between trees and splashing through shallow streams. For the first time in days, I felt free.
The wind whipped my hair and the rhythm of Jake’s paws pounding on the ground felt like a soothing rhyme drowning out my troubled thoughts. We climbed a hill and when we reached the top; the view took my breath away.
The setting sun painted the sky in hues of orange and pink, casting a warm glow over the landscape. We sat next to each other, watching in silence as the sun steadily waned.
“Thank you, Jake,” I turned to him, hugging his wolf. “This…I needed this. It means a lot to me p>
He growled and placed his head on my lap.
After that day, it became a ritual. After training each day, we would escape to the forest. Sometimes, I would run with him in my wolf’s form, too. Most times, he would carry me. Other times, we would just walk and sit on a cliff overlooking the valley to watch the sunset.
Jake never pushed me to talk, but I found myself sharing more and more with him and he was such a good listener.
Our bond grew stronger and, for the first time in a long while, I felt a sense of peace. The saga with Kai and the mysterious she-wolf stopped bothering me as much. Although, occasionally, his thoughts would stray into my mind, I would quickly put them away. I didn’t want to let anything ruin my newfound happiness for me.
After training one evening, we arrived at one favourite cliff together and sat to watch the sun.
“You know what’s funny?” I started, “I feel more like myself when I’m here than anywhere else lately p>
“Interesting,” he murmured.
I turned to look at him. “You’re a mysterious one, Coach,” I chuckled. “The only thing I know and I’ve heard about you is how you were once a brave warrior who fought and defended this pack and then the accident that happened. I’ve never heard talks about a mate and p>
“I never had any!” he interrupted me, tearing his eyes away from the sunset to stare at me. His deep blue eyes flickered with a chilling intensity. “I was too busy to care about filial things like that p>
“And now?” I asked. “Don’t you want babies, a family p>
“I do!” he nodded. “I like someone. From the moment I first saw her, I liked her p>
“Really?” I clapped my hands in delight. “Oh, my goodness. Does she know? Have you approached her at least? Is it someone I know? Maybe I could help you talk to her or I don’t know I laughed. “I love, love…so much, and this is getting me excited. Hurry, tell me who she is p>
A ghost smile settled on his lips. He reached over for me, his big hands grabbing my jaw gently. The expression on his face shifted from blank to longing. My heart began to pound as I recognized that look.
I could tell what it was anywhere. Oh No! I screamed in my heart. Before I could stop him, he said it.
“It’s you, Lily. You’re the woman I like p>