“How dare you touch her like that?” Kai roared. “How fucking dare you?”
“Kai, get off him!” Lilly shouted, gesturing to the helpers, who rushed over to pull Kai off Kevin and carry him to bed. Kai struggled against the hands holding him, his heart pumping with fury.
“I am her husband, you fucker!” Kevin roared. “And I am going to fucking touch her wherever I please!”
The earth came crashing down as Kai registered what the man was saying. He stopped struggling and turned to look at Lilly, his eyes begging her to deny it.
Lilly just gave a short nod before turning around and Kai’s heart sank. He couldn’t believe it. His beautiful Lilly was married to this bastard. Kevin got up, cursing loudly, and walked toward the door.
“You bitch!” he shouted as he walked away. “Have you been fucking behind my back? Little whores! Take the fucking child with you! I ain't looking after that shit.”
Kevin walked out, leaving Kai feeling numb from the shock. He turned to Lilly who was picking up a small baby from the baby carriage that Kevin had left. The baby was not more than three years old, with the most beautiful pair of green eyes and golden blonde hair. She sucked on her hand, laughing as Lilly tickled her.
Lilly turned around to find Kai staring at her with an expression of shock and misery.
“This is Elisabeth,” Lilly whispered. “She is my daughter.”
Chapter 5
Lilly finished mixing the herbs and placed them in the packet, taking great care to label it. She then placed it in the medicine cabinet and returned her attention back to her baby. Lilly picked her up from the floor, where she had been playing, and cradled her.
Lilly looked up toward Kai’s bed and saw that he was in a deep sleep. Her heart gave a pang of misery as all the memories flooded back. Even though it had been almost four years since she had last seen him, she couldn’t deny the feelings he reawakened within her.
Her eyes traveled over his face, taking in his sharp chiseled jaw and his prominent cheekbones. His face had entranced her the minute she saw him. It was strong, masculine, and it seemed as if it was sculpted from marble. She remembered how his beautiful green eyes had shone with a mischievous light as his lips threw her a flirtatious smile.
She closed her eyes as she remembered how his strong, muscular body had felt pressed against hers. The way his strong arms wrapped around her and the way he placed gentle, loving kisses on her skin. Lilly pulled herself out from the abyss of her memories and took a deep breath to steady herself.
It was all in her past. A past that she had buried and forgotten about. A past that she had resolved never to think about again and yet, fate had cruelly brought back the very man she wanted nothing to do with. She had tried her best to hate him all these years, and now suddenly, he was in front of her.
Lilly hugged Elisabeth close to her chest as the baby whined from hunger. She knew that she couldn’t let herself feel for him and that she had to suppress all her feelings for him. He was her past and she could never forgive him for what he did. Not only that, but she also had a secret. A secret he must never know. A secret she would take to her grave if she must.
As Lilly was thinking about all this, Kai’s eyes opened. His bright green eyes gazed deeply into hers, and she shuddered as a shiver ran down her spine. She wanted to look away, but she couldn’t. She never wanted to stop looking in his eyes; they were so mesmerizing and yet, comforting. It almost seemed as if he was looking deep into her soul.
Lilly didn’t know how long she stood there, her eyes gazing deeply and intently into his. The abrupt sound of the door opening shattered the feelings that trapped her, and she finally looked away.
“Is he awake?” Brian asked, walking over to her.
Lilly turned to look at Kai, who instantly sat up, a look of alarm and anger on his face.
“Yes,” Lilly said. “Did you talk to the council?”
“Even though he acted rather aggressively, they have decided to take your word for him,” Brian said. “I had to work to convince them that you know him to be a good guy and that he is our best hope. But, if he does anything slightly suspicious, the council will order that he be put in chains.”
Lilly nodded, still looking at Kai. She knew that his bear senses allowed him to hear everything that Brian had just said.
Brain walked over to Kai and held his hand out. “Hello, Kai. My name is Brian. I am the leader of the resistance, and I helped rescue you from the dungeons. I hope you are recovering well.”
Kai hesitated for a second before shaking Brian’s hand. “The resistance?” he asked. “What’s that?”
“Well, I don’t think you know about what has been happening for the last two years,” Brain said, exchanging a glance with Lilly. “Allow me to explain. Around two years ago, the werebears of the Rain clan started attacking the villages located within this valley. They killed those who resisted and basically forced us out of our homes and left us alone to starve and die in the forest. They have slowly been taking over more and more land. They have been smuggling weapons and slowly raising an army. We suspect that they plan to do something devastating, like using the army to defeat other bear clans and accumulate more wealth and power.”
“The resistance was started by Brian and Helen. They searched the entire forest for any survivors and asked them to join the resistance. I still remember when they found me. I was tired and exhausted, poor Elisabeth was crying and Kevin…” Lilly trailed off, sighing to herself. “When Brian asked me to join, I didn’t even think about it. Those bastards killed my father and brother and destroyed my home!”
“We are just a group of humans who have been trying to defeat these murderers and thieves and reclaim our land,” Brian said.
“I had no idea that the Rain clan has been doing all this,” Kai said, his gaze thoughtful. “I need to inform my leader, Jake, instantly. He will be furious when he hears about this.”
“Then, we can count on your help?” Brian said.
