As Lily closes the door, | immediately hear her sniffles and soft sobs. | clench my fists and go in search of Patrick. I’m furious that


    they didn’t throw her father in the cells or at least make sure he returned home.


    | find him in his office. | walk in without knocking. He looks up and when he sees it’s me, he sits back in his chair, folding his


    hands together on his desk.


    “Clint? Something on your mind?”


    | should sit down, but my temper won''t let me settle. “I took Lily for a run tonight to get her out after everything that happened.” |


    look up to see if he’s going to make some smartment, but he remains quiet, watching me.


    “Her father wasying in wait for us when we returned.” That got his attention. He sits up, leaning forward.


    “Where?”


    “Outside the packhouse. Called her slut, ungrateful and basically med her for everything. Then he said something about it all


    being a misunderstanding and Lily will be moving back home when it’s figured out.” | turn to look at him, my anger shing hot. “I


    thought you were going to punish him, not let him harass his daughter and lie about what is really going on.”


    Patrick sighs. “Have a seat, Clint.”


    “Til stand.”


    “It wasn’t a suggestion.” He says and stares me down until | sit. | may be stronger than he is, but he’s still my Alpha.


    When | sit, he rubs his hands over his face. | can see that this entire situation is causing him stress. But that’s his job as the


    Alpha. You get the good and the bad with leading a pack.


    “| was not expecting Evelyn Raines to break down in my office and beg for leniency for her mate on her knees. | did it for her.*


    Okay, that was unexpected. I’d never met Lily''s mom, but | assumed that she got her strength of character from someone, and


    since it obviously wasn’t her father, | thought it would have been her mother. Apparently, Lily got her strength from herself.


    ‘Another reason our mate is incredible and perfect for us.‘ Donovan pipes in.


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    “So, now what? He just gets to harass ver?” | ask, still forming from the confrontation.


    “Of course not. He''ll be spending a night in the cells for that little stunt. He’s also been bannaé from leaving the packnds, but


    lll give him an Alphamand to stay away from Lily without my express permission.” He wouldn''t be able to refuse the Alpha


    command.


    “Were you able to get her some clothes and things for school tomorrow?” Task.


    “Yes, they were left in her room. Her mother wanted to see her and that’s when i realized that you must have taken her out.”


    | look out the window behind Patrick''s desk. “She looked so sad.


    He nods, giving me a moment. “Was there anything else?”


    “Yes. | wanted to get your permission to train Lily and Andra away from the warriors. Especially now, with how her father treated


    her, | don’t want her distracted.”


    He looks at me intently long enough that anyone else would be squirming in their seat. But I''m a Guardian, | don’t squirm. | wait


    him out.


    “| want a demonstration every other day of what she’s learning. And Clint, I’d better see progress quickly.”


    I smirk at him. “I already knew you''d say that.”


    When | leave his office, | go back to Lily’s room. | put my ear to her door, and I can hear that she’s still sniffling. As | turn to leave,


    | see Beta Calvin standing in his doorway, watching me with his arms crossed across his chest.


    “Clint?” He says, his eyebrows raised.


    “| was just checking on her, Calvin. We had a run-in with her father earlier and | wanted to see if she was okay, but she’s still


    crying.” | say quietly, looking at her closed door.


    His arms drop and he steps closer to me, lowering his voice. “What kind of run- in?” He asks.


    | tell him and his lips press together. “I was worried that Evelyn was more concerned about her mate’s punishment than he was.


    I''m assuming you spoke to Patrick?”


    | tell him my conversation with Alpha Patrick and he nods. “The Alphamand will ensure that he leaves Lily alone, or at least


    that he doesn’t speak to her


    203


    without Patrick’s consent. But I''ll keep my eye on her anyway.”Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.


    “Thanks, Calvin.” | move to step around him when he starts chuckling.


    “Don’t thank me. The closer I’m watching her, the harder it will be for you to get to her.”


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