“Guys,” Donovan came running into the house and bent over his knees, trying to catch his breath. “Guys, the witch.” He took huge gulps of air and Lily went to the sink to get him some water.
“Here, take your time.”
Donovan gulped down the water and took a deep breath, “No time, she’s got a group together. They think you’re a traitor and Lily is the she-devil herself.”
“What happened I thought you were going to tie her up?” Lily asked frantically.
“That what I was doing when I got jumped by this group. I barely escaped, and I think I lost them somewhere in the woods.”
They had no time to react as the loud banging on the front door filled the house. There was no time to do anything as people began to pour into the house from every room. They were completely surrounded.
“Get your hands off me,” Lily screamed as she was roughly pulled through the house and out the front door. Behind her, she heard Jeremy’s vehement curses.
Looking around at the people who’d come to grab them, she could only describe them as a mob. There were police officers, or what she assumed were the Alornian guards, women, men, and a couple children.
“Call the alpha, his beloved future wife is here as a spy.” The witch yelled throwing her fist into the air. Lily was surprised the witch knew the law and that she was supposed to marry Stefan in the event of Harold’s death. If she was close to this clan, however, maybe they had the same type of rituals.
“Listen,” Lily yelled above the angry cries of the people. “My husband is dead, but I didn’t do it! Your witch, on the other hand, did.”
“Don’t listen to her, she killed her husband, and now she wants to kill our great alpha.”
Lily couldn’t believe the witch had gathered such a following.
“I took a little leadership potion,” she said grinning evilly, “they’d believe me if I told them you were aliens from another planet ready to inhabit their bodies.”
“I don’t understand why are you doing this.” Lily’s hands were pulled behind her back as a large guard put handcuffs on her. Her shoulders popped and ached in protest. She tried to struggle, but it did no good. She was being pulled away from the crowd, and with one look over her shoulder, she realized that the same thing was happening to Jeremy. What in the hell had they just gotten themselves into?
Chapter Four – Back to Cedar Falls
“Lily honey, what are you doing?” Stefan’s voice floated into her dreams. She awoke with a start. Her surroundings were unfamiliar. She looked around, confused as to where she was. Then the gravity of her current situation sank in. She’d been hauled to jail because she was suspected of her husband’s death.
She blinked rapidly and looked up. “Stefan, the floor was more comfortable than the bed. I didn’t kill him, I promise.”
“I know, but the people think you did.”
He knelt down outside the bars and smiled at her. Lily had always liked Stefan. He was a lot like her brother. Since she only had sisters, she’d welcomed him into her life. Yet, she ran from him after his brother had been killed. He had needed her, and she’d run scared.
“I thought you would believe Clinton.”
He gave her a puzzled look. “Clinton?” Stefan said. “What about him?”
“He’s never liked me, and I think he’s the reason Harold is dead. Someone in the house put the witch up to spelling Jeremy out of his mind. If he did do it, it wasn’t because he was in control of his body.”
“Lily, I know you and Clinton don’t see eye to eye, but I don’t think he would have killed Harold. It’s clearly this clan trying to start a war.”
She had a feeling Stefan wouldn’t believe her, but she felt like she had to try. “Clinton really doesn’t like that I married Harold. Ever since I stepped foot in his house, he’s had it out for me. I've caught him lurking around corners, spying on me. As if he was trying to catch me doing something wrong so he could run and tell Harold.”
“Come on Lily I thought you knew me better than to run. Of course, I’d give you the benefit of the doubt. I know you cared about Harold.” He moved over and sat on the cot leaning down next to her ear. “I also know you care about me.”
“I know there’s a witch involved. She lives right on the edge of this town, and she cast a spell on Jeremy. Someone from our side is paying her.”
“A witch? You mean Penelope?”
“You’re on a first-name basis with the witch who conspired to kill your brother?”
“She’s not involved in our politics Lily, she’s just a witch.”
“Stefan she’s involved. I heard her with one of your guards talking about Jeremy not realizing where he was because she’d cast a spell on him so he wouldn’t..”
“Did she say his name?”
“Well, no, but it was obvious who they were talking about.”
“Lily let’s get you back home and sort all this out.” He reached down and put a hand on her shoulder.
“Stefan I know you, if we go back before I’ve shown you I’m right, Clinton will just convince you I’m guilty, and Jeremy is guilty.”
The hair on the back of Lily’s neck stood on end. Was it possible Stefan thought she did this? He was giving her the benefit of the doubt, but what if that was an act. Of course, if he was going to get her out of jail she didn’t have a choice. The bars on the front of her cell slid open, and she walked out. Standing on her tiptoes, she gave Stefan a long hug.
“Thank you for believing me, and getting me out of jail. What about Jeremy?”
“What about Jeremy?” his voice turned cold. “He killed my brother Lily, he’s going to die. You know how our law goes. There’s no second chances, no parole, no light sentences. He killed him, so he will also die.”
“You can’t prove he did it, Stefan,” Lily argued.
“The security camera will show him entering the house. He was in the room when you found Harold, and Harold was dead. What more proof do I need?”
“If that’s your logic then why do you think I’m innocent? If being in the same room with the body makes one guilty, then shouldn’t I be guilty as well?” Lily was playing a dangerous game, but she didn’t believe Jeremy acted on his own.
“Why would you even say such ridiculous things?”
“Because I think you’re not being fair to him.” She grabbed both his hands and looked into his eyes.
“Lily just come back with me, please. Even if you go to the jail, it will only be for a little while.” She pulled her hands away from him.
Lily couldn't believe he was going to put her in his jail of all things. It was time to run. Pushing away from him, she darted out of the way. Before he could react, she made it to the front of the jail. Lucky for her the guard had gone somewhere apparently thinking Stefan could handle her. It was clear to her now Clinton had already gotten to Stefan and caused him to doubt her.
The prison was right next to what she assumed was the alpha’s house. It was the largest house she’d seen in the town. She only knew Walter Hawk from conversations with Harold. He had told her about the regional meetings of weres and stories of when they were younger. When they had actually been friends. She found it strange they’d not heard from him seeing as how one of his people had allegedly killed a rival clan they had a strict agreement with. Lily had her suspicions that the witch was in charge of everything.
Had the leadership potion she’d mentioned allowed her to take over leading the town from the alpha? People were yelling at her, and someone threw a tomato. The squishy insides of it rolled down inside of her dress. None of the people jeering tried to grab her. Even when the guards from the prison were yelling for them too.
With Stefan no longer on her side, she was going to need to find a way to prove her innocence, and Jeremy’s, before she went home. She still wasn’t sure if the spell on Jeremy was to kill Harold or simply be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Lily didn’t understand why Stefan was behaving so
naively. He wasn't someone who was willing to close his mind off to all the possibilities. Surely he was aware of what a witch was capable of.
She ran into the woods, which she was beginning to hate, and didn't stop running until she tripped over a fallen tree. She fell flat on her face. Jumping up, she took in her surroundings. Her ankle screamed in pain at her as she limped forward. Of course, she would twist it when she needed to be fast. Harold used to sarcastically call her Grace because she hurt herself all the time. When the pain in her ankle finally became too much to stand on, she sat on a stump and cried. She finally cried for Harold, for Jeremy, for Stefan, and for herself.
She found herself missing Harold. Not in the way, a lover would miss her husband, but in the way of someone who had gotten accustomed to having a person around. She cried for that loss as well. She pictured him lying on the floor lifeless with that one strand of hair over his forehead. How she’d put it back the way he would have wanted it. He had not deserved to die.
Sure, in a way, he’d forced her to marry him but he never once forced himself on her. He’d never made her do anything she didn't want to do. He let her family come and visit even though her father had wronged him. He’d been a good leader and a good husband.
A war between the two Werebear clans would just be the beginning. All the supernatural creatures would take sides, it would be a battle of epic proportions. There were peace treaties that would be broken all over the woods. Lily knew from listening to Harold tell her about the history of the supernatural creatures in the area.
It was very recent that the peace treaties had started to settle in, there was a time where they were completely divided. They could barely even look in one another’s direction without a fight breaking out. Harold would tell her stories of balls that erupted in arguments and benefits they couldn't even get through because they hated each other so much.
The Fae of the waterfalls, the nymphs of the trees, all shifters of different kinds, and even the angels, demons, and Lycan would be involved.
“Lily darling,” Stefan’s voice echoed around her. Somehow he’d gotten a megaphone. “Come out now and let’s talk.”
“Yeah right,” she said to herself, standing to move further into the woods.
“I won’t kill Jeremy. He’s right here and shackled to a tree. If you come out, I’ll let him go.”
Was it a trick? She moved closer to where he yelled from. Maybe she hadn’t gone that far into the woods if she could still hear them.
“Lily don’t give yourself up for me, it’s not worth it.” That was definitely Jeremy. Now she had to come out. If she was able to save his life, then she had to do it. There was no way for her to live with herself if she let something happen to him when all she had to do was go home.
Slowly she came out of the woods with her hands in the air.
“Why are you doing that Lily? I’m not arresting you,” Stefan said. As promised he let Jeremy go and told him to run.
“Lily, you didn’t have to.”
She smiled sadly at him, and then looked at the ground. He knew she had to.
“If I ever see you again, I will have you killed,” Stefan said. “Come, Lily, there’s a car waiting for us.”
Chapter Five – Just Like a Prison
Lily stared out the window. She was going back to Cedar Falls, back to face the music. It was unfortunate she’d not actually done anything wrong.
“I miss him too Lily,” Stefan said from beside her in the back of the car. He must have thought she was thinking about Harold. The truth was, she was thinking about Jeremy. She found she missed him and that surprised her a bit. Especially since he had a maddening way of getting under her skin. How could it be possible that someone affected her in such a way in such a short amount of time?
They’d sat in silence since they left Blue Falls. Stefan must have been looking for some way to break the silence as she’d noticed him leaning in and back several times along the journey like he didn’t want to say what was on his mind.
Finally, she sighed. Reaching up and pinching the bridge of her nose she squeezed her eyes tightly closed. “I know you do Stefan I just wish you believed I didn’t kill him.”
“I told you, Lily, I believe you. It’s just a precaution at this point.” Stefan tried to grasp her hand in his, but Lily quickly pulled away before he was able to. “Please, Lily you must believe me and understand. I'm in charge now, and the town is really having a hard time coming to terms with recent events. This is really just to show I am a fair and powerful leader. As much as it pains me, I have to demonstrate that I am not playing favorites. I can’t have them questionsing my leadership.”
She frowned. “No, you believe Clinton over me.” Lily crossed her arms in front of her. Stefan's face was sincere. She knew he was in a tough position, but it didn't stop her from being angry with him.
He let out a ragged sigh. “I have to do a thorough investigation. People are breathing down my neck. The press has already been showing up to the house. You know the drill. You've been a wife of the alpha for a long time now. You know how things are.”
“As a personal friend from you to me, it hurts my feelings that you don't believe me. It doesn’t matter if you’re the alpha or not. We were once close, and you should know me better.”
Stefan turned to face her. “We're going to be with each other for a very long time, and when it turns out you’re innocent, I want you to be my wife. It’s your choice, I won’t force you, but you know what the law says. You know how the people think.”
Lily couldn’t think about marrying Stefan right now. Her mind was in a million places at once. If Clinton were behind this, he wouldn’t stop until the war began and he would probably try to take her out again. She hoped Jeremy had gotten far away. The witch seemed to have a personal vendetta against him, the way she tried to torture him. Of course, it seemed somewhat romantic, but part of her thought maybe the witch was just obsessed with him and there had never been an actual relationship.
He’d probably slept with her though. She felt herself turn green again with the thought. She blamed being tired and emotional for anything that resembled romantic feelings for Jeremy.
The car stopped suddenly, and Lily looked forward. The road between the two clans wasn’t crowded. You could go miles without seeing a car. They were close to Cedar Falls now, and the wooded terrain had become flat fields again.
“What is the meaning of this?” Stefan asked. A loud thud startled them, coming from the roof of the car. The driver locked all the doors and tried to look out the window. Three people stood there, waiting.
The driver must have seen them coming when he stopped, and one of them had jumped on the roof of the car. That person now stood on the hood.
“Let us have the murderer. Let us at her.” The guy on the hood said. “You realize your alpha is in this car?” The driver rolled the window down a crack to yell at them.
“Yeah right old man, like he would go out and personally find her.”
Stefan had his phone and had called in some of his guards. He didn’t seem to want to get out and show them his face. She thought if he did they might simply leave. Instead, he waited in the car with the windows up and doors locked as several people shook the car. The windows were tinted so they couldn’t see in. Lily couldn’t imagine how they knew she was in the car in the first place. There must have been spies everywhere for both clans.
The guards came, and the shocked assailants fled. Some were caught and handcuffed to be taken back to the jail. Lily always thought it was interesting how the guards served as protectors, military members, and police of the clan. It was only after they were gone Stefan put his arm around her.
“Are you okay?”
“Terrified for my life, but swell Stefan,” Lily said with a thumb up. She couldn’t tell if he got the sarcasm.
They didn’t speak again until they were back to the house. Lily was waiting for someone to come after her and throw her in jail.
&
nbsp; “Listen, I’m not going to put you in a cell. I think that’s a little extreme, but you will be guarded in your room until I can figure out what to do to show that you’re innocent.”
“Take my word for it,” Lily offered. As she climbed from the car, there was a crowd yelling at her outside the gate. It was a larger group than the one which attacked the car. They cussed, and she waited for them to start throwing tomatoes like the people in Blue Falls. There was nothing like an angry mob to greet you when you return home.
Stefan held his hands up. “The man responsible for murdering your alpha is running in the woods of Blue Falls. My guards are apprehending him as we speak. Mrs. Spencer is not under suspicion at this time. Please show some respect to the grieving widow.”
He ushered her inside.
“You lied! You sent them after Jeremy anyway. You're supposed to be on my side. I thought I could trust you. Stefan, you're not even listening to me."
“I needed you to come back with me Lily. I can’t let him get away with this. He killed my brother, your husband, and then ran. If he wasn't guilty why would he run? Innocent men don’t run Lily."
“Sir, she should be detained immediately.” Clinton rushed up to them. “You shouldn’t be around her until we determine if she is dangerous.”
“Clinton what am I going to do, really?” Lily’s face felt hot as she faced him. “You’ve never liked me because I’m human.”
“Mrs. Spencer,” Clinton gasped. “I have nothing but respect for humans, but I know what I saw, and you ran.”
“Fair enough,” Lily said. He was right running made her look guilty. It was because of him she’d ran in the first place and Clinton had clearly already made up his mind about her. No matter who was behind Harold’s death he would always blame her.
“I’m going to put two of your men outside her door and one outside her window. Surely that will be enough until we bring the killer to justice. Also as my right-hand man, I want you to look into Penelope Cradle. Lily thinks she had something to do with this."
Love Beyond the wall (A Rizer Pack Shifter Series Book 1) Page 36