Enigma

Chapter 7

Thirty minutes later, after a short tour of the pack village, Lillian found herself face to face with a shy young man around her age. 

Robert wasn't built like the warriors she'd seen, but his lean body still towered over her. His hair was the deep red of sunset, long enough to brush smiling blue eyes. Dirt smudged his pale cheeks and clothes, and a pair of yellow gardening gloves hung from the pocket of his jeans.

Robert was responsible for the sprawling garden that provided the pack with the produce they needed. Noah had dropped her off in the garden- which was near the lake, a small distance away from the pack house- and gone on his way without even introducing the two. Rude wolf.

Fortunately, Lillian never had a problem warming people up to her. Although her teenage years would be an argument against that. But those times were what shaped her into what she was now. 

Back then, her history and her background were the only thing her peers saw. No one bothered to look past what she had no control over. In many ways, leaving school and the orphanage and having the twins was the best thing that happened to her as a person. It made her decide who she wanted to be as a person without the influence of her past.

In a few minutes, Robert and she were already on a first name basis.

"So you had your own garden?" Robert asked. His voice was low and soothing. Coupled with his sweet nature and disarming smile, Lillian felt at ease with the young male.

"Just a small one. Nothing as extensive as this." Lillian waved her hand around. "It truly is amazing what you're doing here all on your own."

Robert's cheeks tinged with red. He shrugged, pushing his hands into his pockets. "I do my best, but it was getting difficult the last couple of years after Brenda left to her mate's pack- Brenda worked here with me."

"Well, I'm not an expert, but I do have a green thumb." Lillian wiggled her fingers with a grin. "Or so I was told."

Lillian pushed back the pang of hurt and guilt. Lydia had always told her that. Being sad every time she remembered the old woman wouldn't do her any good. Lydia wouldn't have wanted that for her.

The twins had cried to sleep the night before when Lillian told them they would not see Lydia again because she had gone to a better place. She didn't know how to tell them she died, how to explain it to their young minds. She did her best, held them until their tears dried and sleep took over. Then she took a long shower and surrendered to the rush of tears and heartbreak, smothering her sobs under the spray of hot water.

She'd never forget the person who'd shown her kindness when she most needed it, the woman who helped her find herself anew. So Lillian would live her life the best way she could in honor of the fallen woman's memory.

Robert walked her through the garden, pointing to a greenhouse at the far end, next to a shed. "We start the seeds indoors around February. We wait until Mars or April to transplant, depending on the plant. But most of our work keeps going from February to around October."

Lillian nodded, her fingers fleetingly touching the delicate greens. The buzz of excitement at the task ahead fluttered in her stomach. She was glad she'd have something to do. She never did well with void.

Robert tested her knowledge with a few basic questions she had no trouble answering. She'd always enjoyed gardening, often found herself most at ease when her hands were buried in soil.

"You can come in tomorrow morning." He scratched his head. "Alpha said you had to attend some classes?"

"Yes. With the little ones. I need to know more about ... everything" she waved her hands around.