The Abandoned Path

Withered

**This is the second book**

Warm light from the rising sun crawled along the light hardwood floor, giving the room a pleasant golden hue. The air was still, only the sounds of a soft breath breaking the silence. Lilith flattened her white linen dress against her thighs, nervously pulling the hem down. Slipping her feet into white flats she looked at herself in the full-length mirror that leaned against the wall. She had a bit of a tan, old bruises on her wrists and neck dotting her skin. With a sigh, she picked up the black robe from the bed and put it on, pulling up the zipper in the front. Next, she picked up her cords and stole, placing them around her neck. Lastly, she grabbed the black cap at the foot of the bed and left the room. She slowly walked down the hall to the door, the creak of the floor matching her internal groans. Once outside, she let out a long sigh, not wanting to participate in this day at all. If it wasn't for her family, she would have skipped it entirely. But her parents and brother had flown into town just for this, thus she was relegated to going.

She walked down the sidewalk the one block it took to get to the stadium from her place, looking at the others walking, many with family. Many with lovers, hand and hand. Over the past year, her mother had convinced her to apply for medical school but Lilith only applied to the medical school at Cornell in New York. Much to her dismay and her parents delight she was accepted. She kicked a rock in her path as she thought about the upcoming four years. She had accepted a PhD/MD program in hopes that she would be able to do research as she had originally wanted. Normality she thought with spite. The stadium was teeming with people, large crowds moving into the open bleachers. She stood outside the gates, looking for anyone she knew.

"Lilith?" a voice called from behind her. She prepared herself for the strain of forced happiness and turned to address the voice. She saw a tall, muscular man standing in the crowed. He had taper cut blond hair, a trimmed beard, and rich blue eyes. At over 6 feet tall, he was an imposing figure. Her stomach jumped into her throat, her heart responding to the sudden rush of adrenaline. Unsure how to respond, she simply stared at the figure as he moved to her, the crowd parting like the red sea. "Lilith, it's so great to see you. It has felt like a lifetime." He pulled her into an embrace, holding her tight. "I have missed you so much, my love." He said in a hushed voice before releasing her. She gave him a smile but was silent. Looking her over, his eyes studied the marks on her neck, a frown slowly twisting his mouth. Before he could make any remarks, their reunion was quickly interrupted.

"Lily, there you are!" A man exclaimed, placing his hand on Lilith's shoulder. She flinched, relaxing once she saw who had touched her.

"There you are! Gosh, I was worried I would never find you with all these people." Lilith smiled wide, her face softening. Alpha watched longingly, recalling when he used to illicit joy in her. "Seth, this is Alex. He is an old friend. He was just stopping by to wish me a happy graduation." She said, motioning to Alpha. He quickly forced a smile. He was happy to hear her voice, even if it wasn't him who had drawn it from her.

"Nice to meet you, Alex!" Seth said, offering his hand. Seth himself was tall with broad shoulders. He had light brown hair and golden brown eyes that were deeply set into his narrow face. Alpha took his hand, an icy chill running up his arm as they touched. Seth frowned, his body tensing. "Well we better get going hun. Don't wanna miss your big day." Seth smiled down at Lilith, pulling her close to him. His fingers pressed into her side.

"Yeah, you're right. Bye Alex." Lilith's voice was suddenly so melancholy. She cast her eyes down, both of her hands gripping her black cap.

"Nice meeting you Alex." Seth said, not bothering with any further pleasantries.

"I'll see you again, I'm sure." Alpha said in a clipped tone. Watching the couple walk to the football field, he was very aware of the mans' grip on Lilith's waist. He left the stadium feeling uneasy about the interaction. Taking his phone out, he quickly dialed a number.