Chapter 55
EMMA.
I was not expecting them. I don’t know who I was expecting to see–I was not looking forward to meeting the girl who’d become his wife one day- but Ethan’s sister isn’t who would have crossed my mind.
I’ve only seen her a few times when I was at the BlueStone pack because she was at university, but she looks far more beautiful than I remember. She’s grown out of her baby features and the way her waves cascade down her chest in the black mini–dress she’s in makes my heart
I squeeze. She’s gorgeous and as she takes her seat next to Will, I can’t stop my eyes from running to him. He’s staring down playing with the fork on the table, and when his head starts to lift, I’m quick to aven my gaze.
“We’ll be adding a new member to the family. I hope you all make her feel welcome. She is to be Luna” For a reason I can’t comprehend, my stepmother holds my gaze as she speaks those words, an emotion I can’t decipher shining in her eyes as she lifts her glass of wine. “A toast to a new bond.
Everyone else echoes after her and I hold up the glass of water sitting in front of me before setting it down
“Thank you for the warm welcome. Everything is beautiful” Rose’s soft voice rings through the air and I can’t help but notice the way her body leans towards Will as she laughs,
I blink and look away. My eyes move across the table and they land on Ryan. He’s opposite me and he holds my gaze as he mouths, “You okay?”
I smile before I look away and as I watch Rose engage in a conversation with my stepmother, the sound of their laughter echoing across the room. swallow before I push my chair back.
Their attention shifts to me at the scrape of the chair against the floor and my stepmom raises her brow
“Il be retiring to my room. Welcome to the family.. Rose”
“You look familiar. Have we met before!” Rose speaks, head turned in my direction and before I can answer, Nina is quick to say, “She stayed in your pack for years before my brother brought her back.”
“Oh” Rose mouths as she glances at Will before she looks back at me. “I wasn’t around much, so the face didn’t stick to me. I apologize sorry, I’m trying to catch your name.
“Emma.” The response isn’t from me and the room falls into silence as all heads turn toward the sound, Will’s face is blank when our eyes meer and I get lost in his empty gaze for a second before I catch myself and lower my head. “Enjoy the rest of the dinner,” Without waiting to hear another word, I turn and walk out of the room, resisting the urge to look over my shoulder and snag the stare that I feel burning through my back.
I let out a breathe I didn’t realize I was holding the second I’m our of the Alpha’s Wing and despite not seeing them, the echoes of their laughter and voices follow me.
I hurry my steps and I’m taking the corner that brings me to my wing when I hear the call of my name. I halt my steps without turning and Ethan appears in front of me, a small smile on his face. “Hey”
“Hi,” 1 respond, and he chuckles. “I told you, didn’t It I promised you our paths would croes again”
“You know?” I ask, and he shakes his head. “About the engagement? No. I just had a feeling I’d be seeing you again, and here we are
“I didn’t know your sister knew Will–I mean, Alpha Will. I mumble, and Ethan says, “Neither did L
“Do you know how long they’ve been in talks? The engagement and all?” I know I’m asking too many questions, but I can’t help myself. Why her! Why anyone at all Why’s he getting engaged? Why not wait for his fated? Why this soon?
“No” Ellan answers and his eyes narrow slightly before he opens his mouth again, “You must not be close to your stepbrother as you seem to be in the dark. That’s a surprise, considering he came to your rescue months ago
“Enjoy the rest of the night,” I unter and attempt to walk past him, but he grabs my wrist, ceasing my movement. “Wait.”
I turn my head to look at him and he stays quiet for some seconds, his gaze dropping before he speaks. “When I met you at the clubs, you wouldn’t accept my apology. But seeing as our paths have crossed again, why don’t you this time?”
“don’t-
He doesn’t let me speak. The hand around my wrist rises higher until he’s holding my upper arm and he uses the grip to widen at the unexpected action and I meet his eyes. “What are you doing?”
tug me closer. My eyes
“I broke things off
with Zory. He reveals and when I furrow a brow without saying a word, he continues. “I’m a
sorry. I truly am Emma. I should have
Chapter 55
want
been there. You were my best friend and I should have cared more. Please.. forgive me. I know I fucked up, but I still wa
“What are you doing?” Ethan’s words are interrupted by another voice and I turn my head to see Ryan standing at the end of the hallway with his gaze focused on the hand wrapped around my arm. “Is there something you need?”
p with an old friend.”
Ethan’s hand drops from my arm and he steps back as he clears his throat. “No. Beta Ryan. I was just catching up
Ryan looks at me, and when I nod, he looks back at Ethan. “I’ll be taking her. He walks to us and yanks me back. “I’ll see you around.” Without waiting for his response, his hand rests on the small of my back as he leads me from Ethan.
We stay in silence as we stride down the hallway that leads to my room, and Ryan’s hand doesn’t leave me until I’m standing before my door. He smiles and rocks on his heels. “You seem to have many suitors
“It isn’t like that. Ethan is a friend.” I provide and he smirks “Is het Seemed more to me.” Ryan chuckles as he speaks and I glare.
e at him. He laughs again before stepping forward to hold my shoulders. “Be good, kid. Will is he stops before he can finish his words and he shakes his head as his hands drop from my shoulders. “Never mind. You should go inside. Get some rest.”
I hum and turn. My hand is on the knob when I turn back to Ryan. “Hey. Do you when. The question is at the tip of my tongue, but I can’t bring myself to ask it, so I jerk my head before turning away. I open my door and walk in.
I press my back to the door and shut my eyes, the weight of the heaviness in my chest drowning my being
Even with my eyes shut, all I can think about is the way she looked at him and the way she bearned each time their gazes met. He didn’t even realize my eyes were on him–too caught up in the beautiful woman sitting next to him. My grip tightens around the knob, my knuckles stretching as I think about how she’d have him from now on. The eyes that looked at me and the lips that kissed me would be hers. The hands that held me and
the…
I suck my bottom lip to keep the tears back and I leave the door to get to my bed. But
Damn him. Damn Wilson and damn my heart for hurting so much.
-MORNING-
even as I wrap myself in my duvet, his scent is all I smell.
cover my face from the light of the sun shining through my curtains and I groan as I turn on my
I wake
up with a banging headache. I use a hand to cover m other side.
I stare at my door as I wrap my arms around my pillow and when I turn on my side again, my heart clenches at the emptiness beside me. A memory of waking up to Will sprawled on my bed with eyes shut and hands holding me come to mind and I swallow as I’m reminded of how happy I was then. How contented I felt having him beade me and how full my heart was. I knew one day I’d have to wake up without him there and with no hope of ever having him back, but now that the day has come, I wish I never let it happen. I wish I never let him get under my skin, own my body, and get into my bed because it hurts so damn much.
I thought I’d be prepared for the heartbreak, but I’m not. I’m not prepared for this pain and I don’t know how to make it stop hurting.
The sound of howls brings me out of my thoughts and I climb out of bed. I stroll to my window, and looking outside, I see some warriors training, while others shift into wolf forms and run into the woods.
When I see hianca, a chuckle leaves my mouth as she slaps the back of Elijah’s head, munering some words, and from this view, it looks like she’s scoiding him. With a sigh, I move from the window and walk into the bathroom.
After washing. I return to the room and saunter to my closet. As I open the wardrobe, the first clothing I see is his–the white shirt he gave to me that night, and the words he whispered in my ear before he left are an echo in my head. Anger surges through me and I grab the shirt. I attempt to toss it into the bin but I’m unable to go through with it, so I walk back to my closet and keep it in the last drawer before grabbing my training fit.
I change into my wears before walking out of my room. I stroll out of the pack house and r’in stepping into the fields when I see them. Will is wandering with Rose and the sound of her giggles reaches me as she slaps his arm. She’s in a casual,outfit compared to the dress she was wearing last night, and the absolute happiness on her face makes me bitter.
How long is she staying for? Or is she already moving in here? I thought they were just here for the announcement
“Good morning Miss” I’m pulled out of my thoughts as Ethan steps next to me and I remove my eyes from Will and his betrothed. “You’re still here!”
“Yeah I’ll be leaving tonight, but my sister will remain.”
“She’s staying!
ng?” I try to keep my voice composed and hope Ethan doesn’t detect the disappointment in my words.
“Yeah. They’re to be married so they might as well start to get to know each other from now,” Ethan utters and I hum as I move into the fields,
“Do you train?”
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Chapter 55
“I do.”
“Really? That’s unexpected” When I look at him, he laughs, “I don’t n back at home”
“I was no more than a slave. Slaves aren’t allowed that luxury.”
“You weren’t a slave. You were the daughter of an Alpha
mean it that way. It’s just surprising is all. You never showed interest in training
“Sure. We must remember my time at your pack differently then. I guess you erased the times I was abused and bullied. My words shut him up and I walk away from him. Elijah stands from the bench when he sees me approaching, and I smile as I take my daggers from him
“What took you so long? I’ve been waiting. Was close to coming in there.” He frowns, and I chuckle. “Almost slept in.”
“You good?” Bianca asks as she steps next to me and my eyes follow when she looks back, Will is turned in my direction and I’m quick to shift my gaze before our eyes can meet, my heart stuttering in ΠΥΥ chest..
“If it’s any comfort, you’re prettier, Bianca whispers into my ear, and I cackle as I meet her eyes. “She’s beautiful”
“She is, but you’re prettier so the Alpha’s loss” She winks, and I shake my head. “I knew what I was getting into it wasn’t bound to last. I’m not his fated, so… his fated. As the words leave my mouth, a thought I haven’t had until now comes to mind, but before it can take root and I hurt myself with an expectation with zero certainty. I brush it off. Just because Will is unmated doesn’t mean I’d be his fated once the day comes.
“We’re training differently today?” It’s Ryan’s voice that breaks me out of my thoughts, and I look ahead. “You’ve been in rounds with your chosen weapons and you’ve all been doing great, but today, I want to see how well you can defend yourself against an attack with those weapons. So you shall group yourselves into teams and the team that gets every other on their backs and defeated shall be the winner. Elijah bumps his shoulder into mine at those words and I shake my head, my lips coiling in a smile.
our wolf’s p
“Be reminded that this is a harmless combat. You’re not to draw blood from your opponents and you’re not to us
use your assignment is based purely on your skills, so show me how much you’ve learned?”
powers. This
Cheers erupt in the air and when Ryan’s eyes meet mine, I flex the daggers in both hands. He throws me a smile before he looks away and everyone gathers to decide on their teams. I stay with Bianca and Elijah, and when Leo walks in our direction. I wriggle my brow at Bianca as the tall brooding tamed guy joins us, a laugh escaping me at how she almost instantly turns red
We decide on our tactics before we all disperse into the woods. The teams are in four, consisting of five each, and we all run in opposite directions.
I separate from my team to make it easier and I look around as 1 run through the woods, my daggers pointing at my sides. I’m quick to hide behind a tree when I notice a shadow whoosh through and my heart is pounding in my chest as I peek through the branches.
I gasp when I feel the wind blows by but there’s no one in sight when I turn. It happens again and again–1 keep turning each time I feel a gust of wind and the blur of a shadow is the only thing I catch before there’s nothing.
The sound of my pants is loud in the air as I look around the empty forest and I’m moving from behind the tree when someone grabs my hands from behind, knocking the daggers from my grasp before pinning me to the tree with my palms pressed against it as my hands are held over my head
“Caught you, princess.”
I freeze. Because there’s only one person who calls me by that name
