Chapter 18
EMMA.
I can’t move. I try to,
but I can’t
The car is honking at me now, the bright headlights shining at me in a warning and I just stand there, beads of sweat dripping
across my skin
“Emma“” The honking gets louder, and the car is only a few inches from where I stand. The headlights don’t let me see the one behind the wheel and just as I think it’ll crash right into me: I’m yanked from the road and my body goes tumbling down the slope of the side of the tracks.
My head hits the ground as I roll further down before I stop, and I wince at the dull ache that shoots through my skull before lifting my body off the muddy floor. I rise on my feet and flex my fingers, then do the same to my legs. Finding out I can move easily again, I turn to see what or who snatched me and a brown wolf stands towering before me
I recognize the color before he shifts back. Elijah doesn’t seem to care that his clothes are shredded as he marches to me, his voice angry as he speaks. “What the fuck was that, Emma?”
“You stood in the middle of the fucking road and wouldn’t move with a car approaching? Were you trying
to kill yourself?
say and Elijah’s brows furrows, “What?”
“I couldn’t move. I. I don’t know what
then this door opened and 1–to
or how I got there. I was waiting for you and Bianca when I heard the echo, when Elijah’s frown deepens and he stares at me as though I’m crazy.
Am I? What’s with the voices I’m hearing? How did I end up outside? How did that door show up? What the hell is happening
10 me
ly and the harshness in his features softens as
“I don’t know, I don’t know, Elijah. I don’t know what’s going on.” I breathe shakily: he closes the distance between us and pulls me into his arms.
“Elijah!” Bianca’s voice has him pulling away, and she’s running towards us with a blanket in hand. She throws the blanket to Elijah once she reaches us before looking between the two of us. “What happened? I was getting Mom when I heard the roar of a wolf and I knew it had to be Eli”
“She was standing in front of a moving vehicle, Elijah answers as he wraps the blanket around his body, covering his bareness.
“She said she couldn’t move.
“What?” Blanca’s brow shoots up, and s
she meets my eyes. “How. I left you it
the living room,
“She does not know how she got out Bianca has the same look Elijah had as the words leave his mouth–like she can’t comprehend the idea of that happening.
blouse, a concerned look on her face as her eyes wander through mine. I put on a forced smile as I place a hand over hers. you’re okay?” Bianca’s hand drops on my shoulder and she squeezes through the soft fabric of “Yeah. But um–1 don’t think I can meet your mom anymore. Can you drive me back to the pack house? I’m sorry”
my
“Of course, darling. I‘ other side, leaving me with Elijah
I’ll be back. Just let me grab the car keys. She assures me before she turns away and crosses over to the
I can feel his eyes watching me even without turning yet, and I swallow through the dryness of my throat. “Emma?” Elijah calls after a few minutes of us standing in silence and I turn to him. His brows are lifted when he asks, going on with you?”
I don’t know. That’s the problem–I know nothing, and it’s driving me insane.
“What’s
“Emma!” My head snaps to the side to see Bianca waving at me i “I’d be on my way. Thank you for the save, Eli.” I tell him, and I’m moving away when he suddenly snatches my steps. I look back at him with a raised brow, and he says, “We’re here for you. I’m here for you; always.” from the other side with my bag in hand.
my hand, halting
10 05 PM ch
Chapter 18
“I know.” I respond with a lighthearted smile before moving to wrap my arms around his blanketed self. “Td return your hug right now, but l’in naked and I’d be pressing my skin against yours and, well.. something else. Unless you’d like that, of course“, then I don’t mind.”
I withdraw from the hug, heat spreading to my cheeks when I realize what he means. “You’re crazy,”
“Only with you.” He winks, and I can tell he’s trying to lighten my mood with his playfulness. I shake my head and give his hidden arm a friendly punch before I swerve, crossing to the other side,
Thank you,” I say to Bianca as I grab my bag from her before I follow to the car. We get in and she starts the engine. I see Elijah waving at me from the side mirror as we drive by, and I wave back before settling in my seat.
I shut my eyes and press my head against the window as a headache starts to kick in and soon darkness engulfs me
I don’t know how long I stay out but the sound of a distant voice calling to me with the vibration of my body makes me open my eyes, and I blink as I try to adjust to the luminance of the light before I turn my head to see Bianca leaning into me.
“We’re here.” She tells me, and I hum before shifting back. I look out the window to see we’ve arrived at the pack house, and 1 rub my tired eyes with a hand before looking back at Bianca. “Thank you for the ride and once again, I’m sorry I didn’t get meet your mom: I was looking forward to that.”
1
“You can do that later,” she dismisses with a wave. “You just take care of yourself and get better, yeah? It looks like you’re burning up, too.”
“I will. See you at school tomorrow!”
“See you, darling.” She blows me a kiss before I jump out of the car. I wait for her to drive out before I enter the park house, feeling a slight dizziness as I wobble through the door.
1 halt
my steps before the stairs when I notice a scene on the other side of the room. With furrowed brows, I shift back and cock my head when I see Penn speaking to the Omegas, who have their heads bowed at her. Speaking? More like raising her voice and commanding them like she holds any sovereignty in this place.
kas
It shouldn’t be any of my concern, but it grates me how she has her head held up high with arms crossed behind her back as she stands before them in all her royalty,
“You aren’t Luna, though, I mumble under my breath, and as if the words somehow reached her, she turns instantly and my eyes widen when her gaze locks with mine.
“Oh. Hi there. Emma, right?” She beams at me from afar and I look around me to ensure she’s speaking to me.
“Yes, I’m speaking to you, silly. Is there anyone else named that around here?” She chuckles and I give an awkward nod of acknowledgment. Penn turns back to dismiss the Omegas and they hurry out of her sight, nearly crashing into each other. I gulp when she starts to walk towards me and she smiles, showing her full set of perfect white teeth as she stops two feet away from me. “Just coming back from school? I hope you don’t mind if I steal a bit of your time?
“Follow me.” She says without giving me the option to respond. I watch her back as she walks ahead of me, heading toward the Alpha’s wing, and with confusion buzzing through me, I pull on the strap of my bag before tramping after her.
She leads me into Will’s office with no Will in sight, and I shut the door behind me. Penn leans back into his desk, her ass pressing against the edge as I stand before her. Her head slants to the side as her eyes move around me as if she’s studying me and I shift under her gaze.
“I heard Will saved you.”
“What?”
“Your stepsister; she told me about your fascinating journey. How you were made a slave before Will gave you a life again?” She tries to hide the malevolence I can take notice in those words with an innocent smile, but I’m not that easily fooled. Not even when she pushes off the desk and says, “I hope I’m not bringing back any terrible memories. I’m just a bit curious, Emma
“About” I bite, my teeth grinding together as I do my best to not glower at her. She’s the Alpha’s guest; I can’t pick up a fight even when she’s asking for one.
Chapter 18
“Your services.” She states as she takes a step forward and my head jerks back. “Excuse me
Nina,” she utters the name with such excitement. “She doesn’t like you much, does she?”
My chest heaves and I lick my bottom lip. “What exactly can I do for you?”
Her eyes sparkle with cruelty the second those words leave my mouth, and she claps once, “Glad you asked! I require your services; you know, the one where you’re the slave and I’m the one in command?”
The dizziness I felt until this moment quickly leaves me when I realize what she’s trying to do and annoyance takes root, but I still try to bite onto my tongue. I truly try to hold back–Liry to overlook the ridicule and walk out of the room. Until she says. “Kneel before me, let’s start with that.
“I should do… what?”
She crosses her arms to her chest, raising her shoulders as she lowers her gaze to the floor like I’m too stupid and need the words demonstrated to me. “Kneel.”
I can’t help the scoff that slips from my mouth and her brow raises. “Did I say something funny, Emma?”
Arise and fall of my chest. A pull of my bottom lip between my teeth. I try not to let the words out, but my gaze shifts past her, going behind her to his seat and my jaw clenches when the scene I saw this morning flashes in my mind. The bitterness | Telt seeing her there sizzles back through me, clashing with the aggravation I feel from her unhidden efforts at humiliating me and everything just explodes.
All the feelings I try bottling in burst right through.
“Look, I don’t know who you think you are, but I’ll remind you that you’re just a visitor here. I’d kneel before no one especially not before you. Now, because I don’t want to be the one who picks a fight with the Alpha’s guest, I’d be on my way and pretend this never happened” She can’t hide the shock on her face. Maybe she didn’t expect me to talk back, but to hell with her if she thought I was just going to take that.
“I’ll take my leave. She’s boiling, her hands clenching and unclenching by her sides, but I know she can do nothing.
Or at least I thought so.
I’ve only taken two steps from her when she suddenly appears in front of me and a gasp leaves me. My heart jumps to my throat when I see her eyes are changed and her langs are out.
“What are you, what are you doing? I stammer as I fall back, the earlier confidence I wore like a cloak slipping from me at the sight of her wolf. I know I have been training for exactly moments like this, but the sight of her glowing blue eyes and the powerful aura that emits off her rattles me for a minute.
“Teaching you manners, since you clearly have none. Her mouth curls back hy a smirk before she lifts her hand in the air, and my lips part when I see her claws come out.
She draws her hand back and I prepare to try to catch it, but a voice rumbles through the room, shaking the entire before she can attack and her hand hangs in the air.
“Do not fucking bring that hand down!”
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