03.
EMMA.
I remain on my knees, frozen and entirely dazed by the sight before me.
If one were to tell me I’d be seeing him again, especially here; I wouldn’t believe it. But here he is, standing before me and holding my gaze without attempting to break our contact.
I suck in a breath as I remember the last time I saw him. It was that night—the night I was taken four years ago, and he was standing by a corner as he gripped his sister. The boy I saw that night has morphed into the man before me. It’s only been four years but Will barely looks anything like the stepbrother I knew and lived with for years.
“I believe I asked a question.” Will’s gaze drifts away from mine as the words break through the electrifying stillness between us and it isn’t until his eyes are completely off me I’m reminded of the situation I’m in.
I look towards Alpha Troy and his face is hardened, an indistinct expression on it as he peers at his Luna, waiting for an answer to the question he’s asked.
“You’re here.” The Luna speaks now, and she walks past me to stand before the Alpha. “This girl…” she turns to me with a finger pointed in my direction and the hatred lightening ablaze in her eyes, “She’s committed an unforgivable sin and she needs to be punished for it.”
“What sin has she committed?” The Alpha asks calmly, and before the Luna can respond, another voice interrupts their conversation.
I stare back to see Zoey on her feet with a hand on her stomach and a false, sad look that only I seem to see through in her eyes. “She killed my child.”
An edgy moment rises in the air and I can feel all eyes on me. I let out a shaky breath, and it isn’t intentional, but the only eyes mine meet are Will’s. The unfazed expression that rested on his face the second he stepped out from behind Alpha Troy remains—Yet something seems to have changed in those green orbs. With a tilt of his head and a slightly raised eyebrow, he breaks our eye contact once again and looks behind me.
“She did… what?”
“Killed your grandkid, Troy.” The Luna says as she rests a hand on her husband’s arm. “I warned you about her, didn’t I? I told you we shouldn’t take her in, but you wouldn’t listen and look at what it’s cost you. Amongst many of her wrongdoings. This wouldn’t be the first time.” I lower my head and fist my skirt, crushing the soft fabric in an attempt to remain mute as the Luna continues to mention the number of times I’ve been a problem like whispers of poison in the Alpha’s ears.
“… I want her out of the pack and that’s—“
“Gabrielle, please.” I lift my head at the slight raise in the Alpha’s voice, a bit surprised at the sound and so is the Luna because she pushes her head back a bit, her brows furrowed at him.
“I don’t believe either of you has shown your respect to the man standing beside me…” Alpha Troy says with a hand in Will’s direction. “This is Wilson Rhysand; the newly appointed Alpha of the BlackMoon Pack.”
“Alpha?” The shocked whisper leaves my parted lips before I can control it and my eyes meet Will’s once again. His gaze remains unyielding as hundreds of questions run through my mind at once.
Wilson? Alpha? How? Did something happen to my father?
“Rhysand? Did you say Rhysand… Rhysand as in…”
“Yes. Rhysand as in Emma, who’s currently accused of murder.”
“Alpha Troy. Your office please.” Will speaks for the first time since he’s entered the room and the power and domination his voice emits is nothing like I’ve heard before.
“Alright.” With a nod, Alpha Troy leads Will out of the room and I can only gape at his back as I watch him walk through the door till his frame is completely out of sight.
Their disappearance leaves the room in a monumental quietude before the Luna turns to me with a glare. “You’re not getting out of this. That, I promise you.” She follows them after her words and I let out the breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding as I hear the door click shut.
“Your stepbrother, uh?” I flinch at the sudden loudness and Zoey is standing next to me with her mouth curled in a smirk. “Heard your father remarried shortly after his beloved Luna passed away, so that must be your stepbrother?”
I don’t answer. Instead, I look away from her because the longer I stare, the stronger the urge to whack that face.
“Don’t think he’ll save you so easily, Emma. You killed a baby. There’s no saving you when you’ve taken a life. A murderer doesn’t deserve to be—“
“I did nothing and you fucking know it!” My control finally snaps as I spit the words right in her face, my chest heaving heavily as our eyes lock in a scowling match.
The corner of Zoey’s mouth twitches, a sneer slowly rising before it twists into a smile, and she laughs. “Oh, talking back already, aren’t we? Already bold now that you’ve seen your stepbrother? You shouldn’t be so—“
“Stop it, Zoey.” Ethan’s interference reminds me that he remains in the room and if looks could kill, I’d probably be ten feet under right away with the way Zoey pins me down with a ferocious look in her eyes.
Just to spite her further, I smile and cock my head, daring her to continue. The veins on her arms become visible as she clasps her fists tightly by her sides and the smile on my lips falters when her eyes start to change.
“Zoey!” She’s only seconds away from pouncing on me when Ethan jumps in and pushes her back. “I told you to fucking stop! Control yourself. Now!” She calms down only after several exhales, and Ethan rests a hand on her back as he turns her away. “Come on. Out now.” She peeks over his shoulder at me and throws a smirk before they’re out of the room, leaving nothing but the chaos in my head with me.
~
With a deep breath, I open the door to the Alpha’s office and walk in. I stride to the middle of the room and clamp my hands on my back. “You called for me, Alpha.”
He nods once, his expression neutral as he says, “Go pack whatever stuff you have here. You’re leaving. With him.” I follow the direction of his hand and my eyes land on Will. He’s sitting on the chair and his back remains turned to me. When he does not attempt to look back, I look back at Alpha Troy. “Immediately.”
Immediately? What did Will do and why am I leaving with him? The deal my father made was not to be returned and I don’t think Will would go against his words. Did something truly happen to my father?
Dread fills me as the thought of him being dead crosses my mind and I shake my head.
“Emma? Did you hear me?” Alpha Troy’s voice interrupts my thoughts and I meet his eyes. “Yes, Alpha. I’ll get my stuff.” As I begin to turn, I hold the Luna’s gaze for a few seconds and she’s seething where she stands next to the Alpha. I can tell she’s got words to say, but she utters nothing. This must not be what she longed for when she said she wanted me out of the pack.
Despite knowing she’s barely grasping onto her resistance, I bow to her and hold her gaze for a second longer before my eyes land on Will. He’s still turned away from me and with another bow to the Alpha, I walk out of the room.
I walk down the hallway to the room at the farthest end and I slam my back to the door, letting it shut as my eyes wander the corners of the small space that was given to me the day I got here. Without meaning to, tears roll down my cheeks as memories of the horrendous time I’ve spent here run through my mind.
I didn’t think I was ever going to get out of here. I didn’t think I was ever going to see someone from my previous life. I didn’t think there was an end to here.
A knock at the door makes me jump and I quickly wipe my tears before moving off it. My breath catches in my throat when I open it and Will is standing before me with his hands slipped in his pocket and an aura I didn’t realize earlier radiating off him.
“Packed?” He breaks the silence with only a word and I look back at the room and then at him. “No. There’s nothing to pack.”
“Then let’s go.” I nod and walk out of the room. Will steps to the side when I step out and as I open my mouth to speak, he turns and starts to walk ahead.
I guess the questions are for later.
I follow him down the hallway, barely keeping up with his hurried and long strides. We walk down the stairs and then out the front door, where the entire family is waiting for us. The Alpha stands with his Luna and his son beside him. Zoey stands irritated next to Ethan as I walk down the five stairs to stand before them.
“Do not forget your promise.” Alpha Troy is the first to speak and Will nods. “I won’t.”
Silence follows after and I stare at the faces I’m used to seeing for the past four years. I stare at the faces of the inflicters of the pain I’ve had to endure. I stare at the hell I’ve been through and my heart hops with joy even if I’m unsure what I’d be returning to.
“Emma…”
“Don’t.” Zoey grabs Ethan’s shoulder when he tries to take a step towards me and he sighs before returning his step.
“Let’s go.” I hum at Will and throw Ethan a small smile before walking away.
Will leads me to a car and gets inside before I do. I buckle my belt as the engine roars to life and their frames display on the wing mirror as Will starts to drive. Their face distorts the further Will drives and after just a few seconds, the only view I see is that of the house. That also soon deforms till there’s nothing in the mirror other than the trees accompanying the sides of the roads as we drive past.
I really left.
A chuckle leaves my mouth when the thought sinks in and I push back against my seat. I throw my head in the air and shut my eyes, letting the breeze of the wind calm the heaviness in my chest and the tightness in my throat.
The sound of music playing forces me to open my eyes, and I stare at the side of Will’s face as I watch him drive. He has one tatted arm resting against the opened window and the other steering the wheel. His jaw is clenched tightly in concentration as he stares ahead and my eyes wander from his face downwards to where his shirt is pressing tight to his chest and the muscles…
I shift in my seat and look away with a slow breath. There’s a stretched silence between us and it suddenly feels hot in the small space of the car. Will doesn’t seem like he’d attempt a conversation and I clear my throat as I stare at the backseat. “You came alone?”
He hums and I look back at him. “Why? Is it usual for an Alpha to move alone? Isn’t that dangerous?”
“An Alpha should be able to take care of himself.”
He speaks and his deep voice rumbles in the small space surrounding us, the echo resounding in my ears. “You don’t think so?” He finally turns his head and I’m almost knocked out of breath at his face so close. Closer than it had been earlier when I was on my knees. Close enough to trace every line and drink in each feature on his face.
He truly looks different.
His eyes do not glisten as dazzlingly as they used to. Instead, the brightness of the greens seems to be replaced by an intensity that’s enough to drown one’s soul. And there are traces of hair dusting his chin. The barely grown beard adds a harsh look to his features and makes him look manlier. Attra—
“Fuck!” My eyes widen as the tires screeches and a scream rips from my throat when Will fails to control the brakes as a black wolf comes crashing into us.
