Chapter 53
EMMA.
“Are you okay?” Bianca’s voice breaks through the noise surrounding us, and I lift my head. There’s concern in her eyes when I look into them and I smile as 1 straighten my back. “I’m okay”
“You sure?“s
She lifts a brow and I nod. “I am”
Bianca’s eyes narrow at me, but she says nothing further, and I return my attention to the food I’ve left untouched since I took a seat. My appetite is still nowhere to be found, but to not draw Bianca’s worry again, I stab the chicken nuggets with the fork I’m holding, I let out an exhale as I lift the fork to my mouth and as I take a bite, some girls pass by our table, mumbling words I’d rather not hear.
‘Heard she’s the most beautiful woman ever seen. I mean, she has to be, right?”
“I didn’t think the Alpha would be unavailable this soon. This is heanbreaking cause I thought I’d have a chance at least until the next ball?‘
“You‘ Girl, please. You’re not even his type and there’s no chance of you meeting him.
“Excuse you? And how’d you know his type? It’s not like you’ve…
The news of his engagement continues to spread like wildfire and it’s the topic in everyone’s mouth. It’s all they speak of–from morning to night, from the training grounds to school. I doubt there’s anyone in the pack who hasn’t learned of it now and no matter how I try to hide, I can’t escape
IL
I drop the fork and it makes a sound against the tray as I forcefully chew the chicken I have in my mouth.
“Emma” My head raises at Bianca’s call and she moves out of her seat. She rounds the table and takes the space next to me and I arch a brow when she props her elbow against the table, her body twisted in my direction. “What?”
“Is there something you’d like to tell me?” She questions and when I shake my head, she presses. “You sure? No secret you’d love to let me in on? Absolutely nothing?”
When I keep my lips sealed, Bianca says. “I know.”
“Know what“.
“What you’re hiding”
“I don’t understand.” I tell her and she drops her hand as she sits up. “You and the Alpha” my eyes widen at those words and I swallow through the tightness of my throat when Bianca says, “Something is going on, isn’t it”
I jerk my head, shuffling in my seat as nervousness churns at my insides. “What are you talking about? There’s not-
“I’ve seen the way you look at him when he passes by. And yesterday, when I informed you of the news of his engagement; you seemed shocked. At fint, I thought you were just surprised, but it wasn’t just that. You looked unhappy when you returned from the restroom and I couldn’t still put my finger on it until now. Those girls passed by and your mood worsened after you heard what they were saying. I won’t tell anyone, so you don’t have
to lie to me.”
“I don’t—“I start to say, ready to deny her deductions with anything I can think of, but my best friend’s lips turn in a frown before Lean finish and the look in her eyes tells me there’s nothing I can say that’d convince her otherwise so I sigh instead “Yes.”
Bianca’s pupils grow large and she shifts closer till our sides are brushing. “Yes, as in there’s
“Yes, as in there’s something between us–or there was” My voice quiets as the last words leave my mouth and I spread my palms over my thighs. Bianca drogas a hand on my shoulder and holds my gaze, sympathy laced through her words when she opens her mouth. “The engagement? It ruined what you had”.
1 let out a bitter chuckle and shake my head: “I don’t think there was anything to be ruined.” According to Will, I was the idiot who thought something special was between us, holding onto wishes I knew would get me hurt, but held onto then anyway. “We were just having fun, and i
You wouldn’t look and sound so hurt speaking about it if it were just fun, Bianca munters, seeing right through the bullshit I try to put in my head and Flower my gaze, not wanting her to see the trans thui have gathered at the burim of my eyes. I blink repeatedly to hold them back before raising my gate to Blanc’s. I’m not
She nods oner And when i think she’s dropping it, she asks, “Do you like him?”
2:49 PM
Chapter 53
even. He wasn’t mine to
My heart squeezes at the question, and I bite down on my tongue because I do. I like him. So fucking much. Love him ev love, but I did, anyway. I fell, and I fell hard. Now he’s broken my heart–broken my being and left me to put together my pieces. If I can
1 jerk my head at Bianca because the words won’t leave. The lie won’t roll off my tongue even after what he’s done and how he broke it off in the cruelest way I could ever think of
Emma
“Please. Stop speaking
the words.
speaking about it. I don’t want. I just want to get over whatever that was.” I tell her, my voice begging, with desperation slipping into
Fortunately. Bianca listens and nods her head. She shifts again and wraps her arms around my body, letting my head fall on her shoulder. I let out a shaky exhale as I shut my eyes and lock my arms around her middle, taking the warmth she gives me for only a minute before I have to let g
t go.
“Hey, ladies” Elijah’s loud voice cuts through the air and I move back, letting my hands fall from Bianca. Elijah takes the seat across from us and his brows furrow as he looks from me to Bianca, then back to me. “Is everything alright? Why are you both staring at me like that? Did I walk into something?”
“I need to go grab a drink. I’ll be back” I hum to Bianca’s words and watch as she moves out of the seat before I avert my gaze to Elijah. He’s still staring at me with a brow raised, and 1 force out a chuckle. “Hey”
“Hey. He drops his hands on the table, bringing his body closer. “Did something happen?”
“Why do you ask?‘
“I don’t know.” His left shoulder raises and his mouth pulls back in a grimace. “You just had this look on your face when I arrived. Both of you.”
“Nothing happened. We were just discussing.” I tell him and Elijah smiles. “About?”
“Girl stuff. You don’t have to know. 1 respond and he laughs, throwing his head to the back as the sound echoes through the cafeteria. He earns us some glances and words are mouthed before they remove their gazes
“Are you going to eat that?” Elijah’s eyes fall to the tray of food that’s still barely touched and I push it towards him without a word. He doesn’t question it and just grabs a nugget. “Thanks. And hey, how are the preparations coming along? Is it happening anytime soon?”
“What?”
“The engagement. As soon as the word leaves his mouth, the heaviness is back in my chest and 1 clutch the fabric of my skirt in my hands. “I don’t know.”
“I’m guessing you’d get busy soon. An Alpha’s engagement–that’d be a big one. I wonder when it’ll happen. Do you know when it’s happening? Have you even met the girl? It’s a surprise to me he’s chosen a inate considering he’s still young and has time to find his fated.” Elijah’s voice fades into the distance as I retract into the depth of my thoughts. They swallow my being till I’m no longer conscious of my surroundings, and everything in the world just melts away.
Everything but him. He’s right there–on my mind. In my head. Hurting my heart until I’m not sure how much more it can hurt
*NIGHTFALL
I’ve been summoned to dinner.
I’ve never been summoned to dinner.
The omega that came to give me the word said they’re awaiting my presence and 1 know without being told what’s happening. They’re making the official announcement. I’ve stayed in my room the entire day–avoiding any chances of seeing the last person I want to at the moment–so I don’t know what’s going on out there, but I guess things are moving fast. And this is actually happening Will is getting engaged. It’s real.
As much as I’d rather wrap’myself in my blanket and fall to sleep till I grow tired of finding consolation in the darkness, I don’t, I throw on my baggy clothes before striding out of my room.
The family’s dinner room is in the Alplu’s wing where the rest of the family stays. I’ve never been there since I moved away to make my presence rare before
my father, but now I take the corners that lead me there and with each step that brings me closer, my heart pounds loudly in my chest. Everything in me is screaming at me to stop. My heart is clenching gand I want to turn back, but I don’t, I keep moving until I arrive in the space and exeryone’s gathered at the dining talde–everyone but him.
“Mepsister. You made it Nana’s cheerful voice greets me first, alerting the room of my presence, and my stepmother’s gaze falls on mine before she kooks away. “Have you heard? I trust you have. We’ll be getting another sister soon. Isn’t that exciting?” Nina’s voice is loud, and she has a big smile on her face. I have no idea what she’s doing and why she’s suddenly acting so nier, so I just nod.
Chapter 59
“L” I turn my head over my slumber when I feel a hand
pon the smell of my back and my eyes meet right brown ones. Ryan is standing die steps in my side. “Hey”
comer–away from the prering
“How are you f
d Dratch Nina’s gaze on us just before Ryan dragune to a
hand drops from my am
tbol my head. “Geel”
Why do you think
af? I wenty a loove and Ryan sighs. He stays silent for a few seconds before fie spraks again. “Will e
“There was nothing to so
mua” Ryan tilis his head as his questioning an my Lace and let cuit a it so willing laughs: “I’m seriou There was nothing to sort. He aklit and Lagree–we hul tuirarul nume it’s an
over. He’s getting engaged, getting a Lama so I need to forget what’s happened if only it were that simple. Fram say those words to myself a tlumisand times and it still wadhu’t make them tone. There’s no furgenting him–never. Not even if I manage to make it stop listing. He saucated himself into my being and leli ne fainted with his marks that l’il forever carry him with me.
“Where’s everyone? Diner is starting” As Ryan’s lips part, those words cease his and his chest falls. He closes the small space between us and pars my hair before resting his hand on my waist, miilging ine forward. “Come on
We walk back to the saving mom and 1 halt any steps when I see him. His seat is turned in iny direction and when our eyes meet, my stupid heart skips a beat. Will keeps his gaze on me and I want to look away, but I can’t bring myself in. Despite the resentment and rage I feel towards him, I find my eyes drinking him ins, a tiesing hinu for looking so good, must cursing myself for checking hun out and admitting he looks so good.
“Hello, Fimma The
The voice comes fo
es from behind me and my body freezes because I know that voice too well.
AD
