2 days Later;"Don't move too much," Zia says, though it's muffled since it's pressed firmly into her neck. They've been laid together, unmoving, for what feels to Emma like hours, but that still doesn't seem like long enough.She can't get over the warmth of having Zia in her arms, pressed right up against her, like she has no intention of ever letting her go again. Which is fine by her, Emma thinks, stroking his hand wide on her back. Zia shuffles into her like she wants to get even closer, and Emma can find no objection to that either."How long?" she starts to say, struck with a sudden dryness in her throat. She clears it, coughing painfully, and tries again, even as Zia is lifting her head up. "How long was I gone?"Emma keeps her question vague because she doesn't really want to think about where she's been or how long she's been away."Too long," Zia answers, her eyes falling to the way Emma swallows and dragging herself up to her knees, though still holding on to her waist as
When Emma wakes, it's her fingertips trailing down the length of her arm and repeated palms being pressed into the crown of her head."Zia?" she says, which is a little ridiculous considering there is no one else she'd be lying here like this with, but it feels good to say her name anyway; it feels like far too long since she's been able to say it out loud."How are you feeling?"Zia sweeps her palms up over Emma's skin and gathers her closer, and Emma stretches languidly, luxuriating in the feel of Zia. It's like she is the only human she can trust now."Better now," she says, earning herself a small huff and a further ruff to his hair, but it's not enough; Emma drags herself up as much as she is able and leans down over Zia to hug her tightly; she just hopes that one day all her pain is gone. And as though she could sense the oncoming tremble in her arms, Zia rolled them until they were side by side, wrapping a hand around Emma's so she couldn't pull back too far."Emma," she begins
Emma stood still in the living room, with one hand on the handle of her suitcase and the other tightly holding her phone. It was much colder in the room than when she and Lucus first moved in. She remembered how they laughed as they unpacked each box, slowly bringing life into the small but cozy apartment.She looked at her phone one more time, hoping that maybe there was a message that would make her change her mind. With nothing but a blank screen staring back at her, she finally accepted her new route and walked out, her suitcases clattering behind her.The tests were on the counter, and each one had two separate lines.Can't happen. They always took care. Always, they used protec"No," she said quietly. She thought about the night that happened more than a month ago.Now she had to pay for it.After that night, things were fine for a week or two, and they tried to forget that their problems weren't really gone, just hidden for a while. But when she signed the divorce papers this t
6 Months Later:Lucus finally tried to call Allen six months after she left the city, but he got a message that the number he called was no longer in service. His heart was filled with shock and fear, so he left his parents' house right away and ran to their shared apartment. He entered the correct passcode for their apartment with shaky fingers and threw open the door to a cold, empty apartment. Emma's smell was hard to pick up, but there was just a hint of vanilla in the air."No! No! No! No! No!" he yelled as he hurriedly threw open the bedroom door, even though he knew what he would find inside. The closet was half empty and didn't have as many of Emma's favorite loose-fitting shirts and soft sweaters as it used to. The bed was made nicely, which was something neither Emma nor Lucus had done in years. The skin care items, razors, and makeup that Emma kept on the bathroom counters were all taken away. Lucus ran back to the living room because he was scared. Emma's books and the awa
Lucus knew that his parents' influence would make it impossible for him to get a job at a good company, so he chose to become his own boss instead. He thought of the idea when he saw an ad for a used food truck. When they were married, Emma took them on a date to the bank to open a savings account and encouraged him to do the same. No matter how bad things got, he made it a habit for both of them to always put between a tenth and a quarter of every paycheck in the bank. Now, he owns the food truck because of that story, which happened a few days later.After he saw that Emma couldn't refuse freshly baked sweets, he started baking as a hobby. Because he was worried about Emma's eating habits, he had to come up with new ways to feed her. Lemon-blueberry scones turned out to be the best way. He took the steps needed to become a certified barista, using the skills he had learned while working part-time at coffee places. He was ready to start his new business when Alex helped him get all t
From then on, Emma became good friends with Jasmine and Luke because she started working for Jasmine. When she found out that they had a son who was only a year older than Clary, she took her to their house. By the time she was four, Emma was able to move to a nicer apartment so she could have her own room. She worked hard at both the coffee shop and the dance school to make sure her daughter would never want for anything. Luke and Jasmine always tried to make Emma's life easier because they knew how hard she worked. They watched her kid on the weekends when she had to work at the coffee shop and let Clary come to the studio when she was teaching. Emma insisted that she could pay, but Jasmine said that if her son could take dance lessons for free, they shouldn't have to either.Luke and Jasmine didn't know the whole story, but they did know that Emma had left the city while she was pregnant because she thought it was best for everyone and that the father didn't know Emma was pregnant
Lucus didn't think he was good enough to have a partner. He had done such a bad job with Emma that he couldn't see himself as someone who could love him. He thought that Emma could do better even if she came back. But Emma was the only person he would let himself feel greedy for, and he knew that if Emma chose to be with him, he wouldn't be the one to let go. He had learned from what went wrong. He would always stick with Emma. On Friday night, Lucus and Alex finished up some last budgeting issues and sent some last directions to the manager of the second city branch before Lucus went home to pack and get some sleep before the trip the next day. He hoped to be back in the city by Monday night, but that would depend on how the weekend went. "Mommy, can we go to the beach sometime later?" "If you really want to, sweetie," As Clary yawned, Emma stroked her hair as they waited outside Jasmine's flat. They heard movement on the other side, and when the door finally opened, Luke was smil
Emma waved goodbye to her coworkers as she stepped out of the cafe and onto the street, welcoming the cool air as the sun started to set."Mommy!""Emma! Over here!"She looked up to see her daughter running towards her, and she immediately crouched down with her arms wide open."Hi baby! I missed you.""I missed you too!""How was playing at Aunt Jasmine and Uncle Luke's place?""It was good. But I wanted to play with you.""We can play for a bit on the beach until it gets dark and then go get something yummy to eat. How about that?""Yeah!"Emma grinned at the excited look in her daughter's eyes. As she gripped her hand tightly, she swung their arms back and forth as they started walking towards where Jasmine was waiting. There was another man on one knee in front of her, and Emma tilted her head in confusion, wondering what the situation was. Feeling a bit on edge, she approached the two."Hey Jasmine, I hope I'm not interrupting," Emma murmured as he neared them. The other man slo
The air was filled with the subtle scent of lemons and candle wax.Gold tapestry runners featuring Batik motifs graced the tables by the entranceway to the hall, and crystal vases filled with white roses spilling out sat atop them, while bouquets of white roses wrapped in blue silk ribbons decorated the ends of the old wooden pews. The early morning sun shone through the stained-glass windows of the wedding hall and reflected pretty images onto the floor of the hall. Dozens of candles in every size were placed on the altar, ready to be lit when the ceremony started; they would lend a soft and warm glow to the happy couple as they stood before friends and family professing their love for one another.Zia studied the decorations with a critical eye—everything had to be perfect. She had pale yellow roses braided into her long dark hair and her dress, a long column of silver—not quite white and not quite grey—that shimmered under the lights with every moment. Satisfied that everything was
A small family could be heard all the way down the street from their apartment. A toddler was throwing a fit by the sounds of her crying and screams, and two people could be heard arguing."You! Get out of my home now!!"Emma hissed at her father, who was standing a few feet from his daughter and granddaughter, sporting a scowl.Emma was doing everything she could not to gently set her daughter down in her playpen and lunge for her father's throat. Nadia is now four years old; she's grown to be a beautiful toddler. She was clinging to her mother like her life depended on it and was crying hysterically. Emma was rocking back and forth in his arms and glaring at Robert in hatred."That thing is an abomination. She shouldn't even exist!" David spat, glaring at the toddler in disgust.The toddler whimpered at the insult and clung even tighter to her mother. Emma was enraged and could barely control herself. The only thing keeping her from screaming at her father was the little girl in her
Emma complied, taking the last few steps towards Lucus. The Alpha pulled her into his arms, stroking her back lovingly. Emma wrapped her arms around Lucus as well, not able to prevent the smile she was holding back from spreading across her face. Lucus suddenly felt tense. Emma looked up at him and noticed a sour expression written across his features."What's wrong, Lucus?" She whispered."Nothing."Emma glared, not taking too kindly to being lied to. Lucus sighed in defeat and met her gaze. His eyes held so much sorrow and fear. "I'm not a good father," he whispered sadly.Emma gasped out in shock. How could Lucus think like that? It's not like someone can go from never being around children to being an expert on them in only a few weeks! Lucus was being too hard on himself, setting his expectations too high. Emma would do everything she could not to let Alpha beat himself up over not being experienced with kids."Lucus, you love both Clary and Nadia to pieces! How could you say tha
Lucus made quick work of her shirt as well before Allen returned with a white hospital gown. Lucus lifted Emma up slightly so she could slip it on her. They had just laid Emma back down when a door burst open and the doctor walked in. She was wearing her pale pink hospital gown and white flats.She came strutting through like she owned the place. She shoved Lucus and Emma aside, making her way over to Emma. She was currently panting and sweating as if she had just run a marathon. She grabbed one of the towels from the nightstand and dabbed it with some of the cool water in the bucket. She wiped the sweat rolling down her face before she began setting up everything she would need for the delivery.The group sat there for the next hour and a half. It was silent. Allen was in the other room talking to Alex, who had arrived ten minutes beforehand. Emma had requested that they leave the room. She didn't feel comfortable with anyone witnessing her give birth to the baby other than Lucus. Sh
A tap on Lucus window startled him out of his thoughts. He saw a woman in her forties with messy brunette hair standing in front of his window with a takeout bag. He rolled the window down, and she shoved the food at him. He rolled his eyes as she walked away. He looked down into the bag and noticed something strange.There was only lava cake.He snatched the bag and stormed out of the vehicle and into the restaurant. He slammed the bag on the counter in front of a startled-looking employee. She had her purple hair tied into a bun, and her green eyes were wide. He felt no remorse."I have been to two different Burger King's! I've had soda spill on my shirt, and then an old woman slapped me in the face! I got pulled over by a cop who vandalized my car and gave me a seven-hundred-dollar ticket simply because I'm married to Omega! Now your ignorant people make me pull off to the side to wait for onion rings that I've never received! I demand three large orders of onion rings, another sli
5 Years Later:"Lucus!"Omega sighed, placing her rainbow-striped bookmark in her fantasy drama novel. She strode out of her office and into the living room.His Alpha was sprawled out on the sofa, his chin in his palm, as he watched an episode of Modern Family. Emma was wearing nothing but an oversized hoodie and a pair of grey shorts. Despite the baggie hoodie and fluffy red blanket covering her torso, her nine-month pregnant belly was obvious.They'd wanted to be married for a little while before they had another child. So, after two years of traveling the world and going on many fun adventures, they settled down back in their apartment with Clary. They then proceeded to make mad, passionate love all night long. It was more overwhelming than any other time. Of course, it only took one round to impregnate Emma, but once they got started, they couldn't get enough of each other."Yes love?" Lucus asked.He couldn't help but eye the dozens of candy wrappers strewn about the floor. The
The whole idea had been Allen's.When she'd suggested the idea to Emma—to celebrate Clary's birthday in a cute and fun way that the little one could enjoy—she hadn't come up with anything wrong with it.Neither of them had taken in Alex as a factor, though. Which, between the three of them, they really should have?"I don't think that outfit is appropriate for children."Lucus raised his eyebrows in confusion. He gestured to Clary, who was clad in dark blue denim jeans and a deep green knit sweater, before turning to Emma with an expression that suggested he really thought Emma had lost her mind this time."I meant yours," Emma explained, pointing to Lucus bright yellow skin-tight jeans and glaringly obvious rainbow singlet, which he'd paired with a deep red jacket and black shoes."We're going to a zoo, Lucus, not a nightclub."Lucus pouted, and Emma sighed."Just dress it down a little for me today." She asked. "Please? I'll let you choose my outfit another time if you do this for m
"Where are you getting it?" Zia asked Emma, taking a cotton ball and dipping it in antiseptic."On my wrist," she says, holding out her right arm. Zia nods, wiping the skin of her wrist beneath her palm.She puts the cotton ball down and then purses her lips."Could you... I might need you to swap chairs with Lucus; I don't want to do this upside down."Emma nods. "Of course."She and Lucus switch, darting past each other. Lucus raises his eyebrows, hoping to get something out of either of them, but neither Zia nor Emma say a word."This is borderline torture." He complains, flopping into his seat. Zia smiles sympathetically, as if to say "This wasn't my decision".Emma just looks a little nervous."So, I'm going to outline the drawing in marker first, so you can be certain of its placement, and then if you're happy, I'll start." Zia explains.Emma nods, her eyes darting over to Lucus before returning to Zia. She smiles encouragingly, picking up a black, fine-tip, skin-safe marker and
"You want to get a tattoo?"Out of all the things Lucus ever thought he'd hear Emma say, getting a tattoo was not even a registered possibility."Yes." Emma nods, and Lucus knows Emma enough to accept that she's being completely serious."But you already have my mating mark on your body." Lucus states. He folds his hands behind his head, leaning backwards against the headboard. He had a feeling this conversation would be one he'd need to be relaxed for."Well, yes, but that's not the same." Emma replies. He sighs as Lucus raises his eyebrows."Mark's fade; some are permanent, but not all of them, and they're different. Mating marks speak of my mating. Tattoos are something that both of us can have, and it's more special and ... forever."Lucus leans over and kisses Emma's bare shoulder."You genuinely want this?" He asks to be certain. There's a warmth flooding him just from hearing that Emma wants to get something permanent that they can both share. Something different that no other