Chapter 2: Emerson

Quinn is arriving in my pack today. The woman I’ve had a crush on for years, long before I turned eighteen and knew she was my mate. Since that day, I’ve been totally, completely, in love with her.

‘We both have,’ Clovis, my wolf purrs in my head.

‘Easy, Clovis. She’s still underage and I have no intention of having a repeat of what happened to Emlyn happen to Quinn.’

‘Well, since we don’t have a witch casting a spell on us, I’m pretty sure we’re okay,’ he says snarkily.

“Emerson, sweetheart, did you need my help with anything? Is Quinn’s room ready for her?” my mom asks, interrupting my conversation with my wolf.

“It is, mom. Thanks.”

“Are you excited, honey? You’ll have three Guardians in your pack.”

“We have more pack members and more sprites, especially since we got the influx of pack members from Shadow Falls pack, so it makes sense that we’d have more Guardians,” I say, matter of factly.

“Always so serious, my son,” my mother says, watching me closely. “Are you at least a little excited to have Quinn here?”

I have to be careful around my mother. She’s extremely intuitive and she’s adept at managing my father. Since I’m a lot like him, she’s pretty good at seeing what’s going on with me and managing me as well.

“Of course I am. But it’s not like it’s her first time here,” I say. Rich had suggested that the Guardians rotate through our three packs. At the time, I thought it was a great idea, not only because I’d get more time with Quinn, but because our warriors benefit from it as well. However, now I know that he did it so that my sister would be in his pack and in his bed more frequently.

“But you’re going to make her your acting Luna, aren’t you?” my mother asks, watching me carefully. I’m never quite sure what it is that alerts her that I’m skirting around an issue, but she always seems to know.

“Yes, of course. I mean, Riley’s my Beta now and since you and dad are officially retired…” Officially is a stretch. My father, who built this pack from the ground up has struggled to let me take it over. It’s been two years, and we still have ‘discussions’ about my decisions. I’m a lot like my father, but I’m not him and some of my decisions are not those that he would make. He still struggles with that.

“Yes, all of those things,” my mother says, her focus on me even more intent than it was a moment ago.

“What are you getting at mother?” I ask, deciding to get to the point. It’s the easiest way to avoid the uncomfortable nuances my mother makes until I breakdown and tell her what she’s wanting to hear.

“Is she your mate, Emerson?” Well, I guess I asked for that.

“Yes.”

“Then why do you seem so glum about her coming here?”

“I’m not glum,” I say testily. “It’s just…after everything that happened between Rich and Emlyn…”

“Who are very different people than you and Quinn," she says.

“I understand that, but if Rich hadn’t been inappropriate with Emlyn…”

“Then we may have never known that Gwen did all those horrible things and Rich might still be mated to her.”

I huff out a breath. “I want her to know that I respect her, that’s all. She’s a beautiful woman, but she’s also a Guardian. I understand what that means.”

“Believe me when I tell you that you don’t,” my father says walking in. “You won’t truly understand it until she puts herself in between you, her Alpha, and danger. Only then will you truly understand what it means that she’s a Guardian,” he says, pulling my mother to him and kissing the side of her head.

“It’s who we are. We can’t fight it,” my mother says.

“But you can find a way to work around it. It takes a lot of trust, on both sides,” he says, looking at my mother with so much love in his eyes.

My mother reaches up and strokes his cheek before lifting up on her toes to kiss him. Before the kiss gets out of hand, I turn to leave.

“Quinn will do well here. The sprites are already excited to have her. They love Lady Guardian Quinn,” my mother says, laughing when my father grunts. He doesn’t have a lot of patience with the sprites, and I don’t blame him. They have no filter and anything they think comes out of their mouths no matter how embarrassing it might be. Not only that, but they ADORE werewolves. It’s created a hybrid baby boom in our pack with wolves mating to the sprites. They actually make good mates, with the werewolves providing the warmth and protection that the sprites crave while the sprites give the wolves the love and adoration they need.

Of course they love Quinn, she’s kind and gentle and fun-loving. I have no idea why the Moon Goddess mated her to me, but I’m thankful that she did, not only because she’s a Guardian, but also because she always makes me feel lighter when I see her. It’s like the weight of being an Alpha becomes bearable when she’s around.

“If I were you, Emerson, I’d tell her. She’s a Guardian. Even if she’s underage, she’s probably feeling the pull of the mate bond to you. It might be better to confirm it sooner rather than later. You don’t want her figuring it out on the battle field if her wolf leaps in front of you and she’s not expecting it,” my mother says.

I sigh. I hadn’t intended to tell her, but my mother is right. If war is coming, she’ll need to know that she’s my Guardian. Even if she’s not eighteen, Minka, her wolf, will feel the pull to protect me.

‘Alpha, Alpha Liam and Guardian Quinn has passed the borders,’ my patrols say in the mind link.

‘Thank you.’

“If you’re coming to greet Uncle Liam and Quinn, they’re here,” I say, not turning to see my parents. I know they’re still kissing.

“Mmmm, be right there,” my father mumbles, making my mother giggle like a young girl as I walk out to greet my mate, my soon-to-be acting Luna, my future official Luna, and her father.

I stand on the top of the stairs at the entrance to the packhouse, watching as Quinn and her father drive up. The moment she steps out of the car, it’s like every other time, it’s as if a weight has just been lifted off my shoulders and there’s nothing I can’t do.

“Hello, Alpha Emerson,” she says formally as she steps out.

“Quinn, how many times have I asked you to call me Emerson?” I love the way my name sounds when she says it. I never knew that something so simple could make waves of pleasure roll down my spine.

She smiles, stepping up to me. Her smile is like the sun breaking through the clouds on a stormy day, taking away the grey and bringing color back into the world. “Hello, Emerson.”

My fingers twitch with my desire to touch her, but I refrain. “It’s good to have you here. I’m planning to have your acting Luna ceremony tonight, is that alright?” I ask her.

“Of course. War is imminent. I need to be prepared to assist you in protecting the pack,” she says courageously. It’s not that she isn’t a strong fighter. I know she is, but I also know that between her father and brothers, neither she, nor her twin have had a lot of experience with fighting.

“Hopefully, it won’t come to that, but we’ll see,” I say, looking up and Uncle Liam. “Uncle Liam, you’re welcome to stay for the ceremony.”

“I would love to, I can't stay more than one night, but I'll stay to watch my daughter become acting Luna. Then I have to return to help watch of Shadow Falls while Rich is in Canyon Ridge back, dropping of Malin.”

He grabs several bags out of the trunk and I walk down the stairs to take them. “I have you in your usual room, Quinn. I hope that’s okay.”

When the Guardians started rotating around the packs, I put Quinn on the Alpha floor with me. I did the same with the others, but I put Quinn in the room right beside mine. I liked knowing that I was sleeping so close to her.

“Of course, Emerson. Thank you,” she says.

“I think it’s me who should be thanking you, Quinn. You’re here to help protect my pack. I appreciate it.”

“I’ll show you to your rooms.”

We walk inside and my sister very loudly announces herself.

“QUINN! It’s about time! Hi, Uncle Liam,” she says, kissing Uncle Liam on the cheek before pulling Quinn away. Damn, I wanted to take her to her room.

“I guess it’s just you and me,” I say, guiding Uncle Liam up the stairs. We drop off Quinn’s bags in the room beside mine with Uncle Liam across the hall. As I turn to head downstairs, Uncle Liam stops me.

“Emerson, I don’t think I have to tell you that I love my daughters very much. They may be Guardians, but they are my life. I expect you to protect my daughter and keep her safe,” he says, making sure that I know how serious he is. He didn’t need to bother. I feel the same way about my sisters.

“Of course, Alpha,” I say, knowing he’s talking to me as a father, not an Alpha.

We walk downstairs and finally see my mother and father.

“Liam, are you staying for dinner?” my mother asks him.

“Hi Grace, Eli. I’m actually staying the night. I want to get Quinn settled in and since I understand we’re going to have an acting Luna ceremony tonight, I figured I’d stay for that as well.”