The next day, Emily’s mind was still puzzling over what the prophecy had told her yesterday, she tried to dwell more on it but the sound of her phone buzzed made her flange in fear. She stared at the caller ID, and it was a strange number. She doubted if she should pick up the call or not, but eventually, she swiped the green button pressing the phone against her left ear.There was a few minutes of silence and she started wondering if it was a spam call. Just when she wanted to hang up, the caller called out her name. “Emma” A low voice greeted her. “We need to meet today,” the person addedEmma frowned at first because she had no idea who was talking. “Why? What is wrong? Who are you?” She rushed her question. “If you want to know me, just meet me at the hotel basement downtown. I will explain everything to you,” the person said, and her heart pounded.“Who is this person?” she thought to herself but eventually agreed. “Fine, I will be there.”With that, she hung up the call,
The dinning room was aglow with warm light. Emma and her family gathered for dinner. The faint clinking of cutlery echoed off the polished table. Emma sat stiffly in her chair, her fingers curling around her spoon, trying to ignore the persistent glance from her sister. “So, Emma, what is been keeping you so busy these days?” Ever asked her voice breaking the grace silent. Emma did not bother looking at her. Instead, she focused on her dad, offering them a small smile. “The usual,” she replied. “Mom,” she called turning toward her mum “I have decided on something,” she said with a large smile.Her mother dropped the fork in her hand and focused her attention on her. “Decided on something? Which is?” she asked.“I have decided that I will attend the festival, you don’t have to worry about it anymore.”The words came as a shock to her parents.“Really? I thought you weren’t interested,” her mother said, turning to her with evident surprise.Emma shrugged, her expression unreadable.
The next day, Emma woke up with a start. The morning sunlight streamed down the window and the memory of the conversation she had with Damien hit her like a tube brisk, she stood up from the bed, crossing the room, and going to Damien's room. When she got there, she realized Damien was not inside, which gave her the thought that he had already gone out in search of whatever Ever was up to. Yesterday, he had promised her that he would investigate and bring back news.Emma returned to her room. She tried to calm her racing heart but no matter how hard she tried it kept beating fast. She took a glimpse of herself in the mirror and realized her eyes had developed a dark circle, she had barely slept overnight, and her mind was swirling with questions about Ever, her strange behavior, and the gut-wrenching suspicion that something sinister was at play.Deciding to get ready in case Damien returned with urgent news, Emma went to take a quick bath. As she finished dressing, her parents
Emma and Damien found themselves in a quieter part of town. The sun was beginning to lower into the horizon. They parked discreetly near an old unassuming borough. The area was a stark contrast to the bustling city they had just left behind. Emma’s nerves were frayed. Her finger drummed restlessly on the dashboard as she kept her eyes glued on the entrance of a dimly lit bar across the street. “What do you think she's up to this time?” Emma asked, her voice was tight with tension. “Whatever it is, we are going to find out,” Damien replied simply. “Just stay sharp, okay?” he added, leaning back in his seat, his gaze unwavering.They sat in grave silence until Ever finally stepped out of a sleek car, her confidence radiating in the way she carried herself. Emma couldn’t tear her eyes away as her sister strode purposefully toward the bar.Ever paused briefly at the entrance, a flicker of unease crossing her face. Something felt wrong. She scanned the surroundings but she couldn't f
Ever froze in disbelief as the barista repeated the words; “Both cards declined.” Her stomach dropped, and her friends around the table exchanged uneasy glances as if exchanging words with their eyes.“That can’t be right,” Ever murmured, digging into her bag to find another card. Her fingers fumbled through its contents, but she found nothing. Panic began to rise as she tried to make sense of what was happening.Suddenly, a familiar voice broke through the tension. “Are you alright?”Ever turned quickly, startled to see Damien standing behind her. He stepped closer, his expression calm but laced with concern.“Yeah… I’ll be fine,” Ever replied hesitantly, brushing imaginary dust from her clothes.“I can see you’ve got a lot on your plate,” Damien said smoothly, his reassuring smile oddly disarming. “Let me help you out.”Before Ever could respond, Damien reached into his pocket and pulled out a sleek black card. “Here. Use this to cover the bill. You can return it when we get home,”
Ever stood before her parents. Their disappointed eyes bore into hers. It was a feeling she had grown all too familiar with over few weeks. But today, it felt more heavier. Her mother’s voice was sharp as she scolded her. “Ever, this behavior is completely unacceptable. Do you have any idea what you have done? This childish altercation with Emma it’s unbecoming.” Her voice was calm, controlled, but it cut through her like a blade. Ever could barely look at her. Her mother’s cold gaze was a reflection of everything she had never been able to say. She had spent days trying to earn their approval, maybe hoping something would go back to the way it used to be. But no matter what she did, it was never enough. Emma was now the shiniest star in the family now. She wondered when everything became this unbearable.“You are acting like a child,” her father’s voice rang out. His tone was reprimanding. “You should know better than to engage in petty arguments. I expect more from you, Ever.” It
Ever staggered further into the house, her alcohol-laden breath filling the room. Her parents exchanged uneasy glances, their disapproval of her drunken state briefly overshadowed by Emma’s worsening condition.When they took a glimpse look at Emma, who was lying down on the couch her breath was quicken. And she trembled uncontrollably. Her skin was pale and damp with sweat. “Ever,” her father said sharply, his voice filled with a mix of desperation and command. “Your sister is very sick. Do something!”Ever smirked bitterly, her eyes glassy yet somewhat sharp with simmering resentment. “Why would I do anything for her?” she slurred, her voice laced with defiance. “You’ve made it clear who the real child is. You don’t care about me,” she said mockingly, as if the situation was a joke to her.Her mother’s face tightened, but for a moment, there was no anger, only desperation. “Ever,” she pleaded, her voice softer now, “please, we’re sorry if we’ve hurt you. But Emma, she’s your sister
After they had finished calling Damien and explained the situation to him, he promised to return home immediately. They waited patiently in the sitting room, desperately praying that he would arrive in time before anything worse happened. Emma was still in shock over what Ever had told her. She could not believe her sister could be so cruel. She stared at her from where she stood, her face held a smugly smiling, arms crossed, and her taunting expression almost unbearable for Emma. Emma wondered what her sister would gain from ruining or possibly ending her life.Her thoughts were interrupted when the door suddenly sprang open, revealing Damien, who strode into the room with determination. The atmosphere in the sitting room shifted instantly. He held a small, ornate vial in his hand, his gaze steady as it landed on Emma’s frail form.“Perfect timing,” Damien said coolly, walking toward her.Emma's parents moved aside, relief washing over their faces. “Damien thank goodness you are
The sun dipped lower in the sky, casting a soft golden hue over the pack house. It was quiet, peaceful until the sound of a car pulling into the long driveway disrupted the stillness. The vehicle came to a slow stop near the front gate, and the guard on duty stepped forward with a wary expression.Ava was the first to step out, her chin raised with false confidence and her parents following closely behind her.“Halt,” the guard said, narrowing his eyes as they try to step in. “This area is restricted unless you’re summoned by the Alphas.”Ava scoffed and folded her arms. “Do you not recognize me?”The guard straightened, clearly not impressed. “Doesn’t matter who you are. No one enters without permission especially not after hours.”Ava stepped closer, her voice sharper. “Emma is my sister. The mate of your Alphas. If I want to see her, I will.”Her mother winced at Ava’s tone, but her father only watched quietly, waiting.“She belongs here as much as they do,” Ava added with a glare.
Emma sat motionless on the cold floor, the phone still clutched in her hand as Damien’s voice faded from the call. Her chest tightened, eyes wide, and her heart pounded like a warning drum. The last few words echoed painfully in her head“Three days… just stay hidden.”She couldn’t breathe for a moment.Her throat closed up, and a shaky gasp escaped as hot tears finally broke free. She let the phone drop from her hand as she hugged her knees tightly to her chest.Three days without seeing them.Three days without speaking to them.Three days of pretending like they didn’t matter.How was she supposed to pretend otherwise? After everything they had shared earlier that day… after the way they held her, touched her, kissed her like she was their world. How was she supposed to hide from that?Her body still ached from their passion, but her heart her heart ached even more now.She sniffled and wiped her eyes, trying to quiet the sobs building up inside. It was too much. It was happening t
Emma stood in the café, staring at Ava with narrowed eyes. Her heart thudded quietly against her chest, confusion swimming in her. She had expected Damien, not Ava. Ava sipped from a cup of tea and set it down slowly. “Didn’t expect to see me here, did you?”Emma took a slow step forward, her fists clenched tightly by her sides. “What are you doing here?” Her voice was low but firm. “How did you get access to Damien’s phone?”Ava shrugged with a smirk. “Oh, that?” She waved a hand like it was nothing. “Let’s just say Damien is easy to capture.” “That’s not funny,” Emma said sharply. “Answer me properly.”Ava tilted her head, playing with the edge of her sleeve. “Relax, Em. It’s just a little joke. I sent the message so what? You came, didn’t you?”“You tricked me.” Emma’s breath caught. Ava’s smile widened, but her eyes stayed cold. “I wanted to talk to you.” Emma shook her head and took a step back. “I’m leaving.” She turned toward the door, but before she could reach it, Ava su
Emma lay quietly on the bed, her breath still catching in her throat as her body slowly calmed. The air in the room felt warm, thick with the scent of sweat and something more intimate. Jayden’s strong arms were loosely wrapped around her waist, while Kale lay on her other side, his fingers gently stroking her hair.She blinked up at the ceiling, unable to form a single thought for a while. Her limbs felt heavy spent. Her skin still tingled where they had touched her, kissed her, made her theirs again.Her cheeks burned with the memory.How did this even happen?They had been upset with her. She had been avoiding them. She was scared of what she felt, confused by the chaos inside her chest. But then… somehow, everything had shifted. They had touched her like they couldn’t bear to lose her.And now here she was again wrapped up in their warmth after another night she never planned.Kale chuckled softly, brushing a kiss to her shoulder. “You’re so quiet.”Jayden shifted, pulling her cl
Emma’s breath quickened as she found herself cornered between Jayden and Kale, their tall figures looming on either side. The weight of her nightmare still clung to her chest like chains, suffocating, and impossible to shake off. Her pulse thudded heavily in her ears, and for a brief moment, she considered bolting.Just run, a voice whispered in her head. Before they get too close. Before you fall deeper into something you can’t undo.She clenched her fists and took a small step back, hoping they wouldn’t notice. But Jayden’s sharp, penetrating gaze locked onto her instantly.“Why are you running from us?” His voice was calm, but the firmness in it gave her pause. There was concern there too just enough to make her chest ache.Emma opened her mouth, but her tongue felt heavy. She couldn’t form a proper sentence. How could she explain the storm brewing inside her? How could she say she was scared of herself, of how easy it would be to let them in?“I…” she paused, eyes darting away. “I
The sharp knocking on the door startled Emma awake. Her heart pounded in her chest as she sat up, her mind still hazy from sleep. Who could it be this early in the morning?She rubbed her eyes, dragging herself out of bed. The knocking continued, more urgent this time.“I’m coming,” she mumbled, forcing her tired body to move.With some effort, she reached the door and pulled it open, only to freeze in surprise after her eyes met with the last person she expected. “Tyler?” Her brows furrowed as she took in his presence. She hadn’t expected to see him.Tyler stood before her, his face unreadable. He greeted her with a small nod.“Good morning, Emma.”Emma crossed her arms, still groggy from sleep. “Why are you here?”Tyler hesitated, as if unsure how to say what he came for. “I just wanted to let you know that I’ll be away for a while.”“Away? Where are you going?” Emma widened her eyes. “I can’t tell you that.” His expression darkened, and he looked away.“Why not? Is something wron
Emma sat in the quiet of her room, her mind a whirlwind of fear and uncertainty. She couldn’t shake the image of her hands wrapped around Kale’s throat, his desperate struggle, the look of betrayal in his eyes. It had been so real, too real that she couldn’t ignore it. Her chest felt tight, her breathing shallow as she curled into herself. She had run away from them, from the only people who had truly stood by her, because she was afraid. Afraid of what she might do.“What if one day I lose control?”The thought sent a shiver down her spine. Could she really live with herself if she ended up harming the people who meant the world to her? How long would she have to suffer this torment before she was free? Before she could trust herself again?Her fingers clenched against the fabric of her dress.“I need to stop thinking like this. I need to control it.”But no matter how hard she tried, the fear gnawed at her, whispering in the back of her mind that it wasn’t a matter of if, it was a
“You will apologize!” she demanded, her eyes blazing with anger. “How dare you raise a hand against your own blood? Against Lily?” The Luna’s voice was sharp and furious, slicing through the room like a whip.Her fists clenched tightly at her sides, her entire body shaking with barely contained rage. The tension in the room thickened, pressing down on everyone like a heavy weight especially Emma who likes a lost puppy. But Kale and Jayden stood firm. They did not cower under their mother’s fury, nor did they bow their heads in submission. Instead, their expressions remained cold, their bodies unmoving.“No,” Kale said, his voice calm but unyielding.Jayden crossed his arms over his chest, his stance just as firm. “We won’t apologize.”The Luna’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Excuse me?” She raised an eyebrow. “We won’t apologize for defending Emma.” Kale’s gaze didn’t waver. The Luna let out a harsh breath, frustration clear in her facial expression. “Defending her? From what? The tr
The walk to the Luna’s chambers felt longer than it should have. Emma could feel the weight of the twins’ stares on her. Jayden walked close on one side, his expression unreadable, while Kale was on her other side, his usual smirk absent for once. It was strange to see them this serious. It made her stomach twist with unease. As they reached the large double doors of the Luna’s quarters, the maid stopped and bowed. “Only Lady Emma may enter,” she said hesitantly, clearly nervous under the twins’ sharp gazes. Emma took a breath. “It’s fine,” she murmured, mostly to herself. Jayden placed a firm hand on her wrist. “If she says anything, if she does anything, you call for us. Understood?” Emma met his gaze, seeing the rare concern in his eyes. It sent a strange warmth through her chest. “I will,” she promised. Kale sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Don’t let her mess with your head.” Emma nodded before stepping forward. The doors creaked open, and she slipped inside. Th