The next day, a meeting was arranged by the Alpha, who invited Emma to the pack house.
She got prepared early in the morning. When she was about to leave the house, she saw Ever glaring at her hatefully, but she did not even care.
She met her father and mother in the sitting room the one who gave her words of advice and told her not to disrespect either the Alpha or the twins, she promised not to do anything to annoy them.
She went to the pack house with a trembling mind and a thought full of prayer.
When she got there, she was welcomed by the maid, who took her to the Alpha.
When she got to the Alpha’s office, she and the Alpha exchanged a pleasant greeting, and the Alpha led her to where the meeting would be held. On their way, the Alpha and Emma conversed, he asked if she loved the twins. She told the Alpha that she loved them, especially when she knew they were her mates.
The Alpha did not press forward and went to where the meeting would be commerce in a spacious portable hall. The twins were already there. Immediately, they saw Emma; they glared at her hatefully, as if she was not a living thing.
Emma bowed lightly before sitting down, ignoring the hateful look they were throwing at her.
The Alpha stared around the three of them, his presence and silent command more than a words, he cleared his throat gently "So as I have already told you two, Emma will be your mate starting from today." He broke the news again and the twin's faces hardened, they looked so frustrated and irritated about what their father had just said.
"What do you mean, Father?" Jayden questioned after a long time of keeping quiet.
“I just said he’s your mate,” he recalled pointing toward Emma who just let out a simple smile.
"She is not our mate. Why are you forcing her on us?" Jayden shot back.
The Alpha stared at him hatefully without saying anything. “Are you questioning my audacity now?” He inquired with a raised eyebrow his teeth tightening in frustration.
“No Father, I’d dare not to,” Jayden quickly apologized.
"Emma is your mate as of today, there’s nothing you can do to change that," the Alpha voice held an edge of finality.
Kale kept quiet, unable to voice out his opinion, but he hated the fact that his father was trying to force Emma on them.
"But, father, Emma did not smell like our mate. Ever did. I don't know why you want us to mate with Emma when she doesn't smell like our mate," Jayden stood up again.
The Alpha didn’t bother to reply, he just nodded twice directed his attention toward Emma, and asked, "Dear, how do you feel about moving to the pack?" He asked with a curious gaze.
Emma looked shocked at the sudden suggestion. "Move to the pack?" She asked again, and the Alpha nodded.
"Yes since you will be mating with the twins soon, I think moving to the pack is the best option." He said, smiling broadly.
Emma stared at the twins, and she could see the disapproval on their faces as they shook their heads, telling her to disapprove of their alpha's plan. But instead, she directed her gaze back to the alpha and nodded in agreement. "Yes, I would love to move to the pack," she smiled sweetly.
The twins growled in frustration. Jayden stood up, directing his gaze to Emma. "What do you think you are doing? Even if Father is trying to push you on us, are you not supposed to be against that?" Jayden yelled, his eyes growing dimly red in frustration.
"I am not against it because I am your mate, and that is it," Emma replied, unable to look straight into Jayden's eyes.
Jayden hissed inwardly and sat down.
"Alpha, this is quite out of line. I don't think what you are doing is okay, because she doesn't smell like our mate, and I couldn't even feel that at all," Kale finally added his opinion.
But the alpha did not bother to reply. Instead, he stood up and gestured for Emma to follow him. The one who quickly stood up and followed him outside. When they got outside, the alpha stopped and directed his attention to Emma.
"I understand the way you are feeling, that the twins did not reciprocate the mate bond," he said, and Emma nodded.
"Yes, I understand. I am okay with it," she replied.
"You just have to calm down and don't stress yourself. Don't bother trying to get them to acknowledge you as their mate, because right now, their emotions are clouding their judgment, and they couldn’t think straight. I guess with time, things will change, and they will notice you are their mate," the Alpha explained with a low, calm voice, which reassured Emma that everything was going to change as soon as possible.
She nodded. "Yes, Alpha, I am okay with it. I will go home now and inform my parent about the meeting, I know they will be thrilled, thanks for your generosity it means a lot to me " she stated happily, and the alpha nodded.
Immediately, Emma walks away. The twins emerged from the hall and went to meet the Alpha who was staring at the root Emma had taken.
"But, Father, this whole issue makes no sense, I mean how can you?” Kale snapped bitterly.
But the alpha did not bother to give him a reply. He just turned and walked away, but the twins kept following him and kept bombastic him with different questions.
The Alpha suddenly stopped walking and directed his gaze toward the twins. “You don’t get to question my judgment, have you two gotten so comfortable that you think saying no to my command is going to make a difference? I have made my decision and the one who tempered it fought battle with Reid to take the position of the next Alpha.”
Emma woke up the next day and began loading her luggage She was excited with the thought of moving to the pack. She remembered the conversation she had with her parents the other day when her mother encouraged her and told her not to disobey or be rude to either the Alpha or the twins. Her mother had made her promise that, no matter what the twins did to her, she would let everything happen naturally and wouldn’t try to force herself on them, just as the Alpha had advised.She was about to close her luggage when her mom entered with a smile."Good morning, darling," she said, pulling her to a tight hug. They embraced as Emma inhaled the comforting scent of her mother’s shampoo. They departed from the hug, her mom glanced at the luggage then to her with sadness. "Oh, so it is finally happening," her mom said. Emma pouted her lips, sitting down on the bed. "I can't believe this either," she said, looking around the room. "I’m really going to miss this place.” Her mother nodded. “Of c
Inside her room, warm and golden under a worn-out chandelier, Emma sat with her friend, their quiet laughter defying the atmosphere.“I’m so excited for you, Emma,” Teena said suddenly, her cheeks flushing brighter.“Why?” Emma asked, surprised by the sudden declaration.Teena turned to her, face glowing with excitement. Clutching the hem of her silk gown, she waltzed around the room in an exaggerated circle. “You’re going to the ball!” she exclaimed. “There’ll be so many nobles there. Maybe you’ll even find your mate!” Grabbing Emma’s hands, she gasped in excitement. “This could be it!”Emma’s expression didn’t mirror her friend’s enthusiasm. Slowly, she pulled her hands away, the spark of excitement slowly leaving Teena’s eyes.“Emma?” Teena called with a soft and uncertain voice.“I don’t think I want to go,” Emma admitted, her voice sharp. “Look at me. I’m nowhere near attractive. No one even likes me, so what’s the point of it all?”“That’s not true! I like you,” Teena interrupte
The heavy doors groaned as they slowly creaked open, flooding the dark, oppressive room with a stream of light. Emma, crumpled against the cold stone wall, shielded her eyes from the sudden brightness. Her hands, bruised and trembling, rested limply on her lap. For hours, she had banged against the huge doors, the relentless effort peeling the skin from her palms.The bright light spilled over her face, revealing delicate features smeared with dust and streaked with tears. Her once-luminous hair clung dimly to her skin, yet even in her exhausted state, an undeniable beauty lingered in her fragile frame.As Emma’s blurred vision adjusted, a familiar silhouette stood in the doorway, and her heart sank. Ever.Clad in an ornate gown that gleamed in the light, mocking Emma’s despair, Ever smirked as she stepped inside. Her eyes sparkled with satisfaction.“Well, well,” Ever drawled, tilting her head in mock pity. “Look at you, Emma. Such a mess.”Emma, too weak to stand, clenched her fists
Inside her room, Emma paced like a caged animal, her heart pounding with fury. Today was the day of Ever’s mating ceremony with the Sutherland Alpha.She clenched her fists. Ever had won every other battle, but Emma wouldn’t let her win this one.The lock clicked sharply, and Emma realized she was trapped again. They had locked her in, just as they always did. For a moment, despair threatened to overwhelm her, but something deep within her stirred.Her wolf.A growl rumbled in her chest as a sudden pull of strength coursed through her veins. With a furious cry, she slammed her body against the door. And soon it came open, there was a storm and it greeted her like icy needles as she ran into the night, her feet pounding against the ground. Her breath came in sharp gasps, but she didn’t stop. She couldn’t.The forest was dark but she didn’t care. She continued to run toward the clearing where the ceremony was taking place. Different scents filled her nose but her focus was solely on th
Chapter 4Emma lay crumpled in the dirt, the cold ground pressing against her cheek. Everywhere was silent, only the sound of the bird and footsteps could be heard Her body trembled as sharp pain spread through her ribs where someone had kicked her. She blinked slowly, trying to open up her eyes completely but the view she met made her shut her eyes down almost immediately. “What do we do with her?” a rough voice said cutting through the silence of the environment. It came from one of the men standing over her, fear crept in and she wiggled praying inwardly for the ground to open up and swallow her.“We should finish her off. She’s already half-dead,” Another voice answered, lighter but no less cruel. Emma’s chest tightened. She wanted to speak, to plead, but her mouth felt dry, and every breath burned. She shifted slightly, and the pain shot through her like fire.“No,” a third voice cut in sharp and desperate. “Why waste her? We could… you know, have a little fun first,” he title
Emma opened her eyes with a start, feeling a sharp headache hitting her. Her eyes caught the environment she was in. Everything seemed blurred, but one thing didn’t fail her ears; the constant beeping of a machine. She tried to open her eyes fully, but they felt heavy.With a deep breath, she finally opened them. The white ceiling and the white walls were the first things that caught her sight. She breathed repeatedly, unable to comprehend what was happening or where she was.She tried to remember how she got there, but everything seemed blank. Whenever she tried to recall, everything seemed to collapse, and she suddenly felt a huge headache.She relaxed her body, closing her eyes in an attempt to calm herself.She could smell the scent of the room, it smelled of antiseptic.Confusion clouded her mind. How had she gotten here?She groaned softly, attempting to push herself upright, but the dull ache in her head made her falter.The door suddenly creaked open and a nurse walked inside,
The moment the man mentioned his name, Emma’s body shook. She didn’t know why a stranger would go out of their way to save her. She didn’t understand exactly why. The man looked genuinely helpful and genuinely happy for her.“Can you tell me the reason why you saved me, if I may ask?” she questioned, maintaining eye contact with the man.“Of course, I have no reason,” he replied. “I saw you stranded on the road, and that is why I decided to save you. I don’t have bad intentions toward you. You don’t have to stress yourself. All you have to do is keep your mind at peace. Recover quickly so we can leave the hospital. Or do you like staying at the hospital, sleeping like this?”The man asked, and Emma wiggled her head in response. Even though the man was a stranger, the way he communicated with her, the way he conversed with her, made her feel at ease.The doctor opened the door and stepped inside, his eyes smiling at Emma.“Are you two having a private conversation, or should I excuse m
Immediately after she set foot in the man’s house, Emma marveled at it. The house was beautiful, a big mansion with various types of decorations. Everything in the house seemed special and specific. The walls were painted white and decorated with gold accents. She stared at it as if she were in heaven.The man noticed her reaction and cleared his throat, gaining her attention. Emma quickly wiggled her head and shifted her focus to him.“You are welcome to my home. I hope you recover quickly,” the man said.“Yes, I hope so,” she replied.The man led her to an empty room and told her to rest properly while he went to the kitchen to prepare food for her.Emma was shocked and asked, “Can you cook?”The man smiled. “I’m not going to brag. I’ll prepare the food, and you can judge for yourself if I can cook or not.”Emma smiled back and said, “Okay, no problem.”The man gestured toward the bed before stepping out and closing the door. Emma stared at the door and muttered, “I hope this isn’t
Emma woke up the next day and began loading her luggage She was excited with the thought of moving to the pack. She remembered the conversation she had with her parents the other day when her mother encouraged her and told her not to disobey or be rude to either the Alpha or the twins. Her mother had made her promise that, no matter what the twins did to her, she would let everything happen naturally and wouldn’t try to force herself on them, just as the Alpha had advised.She was about to close her luggage when her mom entered with a smile."Good morning, darling," she said, pulling her to a tight hug. They embraced as Emma inhaled the comforting scent of her mother’s shampoo. They departed from the hug, her mom glanced at the luggage then to her with sadness. "Oh, so it is finally happening," her mom said. Emma pouted her lips, sitting down on the bed. "I can't believe this either," she said, looking around the room. "I’m really going to miss this place.” Her mother nodded. “Of c
The next day, a meeting was arranged by the Alpha, who invited Emma to the pack house. She got prepared early in the morning. When she was about to leave the house, she saw Ever glaring at her hatefully, but she did not even care. She met her father and mother in the sitting room the one who gave her words of advice and told her not to disrespect either the Alpha or the twins, she promised not to do anything to annoy them. She went to the pack house with a trembling mind and a thought full of prayer. When she got there, she was welcomed by the maid, who took her to the Alpha.When she got to the Alpha’s office, she and the Alpha exchanged a pleasant greeting, and the Alpha led her to where the meeting would be held. On their way, the Alpha and Emma conversed, he asked if she loved the twins. She told the Alpha that she loved them, especially when she knew they were her mates.The Alpha did not press forward and went to where the meeting would be commerce in a spacious portable ha
Emma’s hand danced across the keyboard as she typed the message: “They’re acting strange… I mean the twins. Ever has done something to them. They don’t even see me. What do I do?” After double-checking the message, she hit send. The response came almost instantly as if Damien had been waiting for her message.“Drink the vial I gave you; it will neutralize whatever is wrong with them, he replied.”Emma stared at his screen, her heart pounding. She had not intended to use the Vial on herself, but if it were the only way to break through whatever spell Ever had cast, she would do it. Before she could make a move, the door to the venue opened once more, and her parents walked in. The arrival caused a ripple of whispers among the guests. Emma felt a surge of relief mixed with dread as they made their way toward the high table.Her father’s face was calm, but her mother’s sharp gaze swept over the room, landing on Ever and the twins. Emma watched as her parents approached the trio.Her mot
The clock struck exactly 7 p.m., marking the full swing of the Moon feast . Emma stood elegantly before the grand door of the event, her breath caught in her chest. Her heart pounded at the sight before her. The night had finally arrived the night she had been planning for. With one smooth motion, she smoothed the fabric of her dress. Standing at the wooden door, she took one last breath and pushed it open.Inside, the venue was electric. The sound of music filled the air, and a gentle hum of conversation weaved through the crowd as she stepped further into the room. Everywhere she looked, women were adjusting their dresses, tugging at their hair, and perfecting their appearances. Everywhere seems thick with anticipation, each one of the ladies vying for attention. They laughed, whispered, and even boldly called dibs on who would claim the twins’ attention.Emma could feel it all, the sharp glances, the whispers, the subtle but undeniable competition. But she didn’t let it faze her.
It was finally the day of the party. Emma stood proudly in front of the giant mirror in her bedroom. Her finger trembled slightly as she adjusted the dress. It was an elegant deep midnight blue. Something that seemed almost too perfect for the occasion was exactly what she needed. The dress helped her figure in all the right ways, and for the first time in days, she looked and felt different again. From a far cry from the feverish trembling woman she would be just a few short days ago. She stared at her reflection, taking in the change her skin had regained its colour. Her cheeks were no longer pale, and her eyes would no longer carry the haunt pain filled against the heart before. She was strong now, at least physically strong, and the weight of her on her shoulders seemed to have lightened a little bit. Though she knew deep down that the real battle weighed. Tonight, she would expose her sister's cruelty, no matter the cost. The door to her room suddenly creaked open, and her mothe
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
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
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 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,”