Chapter 1: Rain

It was raining again in Edinburgh, nothing unusual, but for me, the smell and the sound always took me back to memories that caused me the most pain.

I cuddled into my blanket more closely turning away from the window trying to rid my mind of the painful memories, trying to go back to sleep so I had enough energy to do my double shift at the restaurant later today.

I groaned as the rain batted down more heavily against my apartment window making me know that it could not be ignored, my mind flashed with images of the fire, and blood. 

I could still remember their screams and the stench of burning flesh as I quickly worked to save and released the countless supernatural creatures, some even children, that were being held and tortured in cells for God Knows how long.

I sat up pressing my hands to my eyes as tears ran down my cheeks, it was killed or be killed, I remind myself. I had to save them, I had to save my own, I had to save Emanuel and Noah.

I hear my phone vibrate beneath my pillow, bringing me out of my thoughts, I scramble to pick up the flip phone, quickly wiping my face and flipping it open answering the call knowing it could only be one person.

 “Alpha.” I greet professionally trying not to sound like a teary-eyed teenager but the strong girl that took down the largest hunter organization in the world in less than four months.

 “Little Moon…” the deep voice greets warmly.

I smile at the nickname, the twins, his sons, started calling me that after he accepted my dad and me into His pack at the behest of his mate and son even though we were not wolves

“I have news.” He says getting down to business, “Judge Tony is sitting Infront of me along with Rachel and the boys. You are on the speaker.”

“Hi.” I say lamely making everyone chuckle and Alpha clears his throat in irritation “let’s get on with it.” He says impatiently

“Emi, we wanted to ask you before we signed anything if you wanted to be part of our family…” Rachel says gently

“Legally.” Judge Tony adds and I furrow my brow in confusion.

“Sorry-“ I start but get cut off by Alpha Ian

“We want to adopt you. you will keep your father’s last name, but you will be under my guardianship, and protection, and be our daughter.” Alpha snaps

“Dad, do you know how to be even a little subtle. Even your namesake knows how to deliver news better than that.” Thomas says cheekily but I ignored the comment as my mind raced.

I was shocked that he was even considering this, considering adopting me after all the trouble I caused in Glasgow and him having to take care of it and then having to hide me in hybrid territory after making arrangements with Collen, a friend of my fathers who I met at his funeral, and by extension his Alpha.

“You want to adopt me after everything I did… after all “ I choke out not able to complete the sentence choking on my emotions.

“Emi. Pull yourself together. No child of mine will have an emotional breakdown for doing the right thing. I am proud of you; we are proud of you and you have brought Moon Cloaks Honour. Now, do you want us to adopt you or not?” He says proudly then snaps impatiently

“DAD…” Ian and Thomas groan “Ian-“ Rachel scolds but I cut through them “Yes..” and there’s a pause and the Alpha’s voice floats in my ear again.

“Good. We will call you later with an update. you are coming home soon Little Moon.” He says more gently and with promise before disconnecting the call.

I flip the phone closed with a small smile settled on my lips. I felt the hollowness in my chest being replaced with a small glow of happiness.

I lay back down staring up at the plain white ceiling as my mind drifts to thoughts of my dad, remembering how he saved me when I was ten from The Elites, a hunter organization after they tortured me for having the abomination gene, which caused my heightened sense of smell and quick healing rate.

My mind drifts to us moving to Denmark and bumping into Rachel and the twins after the divorce was finalized and dad lost his job for being too liberal with his lectures at the university and causing a drop in numbers for hunter recruitment.

I smile remembering Thomas's bright green eyes, freckled face, ginger curly hair, and wide bright smile and Ian’s deep brown hair and brown eyes with a more medium-defined small smile. I remember how I announced they were twins after getting their common sea breeze smell with Ian smelling more wood and Thomas smelling more like moss and salt.

I sigh deeply as think about my dad's death, how Emanuel drained his blood, and made me watch him kill my dad while we were on vacation. I didn't blame Emanuel, I felt only sympathy for him.

My father killed his entire coven, his sister and brothers while making him watch, the worse part Emanuel considered Dad his friend, he didn't realize my dad was a brainwashed hunter and he was ordered to.

Dad changed after killing those innocent creatures made him retire from being a hunter and becoming a history lecturer instead, but it was too late his death set in stone by Emanuel who wanted revenge  

Emanuel held me as we both wept, me for him killing my dad and him for finally getting the justice he wanted, and from experiencing the memories that flashed in his mind as he drained my father, memories of my dad finding me tied outside to a pole bleeding and shivering.

I sigh bringing my mind to the present and turning back towards the window remembering Ivy, who I saved from her own father after he tried to kill her for being a hybrid and what his narrowed-minded pack considered an abomination. I remember how she helped when I went through my mate's rejection then my mind drifts to my feisty best friends Lzzy and Octavia who cursed and shouted angrily over the phone as I fought through the pain Noah, my then mate put me through. 

I rise from bed knowing there was no point going back to sleep, my mind would just drift to my past, to things I could not change. I had to live with the blood on my hands, the blood of hunters, the blood of The Elites who tortured me for years that lead me to my brothers, who trained me, that took care of me, and who I saved during a rogue attack leading to one of the most powerful werewolf packs and their father, The Alpha, accepting and training me as his own.

The Elites thought they could Break but they didn't I wasn't Emi Larson the Freak tortured girl, no, I was Emi Larson, I protected my own, and I was far from done.