Chapter 134
Emily’s POV
Cold dread spread through me instantly.
“Nathan.” My voice dropped, “Where is it?”
Nathan immediately wrapped both of his hands around mine. “Emily. Just look at me. Everything’s okay.”
I forced myself to meet his eyes.
“You dropped the dagger the second you landed in my arms,” he explained carefully. “Blake picked it up.”
Relief hit me so hard my knees almost gave out.
“It’s safe,” Nathan added quickly. “Locked in my office safe.”
I let out a shaky breath. “Thank hell…”
Nathan studied me closely. “I figured it was important,” he admitted. “You were still holding onto it even after ‘ou passed out.”
“I need to see it.” I grabbed his hand. “Right now.”
Nathan blinked, then laughed softly. “You’re unbelievably impatient.”
“And after that, we need to visit Stella,” I added quickly,
I had already reached the bedroom door when his voice stopped me.
…Emily.”
I turned. Nathan’s arms crossed over his chest. His eyes slowly dragged down my body. “You’re planning to walk
utside like that?”
Confused, I looked down at myself. Tiny sleep shorts. One of Nathan’s loose tank tops hanging dangerously low
off one shoulder. Bare legs. It barely covered anything at all.
…Oops.”
Nathan’s expression darkened instantly. It wasn’t anger–it was much worse. Possessive, hungry amusement.
I rushed back toward the wardrobe. “Give me one second.”
I grabbed the first dress I saw, then paused. No. I wanted something different. I was already wearing dresses when was in the castle; Del dressed me like a doll. I tossed the dress aside and reached for dark skinny jeans and a soft, >versized shirt.
Then, without thinking, I grabbed the hem of my tank top and started to pull it over my head.
.
1:37 pm P P
Hroze, slowly turning around. Nathan was standing right behind me now, his wolf glowing at the surface of his
eyes.
“Emily,” he said, his voice terrifyingly calm. “I am an Alpha. I can survive a lot of things.” His gaze dropped to my fingers hooked beneath the fabric of my shirt. “But right now, you’re testing me.”
But instead of hiding, a sudden wave of confidence hit me. Slowly, deliberately, I smiled.
“Then maybe you should wait outside.”
Nathan’s expression hardened, his eyes locking onto mine. “…Or?”
I tilted my head innocently. “Or you could help me.”
Nathan completely froze for exactly one second.
Then, a wicked smirk touched his lips. “I’ll help.”
He crossed the room so fast he was a blur, catching me before I could even laugh. His hands locked onto my waist,
>ulling my back flush against his hard, bare chest.
‘Nathan-”
“Too late.”
An hour later, we finally left the bedroom. My hair was an absolute disaster, my lips were swollen, and I was retty sure Nathan had kissed every single inch of skin he could reach.
“Your fault,” he informed me, completely serious as he adjusted the collar of my shirt.
“My fault?” I gasped.
“You started it.”
I laughed under my breath while we walked downstairs together. The second we entered the living room, Meredyth and Liam both looked up from the couch. Their faces lit up immediately with wide, knowing grins.
“Well,” Liam drawled dramatically, “the lovebirds finally emerged.”
I shot him a warning glare, but Nathan just looked entirely too pleased with himself.
“We’re going to the office,” Nathan told Liam casually, leaning down to press a quick kiss to Meredyth’s cheek.
‘We’ll be back before dinner.”
I smiled softly and walked over to Meredyth. “Thank you for breakfast.”
Her eyes softened instantly. “Oh, sweetheart… always.” Then she gave me a look of pure, woman–to–woman understanding. “I’m just happy to see you smiling again.”
Yeah, she definitely knew exactly why we had disappeared for an hour.
1:37 pm PPTM
Nathan smirked shamelessly from the doorway. “Emily.”
“I’m coming!”
We walked across the pack grounds together, and for a while, I just took it all in. The fresh air. The warm sunlight. Home. The wind brushed softly across my face, messing with my hair while the morning light filtered through the :rees. For one beautiful second, everything felt peaceful.
I stopped walking without even realizing it. Nathan noticed right away.
‘What?”
I looked around slowly. “It’s beautiful here.”
Nathan stared at me, the intensity in his eyes enough to make my chest ache. “You’re beautiful,” he said quietly.
My heart did an embarrassing little flip. I looked away immediately, smiling despite myself. Nathan’s hand slid nto mine, our fingers locking naturally as we continued toward the main administrative building.
We walked down a long hallway and pushed through the heavy double doors at the very end. The office still melled faintly like Alpha King Garrett–old wood, expensive leather, and pure power.
“This was his father’s office,” Nix’s voice echoed in my mind as I looked around the massive room.
A heavy realization settled over me. This was the seat of ultimate authority, the very heart of the pack’s power hat now belonged entirely to Nathan since the King’s death.
Nathan walked straight toward the large safe hidden behind the bookshelf. A second later, he carefully pulled out 1 bundle wrapped in dark cloth. He unfolded the fabric, and the dagger slid out onto the desk.
The red ruby gleamed darkly beneath the office lights.
Liam leaned closer immediately, inspecting the blade without actually touching it.
“So this tiny thing controls your powers?” Nathan asked, his eyes scanning the weapon,
I stared at the blade. Even looking at it made my skin crawl.
“When I first woke up in the dungeon…” My voice dropped, the memory heavy in my throat. “The witch carved
›inding magic into every part of me.”
Nathan’s entire body went rigid beside me.
“After that,” I continued carefully, “Silas used the dagger to control my powers. He could suppress them… or
force them awake.”
Liam frowned deeply.
“And then Declan used it too?”
1:37 pm P PTM
I nodded slowly. “I think whocver holds this…” I looked at the ruby carefully. “…controls me.”
Everything went completely still.
“So if you touch it now..” Liam started carefully.
“Maybe I become my own master again.”
“Or maybe witch magic rots your arm off the second you touch it,” Nathan pointed at the dagger. “I’m serious!
What if there’s some magical security system?”
“I already held it once,” I argued quickly. “When I jumped through the portal.”
Nathan crossed his arms tightly. “And then you slept for almost a full day afterward.”
“That was stress.”
“Or magical backlash.”
“OF portal exhaustion.”
Nathan suddenly stepped forward and snatched the dagger himself before my fingers could even brush it. “No.”
I stared at him. “Nathan-”
“You are not touching this again until the witch examines it.”
I stiffened instantly. “I don’t trust her.”
“Neither do I.” Nathan’s voice went stone–cold. “But she removed the collar without hurting you.”
Annoyingly, he had a point.
“He’s right,” Nyx murmured quietly inside my head.
Traitor.
I let out a frustrated breath. “Fine.”
Without touching the dagger directly, Nathan flipped the dark cloth back over the blade, wrapping it securely before grabbing the bundle. “Alright, let’s go see the witch.”
“But right after that, we’re going to Stella,” I immediately added stubbornly. “I need to see her.”
Nathan nodded.