Chapter 48
Emily’s POV
Liam didn’t just bring a dress. He brought a declaration of war.
He threw it onto my bed with a big gesture. He had a look in his eyes that made me feel nervous.
“ If you are going to be among those Alphas, Emily, you can’t look weak, ” he said. “ We are going to show my brother what he is losing. ”
I opened the bag. The dress was made of dark red silk. It looked very expensive and beautiful.
“ It’s too much, ” I whispered, touching the straps.
“ It’s perfect, ” Liam said, leaning against the table. “ And because I know you are shy, I brought people to help you
get ready. ”
He whistled once, and the door swung open. Jessie and Poppy burst in, clutching makeup kits and hair tools like hey were preparing for battle.
“ Finally! ” Jessie squealed, dropping a heavy bag on my dresser.
“ Nathan won’t know what hit him, ” Poppy added, already plugging in a curling iron. She looked at me with a letermined glint in her eyes. “ Tonight, we aren’t just doing ‘ pretty. ‘ We’re doing ‘ unforgettable. p>
Liam gave me a wink and disappeared into the hallway, leaving me to my personal army of stylists. For the next our, the room was a whirlwind of hairspray, shimmering powders, and laughter.
Jessie worked on my face, using deep emerald tones to make my eyes pop and a shade of red for my lips that ooked like crushed berries – or fresh blood. Poppy was a magician with my hair, transforming my straight locks into ncredible, cascading waves that fell over my shoulders like a mane.
Then Poppy and Jessie brought a large full – length mirror from somewhere. They carried it into my room with a lot of work and put it in front of me.
“ Where did you get it? ” I asked in surprise.
“ We went into the room at the end of the hall and saw it there, ” Jessie said.
“ Look, ” Poppy whispered, turning me toward the mirror.
I gasped. The makeup made me look strong and beautiful. My hair was curly and wild. I felt like a different
> erson.
But then I got worried. The back of the dress was open, and I was afraid everyone would see the terrible scars on ny back. I felt sad and turned around to look in the mirror at the marks left by my ex – boyfriend.
“ Oh, my Moon Goddess! ” I cried out, touching my back where I could reach. But the scars were gone.
Jessie and Poppy ran to me.
5:29 pm
PPP
“ What’s wrong? Did something rip? We can fix it! ” they said, trying to calm me down.
I started to cry. I didn’t know how it happened, but I was thankful to the Moon Goddess. Those terrible marks from my past had magically disappeared.
“ Emily, here are some tissues! Don’t worry, we can change everything if you don’t like it, ” Poppy said.
I quickly stopped crying because the makeup was so beautiful, and I didn’t want to ruin it.
“ No, no, everything is perfect, ” I said. “ I’m just … very surprised. ”
The girls looked at me kindly, like I was a bit crazy. They shrugged their shoulders.
“ We understand, ” they said. “ This is a big event. ”
My phone buzzed from the bed.
Owen: I have eyes everywhere. Poppy just told me about the dress. Will you show it to me ( selfie, please )
A small smile played on my lips as Jessie helped me slip into the red silk.
Me: Maybe later.
Owen: Be careful. Don’t trust him, Emily. I’m worried about your heart.
I put the phone down, my heart thumping against my ribs. The silk slid over my skin like a cold caress, hugging very curve I had earned during those brutal morning runs. I looked in the mirror and didn’t recognize the girl taring back. Her eyes were bright, her chin held high.
“ Ready, little wolf? ” Liam asked from the doorway.
He looked impressed, even for a man who had seen it all.
Jessie and Poppy stood behind me, grinning as they had just created a masterpiece.
“ Ready, ” I said and walked into the hallway.
The sound of my heels on the floor felt like a clock ticking down. Before I reached the stairs, I smelled him first- edar and pine needles.
Nathan was at the bottom of the stairs, talking to one of his guards. But as soon as he smelled me, he stopped loving. His whole body went stiff, and he turned his head fast to look at me.
His eyes turned into a dark gold color. His wolf pushed against his control.
He looked at me from my face down to the long cut in my dress that showed a lot of my leg. He held the stair rail o hard that his hands turned white.
“ Emily, ” he growled. It wasn’t a hello. It was a warning.
I didn’t stop. I didn’t even slow down. I just walked past him, the silk of my dark red dress brushing against his
1:29 pm
PPP
pants. The game had officially begun.
T.mily, ” he said, stopping me. “ What happened to the scars on your back? ”
He reached out to touch my back, but I stepped away.
His hand stayed in the air, trembling a little.
“ They are gone, ” he whispered, his voice sounding broken. “ How? ”
I looked at him over my shoulder and smiled.
“ Maybe I’m not the person you remember, Nathan, ” I said quietly.
I didn’t wait for his answer. I kept walking, leaving him standing there in silence.
I pushed through the heavy doors and stepped out into the cool evening air. A line of sleek black SUVs idled in the riveway, their engines purring like caged predators.
Nathan followed closely behind me, while Liam emerged a moment later with his arm around Jessie, Poppy
railing in their wake. They moved toward the second car, and I instinctively followed them.
Just as my fingers reached for the door handle, I heard his voice.
“ Wrong car, Emily. ”
Nathan walked to the first SUV and opened the rear door, waiting for me with a silent, determined look.
I hesitated for a moment. I glanced at Liam, and he gave me an encouraging nod.
Jessie mouthed, “ Good luck. ”
I turned and walked toward Nathan’s car, stopping for a moment before getting in. The truth hit me: I was about
o be completely alone with him.
“ Get in, ” Nathan’s voice was a low growl, vibrating right against my skin.
I looked up. His eyes blazed with dark gold. His expression left no room for argument, just a possessive and
langerous intent.
I slid into the backseat and moved to the far side, trying to put as much space between us as I could. One of the uards was already behind the wheel.
A moment later, Nathan got in beside me. Suddenly, the space felt much smaller.
His thigh brushed against mine.
My breath caught, and he noticed. His eyes grew darker, burning with raw passion.
The car doors locked with a sharp click as we pulled away.
5:30 pm
Olivia Harris is an emerging author celebrated for her captivating romantic and steamy novels. With a talent for crafting deep emotional connections and fiery chemistry between her characters, Olivia’s stories offer readers an escape into worlds filled with passion, intrigue, and heart-stopping drama.