Chapter 9

Nathan’s POV

A heavy hand clamped down on my shoulder.

“ Careful, brother, ” Liam said calmly through the mind – link, which only fueled my anger.

Before I could shove him off, my mother’s soft voice cut in. “ Darling, I need your advice. I’m stealing you just for

1 minute. ”

She didn’t wait for me. She walked away from the table and glanced back, making it clear I should follow.

Once we were out of earshot, she said, “ I saw how you look at Emily. Nathan, she’s terrified of you. ”

“ Good, ” I snapped. “ She should be. ”

But I wasn’t looking at my mother. My eyes were locked onto Alpha Marcus. He was already with Emily. He stood nuch too close, acting confident and relaxed, and it made my blood boil. Jessie was nearby, flirting and trying to

atch his eye, but Marcus didn’t even look at her.

Suddenly, he leaned in and whispered something right by Emily’s ear. She froze. Then, slowly and hesitantly, she aised her small hand. Marcus took her fingers. Instead of shaking them, his eyes locked onto hers as he kissed the

ack of her skin.

Something inside me snapped. Whatever control I had left disappeared completely. Asher howled in my mind, lemanding blood. “ Rip his throat out! ”

I didn’t hear a single word my mother said next.

“ Excuse me, Mother, ” I growled, already moving.

I crossed the room in three big steps. Marcus didn’t even have time to react before I was right in front of him, full

f Alpha anger.

“ I need to talk to her. ” It wasn’t a request.

I grabbed Emily’s wrist and yanked her violently out of Marcus’s hold. I felt his smiling, amused eyes burning into my back, but I didn’t turn around. He was supposed to be my friend, but right now, I was ready to kill him for laying his twisted games with her.

I pulled Emily out onto the back terrace, where the cool night air hit us. I quickly sent a mind – link to Beta Blake. Keep everyone away from the terrace. Now. ”

“ Don’t do anything stupid, Nathan, ” Blake growled back.

I cut the link and ignored him.

The moment the heavy door clicked shut, I pinned Emily against the stone wall. I slammed my hands on either side of her head, blocking her escape. My warm, muscular body crowded her, forcing her to breathe the very air I

* xhaled.

2:19 pm

I leaned down until we were eye to eye. She stared up at me, her gaze a wild mix of terror and raw heartbreak. I ould hear her heart racing like a trapped bird against her ribs.

“ What the hell were you doing? ” The words tore from my throat as a low, guttural snarl. “ Smiling at him? Letting im put his filthy mouth on your hand? ”

“ I didn’t- ”

“ Don’t lie to me! ” I roared. I slammed my fist into the stone surface beside her head.

Tears spilled down Emily’s cheeks. She pulled back, looking at me like she expected me to hurt her.

Shit Seeing her trembling lips made Asher howl with regret. But my anger was too strong to stop.

I leaned closer, burying my nose in the soft crook of her neck. The scent of strawberries and sweet innocence hit ne. It was intoxicating. It was a drug. A low, possessive growl vibrated deep in my chest, my control entirely gone.

Enough! ”

My mother’s voice cut through the darkness, cold and sharp.

We both froze.

I didn’t pull back. Not yet. I stayed there a moment longer, my chest pressed against hers, letting her feel how nuch she had affected me. Slowly, I turned my head, my jaw tight.

Mother stood right in the open doorway of the terrace. Her eyes narrowed angrily, her powerful Luna aura flaring

n warning.

“ You’re scaring her, Nathan, ” she said, her voice tight with deep disapproval.

“ She needs to know what happens when she plays games with other Alphas under my roof, ” I growled, refusing to

ack down.

“ No, ” my mother snapped, stepping into the bright moonlight. “ You need to control yourself. Look at her. ”

I stepped back just enough to let her breathe.

“ Your father has already started the meeting in his office. They’re only waiting for you. ”

“ Good. ” I looked at Emily one last time. She looked broken, her pale hair a mess of white silk against the dark

tone wall.

Every protective instinct I had was screaming at me to reach out, to touch her, to wipe away the tears I had caused. Asher was scratching at the walls of my mind, begging me to fix it.

I ignored both of them.

“ This won’t happen again, ” I said, my voice completely flat and dead.

My mother frowned, her sharp eyes searching mine. “ What is that supposed to mean, Nathan? You’re acting like

12:19 pm

ppp

she’s already yours. ”

repeat. It won’t happen again, ” I said, my voice cold. “ Because I’m sending her back to her former pack before she ruins everything here. ”

I walked away, and tried not to look back.

Emily’s POV

“ Sweetheart, please … stand up. The floor is cold, and you’re trembling. “,

Luna Meredyth’s voice was soft. It was far too soft for the brutal storm that had just happened on this terrace. Why was she so incredibly kind to me, while her son Nathan was so cruel?

I slowly pushed myself up from the freezing stone floor.

“ I … I’m sorry, ” I choked out, desperately wiping my face with the back of my shaking hand. “ I don’t want to ruin our beautiful dress with my mess. ”

“ Oh, my darling girl, ” Meredyth whispered, her eyes filling with deep sadness. She didn’t pull away from me. nstead, she stepped even closer, wrapping a comforting arm around my shoulders. “ Do you have any idea how nany tears I’ve wiped away from my children over the years? ”

“ Thank you, ” I whispered, trying to hold myself together.

“ You can count on me, Emily. Always. ” Meredyth brushed a stray strand of my hair away from my forehead. “ Now,

ome inside. We need tea. ”

We went back to the dining hall. Dinner was ending, and most of the tables were empty. Only dirty dishes emained. Jessie and another girl I didn’t know were laughing as they carried heavy plates to the kitchen, but the xact moment they saw me, their smiles disappeared.

“ Emily, oh my Goddess, what’s happened? ”

“ Tessa, dear, ” Luna Meredyth interrupted quickly, stepping in with a graceful smile to shield me. “ Be a weetheart and bring us some of your chamomile tea. The home – grown kind. ”

The second girl pushed up her glasses, pride replacing her anxiety. “ Of course, I have homegrown chamomile! ”

“ Thank you, ” Luna Meredyth said warmly. “ And perhaps a little mint as well? ”

“ For you, Luna, anything! ” Tessa called as she hurried away.

A faint smile touched my lips, even with the suffocating ache in my chest.

“ She’s very enthusiastic, ” I murmured.

“ She is, ” Jessie said with a comforting giggle.

We made our way up to Poppy’s room, which would be mine from now on.

A few moments later, I heard quick, light footsteps approaching. Tessa was back. When I opened the door, she was already there, carefully balancing a silver tray.

“ I brought everything ” she said brightly.

We all sat down on the beds.

“ For you, ” Tessa said, handing me a rose – painted ceramic mug. “ For the nerves. ”

She handed Meredyth her mint tea. Then she sat down next to Jessie. They both held warm mugs of hibiscus. Suddenly, Tessa reached into her apron pocket. She pulled out a handful of chocolates.

“ Alpha Marcus gave me these! They’re new, from the human world. ” She placed one in my hand. “ Eat. Chocolate

elps. ”

I slowly unwrapped it, my fingers still trembling. I let the sweetness melt on my tongue. For a moment, the sugary varmth softened my pain.

Tessa adjusted her large glasses and looked at me, her eyes soft and sympathetic. “ Emily, please don’t take his

ruelty to heart. The Alpha hasn’t been himself lately, not since the tragedy. ”

My heart pounded. I desperately wanted to know. “ What happened to him? What changed him so much? ”

The bedroom went completely silent. Tessa and Jessie looked at Luna Meredyth in panic. They realized they

houldn’t have said anything.

Meredyth stayed quiet for a long moment. She stared into her tea as if she were remembering the past. Then, she lowly looked up at me, her eyes filled with an old, deep sadness.

“ Nathan survived something no child should ever go through. ”

My blood ran cold.

What could have happened to him? What kind of tragedy could break a boy and turn him into a man who looked

t his own mate like she was a mistake?

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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.