Eighth-Born Luna (Emily and Nathan) novel Chapter 22

Emily’s POV

Nathan’s gaze moved across the dining hall—slow, sharp, searching. Then his eyes found mine. And stopped.

The noise around me faded. For a second, it was only him. His golden-brown eyes held mine, and something passed between us. Something quiet. Something unfinished.

Then Stella slid her hand over his arm. Her fingers moved slowly up to his shoulder, soft and deliberate. She leaned close to his ear and whispered something I couldn’t hear.

Nathan didn’t look away from me at first. So Stella lifted her hand and brushed his jaw, turning his face toward her. Like she was reminding him where he was supposed to look.

Nyx growled inside my head. “Fake. She is such a fake. How does he not see through that bitch? Everything about her is a lie.”

I looked down at my plate before anyone could see my expression.

What had I expected? He had carried me out of a club. He had taken me to the lake to help me calm down. It was so humiliating that he had caught me in that state. I couldn’t even take care of myself, and he had to step in.

After breakfast, the hall exploded with excited whispers about training. The girls around me kept talking all at once.

“I can’t believe this is happening,” Poppy said.

“My brother is going to lose his mind,” Jessie whispered, looking almost too pleased.

I turned to them slowly.

“I asked Kane last night,” I admitted.

They all looked at me.

I swallowed. “I asked him to train me. I told him I didn’t want to be helpless anymore.”

Jessie’s eyes went wide. “Emily.”

“I thought maybe he talked to Nathan or the Alpha King,” I said quickly. “Maybe that’s why they changed it.”

Jessie leaned across the table, her face suddenly bright with secrets. “Girls, you have no idea what happened last night.”

Tessa’s eyes sharpened. “What?”

“Not here.” Jessie glanced around the hall. “Poppy’s room. Now.”

We cleared our plates so fast that Dorothy shouted after us, “Don’t break anything.”

As we hurried down the hallway, someone stepped directly into my path.

Stella.

The conversation around us died instantly. She crossed her arms and looked me up and down slowly, her gaze lingering on my bruises. A satisfied smile touched her lips.

“Enjoy the attention while it lasts.”

I froze.

Stella tilted her head.

“Nathan gets bored quickly.” Her eyes glittered. “Trust me. I would know.”

Then she stepped around me and walked down the corridor like nothing had happened.

“Wow,” Poppy muttered behind me.

Tessa frowned.

Jessie rolled her eyes. “See? This is exactly why nobody likes her.”

A few minutes later, we were all crammed into the room I shared with Poppy. Jessie shut the door and turned around with the expression of someone who had been waiting all morning to explode.

“Okay,” she said. “So after we got back last night, my brother Blake showed up, commanded me to go straight to bed.”

Poppy snorted. “And naturally, you didn’t.”

“Obviously not.” Jessie looked offended. “There was shouting downstairs.”

Tessa leaned forward. “Who?”

“Nathan. Liam. Blake.”

I listened closely.

Jessie’s voice dropped into a dramatic whisper. “Nathan was furious. I mean, absolutely furious. He was yelling at Liam for taking us into the city after hearing that rogues were hunting Lunas.”

All the girls went silent. I felt my face go pale.

“So it’s true,” I whispered.

Jessie nodded.

“Then he turned on my brother and asked why Kane was the only one from our pack, while the others were from Marcus’s pack. Blake said he would accept the punishment.”

“So… Stella will train with us too?” Tessa said the one thing that ruined everything.

The room filled with unhappy groans.

“Please don’t put me against her. She scares me.” Poppy hugged her knees to her chest.

Jessie rolled her eyes. “She scares everyone because she wants everyone scared.”

I looked at the closed door. Stella’s hand on Nathan’s jaw flashed in my mind. The way she had turned his face away from me. The way she always looked at me like I had stolen something that belonged to her.

Slowly, I lifted my head.

“Don’t worry,” I said quietly.

The girls looked at me. My voice came out soft, but steady. “Judging by how much she hates me… I’ll be the one she comes after.”

Poppy’s face went pale. Tessa looked worried. Jessie stared at me like she was seeing someone new. There was a sudden look in their eyes that I had never seen directed at me before.

Respect.

I swallowed hard. My hands still shook. I was still afraid. But fear wasn’t the only thing inside me anymore.

Next time Stella came for me… Next time anyone tried to hurt me… I wouldn’t just stand there.

Not anymore.

The room slowly fell quiet.

Jessie clapped her hands together. “Alright, let’s go outside and get some fresh air.”

We left the packhouse together and wandered out into the warm sun. The training field was crowded. Male warriors filled the center, sparring, running drills, and practicing formations.

Near the edge of the field stood Nathan and Beta Blake. They were watching the session while talking to a group of warriors. Every so often, Nathan would point toward the field and give a short command.

Then Stella stepped into his path. She moved straight to his side, slipped her arm through his, and smiled as she said something I couldn’t hear, guiding him back toward the packhouse. Their path led them right past where we were standing.

As they drew closer, Nathan suddenly turned his head. Our eyes met. Even with Stella clinging to his arm, neither of us looked away.

A week ago, that sight would have sent me running back to my room. Now, I just watched them go.

“Let her enjoy it while it lasts,” Jessie whispered beside me. “Tomorrow, training starts.”

If Stella thought I was going to stay the same weak girl… she was in for a surprise.