Eighth-Born Luna (Emily and Nathan) novel Chapter 52

Emily’s POV

Chapter 52

Jessie and Poppy were at my side in an instant. Jessie grabbed my arm, her face a mix of anger and worry.

“Emily, we need to get out of here,” she whispered, her eyes darting around the mating hall. “We need a drink. A ot of drinks. Somewhere far away from this ceremony.”

Poppy nodded, already reaching for my hand. “Come on. Let’s go before Stella finds her voice and starts

screaming.”

But I couldn’t move. I turned to Liam, who was standing like a statue. His eyes were wide and glassy, fixed on nothing. I knew that look–he was on the mind link, listening to the frantic voices of the pack’s warriors.

I grabbed his shoulders and shook him hard. “Liam! Look at me! What is happening? Where did Nathan go?”

It took a few seconds for his eyes to clear. When he finally focused on me, he looked pale.

“Liam, tell me!” I demanded.

“It’s the witch,” he rasped, his voice shaking. “The witch and a rogue. Something is wrong in the dungeon, Emily.

Very wrong.”

My heart hammered against my ribs. A witch? I opened my mouth to ask more questions–I wanted to know if

Nathan was in danger, but Liam was already moving.

“I’m sorry, Emily. I have to go,” he looked at Jessie and Poppy and gave them a sharp nod. “Take her. Now. She’ll be safer with you than anywhere else right now. Stay in Beta’s house and lock the door.”

Before I could say a word, he turned and sprinted after his brother, leaving me standing there in my red silk dress, surrounded by my friends and a hundred confused wolves.

“You heard him,” Jessie said, her voice firm. “Let’s go. We’re getting you safe, and then we’re getting you a bottle

of whatever is strongest.”

We ended up at Jessie’s house. Without her brother Beta Blake, the house felt too quiet, but Jessie quickly fixed hat by pulling a bottle of strong drink.

“Drink,” she said, sliding a glass toward me. “You’ve had the worst night in history. You deserve to forget it.”

Poppy sat down next to me, resting her hand gently on my shoulder. “I don’t understand, Emily. I really don’t. We

all saw you two when you arrived—you looked so happy stepping out of that car together. He wouldn’t even let you

stand a foot away from him.”

She paused, her eyes searching mine. “We saw the way he looked at you when the ceremony started. The way he introduced you to all the other Alphas, as if you were the only woman in the room. It was like he was so proud to have you there. How could he just… flip a switch? How could he turn around and kiss Stella like that after everything?”

“It had to be her,” Jessie hissed, pacing the kitchen. “That snake Stella. I think she’s done something to him.”

1:45 am

I took a sip of the drink, the burn in my throat matching the ache in my chest.

–“But he looked so sure,” I whispered. “Spell or not, those words came out of his mouth.”

I was torn in two. One half of me was screaming in pain because of the kiss. The other half was terrified for him.

What was happening in the dungeon? Was he safe?

My phone buzzed on the wooden table. I reached for it, my fingers trembling.

Owen: I’m in shock, Emily. Kane told me what happened. I’m so sorry… but I’d be a liar if I said I wasn’t happy hat he didn’t get to claim you tonight.

I felt a spark of warmth in my cold heart. Owen. Always there, even when he was miles away.

Me: It was a nightmare, Owen. He chose her in front of everyone.

Owen: I’m already working on a way back. I’m not leaving you alone.

Me: How? The Alpha sent you to another pack, Owen. You can’t just walk back in.

Owen: He sent me to Marcus’s pack. Marcus is also not happy with how Nathan is running things. He has a

cheduled visit soon. I’m coming to you.

Me: That’s the best news I’ve heard all night. Please, just be careful.

Owen: Hang in there, little wolf.

“Who was it?” Poppy asked softly.

“Owen,” I put the phone down and leaned my head on the table.

“And what did he say?”

“He’s coming back,” I said, a new spark of defiance lighting up inside me. “With Marcus.”

Jessie stopped pacing and smirked. “Good. Let Nathan see what he’s missing. If he wants to play the Alph with his lastic Luna, let him. But he’s about to find out that you aren’t going to be alone after what he did.”

“If we forget about Nathan for a second, who do you like more–Marcus or Owen?” Poppy asked, sliding onto the

loor in front of me.

I stared into my glass, the ice clinking against the side. My heart was still heavy with worry for Nathan. The uestion felt hollow. No one could move my soul as he did. He was 6’8” of pure, lethal power–a man the world eared. He was a mountain of muscle and tattoos, exuding a danger that made people hold their breath. But

whenever our eyes met, that storm in his gaze always softened just for me.

“Emily?” Jessie shook my shoulder. “You still with us?”

“I just… I can’t get him out of my head,” I admitted softly.

“Oh, that is so sweet,” Poppy whispered, leaning in. “But if I had to pick? I’d go for Marcus.”

Jessie laughed. I thought you were obsessed with Dr. Reed. You need Marcus now, too?

“Well,” Poppy said, “Dr. Reed doesn’t see me as a woman. He’s more in love with his medical books than anything else. But Marcus… he different. He’s so calm, so steady.”

“Have you actually spoken to him? Lasked, trying to force myself back into the conversation.

“No,” she said, looking down shyly at her glass. “I haven’t had the chance to meet him or cross paths with him at all. I only know him through rumors.”

“In that case, we need to introduce you,” I said. “He’s still looking for his mate, after all.”

“I’m not sure that’s a good idea…” she gasps.

I wanted to say more, but I was interrupted.

The heavy sound of the front door slammed through the house, making us all jump.

Jessie’s brother, Blake, stumbled into the room. His shirt was stained with dirt and dried blood, and his eyes were bloodshot from exhaustion. He didn’t even glance at the drinks on the table.

“Brother!” Jessie rushed over, her voice trembling. “What happened? Is Nathan okay? Did you find the witch?”

Blake held up a hand to silence her. He looked too tired to speak. “Not now, Jess. But yes… the Alpha is fine.”

“And what about the rogue? And the witch?” I asked. Everyone went still.

“The rogue is dead. The guards at the dungeon are dead, too. But the witch is alive,” he said, his voice dripping

with bitterness.

“So someone attacked, or-” Jessie started, but he cut her off with a sharp look.

“No more questions. It’s late. Get some sleep, and I need to burn these clothes.” Blake’s voice was like gravel. The Alpha has ordered a total lockdown until morning. No one leaves this house.”

He kicked off his boots and picked them up. I caught a glimpse of the soles–caked in a thick, sickening mix of nud and fresh blood. He just headed for the stairs, his footsteps heavy enough to shake the floorboards.

Jessie looked at Poppy and me. “He’s right. We won’t get anything else out of him tonight.”

We didn’t go to our separate rooms. We couldn’t. The house felt too big, and the night felt too dangerous. We Iragged blankets and pillows into the living room, spreading them out on the floor and the sofas, staying close

ogether in the dark.

Jessie turned off the lights, leaving only the faint glow of the moon peeking through the curtains. We lay there in the dark, three girls bound by a night of secrets and broken promises.

Poppy’s breathing soon turned deep and steady, and Jessie eventually drifted off, but I stayed awake for a long

time.

1:45 am

I stared at the ceiling, my mind–replaying the flash of gold on Stella’s wrists and the coldness in Nathan’s eyes. somewhere out there, Nathan was back. But as I finally closed my eyes, I realized I didn’t know which Nathan had eturned the man who loved me, or the next Alpha King who had cast me aside.

Next Chapter

Chapter 53

Rate Chapter