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EMILY
Until the moment Sam called me a… Dolores Umbridge? No, that wasn’t right. Maybe I’d read too much Harry Potter… Well, whatever he called me—I’d had no interest in being luna before then, and only claimed it as a half-assed argument tactic that I wasn’t even sure would go my way. But reflecting on it further, I’d realized something: I was the catalyst that put everything into motion.
Cassian and Griffin were on speaking terms again because being my mate shoved them together. Ember and I got along so well, I’m pretty sure neither of us wanted that to end anytime soon, so she chose to stay.
But the one fact that I hated to admit the most, the one that put the burden on my shoulders, was that Samara was my great-aunt. That relation meant I held more obligation to end her, given she was my family, my coven. My responsibility.
Somehow, my lineage and irregular double-mate bond held answers to stopping her. I wish I knew more about my parents, considering they’re the reason I’m like this. Maybe then I would have the missing piece to ending Samara and the curse.
Still, I knew deep in my soul, in the marrow of my bones, and everything else I could swear upon, that together, we would claim victory over Samara, break the curse, and defeat that bitch once and for all. But if everyone was connected because of me, then I needed to step up and give them a reason to put their faith in me.
They deserved to have a mate and a friend who would dedicate their life to taking that bitch down a peg—and that’s precisely what I’d planned to do.
For Grace and the other fallen wolves. For the wolves that had to experience the gruesome change every night. For the wolves that have turned feral and their families who’ve had a piece of their life taken from them. For the witches whose very essence she stole from them.
For the family I’ve been denied, to never experience their love or guidance, because of her.
To do that, I needed to be the leader and guide them along. Only, leading scared the shit out of me. I was comfortable blending into the background with my oversized sweaters to comfort me. But it was time to step out of my comfort zone.
If I wanted to end Samara’s dark reign, I’d need power and connections, and the only way to get that was to step up and declare my position as luna. It might piss off a few wolves, but in the end, it would benefit everyone because I planned to use that position to end the curse.
That meant I had to get his pack on my side. Sam needed to understand that I wasn’t trying to be deceitful or conniving. The only way to do that was to talk with them, which was why I called a meeting with the members who were higher in the pack. I figured, if I could get them on my side, then maybe Sam would be, too.
Griffin’s fight with Sam managed to hold off the funeral for the following day, which is why I asked for the meeting to take place that night. There wasn’t much time to prepare what I was going to say to the pack to convince them to let an outsider join their inner workings. But I couldn’t fail. I needed to succeed, for Cassian. Like Griffin said, someone had to have his back.
The pack members were gathered in the office where Grace or Cassian usually held meetings, while Ember and I waited in the hall—me pacing up and down until Ember snatched my hand and jerked me closer.
Though I appreciated the comforting movement, I’d felt restless and anxious without my mates by my side. I wished it were their hands pulling me closer, into their warm embrace. I’d tried to reach Cassian through my mind, hoping our bond was strong enough, but I was new to this mate thing and had no idea if I’d even done it correctly.
“Relax.” She flipped my hand and pressed my palm between her thumb and finger for a few seconds. “Take a deep breath,” she said, breathing in deep and motioning with her hands to follow her lead.
So, I did. We held our breath, and released, as she pushed on the pressure points in my hand.
I bit my lip, a worried expression present on my face no matter how hard I tried to force a smile. “What if they don’t accept me?”
Ember grabbed my other hand, raising them to her chest—her heart—clutching them with comfort. “They will because you’re awesome. You have a big heart, and they will see that. You just need to relax.” We took another deep breath, and she released my hands. “And if they don’t, you can always give them a little nudge with fire.”
I scoffed, cocking my head. “Yeah, I’m sure that will help my image.”
“What?” She shrugged. “You can always put them out with water.”
I shook off the nerves, hopping in place a few times to release the anxious energy that consumed me. The door opened and they called me inside the office. Ember followed as I padded my way into the office.
Without Grace sitting behind the desk, or Cassian standing by the bookshelf, it felt… empty. Like this office was no longer a safe space to investigate and inquire, to conduct business. Now, it was just a regular office, with a bunch of werewolves staring at me, their gazes intimidating. I’d almost prefer their wolf forms right now.
Because the office was only so big, they limited those present. Only one person from each position was there: one guardian, medic, hunter, and of course, one beta, though I’d learned from Ember that the hierarchy extends further.
Sam spun around in the chair that usually sat Grace, stopping when his gaze met mine. A gaze filled with contempt. Just what I needed to start the meeting. Neither of us spoke, and I waited for him to say something. For anyone to say something. Anything. But I guess they were waiting on me?
“You requested a meeting with the leaders of the pack, Miss Emily, claiming urgency. Well, here we are, waiting.” He gestured around the room to the other wolves who were stationed beside him, as if he were a king on the throne.
Maybe this would be harder than I thought.
I cleared my throat, forcing my shoulders up, standing tall. “Yes, thank you for meeting with me. Your quick attention is much appreciated. I requested this meeting because, as you know, there was some tension earlier regarding my position as luna.”
My eyes met Sam’s, his scornful gaze burning through me, so I quickly averted my gaze elsewhere. A female—the only female—stood at the end on the right. With any luck, she’d help me out. You know, girl power and whatnot. I could use someone in my corner besides Ember. She’s my girl, but she’s not a wolf, and I need a wolf on my side.
“First of all, I’d like to state here and now that I have no interest in taking control of your pack. You guys have your own way of life, your own customs, and who am I to barge in and change things? That’s not why I’m here, trust me.”
