emery
I will never grow tired of making love with her.
After Lenora and I have worked ourselves into a pleasurable exhaustion, we lay cuddled together on the rug. She feels warm and firm intertwined with me.
While we soak up the silence, I wonder if anyone heard us in here. That thought is mortifying.
They must hear each other get it on all the time anyway, though, right?
Kinda hard when they share walls with people who have ultra sensitive hearing.
"What do you need to do today?" I ask, my voice rusty from moaning so much earlier.
"Mmm." Lenora flips onto her side and rests her chin on my chest. "I am expecting a visit from Alpha Tara. She's mostly healed from the attack and she wants to strategize with me. The rogues nearly killed her and they succeeded in killing many of her wolves." She sighs grievously and finishes, "We're all just ready for this madness to end."
I nod, stroking my fingers through her inky hair. The long strands are thick but soft like minx fur.
"When are you leaving?" she asks. "Will you wait for my meeting to end with Tara?"
"You don't know when she'll be here, though," I say. "I was going to ask Denver or Caden to take me to town. I don't want to take you away from your duties."
"Don't be silly. Taking care of you is my most important duty."
Releasing a breath, I focus on how she feels touching me. I could lie like this with her forever. We could just make love and talk afterwards on a constant loop. Just the sound of her voice puts me at ease. When she's not growling, of course.
"I meant what I said earlier," I tell her.
I push myself upright and draw my knees to my chest. Lenora sits up as well. Her face draws down into a slight but adorable pout.
Leaning forward, I steal a kiss from her. "I'll be back tonight."
"Tonight?" She groans. "Please take Denver with you. I'm going to worry about you the entire time you're gone and that will give me a little bit of reprieve."
"Deal," I said.
We go up to our room to change. While I tug on a pair of jeans, someone knocks on the bedroom door.
Lenora strides out of the bathroom to answer it. I hear their voices but can't make out their words.
She closes the door just as I finish tying my tennis shoes on. I dig my keys out of the nightstand where they've been stowed for weeks now.
"That was Denver," she tells me. "I told him to take you to town and make sure nothing happens. Also, Tara is here. Can I introduce you before you leave?"
"Of course." I smile. I'm excited to meet this woman who Lenora so clearly cares about.
She grabs my hand and leads me out of the room. As we descend the stairs to the main floor, I hear more voices coming from the kitchen.
Lenora leads me in and several heads turn towards us.
I recognize Denver and one of Lenora's Gammas but there are two unfamiliar women and a man sitting at the table as well.
One of the women is noticeably younger with red curly hair and sharp eyes. She's probably my age. Her painted lips curl up into a smirk when our gazes cross.
The woman beside her has a faint line between her brows and a wariness to her eyes that makes her look older, possibly in her thirties.
Beside her is a man with salt and pepper hair and a truly terribly go-tee.
"Tara," Lenora says, shaking the redhead's hand. "It's a relief to see you. I'm so glad you and Chelisse are safe now."
The woman beside Tara, who I deduce must be Chelisse, stiffens. "We were worried about you all over here when we couldn't get in contact," she says. "We were so worried they'd come and done the same to you." Her eyes flicker to me. "I guess they did worse, in some ways."
I realize that she's referring to my abduction and abuse. Lenora squeezes my hand.
"Tara and Chelisse, this is my mate Emery," she tells them. She nods at the man. "And this is Frank, Tara's Beta."
"Lovely to meet you all," I say, "although I wish it was under better circumstances."
Tara shakes her head with a deep breath. "Us too, believe me."
"How long are you all staying?"
"Just for the night," says Tara, her eyes on Lenora. "We'll head back in the morning."
Lenora nods. "Whatever you're comfortable with. You're welcome to stay as long as you like." She clears her throat. "Emery has to head into town for some errands, so I'm going to walk her out. Please, make yourselves at home."
I smile at the three guests and follow her into the foyer. Lenora turns me to face her, gripping both of my wrists with her long fingers.
"Tara and I have a lot to discuss, but call me if you need absolutely anything, okay?" she says.
I nod. "I will. I'm sorry I have to do this. I don't want to cause you unnecessary stress."
"You are just a magnet for danger. I can't help but worry."
Even though I know she's not wrong, I instinctively scoff.
"Please, be safe, baby girl," she begs. "Come home to me."
"I will," I promise her.
She pulls me flush to her hard body and claims my mouth in a possessive kiss. When she pulls back, she touches my hair with a smirk.
"I'm glad you're marked."
My hand moves to my neck as I touch the spot where she bit me. The skin is slightly raised, probably with scar tissue, but it's sensitive to touch. A flutter of heat courses through me.
Right then, Denver emerges from the kitchen with a key in his hand.
"Denver is taking you into town," she says. "Remember what I said. Call me if you notice anything weird. Okay?"
"Got it."
I kiss her again before Denver and I are heading towards the garage.
"Thank you for taking me," I tell him. "I'm sorry to bother you. I'm sure you'd rather be strategizing with our guests."
He shrugs. "It's no problem. As long as you actually do come back this time, I'm happy to help."
I snort. "I'm coming back. Pinky promise."
We go to Lenora's Wrangler and he helps me into the passenger seat. She clearly did not know her mate would be several inches below average height when she lifted it.
I steal a longing glance back at the pack house. I hope she and Tara can come up with a plan to get rid of that Jacob guy.
We all—the whole pack—need a break. I'm ready to resume a relatively normal, carefree life again.
I know being this pack's Luna will not be easy and that it comes with a lot of responsibility. But I believe there are brighter days ahead of us. There has to be.
The Wrangler jerks forward into gear and Denver drives us toward Lemley city limits.
"You seem anxious," he says. "I'll keep you safe, Luna."
"Thank you, Denver. I'm not exactly worried about that, though," I say but then I realize that isn't exactly true. "I guess I just have a lot on my mind. Thanks again for coming with me."
He flashes me a crooked smile. "You don't have to keep thanking me, honestly."
"Sorry," I mumble.
"So, what errands are we running in town?" he asks.
I sigh and press my head against the cold window. "We have to go to my apartment. I missed my rent for the month. I have to mail my mom a check and find a new source of income."
His gaze shifts between me and the road. I can feel the disapproval roll off of him.
"I'm not usually this irresponsible," I continue, embarrassed. "I've just gotten swept up in everything going on."
"You were kidnapped and tortured," he says. "I think you can cut yourself some slack, Emery."
My eyes pinch shut. I don't want to talk about what happened. I just want to deal with my human shit and get back to Lenora.
"Michael left sometime last night," he tells me.
I'm grateful for rhe change in subject. I look at Denver with a frown.
"Really? He didn't even say goodbye."
I don't know why that hurts me. Michael made it very clear that he wanted to get as far away from this mess as soon as he healed.
I guess I just bonded to him since we, in a way, were both recovering from trauma. I secretly hoped he liked us enough to stay.
The idea of befriending a rogue should disgust me, but I see that they are not all the same. Most of them are just trying to survive. That doesn't make their reign of terror justified, but I could at least understand their motives.
"He's never going to stop running," Denver says. "Arabella will skin him alive if she finds him."
I shiver at the thought.
She'd definitely do it. I know without a doubt that she would severely injure him at the very minimum. She was fucking merciless.
"Do you think we'll find her again?" I ask him.
He glances briefly at me before focusing back on the stretch of asphalt ahead. "I don't know. She's sneaky." He sighs. "If this Jacob character wants to keep his followers, he probably picked her up somewhere. My theory is that they're going to try again and rebuild their numbers."
That's not exactly good news.
I feel nauseous about it all. I also hate that a tiny part of me wants to know where that bitch is.
Fuck Ara and fuck the bond she forced on me.
Town is quiet as we roll through. The streets are desolate of pedestrians and vehicles. I don't understand why until we pass a church and a group of people in formal attire stand outside, chatting.
"Today is Sunday," I realize.
Until now, I had no idea or care what day of the week it was. I really am so disconnected from everything now.
We park in front of my apartment complex and I hop out of the Jeep. Denver meets me at the hood, tucking his hands into his jean pockets.
"Want me to come up?" he says.
I smile at him. "Sure."
We trek up to my door and go inside. It's freezing in here.
Shivering, I hustle over to the thermostat and turn up. The heater doesn't make its usual raucous, though.
I sigh. Of course. Didn't pay that either.
I look around at all of my belongings and am stunned by how unfamiliar it all feels. I've also never noticed how terrible my decorating skills are.
"I'm going to get some things from the bedroom," I tell him. "Make yourself at home."
Denver nods, taking in my place.
I open my bedroom door and close it behind me. I just need a second to wrap my brain around my current situation.
A whipping sound draws my attention off the ground. The window beside my bed is open and the curtains are billowing in the breeze coming in.
My blood turns to ice.
I run to the window and slam it shut, flipping the lock. I spin around and look over my room. Denver would've smelled a stranger, wouldn't he?
I know I didn't leave that window open. I've never opened it before.
"Denver?" I call breathlessly.
The door swings open and he pokes his head in. His nose instantly twitches.
"Stay where you are," he says and goes into my bathroom. I hear him shuffling around but he doesn't say anything.
Simultaneously, my cell rings. I pull it out to reject the call but I hesitate at seeing it's from Calla.
I know I shouldn't answer it. What reason does she have to call me? I burned that bridge pretty thoroughly.
My curiosity ultimately gets the best of me, though.
"Hello?" I answer.
"Hey Em," she says through the line. "It's Calla. How're you?"
I clear my throat and cross my free arm under the other. "I'm fine, I guess. How are you?"
"Good. I was just calling to check on you. You haven't been showing up for shifts or texting Andy back. You know he is . . ." She sighs. "I know you probably don't want to talk to me of all people, but I was wondering if you might want to meet for coffee or something? I've been thinking on what happened a lot and I don't feel good about our last conversation. I'm sorry I was such a bitch. I hate to think I made you quit."
Denver emerged from the bathroom and scrunched his brows at me. I shook my head.
"I'm sorry, too," I say. "Today really isn't a good day for me, though . . ."
"Oh, just for half an hour! Just come visit the coffee shop in town. It's really cute and cozy and their java is to die for. You don't have to tell me what happened—I just want to make sure you're okay."
Grimacing, I try to think of an excuse. I feel terrible that I haven't spoken to Calla since she saw me with Lenora.
She was so nice to me and tried to include me in her friend group. I came here without knowing a single soul and she embraced me freely. It was hard for me not to feel some sense of loyalty or affection for her.
Then again, my mate choked out her friend. I was in quite the predicament.
Denver puts his hands on his hips.
"I'm really not feeling well," I tell her but it sounds like an excuse even to myself.
"Emery, please," she begs. "I'm sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable. I won't say anything or make any kind of move on you. I just—I feel awful for treating you that way. You're still new in town and all. Come on. I'll buy your coffee. Just give me ten minutes."
Damn, this girl is persistent. I just want to get off the phone by this point so I relent.
"Alright," I sigh. "What time?"
She squeals. "Thank you! How about half an hour?"
"Okay, sure."
We say goodbye and I tuck my phone away. Denver clears his throat. Offering him an apologetic smile, I meet his gaze.
"Not a good idea," he says instantly.
I drop the smile and groan. "I know, I know. She spells bad news . . . I just feel like a jerk. She really was so nice to me, even if a bit clingy."
"You don't owe her anything, Luna."
I swallowed hard at that.
"And besides," he went on, "Lenora will smell her on you."
"I'll handle her," I say firmly. "I'm not going to do anything but listen to what Calla has to say. Of course, I'm not going to mention the wolves or anything."
He exhales sharply. "I don't know. This doesn't sit well with me."
I blew out a breath. It was hard to go from being so independent and doing whatever I wanted to always having to listen to a second, or even third, opinion.
"So, what did you think about my room? Did you smell anyone?"
"Unfortunately, yes," he speaks lowly, almost in a growl. "Definitely a rogue. By himself, I think. I only could make out one distinct canine scent."
"What do you think they wanted? How did they even know I live here?"
Dragging a hand through his hair, he shakes his head. "It's a small town, Luna. Anyone could find out where you live if they ask the right people the right questions."
"Damn it," I mutter.
"Can I ask you something?" he says.
I nod.
"Why hold onto this place? Terminate your lease. Move in with us. You're not safe here and you're never here anyway."
His words burnt away my confidence. I hadn't honestly considered that.
My throat tightened. If I terminate my lease, I'll be moving in with Lenora. I'll be dependent on her. Completely.
It's not like I have much else going for me, but I've never been tied to someone like this. I won't be able to just run to my apartment when the wolf world overwhelms me or when Lenora makes me angry.
Who am I kidding? I'm tired of running.
If I think about where I want to be right now or at any given time, it's with her. It doesn't matter if she's in the lap of a psychopath or the safety of the pack house.
This apartment and these things that I have held so dear to my heart for years now . . . they have no value anymore. They are only reminders of the life I had struggled through before meeting Lenora.
What was my life before her? Merely a string of dispassionate events that led me to her.
I'm stuck with Lenora and she's stuck with me. The thought only panics me for a second before I think about my hot-headed, stubborn brunette and melt into my shoes.
"What about working?" I ask Denver. "My income would help the pack, wouldn't it?"
He shrugs. "Lenora invested pack savings when she became Alpha. We don't have to work but some choose to. You've seen how we live. It's not glamorous but we're fine."
"And if I want to work?"
"Nobody would stop you—though Alpha will probably try," he says. "I recommend laying low until we're in the clear. Don't worry about money right now. We have much worse things over our head than that."
I turned to my dresser and opened a few drawers. "How am I supposed to tell my mom about any of this?"
"I wouldn't."
My eyes flash to his. I wish he could understand my situation. This is the life he's always known. He doesn't have to lie to his parents about where he is, what he's doing, or who he's doing it with.
I sit on the edge of my bed and take a long, cleansing breath. My life has changed completely and I didn't even realize it.
I can never go back to "normal," even if want to.
People—humans—would never understand. By choosing Lenora, I have to push the human world away. That includes my family. That includes my friends.
All of my safety nets have giant ass holes in them. I can practically feel the wind whipping around me as I fall. I'm rocketing toward Lenora like a fucking asteroid with no brakes.
She has to be it. She has to be my everything or losing my old life means nothing.
"I don't want to rush you," Denver says gently, "but we have to get going."
Standing, I nod to myself. It's worth it.