Song of the chapter:- Coney Island by Taylor Swift, The National.
EMMA'S POV
To say that the dinner was akward would be an understatement. Smith was sitting alone at the end of the table because he didn't have a mate, why he didn't have one nobody knew the reason and everyone was too scared to discuss anyway, and then me and Ethan on either side of him and in front of eachother, and then our second in command and third in command.
The air was thick with tension, and all the Alpha power that was literally oozing out of Ethan and Smith. And then I made another terrible decision to try to break the awkward silence saying, "The food is amazing, who made it?"
"The cook", Smith replied and continued eating.
Ofcourse after that the tension only got thicker, even I didn't try to speak after that and the only sound in the room was of us all eating. But after alot of that silence we finally got to the point.
In the end it was Smith who needed our help and so he did explain the situation again, ofcourse with less sarcasm and more genuinely.
"Thank you for the having us, we'll make our decision tomorrow", I said when we all finally stood up. It felt a little wierd to be the only woman in the room because I didn't expect all of this to be this formal but it is what it is I guess.
"You did really good today you know", Ethan said when we were back in our room, where he was lying in the bed waiting for me and I was just getting ready for bed.
"What do you mean?", I asked as if I wasn't at all nervous for today.
"You know very well what I mean", he says pulling me under the blanket with him, "this was kind of a big deal for you, your first time as a luna representing our pack outside our pack specially when it was with someone like Alpha Smith, you did great and a lot better than me when it was my first time", he continued as he lightly kissed his path down my throat placing kisses on my mark making me shudder.
"What happened at your first time?", I asked pulling away looking at him and his ears started turning red.
He turned off the lights, so I couldn't see the embarassment on his face but I already saw it, and then replied "that's a story for another time."
"Come on, just tell me already or do you want me to beg you?"
"I wouldn't mind you begging", he said pulling me on top of him his lips brushing mine but not really. Just enough to lure me in, to make someone want more.
"Oh yeah? You know what?" I asked tilting my head to the side, my hands hovering on the top of his waistband.
"Hmm?", His eyes closed as he waited for me to kiss him which was my moment as I had him where I wanted.
"What happened during your first official meeting?", I whispered in his ear. And he was so into it he replied before even thinking.
"I came directly from my bed and forgot to do my zipper and everyone knew throughout the whole meeting, but Zach only one who told me after everyone had left", and then I was lying on my back laughing in a not so graceful manner which must have pulled him realise what he said because in seconds he was on me.
"You know what this means? This means war", he said and before I can move he had my hands pinned above my head with one hand while the other tickled me.
"Stop! Ethan!", I said in between laughing trying to catch my breath.
"Say that Ethan you are deliciously hot and the best guy I've ever had", and even though those words were true there was no way in hell I was saying it.
"NO!", And then I was laughing again so hard that there were tears in my eyes.
"Okay I'm saying it but stop", and that was enough to make him stop, "come on say it or do you want me to encourage you", he said his hands still hovering over me.
"You are deliciously hot, Ethan", I mumbled.
"And?"
"And the best guy I've ever had", I said in the best I'm-not-so-happy tone I could pull of even though it felt nice to still have this comforting relationship with him even in these bad times. Never once did I feel like our marriage was forced or for reasons other than love.
"You know you too are the best woman I ever had, or I'll have, and I still think you're way to out of my league Ems, I love you so much", he said.
"I love you so much too, Ethan".
The next day all of us were gathered again in the meeting room, it was only me Ethan, Alpha smith and his beta. His beta gave us a summary of all the things we discussed last night, what their plans would be, and how they'd love to get some help for us. And no matter how sexist or old fashioned their pack was I had to accept the fact that they were good with strategies, like really good.
"So have you guys made your decision? Or do you need some time to discuss, in alone?", Alpha Smith asked.
"I think both me and Emma know what our decision is" Ethan said looking at me with a blank face. I had to say he was really good at this whole poker face, so nobody can read you, thing. I just nodded thinking he must be thinking what I was thinking, and I think that's the same thing he must've thought as well.
"Then Alpha And Luna of Golden moon pack, do you agree to help us, Silver Claw pack, or not?"
"Yes we do", I said the same time Ethan said, "No we deny".
And then came the akward silence again. "We will give you some time alone", Smith said and left with his beta leaving me and Ethan alone.
"What was that?", Ethan asked as soon as he left.
"What was what? I thought we both agreed to the same thing!"
"So did I!"
"Why would you not want to help them?"
"Why would you want to? Don't you remember the things they said about us, about you? They're a bunch of sexist assholes, who think women are below them and you want to help them? I thought you hated them and wouldn't want to help them that's why I said no."
"So you're saying this is on me? It's all my fault? And they have innocent people in the pack who would be in danger, no matter what they think or how they think, that doesn't mean we should leave them to die Ethan."
"I'm not leaving them they're not even my responsibility, I had an option and I made my choice."
"Guess what? So did I!", I almost screamed back at him.
"Emma we're the Luna and the Alpha we're supposed to make this choice together."
"But are we willing to make this choice together? Cause it sure as hell doesn't feel like that to me."
"Then I guess we have our answer", Ethan said and before I could ask what it was he opened the door and Alpha Smith asked what our decision was and all he said what, "Ask Luna, because like I said I'm leaving."
And Smith looked confused cause what Ethan said didn't answer his questions but it sure did answer mine.
"I'll help you Alpha Smith, me and my mate are having a disagreement at the moment but I'm willing to help your pack."
"Thank you Luna, we're honoured", Smith said. And then the whole afternoon we discussed about what we know or don't about Donovan. Before we knew it was evening and it was getting late. I knew Ethan was leaving and this afternoon I just spent trying to avoid the fact that he was.
I didn't want to think about what would happen next between us, specially when we won't even be around eachother, or what won't happen. I didn't want to think about all the possibilities, specially the bad ones. And now that my time is up, I have no choice but to face him.
But I was shocked to see that when I went to the room where we were staying it was empty, there were no traces left of Ethan or it looked like he didn't even stay here except the faint scent of him that I got because of my werewolf senses.
When I looked outside through the window I saw the car outside with Ethan, Sean and Nick but Mark wasn't there. I saw Ethan shake hands with Smith and even though they looked civilized but I knew they were anything but. Specially the way they tightly gripped eachother's hand, and then I saw Ethan whisper something in his ear.
And then as if sensing my presence he looked up and right into my eyes and it felt like time was frozen, and I don't even know if it was five minutes or five seconds that we started at eachother before he finally turned around got into the and left.
**1 WEEK LATER**
After that fight, I realised Mark had decided to stay at the Silver Claw pack with me, and as much as I know him, I know the fact that he hates to stay away from home which means he was given orders by a certain someone to stay here; because except him, I don't think I could've wanted anyone, in this case Nick or Sean, to stay and so Mark was the best option. And as much as I hated the fact that he was becoming more and more homesick with each passing day, I was eternally grateful that he stayed or I'm not sure I would've survived all of this.
And by this I meant the crazy place this Silver Claw pack is.
Alpha Smith surely ruled his pack with an iron fist and it wasn't just a set of rule that was binding these people but it was that if anyone knowingly or unknowingly broke them because of any situation what'd happen to them. They had punishing grounds made for such people specially. And even Golden moon had rules, which weren't to be broke but most of them were for the security of pack and the people, they were not so cruel.
The people here are not allowed to get out of their houses after 12 at night, they're not allowed to use internet only a few members, mostly those working for Smith are allowed to access internet, hell they're not even allowed to go on vacations or to travel without getting permission, and migration from the pack seems next to impossible.
And the situation is even worse for girls and women, who aren't allowed to wear some certain type of clothes specifically the ones that shows too much of their shoulders or legs, they're not allowed to get too drunk, they're not even allowed to get jobs, they can get educated but not work. They're specially made to grow up and live in a world where they have to depend on the males of the pack and now I understand why everyone was always so scared of Alpha Smith and why even Ethan wasn't ready to help them.
But even after seeing all this, I was still willing to help them because none of these people deserved to die, not because of something they didn't even do.
But the thing that broke me the most was when I was shown around the punishing grounds. The things that happened there, and the way that everyone was treated was just monstrous. The easiest punishment seemed like getting whipped and thankfully I wasn't shown their worst one.
All of that brought me back to present, I was just sitting in what had turned into my room now going over all our strategy we made to get back at Donovan when Mark entered the room.
"Hey, did you talk to him?", This had become our routine. Mark would come in and ask this same question everyday. And then I'll tell him about the occasional exchange of our text if that could even be considered as texting because our conversations would only consist of-
'hey, how are you?',
'I'm good you?',
'Fine'.
Or sometimes it'd only be a good morning and good night text. We both were procastinating and we both know that is something we're amazing at, since we managed to not date until alot later after we found out we were mates.
"Yes", was my short and simple reply because I was tired of discussing our non-existent communication.
"And did you tell him about our plan?", He asked looking at me with a look of hope and disappointment as if he already knew the answer but didn't want to think he was right, unfortunately he was right.
"Not yet, I'll tell him later."
"When, Emma?"
"Soon."
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Published on:- 17 July, 2022.
Hello snowflakes, here is another very very very late update. I honestly don't know how y'all even deal with me updating this late but I'm so very grateful for it, always have been and always will be. Thank you for reading. And supporting me.
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Love,
IceQueen.