What could he have done? Emma wondered as she left the clearing and started to move aimlessly around the forest. The mist had reduced and the sun was starting to shine brighter, making the atmosphere warmer. She couldn’t help but worry about what Lucius was hiding from her. She debated going to the pack to find out for herself but decided it would be a bad idea, given what she was wearing. She returned to town, feeling low.
“You look haggard,” Casey commented when she entered the room.
“I need a drink,” Emma said before sitting down.
“What happened to you, girl?” Casey asked.
“I had the best morning, but also the worst one.” Emma said. “I should have never returned here. Maybe I should just leave.”
Casey stood up and came to stand behind her. “Now, what happened to you? Don’t tell me you went to the pack and ruined everything.”
“I plan to go there as soon as I finish breakfast. I want to know what that man is hiding.”
“Who?”
“Who else? Lucius, of course. He told me he did something bad after I left but he didn’t give me details. I need to know what’s going on because I’m going crazy thinking of all the possibilities.”
“That bastard, and he just left you like that.”
“No, he said he’ll come around.”
“Then we’ll wait for him.”
“No, I can’t wait. I need to know what’s going on. He and I did it in the forest.”
Casey gasped. “Oh my goodness, you slut. You should have lead with those juicy details! Tell me everything. I need all the salacious details. You hooked up in the woods! I knew you were kind of crazy but I wasn’t expecting that, especially given how cold it is out there.”
Emma told her friend how everything had happened.
“Okay, that was hot but he’s definitely hiding something big,” Casey said after listening to the story. Emma sighed and tried not to think of all the possibilities.
“See, that’s why I need to go there and find out. This is killing me.”
“He will come and tell you,” Casey said, going to sit on her bed. “Lucius sounds like someone who would keep a promise. He’ll come and give you all the information you need.”
“No, please go with me.”
“What? No. I just want to chill with my phone. I don’t want to go anywhere in this coldness.”
“Did you have breakfast?” Emma asked. “I’m dying here.”
“Not yet.”
“I’ll take a shower and we’ll look for something,” Emma said and left the room to go to hers. Later, they went to a coffee shop not far from the motel. Half an hour later, they were on their way to the summit pack household. Emma could swear the guards at the gate gave her weird looks as they let them through.
There was no one at the yard so Emma was glad they could sneak in and go up to Katya’s room without being seen by anyone. If there was any bad news, she wanted to hear from Katya and not any other person.
Unfortunately, she was not so lucky that day. As she was climbing up the first set of stairs, she met Michelle and another woman. Emma put on a brave face and stopped walking. She was confused when Michelle smiled widely. Given that she had promised Michelle to never to the pack, she was shocked that the woman was not breathing fire.
Michelle stopped on the step right in front of the one Emma was standing on.
“Ahhh little Emma,” Michelle said, bringing her hand to Emma’s jawline. “I don’t know why your back but I don’t care. You did me such a huge favour by leaving. I could get angry right now but I’m way too happy. I don’t even care if you stay or leave.”
“Why?” Emma asked.
“Lucius and I finally got married.”
Emma felt like an arrow had just hit her heart. Her left hand which had been resting on the railing gripped it tightly. Casey stepped forward and stood by her side.
“Let’s go,” Casey said.
Michelle chuckled. “See? I didn’t even have to send you away. In fact I wish you would stay so I can torment you every day. I’m not the luna of this pack and I have nearly as much power as my darling husband who you thought you could steal.” Michelle laughed some more. “The look on your face is what exactly I needed to give my day a beautiful start. I guess you came back to steal him from me but look who’s had the last laugh. Did you really think you could destroy our mate bond? What are you going to do now?”
In that moment, Emma could only stare at the woman. She had nothing to say, and her brain seemed to have frozen from the shock.
“Let’s go back,” Casey said, nudging her.
Emma shook her head. “I need to see Katya first.”
“See you and your little friend around,” Michelle said before continuing her poised walk down the stairs.
The tears Emma had been holding in finally released themselves. The man she had come back for was taken and he had turned into a mistress. He knew that she would not sleep with him if he was married but he had gone ahead and made her do it. Emma wanted to tear out her hair in frustration.
“Are you sure about this?” Casey asked.
Emma sighed. “Yeah, I think so. I left her without saying goodbye and I don’t want her to hear I was here but didn’t check on her.”
“Sometimes one needs to put themselves first. This is one of those times for you. I’m sure Katya is okay.”
“Let’s just go and say hi,” Emma said. “It won’t take long. I need to know what prompted Lucius to marry that woman. I thought he didn’t want to be with her.”
“Okay then.”
When they got to the door, Emma raised her hand and knocked.
“Come in,” the voice on the other said.
Emma took a deep breath before opening the door and stepping in.
“You!” Katya said, suddenly looking angry. She was sweated on a stool by the window.
“Hi Katya,” Emma said going towards her.
Katya stood up. “Don’t come any closer to me. Get out of my room right now.”
“Katya, why are you acting like this?”
“Get out, you traitor,” the teenage girl screamed.
“Let’s just leave.” Casey said.