Emma did not really care about this matter.
Like her mother, she prioritized dignity. But now she found herself in a situation not of her choosing. She could understand Jennifer’s hostility towards her, but she couldn’t comprehend why Jennifer always wasted time targeting her.
Just like today.
She usually could separate things, as if she didn’t care whether the second partner Nelson found belonged to a certain pack as Luna or alpha, it had nothing to do with her. She hated Nelson because of his betrayal to her and her mother over the years; he never genuinely wanted to raise his daughter by his side.
He just wanted a child of his own, but Jennifer clearly had no intention of having a new child with him. So he placed this desire on her, suddenly appearing and bringing her back after her mother’s death.
Sometimes Emma even felt that one of Nelson’s reasons for insisting on bringing her back was to show off to Jennifer. As if to say, “Not only do you have a son, I also have my own daughter.”
It all seemed utterly nonsensical to her.
And now Jennifer’s sudden slap also left her bewildered.
She simply didn’t want to entertain Nelson’s feigned care. She didn’t insult him, nor did she roar at him in front of anyone, accusing him of his cowardice and hypocrisy. She just wasn’t that enthusiastic.
“I still don’t understand why I got slapped.” She told Rory.
Furrowing his brow, Rory asked, “What happened exactly? Your face looks serious, might need some ice to reduce the swelling. Do you want me to take you to the pack doctor tonight?”
Emma stuffed cake into her mouth. “I’ll just buy an ice pack.”
“You need to tell me what happened.”
“Just as you see it.”
“I’m asking about before that. How did you anger Jennifer?”
“The problem is here. I didn’t anger her. When I got back, Nelson was there too. He asked me some questions, which I didn’t feel like answering. I was tired at the time, and we’ve never had much communication. After a few words, I went back to my room.”
“And then?” Rory asked.
“Then she burst into my room and slapped me. My face swelled up immediately. She scolded me for not following the rules, for being disrespectful to Nelson.” She swallowed the last bite of cake. The sweet treat improved her mood a bit. “But I didn’t even know when I was disrespectful to Nelson.”
At most, she just hadn’t shown excessive fondness for Nelson. Did that also count as her trying to vie for her father’s love?
Rory sighed.
“I think Jennifer needs to see a doctor.”
Emma didn’t disagree, although she felt the same way. Jennifer was Patrick’s mother, and she didn’t want to express her aversion to her excessively in front of others.
“Since she got together with Nelson, everyone has started to feel that she’s different from the previous Luna. She’s become neurotic, irritable, possessive, and controlling. For a while, I thought Patrick might have been infected with her neurotic behavior too.”
Emma widened her eyes. “Patrick?”
“Yes. Before you came here, Patrick’s state was often unstable. He seemed like a beast on the verge of losing control at any moment. You could often see him unable to contain the sharp teeth, with a glint of hunting in his eyes. So for several months, people have been petitioning the Elder Council to impeach Patrick, claiming that he’s unfit to be the alpha and proposing to elect a new werewolf as our alpha.”
No wonder sometimes Patrick seemed so fragile and vulnerable.
“It seems he has gotten through it.”
“Yes. His family genetics and honor gave him many inherent advantages. The group of people impeaching him ultimately couldn’t propose a replacement for Patrick. After that period, Patrick gradually returned to normal, and no one brought up the matter again.”
Emma propped her chin. She remained silent for a long time.
Rory finished his other cleaning tasks and started to take out flour and sugar to make dough.
“Will there be another gathering soon?” She asked, bored, watching Rory knead the dough.
He raised an eyebrow. “I thought you didn’t like gatherings. You don’t seem to fit into such crowded events. Besides, Patrick seems to have warned me not to take you to any gatherings casually, after all, you’re still a minor with little self-control.”
Emma rolled her eyes. “I’ll be of age in fifteen months. Besides, I need to leave that house.”
Rory looked at her, not replying.
“Whether it’s Nelson or Jennifer, they both make me feel suffocated there. I need a place where I can breathe.”
“This place isn’t lacking in gatherings. We often have various kinds of parties-bread parties, coffee parties, alcohol parties. Which do you prefer?” he said.
Emma furrowed her brow. “Are there noquieter gatherings? These all sound too noisy.”
Rory shrugged. “What do you call a quiet gathering? How about we turn it into a book club?”
That made sense. Emma pondered with a slightly troubled expression.
“But if you just want to get away from there, you can travel with me.”
Travel? That word held a lot of appeal to Emma.
“Is it far?” she couldn’t help but worry. She had to return in a couple of days to report to school, but it would be best to stay far away from Jennifer.
“It just so happens that you’ll be back in time to take a shower and pack before going to school.”
Emma smiled. He had thought of everything. “You’re thoughtful.”
Rory smiled at her. “Do you need to go back and prepare for your first hiking trip? If you don’t want to go back, we can go to the convenience store later and buy some essentials. Can you make do with sandwiches for lunch?”
“What do you think I’ve been eating for the past ten years? Of course, I can.”
“Deal,” he said. “I’ll ask my sister to manage the bakery for two days.”
Emma felt a twinge of guilt; she had forgotten that the bakery was open year-round, only closing early on Christmas.
“My bad, I should have asked you in advance.”
“Don’t worry, she doesn’t have much to do lately. Her company downsized recently, and she received a large severance payment. Now, she lies around at home every day. My mom wants her to go out and find a job, but she says she wants to take a break.” Rory smiled. “Getting her to come out and do something is what my parents hope for.”
He said all of this, and Emma could only thank him in her mind for being so considerate.
“Fortunately, I have a friend like you.”
She couldn’t turn to anyone in Harry or Nicola’s circle. Their concern for Patrick was too close, and she might inadvertently let Jennifer know. She didn’t want to engage in any conflict with Jennifer now, and she had no interest in discussing right or wrong with such a person.
Even Jennifer’s malice towards her had diminished her desire to speak to Patrick now.
Rory bowed slightly in a gesture of respect. “You’re welcome.”