Chapter Twenty-three
Phoenix
I didn’t even bother looking at anyone else as I went after Em.
He was in his room, throwing things into a sports bag and muttering to himself.
He looked up as I walked in. “I’m going to Gemma’s.
” And he put up a hand as if to stop any argument I was about to make. “I can’t do this. I need a break.”
I didn’t bring up the baby because I had a feeling that wouldn’t help. “I’ll take you anywhere you need to go.” He would be guarded, but he would never see us. He glanced up at me.
“I didn’t mean what I said about a monster,” he whispered.
But he did. I knew he did.
“Look, why don’t you get Matthew or Nicholas to drop me off? You have other things to do. They’re all waiting for you.”
I took a step back at the hit. He didn’t want me to take him. “I don’t care what else—”
“This is awkward enough,” Emery said.
I nodded, but I could barely breathe through the vice that gripped my chest. I turned and walked back into the living room. Nicholas was nearest the door. “Take Emery wherever he needs to go.”
Nicholas’s eyes widened, but I turned away and focused on Simeon. “You ever challenge my mate’s integrity again, and it will be the last thing you ever do. Is that clear?”
Something almost like respect shone in his eyes before he inclined his head. But now wasn’t the time. I didn’t cringe as I heard the door slam, but it was a close thing.
“Which still leaves us with the problem of how Emery’s dad found out,” Isla said quietly. “And possible photographs.”
“What do we even know about him?” Draven asked.
“Not much,” I admitted. “We thought he was in Japan. His mom is in New York. From what I gather, they pretty much abandoned him over his career choice.”
“Which is insane,” Matthew said. “I know Danny, his human TA, and Emery’s one of the most popular teachers there.”
“Which doesn’t tell us anything about his family,” my dad said.
“I can look,” Kaylan offered. “Unlike my wolf brethren, I’ve been embracing human technology for some time. It always astounded me what you can find on a computer if you know where to look.”
“Thank you,” I said quietly.
Kaylan smiled. “S’okay. I need a new pack house built.”
That at least brought a smile. “In the meantime, I want Emery to have a guard around the clock. He mustn’t know they’re there.”
“I’ll take care of that, Alpha,” Simeon said quietly and met my gaze. I knew it was an apology, but it was aimed at the wrong person. The meeting ended. There was nothing we could do unless the silver-skins showed themselves or we found out who’d spilled our secrets to Em’s dad.
“Alpha,” Esther said as everyone was leaving. “Can I have a word?”
I sighed. I really didn’t need another lecture, but I nodded and waited until everyone had left, even Kaylan and my dad.
“I know there was nothing you could do,” she said, which frankly astonished me. I glanced over at her, waiting for the other shoe to drop. “And while I know you’re worried about Emery, especially given his condition, I’m mostly worried about you.”
“I’m fine,” I brushed her concern off.
“I heard from the seer in Canada I’ve been talking to.” She shook her head. “I can email, but that’s the start and end of my computer skills.”
“And?”
“An alpha-human blood mating hasn’t occurred in over two thousand years.” I inhaled sharply. “We’ve had human matings, blood-matings, but not a human mating with a blood bond to an alpha. You hit the trifecta,” she said with a small smile.
I sighed. “It makes no difference to our present situation.”
“I know you’re aware of our history. That in the case of a blood bond between an alpha and an omega, if they’re separated, it’s the alpha that’s at risk.
In every other mated scenario, it’s always the omega.
Take Simeon as an example. He lives, even though there was a blood bond, because they hadn’t officially mated, and Estrelle wasn’t human. ”
“What difference should it make because Emery’s human? I would’ve thought that would lessen the effect, if anything.”
“No,” Esther said. “Not on the alpha. For want of a better explanation, the alpha wolf carries the wolf bond for both of them, so he has a greater responsibility.”
“Meaning?” I asked.
Esther sighed. “I know you don’t want to have this discussion with Emery, but you may not have that luxury.”
“What discussion?” I asked warily.
“That if you’re apart for any length of time, it will be fatal to your wolf.”
I knew that, but the way Esther said it… “My dad told me a few years ago,” I admitted. “It’s not common knowledge in the pack because it’s such a weapon.”
“Which is why I waited until the rest had left, even though I’m pretty sure Draven is waiting to make sure I told you.”
“I bet he is,” I acknowledged almost fondly.
“The thing is, my friend told me the effects of a human mating blood bond, and bluntly, your wolf will get really sick, really quickly.”
“You talk about us like separate entities,” I said.
Esther put her hand to my cheek the same as she’d done when I was a pup. “Again, it’s different because you’re an alpha. If this happens to an omega, the omega loses their life; to an alpha carrying the bond for both of you, your wolf dies.” Her words sank in.
“You mean—”
Esther interrupted gently, “I mean, that if it happens, your wolf dies, but you don’t. You live but without your animal.”
I stared at her in horrified shock. Live without my wolf?
Then they might as well kill me.
Emery
I texted Gemma from the truck. It was awkward sitting next to a mostly silent Nicholas. I wasn’t even going to attempt to explain anything while he could hear, so I just asked if I could stay for a few days, and she agreed immediately.
Making margaritas now.
Well, shit. What did I say? Virgin for me, please. Explain later.
You sure?
I sent her a heart and a smiley face, but really, what did I say? I barely had thirty minutes to come up with something convincing. Nicholas dropped me outside Molly’s, and I went around the back. Gemma pounced on me before I’d even gotten near the door.
“Emery, come in. Mom’s out, so we have the den to ourselves, or we can just go upstairs.” She eyed me. “Are you sick? You look a little pale.”
“I’m fine. Detoxing, and it’s killing me.” She grinned.
“I did that last week for about three hours.”
I chuckled. That was so Gemma, and I felt like a complete shit for lying. “I’m determined to stick with it for at least a month, so no coffee either.”
“You’re so much better than me.” She sighed, then waggled her eyebrows. “So, spill. Why are you with me? What about the hottie?”
“It’s just happened so fast.” Which was a hundred percent fact.
She nodded. “It certainly wasn’t like you, but from what Danny says, he’s a good guy. The whole family is.”
“Oh, he is,” I agreed. “But who gets ditched, finds out their fiancé cheated on them, goes home with a guy, and then moves in?” I shook my head. “That isn’t how anything works.”
Gemma chuckled. “My mom and dad met when she went out with her girlfriends, and Dad was playing his guitar. He was leaving three days later to travel around Europe, and Mom went with him. Apparently, my grandad reported him to the cops for kidnapping.”
I gaped. “He didn’t.”
“Yep.” She popped the P. “So they got married. They’d only gotten as far as Seattle when Grandad caught them, but then they left for six months.
Then Grandad got sick, so they came back to run the bar.
They’re ridiculously happy.” She rolled her eyes.
“My older brother was born a year later, so sometimes insta-love works.”
“I’ve given notice on the job,” I admitted, and told her about my dad and his money problems, leaving out the blackmail, obviously.
“The fucker,” Gemma swore, but I agreed with her.
“I just don’t know what to do.”
“Well, you can stay here. Neil’s gone backpacking for a month, so his room’s empty.”
I shook my head. “I can’t—”
“You really think Mom’s gonna take no for an answer?”
“No,” I admitted, but my smile was a little forced. So we trudged upstairs, and I unpacked the few things I had.
Two days later, I hadn’t texted Phoenix, and he hadn’t texted me.
I had two from Draven just checking to see if I was okay, to which I just replied that I was.
I glanced up at the bathroom mirror and considered a little eyeliner.
It was Danny’s birthday, and I’d ordered him a t-shirt and a book I knew he’d like off the ‘zon.
I gazed at myself. Blue looked good on me, and a little liner would make my eyes pop.
Then I looked at my completely flat belly. I’d really been lucky if the tales that flew around the staffroom about the teachers who were pregnant were to be believed.
Because I didn’t. Believe it, that is, or even feel like being pregnant was a possibility. Like nothing. I had zero idea if I was supposed to get morning sickness, swollen ankles, food cravings, or anything, but I hadn’t. Maybe because it was early.
Maybe because it was all some huge mistake. And this whole fated mate’s business. Where was he? I’d had zero texts, zero calls. He couldn’t be that desperate if he wasn’t going to make any attempt to even talk to me.
I quickly dismissed the fact I hadn’t contacted him either because I was the injured party here.
Twenty minutes later, I was sitting in the bar next to Danny, who was opening presents, and I was determined to have a good time.
Even if it killed me.
When everyone went silent and even before I looked up, I knew who I was going to see.
But not how I was going to see him.
Flanked by Kaylan and Matthew, he looked like he hadn’t slept in two days.
Matthew immediately went to the bar, and even though Danny and Gemma said hi and moved over, Phoenix still stood and stared.
I took a sip of my orange and soda water because he was making me nervous, and his gaze fell to the glass.
“What’s that?”
I glanced at the glass in puzzlement before I understood what he was asking, and my temper, which had been nicely simmering for two whole days, just about ignited.
I slammed the glass down, and how it didn’t crack, I think, was beyond everyone sitting at the table.
“None of your damn business,” I nearly snarled. How dare he?
“My business?” he nearly yelled. “Don’t you think—” But Kaylan practically covered his mouth so he couldn’t finish that sentence, and Phoenix turned on him. How Kaylan missed the fist he threw, I didn’t know.
“Enough,” I bellowed, which managed to stop Phoenix in his tracks. “Go home. Go right now, and don’t ever think of coming back until you get a hold of your temper.”
“Em,” he almost whispered, and for a very long moment, I wanted to cave at the utter agony in his voice.
“Go home,” I said in a quieter voice and looked at Kaylan beseechingly.
I watched as both Kaylan and Matthew steered Phoenix away and let my heart break with every step he took.
It would never work. Whatever I’d hoped for, whatever I might have wished, that demonstration had just shown me that staying with Phoenix would be making the biggest mistake of my life.