Chapter 28 - Emma
Night spread across the desert. The stars overhead spread out like a blanket, individual constellations glittering brightly, the edge of the Milky Way visible over one of the mountains.
Several campfires lit the area with a warm, welcoming glow as shifters mingled and chatted amicably with one another.
Everyone waved and beamed when they saw me and Grace. Elias had pulled off to talk with Sam an hour ago, but I no longer felt the need to be by him at all times in public.
Grace’s eyes lit up as she caught sight of someone at one of the fires. “Miss Amelia!” Without warning, Grace took off, sprinting toward a tall, slender woman.
Amelia, the woman Elias had told me about, who helped train young wolves. She had agreed to set up a class for the younger kids who had shifted in the wake of the sand wraith’s destruction. She turned when she heard her name, then beamed as Grace barreled into her legs.
“Careful,” Amelia said, laughing. “You don’t want to knock me into the fire, and you’re getting strong enough that might be a possibility soon!”
“Really?” Grace asked, puffing up her chest in pride.
“Absolutely! Actually, I’m glad you’re here. I wanted to talk to your mom.”
Amelia strolled over, smiling at me as she came to a stop. “I think this is yours?” Amelia laughed, gesturing to Grace.
“I don’t think she’s anyone’s,” I fired back. “She’s too wild.”
“That’s right!” Grace said.
“Grace, I see some of your friends over there near the fire,” I said, nudging her to look at a cluster of kids playing off to the side. “Why don’t you go play with them for a bit?”
The words were barely out of my mouth by the time she bolted forward, heading toward the group, all of whom waved as she scurried toward them.
“She’s a good kid,” Amelia said with a fond smile. “They all are.”
“How is Grace doing?” I asked.
Amelia beamed. “She’s fantastic. One of the quickest learners I’ve had in ages, which is saying something, considering her age.”
“I really appreciate you taking her in and helping her,” I said.
“Of course! Anything for you. I mean, after you saved the town, helping train your incredibly bright, fun daughter is the least I can do. Honestly, it’s been a joy.
” Her smile faltered for a moment. “I wish it hadn’t happened and that they hadn’t had to shift so early, but I think we’ve made the most out of a bad situation. ”
We really had. Most of the repairs were over now, and we had found a way to help the younger kids who had shifted. We had more frequent patrols, and Sam was training new recruits for the pack guards, but the wraith hadn’t shown its head since the final attack.
When it came back, I would be ready.
“Hey, Emma!” Rachel hurried over, beaming up at me.
“Catch you later,” Amelia said to me, waving at Rachel as she departed.
“Glad you could make it!” Rachel exclaimed.
“I don’t think Elias would have let me skip it even if I had wanted to,” I joked, earning an amused laugh from Rachel.
“Well, after everything you’ve done, I personally think you deserve a bit of basking in glory,” Rachel fired back.
Confused, I tilted my head as my forehead creased.
“Listen,” Rachel said, turning me so that I was in perfect view of the crowds walking past. Every person waved and smiled at me.
“Hi, Emma!”
“Luna!”
“Hey, Luna! It’s great to see you.”
“Hey, Emma!”
I let the greetings wash over me as people wandered by, trying not to look too dazed.
“They like you,” Rachel said, taking a sip of her drink as I turned to look back at her.
“Hell of a lot different than the last party I was at around here,” I muttered, but soft enough that not even Rachel could hear me.
“I mean, it makes sense,” a comfortingly familiar voice said from the side.
A comfortable jolt settled in my stomach as his words wrapped around me. I turned and couldn’t help but smile as Elias sauntered over.
“She did save the entire town,” he added. “I would expect at least a couple of people would be appreciative of that fact.”
“I didn’t beat it, though,” I pointed out. I wasn’t trying to self-deprecate, but I couldn’t hide the bitter frustration in my voice as I admitted it. The wraith had gotten away. It was still out there. I had tried to stop it and failed.
“You did more damage to it than any of our guys have ever done,” Rachel pointed out, and her sharp, chiding tone took me by surprise. “Don’t forget that. If it weren’t for you, the sand wraith would be all over the oasis, we would have been run out of town, and Elias would probably be dead.”
I didn’t answer. She was right, and based on her smug expression, she knew I knew that, too.
“Point being, don’t sell your victories short,” she lectured. “No one else in the pack is.”
“I’m glad someone besides me is saying it,” Elias said, coming to stand next to me. “Lord knows I’ve said it often enough.”
He bent down and kissed me, sending a jolt of pleasure racing through me.
“Are you having fun?” he asked, hand going to my shoulder.
“I am,” I said, genuinely meaning it. I wasn’t going to bring up our last encounter at a party, not wanting to sully what was currently a pleasant moment by dredging up the past.
He raised his eyebrows. “But…?”
“But nothing. It’s just…” I chewed my lip as I tried to come up with the right words. “I never thought that I would feel comfortable here,” I finally managed to articulate, feeling pink creeping up my cheeks.
He nodded in understanding. “I get that, though I certainly plan for there to be a happier ending than the last party you were here for,” he said.
I blinked in surprise as I twisted to look up at him. He cracked an amused, handsome grin.
“Trust me, I remember that night as well as you do,” I said, a coy smirk spreading across my lips. “And it didn’t end as badly as it could have. As far as I remember, I thoroughly enjoyed myself up until the last five minutes.”
His eyebrow arched. “That so?”
His hand went to the small of my back, running his fingers along my spine. I leaned into the touch, back arching a little as his caresses sent new shivers running through my body, making me close my eyes. When I cracked them open again, I saw a glint of hunger gleaming in his own expression.
“That’s so,” I retorted.
We spent the next couple of hours together, roaming from group to group, Elias never leaving my side. We probably would have stayed for another couple of hours had Grace not come up to us.
“My everything is tired,” she said. “Can we go soon?”
Elias stroked his chin. “I think your mother and I can find something fun to do back home,” he said, and I didn’t miss the hunger in his eyes.
A warmth settled between my thighs.
With a smile, I bent and scooped up Emma into my arms as she gave a loud yawn, her fangs just poking out.
“Let’s go home,” I said to Elias.