Chapter 2

1609 Words
Taylor ran her hand slowly over the wood's surface, savoring the feel of her latest creation, a sleek, modern dining table. She bent over and gently blew the fine dust from the tabletop, then traced her fingers along the polished edge with delicate care. "My baby," she whispered, smiling. "Welcome to the world." She nearly jumped out of her skin when Emma's voice rang out behind her. “How many babies do you actually have?” Taylor straightened up, flashing a proud grin. “2552. Scattered all over the world.” “If you've already got that many, can you explain why you're still holed up in your workshop? I told you to meet at my parents’ place at four!” Emma scolded her. Taylor, still focused on the table, asked, “What time is it?” “3:45 pm,” Emma replied, tapping her foot. “Technically, I'm not late. Let me do the finishing touches, and I'm all yours.” “Where's the rest of your crew? Can't they handle it?” Taylor shook her head firmly. “Never. I'm the only one who does the final pass. No exceptions.” Emma rolled her eyes and dragged her friend by the arm. “Come on, we've got a million things to do before the ball starts!” “Relax, Emma, you weren't half this excited last time.” “Last time, I was twenty-one, barely out of college. I wasn't ready to meet my mate. Now I've got my career sorted, my life on track. I'm ready for love.” “Now, I'm the one rolling my eyes!” “Hey!" Emma said, nudging her. "You don’t get to judge me. You've been looking for love for three years now. Going on all those dates, every time convinced he's "The One", as you say.” “You know that I'm not judging you, Emma. But, c'mon, it's not like God has a checklist for you, and he's going through it in chronological order. Let’s see, Emma Jackson – Graduation? Check. Work? Check. Promotion? Check. Good now it’s time for love, and poof! Your boyfriend magically appears at the party.” Emma couldn’t stop laughing at Taylor’s wild take on fate and how the Moon Goddess would operate. "I swear, you kill me," Emma said as she wiped her tears. "But seriously now, did you at least bring your outfit?" Taylor shrugged. “Nope. I didn’t. But don't worry, I'll swing by the apartment, grab my stuff, and meet you at your parents'.” Emma gave her a look. "Not a chance. I don't trust you as far as I can throw you. You'll either show up late or bail on the event entirely." Taylor opened her mouth to protest, but Emma plowed on. "I planned for this. I packed a formal dress, two jumpsuits, and even some underwear for you. Pick one. You’re driving straight to Mystic Moon, and I’m tailing you the whole way. No detours." Taylor let out an exaggerated groan. "Damn it, Emma. You see right through me every time." ~*~*~ Emma and Taylor stepped into the ballroom, surrounded by their friends. The room was beautifully decorated and buzzing with people mingling and chatting. Emma looked like a ballerina with her strapless slate grey midi dress with a draped bodice and a layered tulle skirt. Her hair, styled in a hobo-chic side-swept design, was woven into a mesmerizing web of fishtail braids. Taylor opted for effortless elegance, sporting a sleek black full-length jumpsuit that hugged her curves just right. She kept her long wavy, brown hair loose, giving her an easy, natural glamour. As Taylor laughed and chatted with Peter and a few childhood friends, they heard the first “Mate” of the party. They all turned toward the sound, craning their necks to see whether they knew the lucky couple. Taylor, not tall enough to see over the crowd, tugged on Peter's sleeve. “Can you see who it is?” Peter didn't answer. He just stood there, frozen. "Peter?" Taylor pressed. "What's wrong?" “It's Emma,” he said, his voice low and strained. “What? Emma? You mean she found her mate? Are you sure?” He nodded, his gaze locked on the unfolding scene. Without waiting, Taylor began weaving her way through the crowd toward Emma. When she finally reached her friend, she saw Emma standing stiffly, her mate gripping both her hands and staring at her. But Emma didn't look happy. She looked terrified. Taylor did exactly what she had been warned never to do. She intervened. Ignoring all the rules, she placed a steady hand on Emma’s shoulder and gave it a reassuring squeeze. “Emma... are you okay?” she asked softly. The man snarled at her, a deep, guttural sound that barely seemed human, more like a ... wolf? "Step away from my mate, human," he growled, his voice thick with anger and revulsion, especially when he spat out the word human. "Thanks for acknowledging that I'm human," Taylor said, her voice laced with sarcasm. “But she's my best friend, and she looks overwhelmed, so you might want to dial it back a bit.” "Human. Step. Away. From. My. mate. If I have to say it a third time, you won't live to hear it," he warned, his voice cold enough to freeze the air around them. Even as he spoke, his gaze never wavered from Emma, his menace directed at Taylor without so much as a glance. “Look, I'm all for respecting your traditions," she said, forcing her voice to stay even, "but threatening people isn't exactly a great way to introduce yourself to your soulmate.” Taylor was worried. Emma was usually a ball of energy, always smiling, and she had been looking forward to this ball. But the woman standing in front of her now had only fear etched across her face. “Alpha Liam, Taylor meant no disrespect," Alpha Derek said, striding over quickly. His voice was calm but firm. " She's like a sister to Emma and doesn't fully understand all our customs. Let’s take this conversation to my office, where we can discuss things properly." Taylor felt a small wave of relief wash over her. Derek was the manager of the Mystic Moon community, and had always treated her and Emma like family. She was hoping he would put Emma's well-being above their traditions. “I'm not going anywhere without my mate,” Liam replied coldly. Derek turned to Emma, his expression softening. "Emma, are you alright? Will you come with us?" he asked gently. Then he leaned in close, whispering in her ears. Taylor couldn't be sure, but she swore it was something like "Do this for Taylor's safety!" This party was becoming weird by the second. Hearing that her friend might be in danger snapped Emma out of her daze. "Yes, of course, Alpha Derek,” Emma said quickly. She turned to Taylor and added, "Don't worry about me. I'll go with them, and I'll talk to you later, okay? Taylor watched helplessly as Emma, Derek, and this Liam guy disappeared down the hall towards the west wing. She was still looking in their direction when Peter came up beside her. “Go home, Tay. I'll keep you updated on what happens. There's no need to worry. Emma was just overwhelmed. Her mate is a respected figure here. But for now, you need to leave.” "I'm not going anywhere, Peter. Something's wrong. Did you hear him threaten me? How is someone like that considered “a respected member” of your community? You were there, Peter. This is not OK. This is not love at first sight. Emma was terrified.” “Taylor, you know Emma. She could have been a bit emotional. Finding your mate is... It's a lot to take in.” "No, Peter. I know guys like him. I've seen his type before, too many times." Taylor's voice cracked with frustration. "He's a jerk. Probably with anger management issues. He could end up hurting her. I want to respect your traditions, Peter. I really do. But this guy is not good for Emma. This isn't right!" "The situation is already tense enough. Tay, you're my sister, just like Emma. I'd protect you both with my life. And right now, to protect both of you, I need you to trust me and leave. Some of her mate’s p... some of her mate's friends are already on edge." Taylor was so focused on Emma and her mate that she barely noticed the crowd in the ballroom. When she finally looked around, she caught several hostile stares. Some people were glaring at her like they wanted to tear her apart! "They don’t scare me. And I'm not running away because of this Liam and his little gang," Taylor hissed under her breath. “That's not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about both of you, Emma & you! You are my sisters and I want you to be safe. Emma's going to my parents’ house tonight, and I promise you can Facetime her later and check in. But for now, please, just go home.” Taylor met Peter's eyes and saw the deep worry etched across his face. She glanced at her friends; their expressions were pleading, silently begging her to listen to Peter. "What's going to happen, Peter?" she asked, her voice breaking. Peter shook his head. "I don’t know yet. But we all love Emma, and we're not going to let anything happen to her. Please, Tay. Trust me. Go home."
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