PART ONE: 2 1/2 Yrs… We Meet Again

2276 Words
Emerson’s POV Ugh this flight home is taking too long. I just want to be back home where I can finally see the love of my life Ashley. Yes I said Love of my life. She invaded my heart the very first weekend we spent together but then we spent the next two and half years talking almost daily whether it be talking, texting, or even video chatting. Although over the last 9 months our daily chats have dwindled down a bit but that didn’t change how I felt. She had become my best friend and I hers. She was there to listen to my stresses and worries about my family and pack and always tried to offer solid advice. Obviously I left out certain thing keeping our secret for the time being but the more she helped me the quicker I realize what a wonderful Luna she would be. -If she’s our mate remember- Shadow mocks. That was my daily reminder to myself that there was a chance she was not our mate. Shadow insists after every chat with her that he can feel the bond but I think he is just desperate for her to ours. I am as well but I can’t bear the thought of getting my hopes completely up for them to be shattered by finding out she is indeed not my mate. It could quite possibly kill me if she isn’t because that would mean I have to let her go. I can’t be madly in love with her and just pretend we are good friends any longer. I remember the first time I told her I loved her she was so shocked and when she said it back I thought my heart would beat out of my chest. We never really discussed what it meant, as in did we love each other as friends or more than that. I hoped she knew what I meant but if she didn’t I ready to make it perfectly clear when I saw her. -Em Bradley and I are almost there are you ready?- I mind link my sister as we pull up to the pack house. -Yeah be right down- she replies cutting the link, bursts through the front door a few minutes later, and hops in the back seat. “Let’s go,” she says excitedly after giving Bradley a passionate kiss right in front of me making me gag. “So she’s meeting us there right,” I ask not able to hide my excitement. “Yeah Adam is bringing her, promised he’d escort her himself,” she replies. “Adam Archer?!” I growl. “Don’t be dramatic E we already had this discussion she graduated a year before me so I couldn’t go with her and she got accepted into a college in his territory. He’s been looking after her and promised to keep her out of trouble. He’s the Alpha of that territory if he gave his word to protect her he will do it. I know there’s bad blood between you too but it was me who asked not you” “I know, I know doesn’t mean I have to like it,” I hiss back. “Just focus on the positive bro we’re about to get your mate,” she says trying to distract me from the thought of Adam “protecting” Ashley. “We don’t know she’s my mate there still a chance…” “Oh come on you two are mates stop trying to convince yourself otherwise,” she shouts cutting me off and getting her point across. The drive to the party welcoming all returning Participants who completed training home seems like it is taking forever. It is at a hotel that happens to be between our territory and Adam’s. I thought about the day Ash told me she graduated with honors and had gotten a full scholarship to a College in Mountainview. I was so proud of her then instantly worried about her being away from Emma leaving her unprotected followed by furious once I heard where she was going - Alpha Adam Archer’s territory. His pack, The Dark Knight Pack, was the third largest pack in the region right below ours, which made him furious. He is a few years older than I am and has yet to find his Luna as well. I know the fact that I’m younger than him and about to take over the second largest pack in the region probably pisses him off and the fact that I may possibly have my Luna finally by my side after tonight may just send him into a full mental rage. One hell of Luna she will be too I keep thinking tearing my thoughts away from the Asshole Alpha and back to my stunning Ashley. She is strong, smart, and sexy. Soon if the moon goddess answers my nightly prayers she will be all mine. The closer we get to the hotel the more anxious I become about the small chance Ashley is not my mate whereas Shadow, is eager and ready to mate and mark Ashley, he is 100% sure she was ours. After parking, we drop our bags in our rooms, and change quickly. We all make our way down to the large banquet hall on the first floor of the hotel where everyone was meeting. As we get closer and closer Shadow is going on and on about our mate being here. I don't believe him until we reach just outside the door and the faint smell of lavender mixed with mint hits my nose. It is intoxicating and I realize he is right our mate is here and I silently pray one last time to the moon goddess that it is Ashley. We open the door to the banquet hall and I immediately start the search for my mate. I scan every inch of the room and I finally land my sights on her sexy silhouette leaning against the bar with Alpha Asshole to her left and his beta to her right talking away, they are just talking away like old friends. -Mate, Mate,Mate… see I told you she was our mate.- Shadow chants smugly inside my head. “Oh my god,” I hear her scream snapping me from my wolf rubbing in the fact that he is right and notice my gorgeous mate now running towards me. “Emerson,” she shouts jumping into my arms, wrapping her arms around my neck, and squeezing me like she hasn't seen me in, well years, which she hasn't . “Goddess I missed you,” I whisper wrapping one arm tightly around her waist, the other up under her arm with my hand resting on the back of her neck, and bury my face in her hair inhaling her intoxicating scent that is just for me which brings a huge smile to my face. “Ashley I have something…” “Wait, wait,” she says cutting me off as I place her back on the ground gently. “I want you to meet someone,” she continues excitedly. “This is my boyfriend Adam,” she states as I look over to him now standing right next to her as she slips her hand inside his like it is the most natural thing in the world. “Mine,” is all I manage to say before Shadow takes over. Shadow takes control of my body ripping Ashley from Adam’s side a little too harshly for my taste but justifiable since she is our mate and that bastard is touching her. What angers him more is the fact that Alpha Archer had the audacity to still be smirking after realizing Ashley was indeed our mate. Shadow pushes Ashely back towards Emma and Bradley who are right behind them watching the whole encounter. “Take her up to my room now Emma,” Shadow orders before pouncing on Adam. He starts by punching Adam in the face while he just lays there smiling and laughing which only infuriates Shadow more. A few other Alpha’s have gathered around now trying to break up the situation. Once we see Ralph, Adam’s wolf, try to come forward Shadow forces his claws out and grabs his neck roughly asserting every ounce of dominance he can muster over the elder Alpha. This fight, the fight for our mate, he refuses to lose. We both waited so long to have her by our side as our mate and Luna no way would we allow a scumbag like Archer to swoop in last minute and steal her. I know why he was doing this. If we find our mate and Luna that would make us ten times stronger than him. Wolves with mates are much stronger than those who remain mateless. He is also still pissed we hurt his crazy little sister even though in all honesty we hadn’t done anything wrong in that situation. We are both so focused on hurting Adam that we don't notice that Ashley hasn't left the hall. “Please,” she begs now on her knees crying. “Please stop fighting,” she whimpers between sobs. “Don’t hurt him.” Shadow instantly retracts his claws and gives me back control. He is scaring our mate and the moment he realizes what he is doing he stops he would never purposefully cause her harm or terror. I hop off Adam and rush over to our mate. Dropping on my knees I pull her into my embrace feeling the sparks fly every single place our skin touches, she truly is our mate. She starts struggling against my embrace and I back away slightly confused. She looks hurt and scared of me which is like a punch to the gut. I sit back on my feet and let her go to which she instantly scrambles over to Adam. “Are you ok,” she asks and the concern in her voice eats at me. “Yes My love I’m fine,” he says reaching up and cupping the side of her face. All I see is red and it takes everything in me not to attack him again. Bradley and Emma are both trying to hold me back. I keep thinking if I attack there’s a chance I could hurt Ashley and I refuse to put her in any more danger. I just need her away from him so I can explain what we are to each other. I hate myself for wasting so much time with her. I should of explained everything the first weekend we met. I should of trusted my wolf’s instincts that she was our mate and just marked her the first night we’re together. Instead I put so much distance between us and that led her right into the arms of the Asshole Alpha. “Come on let go to the room and get you cleaned up,” she says wrapping her arm around his waist after he manages to stand. “Ashley we need to talk,” I plead pulling myself away from Bradley and Emma. “Not now Emerson you’ve done enough,” she spits out harshly. “Please Ash,” I beg. “Emerson,” she says as she tries to move around me but I won't let her. “Ashley, my beautiful mate and Luna, please listen to me,” I say desperately and do the only thing I feel would be right by dropping to my knees in front of her bowing my head slightly and bare my neck in submission to her. Almost everyone in the hall gasps at the sight before them. Even Bradley seems extremely shocked at my last ditch effort to earn her forgiveness and stop her from leaving with him. Alpha’s are the leaders meant to be strong, feared, and unbreakable. They do not ask for forgiveness or submit to anyone and yet here I am submitting myself to the women I love, my mate, my luna. She looks around at all the shocked faces trying to figure out what is going on and then down at me. “What are you doing Emerson,” she asks but I don't respond. “He’s submitting to you Ash,” Emma speaks up softly behind me. “I don’t know what that means,” she replies. “It means this filthy little mutt is trying to whatever he can to get you to listen him but we aren’t going to do that,” Adam says roughly grabbing her wrist and yanking her past me. I twist towards the direction they are heading and watched in horror as he drags my mate away from me. I can't simply take her from him or she may never forgive me and leave me. I just need things to cool down and then I will find some time when she isn't with him to explain everything. Just a few feet away from the door she stops and yanks her wrist free turning back to me. The moment her icy blue eyes met mine they tell me everything I need to know. She loves me but she is scared and confused. She is scared of me and I can't race over to her and rip her away from him chancing that fear may grow into something uncontrollable pushing her farther away. So I just sit there and watch as he grabs my mates wrist yet again and pulls her out of the hall and away from me with Shadow howling inside my head.
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