CHAPTER 007

CHAPTER 007

Emily's POV

I put the truck back in third gear as I took the sharp, steep turn toward my home of five years: White Moon Pack. After traveling afar for my assignment, it felt good to return.

Mila convinced me to come live here, and even though it was hard for me to leave my family behind at first, I felt proud of what I had accomplished.

My thoughts drifted back to that night. My mom had told Mila I wasn't feeling well and needed someone by messaging Mila directly about my illness and need for company.

Mila didn't wait for my mother's scent to dissipate before sneaking through my window and entering my room.

"Em," she whispered. "Are You awake?"

"I nodded my head, finding myself speechless.

"Are You Alright?" She inquired while climbing through my window into my bed with me.

Mila gently pulled me closer and let me rest my head against her chest before starting to ask questions. She gave me time before beginning to ask more probing queries.

"Can you explain what happened?" She inquired quietly.

As tears began gushing down my cheeks once more, I involuntarily shook my head in protest.

How could Alex do such an awful thing to me?

Why was he doing this to me?

Why didn't he ignore me or tell me about her instead?

Unanswered queries began lingering within my thoughts.

Mila frowned as she saw me discontentedly complain about my attempt at shifting. Mila noticed this distressful state as I struggled through it all alone.

"All right," she murmured. Let me guess, and you can nod if my guesses come true. "

I slowly nodded my head, accepting her offer.

"Last night, didn't you find someone special to love?" she inquired with concern, and my body stiffened up instantly.

Mila knew me all too well. With difficulty, I swallowed back the tears that began flowing down my cheeks and seeping into Mila's white shirt—she was too well-versed for such emotions! I took another deep breath before they burst forth, and warm tears also ran freely down mine.

"I take that as an affirmative answer from her."

Mila ran her hand through her locks and took a deep breath before pulling back, releasing the tension.

"Did he reject you?" She inquired with caution.

"No!" I exclaimed softly and then gasped as my voice cracked with emotion.

Silence descended, and she asked, inquisitively: "So what has he done?" she inquired in confusion.

"He chose someone else," I replied.

Mila lifted my chin and focused her gaze on me.

"He did what!? She demanded angrily.

"My gaze drifted, as if unable to keep looking her in the eyes. Sobbing came over me instead."

I found myself completely overwhelmed, not knowing where or what to turn for help!

"Who are these foul-mouthed people?" she growled as her eyes turned gold. Her wolf spirit was awake and demanding action against its foe, and her bloodlust had returned.

"It doesn't matter," I whispered back in frustration.

"That doesn't surprise me!" She hissed angrily. "He took your innocence away, only to choose someone else as his partner! Are you going to become his mistress or toy instead? What an unfaithful guy! Don't fall for his game - reject his advances!"

My emotions took over as reality struck. When my realization hit home, I sobbed uncontrollably and cried.

Alex betrayed me! He took advantage of me!

"No!" I managed to choke out between sobs. "I have no wolf!"

Even if I tried my hardest to resist Alex, nothing worked until I had my wolf turn upon him.

Mila shouted aloud without giving much thought to what her words could entail, "Fck!" She never considered the consequences of such words slipping uncontrollably from her lips.

Mila sighed and became silent. I didn't understand what she initially thought, but she removed herself from me after some time and sat straight in a chair before us.

"I have an idea," she proudly announced, leaning forward.

As I approached her with my face tilted toward her, my eyes felt weary from all their tears and began stinging from all their irritation.

"Why don't we leave Opal Pack?" she suggested excitedly, suggesting they stay with White Moon Pack until it was appropriate for you to reject his leadership and come back out against Opal. We could make the show an event to show our community! "

Mila had always been so supportive. "Would you do that for me?" I inquired incredulously, knowing my heart would ache as my tears flowed freely from Mila's lips. She was such an extraordinary individual!

"Of course," she replied in agreement, nodding her head. "That would only make sense since we are close."

"But why would you leave here?" I inquired incredulously. "Wouldn't that strain family relationships, friends, and especially Jax?"

Mila smiled brightly as though everything had already been planned out in her mind.

"Girl," she replied. "My uncle begged me to return home; however, because of you, I remained."

"Have I kept you here?" I wondered aloud and tears quickly began falling behind my eyelids.

"I wanted to stay," she replied in a friendly voice, smiling widely. "You are my best friend, and we need each other equally. However," she conceded with an air of resignation, "maybe now would work better - perhaps leaving quietly would work better as no one would even suspect we were leaving!"

Mila immediately called Mila's uncle to inform them about my predicament; without question, he offered a car service that would come directly to pick me up at the pack border.

My new surroundings were disorienting, and my heartache wasn't well handled. I mostly stayed in my assigned room and was quiet about everything around me.

Mila and Jax eventually came over a week later.

Mila entered my room singing: "E-m-i-l-y," as she inquired: "Where are you?" I could feel her excitement as I responded:

Emily and Jax found me still asleep under my blankets when they came.

I was beyond exhausted. Unable to shake an excruciating chestache, dreaming about Alex would leave me screaming my heart out in pain and distress.

Due to my exposed nerves, it became impossible to keep any food down; by day two, I stopped altogether as my stomach could no longer handle the added strain of being around new people and packs.

When she found me, Mila exclaimed with alarm, "Oh my goddess, Emily! What could be going wrong here? Are you feeling unwell?"

"I don't know," I replied as my body and mind were overcome with darkness.

When I awoke in the infirmary, Mila was sitting by my side, and she looked anxious.

"I apologize," I whispered sadly before reaching for Mila to touch it. But she immediately rose, shut me up, and called an ambulance!

My doctor entered my room within seconds.

Welcome back, Ms. Parker," said the doctor with a smile before asking: "How are you feeling, and can you talk?"

My throat had become dry and sore over the days prior.

Mila quickly understood, taking an empty glass from a side table, filling it with water, and giving it to me as requested.

"Drink," she advised. "Take small sips at first to test whether this works."

I followed her instructions but quickly became impatient, immediately drinking all my water.

Mila received her glass back while my eyes turned towards Dr. Salerni.

"I feel fabulous!" I replied. "Better than fine!"

"Great to hear!" the doctor replied in relief, "we were all concerned for your and your pup's survival when you became severely dehydrated.

"Pup? Am I pregnant?" was all that ran through my mind as soon as he told me what we'd discussed earlier that afternoon.

"That is correct," stated the doctor. From all appearances, you appear pregnant with an Alpha pup.

Mila suddenly looked up at me with wide eyes. Her lower lip quivered from shock.

I could see in her eyes an endless supply of questions waiting to be asked of the doctor; unfortunately, she needed to wait until his work had concluded before making her remarks.

The doctor pulled up some scans and pointed to a size comparison chart showing that alpha pups were typically much faster in growth, with sizes tending to double (if not triple!) that of average-size pups.

No need for me to hide it now." "Yes," I agreed, acknowledging his suspicion. It wouldn't serve any purpose if I kept quiet.

The doctor nodded, wrote down something on paper, and excused himself.

"Why didn't you tell me Alex is your friend?" She demanded of me, then added, "Do you realize how much trouble we are in?"

"He didn't choose me!" I reminded. "He chose someone else!"

Mila frowned at Mila as they discussed this sudden development.

"He called all the pack together," she exclaimed angrily, "and told you to come forward onto the stage!"

Mila had caught my gaze. My eyes narrowed slightly.

"He wanted to announce something but you weren't there..."

"He likely wanted to disapprove of me publicly," I suggested in response, cutting her short. "What else could motivate him to gather everybody here?"

My tears finally stopped flowing, and my mind felt clearer.

"Please promise me you won't tell him about me being here," I asked my companions.

"But you will feel..." I responded quickly: "I can manage." My gaze rested upon the border patrol, prompting me to slow my truck's speed in response. Due to my rank and status within my pack, I did not need to identify myself directly with one warrior waving at me and gesturing for me to stop driving forward; they nevertheless waved at me with their arms outstretched with an encouraging wave before gesturing towards one more of their warriors who waved their hand for me to stop as well.

I obliged, though I found his request rather strange.

"Wanting you back, Parker?" the guard greeted me warmly.

"What's going on, Joe?" I inquired in my morning chatterbox.

"King Xavier wishes to speak with you immediately," the messenger replied.

I could sense the urgency in his voice and some inevitability about him being deployed immediately.

As I thanked him and joined his group, I did not expect my next assignment to bring me so close to home.