Eighth-Born Luna (Emily and Nathan) novel Chapter 140

Chapter 140

Nathan’s POV

The next morning, we returned to the witch’s cottage.

The difference in Titus was wild. Yesterday morning he looked half–dead. Today he was pale and clearly exhausted, but he was standing on his own two feet beside Zynair while she brewed something over the fire.

The moment we entered, Titus bowed his head respectfully toward Emily. “I owe you my life.”

Emily shook her head right away. “You don’t owe me anything.”

“I do,” Titus said firmly.

Zynair paused, her spoon stilling in the pot as she finally looked up. You’re celebrating too early. Look at him. His energy is leaking like a cracked glass.”

Everyone turned to look at her.

“The curse connection still exists through the dagger that wounded Silas.” Her expression darkened.

Emily frowned thoughtfully. “Then I’ll need more time to figure out exactly what’s happening inside him.” She ooked toward Titus apologetically. “For now, I can only stabilize you.”

“And that stabilization nearly killed you twice yesterday, first on Titus, then on Stella” I cut in right away.

Emily rolled her eyes at me, but Titus wisely nodded in agreement.

“Yes. Let’s avoid more near–death experiences if possible.”

Good. Finally, someone reasonable.

Then Emily reached into her pocket and carefully pulled out the crystals. The second they touched the table, lynair’s attention sharpened.

“I actually came for another reason,” Emily admitted. She picked up one crystal, holding it between her fingers. “I

hink these can protect entire packs.”

Titus frowned. “…Protect how?”

Emily took a slow breath. Then, silver light burst softly beneath her skin. A glowing shield formed around the crystal, locking into place like a miniature dome.

The room grew heavy with power.

“My shield reacts to them,” Emily explained. If we charge enough crystals…” She looked up at me carefully. “I think we could stretch the barrier over an entire pack territory.”

My heart stopped.

“If the crystals are powerful enough,” Emily nodded.

Zynair stared at the crystal like she was looking at a miracle.

“These are too small, though,” Emily admitted. “They could maybe protect a medium–sized territory temporarily.

But not permanently.”

“Where did you get them?” Titus asked.

Emily explained about the caves beneath the rogue territory. Titus went completely still. Then, slowly, he looked ip. “There’s another crystal cave.”

Everyone turned toward him. *

“What?” I asked sharply.

“It’s less guarded. That’s how I once got close enough to attack Silas.” I didn’t miss the bitterness in his voice.

“You think they haven’t increased security since then?” I asked skeptically.

“Maybe they have,” Titus nodded. “But at least I know the route. You won’t be walking in blind.”

That part mattered. A lot.

“…Show me.”

A half an hour later, we were inside my office in the administrative building.

Titus leaned over the massive territorial map spread across my desk.

Before he could point anything out, Liam stumbled into the office looking like he’d barely survived a hurricane. Or a very aggressive bedroom. His shirt was buttoned completely wrong, and dark, fresh bite marks covered his eck.

I stared at him. “…What the hell happened to you?”

Liam grinned, practically glowing with satisfaction. “Love, brother. Beautiful love.”

I rolled my eyes, fighting the urge to throw something at his head. Right then, Blake walked in, stopping dead in his tracks as he looked Liam up and down.

“Jesus, Liam,” Blake gagged, tossing a folder onto the desk. “Did you get attacked by a rogue, or did your girl finally decide to break you in?”

“What?” Liam dropped into a chair, crossing his legs smugly. “Don’t hate on me just because some of us aren’t emotionally constipated.”

I completely ignored his pathetic bragging. “When are we finally meeting this mysterious mate of yours?” asked instead.

Liam’s smirk only grew. “Whenever she decides. Right now, she’s heading back to the Northern Wind pack to run her divisions of warriors.”

“So never,” Blake muttered, leaning against the wall. “The woman clearly has better things to do than babysit you.”

Liam threw a pen at him.

“Alright, why did you call me here?” Liam asked, finally fixing his wrong–buttoned shirt, though he didn’t even

bother trying to hide the dark, fresh bite marks on his neck.

I tapped my finger on the map. “Titus knows where the crystal caves are.”

Liam’s playful smirk faded. “Okay, good. But why do we need to go there?”

“Emily brought some crystals from rogue’s cave, but they’re too small,” I explained. “She and the witch can attune them to create a barrier. A shield to protect our territory from outside threats.”

Liam blinked, leaning forward. “How exactly does that work?”

“It means no rogue will be able to cross our borders. Ever.”

“Damn,” Liam muttered, the gravity of it hitting him. “That gives us a huge advantage.”

“Exactly. Which is why we need more of them.” I looked over at Titus. “So, which caves are we heading to?”

“Right here,” Titus said, leaning over the desk and pointing to a dense, unmarked area on the map.

His voice dropped lower as he added, “But we need to be careful. There’s an old smuggler route through the cliffs , and it’s unstable.”

“…Which means it’ll probably collapse on us,” Blake sighed.

“Optimism,” Liam said. “Love that for you.”

“If Emily can really turn these crystals into barriers…” I looked at the map carefully. “Then this changes everything.”

Liam’s joking expression disappeared. “…Nathan.”

Yeah.”

He understood too. If Emily succeeded, entire packs could become untouchable. No rogue invasions. No kidnappings.

It was hope.

“I’ll take a team,” Liam said.

Emily adjusted in her seat too quickly the second she saw me, avoiding eye contact for half a second.

For one strange moment, it felt like everyone in the room knew something I didn’t.

Maybe I was just getting inside my own head being around this witch.

But then Emily noticed the wrapped dagger in my hand.

“You brought it.”

My protective instincts woke up.

“You are not touching it,” I said.

Emily groaned dramatically. “Nathan-”

“No.” I placed the dagger carefully on the table, keeping it out of her reach.

“I’m leaving guards here,” I told Zynair calmly. “Just in case you decide to get reckless again. They’ll be here to step in.”

Zynair blinked slowly. “…Was that a threat?”

“A friendly warning,” I replied.

I turned to Emily, my voice dropping to a gentler tone. “Come on. Jessie is waiting for you for some girl time.”

Emily looked surprised, but she stood up and took my hand.

We stepped outside just as my guards arrived to lock down the cottage. Perfect. At least I could relax knowing Someone was keeping an eye on the witch.

The afternoon suntered through the trees as we walked down the forest path toward the pack houses.

“…Nathan. This was just an excuse to drag me away from that dagger, wasn’t it?”

“I wish,” I muttered. “But no. We’re actually going to Jessie“.

Her laugh was instant, sparking a familiar warmth right through me. Way too addictive.

But as we approached Blake and Jessie’s house, Emily suddenly slowed to a stop.

‘Nathan…”

I looked down at her, and my chest tightened. Her empathy gift. Damn it.

“I feel something,” she said quietly, her gaze locking onto mine. “You’re hiding something from me.”

My mind flashed straight to Liam. The caves. The possibility that my brother might never come back from this mission alive.

Anxiety flared hot in my chest, but I forced it down, burying it deep. Not tonight. I refused to ruin her one peaceful day.

So I lied.

“I’m terrified of this party.”

Emily blinked, completely thrown off. “…What?”

I leaned closer, lowering my voice dramatically. “There are emotionally unstable women inside that house.”

She burst out laughing. Good. That was the reaction I wanted.

Before she could dig any deeper into my actual emotions, I quickly opened the front door and guided her inside.

The second we stepped into the living room, Jessie practically screamed with excitement.

Apparently, the decorations had gotten completely out of control.