Eighth-Born Luna (Emily and Nathan) novel Chapter 145

Chapter 145

Emily’s POV

The funeral fires burned bright against the evening sky.

Orange flames rose into the clouds while the entire pack stood around the clearing. The wind moved through the trees, carrying sparks up into the night.

I hated how beautiful it looked. Every fire meant someone was gone forever.

The largest fire in the center belonged to Owen. Smaller fires surrounded it. The girls from Marcus’s pack. The

ones who helped me escape. The ones who died because of me.

My throat ached.

“This was their choice,” Nathan murmured beside me, noticing where my thoughts were drifting.

“They still died,” I said, my voice cracking.

Nathan’s hand tightened slightly against my waist.

Nearby, Kane slowly stepped closer to the flames.

“You annoying bastard,” Kane muttered hoarsely under his breath. “You were supposed to survive longer than me.”

I swallowed hard and walked toward the smaller pyres instead.

Flowers already surrounded them. My hands shook as I placed white moon lilies near the edge of the flames.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered.

The guilt came rushing back, sharp and heavy.

Right then, Stella walked up to us.

“How are you holding up?” I asked softly.

“If you hadn’t come back for me, I’d be up on that pyre with the rest of them,” Stella said, her voice dropping. ‘Emily, I was one step away from death. You saved me. I’ll be grateful to you for the rest of my life.”

“You don’t owe me anything, Stella.”

Stella looked toward the fires, her face unreadable. “…When all this ends?” She let out a weak breath. “I think I’ll leave.”

Nathan frowned beside me. “Leave where?”

“The human world.”

Stella laughed softly. It was a broken sound. “Not more dangerous than here.”

“You’d be safe here,” I tried anyway, stepping closer. “We’ll take care of you and the baby.”

Stella looked directly at me. Emily, with all due respect…” Her voice stayed gentle but entirely drained. “This lace practically has a sign saying come inside and take what you want. You, me, everyone.”

Well. She had a point.

We still had so much work to do as the new Luna Queen and Alpha King. But looking at the fading flames, I knew

Nathan and I could handle it.

Nathan must have felt the shift in my mood, because he pulled me just a little closer against his side, wrapping his arm securely around me.

Hours later, the fires had burned down to glowing embers.

Then suddenly, one by one, wolves began lowering their heads. Kneeling.

Two women walked slowly through the trees, stepping into the dim light. Silver robes. Bare feet. Moon symbols carved directly into their skin.

Priestesses.

The same one from my ceremony stood on the left. The second was the woman from the sacred tree.

Every instinct begged me to kneel with the rest of the pack, but my body refused to move.

The priestesses stopped directly in front of me. The older one studied the mark on my neck first. Then her gaze Irifted lower–to the glowing runes scattered across my hands from the trials. Only after that did she finally meet my eyes.

“So,” the older priestess said softly. “You wished to see us?”

“Yes.” My voice sounded rough. “I want the truth.”

Something unreadable flickered across the second priestess’s face.

“Then perhaps we should speak without unnecessary ears.” Her gaze shifted toward the pack members urrounding us.

Nathan stepped forward, his presence taking over the space. “Everyone leave.”

The Alpha command rolled across the clearing. Even Marcus and Kane obeyed without question, disappearing into the dark woods with the others. Meredyth hesitated longer than anyone else before finally turning to follow.

Soon, only Nathan remained beside me. The older priestess looked at him calmly.

“He stays,” I said.

Nathan’s hand brushed lightly against my back. Steady support.

-The priestesses exchanged a glance before slowly nodding.

We moved farther away from the fading pyres until the crackling flames became a distant murmur behind us.

“Ask your question, child.”

I swallowed hard, my throat feeling dry. “I suppose, you already know what I want to ask.” My fingers drifted inconsciously toward the mark on my neck. “This.”

The clearing felt heavy. Ancient.

“If a female is marked by another male…” My voice shook. “Can she still have children with her true mate?”

Nathan went completely still beside me.

The priestesses didn’t answer right away. And that hesitation sent a chill straight through my bones.

Finally, the older one spoke. “Usually?” Her voice stayed flat, emotionless. “No.”

I ran blindly through the territory until I reached the Alpha house. Everything ached. My throat, my mind, my entire future.

I burst through the front door and sprinted past Meredyth, who was watching me from the living room with a vorried look on her face.

I stumbled into my my bedroom and slammed the door hard enough to rattle the walls before sinking to the floor

beside the bed.

Nyx whimpered softly in my mind. “I’m sorry.”

“For what?” I choked out, staring at the dark floorboards. “For existing?”

It didn’t take long before there was a knock at the door.

“Emily.” Nathan called out quietly. Didn’t answer.

“Emily, I’m coming in,” he warned before pushing the door open.

Just looking at him–knowing might never give him children, that we might never have a real family–made the tears burn hotter.

He sat down on the floor right next to me.

“Please, don’t say anything right now,” I begged, my voice breaking.

“Okay.”

He pulled me into his arms, wrapping himself around me, and we just sat there on the floor. I lost track of time as the darkness fully swallowed the windows and the moon rose high into the sky.

And maybe that’s why I didn’t notice it until it was too late.

I had completely forgotten that tonight, the seventh trial was starting.

Suddenly, a white splash exploded through my skull, and the bedroom blurred out of focus.

Then came the glass. Broken glass everywhere.

The heavy, suffocating smell of gasoline hit me.

No. No, no, no.

Rain hammered against crushed metal while shattered headlights flickered weakly, upside down in the mud. The car. The crash.

I looked down. A little girl sat trapped in the back seat, crying hysterically. It was me. Tiny hands covered in blood.

‘…No.”

Then I saw her. My mother. Her body was twisted unnaturally across the front seat, blood running down her face while shattered glass glittered across her skin.

And yet, she was still reaching backward. Toward me. Toward the little girl crying behind her.

“Mama?” I whispered, my voice trembling.