Eighth-Born Luna (Emily and Nathan) novel Chapter 149

Chapter 149

Nathan’s POV

I slammed Marcus into the kitchen table under the weight of my wolf.

A heavy growl ripped from my chest as I pinned him by his shoulders, my fangs hovering inches from his throat.

One bite. One second. That was all it would take to end this.

“NATHAN, STOP!”

Emily’s scream pierced the air, but the frantic noise inside my own head hearly drowned her out.

How dare he make her a promise like that? How dare he even think about killing her?

Marcus snarled, shifting his weight to throw me off, but I was bigger. Stronger. My claws tore deep into the wood

ight next to his ears, anchoring him to the floor.

Then, a sudden wave of silver light flooded the room.

My wolf stumbled, the sudden force throwing off my balance. Marcus went rigid beneath me as the heavy pressure

ocked our muscles in place.

The glasses on the shelves rattled against each other as pale waves of energy rolled across the floorboards from

Emily’s bare feet.

Even with the cursed dagger active, her power was breaking through. It terrified me to think what she could actually do without that suppressor holding her back.

‘ENOUGH!”

The sheer force of her voice vibrated through the walls.

I looked up. Tears filled her eyes while bright, glowing runes burned across her skin. The air around her warped

‘rom the heat of her energy.

She wasn’t weak. She never had been.

A Luna Queen. My Luna Queen.

r

The fierce grip my wolf held on my mind loosened just enough for me to pull myself back to the surface.

Slowly, the painful grinding of bones began as I forced the shift. I stood up on the cold floor, my breath coming in ragged gasps as I pushed my hair out of my face, completely naked.

Marcus dragged himself off the floor and managed to sink into a kitchen chair, coughing and checking his neck for

blood.

“Well,” he croaked, tugging at his ruined shirt. “That was almost my worst morning ever.”

“Shut up, Marcus,” I growled.

2:02 pm P PTM

I looked over at Emily. She was standing right there, only a few steps away, but the distance between us felt completely uncrossable.-

And over the following days, that gap only grew wider as our territory turned into a shelter zone.

We had no time to fix things between us.

Entire packs were disappearing overnight.

Survivors arrived at our borders almost daily now–wounded wolwes, crying children, Betas who had watched heir Alphas die, and Lunas whose life force had been drained down to nothing. Every story they brought was worse

han the last.

“Strong wolves are being executed on the spot,” Blake reported during an emergency meeting in my office. “The

veak ones are taken alive.”

“Brainwashed,” Liam muttered darkly, staring out the window at the crowded streets. “Or worse.”

Emily had already told us how Declan and the witch Varga broke minds inside that castle.

Blake continued his report. “The ones who managed to escape are seeking protection with us. We have large

erritory, Nathan, but even we are running out of space.”

“Then we will set up temporary tents,” Emily said, her voice steady.

I watched her, amazed by her composure. Her time in Declan’s castle had hardened her into steel.

Yet, there was so much she wasn’t telling me, things I could still see and feel. I noticed how her body flinched at he mere mention of breakfast sometimes. Or how, if I reached out to touch her neck unexpectedly, she would

harply pull away in fear.

A bitter wave of regret washed over me. I was so sorry I hadn’t been fast enough. I hadn’t protected her because I

had been a fool.

Not this time, Asher’s voice growled deep inside my head. We are never letting her go again.

Emily had no intention of backing down either.

Instead of hiding, my mate threw herself into the defense of our pack. She worked nonstop, pushing herself past

her limits.

Crystal barriers spread farther around our territory every day. Massive boundary stones were hauled to the >orders, and Emily spent hours under the sun, carving glowing runes into the rock alongside Zynair.

Too many hours.

“Is it going to work?” I asked, stepping closer.

My voice broke her concentration. Emily flinched, her grip on the energy wavering.

“I don’t want you throwing away more strength than you can afford,” I muttered.

2:02 pm pp

Nathan, we already talked about this.”

“I can send more wolves to guard the border,” I said stubbornly.

“And they will die.” Anger sparked in her eyes as she turned to face me. “Please, just let me work.”

With a tight breath, she pushed the glowing crystal deep into the center slot of the pillar. The rock flared to life, shooting a brilliant beam of light into the sky, weaving another section of the protective dome over our lands.

“Done,” she whispered, her voice completely drained.

Before her knees could buckle, I moved. I caught her against my chest, wrapping my arms around her waist as her weight went entirely slack.

It was always like this. She pushed herself until she collapsed, I stood there growling and worrying, and the witch cept chanting her runes, always taking Emily’s side. I hated it. Asher hated it even more.

Zynair smiled, a rare look of approval on her sharp face. “Better. Much better.”

“I hate that you’re impressed,” I muttered, keeping Emily steady against me as I crossed one arm over my chest.

Emily rolled her eyes. “You hate everything involving this dagger.”

‘Correct.”

“And you hate Zynair.”

“Also correct.”

Zynair snorted.

“She’s helping us, Nathan,” Emily said, gesturing toward the witch with her hands.

“She’s a witch, Emily. Her kind thrives on deception,” I said, crossing my arms over my chest.

“She’s saving our lives.”

“She already betrayed you once,” I growled, the reminder sharp and unyielding.

Emily tried to pull herself out of my arms, pushing me away to break free.

“Looks like you don’t trust anyone.” She said.

“I trust you.” I looked her in the eyes.

“Clearly not enough.”

I stepped forward. “Emily, you have already forgotten how she prepared that love potion, and as a result, you received this mark” -I pointed to her neck. I knew it was a dirty trick, but I couldn’t get through to her.

2:02 pm

“We are trying to keep this pack and the survivors alive!” she bristled even more.

“I do not understand your sincere defense of her. Maybe she has bewitched you again, Emily?” I barked, the frustration boiling over “That’s the only explanation for why you suddenly want her around every second of the

day.”

Zynair looked up from checking the stone with runes. “That’s insulting, Alpha.”

“Good. It was meant to be.”

Emily glared at me, her eyes flashing with a spark of that dangerous silver power. “Nathan, stop.”

“No.” I pointed directly at the witch. “You don’t know what she’s hiding from us.”

There it was again. I looked from Zynair’s guarded expression to the sudden panic in Emily’s eyes. They knew something. They were keeping a secret, sharing a burden that I was completely locked out of.

Emily avoided my gaze, looking down at the dagger in her hand.

“We’re busy, Nathan. Please leave.”

The rejection cut deeper than any silver blade.

Busy.

She brushed me off like an annoying bee. I turned and walked out, leaving a squad of my best warriors behind to

watch her every move.

“There is nothing you can do about it, Nathan,” Liam said later, finding me near our house. “That’s her choice, ind you’re going to have to accept it. You have to respect her decision.”

“Respect her killing herself?” I demanded.

We stood outside beneath the afternoon sun. It was a beautiful, ear day, but nobody knew how many peaceful lays we had left.

“Yeah, even if it means that,” Liam said, watching another group of refugees walk past.

୮

“She’s your mate, Nathan. She has a voice in this pack too.”

Survivors from the attacked packs were limping, covered in dirt and dried blood from the rogue attacks.

“The Moon Goddess help us, we need to end this,” I growled, my hands balling into fists. “I want to rip Declan’s hroat by my own hands.”

Emily walked down the road. She also noticed the exhausted survivors. She didn’t say a word, but her face grew incredibly angry.

“I’m going to train,” she said quietly, not looking at either of us as she walked into the house.

Liam watched the door close. “Things are still rough between you two, huh?”

2:02 pm pp

didn’t answer, just kicked a stray rock across the path, sending it flying into the brush.

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