Eighth-Born Luna (Emily and Nathan) novel Chapter 85

Emily’s PUV

Chapter 85

My life had become a strange, terrifying dream.

A week ago, I was bleeding out in a rogue dungeon, wondering if I’d see the sun. Now, Poppy was holding two expensive dresses against me while Jessie argued över gold jewelry like it was a matter of life and death.

“No, absolutely not,” Jessie said, snatching a dark blue dress from Poppy. “That color makes her look too cold.”

Poppy rolled her eyes. “She’s becoming Luna Queen, Jessie. Not a cupcake.”

I sat on the couch, buried under piles of dresses, seating charts, and ribbons. It was enough ceremonial nonsense to drown a person.

Meredith used to handle all of this–every Alpha visit, every party. But she barely left her room now. So,

somehow, it was all on me.

It felt insane. I still woke up in a panic every time the pack bond hummed in my head.

Poppy narrowed her eyes at me. “You’re spiraling.”

I blinked. “What?”

“That face.” Jessie pointed at me. “That’s the face you make when you’re overthinking.”

“I don’t have an overthinking face.”

“You totally do,” they said at the same time.

Traitors.

I leaned back into the cushions. “I just…” I stopped, looking down at my hands.

Poppy sat down next to me.

“What is it?”

“At the funeral,” I whispered. “When Nathan asked me…”

Even thinking about it made my heart hammer against my ribs. Will you stand beside me as my Luna Queen? Part of me still couldn’t believe it had happened.

“I’m happy,” I told them. “I want this. I want him.”

Nyx snorted inside my head. Obviously.

I ignored her. “But what if this isn’t really about me?”

“What do you mean?” Poppy asked, her forehead creasing.

5:59 pm

“He needs a Luna to become Alpha.King,” I said, my voice dropping. “The packs are pressuring him. The elders are demanding it,” I looked away. “What if he’s doing this because he has to?”

Jessie looked horrified. Poppy looked offended.

And Nyx sounded like I’d just insulted her personally.

Are you stupid? Nyx growled.

Excuse me?

“That male looks at you like he’d burn the whole world down just to keep you warm, she snapped.

I tried to push her away. “He cares about me. I know he does. But… he’s never actually said it.”

There it was. The truth. The three words Nathan had never used. I love you.

Jessie leaned forward. “Emily.”

‘What?”

“That man almost started a war because someone touched you.”

Poppy nodded. “He literally carried you around like a psycho when you were bleeding.”

“He threatened a doctor,” Jessie added.

“He almost killed Owen.”

“That too.”

I groaned and covered my face. “That’s not helping!”

“It should,” Poppy laughed. Then she got serious. “Listen. Nathan Blackwood doesn’t know how to talk about eelings. He was raised to lead kingdoms. Alphas like him don’t write poetry.”

Nyx huffed. Still stupid.

“But,” Poppy added, her voice softening, “he looks at you like losing you would turn him into a monster.”

My chest hurt. Deep down, I knew she was right. I was just scared. Becoming Lunà Queen meant everyone would

ee me. I wouldn’t be hidden or protected anymore. I would be a target for the Rogue King.

And underneath that was a darker fear: What if, one day, Nathan realized that his duty was stronger than his love

‘or me?

Suddenly, Jessie clapped her hands loudly.

“Enough sadness,” Jessie said, snapping her fingers. “We still have to survive this seating arrangement nightmare.”

5:59 pm

Poppy groaned. “Oh.Goddess, don’t remind me.“.

Suddenly, a pile of papers landed in my lap. Maps, names, packs, and lists of political alliances. Apparently, sitting the wrong werewolves next to each other was a great way to start a war.

Jessie pointed to a group of cards. “Do NOT put Alpha Victor anywhere near Alpha Rowan. Their packs almost ore each other apart three winters ago.”

Poppy grabbed another. “And these two Lunas haven’t spoken since the ‘necklace incident.“”

I blinked. “A necklace?”

“One of them threw it into a lake,” Poppy said, her face dead serious. “These people are insane.”

Fair enough.

I started sorting through the cards. Alphas, Lunas, Betas–the names of the territories began to blur together. Then, my fingers stopped. A cold chill moved down my back, making my skin prickle.

Rayan Hale. My former Alpha. My former almost–mate.

Beatrice Hale. My sister. The Luna of his territory.

My stomach felt like it had been dropped into ice water. I remembered running away, and Ryan trying to force me ack. But most of all, I remembered how Nathan couldn’t wait to get rid of me. He wanted to hand me over like I vas nothing, just so he could be with Stella without any distractions.

But everything has changed since then.

Nyx growled deep in my mind, a low vibration that made my teeth ache. Not anymore.

I stared at the cards. They were coming here, to Nathan’s pack. They were coming to see my coronation. And for he first time in my life, looking at those names didn’t make me feel like running.

Because when they walked into that room, they would have to bow to me.

Before I could sink deeper into my thoughts, something smacked me right in the chest.

I jumped. Jessie was grinning at me from the other side of the couch, a fashion magazine now sliding into my lap.

“Well?” she demanded.

I looked down and felt my heart skip. The dress on the page was deep crimson red silk–elegant, but dangerous. lidn’t look like something for a girl hiding in the corners. It looked like something a Luna Queen would wear.

My fingers grazed the glossy page. “Oh.”

Poppy pointed at me dramatically. “That face means she loves it.”

“I’m not making a face.”

“You totally are,” Jessic snorted.

looked at the dress again. It was too perfect. “But how would we even get it in time? It’s in a magazine.”

Both girls burst out laughing, Poppy grabbed my hand and pulled me up. “Oh, Emily.”

Jessie smirked. “You still have so much to learn about this pack.”

Poppy looked. “We have the best seamstresses in the north.”

“They’ve dressed three Luna Queens and handled six Alpha ceremonies,” Jessie added proudly.

I blinked. “We have royal seamstresses?”

“We have royal everything,” Poppy said.

Before I could say another word, they were dragging me toward the door. “Come on,” Jessie ordered. “We need neasurements now if you’re going to survive all those Alpha women judging you.”

“That sounds terrifying.”

“It should.”

***

By the time they finally let me go hours later, my head was a mess. Measurements, fabric choices, jewelry, hair- apparently, becoming a Luna Queen was basically psychological warfare.

The sun was setting as I walked back toward the pack house alone.

‘Emily.”

I stopped. Owen stepped out from the shadows of the trees.

Seeing him hurt. He looked exhausted. There were dark circles under his eyes, and his face was covered in a few lays of stubble. He looked like he’d been waiting for me for a long time.

Inside, Nyx shifted uneasily. This is going to break him.

“Owen…” I said softly.

He shoved his hands into his pockets. “The Alpha banned me from coming near you.”

I winced. “That sounds like Nathan.”

Owen didn’t smile. “And you stopped answering my texts.”

Guilt flared in my chest. He was right. I had ignored every single one. Not because I was angry, but because I didn’t know how to be his friend anymore.

His eves searched my face. “Are you okay?”

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