Eighth-Born Luna (Emily and Nathan) novel Chapter 86

Emily’s POV

“Is there a problem here?”

Nathan’s voice cut through the evening air like a blade. Owen went still. So did I. For one terrible second, the world just stopped.

Then Owen slowly turned around.

Nathan was standing a few steps away, dressed in black, his shoulders rigid. His eyes were locked on Owen like he was deciding exactly how many bones to break first.

My heart hammered against my ribs.

“Nathan,” I said, my voice thin.

His gaze flicked to me. It softened for half a second before turning back into stone as he looked at Owen.

“I asked a question.”

Owen’s jaw tightened. “No problem, Alpha.” He said the title, but his tone was a challenge.

Nathan stepped closer. The air changed instantly—it became heavy and thick, like the atmosphere before a massive storm. Even the trees seemed to brace themselves.

“Owen,” Nathan said, his voice dropping to a dangerous low. “I gave you an order.”

Owen let out a sharp, bitter laugh. “Yeah. Stay away from her.” He glanced at me, and the raw hurt in his eyes made me want to look away. “I tried. But she was my friend before she was your future Luna.”

Nathan’s face didn’t move, but I felt him through the bond.

I stepped between them. “Stop.”

Both of them looked at me. Good. At least they remembered I was standing there.

“Owen just came to check if I was okay,” I said firmly.

Nathan’s eyes narrowed. “And are you?”

The question felt heavier than it should have. Because I wasn’t sure anymore. Not after what Owen had just said. Not with those doubts burning holes in my head. If he really loved you, would you still be doubting him this much?

I swallowed the lump in my throat. “I’m fine.”

Nathan’s gaze sharpened. He didn’t believe me.

Owen looked between us and shook his head. “She’s not fine.”

5:00 pm

“No.” His voice cracked. “Someone needs to say it.” He looked at Nathan, and for the first time, I saw no fear in him. Only a broken heart. “You’re putting a crown on her because your world is falling apart.”

Nathan went dangerously still.

“Nathan,” I whispered, reaching out.

“But Owen kept going. “She deserves to know if you’re choosing her because you love her… or because you need a Luna to become Alpha King.”

The words hit the exact place in me that was already bleeding. Nathan’s head turned slowly toward me.

“Emily?”

My throat felt like it was closing. “I…” I couldn’t finish.

Owen let out a bitter breath behind me. “There it is.”

Nathan’s eyes flashed with fire. “Walk away.”

Owen laughed once. “No.”

The growl that came out of Nathan didn’t sound human. I turned sharply. “Nathan, don’t.”

He didn’t look at me. His focus stayed on Owen. “One more word and I’ll tear your throat out,” Nathan said, his voice dropping to a deadly whisper. “The Beta won’t be able to step in and save you this time. I’m still looking for an excuse to finish what I started the night you tried to steal my mate.”

Owen’s face twisted, but he didn’t back down. “I didn’t try to steal her. I tried to save her because I actually cared.”

A long beat passed. Then his voice came again, lower than before. “Because I didn’t say it?”

My heart felt like it was being wrung out. I turned to face him. He stood a few feet away.

Owen was gone—maybe Nathan had dismissed him through the pack link. I didn’t care.

“I don’t want to beg for words,” I whispered.

Nathan flinched. A real, visible flinch.

“I know you care,” I said, forcing the words out before my courage failed. “I know you want me. I know your wolf already chose me.”

“But I don’t know if you love me.”

The air felt heavy after that. His jaw was tight, and I could feel the war inside him. It wasn’t that he didn’t feel it—it was that saying it out loud terrified him. And that hurt even more.

“I buried my father this week,” he said, his voice raw. “I almost lost my mother. I watched you nearly die saving her. Every time I close my eyes, I see your blood on my hands.”

“Nathan—”

“No. Let me finish.” He stepped closer. “I don’t know how to be soft right now. I don’t know how to be romantic. I don’t know how to ask you for forever when I’m constantly worried someone is going to take you from me.”

My eyes stung.

“But when Owen said I was choosing you because I need a Luna…” His gaze turned dark. “I wanted to rip his throat out.”

“That doesn’t answer my question.”

“No,” he whispered. “It doesn’t.”

“There are things I want to say to you.” His thumb brushed slowly over my knuckles. “But not like this.”

“Not before the ceremony.”