Eighth-Born Luna (Emily and Nathan) novel Chapter 9

Nathan’s POV

A heavy hand clamped down on my shoulder.

“Careful, brother,” Liam said calmly through the mind–link, which only fueled my anger.

Before I could shove him off, my mother’s soft voice cut in. “Darling, I need your advice. I’m stealing you just for 1 minute.”

She didn’t wait for me. She walked away from the table and glanced back, making it clear I should follow.

Once we were out of earshot, she said, “I saw how you look at Emily. Nathan, she’s terrified of you.”

“Good,” I snapped. “She should be.”

But I wasn’t looking at my mother. My eyes were locked onto Alpha Marcus. He was already with Emily. He stood much too close, acting confident and relaxed, and it made my blood boil. Jessie was nearby, flirting and trying to catch his eye, but Marcus didn’t even look at her.

Suddenly, he leaned in and whispered something right by Emily’s ear. She froze. Then, slowly and hesitantly, she raised her small hand. Marcus took her fingers. Instead of shaking them, his eyes locked onto hers as he kissed the back of her skin.

Something inside me snapped. Whatever control I had left disappeared completely. Asher howled in my mind, demanding blood. “Rip his throat out!”

I didn’t hear a single word my mother said next.

“Excuse me, Mother,” I growled, already moving.

I crossed the room in three big steps. Marcus didn’t even have time to react before I was right in front of him, full

f Alpha anger.

“I need to talk to her.” It wasn’t a request.

I grabbed Emily’s wrist and yanked her violently out of Marcus’s hold. I felt his smiling, amused eyes burning into my back, but I didn’t turn around. He was supposed to be my friend, but right now, I was ready to kill him for laying his twisted games with her.

I pulled Emily out onto the back terrace, where the cool night air hit us. I quickly sent a mind–link to Beta Blake. Keep everyone away from the terrace. Now.”

“Don’t do anything stupid, Nathan,” Blake growled back.

I cut the link and ignored him.

The moment the heavy door clicked shut, I pinned Emily against the stone wall. I slammed my hands on either side of her head, blocking her escape. My warm, muscular body crowded her, forcing her to breathe the very air I

* exhaled.

I leaned down until we were eye to eye. She stared up at me, her gaze a wild mix of terror and raw heartbreak. I ould hear her heart racing like a trapped bird against her ribs.

“What the hell were you doing?” The words tore from my throat as a low, guttural snarl. “Smiling at him? Letting im put his filthy mouth on your hand?”

“I didn’t-”

“Don’t lie to me!” I roared. I slammed my fist into the stone surface beside her head.

Tears spilled down Emily’s cheeks. She pulled back, looking at me like she expected me to hurt her.

Shit. Seeing her trembling lips made Asher howl with regret. But my anger was too strong to stop.

I leaned closer, burying my nose in the soft crook of her neck. The scent of strawberries and sweet innocence hit ne. It was intoxicating. It was a drug. A low, possessive growl vibrated deep in my chest, my control entirely gone.

Enough!”

My mother’s voice cut through the darkness, cold and sharp.

We both froze.

I didn’t pull back. Not yet. I stayed there a moment longer, my chest pressed against hers, letting her feel how nuch she had affected me. Slowly, I turned my head, my jaw tight.

Mother stood right in the open doorway of the terrace. Her eyes narrowed angrily, her powerful Luna aura flaring in warning.

“You’re scaring her, Nathan,” she said, her voice tight with deep disapproval.

“She needs to know what happens when she plays games with other Alphas under my roof,” I growled, refusing to back down.

“No,” my mother snapped, stepping into the bright moonlight. “You need to control yourself. Look at her.”

I stepped back just enough to let her breathe.

“Your father has already started the meeting in his office. They’re only waiting for you.”

“Good.” I looked at Emily one last time. She looked broken, her pale hair a mess of white silk against the dark-toned wall.

Every protective instinct I had was screaming at me to reach out, to touch her, to wipe away the tears I had caused. Asher was scratching at the walls of my mind, begging me to fix it.

Emily’s POV

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify