When We Were Mates (Demetra and Emris) novel Chapter 16

16

Emris.

Contd

I pull the cap from my head and look up at the house before me. Just like the name of their ridiculous pack, the architecture screams an obsession with pride. I don’t know what their fixation is with lion statues, but they’re everywhere… guarding the entrance, flanking the stairs. And the house itself… it’s a ten–story monstrosity.

I’ve been here before. Once, when I was a kid. After I was rescued from the two years in that hole, my father brought me here to “make friends.” Slade was around my age. Back then, my wolf was so feral even as a young boy, I couldn’t control the shift so my parents wore an eye patch to hide the half transformation from bleeding through my eyes.

I remember one of the kids daring me to take it off. When I did, they pointed and snickered. I still hear the sound of it but I also remember the look on their faces when I broke the first nose.

Now, I walk toward the massive pillars of the house. The windows glow with warm orange light which tells me that everyone is still awake in there. It’s not late…only 10 p.m.

As I climb the short staircase to the main entrance, the door open from the inside. A woman in a housekeeper’s uniform stands there and her eyes widen in instant horror.

“Uh… you…who are-?”

She stumbles back and slams her hand against a red button on the wall beside her.

A blaring alarm shatters the night. I shut my eyes and grit my teeth as it fogs my head like static. Shit. I hate shrilling sounds! So I stand still, just waiting to just let the horrific headache pass. If I grunt too much, it would tell that I have a

weakness.

Within moments, their gamma security surround me.

Then, through the haze of that awful ringing, I see the family start to gather. One of the persons coming forward with alarm

is Demetra.

She’s wearing a nightgown and robe of white silk, flowing around her as she moves like an angerl. It’s so similar to what she wore when I fucked her in my dream.

Demetra.

Emris.

Is it really him? This cannot be another dream.

I know this for a fact cause I was just about to put Amira to bed. I heard Slade’s voice as he passed Amira’s bedroom, something about Emris being here, and I ran as fast as I could, forgetting to even put on my shoes!

Now, he is looking at me, just as I am looking at him, but then Slade stands between us.

The alarm stops, and the rest of the family runs towards the scene. My dad, my aunts, and Tiffany….who gasps! “How dare you!” Slade’s growl echoes off the high walls. I’ve never seen him this furious. How did Emris get in? Is this because of the things I said to him this morning? Is he here for revenge, to make good on his threat to take Slade’s hand?

Dad looks at me first, as if he wants to make sure I’m okay.

“I know you do whatever you want and however you see it fit but breaking into our pack is a treasonous crime, Alpha Emris!” Aunt Allison yells.

Her too…I have never seen her use such a dominant voice before. My dad hasn’t said anything yet.

Emris, on the other hand, raises his head with an expression of bored lethality.

“Bring out my sister. She’s here. That’s who I came for.”

“Gammas!” Slade yells, and our gammas in their uniforms let out electric stick prods from their sides. Those sticks have high voltage in them and can electrocute and paralyze even Alphas. Slade is not bluffing.

“Remove him.”

The gammas in black uniforms advance, but my dad’s voice stops them.

“Wait.”

“Dad-”

1/3

16

“Wait, Slade.” Dad says patiently. He is very patient, and the problem is Slade does not trust the other Alpha standing right in front of him.

“What do you mean, your sister?”

Emris walks forward, and the gammas are on alert. He glances at their weapons with utter boredom and chuckles. “I saw my sister enter right into your gates. She just turned eighteen and we all know, that’s when the mate bonds come alive Little boys with tiny dicks tend to start pursuing young females. I’m here to take her home.”

Slade scoffs. “You think someone here is mated to your sister?”

“I sincerely hope not, Slate.” Emris butchers his name intentionally. “Believe me, I’d hate that more than you would. After all, what is the Lion Pack? A bunch of weak wolves-”

“Says the Alpha who spent years on a leash, learning to control his own beast!” Tiffany shoots back and her mom, Aunt Allison, watches with fierce pride.

“You hear that?” Allison adds. “An Alpha who couldn’t master his own wolf has no right to point fingers. It would be a tragedy for one of my nephews to be tied to yours. You’re mistaken. Leave.”

“Search your house for my sister or I will dismantle your proud little pride, brick by brick, all in the next hour.” Emris has not raised his voice since he started talking, but I swear, something is vibrating in his throat.

“You know, if you wanted to see Demetra that badly, you could have gone to her artist’s website as a true fan that you are. You would have seen enough pictures there.” Slade says. “Have you seen enough? Have you had your fill now!”

I feel floaty when Slade says that, and all of a sudden, Eden appears at the edge of the hall with a slender, wide–eyed girl, hiding behind him.

My breath catches. Teddy!? I recognize her. She’s Emris‘ younger sister. No. This can’t be happening. No way… Emris‘ sister is really here? Mated to my cousin!?

“Guys.” Eden puts his head down, and I see the moment Emris shifts. His eyes gleam with a feral gold, and his canines elongate! Instinct takes over me and so I step directly in front of Eden.

Teddy darts past us and goes to her brother.

“What the hell?” Tiffany murmurs.

“You…have found your mate?!” Aunt Scotty says, completely shocked that her son has found his mate. She has been so busy trying to find me an Alpha the moment my feet touched West Virginia that she forgot about her own.

“This is why I didn’t want to say anything.” Eden murmurs.

“Reject my sister. Now!”

This is the first time Emris raises his voice. It isn’t a yell but a vibrating command that shakes the walls. Eden is breathing fast as he looks at me and I can tell a sob is caught in his throat because of Emris‘ intimidation. It’s hard for one to not get

crushed by his will.

“Emris, I don’t want him to reject me-” Teddy tries to speak.

“Are you talking back to me?!” He hisses at his sister and that’s it! That’s the moment something in my chest snaps. Who is he to try and break something so new and fragile?

“Demetra, please…say something.” Eden whispers, looking to me, so lost.

I walk over, past Slade’s protective arm and stop right in front of Emris, so close I can see the storm in his dark eyes.

“Why don’t you start first? You’re married. You have your own family, and I have mine. Since our families are enemies, why don’t you lead by example? Reject me. Right here, right now, in front of everyone. Cut this miserable bond off!”

I yell in his face and wait. My heart is pounding, but my mind is clear. The only hurt I’ll feel when he rejects me is the severing of a wolf tether and nothing more!

I’ve survived worse pain because of him already.

“You hear her?” Slade growls.

Emris stares into my eyes, as if he’s actually thinking about it. What is there to think about? He’s tossed me aside more times than I can remember. Why hesitate now?

“Reject me. Now!” I command.

A hard resolve settles in his eyes but he steps forward. He raises his hand in the formal gesture and parts his lips.

“I, E… Emris.”

He stutters. Emris Covenant never stutters. So, he clears his throat, a rough sound, and tries again.

2/3

16

“I, Emris Covenant…” He takes a sharp breath, and I can feel my own palms getting hot with sweat This is it This is the last thread. My heart is thrashing, but I force myself to stand perfectly still. I will face this.

“Amira! Get back here!”

The scene shatters when my daughter comes running into the tense gathering in her pajamas. The nanny scoops her up before she can get to me. “I’m so sorry, ma’am. She slipped out.”

I nod, ready to turn back to Emris, when Amira, perched on the nanny’s shoulder, points.

“Emris.” she says and everything freezes! I see Emris’s jaw lock at the sound of her saying his name. The nanny looks at her, astonished. “What did you say, sweetie?”

“Mommy said ‘Emris‘ this morning.” Amira states simply. “He’s Emris.”

My heart plummets. No. No, Moon Goddess, no.

Emris‘ hand which was ready for rejection, slowly lowers to his side.

“Finish the rejection!” Slade hisses.

“No.” Emris says flatly. He grabs Teddy’s hand and walks straight out of the house without another word.

The moment he’s gone, I stalk off. I need to be alone. I need to lock myself somewhere and try to understand why my own daughter is trying to awaken a secret I do not want to share.

3/3