SWNOVELS Chapter 264
Chapter 264
My words seem to shock James out of his stupor somewhat.
“Emily!” he says in disbelief.
Emily–whoever the hell she is–jumps down the last few steps and rushes to cross the distance between them, throwing herself
into his waiting arms.
“James! Oh my god!”
She’s crying and even James’s eyes look suspiciously damp as he blinks rapidly while holding the woman tight against him.
“Can someone please tell me what the hell is going on here?”
I demand, feeling a little bad that I’m intruding on what is
obviously a tender reunion.
James finally lets Emily go and she steps back, looking at me
with curiosity and confusion.
“Leah, this is Emily Rathborn.”
It takes a second for that to sink in.
“Rathborn?” I repeat in confusion.
“Aaron’s sister,” James says in awe and wonder, like he still can’t believe she’s here, even though she’s standing right in
front of him.
“Aaron’s sister...” I repeat, and I know I sound dumb, but my brain is just refusing to put these pieces together. “Aaron’s
sister who was killed by my father during the war? The
same reason why the Rathborn pack brutally retaliated and slaughtered my mother, leading to me being sent to live with Aaron
as a sacrificial peace offering?”
Emily’s eyes suddenly narrow.
“Are you Alpha Robert’s daughter?” she demands furiously.
I feel like admitting to it isn’t going to end well, but it’s not like I can deny the fact.
“What about it?” I demand, tilting my chin up.
Emily doesn’t answer.
Her eyes glow with her wolf, and next thing I know, she’s sprung at me, claws and fangs ready to rip me to shreds.
Unfortunately for Emily, she either doesn’t realize or doesn’t
care that I’m an Alpha.
I’m faster and stronger than her.
I easily dodge her attack and turn the tables, grabbing her before she can swing around to attack me again and pin her against
the nearby wall, twisting her arm up behind her so she can’t move.
“Leah, don’t hurt her!” James says quickly.
“Get off me, you bitch!” Emily snarls, fighting against my hold, even though it must be painful.
“That’s Luna Bitch to you,” I tell Emily, growling the words low
in her ear. “You’ve got two choices. You either bow to me and
accept me as Rathborn and Roberts pack Luna, or I leave you
locked up here to think about it for another decade.”
She struggles for another second, but quickly works out it’s
futile. She can’t match my Alpha strength.
“Fine!” she snaps, finally giving up the fight. “I can accept
you’re Luna of our pack, but I will never respect you and I sure
as hell won’t bow to you.”
It’s better than nothing.
I can’t really blame her for hating me since my father has held
her captive here for so many years. I’d probably feel the same
if I was in her shoes.
I just need to know she’s not going to try to rip my throat out the second my guard is down.
“Try anything like that again, and you’ll be banished instead of reunited with the pack. Do I make myself clear?”
She jerks a nod, but I can still feel fury in every line of her body.
Still, I cautiously let her go and step back again, returning to stand next to James.
“Are you okay?” he asks me, touching my shoulder gently.
I nod as Emily turns around and glares daggers at James.
“Why are you asking her if she’s okay?” Emily demands. “I’m the one who’s been locked up here for half a lifetime!”
“Because she is my Luna,” James answers simply. “And because I guard her with my life, as per your brother’s standing orders.”
“I can’t believe Aaron actually married you,” Emily says bitterly, and the hatred I can see she has for me and my pack, it’s the
kind of soul–deep loathing that a person can never
shake.
“Aaron loves me,” I correct, and then realize what I said.
My throat immediately swells with the need to cry.
“Aaron loved me,” I say brokenly, and I feel James wrap his arm around my shoulder.
“What do you mean?” Emily asks in alarm. “What happened to my brother?!”