Chapter Four
1286 Words
Emily's POV
“I appreciate you escorting me, Ronan,” I said, smiling at him.
It's my pleasure to always walk with you," He grinned, pulling me in for a tight hug.
The door swung open and instantly we released each other. Jennifer stood in the doorway, one hand gripping the frame.
“You had me worried Emily was about to come look for you,” she quipped. “
"Good evening Ma, I said.
"Evening, ma'am." Ronan abruptly cut in. "I am sorry she is late, she was helping out in the hall"
"That's okay. Would you stay for dinner? I made stew."
“That's tempting Ma, but I have to see my Father before eight." He squeezed my shoulder.
"Bye Ronan," I whispered.
"He's such a nice boy," Jennifer said as we walked into the sitting room. I opened my mouth then closed it.
"Now come let's eat before it gets cold, she pulled out a chair to sit.
"Okay Ma, let me wash up,” I said walking into my room. I splashed water from a bowl into my face before looking into the mirror, still with brown eyes.
The slurping sound Jennifer made when eating stew greeted me as I returned to the table.
I picked up my spoon, took a spoonful of stew and blew air into it before swallowing. The second spoonful took much longer before I set the spoon down in the bowl.
"I can't, I don't have any appetite", I blurted.
"It's your favourite dish baby,” Jennifer argued, her face showing confusion as her brows furrowed.
"I'm really not hungry."
"Hmmm," she heaved." Did you eat in the courtyard?" She asked.
"How can I eat?" My voice cracked. "After the strange day I had, I have not been myself Ma. Just tell me what's wrong with me! Jennifer's brow furrowed.
“Okay let's talk, “she said, pushing her bowl aside.
"Your real name is Emily Greenhill."She started , looking down at the table.
The floor vanished beneath my feet.
"What?" I'm a Greenhill!, My eyes widened in shock.
"Your father was..."
"Stop, Wait." I stood up from the table. "That's not funny. Everyone knows what happened to Greenhill. Varek destroyed them. Are you saying…"
"Emily, please listen and sit down," she said firmly.
"Okay"
I sat. My hands were shaking.
"Your father's name was Darius. Alpha of the Greenhill pack. Your mother was Liana." Her eyes were fixed on her hands, everywhere but my face."I was her personal maid.”
The night you were born, Varek attacked and set the town on fire. She put you in my arms and told me to escape and make sure you lived."
"Are you..." But my voice came out weak.
"I raised you. I love you like you're mine. But your mother, Liana, died the night you were born alongside your father." She finally looked up with tears running down her face.
"Stop it!" I gasped, hot tears bursting around my eyes, "Just stop!"
Jennifer pulled me into a hug, I felt safe inside her embrace.
"There was a prophecy. A child born under a blood moon with green eyes. They said that the child would destroy the darkness and save the packs." She grabbed my wrist. "When you were born, your eyes were green. Glowing green. And Varek..."
"Who's Varek?" I asked.
“Your father's half-brother." Her grip hurt. He is the Overlord of the Shadowfang clan. The prophecy about you was discovered by Varek, and he got jealous and decided you had to die."
My chest tightened.
"He came at night. I was asleep when the screaming started. By the time I got to your mother, there was blood everywhere. She'd just given birth and could barely sit up, but she was strong." Jennifer's voice broke.
"She performed a concealment spell on you as a baby, changing your eyes from green to brown. Then she handed you to me and asked me to escape here to Belmount."
I was sobbing now.
“I heard your father shouting while I ran. The fire and screaming raged on, and I kept running because that's what she told me to do."
My chest cracked open, tears streaming down my eyelids. “They died because of me," I sighed.
She grabbed my shoulders, now looking into my eyes." Because they loved you more than anything. Because you were worth dying for."
"I'm nobody!" The words ripped out. "I can't even shift! How am I supposed to save anyone? I'm just nothing," I cried.
Jennifer held me while I sobbed. Big ugly sobs that shook my whole body. She was crying too, her arms wrapped tight around me.
"You're not, nobody," she whispered.
"I don't want it." I spoke between sobs. "I just want things to be normal."
"I know, baby. I know,” she said, patting my back.
My throat burned. My eyes hurt. Everything hurt.
Jennifer finally pulled back and wiped my face with her apron. “It's okay my darling,”
“There's something I need to show you," she whispered, standing up.
She went inside the room and soon emerged with something wrapped in brown cotton cloth. Her hands trembled a bit as she set it down on the table.
"Your mother gave me this on the same night." She unwrapped it slowly. "Made me swear I'd give it to you when your powers woke up."
It was an antique pendant. Silver chain with a crescent moon, and in the center a green stone that glowed like it had light trapped inside. Around the stone were carvings, a wolf howling under stars, surrounded by symbols I didn't recognise.
"This is the Greenhill pendant," Jennifer said. "Every Luna wore this. It's been passed down from generations."
I reached out. The second my finger touched it, warmth shot up my arm. Not regular warmth, something alive. Like the stone knew me. “Wow, it's beautiful,” I gushed, letting go of it.
"Your mother wore this when she cast the spell on your eyes. She put some of her magic into it." Jennifer smiled. "It recognizes you."
I rubbed my eyes in amazement.
“She said the Greenhill Lunas could feel each other through it. A bond passed down from generations."
Can I?" Jennifer asked, gesturing to fasten it around my neck.
I nodded.
She fastened it around my neck. "Now you're connected to her. You're not alone," she said.
The moment the silver touched my skin, heat erupted from the pendant. Not burning, but alive. Like lightning trapped in my chest. I gasped, clawing at it, but I couldn't take it off.
The green stone blazed, pulsing with light so bright it painted the cottage walls emerald.
"Emily?" Jennifer's horrified face showed her panic.
My eyes felt warm suddenly. It was changing. I looked at Jennifer, her face drained of color, her mouth wide open. She was seeing my eyes changing. She was seeing them glow.
At that moment, I felt a power rush through me, something strange. My veins burned with it.
I could see a door I'd never known existed swinging wide and behind it, something vast stirred. Something that had been sleeping my entire life.
My wolf.
"Emily!" Jennifer's scream cut through the roaring in my ears.
I tried to answer. I tried to tell her I was okay. But my tongue wouldn't work.
Then the light began to fade.
My knees gave out, like someone pulled the strings holding me up.
"No!" Jennifer lunged, hands outstretched. Too slow.
I hit the floor hard but didn't feel it.
My vision narrowed. Jennifer's face was above me, her mouth was moving, screaming something I couldn't hear anymore.
Then...darkness.
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