The Royal Beta

Ch. 29 - Emmaline

Chapter 29 - Emmaline

Being back in Woodland was bringing back lots of memories for Emma, and she wondered if it had been the right thing to stop by. She had trouble shaking the memory of her first shift in Woodland. And after that first shift, two years filled with nothing but agony had followed. Being here in Woodland forced her to confront her demons. To face her past and just how it had shaped her to become who she was today.

Yet Emma did not understand why now of all times she was rethinking her past. She had been in Woodland before, countless times she had come here to heal. Was it because now she was finally ready to give up the Blood Wolf inside of her? Because she wanted to put distance between the girl she used to be, and the girl she was becoming? Because she was older now and had found her mate?

It didn't really matter anyway. It was unnerving to relive it all, regardless of the reason why.

And then Emma felt the urge to just come clean. To just tell Dante who she really was and what she was really doing. She had a feeling that it was the one thing keeping her from getting closure. If Dante could see beyond her past, then Emma could, too.

Emma knew though, much to her dismay, that she would have to wait until after dinner. But even while eating, Emma couldn't shake the need to pick up the phone and call Dante. Every second she wasted sitting here, increased the chance of Dante having already left once she called.

During dinner, Roman noticed that Emma looked a little paler than she normally did. A thin layer of cold sweat coated her forehead and he was concerned that Emma could be getting sick. He wanted to ask her if she was okay, or if she needed anything. But he didn't want to make her feel uncomfortable by drawing everyone's attention to Emma as well.

Emma didn't eat all that much and just poked at her food while her thoughts carried her somewhere else. It was obvious to anyone who was looking, that Emma was anywhere else, but at the dinner table. Her eyes were fixated at something far away and she was barely blinking.

What if Dante wouldn't accept her? He was entitled to get mad, to be angry with her. And she would deserve it. After all, she had been lying to him. But it would have the power to break her heart. Even if she didn't know for sure it was love she felt for Dante, she knew she felt something close to it. Being away from him for so long, made that painfully clear. He was all she wanted to think about. And it got harder and harder to banish thoughts about him from her mind while slipping into the merciless killer she was.

As soon as dinner ended, Emma excused herself and exited the dining room. She felt Roman's gaze piercing through her back, but she didn't turn around. She would explain later. There was no time to waste, if she had any chance left of speaking with Dante, it had to be now. Hopefully he had not left for his own journey yet.

Please, let me be on time, Emma prayed.

No sooner than she entered the room, was she already dialling Royal pack's landline.

"Good evening, Royal Pack, Gamma Derek speaking. How can I be of service?" Emma heard. Derek... the name sounded familiar. Wasn't he Dante's friend? Yes. He was. She was sure of it. Dante had mentioned him to her. Derek was supposed to accompany Dante on his journey. So if Derek was still there, Dante had to be as well, right? "-Ello? ... Hello?" Derek called impatiently. Emma responded just in time before Derek hung up the phone.

"Hi." She said quickly. "I'm Emmaline, and I am searching for Dante? Dante Hall, the royal beta," she continued quietly, feeling foolish for just calling and asking for the royal beta. What were the chances Derek would just put her through?