Healed

EMERY

I stared out the dark windows of the SUV as we pulled up to the pack house. It was beautiful. Different than my mountain home that I was used to.

It was a large two-story mansion covered in stonework. I looked up in awe before being ushered inside.

As we walked into the foyer, I tried to hide my shock as I looked around. High ceilings, crisp colors, and a grand staircase leading to the second floor.

“This way,” Damon grumbled as he walked further into the house.

“This is the common area,” he said as we walked through the house. “Meals are at 7:30 a.m., noon, and 6 p.m. You may use anything in the entertainment centers.”

I followed him through to the common area. It was massive, with a large industrial kitchen and rows of long dining tables for pack meals.

There were several large sectional couches surrounding TVs, game centers, and shelves lined with books and other forms of entertainment.

We turned around and made our way back toward the front of the house, turning down a hallway that I assumed held the pack offices.

We walked inside a room, and I watched as Damon sat behind his desk. I stood there awkwardly as he looked at some papers on the desk.

“Sit,” he said bluntly.

I sat down in a chair across from his desk and watched as he worked. “Alpha Damon…,” I said quietly, slightly worried I would upset him.

He held up a finger to quiet me, continuing on his work for another minute before looking up. “Hmm?”

“Where will I be staying?” I asked cautiously.

“In the Alpha apartment, of course. You are to be the Luna after all,” he replied, his tone sounding as if I should have known.

“Well, yes, but where is the Alpha apartment?” I asked.

“Upstairs,” he replied before looking back down at his work again.

I nodded my head before standing and leaving the room, knowing if I wanted to find anything, I would have to do it myself.

“Who peed in his Cheerios?~”~River mumbled as we left his office.

“I’m pretty sure he’s just always like that,” I replied with a huff.

I made my way upstairs, standing at the top of the stairs in confusion as I wondered if I should go left or right. I picked left. I walked down the hallway and opened a door slowly.

It looked like living quarters, and I let out a sigh of relief, thankful I had found it on my first try.

I walked in and looked around for a moment before being surprised by a man walking out from the back hallway.

“Can I help you?” the man asked with a bit of attitude.

I looked around anxiously. “I’m sorry, I must have gotten the wrong room. I’m looking for the Alpha’s apartment.”

The man let out a huff before giving me a sideways glance. “Nobody is allowed in the Alpha apartment. You shouldn’t be up here.”

I scowled at the man before summoning every ounce of courage and authority I owned. “I am Emery Brooks, mate to Alpha Damon. Take me to the Alpha apartment…please.”

The man looked at me in shock before lowering his head. “I apologize, Luna. I had no idea that—”

“It’s fine,” I replied, “If you could just point me in the direction of the apartment…”

“Yes,” he replied quickly. “Follow me.” He walked out of the room and back down the hall.

“Right,” I mumbled, “I should have gone right.”

“I’m Beckett, by the way,” he said nervously as we walked down the hall, “Beta to Alpha Damon.”

I smiled warmly at him. “Well, it’s nice to meet you, Beckett.”

“Here we are,” he said with a smile as we stopped in front of a large set of double doors.

“Thank you,” I replied.

He lowered his head in respect before walking away. I let out a long breath, mildly embarrassed I had walked into his apartment by mistake.

As I walked into the Alpha apartment I was once again blown away. It was a two-story apartment, taking up a fair amount of the back of the house.

As I stepped further in I looked over the railing down into the living area. I turned to the right and opened the door next to the staircase. It was an office, probably for the Alpha.

I walked down the stairs, staring at the massive two-story wall of windows letting in all of the light.

When I reached the bottom, I looked around at the living area. There was a decent-sized kitchen and dining area along with a family room.

I walked down the hallway to find four bedrooms. The first three were obviously unused, but still large and beautiful. At the end of the hallway was the master suite.

I opened the door to find a massive bedroom. It had high ceilings and a loft area to one side; an oversized king bed sat in the center.

The staircase led up to a sitting area. Below that was the door to a large walk-in closet and bathroom.

I looked around in awe. “How could this possibly be our home?” I whispered to myself.

“I feel so spoiled!~”~River cried as we walked through the apartment.

I walked back out into the living area and opened a sliding glass door to a private veranda that led down to the lake behind the house.

I looked out at the view, enjoying the deep colors of the sunset before walking back inside.

“What do I do now?” I asked myself as I plopped down on the couch. I looked at my watch to see it was almost six o’clock. “Dinner time!” I smiled as I hopped up from the couch.

I walked down the stairs, hesitating at the bottom. I was going to just go to the common area, but I also thought I should see if Damon wanted to walk with me.

I thought for a moment before deciding to check on him. I walked down the hall to the pack offices and tapped on his office door.

“Come in,” he grumbled from the other side of the door.

I walked in with a smile. “It’s time for dinner, I was just seeing if you would like to walk with me.”

Damon looked up with a weary face. “No.”

“Oh, okay,” I replied, a little nervous that I would have to go out there on my own. I walked out of the office and into the common area.

“Luna!”

I turned toward the voice and smiled when I saw Beta Beckett walking toward me.

I grinned. “Beta Beckett, how are you doing?”

“I’m great. Are you settling in?” he asked.

“I think so. This house is massive compared to my old pack house,” I replied.

He turned around with a smile and spoke to the pack. “Everyone, this is Emery Brooks, our new Luna! Be sure you welcome her to our home. We are very excited to have you here, Luna.”

I smiled sheepishly, not expecting to be announced like that. “Thank you, Beckett.”

“It’s my pleasure. Please, come sit with us. Meet my mate.” He led me over to a table where there sat a pretty red-haired woman. “Gemma, this is Emery, Damon’s new mate.”

Gemma looked up at me with a wide smile and a soft handshake. “Emery, it is so nice to meet you! I’m so glad you’re here!”

“Thank you, I’m so happy to meet you,” I replied, glad there were so many kind people in this pack.

“Maybe we will be able to trust them after all…,~”~River hummed.

“I hope so…~”~ I replied, wondering the same thing.

***

EMERY

At the end of dinner, I realized I hadn’t seen Damon come in. I looked around before leaning across the table to Gemma. “Does Alpha Damon not eat dinner?”

Gemma shrugged, “I don’t believe he eats any of his meals with the pack anymore. He hasn’t for a long time.”

“Why?” I asked curiously. It was uncommon for an Alpha to eat separately from the pack.

“He…he just doesn’t,” she replied quietly.

I could tell she was hiding something, but I wasn’t about to press it. At least not today. “When does he eat then?” I asked.

“I’m not sure,” Gemma replied. “I think the pack cooks send him a plate. Either that or he cooks it himself in his quarters.”

I sat back with a huff. “Interesting,” I replied.

I shrugged it off before bidding my new friends goodnight and heading back to the apartment. I walked in to find Alpha Damon sitting on the couch.

“Oh!” I said, startled at the fact he was actually there. “I was looking for you earlier. We missed you at dinner.”

He let out a humph before standing from the couch.

“Okay then…,” I said quietly to myself, rolling my eyes at his continuous state of grumpiness. I followed him down the hallway until he stopped and turned around.

“What are you doing?” he asked, stepping closer.

“I…I’m going to bed,” I stammered, uncomfortably taking a step back.

“Did you already forget our conversation? We are mates by title only. I don’t want a mate and I don’t need one. You will not be sleeping in my room,” he replied gruffly.

“Okay, then where am I sleeping?” I asked, frustration creeping into my voice.

“Your things are in that room,” he replied, pointing to one of the spare rooms.

“Oh…,” I replied quietly before heading to my room. I walked in and saw my bags next to the closet door. I let out a frustrated huff before collapsing on the bed.

“What am I going to do?” I asked the air as I thought about my mate and the walls he seemed to have up. He scared me a little. To say he was intimidating was an understatement.

And yet I found myself thinking about him. His steel-blue eyes, the way it felt when he had placed his hand on my back, the way his jaw clenched when he looked down at me.

“We’ll wear him down… ~I~t’s only the first day, after all,~”~River said reassuringly.

“Maybe,” I replied.

I sat up in bed, my mind racing. I closed my eyes and placed my hands on my chest, finally getting the moment I needed to calm myself before drifting off to sleep.

DAMON

I laid awake in bed trying to get my mind off that girl. She was so set on being mates, on having a relationship.

I had done that. I wasn’t going to do it again.

And yet, I couldn’t stop thinking about her.

“It’s the mate pull. You know she’s amazing, you can feel her. She’s going to make a great Luna…,~”~ Jax said.

I let out a huff before rolling over to try and get some sleep.

In the morning I woke up and pulled myself out of bed, knowing I had things to do. An Alpha’s work was never done.

I decided this morning I would head down to the field for training. It had been a while.

As I walked out of my room, I was hit by her scent. I looked down to see her sitting on the couch, reading.

“Good morning, Alpha,” she said brightly, looking up at me with a smile.

“Morning…,” I mumbled before walking down the stairs and out of the apartment.

***

As I walked into my room a few hours later, sweaty and dirty, I was glad I had made the time to get in some training. It was just what I needed.

I headed down to the office only to bump right into Emery.

“Oh!” she huffed as we collided. “I’m sorry, Alpha, I was actually on my way to look for you.”

I walked into my office, my mate following close behind. “What do you need?”

She sat across from my desk and I watched impatiently as she fidgeted uncomfortably.

“Emery,” I huffed, “what?”

She looked up at me with anxiety. “Well, honestly, I’m bored.”

“Excuse me?” I asked, my eyes narrowing as I tried to figure out where she was going with this.

“Back home I worked every day in the pack clinic. I had something to do. I’m just wondering if there’s anything you need help with, or if there’s something I can do for the pack,” she replied hastily.

I sat back in my chair, not expecting her to want to do anything. She seemed so fragile. “I don’t know,” I replied before beginning my work.

“Oh…okay,” she replied before standing. “Well, if you need anything, just let me know.” She walked out of the room, closing the door behind her.

I let out a huff before sitting back in my seat again and running a hand through my hair. She had left the entire room smelling of vanilla. It was clouding my mind.

There was no way I was getting any more work done. I walked out of the room and into my Beta’s office.

“Hey, Damon,” Beckett said as I entered.

“Beck, how are the patrols working?” I asked, hoping to find a reason to be in there.

“Good,” he replied, nodding his head. “They seem to be doing a lot better now with the new schedule. Fewer slipups and less fatigue, better morale.”

“Good,” I replied.

“I met your mate,” he said with a smirk. “She seems nice. And she’s pretty.”

I rolled my eyes at his teasing, “I hadn’t noticed.”

“Ha!” he scoffed, leaning back in his chair. “You and I both know that isn’t true!”

I shook my head. “I don’t want a mate.”

Beckett shook his head. “You can’t hold onto that forever. You and I both know you won’t be your best Alpha without her, and the pack needs her.”

I rubbed my temples. “I know…”

“Good,” he huffed, “Now when is the Luna ceremony?”

I looked up at him with surprise. I hadn’t even thought about it. “I don’t know,” I shrugged. “When is the next full moon?”

“Three days,” Beckett smirked.

I rolled my eyes. “Get it planned then…,” I mumbled.