Preferred by the Luna

Emma clung to Quincy, unable to look at her mate's damaged body. "Is he going to make it," she whispered against his dirty tee shirt. "I don't know Luna, but I believe that with you by his side, he has more of a chance. I know it's hard to see him this way, but even if he isn't conscious his wolf will feel you. It will help him heal faster." Quincy nudged her elbow for her to turn around. She wiped at her eyes with one hand and took a shuddered breath. Letting go of his shirt with her other hand, she turned and looked at her mate. Just this morning he had been strong and handsome. His brown hair was now a dirty mess and there were bald spots where his hair had been burned off. His beautiful green eyes were closed and swollen shut already. His face was dirty, and he had a burn mark on the right side of his face. Her eyes trailed farther down his body, assessing the damage. His arms usually held her with so much care and were now laying limply by his side. She watched his chest, searchi

Emma sat in the lobby with a cup of cold coffee in her hand. It had been several hours since they took her mate back for surgery. She hated not knowing what was going on and she was exhausted. She tried to stifle a yawn. Her eyes drooped and she fought to keep them open. Losing the ability to fight sleep much longer, she tucked her feet under her and leaned her head against the wall. She set the coffee on the table next to her and let her eyes drift closed. She didn't know how long she had been sleeping but she suddenly wakened to the sound of someone calling her name. She cracked her eyes open and tried to rub the sleep from them. Quincy was there, holding a blanket and pillow. “Here, let me show you how to lay that chair out into a cot. While I do that I can fill you in on my conversation with Alpha Liu.” Emma nodded and stood up for him to pull the chair away from the wall. He quickly maneuvered the chair into a cot and waited for her to sit so he could cover her with the blanket.

Her alarm sounded and Emma stretched as she climbed out of the hospital bed. She washed her face and brushed her teeth before returning to Daryl’s side. “I’m going to see the men off this morning and I will be back. I promise you, I will make these men pay for what they have done.” She kissed his temple and walked to the pack house. She quickly showered and arranged her brown hair into a French twist. Tendrils framed her face as she dabbed on a little bit of makeup to hide how tired and stressed she was. After a swipe of mascara and lipgloss, she was ready. Her dark green dress reminded her of Daryl’s eyes so she had specifically worn it today. Most of the pack would be asleep right now, and she was glad that she wouldn’t be interrupted by tasks for a few more hours. Quincy and the team of 6 men were waiting outside next to two black cars. “Please be careful and check in often,” she told the men. Alpha Lou’s men were quiet, only speaking when necessary. It was something

Emma sat in the hospital room with a calm exterior, but inside she was falling apart. None if this was right. Her mate should not be in that bed, possibly never waking up. She should not be facing the possibility of raising a baby alone. She wasn’t even ready to have kids! Negative thoughts filled her mind as her eyes became unfocused. She could hear the doctor’s voice, but she didn’t have a clue what he was saying. Her mind drew up memories and created scenarios that felt real. She was physically in the room with Quincy and Dr. Adams, but mentally she was very far away. She urged herself to focus. She knew that there were too many responsibilities resting on her shoulders for her to have the luxury of falling apart, but she just wanted to leave it all for someone else to deal with. She imagined walking away from the pack duties if Daryl didn’t make it. Even if he didn’t die, would she want to spend the rest of her life taking care of the pack without her mate?  

Emma tucked her blouse into her skirt and checked her reflection in the floor length mirror on her closet door. She wanted to look happy and confident, so she chose a cream-colored top with a light floral-patterned skirt and pink flats. Today she really needed to convince the pack that everything was going to be fine. She didn’t want them to worry about her ability to handle things. If they didn’t feel confident in her ability to lead them, someone may get brave enough to challenge her. Word spreads quickly, and someone from outside the pack could challenge her as well. She was confident in her fighting skills, but she didn’t want to fight while pregnant. She ran her hand through her shoulder length brown hair, wishing that she had better skills at fixing it. Today it was just down and straight. She didn’t want to look like she put in too much effort, but she would like to be one of those women who always had a cute hairstyle. Sighing, she linked Quincy. ‘I’m ready whenever you are.’