I made my way toward the back hall. Before I could get there, she stepped in front of the hall door, blocking me as she glared up at me.
“Good for you,” she said as she folded her arms. “I don’t see how that has anything to do with me. I left the pack.” She shook her head, arms flopping to her side again after brushing a strand of hair from her face, as if she didn’t know how to hold herself. “How the hell did you even find me? I don’t talk to anyone from the pack.”
“It took a bit of work,” I said. “You didn’t make it easy.”
“It’s almost as if I didn’t want anyone from my past tracking me down,” she said dryly. “Sort of like I wanted to live in peace.”
This wasn’t what I had expected at all. I glanced over at Sam, who leaned against the wall, amusement dancing on his face. When he caught me glancing at him, he shrugged.
“Unfortunately, that isn’t going to be possible any longer,” I said, dragging my attention back to Emma.
Uncertainty flickered across her face as she fidgeted, now glancing between the two of us, weight shifting from foot to foot.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” she asked.
“I’m here to take you back to Silver Falls,” I answered.
She gave a half-laugh of disbelief, as if she thought I was joking. When I remained silent, her own expression turned stern, and she folded her arms.
“You have got to be kidding,” she snarled. “I’m not going back.”
“You don’t have a choice,” I growled, taking several steps toward her. Her scent, a pleasant blackberry smell, was driving me wild. The last time I had smelled it was when she had been in my bed. It had lingered there for days after. Smelling it again sent my wolf into a frenzy.
“Are you serious? God, this is insane. You know, that sort of mentality is half the reason I left the pack in the first place. What the hell makes you think you have any right to tell me what I can and can’t do?” She scoffed, shaking her head. “‘I don’t have a choice?’ Of course I do. And I’m choosing to stay here.”
“Afraid that’s not an option,” I said.
“And why not?”
“You’re my luna,” I said.
Whatever she had been expecting, it wasn’t that. She took several steps back, reeling backward as if she’d been slapped. Her mouth dropped open as she stared up at me.
“What?” she finally managed to ask. Her eyes darted over to Sam, as if expecting him to burst into laughter at any moment and prove her theory that this was a huge prank.
“I spoke to the Oracle two days ago,” I said. “She told me you’re my mate, and we need to go through with the ceremony.”
Her jaw worked, but no sound came out. “What?” she finally managed to choke out.
“You’re my mate,” I repeated.
She gave another half-laugh, taking several steps back as her arms slipped around her stomach, her composure slipping for the first time since we had walked in.
“You’re joking,” she said. “This is a not-funny, elaborate joke.”
“Pack whatever you need for a few days,” I said, ignoring the comment. “We can have men come by and pick up whatever else you want us to bring later.” Based on the dilapidated state of some of her furniture, I would normally recommend burning most of it, but I’d suggest that at a later date, when she wasn’t in so much shock.
She gave a bitter laugh as she glared at me with more vitriol and disgust than I would have thought possible.
“You have to be crazy if you think that I’m going with you,” she snarled. “After everything you—”
“You don’t have a choice,” I growled, coming to stand in front of her.
“Is that so?” She folded her arms as she stared up at me. “Well, in case it escaped your notice, I’m not part of your pack any longer. You’re not my alpha. I don’t have to listen to a word you say. So thanks, but no. I’m not playing along with whatever bullshit this is.”
Part of me couldn’t help but be surprised. This was the type of thing most females dreamed of happening to them. I would have thought she’d be grateful. But besides the obvious anger she had no issue showing, she seemed almost afraid, or, at the very least, reluctant to return to Silver Falls.
“You’re coming,” I snarled. “You’re my luna whether you like it or not, and you’re coming with me one way or the other.”
