Whoa.That was a lot to digest, but it also was good information to have. No matterhow powerful Layla seemed, she had a weakness. Two actually. I owed Alek bigtime for that pep talk.
Afew minutes later there was a knock at the door. I rolled my eyes. “Max, you’resuch a guard dog!” I shouted, opening it.
Butit wasn’t Max, it was Emma.
“Hey,what are you doing out here?” As I got closer, I saw that her eyes were red likeshe had been crying.
“What’swrong? Avery?” My stomach dropped.
Emmashook her head. “She’s fine, can we talk inside?”
Shewas making me nervous. I led her inside and sat on the couch.
Shereached out and touched the black chunk of my hair. “It’s weird to see that.”
Isighed, remembering her lying there … dead. Yeah, that was weird, too. Isqueezed her hand.
“So,what’s up?” I knew my friend. She didn’t look good. Something was majorlywrong. Had I been helping out enough? I had been a little busy with all of thisdrama and being a new mom was hard.
Shelooked on the verge of tears. “I think I should move back to Utah and be withmy parents. Join their pack.”
Mymouth dropped open. “What? Why?” Kai would be devastated, Emma was hisfavorite. She was my favorite. No way!
“Ineed more help with Avery. It’s too hard,” she said and stared off, not lookingat me as tears fell from her porcelain cheeks.
Myheart ached for her. “Well, give us a chance. We can increase shifts. I willmove in with you. I thought the pack was helping enough, but–”
“Ican’t stay here!” she shouted and started crying. Big sobs racked her body andas she leaned into me and I held her tight.
Igrabbed the sides of her face, pulling her up to look at me. “I’m pregnant,okay?” I told her.
Suddenly,she smiled, tears still leaking from her eyes.
“Andyou’re my best friend. I want our kids to grow up together. You have to teachme how to be a mother. I need you. Don’t leave me,” I whimpered. Screw thisdominance thing. I would straight up get on my knees and beg for Emma to stay.I would do anything for her.
Emmachewed her lip. “Okay, it’s not that I need more help with the baby. I lied.Everyone has been overly helpful. I’m the most well-rested new mother in the universeand my house and clothes are too clean.”
Myhead jerked back at her admission of lying, my hands fell to my lap. “Okay … sowhat is it? Do you feel unsafe?” Female werewolf safety was a big deal andlately they were getting snatched up. Maybe she thought we couldn’t protect herand Avery.
Emmagave me a haunted look. “That house!” she screamed, pointing in the directionof her home. “Our room, we picked out the bedspread together. The living room paintcolor, we fought for three days over that. It’s all Devon. Everywhere it’s allI see. My soulmate. I miss him.” She collapsed into sobs again.
Oh,shit. I hid back my own tears and swallowed hard. How stupid of me. I shouldhave guessed. Why didn’t I think of this sooner? Why did we keep her in thathouse?
Iheld her as she cried. “I understand and I’m so sorry. We’ll fix it. If that’sthe only reason, we can fix that. You can have our house. You can have any damnhouse you want. Just don’t leave me!”
Hersobs turned to laughter. “I’m not taking my Alpha’s house.” Her gaze rested onmy chin and my little submissive mouse was back.
Ismiled. “If you want it, you can have it. Whose house do you want? You name itand it’s yours.”
Shelaughed. “There are perks to being best friends with the Alpha’s mate.”
Ilaughed. “Yes, there are. Think about it. Seriously, anyone in this pack wouldswitch with you. Kai owns them all, anyway. Take Max’s house, it’s nice.”
Shesmacked my arm. “You just want to piss Max off.”
Igrinned. “Maybe.”
“Allright, I’ll stay if we can move Avery and me,” she said finally and it lookedlike a weight had lifted off of her.
