Chapter 15: Emily's last word.
I hopped like a toad the rest of the way home, to break the news to my mother.
When I got home, mom was waiting for me outside beside two bags. I wasn't surprised that uncle Phil finally kicked us out.
"Emily!" My mother ran to me.
I forgot how worried she must be about my disappearance. Her bruises were almost gone.
"Mom, he threw us out, didn't he?" I asked as I fought the urge to call my uncle names.
"No, he didn't. But we are leaving. Last night was too much. He could have killed you, Em."
My mother picked up the bags and then she was walking towards the old car that was falling apart.
I heard uncle Phil step outside to yell at us.
"You are not taking my car, Eloise!"
"It was our father's car, dimwit! And he left it to me" my mother yelled back.
I refuse to pay attention to my uncle, choosing to break the news to my mother.
"Mom, we have nowhere to go for now…let's just wait till…"
My mother interrupted me with an information that knocked the wind out of my lungs.
"We are going to castaway. Your father would have no choice but to acknowledge you as his daughter and heir to his throne"
Mom opened the booth and placed the bag inside.
Wait! Was my mother delusional now? Heir to the throne of Castaway?
Wait! Was the earth still revolving around the sun or did it just become flat?
"Mom, you don't understand. I am not leaving"
"Yes, you are. I have enough money to take you to your father. You are his daughter. You are the princess of castaway. You have an inheritance and we are going to claim it"
"Mom, I am illegitimate!" I yelled at her.
She froze. I guess I have never said that out loud before.
"It doesn't matter, i am leaving and you are coming with me, child"
Oh my goodness, mother! She always finds a way to make me feel like I was five all over again.
"I can't. I found my mate!" I told her at last.
"You are seventeen. It's not possible" Mom rolled her eyes like I was just throwing a tantrum to make her miserable.
"Well, it is if my mate just turned eighteen and he found me. Mom, I am Owen's mate. If his brother suddenly dies and Owen inherits the pack then I will be Luna!" I jumped in excitement.
But I should probably not tell my mate I wished his elder brother was dead, so I could be Luna.
I saw my mother's expression. It went from shock to excitement.
"Are you sure?" She asked as tears pooled in her eyes.
"I am, mom…he is…he will announce it today in front of the pack"
Eloise exhaled sharply and looked away. Then she touched her heart like she was begging it to be still.
"I always knew that I screwed up my life, Emily but the thought that I might've screwed up yours too, that thought keeps me awake at night. That thought is the reason I wake up covered in sweat most mornings. And you are telling me that you found a mate?"
"Yes, Mom…I did"
I hugged my mother. She hides her sadness well but she was a freaking warrior princess to me.
"Owen has agreed to allow you to stay with us after" I told her just so she doesn't feel like I was leaving her behind.
"Don't worry about me, child? I will stay with the black silver pack until your announcement this evening but with or without you, I am still going to castaway. I need closure. I need to know why he never came back for me. I just need to know"
I understood. I couldn't imagine Owen leaving me behind for seventeen years.
"Who wants ice cream?!" Mom yelled to cheer me up.
"Emily does!"
It was our mantra and for the first time in a while, I was really happy.
Mom let me skip school and we took walks and we talked to each other about the lives we were about to undertake.
We were halfway through our third chocolate ice cream when we heard the call via the mind link.
"Wait! It's too early" Mom complained with a sudden frown. I knew she was anxious about losing me to my mate.
"I guess Owen couldn't wait to tell the whole pack about us" I grabbed my mother's hand "Come on mom, we have to get to the pack house. I can't be late to my own announcement"
"Emily, wait…something is wrong"
"I know…it's called a mother's worst fear…letting me go. Now, come on"
We raced to the pack house, even found our way to Alpha's point. Which was the name of the empty field where Alpha Noah gave all of his announcement.
I was breathless when I got there. I could see Owen standing beside his father and mother. I waved at him and he looked away.
So, we are playing that game now, Owen white? My mate was playing hard to get. Good, we have the rest of our lives to play the game.
I saw Tabitha brown, Chastity and her sidekick, and I wanted to yell 'in your face, queen bee…I got the prince' but that seemed too childish and spiteful for the future Luna of the pack.
Shit! Again with killing Owen's brother in my head, I needed to get my acts together.
Alpha Noah cleared his throat and started talking.
"Today, my son Owen turned eighteen years of age and the moon goddess has shown him his mate. Now, Owen knows the right thing to do. Black silver pack, it's time for a declaration!"
Owen stepped out to address the pack.
I could feel my heart pounding in my chest. I couldn't believe that this was it. I am Owen's and he is….
"I, Owen White….. reject you, Emily Sanders as my mate. I am thereby severing the bond between us"
The last thought that went through my head before everything became pitch black was….s-h-i-t!