Chapter 160


    The moment her fist connected with my shoulder


    ; I knew Cassidy hadn’t been exaggerating . Emilia punched hard , like MMA level hard . Not only was


    she strong , but she was fast too . She came at me without warning , without shifting into a stance that


    let me know the battle had begun . She had hoped to catch me off guard , but Chris had skinned my


    hide too many times for me to make that mistake again . His method of keeping me on my toes came in


    the form of sneaking through my window in the dead of night .


    If I weren’t o n my feet the second the window cracked open , I’d quickly find myself groaning on the


    floor with the taste of blood in my mouth . His methods weren’t humane by any means , but they


    worked . Boy , did they work . I used my small stature to weave in and out of her blows , a partner in a


    painful dance that would surely leave me ck and blue . If I weren’t a Luna or a Vampire , I might’ve


    lost this fight . That being said , m y positions gave me power and speed , both of which I used in


    abundance just to remain on my feet .


    ” You see how she’s not letting me knock her off bnce … ” Emilia shouted to the ss who watched


    with overflowing interest despite the thick silence that enveloped the room . ” If you fall in battle , you


    have seconds – seconds to act before your mistake bes fatal . ” To prove her point , Emilia let me


    knock her to the ground .


    In a move that I would’ve done if the roles had been reversed , she kicked out with her long legs and


    managed to clip my ankle in the process . My legs buckled from the sharp pain that danced up my


    tendons and bone , but a quick roll to the side followed by a few sharp jabs kept me advancing


    forwards . What ended our match was a sharp whistle that exploded from the back of the room .


    I barely noticed it . The shrill sound couldn’t reach me , not while this sea of adrenaline churned in my


    head , its frigid waters bursting with every technique , move , and tip I’d learned from Chris . When


    Emilia faltered mid punch and I managed tond a crushing kick to the side of her ribcage , I knew the


    whistle hadn’t been intended for me .


    The warrior , whose prowess I actually found myself admiring fell to the ground . She recovered quickly


    , with speed I found impressive despite the fact that I was faster . Before she could make it to her feet ,


    my foot was at her throat . I kept it there , hovering above her pulse point , feeling the faint thud hit the


    millimeter of air between us .


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    I could’ve used this moment to assert myself , tond a final blow that would prove to these wolves that


    I wasn’t one to be messed with , but it was Emilia’s eyes that halted the idea in its tracks . They at me


    with pride , but also just a stared up hint of fear . It was that fear that made me lower my foot and


    extend a hand .


    here , he’s got it . ” Emilia said through heavy breaths , smiling as she wiped the sweat from her


    forehead The expression soured as she turned to re daggers at the ss . Even I had to repress the


    urge to finch at the ferocity in her voice . ” Who did that ? ” For far too long the ss stood in silence ,


    most of them cowering under her heavy stare .


    I noticed quickly that Cassidy wasn’t one of them , and Emilia seemed to notice as well because her


    eyes darkened t o a muddy brown when they registered her face and tense posture . Cassidy took a


    step forward and Emilia’s mouth opened , but the high – pitched bleating of a cellphone rang out


    instead of her voice . ” Apologies , I’m afraid I have to take this . ” Emilia murmured to the ss ,


    though her eyes remained on my tanned , narrow eyed friend She slipped from the room without


    another word , her shrill ringtone fading a s she walked down the hall.


    ” Way to kick some ass , Luna ! ” Cassidy cheered when I ventured back to her side . A snicker


    escaped her lips as she toyed with the end of her ponytail . ” Goddess , what a cathartic experience .


    I’ve been waiting to see her get her ass kicked for years now . H ” You really don’t like her , huh ? ” I


    kept m yugh light but couldn’t help the way my head tilted with curiosity . Knowing she’d chew me out


    if I said this aloud , I slid into her thoughts and asked the question circling my brain . ‘


    Were you the one that whistled at her ? ” Cassidy’s eyes twinkled mischievously , and within their


    depths I swore I saw something that reminded me of Chelsea . ‘ It was a bit harsh ; I know … but you


    have n o clue how much she hasing to her . ‘ Her thoughts had a sour undertone that alerted me


    to how much she disliked Emilia . With a quiet grunt she lowered herself to the floor and ced her


    back against the wall . ‘ She seems friendly and approachable … can’t help but wonder what she did to


    make you hate her so much . ” I said


    truthfully , sitting down beside her as we waited for Emilia to return . ‘ Look … if I show you this , you


    can’t tell anyone , got it ? I mean , obviously people already know , but they don’t speak about i t


    because they’re all weaklings who fear m e … and rightfully so . ‘ Cassidy huffed , gnawing on her


    lower lip until the pale pink of her skin turned red .


    As she tucked the golden strands of her bangs behind her ear , a fuzzy image began to form in my


    head , one that was pulled from the depths of someone else’s memory . ” Ugh , Cass wait up ! ”


    Brandon shouted , his voice a few octaves higher and his appearance almost ten years younger . His


    feet seemed tond in every single puddle , sending droplets of muddy water scattering into the air .


    They seeped into the white t – shirt he wore , but only made the grin on his face widen . It was one of


    yful joy and not the callous scowl I was used to seeing him wearing . ” Not a chance in hell ! Last


    time I was it for two weeks . You’re not catching me anytime soon ! ” I heard Cassidy say , her


    through the tall grass feet away . It swayed in the breeze , jostled by the light rain that continued to fall .


    ” Only Asher can catch me ! He’s never it ! ” ” Asher’s in Alpha training , Cass . You know he doesn’t


    have time to y anymore . ” Brandon’s little frown and furrowed brows squeezed at my heart hard


    enough for me to memorize the forlorn look thatsted on his face for only a few precious seconds .


    ” Well I’m noting out until he catches me . He promised he would this time ! ” She shouted from


    deeper within the grass , her voice facing with each word tossed into the air . Brandon groaned loudly


    and threw his hands in the air , ” Fine ! I’ll get Asher , but you have to promise you won’t sneak out


    while I’m gone . That’s cheating , and cheating means you’re automatically it . ” H ” What ?! ” Cassidy


    squealed in horror , You just made that rule up ! “


    ” Can’t hear you anymore – walking away now , going to get Asher . ” Brandon shouted , cupping his


    hands around his lips as he backed away . When his small form vanished behind a hill , I saw a pale


    face with bright blue eyes pop out of the grass . The cheeky grin belonged to Cassidy , though it was


    and headed in the direction opposite to where Brandon went ,


    I realized she couldn’t have been older than thirteen . The scenery changed as she walked , her blue


    jeans darkening with each water droplet thatnded on them . Even her paisley top , which looked


    adorable when paired with the dainty charm bracelet around her wrist , was changing colors from the


    rain . Before long we stood in a small neighborhood , simr to the one Asher’s parents lived in . Even


    in the rain , children crowded the sidewalks .


    Bikes and scooters , sticks of melting chalk clutched in the hands of kids too young to partake in many


    other activities . They were everywhere ,ughing and ying like there tomorrow would nevere .


    It breathed life into Cassidy’s cheerful walk , which soon fizzled out when I heard Emilia’s voice . ” You


    should’ve known better than toe back around here .


    ” Emilia said , appearing from the side of a pale – yellow house whose front porch was in the beginning


    stages of construction . Even as a child her champagne eyes were bright and her voice a high soprano


    that reminded me of a robin’s song . Those eyes of hers narrowed into little slits and her hands became


    fists that trembled at her sides .


    ” You don’t own the neighborhood , dummy . ” Cassidy sneered , wiping away some of the ash blonde


    curls that clung to the sides of her wet face . ” This is Asher’s pack , and Asher is my friend ! ” I hadn’t a


    clue what happened before this , what events formed the snowball that grew and grew until it was an


    avnche cresting down the side of a great mountain , ready to crush them all . They were children ,


    but the way they red at one another reminded me of adults . Emilia stomped over to Cassidy and


    grabbed a handful of her hair without warning , breaking out into a run that forced a scream from


    Cassidy’s mouth .


    She had no choice but to follow and bled onto the sidewalk after Emilia . The other children looked at


    the fight happening just feet away on the sidewalk where so many of them yed . Some pointed ,


    othersughed and taunted Cassidy , who quickly found herself on the pavement . Emilia leaned down


    to whisper something in Cassidy’s ear when the memory came t o an end . Even though I was floating


    back to the present , I could still taste the rain on my tongue and could see the murder that mixed with


    the embarrassment on young Cassidy’s face . I blinked a few times , pawing at my eyes when they


    began to water from the artificial light .


    Cassidy’s face came into focus , slender and much more angr than it had been all those years ago ,


    though her expression was exactly the same . Rage and embarrassment . ‘ Looks like Asher wasn’t


    kidding when he said she doesn’t handle embarrassment well . ‘ Maya murmured , ttening her ears


    against her skull . ‘ What is it she whispered in your ear ? ‘ I couldn’t help but ask , feeling my curiosity


    expand in my chest like a bubble ready to pop .


    The door opened with a slight creak and Emilia stepped back inside . In that same moment , Cassidy


    gave her a feverish re and sent her answer rushing down the mind – link , so fast that the words


    rattled around in my head before rearranging themselves . ‘


    She told me he wouldn’t be my friend for long , not once she got her hands on him … she promised


    she’d make sure he knew just how ugly and disgusting I actually was . The way she said it struck me


    as odd . There was no emotion in her voice , no burst of rage turning her iris’s a deep shade of blue . It


    wasn’t the words Emilia said that stuck with her , that turned her anger into something more potent . It


    had been the embarrassment , the shame she felt when she was vulnerable and broken , teased by the


    cruel children who did nothing to help . We didn’t speak of the past for the rest of the lesson , and


    instead put every ounce of our focus into sparring .


    Once ss was finished and every ounce of pent – up rage flowed from Cassidy’s body and into the


    mats , we emerged out the set of double doors leading into the parking lot . ” Hey , I’ve got to get going


    . I’m getting all dolled up tonight to go out with Kendrick . ” Her lips tilted up in a silky smile that


    contained a double meaning I didn’t miss . After saying our goodbyes I readied myself to merge into the


    sea of students flooding the parking lot .


    It was Emilia’s voice , oddly unchanged from her childhood , which gave me pause . ” Luna ! Mind if I


    get a word ? ” She shouted above the chaos of the crowd , all of which were eager to get home and


    shower before continuing with the rest of their day . For a moment I contemted ignoring her ,


    feigning ignorance as I vanished within the throng of people . It was a tugging in my gut , a feeling of


    concreteness that made me turn around and wait for her to catch up . ” You were beyond impressive


    back there , really . If you weren’t Luna I’d offer you a position , effective tomorrow .


    ” Emilia put every ounce of emotion into herugh , which was warm and effortless despite the cruelty I


    saw on her child – like face . She pulled a small pin from her hair and sent the tiny ringlets spiraling


    down her shoulders . ” I was serious about hiring that trainer of yours , though . You think he might be


    interested ? ” ” Mmm , he’s a bit of a … recluse . ” I cringed at the word I used , knowing Chris would


    kick me into next week if he heard me saying such a thing . He didn’t like it when I brought up his


    general hatred of other people , even less so when I attached words like recluse , hermit , or loner .


    Seeing the disappointment form on her face and the light leave her eyes made me stumble for a


    solution .


    I can’t promise anything … but I can try to get a hold of him , at least to ry the offer . ” ” Yes ! Oh , I


    can’t thank you enough . Tell him benefits are included along with pension and retirement . We can


    work out his sry if he agrees . ” She nodded eagerly , but her excitement was short lived . A student


    with bleach – blonde hair passed by , and the cheerfulness on Emilia’s face dropped . Even though the


    girl’s roots were a deep shade of brown ,


    I knew it was Cassidy she reminded her of . ” During ss did you see who whistled ? ” Emilia asked


    quietly , her eyes scanning the parking lot as the grim expression on her face darkened . It didn’t


    appear from out of nowhere , but instead seemed to resurface from somewhere deep within . With lips


    pressed into a thin line and reluctance hardening the softness of her face she asked , ” was it Cassidy


    who did i t ? ” I opened my mouth , but nothing came out .


    There was this twisting in my gut that felt right and wrong all at once , like a storm of knives and


    butterflies that refused to cease . It yanked me in Emilia’s direction , only to send me spiraling in


    Cassidy’s . Even with that torn shred of the past , I had no clue who to trust . Unfortunately , my


    hesitation was answer enough .


    Emilia nodded her head , and the bleak understanding in her eyes made an apology float past my lips .


    ” Don’t apologize , Luna . I know it wasn’t your fault . ” She shook her head gently , her lips twitching at


    my surprise . ” You probably don’t remember me , but I was one of the warriors that came to help when


    your father attacked your old pack . I killed a lot of Vampire’s that day , and each one haunts me the


    moment the sun goes down . Corey , my mate , he’s a good guy . Keeps me safe from what demons


    he


    can , even though it’ll never be enough to save me . On that battlefield , I realized something . The


    Vampire’s , they’re just like us . Hating , loving , fighting each day t o survive and make something of


    themselves . Seeing them as monsters , it makes us no better than the humans that call us beasts .


    You were the first to see that . It’s why I support you , Luna … and why I always will . ” Her eyes


    darkened into that muddy brown as a shadow of a memory ghosted across her face , ” It’s also why I’m


    going to take the risk and warn you , knowing it could be my job or life on the line if you don’t like what


    I’m about to say …. ” You don’t have to worry about your job … or your life . “


    I swallowed and tightened m y grip on the water bottle in my hands , even though it would do nothing to


    soothe my dry throat . ” I appreciate the reassurance , Luna … and I do hope you listen when I say this


    . ” Emilia murmured , her voice quiet and eyes guarded as they scanned the space above my head , far


    into the parking lot where students still milled about . “


    I’ve done things in my past , stuff I’m not proud of but I’m no longer that kind of she -wolf . People


    change every day , but Cassidy – she isn’t one of them . I’m not telling you to not be her friend , but just


    keep what I’m telling you in mind . She can be charming and nice … until she isn’t anymore . ” ” }