Chapter 9

• Emerson
• I sat on the couch, staring at the empty glass in my hand, the warmth of the alcohol doing little to soothe the turmoil inside me. Raven’s coldness haunted me—her indifference had sunk its claws deep into my chest, tightening with every moment that passed. And now, with Clark sniffing around, I couldn’t shake the feeling that things were about to get a lot worse.
• I was just about to head back to my room when I heard the door creak open. My beta, Luca, stepped inside, his usual composed demeanor giving way to concern. Luca was one of the few people I trusted completely—his loyalty to me was unquestionable, and he had a way of seeing through situations that I sometimes missed.