Claiming Emerald: Four Alphas At Her Feet
Chapter 98: Nessa’s Specialty...

Chapter 98: Nessa’s Specialty...

A pillow slammed into Emerald’s face.

"Up!" Nessa snapped. "You’ve slept in like a corpse!"

Emerald groaned and pulled the blanket over her head, shielding herself from the light streaming into her room from the window. "What time is it?"

"It’s almost noon!"

That got her eyes open. Emerald sat up with a jolt, her hair sticking out at odd angles in all directions. "What?!"

"Yeah, shocking, I know. You, the one who barely blinks past 6 a.m., is snoring into her pillow at lunchtime. I mean, as Alpha of the Midnight Fang... you deserve applause."

"Crap!" Emerald scrambled out of bed, nearly tripping on the edge of the duvet as she darted for the bathroom. "Give me ten minutes!"

Nessa leaned against the door frame. "Why the rush? You obviously had no trouble snoring your way through the morning."

"I wasn’t snoring," Emerald called out through the door. Water splashed as the shower turned on. "And you wouldn’t understand."

"Try me."

"It was your dad’s idea," Emerald said simply, her voice muffled by the running water. "And yours too, if I remember correctly."

Nessa raised a brow. "We planned to make you sleep like a hibernating bear?"

"No," Emerald said through a mouthful of foam. "Your plan was to get me away from the pack. I agreed. I’m leaving."

There was a beat of silence, long enough for the sound of the faucet to become the only thing in the room. "...What?"

"I’m going away for a while," Emerald clarified, spitting out toothpaste. "I told Adrien to come get me today."

Nessa’s jaw dropped. "Wait... wait, wait. You’re actually going through with it?"

"Can you get some food brought up?" Emerald called out again, voice muffled by the towel she was using to dry her face. "And help me pack something decent?"

A pause. Then came a high-pitched squeal. "Ooh. Don’t tell me you’re doing what I think you’re doing?"

Emerald opened the bathroom door, steam billowing around her like an enchanted mist. "If you think I’m running off with one of my potential mates to his estate for a few days... then yes."

Nessa squealed louder and threw another pillow. "Finally!"

Emerald ducked with a laugh and pointed at the wardrobe. "Start packing."

"Already on it." Nessa launched toward the wardrobe like a woman possessed, flinging open drawers with the enthusiasm of someone going to war. "We’re talking comfy day wear, cute night sets, tactical boots... oh and most importantly... lingerie!"

Emerald narrowed her eyes, the towel now wrapped tightly around her like armour. "I need clothes, not an after-hours fashion show."

"Relax," Nessa said, already tossing silk and lace into the suitcase like she was building a runway collection. "We’re packing both."

Emerald sighed and shook her head, the beginnings of a smirk forming on her face. "You’re enjoying this way too much."

Nessa grinned like the cat who caught the canary. "I’ve been waiting forever to play wingwoman. Don’t ruin this for me."

Emerald shook her head and went in to take her bath.

By the time she finished her bath, put on a soft-knit top and black leggings, twisted her hair into a messy bun, and sat down with a tray of breakfast on her lap, Nessa was just finishing up with the packing.

Emerald paused. "That’s not packing. That’s seduction prep."

Nessa looked smug. "You called Adrien to come pick you, didn’t you?"

"I did."

"Eggzackly; that means I packed right. So... what did you two talk about?"

"I actually called just to let him know to come get me today. But... we ended up talking."

"About?"

"Everything. Nothing. I don’t know. But we ended up talking all night. I didn’t even notice the sky getting lighter."

Nessa folded a sheer red nightgown and tucked it into the suitcase. "I’m proud of you."

Emerald raised an eyebrow. "You’re proud that I spent half the night on the phone?"

"No. I’m proud that you finally reached out to one of your mates without needing to be poked and prodded like a stubborn cow."

Emerald rolled her eyes. "Did you have to go with ’cow’?"

"Metaphors are my speciality."

Emerald leaned over to peek into the suitcase. "Did you pack anything that I can actually wear in daylight?"

"There’s lingerie. And backup lingerie."

Emerald groaned. "Nessa..."

"There are dresses too! Somewhere underneath. I think."

"Please tell me there’s something other than lace."

Nessa winked. "You’re not going there to knit, Em."

Emerald grabbed a croissant from the tray, leaving where she sat and settling into the chair by the window. "I’m trusting you packed normal clothes."

"I did."

"She’s lying," Viola chimed in with amusement.

"Shut up," Emerald muttered under her breath.

"What was that?" Nessa asked.

"Nothing. Just arguing with myself."

Nessa closed the suitcase and dusted her hands. "Alright. All set. Now, listen. I’m not saying you have to seduce him..."

"You literally packed three sets of thigh-highs."

"...but if you do," Nessa continued. "... you’ll be prepared."

Emerald took another bite and chewed thoughtfully, not bothering to reply to her overexcited cousin.

Nessa leaned on the bedpost, arms crossed. "So. What do you think of them so far?"

Emerald blinked, mid-chew. "Who?"

"Your mates." Nessa gave her a smug look, like a teacher who knew the student hadn’t done their homework. "Got any favourites yet?"

Viola purred again. "All of them. Give me all."

Emerald nearly choked on her juice. She coughed, fanning herself. "I... uh, I don’t know."

Nessa tilted her head, clearly not buying it. "Come on. You’ve spent time with them. You must feel something."

Emerald hesitated, brushing a crumb off her plate and pretending to study the pattern on the comforter. "I guess I had the first connection with Kieran. There was something about him. Like, I don’t know... but there was this ease of flow with him."

Nessa nodded. "Makes sense. Old souls tend to find each other."

"And Lucian..." Emerald sighed, picking up a slice of toast and then putting it back down. "He’s calm and rational. His mind’s always clear, which is why he’s the one I’d want beside me in the middle of a crisis. But that’s also one of the reasons he frustrates me."

Nessa chuckled.

Emerald smiled slightly, her lips curling at the corners. But then she paused, and her expression changed as her thoughts shifted to Ares.

She loved the way his hands felt against her skin and how his voice lowered when he spoke just to her. When he was close, Viola’s reactions were a mix of fierce desire and gentle affection.

She didn’t say his name, though.

She moved on. "Adrien... he’s still a mystery. We’ve barely spent any time together aside from the first date. That’s why I called him, I guess. To figure things out."

Nessa gave her a sly look. "Yeah. Just after Dad and I practically forced you. But sure. Let’s pretend it was your decision."

Emerald rolled her eyes. "You’re insufferable."

"I’m just helping destiny along."

"Pfffttt..."

Then Nessa added, "What about the other one?"

Emerald froze.

She didn’t need clarification. She knew exactly who Nessa meant.

Her lips parted, and the words caught in her throat.

Luckily for Emerald, there was a knock at the door, and both ladies turned toward it. "Yes?"

A maid stepped in, head bowed politely. "Alpha? Forgive the interruption, but Alpha Adrien has arrived. His vehicle is waiting outside."

Emerald nearly dropped her cup. She gulped down the rest of her juice and jumped out of bed. "Great! Perfect. Fantastic timing."

The maid blinked. "Shall I bring the suitcase?"

"Yes, please." Emerald was already slipping on her boots, tugging the laces with a sense of urgency.

Nessa followed behind with a mischievous grin. "Call me... every day. Send me updates. Pictures. Texts. You better not disappear into Adrien’s mansion without letting me know you’re alive!"

"I’ll call," Emerald said, trying to avoid laughing. "Just don’t blow up my phone."

"I make no promises. And no, I’m not being clingy. I just want to know if I have to plan your wedding or your funeral, depending on how the week goes."

Nessa was still listing rules as they made their way down the stairs. Rule number five was about hydration, rule number six mentioned sunscreen, and Emerald drowned her out halfway through "rule number seven: no dodging emotional growth."

Then she saw him.

Adrien stood near the bottom of the stairs, dressed in dark jeans and a grey shirt that hugged his shoulders a little too well.

He was leaning against the bannister, casually chatting with one of the guards, but the moment he looked up and saw her, his face lit up like dawn breaking over the horizon.

"Good day, my sunshine."

Emerald smiled despite herself.

As she walked down, her mind drifted back to Nessa’s question.

The mate bond was one thing. But developing feelings... that was something else entirely. She certainly felt the pull with all of them. The heat, the connection.

But lately...

Her mind betrayed her with a flash of Ares’s lips on her throat, the feel of his hands, rough and reverent all at once. The way her body responded to him was like a prayer answered.

She didn’t know what she felt for him, but she knew it was time to put that aside. At least for the next few days.