Chapter 6

He looked to be around my age. He had dark colored hair and his abs were visible through his white shirt. Saying he was hot would be like saying sugar is just kind of sweet. The understatement of the world! He looked up and noticed Rebecca and I. He smiled at me, but paled when he saw his Luna.

"Anthony Tyler Reynolds!" Rebecca shouted. I awkwardly shifted from foot to foot. "What are you doing?!"

"Making a sandwich," he said in a duh tone. Rebecca walked to his side of the counter and smacked the back of his head. "Ow!" he exclaimed.

"What part of 'no one better eat the food or I will personally rip your head off with my human teeth' did you not understand?" She crossed her arms and waited for him to answer. When he didn't, she continued. "I will not rip your head off since you are my son's friend, but you will make this girl a sandwich." She motioned to me.

Anthony's head snapped up to me. "Hey. I'm Anthony. Ant for short" he winked at me. Flirt much?

I looked at him questionably. "Ant? Like the bug?" I asked. He's most definitely not my mate. Don't want to be flirting with him.

Rebecca chuckled. "No. It's 'cause he likes to bug the crap out of people." Ant and I stared at her while she laughed at her own joke. "Tough crowd," she mumbled, walking out the kitchen.

"So... That was weird," Ant stated while starting to make another sandwich.

I sat on the stood by the kitchen island. "Yeah. Is she always like that?" I asked. Ant chuckled and nodded.

"Most of the time. She's kinda scary sometimes," he admitted. "So, what's your name?"

"Emma. Emafor short," I mocked his words. He smiled and handed me an plate with a sandwich. "Thanks."

"No problem. Are you new?" he asked.

I shook my head. "Just passing through," I stated vaguely. Ant's eyes went wide and he stared at me.

"You're her aren't you?" he asked with a smirk.

I looked at him confused. "Who's her?" I questioned.

"The Princess!" he shouted. I put my hand over his mouth and he licked it. I shrieked and wiped my hand on his shirt. Gross! Why would you lick someone's hand? Especially if you just met them! "So you are?!" he exclaimed.

"Shut up," I scolded him. He frowned. "Sorry. It's just that no one is supposed to know who I am. How do you know?" I asked.

Ant shrugged. "Word travels fast around packs." I gaped at him.

I'm in such big trouble and danger. And trouble. No one was supposed to know that I left the castle. What was the point in Ryan introducing me as his niece if people already know? "Ema?" Ryan's voice echoed through the kitchen. I couldn't say anything. I felt like I couldn't move. Like I was frozen, but watching everything happen around me.

"She's in the kitchen!" Ant yelled. Ryan walked into the kitchen and looked from me to Ant. His mouth was moving, but I couldn't hear him saying anything. Black dots started clouding my vision.

Nothing mattered. People knew that I was out. People would be out to get me. It wasn't safe anymore. I would probably have to go back home, mateless. Ryan stood in front of me and gripped my shoulders. "Emma. What's wrong?" Concern was clear in his voice. I knew what was happening. I was going into shock over something that seems so small. But I couldn't stop my thoughts from floating to what had happened to our Royal Warriors. I remembered playing outside, before Matthew was born. There were warriors standing guard, but were never needed. My mom was inside cooking, I just wanted to play. I was a kid. I remembered several men coming out of the tree line. One held a decapitated head. I remembered screeching at the top of my lungs. It was my first encounter with death. The warriors looking after me had sprinted to me. One grabbed me, hid my face in his shoulder, and told me not to look. I heard the other warriors shift as I was carried inside. I forced the memory out of my head, but I could only force two words out of my mouth. "They know." Then darkness took over.

Emma

I slowly opened my eyes and a bright light blinded me. I groaned and threw my arm over my face. I heard shuffling, then Ryan's voice.

"Ema? You're awake! Doc!" he exclaimed. His shouting made my head start pounding, causing me to grunt. I re-opened my eyes and saw Ryan standing above me. There was a familiar looking teenager sitting in the chair by the bed I was on. Ant. I looked around and noticed the familiar decor of a hospital room. There were more bed and chairs, a few curtains, and white walls.

"Hello, Emma. I'm the pack doctor." A woman with black glasses walked into the room with her ginger hair in a messy bun. "Do you feel any pain?" she asked white shining a small flashlight in my eyes.

I shook my head, but winced when it pounded. I held my head in my hands. "My head," I groaned.

"What's wrong with her head? She's in pain! Help her!" Ryan shouted at the doctor. I knew my moment of shock was dramatic; but Ryan was acting like I was going to die. I groaned and tightly shut my eyes, waiting for the pain to stop.

"I think you're making her head hurt," Ant said matter-of-factly.

Ryan scoffed and Anthony chuckled. "I think your presence is making her head hurt," Ryan childishly shot back. The two males started arguing back and forth, making my head hurt even more.