CHAPTER 53

Ema had lit only one lamp in her rooms and its low light made the shadow elongated. Lots of people were asleep or still rejoicing over the council that took place in the pack house last night. But for Ema, or rather, there is no rest, no peace. Her thoughts were complex and always evaluating, even the simplest decisions and actions that were made.

A gentle knock on the door stopped her from continuing the trains of thought. “Come in,” she said in a calm composed voice although from the look of things she was far from being calm inside.

A slim man entered the room closing the door behind him without making the least noise. Jackson, one of Ema’s best moles within the pack, inclined his head to show obeisance.

“My lady, I have news,” — whispered he.

Ema looked at him in the dimness with shining eyes. “Speak. ”

Jeremy was powerless to stop Jackson from babbling about Bruce and Elijah’s move against Ema and the evidence they’ve accumulated to prove that she has betrayed the pack; the plan to finally convene a pack council to strip Ema from the pack leadership.


Ema’s face did not change as she listened, but inside her head wheels were spinning. What could be wrong she had thought to herself, she had noted Bruce’s change of demeanor in the past three days. But this… this was more than she had anticipated So it was close, just as she had feared, but even closer than she could ever have imagined.

“And there is more,” Jackson said going on, his voice, however, showed that he was not totally sure. “The hybrid; our Amelia… she’s incomplete. ”

“Oh right, I did not know that” , Ema’s only response, her eyebrows arching a little to show her astonishment. “Missing? Explain. ”

Jackson shifted uncomfortably. “I listened to Bruce and Elijah speak – they have no idea where she is The woman is gone from some hideout place Bruce and Elijah have her cornered into now they are scared, my lady–and rather lost. ”

This new information made Ema’s thoughts to go in a new tangent as she plotted on how to deal with him. Amelia, missing? And Bruce and Elijah not having any idea where she could be? This changed everything.

“Well done, Jackson,” Ema said in equally smooth voice getting up from the chair. The next words of the text are as follows: “It is also important to keep on observing the situation while reporting any new changes that occur in the process immediately. ”

The moment Jackson left the room, Ema could afford to let herself a small victorious smirk. It was in doing this that she could get a leverage she did not anticipate this twist of events could be what she needed most.

Ema then proceeded to study, call some persons and make several strategic arrangements for the next few hours. Before the first signs of morning light were filtering into her bedroom she was ready.

Ema strode aggressively through the pack house, she still had some pride when she held her chin up high as she heard murmurs and sly looks being thrown her way. She noted that there was resentment in most of the pack members; it was a brewing resentment but she could sense it. But she ignored it She went ahead and did what she wanted. Before long, very soon to be precise, the tables would be turned.

Ema came to find Bruce in his study which was an interesting conversation with Elijah. The two men looked up at her as she came in, and both of them appeared to be shocked and a little guarded.

“Ema,” Bruce said lightly, he did not let any feelings creep into his voice. “What brings you here?”

The attractively womanly smile, and there was something almost predatory in the look that came into her face. “Oh, I believe so, my dear ,” she said, indicating vaguely with her glass, “Considering, it is truly time for a bowel chat about your schemes. ”

Bruce and Elijah looked at each other for a brief moment and both men stiffened up. Bruce looked surprised and said unhurried, “I don’t quite understand what you are getting at there, I am sorry. ”

”Well,” Ema coaxed, sauntering over to sit in one of the chairs without permission. “Oh, don’t try to make it complicated; I’ve got full details about your intending coup, the proofs you’ve collected, the people you’ve formed and all the rest is commendable really. And after the stunt you pulled yesterday, I believe you don't have any game left on your sleeves”

Both Bruce and Elijah looked visibly uncomfortable, the former pasty-skinned, the latter subtly reaching his hand towards the pistol on his hip.

But, Ema went on mildly, her eyes flashing, “Before you get any further with your plans, there is something that you ought to know. ”

“And what’s that?” he asked cautiously his eyes boring into me and his anger barely contained.

Ema’s smile widened. “It is about dear sweet Amelia”, Amelia who I think you have been trying to find out her whereabouts haven’t you?

The reaction was immediate. Bruce moved forward and looked into her eyes, his own filled with hope and rage. ‘What have you done with her,’ he raged.

Ema put up one finger in response to Bruce’s tirade, and did not appear the least bit threatened by him. “Mind your steps, friend. Amelia you see, has become a very valuable asset to us, and it wouldn’t take very much to disappear without a trace would it?”

“You are bluffing,” said Elijah more to himself than to the others but he sounded somewhat uncertain.

“Am I?” Ema countered. She whiped out a phone and after a few seconds of searching, she passed the screen in front of them. Beside it there was a photo of the girl named Amelia, to whom something terrible happened as she was depicted lying unconscious on the floor and bound her hands and feet, the picture taken probably at night. “This was taken just an hour ago,” she said pointing at the picture, “she’s alive… for now. ”

Bruce stood stock stiff, his hands were balled into fists at his sides and he was visibly shaking with the energy with which he is holding himself in check. “If you’ve hurt her…”

‘She is okay. ’ Ema made a casual shrugging off the incident. “For the now yes,” she said, “her long-term health but is solely in your hands Bruce, both of you actually. ”

“What do you want?” Bruce asked, enunciating every word as if he would prefer to strangle the life out of the man in front of him than have this conversation.

Ema looked very comfortable, quite relaxed and feeling like a queen of the world. “Well, here it goes: You are going to cancel this little rebellion of yours, as much as I loathe the word ‘rebellion,’ and get on to the council and deny any and all charges against me and then proclaim to the world that I am your mate and the second in command of this pack. ”

“But if we don’t?” Elijah inquired even though he anticipated the reply.

“Then Amelia dies,” Ema said coldly and she took a glass of wine and drank it in one goes. “And do not imagine that you can seek her out, she is well guarded by my associates; if I tell them one word, she is eliminated. And be warned anything that happens to me, Ten fold will happen to her ”


The room became very quiet; one could even hear the tension in the air. Bruce and Elijah looked deep into each other’s eyes, an understanding took place without words being said.

At last Bruce could contain himself no longer and finding his attitude one of threatening belligerency he said. “How can we be sure we will be getting an honest deal here, that you will surrender Amelia upon our meeting the terms you’ve laid out?”