Chapter 26: Back Home

Lucien packed his suitcase in silence as Emma tiptoed around him. She just had to get back to their house to put her plan in action. She doubted that Lucien would leave without her because of how that would look, but she couldn’t bank on that.
The last kiss with Dex was still on her mind. It was the last for a little bit and then she’d be his. That’s what she wanted. That’s where she should have been all along.
“I need to speak to a few people before we leave,” Lucien growled.
He hoisted his suitcase off of the bed and left Emma to fend for herself. He left the door open as she struggled to close her suitcase. With it finally closed, she took a breath. Glancing into the hallway, she noticed Dex. He stood outside his room, his bags in his hands.
He winked at her, then walked down the steps. She’d have to carry her own bags, but it was a good start towards her independence.
When Emma arrived at Lucien’s truck he wasn’t there. It was a nice day and she used the time to enjoy it. He’d come back eventually.
He arrived fifteen minutes later and then they headed towards home though it wouldn’t be for much longer. She wouldn’t miss anything about it. She hadn’t been able to decorate it or make it her own. Lucien’s parents had given it to them already furnished. He’d accepted it for both of them, giving Emma no say in where they lived or what they lived in.
She should have realized at that moment that was how her whole marriage would be, how her whole life would be. Looking back, she’d been a fool to listen to her parents. She’d have to talk to them at some point, out of respect, but she hoped they would listen.
They rode in silence, stopping only once on the journey.
Lucien pulled into their long driveway. Julie was parked to the side, waiting outside her car. Emma knew she could count on Julie even if that meant the poor girl had to face her Alpha. Julie was the bravest wolf that Emma knew. Not everyone would be willing to cross an Alpha.
Emma admired that about her.
“What’s Julie doing here?” Lucien asked.
He turned a fierce gaze at Emma. She’d expected him to yell at her the whole ride home for daring not to agree with him.
Emma swallowed. It was now or never and her heart raced. She was doing the right thing. “She’s here for me.”
“I’m going to tell her to leave. I’m sure you have things to do,” he said, climbing out of the truck.
Emma followed him out. “You will not tell Julie to leave.”
Lucien stopped in his tracks. He turned to her his eyes red. “What?”
“She’s letting me stay at her place.”
“You are defying me? As if your performance at the Council wasn’t bad enough, now you think that you’re going to stay somewhere else?”
Emma glanced at Julie. She’d hoped to spare the girl this part of it, but her presence had pushed Lucien to the brink. “I’m leaving you. I’m not happy and we don’t love each other.”
Lucien crossed his arms. “Oh. You’re staying with Julie?”
“For a few days until I can make other arrangements.”
His breathing sped up and I thought the top of his head was going to blow off. “Staying with Julie? Why?”
“I’m leaving you, Lucien.”
There. She’d said it out loud and to Lucien. The sky hadn’t fallen. Lightning hadn’t struck her. She was still standing and she refused to look away from Lucien’s menacing gaze.
Emma was prepared to leave with just what was in her suitcases, but she hoped that she could come back and pack some things later. To emphasize her point, she yanked her bags from the truck and walked them over to Julie’s car.
“Leaving me?” Lucien shouted.
Emma ignored him and put the bags in the car. She whispered to Julie. “I’d get in the car and start it.”
“No problem. We’ll leave when you’re ready.”
Emma spun to look at Lucien, who had stalked across the yard to her. “I’m leaving you, Lucien.”
He sputtered for a moment, then seemed to recover. “You think I’m going to let you go?”
“You have no choice, Lucien. I’m going whether you like it or not. You don’t love me and I could live with that, but you’re overbearing and you won’t let me be a proper Luna.”
Emma stared up at him as he processed her words.
“You think you can walk away from me?”
Emma’s hands became sweaty, but she’d started down this road and she couldn’t stop now. “Yes. I’m done. I’m done being your employee. I’d rather be alone than in a sham of a marriage.”
Lucien’s fists clenched then unclenched. “I’m your Alpha and I demand you get in the house.”
“No.”
She stepped away from him and walked around the car. She wasn’t turning her back to him because she didn’t trust him. Emma might have lived with the loveless marriage if she could have trusted Lucien, but he never inspired that in her.
“Emma I demand you get in the house.”
She didn’t answer him this time. Instead, she climbed into the car. “Go ahead.”
Julie backed out of the yard. Emma’s heart was still beating double time. “That might have been the hardest thing I’ve ever done.”
“You were brave. You can stay with me as long as you like.”
“Only a few days. You have to stay in this pack once I’m gone.”
“You won’t stay with this pack?” Julie asked.
“No, I can’t. Lucien would make my life worse than it already is.”
Emma stared out the window as Julie drove her further and further away from what had been an unhappy home. Not even a home, but a place she put her head down. Emma took in a cleansing breath and willed her heart to slow.
“Thank you, again, Julie.”
“I’m happy to do it.”
“I hope Lucien doesn’t take this out on you,” Emma said.
She probably should have asked someone outside the pack to take her in, but she hadn’t wanted to bring Lucien’s wrath down on anyone else’s pack.
“I’m not worried. I can take care of myself.”
“He could kick you out.”
Julie shrugged. “So be it. I hear there’s a pack in Wolf Woods that takes in strays.”
Emma wanted to laugh. That was Dex’s pack and they would accept Julie if she wanted to go there.
“Do you know what’s next?” Julie asked.
“Tonight I just sleep.”
Julie smiled. “A girls’ night. Popcorn. Ice cream and some chick flicks.”
Sounded better than anything Emma could imagine. She hadn’t had a night like that since she married Lucien. Letting her attend book club had been as much as Lucien would let her out of the house. “Sounds wonderful.”
“We’ll spend the day in our pajamas.”
Emma laughed. “You’re a good friend, Julie. I’m glad we met.”
“I’m glad, also, but I’ll miss you when you’re gone.”
The sentiment hit Emma in the heart. Julie was the only thing she was giving up and she’d miss her friend. However, she would start over in Dex’s pack and that brought a smile to her face.
“Who is that smile for?” Julie asked.
Emma wasn’t ready to share the idea of Dex with anyone. Besides, if Julie didn’t know where Emma was going then she couldn’t reveal it to Lucien. “No one. Just thinking.”
“Lucien seemed pretty surprised that you were leaving.”
“He’s always been oblivious,” Emma said.
“I guess he isn’t anymore.”
“Let’s not talk about Lucien.”
Lucien was her past. It was time to put him behind her.