Page 11 of Howling Holidays

The mourners share favorite memories of Amelia once the eulogy concludes; anecdotes that bring smiles through the tears. Emily squeezes my hand gently in thanks when I describe her grandmother's vivacious energy and zest for life during our brief interactions. In this moment, all the chaos between us falls away.

When the service is over, I offer to walk Emily back to her room at the inn so she doesn’t have to go alone. I also worry that whatever is lurking out there might put her in danger. We pass from candlelit church to moonlit road together, neither speaking. I know Emily will process her loss in her own time, so I simply keep her hand tucked in mine for silent solidarity. It’s taken me a long time to process my own grief, and honestly, I’m not sure I have completely. I don’t always know what to say to comfort her, but I hope my presence might help at least. The inn glows invitingly as we approach, but I find myself slowing my steps, unwilling to relinquish our contact just yet. Selfish maybe, but it feels like I need this closeness as much as she does.

At Emily's door, she pauses before unlocking it, gazing up at me with those painfully beautiful blue eyes. "Will you come in for a bit?” she asks quietly. “I don't really want to be alone tonight."

My breath catches, but I nod. How can I resist? Crossing this threshold breaks an unspoken boundary we've maintained, but comforting Emily takes priority now. I settle onto the antique couch in front of the fire while she makes tea. Soon, we silently sip our chamomile, the crackling flames providing a warm comforting glow.

When Emily sets her mug aside, weariness lines her delicate features. She’s gone through this emotional burden so gracefully despite having only questions, not closure, and not truly getting to say goodbye. Knowing somewhat how she feels, I want to erase her pain so badly.

"You never did tell me your plans now," I say gently instead. "Will you go back to your life in Boston soon?" My heart knots at the prospect even as logic insists it’s what’s safest for her.

Emily's eyes cloud with hesitation, then resolve. "Actually, I've decided to stay here for now. I’ll have to finish sorting my grandmothers’ things and figure out what to do with the house. It turns out she left it to me in her will, I had no idea. There's so much left unraveling here, about my family and this town. It just feels...unfinished."

I read the unspoken statement in her eyes. It feels like she wants to stay for me, too. Hope and longing war with obligation and fear within me. If she stays here, keeping my secrets will require unimaginable restraint. But her life in Boston can’t offer the wholeness we might find together. I feel torn in two by competing futures. I’ve never felt like I could take a mate, and yet here I am longing to make her mine, despite the danger surrounding us.

"You should do whatever feels right." I keep my tone carefully neutral. Inside, my wolf rages against forcing us apart. He recognizes Emily as our fated mate, though the man is more cautious. But our emerging bond goes beyond reason. Fighting destiny never ends well, I learned that the hard way.

The firelight plays across Emily's lovely features as we watch each other, caught between duty and desire. In her eyes, I see my own flustered longing reflected. We dance on the knife's edge of change; tonight feels like a turning point, like our destinies will either unite or diverge. The choice hangs in the balance before us, as inevitable as the tide under the moonlight.

In this moment, our connection feels stronger than ever – like two souls intertwined, bound by shared pain and the comfort we find in each other. Her trust in me is both a gift and a responsibility; one I’m determined not to shatter.

"Logan," Emily murmurs, "I... I need to tell you something."

"Of course, Emily. What is it?" I ask gently.

"Before coming here... I felt so lost," she admits, her voice barely more than a whisper. "I was so focused on my career, my life in the city, and I never really had time for anything else... I didn't realize how much I needed to come back here, to reconnect with my past and find some peace."

I can feel her vulnerability, her longing for connection, and it resonates deep within me. "I understand, Emily. We all need to find our way back home sometimes, to remember who we are and where we came from."

She shifts, her eyes fluttering at me. "You're part of that for me, Logan," she confesses, her voice choked with emotion. "I don't know how or why, but I feel this... this pull towards you. It's like you're helping me find my way through the darkness."

Her words strike a chord within me, igniting a fierce longing that I had long suppressed. As alpha, my duty has always come first – but in that moment, all I want is to share a life with Emily, free from the burdens of responsibility and the shadows of our past.

"Emily..." My heart swells with a mix of affection and fear – fear for what might happen if she discovers the truth about me, about Everwood. But as I look into her beautiful blue eyes, filled with trust and sincerity, I know I can't turn away from her. "I feel it too," I admit. "And I promise, I'll be here for you, every step of the way."

"Thank you, Logan," she whispers.

When Emily leans closer, lips parted and pulse racing, the decision is made. I close the breath between us before she can say anything else, my mouth finding hers in a kiss that steals all thought beyond this delicate moment. The years of discipline and restraint fall away, insignificant against the force of fated mates. It feels like my soul is awakened in a way I never knew possible.

Emily's lips move softly but purposefully with mine, an exhilarating mix of innocence and passion. With her body arched into me and fingers combing through my hair, she makes her choice clear. The consequences of what might happen fade away as we make our decision to choose each other. My fate now lies here in her graceful hands.

We hold each other closer as the kiss deepens, telling our bodies' secrets that words still hide. Emily is a cool drink of water in the desert, absolution I didn’t know I needed. For her, I willingly sacrifice my dark, bound existence and walk willingly into the light of her world. Our broken souls recognize their missing piece. We are no longer lost but found in each other as fated mates. I wonder if, even as a human, she can feel this too.

When we finally pull apart, Emily's cheeks are flushed, which I find cute as hell. I know mine mirror hers. We sit in awed silence until she takes my hand, echoing that first night I rescued her from the storm. "Stay with me?" she asks with quiet certainty. There is nowhere else I’d rather be. Tonight, we leave caution behind and trust the bond between our souls. For now, this miraculous woman is my only compass. Together we will weather whatever danger awaits.

In the cocoon of her room, we don’t speak many words but there seems to be so much more shared between us. Emily curls against my chest as the dying fire's embers cast shifting shadows. Her warmth and steady heart thrumming through me feels more vital than air itself. It feels like I’ve waited forever for this moment, even though she only just came to town. I cherish every slow breath, knowing these stolen moments of peace are numbered. Maybe in time I could find the words to tell her how I feel, but these quiet moments together will do for now.

Emily drifts to sleep just before dawn, her beautiful features growing soft. My own eyes grow heavy watching her rest. Tomorrow promises uncertainty, but tonight we have this: her perfect form snuggled trustingly in the safety of my arms. Comforting Emily softens my soul in ways I didn’t know were possible. My world spins to the gentle sound of her breathing and the sweet weight of her curled against me. She smells like delicious vanilla and sugar. This is home, a feeling I haven’t felt in so many years. Resting here with her like this makes the eminent danger feel so far away.

The wind howls outside the inn, rattling the windows and sending a chill down my spine. I watch Emily's chest rise and fall in steady rhythm as she sleeps, her head still nestled on my shoulder. The warmth of her body against mine provides a welcome sense of solace, but it also stirs a storm of guilt within me as my thoughts return to the feelings she shared with me earlier.

The feeling is mutual, yet I know that I can't allow myself to be completely open with her. There are secrets buried deep within Everwood, secrets that have haunted my family for generations – the curse that plagues our town, the darkness that threatens to consume us all if these secrets are shared.

Should I tell her?I wonder, my thoughts racing as I stare at the flickering shadows cast by the fireplace. Part of me longs to share everything with Emily, to lay bare my soul and let her see the truth of who I really am. But another part – the protector, the alpha – recoils at the idea, knowing that doing so would put her life in jeopardy.

Is it worth the risk?I ask myself, weighing the consequences of revealing the truth about the curse upon her already burdened shoulders. I remember her tear-streaked face from the funeral, the way she clung to me for support, and I realize that I can't bear to see her hurt any further.

Even if I wanted to tell her, I muse,how can I possibly explain the intricacies of the curse without sounding insane? The dark forces at work, the supernatural elements that have shaped our town's history – it's a tangled web of secrets and lies that even I struggle to comprehend.

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