Damon's POV
"Emily!" I yelled in the corridors.
The palace was almost empty, it was night, and my voice was just coming right back to me, no response.
There was just one more confirmation I needed to make my conclusion.
I stormed to Dathan's room, and opened the door without any further preamble. There was no need for it.
Dathans room was neatly put together, but deserted.
I had to do something, I also needed assistance.
"Farh?" I asked as I heard a grunt over the phone.
"Yes, sir." He answered. His voice was very deep.
"Emily is missing." I said. I didn't mean to raise an alarm. But my mind was already playing different types of scenarios.
I blinked rapidly, trying to imagine what she could be up to, but my mind kept failing me.
I was fatigued, but not just that, I actually didn't know her too well.
I thought about all the places in the palace she could be, cuddled up with Dathan.
Their absence couldn't be coincidental.
One sure would know where the other was.
I hated to bring others into it, I couldn't afford for a scandal to erupt just yet.
Emily would have to learn a thing or two about discretion.
"Sir." Farh said, announcing his presence. Little did I realise that I had been pacing all the while.
While was I caring so much? Let's not act like it's a marriage of love. She's free to do whatever she wants, really.
"Do you think it's sensible to go in search of her?" I asked Farh.
His face, rumpled by my rude awakening, morphed into shock, or maybe surprise.
I never asked anyone for what to do.
I never took advice, never asked for one. Much less from a servant.
"It depends, sir." He replied, and took a step back.
I thought long again, and just decided to dismiss him.
I didn't know in what situation I'd see them, and I wasn't about to let Farh know more than he's supposed to.
"That'll be all now." I said, breathing deep. "And sorry for the inconvenience. That'd translate to overtime on your paycheck." I said, and winked.
Farh smiled so hard, and kept thanking me, retreating as he did so.
I took my phone out and decided to call Dathan. The one person I don't want to.
"Tell my wife I'm in her room." I said, immediately he picked my call.
Then I cut it. I needed to hear nothing from him.
"Just turn around, Alpha." His annoying voice rang.
"Where were you?" I asked, turning around to see my wife! And my brother!
"We were just getting some air." Emily replied, looking at my feet.
"I'm assuming there's no air in this palace? Or that you can't get some air on your own?" I replied to her.
She stayed quiet, and still.
"It's neither." Dathan came in. "Why don't you let her off and let us discuss this man to man?" He asked.
"Let me guess why." I replied sarcastically. "Maybe, just maybe, because she is my wife, this is my place, and I can do anything I freaking want to!"
"Don't yell at me!" Dathan shot back, "Don't even do that."
"Then why don't you mind your own damn business and stay in the confines of where you are needed. Stop monkeying with my woman, man!"
"I can be with whomever I want, Damon. As far as it's mutual." He snickered.
I shook my head lightly, regretting not having bragging rights over Dathan, cause he was right.
It was very clearly mutual.
Emily's head was bent, but she wasn't sorry.
"Since you want a word with me so bad, you can have it." I said, looking at Dathan. "And you, I'll see you in my room."
With that, I dismissed Emily and she walked off.
I can't deny that she smelt so pretty, so beautiful, a scent that mimicked the midnight flower.
"What is the problem?" I asked Dathan, squaring him up.
"I should be asking you that. Why are you so paranoid? No one is stealing your girl. Can you just chill?" He replied.
"You do realise that this is not a 'girl', she's my wife, your Luna!" I said.
"She is a human with needs, before she's all that." He smiled sadly, and shook his head. "You keep missing that fact out, treating everyone like all their relevance revolves around serving you."
"And how else am I supposed to treat her?" I asked. "Should I make a girl who is not comfortable with me sleep in my room? Try to touch her? You do realise that everyone of us here did what we're supposed to? Do you recognise that fact?"
"Sometimes, I forget." Dathan replied. "But that doesn't mean that what you're doing is fair. Have you tried being her friend? Talking to her? Seeing what she is beyond these roles you've laden her with that are making her shoulders ache and her heart sick."
"And you felt the best way to remind me is by sneaking my wife out at night?" I asked him.
"You've got it all wrong, Damon. I didn't sneak her out, neither was I reminding you of anything. Somehow, coincidentally, everyone is just themselves when you're absent." He replied. "I'm tired of this conversation, I'm sure it's been really enlightening for you."
"It has." I admitted, smiling. "It really has."
Dathan walked off, gingerly.
What a night!
I really thought it'd end in me being with Emily. Maybe I'd have gotten to know her better.
Maybe we could start to be friends.
We pretended to everyone else, but couldn't to ourselves.
"Why did you let this happen?" My wolf asked in my head.
I really had no explanation for him. He's the reason we're in all this mess.
"Just chill man." I said back.
Then I picked myself up from the floor. It wasn't time for a breakdown of any sort yet.
I decided to see Emily before retiring for the night.
I had an early day the next, and if my plans came through, she would too.