Chapter 80 - Rejecting My Contracted Luna

　　Emma's POV

　　By the time we returned home from the Full Moon Ball the sun was already rising. I was angry at myself because I promised Ezra I would come in and kiss him goodnight when I got home and then I stayed out all night. Just like a neglectful parent. I decided that I would wait to sleep until later in the day, that way I could be there when he wakes up this morning.

　　Listening outside of his bedroom, I can hear him start to stir. I open the door to his room slowly and peek my head around the corner. Ezra is sitting up in his bed rubbing his little eyes.

　　"Hey baby," I say as I walk into his room and scoop him up into my arms. "I missed you so much last night."

　　"I tried to stay awake until you got home," he whispers sleepily, "but Aunt Christina made me go to bed."

　　"Oh my sweet boy," I chuckle at him. "Mommy got home far too late for you to stay up and wait for me."

　　"Did you find you mate?" He asks me curiously.

　　Putting a fake smile on my face I hold Ezra in my arms. "No," I tell him as I squeeze him tight. "I didn't find my mate."

　　"That is because Efan wasn't there," Ezra says and my heart melts at his cuteness.

　　Setting him back down on his bed I begin to tickle his little belly and he cackles with laughter. "Why are you so sure that Ethan is my mate?" I ask as I continue to tickle him.

　　"Because he looks like me," Ezra says between giggles.

　　I take a deep breath and stop tickling him. "About that," I sigh. "What if..." I begin when there is a knock on Ezra's door.

　　Turning around I see Alpha Duncan standing in the doorway with a grumpy look on his face.

　　"I need to speak to you," Duncan says shortly.

　　"Can it wait," I ask Duncan and give him a pleading look.

　　"It cannot," he says as he puts on his best Alpha face.

　　Rolling my eyes at Duncan, I turn my attention back to Ezra. "Why don't you get ready for breakfast and I will meet you downstairs?" Ezra hops off his bed and runs into his closet, shedding his pajamas on the way there tossing them recklessly on the floor.

　　Shaking my head at my child I follow Duncan down the stairs of the pack house and into his office. "What was so important that you interrupted an important conversation with my child?" I spit at Duncan as he shuts the door behind us.

　　"I am leaving the pack for a while and I do not know when I will be back," Duncan says shortly. "I am leaving you in charge."

　　"Me?!" I gasp out loud. "What about Anna or better yet your Beta? They would be much better options to watch over your pack than me."

　　"You are a Paxton." Duncan says shortly. "It is in your blood to watch over this pack. But Anna and my Beta will be here to help you navigate the waters. And... Alpha Thomas has decided that he is staying around for several weeks. So there will be plenty of help if you need it."

　　The look on Duncan's face tells me that he is not pleased that Alpha Thomas will be staying around for a while. "What do you have against Thomas?" I ask carefully.

　　"Besides the fact that he is chasing a woman half his age?" Duncan spits back at me.

　　"I know that is not what this is about," I glare at Duncan angrily. I know that he is keeping something from me.

　　"It doesn't matter what has happened between Alpha Thomas and myself," Duncan says looking down at his desk. "Just promise me that you will take things slow and not jump into anything."

　　"I think you know me better than that," I scoff, somewhat offended that Duncan would even suggest that I would jump into a relationship with someone right now.

　　"I just know how charming Alpha Thomas can be," Duncan says as he looks into my eyes. "Get to know him before you make any decisions about him."

　　Once again I am rolling my eyes at Duncan. "I not only have to worry about myself," I groan. "I have to worry about Ezra as well. I am not jumping into anything."

　　"Yes father," I say sarcastically.

　　"You know that I am only looking out for you," Duncan says as he runs his fingers through his dark hair.

　　"By treating me like a child," I shout back at him. "I am a woman, Duncan. Not the same naive girl that came to your pack over three years ago."

　　"I know you are," Duncan says somberly. "I just can't help but see you as the scared girl that ran away from her mate with my help."

　　The look on Duncan's face says everything. He truly only wants the best for me. So I tuck my anger away, deciding that I will save this fight for another day. Taking a deep breath I look at Duncan and dismiss the conversation with a wave of my hand.

　　"Where are you going anyway?" I ask Duncan curiously.

　　"That doesn't matter," Duncan says quickly. "But I do need to leave."

　　Getting up from his desk he pulls me in for a huge hug, as if he will never see me ever again, and for some reason my eyes fill with tears.

　　"Hey," Duncan says, lifting my chin with his fingers. "I will be back before you know it. You are going to be fine."

　　I nod my head up and down as Duncan releases me from his hug. We both walk out of his office and I see Anna waiting on him to say goodbye. Duncan pulls her in for a passionate kiss before he lets her go.

　　"Come back soon," she calls out to him as he turns away from us and heads out the front door of the pack house.