Emma’s POV
“There had to be another way, Emma!” Jake shouted for what felt like a hundredth time. “You didn’t have to do this!”
He was pacing in front of the window, waving his hands, and shouting at me. He looked angry and he didn’t even let me speak. Every time I tried to say something, he would cut me off.
Logan was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest, letting Jake rant on and on.
“I had to do it, Jake,” I said. “I couldn’t let my child suffer.”
Jake looked at me and narrowed his eyes.
“We would find a way to free her from it,” Jake said. “You would find a way.”
“And I did,” I said. “She is free from it.”
“Not like this, Emma,” Jake said, rolling his eyes. “Not by putting yourself in danger.”
I sighed and shook my head. Jake was the hardest one to convince. He opened his mouth to yell again, but he was interrupted when Daisy came running in.
“Emma!” she shouted as she ran toward me.
She placed her hands on the glass and gulped.
“Oh, Em,” she cried out. “Are you okay?”
“I am fine,” I said as I approached the window.
I smiled and placed my hand on it as well.
“I missed you,” I told her. “How are the kids? How is Mike?”
I missed my nephew a lot. I missed his contagious smile and his sense of humor. He always knew how to make me laugh.
“Mike is doing great,” Daisy said, giving me a small smile. “He is spending so much time with Harry. Janet came to pick Harry up, but he refused to leave Mike.”
A small smile spread across my face.
“Do you think they are mates?” I asked and she nodded.
“I am not sure if they can already feel it, but I think that they are,” Daisy said. “I am happy for him.”
I smiled brightly. I was happy for him too.
“How are the rest of the kids?” I asked, looking at Jake. “How are Hazel and Danny?”
“They are fine,” Jake said. “Amy and Drake are entertaining them and trying to keep them from asking a lot of questions.”
“Jake is right,” Daisy added. “They are taking them hiking, camping, swimming. You name it, and they are doing it.”
I smiled and a warm feeling spread through my body. I was happy that they were doing okay.
“Hazel and Haley are constantly asking about Sophia,” Daisy said. “They can’t wait to see her.”
I smiled again. They would finally be able to see her now that she was out of this room.
I took a deep breath and looked at my brother. He was standing next to Logan. His fists were clenched and he was staring at the ground. My heart clenched painfully. I knew how worried he was and I never meant for it to happen. All I wanted to do was protect my daughter.
“Andrew,” I called him and he looked up at me.
He tightened his jaw and gulped.
“I am sorry,” I said. “I needed to protect Sophie.”
He took a deep breath and approached the window. Daisy took his hand in hers. Andrew studied my face for a few moments.
“I know,” he spoke after a while. “I know that you did it to protect your daughter. I just wish there is something I could do to protect mine.”
I couldn’t stop the tears that fell on my cheeks. Andrew was both a brother and a father to me. He was my rock and I loved him so much.
“I love you,” I told him. “I will be out of here soon. I will find a way.”
Andrew gulped and nodded.
“You better be,” he said quietly. “I can’t lose you, Emma.”
“You are not going to lose me, Andrew,” I said. “I won’t let this thing kill me.”
Andrew flinched a little and Daisy squeezed his hand tighter.
“You better not, Emma,” Jake said angrily. “I swear to Goddess if you…”
I stopped listening to him because a weird feeling made my knees buckle. It felt like someone wrapped a cold hand around my lungs. It made it hard for me to breathe.
“Emma?” Andrew called me worriedly.
I saw Logan push off the wall and walk toward the window.
“What’s wrong?” Logan asked, his voice laced with panic.
I didn’t know what to tell him. I didn’t know what was wrong.
“I don’t…,” I spoke, shaking my head, but the cold hand around my lungs tightened.
I placed a hand on my chest and gasped.
“Emma!” Andrew shouted, slamming his hand against the window.
I took a few steps back and tried to take a deep breath. It was very hard to do so.
“Fuck!” Logan screamed and rushed toward the door.
He knew he wouldn’t be able to open it, but he still started pulling on the doorknob.
“Get Anna!” Logan screamed. “She needs to open the fucking door!”
I shook my head violently. It was the darkness. It was the first touch of darkness and I was dangerous. Anna couldn’t open those doors.
I could feel it spreading from my chest to the rest of my body.
“I am fine,” I forced myself to speak. “I will be fine. She can’t open the door.”
Logan rushed back to the window and slammed both his hands on it.
“Breathe, Emma!” he yelled at me.
“Goddess, her lips are blue!” Daisy exclaimed, gasping loudly.
I fell to my knees and gasped for breath. I heard the screaming and slamming their hands against the glass, but I couldn’t figure out what they were saying.
My vision became blurry.
The cold hand moved from my lungs to my heart. It squeezed it, making me groan in pain.
“Emma!” I heard my mate’s panicked sob.
My heart hurt for him. My soul screamed for him. My body wanted his touch and his comfort.
“I love you,” I managed to mumble with the small amount of air I had left in my lungs.
My vision blackened and I felt something cold against my cheek. I could hear screams and loud sobs, but I couldn’t look up anymore.
I didn’t care anymore.
“Emma!” I heard someone scream my name one last time before I passed out.
