Rick sat on the edge of his bed, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees and his hands held together under his chin.
He should be reading the Council reports or responding to the letter from Alpha Jack. But all he could think about… was Emerald.
He couldn't stop thinking about her… her face, her smile, her voice, her eyes… everything about her.
"Damn it…" he muttered under his breath, raking his hands through his hair. "Why can't I get her out of my head?"
The summit had been weeks ago, but it haunted him like a ghost that refused to leave. She looked different and carried herself differently, not like the Luna he had punished and cast out, but like something… untouchable.
He recalled how she confidently walked into the council room, holding her head high, as if she owned every inch of the place. And in many ways, she did.
That was the hardest part to accept.
