The Moon Child (Book Two of the Alpha Mate series)

Decisions:

"Emma, meet me at the tree you walked to three months ago before the battle." Emma reads from the note that Krista left on her pillow before she woke. After their close encounter with enemies and seeing some of what Emma is capable of, Emma and Krista made up. Now on their three month anniversary, Krista decides to do something for Emma that she hopes will make her happy. Emma pulls on a light jacket seeing as the weather has become quite chilly.

Krista paces under the tree opening and closing the lid to the box she holds in her hands. "What if she says no and runs off?" she worries to herself when she hears footsteps approaching. She takes a deep breath and turns to face Emma putting the both in the pocket of her jacket. "Hiya gorgeous." She greets her with a smile.

"Hi. Is there something that you needed?" Emma asks smiling back holding a picnic basket. Krista nods.

"There's something that I would like to ask you." She says.

"Oh? Me too." Emma giggles.

"Shall we do it at the same time?" Krista smirks.

"Sure." Emma says. Krista begins the countdown.

"3-2-1 . . ." she says.

"Will you marry me?" they say at the same time pulling out the two different rings they'd made for each other in the jeweler's class. They both say yes and hold each other.

"I also made a picnic so maybe we could sit under the tree and listen to the birds." Emma says smiling brightly through her happy tears.

"Anything for you my love." Krista says smiling and setting up the blanket while Emma takes out the food.

"Oh, here you two are. Leonidas says that you are both late and 'if you both don't get your asses to the training room you'll be in some deep shit.'" a girl says when she finds Emma and Krista wading in the river by the tree. Emma looks at Krista and giggles.

"I guess we should go then huh baby?" she says with a playful smile. Krista playfully pouts.

"But I don't wanna go. I'd rather see you strip so we can go swimming." she teases causing her and the other girl to blush.

"Krista . . ." Emma says in a soft warning tone that suggests that is also what she'd rather be doing. They pack up the picnic supplies and start their slow trek to the training arena.

"So glad Krista and Emma . . . erm . . . Grace could join us." Leonidas says with his back to them as they slip in the door trying to be as discreet as possible. They freeze.

"We were . . . um . . ." Emma says trying to find a reason.

"We're engaged." Krista says smirking proudly pulling Emma's lips to hers. Emma blushes but kisses her back.

"That's awesome. Now get into your training group and let's begin." Leonidas instructs.

Emma slowly drags herself to her group. "Um. . . . hi?" She says softly only gaining blank stares from her groupmates. They go to the arena to begin their training.

"Don't lose too hard." Hugo says leaning against a wall to watch.

"Don't be such a fucking asshole." Emma mumbles. She picks up her sword taking a deep breath trying to ready herself so maybe she won't be knocked on her ass.

"You did pretty good for this being your first training." Krista says pulling Emma into her arms. She nods sleepily even though her body is sore from being knocked on her ass so many times.

"I could have done better." She says with a sleepy determination.

"We all have areas where we can improve love." Krista says nuzzling her as she picks her up to carry her to bed.

"Krista, the library needs tending to tonight after midnight." Lilith says softly. Emma looks at Krista and pouts.

"I thought you were going to stay in the room tonight?" she whines softly. Krista sighs.

"I can't baby. I'll hold you until you until I have to go." She says kissing the top of her head. Emma sighs in defeat knowing that there are other priorities for Krista seeing as she's an Alpha. Krista takes her to their room and holds her tightly in her arms. "I wish that things were easier and I didn't have to make so many decisions without her knowing." she thinks looking at Emma's already sleeping form. She sighs and looks at the clock. "Leonidas would take until 11:30 to let us out of training." A soft knock on the door stirs her from her own thoughts. She subtly reaches for her sword as the door knob twists.

"Hey, I was just wondering if you wanted us to stay with her." Stormy says with Freya close by her with Claire in her arms.

"If you wouldn't mind. I don't want her left alone and the others will likely be at the meeting tonight." Krista says softly. She nods with a soft understanding smile. "Claire is growing up so quickly." She comments.

"Yeah. Soon enough she'll be joining the primary training school." Freya says smiling at her daughter.

"She has your eyes and Stormy's hair." Krista says lightly touching the soft hair sticking out of the hat. Freya and Stormy smile.

"Yeah. She's going to look more like Stormy I hope. Anyway, you should get on to the meeting." Freya says motioning for her to be on her way as they sit in the chairs close to the door and Stormy feeds Claire a bottle so maybe she won't be fussy and wake Emma.

"Now that we're all here, we can get down to business." Leonidas says looking down the table at everyone.

"Why were we called here dear?" Lilith asks.

"We have to decide on if training should double and if we should accept more people into the academy." he says sitting in his chair with his hands folded in a business type way.

"Well, what are the pros and cons of each?" she asks him.

"Well, with the training doubling, we can get more training in and intensify it when they are ready. If we can get more training in, then it gives us the upper hand when we step on the battlefield. As for accepting new people, they'd have to be trained but at least then we would have more numbers on our side." he says thoughtfully. Lilith nods.

"I vote yes to both." she says. Several others chime in their approvals as they carefully weigh the good and the bad.

"So, based upon the final votes, training will be doubling and we will be accepting new members. Those of the students who are advancing nicely will help to train the new members while we spend extra training with some of the ones who are struggling. Those who don't progress will be put on medic duty and will assist the healers." Leonidas says. Everyone nods chatting amongst each other. "You are all dismissed except for Krista." he says waving his hand. The others bow respectfully to him as he stands to leave and they rise.

"What is this about?" Krista asks when she enters his office.

"Emma is showing a lot of promise in training. She's learning quickly, but she's not paying attention to her moves. If she doesn't learn to focus, then that could be what kills her on the battlefield. We need to try to find a way for her to focus. You will have to tell her so that she can begin working on it immediately." He says.

"And you couldn't just say this in there?" She asks impatiently.

"No, i'm sure that Emma wouldn't like to face the embarrassment that would have surely come from Hugo. He's already trying to push her to her limits with training." he says looking at her from his desk.

"Okay, well if that's all, I will be returning to her. Good night." She says irritatedly as she leaves contemplating what she'll tell Emma and when the right time could be.