CHILDREN OF THE DAMNED

Chapter 10

Luca's POV:

I wake up the next morning to find Ember's body curled up into a tiny ball, facing away from me with only her legs touching me as she'd thrown them over mine. I slide out of bed and walk into the bathroom wondering if Ember is the kinda person who brushes after breakfast, because then we'd definitely have some issues.

I walk feeling fresh and clean to see Ember standing by the window in my room. I wonder what she might even be looking at because the view only offers the sight of a couple concrete houses and as autumn is approaching, a few bare trees. I walk up behind her and wrap my arms around her waist as I peer out of the window with her.

"Good morning," she turns around to face me, still between my arms, "Ready for today?" I ask.

"Hmm... Yeah, things don't seem as bad after I had a good night's sleep before I actually have to face them. I just don't want any surprises today though." She sighs.

I nod my head and walk towards my dresser, "I'm sure it will be an easy day. How about you go clean yourself up a little and until then I'll go check on breakfast? I'll get some of Alexis's clothes for you."

"I'll be out in 10 minutes." Ember ruffles my wet hair and slaunters into the bathroom. I get dressed as she locks the door and head to my sister's room for her clothes. Although Alexis is in university and we do have pack members staying in her room, my mother preserved her clothes just as she'd left them in her dresser drawers and no one was allowed to touch them. It gave me a deeper satisfaction knowing that Alexis would hate that I was going through her things. I pulled out a pair of jeans and a formal looking shirt and dropped them onto my bed. As I rush down the stairs I run into my mother, Francesca Giordiano. I got my wavy hair and stick straight nose from her but not much else. Nicoli had more of her features and that was the only thing that made us distinguishable as children, until we grew out into our faces.

"Hey ma. Morning." I pull her into a hurried embrace and continue down the stairs as I hear her yell after me.

"Luchiño you better come see your mother tonight. I haven't heard from you in a couple days. Where are you off to now? When will I get to meet your mate?"

"Not now Ma!" I grunt at the nickname she calls me, knowing very well that it would annoy me. But I deserved for not having spent more than ten seconds with my mother for four days straight.

In an absolute hurry to find Nic and plan the rest of my day, while fixing up some breakfast for myself and Ember, I wonder how the pack would react to seeing their luna for breakfast. Just as I consider telling them all to leave so that Ember doesn't feel awkward or rushed or taking the food up to Ember instead, I hear the chatter of two women.

I turn - with a spoon full of scrambled egg, mind you- to see Ember and my mother talking. As any rational man would, I drop the spoon due to shock as I had not expected, planned or wanted this to happen as of now.

"Ma didn't you and dad eat before the rest of the pack? You're supposed to go for a walk together, right?"

"He went to the patrol station a few minutes ago to check up on them." She turns to face Ember, "He misses his duties at times you know."

I feel the eyes of the pack slowly latching onto the three of us as they realize their luna is here.

Nic pulls out a chair at the table and nods to Ember. The people, who had been scattered around the room, gather at the table, some taking up the seats that hadn't been occupied and some standing. I abandon my attempts at getting breakfast and go to stand behind Ember's chair as she settles into it. Ma slips into a chair beside her and places a hand on Ember's. Nic stands on the opposite side of the table and smiles reassuringly at me.

"What's going on?" Cal chirps as he picks up the coffee pot and pours himself a cup, oblivious to Ember's presence.

"Your luna is here." I answer. Making sure that him and everyone else in the room knows their place. Cal gets my cue and walks to stand beside Nic as people step aside to let him through.

"Hello everyone. I'm Ember and I'm your luna. Ask me any and all the questions you have. Please don't feel shy, we're here for the long haul." Ember coaxes them.

I feel heat creeping up my neck at her words and I hold back a smirk.

She answers the pack's questions eloquently and to the point. But pack members who asked questions that were out of line earned glares from me, Nic, Cal and more often than not, from my mother.

She was right. We were in this for the long haul.

Author's note: How bored can we REALLY get?