Spoiled By My Nine Beast Husbands (Emma Tibarn) novel Chapter 186

**When She Opened the Door to the Life She Was Afraid to Live by Nora Vale Kingsley**

**Chapter 186: The Night Before the Hunt**

“Can’t we just call off this damned meeting?” Silas grumbled, his voice tinged with irritation. The very thought of attending filled him with dread; all he could think about was the thrill of beast-hunting with Emma instead. The prospect of sitting through yet another tedious discussion made his skin crawl.

“I’m fine with it,” Edric replied, his tone flat and devoid of enthusiasm. He seemed resigned to his fate, as if he had already accepted the burden of responsibility weighing heavily on his shoulders.

“Me too,” Corvin chimed in, his voice brightening the atmosphere slightly, though it did little to lift Silas’s spirits.

“Same here,” Marcus added, his agreement echoing the sentiment of the group, but for Silas, the excitement of adventure was overshadowed by the looming meeting.

Emma, however, felt a pang of concern for Edric. She was acutely aware of the immense pressure he had been under lately. The entire household buzzed with anticipation, waiting for him to break through to the next rank. She could see the stress etched on his face, the way he pushed himself relentlessly, as if he were trying to claw his way up a steep mountain.

As a human, Emma didn’t grapple with the same hurdles the others faced. For her, the path to advancement was relatively straightforward—absorb enough beast core and engage in a good fight, and she could progress without the emotional turmoil that plagued Edric. But his journey from Rank 9 to Rank 10 was a different beast altogether. It required not only raw power but also the right moment—a fleeting spark of insight that could ignite his potential.

Lately, Edric had retreated into himself, barely speaking to anyone. The silence between them felt like a chasm, and Emma was determined to bridge it. With a sense of urgency, she sent him a private message: *“Edric, come to my room when you’re done.”*

After sending the message, she decided to take a bath, hoping the warm water would soothe her nerves.

Before long, she heard the soft sound of footsteps approaching her room. The door creaked open, and she called out gently, “Edric, I’m in the bathroom.”

He closed the door behind him, the click echoing in the quiet space, and made his way toward her voice.

Inside the steamy sanctuary of the bathroom, Emma was submerged in warm water, the steam curling around her like a comforting embrace. She reached out her hand toward him, and he knelt beside the tub, his eyes locking onto her face with an intensity that made her heart race.

The steam enveloped them, but his gaze pierced through the mist—dark and clear, tracing a path from her brows to her nose, and lingering on her slightly parted lips, which held the promise of something more.

“Emma,” he murmured, his voice low and gravelly, as if he were holding back a torrent of emotions.

In that suspended moment, the world outside faded away. The only sounds were the soft drip of water from her hair and the deepening rhythm of his breath, creating a symphony of intimacy that enveloped them.

Suddenly, a splash broke the stillness, and Emma leaned forward, closing the distance between them to kiss him first, her lips brushing against his with a tenderness that spoke volumes.

“Edric,” she whispered against his lips, “I missed you.”

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify