Page 3

Ember

Just before my sixth birthday, Jenson is sent away, and no matter who Ren asks he can’t find out where, we were told it was a school to make him ‘grow up and stop being a joker’, but something about it doesn’t feel right. Xander had already been sent to a private school. So, Ren starts making me sleep in his room so he knows I’m safe and won’t disappear in the night, and I was safe... until I wasn’t.

Usually, when Ren goes for his Alpha lessons, I would help Margo prepare vegetables or sort something in the kitchen. This time, I hadn’t quite got to the kitchen when Pearl, one of the Alphas mistresses, told me my social worker was in the office.

I See Margo frown from the doorway, and then she grabs one of her girls and tells them to get Ren.

The girl, Claire I think, takes a glance at me, eyes wide, then runs towards the training yard.

I follow Pearl towards the Alphas office. Where she knocks, when the “come in” is barked through the door, she goes white and runs off, losing her 6-inch heels in the process, but leaves them there, not wanting to risk turning back. Something was not right, and I knew I was in trouble and not the detention type of trouble, the life-threatening type. As I put my hand on the doorknob, I feel the air change and a presence appears at my back.

I relax, Ren was here, and he would keep me safe. Trusting Ren to get me out of this office alive, we step into the Alphas office.