Page 6

I explain as much as I can to Enforcer Trunk. It’s an odd name! He says his true name is a traditional Cherokee name, and it’s easier to go by his nickname. I just want to get back to Ember.

All the new people are giving her a wide berth, thinking she’s a poor human that’s got mixed up in shifter problems. I’ve told Enforcer Trunk that’s not the case, and I want her to stay with me wherever I go so she’s safe, and he has promised to try.

I won’t stay here, there are nothing but bad memories for me here, and other than a few low-ranking pack members the other enjoy how Gerald ran the pack, and that wouldn’t be my way, I want to be liked and respected not feared, as far as I’m concerned right now I never want my own pack, and it definitely won’t be here, the place my Mother and baby sister was killed, the place where my Twin was shunned for not being a wolf, the place my Father tried to rape my mate, no I want us away from this place.

We hear a car backfire for the second time, and as I turn to check where Ember is and which car is making the noise, she isn’t where I left her, I run over to where I had left her sitting on a wood pile. There’s an odd smell I can’t place, and I smell the scent of someone that I smelled on Ember when she first arrived. Enforcer Trunk follows me over and inhales, followed by a growl, “Jameson,” is the only thing I understand before he starts yelling into his phone in what I can only guess is Cherokee.

“Jameson is Ember’s social worker,” I say but finish my statement in my head, that he’s retaken her to goddess knows where. I snatch Enforcer Trunk’s phone.

“I will go to this pack you want me to, but on three conditions.”

He blinks at me as I slam the phone back to his chest. He presses a button so I can hear the person on the other end of the phone, too. I slam my Alpha dominance out, making a fair few people drop to their knees, and everyone looks at me. Ember used to giggle when I tried to use my Alpha commands on her, saying it tickled,

“Okay lad, my Alpha is on the other end of the phone, and it’s his pack you will be going to.” Enforcer Trunk’s Knees wobble with the force of my command.

I take a deep breath and pull back some of the dominance I’m throwing out.

“My name is Alpha Dominic Ivanova, I will be your guardian when you arrive at the TripleMoon pack. What are your conditions Alpha Firefall?” I look around and I can see I’m still being watched, Margo has a proud look and her face and she gives me a nod, before heading off else where, I look at Enforcer Trunk rather than a faceless phone.

“Xander, my half-brother, was sent to a private school. He comes with me!” Trunk nods, and Alpha Dominic, asks for the details of the school. I know some, as Xander has been sending me letters via Margo.

“You find my twin and bring him back to me.” Again, I give what information I have, but we haven’t communicated since he left, and our twin link is blocked. I can hear typing on the other end of the phone, so the Alpha must be making notes as we speak:

“Finally, you Find Ember before Jameson puts my mate somewhere she will never be found.” It was the first time I’d voiced it, and it only really clicked; that’s what she was to me when I saw my father pin her as he did. I may only be 6 years old, but I know the type of person he is just from Gerald’s first statement on Ember’s arrival.

“Okay, kid, I’ve got some basic information from you and will go more in-depth when you get here. Grab what stuff of yours and theirs you want to keep, and Henry will give you a ride home while Trunk finishes up there,” Alpha Dominic concludes before hanging up.

When we realized Ember had gone, Pine started chanting in my head, “mate gone, find, need safe”. He’s known since that first meeting when she was curled up asleep in that chair. The stranger that had been behind Rafe comes over,

“Hey kid, I’m Henry. Do you want help getting your stuff?”

I shake my head and head off to Xander’s room. Most of his stuff is still packed from moving in after we lost our moms. I stack it all outside his door and then head to Jay’s room. Pulling down two suitcases, I throw his essentials in including the drawings and photos he has around the room and then whatever clothes fit, again sitting them at his door. Henry and a young guy called Jaelan are standing in the hall,

“Want us to start taking this down?” I sigh but nod. I will be out of here quicker if they’d helped. I head into Ember’s room, grab the few items that are still in there, and then dump them on my bed. Going back out, I Grab Mama Lou’s old travel set; they are massive trunks, the largest is still full of her Kimonos, and the smallest has her family Jewelry in them. They both get left in the hall; the other three I take in my room, the largest empty one I fill with Ember’s sketch pads and art supplies. I fold one of her blankets on top to stop it all moving around; the next, I put all her clothes in, adding the quilt Mama Lou made me. The final one, I collect all of the books and things of Mama Lou’s I managed to hide before Gerald got rid of them, including the photos of us Xander took on his moms phone before Mama Lou and baby Aimi died.

Finally, I grab my two cases down and pile as much of my clothes and stuff in. Grabbing my backpack and throwing what’s left of Jay’s snacks in that Ember and I have been munching since he left. I throw Lenny’s phone and charger in there, too.

We get the last of the stuff loaded into Henry’s Truck. I jump in the front seat, I don’t look back as we drive away. There is nothing left for me there now; they can burn it to the ground for all I care. I know the pack was looking to me to lead, but those who knew me knew I was leaving as soon as possible, not wanting anything to do with the WolfBlood Pack.

I tried again to reach J through our twin link, but there is nothing there. Mama said it was a Kitsune thing, but I’m wondering if it doesn’t work over long distances, I only ever got feelings when he was in his human form, but we could talk when we were both shifted. For the first time in my life, I’m entirely alone.

I’ve failed as an Alpha.

I don’t deserve the pack even if I wanted it.

Both my brothers have been taken from me, I lost my mate when she was sitting a few feet away from me. I failed to protect them but once I have them back, I will not fail them again!