Page 48 of Burning Embers
As always, the twins’ father wears a bright smile that causes the skin around his eyes to crinkle. His orange shirt is the exact same color as his car and looks almost tacky when matched with his black jeans.
Ethan and Emery file out of the car as well and move to stand beside their father.
“Gregor! How are you, my dear friend?” Matthew exclaims, leaning forward to pat my father on the shoulder.
Father stiffens and takes a minute step away from the jovial man.
“I don’t think this is the time to play catch-up, do you?” Father asks stiffly, seemingly unmoved by the brilliant smile Matthew continues to aim his way.
“Ah. Yes. Of course.” He clears his throat. “Do you have the details of the case?”
When my other fathers and mother died, Matthew and his pack were appointed temporary Council members. They had been the second most powerful pack in the area—after my parents’ pack—and quickly filled the void my parents’ deaths left behind.
Father, understandably, was infuriated by this change. Granted, he knew he couldn’t rule alone, but he had never liked Matthew. They’re too…different to ever see eye to eye on things. Not only are they polar opposites in appearance—Matthew has blond hair while Father’s is as black as night; Matthew is tan while Father is dark-skinned; Matthew is stocky while Father is lean—but they also have completely different viewpoints on how the wolf community should behave.
Father believes shifters should remain isolated from the humans.
Matthew thinks they should acclimate with them.
Father believes shifters are the superior species.
Matthew thinks they are both equal.
It’s an intense tug-of-war whenever they are together.
There’s never been any doubt, however, that my pack will rule the Council as soon as we graduate high school. We’re the most powerful group of wolf shifters by far, even without a Heart to ground us. And now that the majority of shifters believe that we’re going to take Desiree as a mate…
I shudder at just the reminder.
“Is Reid here?” Ethan whispers, sidling up beside me.
I frown. “No.”
Not that I’m surprised. Reid would rather cut his own foot off than take part in this political game—even when this political game involves stopping murderous Hunters hellbent on destroying everything we’ve ever known.
“He wasn’t at school either,” Emery says from my other side, keeping his voice low.
“He’s been skipping more and more often,” Ethan says.
Shared worry for our brother permeates the air between us.
None of us like to discuss what happened to Reid, though the truth of it dangles above all of our heads like a guillotine just waiting to drop. I remember my best friend before everything went to hell—he had been vibrant and full of life, flirty and energetic, caring and funny.
And because of one scorned woman—and a pissed-off brother—all of that changed. The man standing in Reid’s place is barely recognizable.
“I’ll give him a call,” I murmur, already sifting through the various tools I can use to either bribe or blackmail him to attend his afternoon classes.
“There’s actually something we need to discuss with the two of you…” Ethan begins anxiously, but before he can finish his sentence, Father jerks his chin towards me haughtily.
“Ashton, why don’t you discuss the case with Officer Lenny.” He nods towards a tall, skinny man with bright-red hair and a goatee. “See if you can collect footage from the night Larissa was murdered.”
“Yes, sir,” I respond immediately, nodding.
With one last helpless glance at the twins, I go to do my father’s bidding.
As always.
Seventeen