Alpha Ember (ALPHA KANE BOOK 2)

42. A Messy Reunion

Ember

By the time I raced down the stairs and flung myself out the front door the excitement was already over, but I did find the person who had shouted my name: a cheerful Bluebell who was more than eager to give me a detailed recount of events.

The people shooting the guns? They were Donna and her group of deserters.

The person they were shooting at? Wendy's brother.

And the million dollar question here was- drumroll please- why were they shooting at their comrade in arms?

It all started one dreary, cold night a week ago, the day after Wendy had paid us a visit and I'd sent her politely off with a kick. After they'd hightailed it back to the house their combined packs were staying at, Wendy regained consciousness and rose like an apoplectic tornado, ravaging the place in her fury, breaking furniture, shattering windows and hitting cowering pack members. She ended up punching Donna as well and a fight broke out...which lasted about thirty seconds before Wendy subdued the less dominant female wolf and beat her bloody. Then Wendy moved on to Sue when she tried to pull the crazed alpha off her friend. The rest of the pack pretended not to see what was going on, glad they weren't the recipients of their alpha's abuse. Meanwhile the evening got even darker when Wendy's brother Julius took Nina outside and assaulted her behind the house.

The next day Nina reluctantly told a mending Donna and Sue what had happened. Yet when they confronted Julius about what he did, he denied any wrongdoing. He told them Nina was the one who asked for it. (None of them looked my way when Bluebell was describing this part.)

After that they tried their best to stay together, especially after sunset. By then their eyes had been opened to the true nature of Wendy and Julius' packs and they were planning on deserting (again). They kept their plans a secret while they plotted and when an unsuspecting Wendy ordered the three of them and Julius to kidnap my mom, take her to the front of Kane's house and murder her there before fleeing, they agreed to go.

Only they were planning on shooting Julius all along.

But they hadn't found my mom in her apartment, my dad had been there alone instead.

Things played out quickly from there on, Julius and the women nabbed my dad, tied him up with silver cuffs and brought him over to be murdered on Kane's lawn. As soon as Julius had tried to take out his gun though, the women had pounced on him, shooting him in the arms and legs while Nina dragged my dad to safety. Julius was overwhelmed of course. Unfortunately, they decided not to kill him after all and he was now being taken to a prison for supernatural criminals, one I would've liked to see if the father I had absolutely no recollection of in my entire life wasn't currently waiting to meet me in Kane's kitchen.

For some reason I wasn't afraid or happy, I was just...empty. Like my emotions had no idea what kind of feelings they should feel.

Maybe I was just distracted by what was happening with Light and it would be wiser to meet my dad later.

I was debating over what to do when Kane came down the stairs from behind me, shaking his head when I raised my brows in question. "Rina is trying to convince him to move further away from the gate and his guards but he doesn't want to move. We think he's resisting her magic and things might take a while. You can check on your dad before coming back up."

Footsteps approaching from the kitchen made me look up guiltily, afraid I was caught making him a second priority- but it was just Nina.

She was tugging down the sleeve of her bandaged arm where Julius had managed to shoot her. Luckily, Bluebell said she'd be good as new in a few days. "Your dad is a brave guy," Nina told me by way of greeting. "He told Julius he'd do anything he wanted if he'd leave you alone. He's nice, far better than some of us." She smiled and inched closer, clasping my hands in hers. They were calloused, not as soft as I'd expected considering her soft temperament. "I saw the school footage. I'm sorry for assuming the worst of you and for hurting your mom. I know forgiveness is the last thing on my mind where Julius is concerned and it would be hypocritical to ask that of you, so I won't."