8 Secrets & Siblings

Ember

The taste of bread still on my lips, I lay back on Briar’s bed and replay this morning’s kiss in my mind. The first time we kissed, we were tipsy and it was hot and angry. This time was light - stars bursting behind my eyes, electricity zinging over my skin. It was bright and scorching. It felt like he could burn away everything in my life and leave only him and that moment.

I want to let him. I want to forget the first eighteen years of my life and never leave this small window of time with him. I can even deal with the coldness from his packmates, if it means going back to his warmth .

But that is a daydream, and I know if I did something drastic like give up my ranking in my pack, I would resent him. I’ve worked for eighteen years to gain power, and I am one step away from being Alpha where I can control everything around me and no one will ever dare cross me again.

If I continue to get closer to him, it’ll hurt worse when I leave. Or I could seize the opportunity and enjoy everything I can with him. Either way, I’ll be heading home in the next day or two. If he gets me alone again, I don’t think I’ll have the willpower to resist him. The way he was devouring me with his eyes in the kitchen, I don’t think I want to.

It might be worth it. I’m used to pain. I’ve got scars to prove it. So why not take advantage of this chance with Onyx? I can deal with the fallout when I leave. And if I’m insanely lucky, we can continue to meet up and spend time together even after I go home.

Mind made up, I lay there in a t-shirt and underwear and pray that he comes to check on me.

A light knock on the door sends a thrill down my spine. “Yeah?”

“Sweetheart, your brother is back. Do you want to come see him?” Clove’s voice calls through the door.

All thoughts of Onyx shatter. Jasper and Marigold have returned, which means I am going home. It’s over before we had a chance to start.

My throat burns as I pull on a pair of shorts and stuff the rest of my clothes back into my duffle. Onyx and Cedar meet me in the hallway, looking confused.

“What are you doing?” Onyx asks .

With a steadying exhale, I steel myself. “Jasper and Marigold are back, so I’m going home.”

The look on his face guts me. His lips part and his brows rise. “Let’s talk about this.”

Cedar brushes past us, following their mom out the door.

“We knew I was only here for a couple of days. Since they’re back, I’m going home.”

“Wait,” he says, reaching for me. I allow him to take my duffel and set it by the door. “What if you stayed?”

Frowning, I prop my hands on my hips. “I can’t do that. It wouldn’t be allowed.”

“Fuck that,” he hisses. “It’s your choice. If you want to stay longer, I’ll do whatever’s needed to make it happen.”

His low voice caresses my skin, and I feel my neck arching in submission. He shouldn’t have this kind of power over me, but I love it. Closing my eyes, I focus on what I need to do. And it’s not running away from my life because a hot guy flirts with me.

“Let’s just go see what’s going on, okay?” I say, my voice gentle while I take his hand. He threads our fingers together and it feels so natural that I’m momentarily stunned.

“Promise me you will think about it,” he whispers. His pleading squeezes my chest and goosebumps break out over my arms. He doesn’t know I’ve already been day dreaming of staying with him. That’s how dangerous his influence over me is .

“Alright,” I say simply. Stiffly, I pull my hand from his and he doesn’t protest.

The silence is full of unspoken desires as we walk south, toward my brother and my way out of here.

My mother’s red sports car stands out among the ivories and sage green trucks in the parking lot. Alarm bells go off in my head. Why would she drive them herself?

She’s the first one I notice, with her dark hair in a classic chignon and her eyeliner so sharp she could cut someone. She stands beside Jasper and Marigold who speak with Hazel and Slate, but my mother’s posture makes it clear she is not a part of their group.

Their hushed tones are impossible to hear over the birds chirping and the crunch of gravel under our feet. Onyx’s father, Fisher, and the Gamma, Hawthorne, join the circle, and more hushed words are exchanged. Fisher’s arms cross over his chest as he watches Jasper and Slate gesture while they speak.

Jasper looks up at me and I want to run to him. But the divide between us is too great. Dark circles smudge under his eyes and he looks paler than normal. Beside him, Marigold clutches his hand in both of hers tight against her stomach.

Sienna looks down her nose at Hazel, and the younger Alpha nods. Slate wraps his arms around his mate’s waist, his eyes dark. My instincts whisper that something is wrong. The concerned curve of Hazel’s eyebrows stand in contrast to the polite smile on her lips .

My mother gives a curt nod and turns on her stilettos. She’s back in her car before I can reach them.

“What is she doing?” I snap.

Jasper cuts across my path, blocking me from her car. “Ember, wait!”

“Wait, what–?” My question breaks off as our mother reverses and peels out of the parking lot without me.

“It’s fine,” he says, “you’re going to stay a few more days.” His familiar voice soothes me and it’s all too easy to submit to his will.

I bare my teeth at him, fighting against his influence. “Why?”

My brother stands his ground, facing my growing anger without visible reaction, though his gaze jumps to his mate. Marigold steps closer and takes his arm. “Your mom has a few things she wants to settle before you go home. And we wanted to spend some time with you.”

“Why didn’t she discuss it with me?” I growl, throwing my arm out to gesture toward her tail lights.

“You know how Mom is,” Jasper says dismissively.

“I am her Heir, second ranked in my pack,” I say, bolstering myself despite the bitter taste in my throat. It feels like a lie. “Not a child to be sent away whenever she gets tired of me.”

“Let’s just enjoy a couple days together and then you’ll head home.” Jasper sounds exhausted.

The rational part of my brain questions everything. Why does he look so bad? If he was a guest of the Alpha, it should have been a luxury vacation. But my feral instincts push those thoughts out of my head with the overwhelming sense that I’m being lied to.

“We are going to unpack and relax for a bit. But could we plan on spending tomorrow together?” Marigold asks with a sweet smile.

“Whatever.” I spin, keeping my pace to a quick walk despite how badly I want to run.

As I pass Onyx, he turns to follow me, keeping pace at my side. Jasper’s eyes burn into my back, but I ignore everyone.

My feet take me towards my temporary home without my guidance, which only serves to irritate me further. As we step into the quiet cabin, I hiss, “Are you happy now? You got what you wanted.”

Onyx halts, his eyes dark when I finally look at him.

“Are you kidding? You’re hurt. That’s the last thing I wanted.”

I ignore his words, unsure of how to take them. “Something is clearly wrong and I’m being treated like a child.”

It only makes me feel more childish but I let him pull me into his arms. Cheek against his chest, he kisses the top of my head. I’m able to release some of the tension threatening to break me.

“I’m sure we will find out everything that’s going on. And it’ll be fine. I’ll do whatever I can to help. And in the meanwhile, you get to stay a few more days with me. ”

His arms tighten around me. I know he’s just trying to comfort me, but I can’t help but take it as an invitation. Tipping my head back, I kiss his jaw. His stubble is rough against my skin.

“Ember,” he rumbles. “We should be finding out what happened, not…” He trails off.

“Later,” I whisper. I can’t deal with my pack or my mother right now. Not when Onyx’s body is pressed against mine. “Distract me. Please.”

“You’re going to be the death of me,” he groans against my temple.

“Despite evidence to the contrary, no, I’m not,” I tease, slipping my hand under his shirt to run the pads of my fingers across his scar. With a grin, he hoists me up so my legs wrap around his waist. He carries me through the kitchen and down the hallway to his room. Before I can protest, he tosses me down on his bed and turns back to click the lock.

“Are you sure you want to do this? I’m still leaving eventually,” I ask, needing him to realize the situation.

“Even if you were leaving today, I would take every second you gave me.” His words are punctuated by kisses up my neck as he crawls over me. “But do you? Because this isn’t a distraction for me.”

His expression is vulnerable, offering up a piece of himself to me. And I know I shouldn’t, but I can’t help myself. I want this and I want him.

With a nod, I tighten my legs around his waist again, reveling in the feel of him against me.

“You are stunning,” he murmurs, sliding my shirt up to uncover my breasts. I gasp as his mouth closes over one. His hand goes to the other, softly stroking and running his thumb over my nipple. His tongue rolls across the other one, and I press my head back into his mattress.

Bunching his shirt up in my fists, I writhe under him. “Onyx,” I moan. His response is a hum against my breast that nearly undoes me.

He moves to the other, his tongue licking over me. The arm not propping him up moves down, tugging at my waistband.

His head comes up, eyes silently requesting permission as his fingers trail under the edge of my waistband.

“Yes,” is all I can manage. My hands tug at his shirt, and he shrugs it off so I can run my hands down his chest. His ab muscles tighten as he lowers down and slips out of reach. My hands skim up over his shoulders, feeling the cords of muscles flexing as he tugs my shorts down with his teeth.

Every molecule of my body is strung tight, feeling his breath against tender skin. Skin no one else has touched. He takes his time, slowly running his fingers and then his mouth lower.

“We are needed in a meeting,” Cedar calls right before the door handle jiggles.

We freeze, his breath panting against my skin.

“Shit,” I whisper. “What do we do?”

He slides my shorts back up my hips and rises up to a kneel between my thighs, looking disoriented. The door handle clicks as Cedar tries again .

“I’ll go, deal with the meeting. You go back to your room after we’re gone,” Onyx says. The look he gives me is pure lust. His navy eyes glow dusty blue, like moonlight. His full lips are slightly parted, and I want them on my body, but we are out of time.

“Wait,” I hiss, words clicking into place in my brain. “They’re having a fucking meeting without me?”

“Maybe it’s something totally unrelated,” he reasons. “But I’ll tell you whatever I learn, okay?

“Fine.” I say.

“Onyx?” Cedar interrupts.

Onyx leaps up, yanking his shirt back on. As he unlocks the door, he blocks me from view, pushing his brother back. But Cedar’s hand goes to the door to keep it from closing. The two males posture for a moment as Onyx tries to make Cedar back down, but the lighter-haired twin peers over his shoulder and it’s too late. He sees me with bare shoulders, Onyx’s quilt pulled over my breasts.

“Not a word,” Onyx snarls at him.

A crease forms between Cedar’s brows. “This is not a good idea. I warned you.”

The door closes and I can barely hear Onyx’s angry words as he leads Cedar away.

Heart racing, I slip my shirt on and peek into the hallway. There’s no noise in the house, so I dart across to Briar’s room and shut the door. Want and need rage through me, and I faceplant into the bed with a frustrated groan.

Onyx

Jasper looks like this is the last place he wants to be. He rests his forehead against the heel of his hand. Marigold leans against him, her cheek to his shoulder. Both look exhausted and decidedly grim.

Slate sits across from him, his mouth a thin line. Hazel runs her fingers over his wrist, drawing swirls with the tips of her fingers. To Hazel’s left sits Hawthorne and then my father.

The pack bond resonates in the room with so many wolves gathered together. I can sense frustration and resignation rolling off my friends.

Cedar takes the chair past Jasper and I take the one beside Marigold. It makes me nervous to have my twin further away, knowing his inclination for sharing information without tact. Of anyone, he was the worst person to have caught up - except perhaps Slate or Jasper. They are going to be furious. Ravishing the Heir of another pack was definitely not in the job description when Hazel asked me to guard Ember.

Marigold sits up and squeezes my forearm. “Are you having an okay time?” she asks quietly.

Swallowing, I bob my head. She turns and smiles at me. I can tell the second she breathes in and catches Ember’s scent on my skin. She goes still, her eyes flickering from my face down my body like she might find the girl tucked in my pocket. Her brows crease. Anyone else, I wouldn’t worry. They’d assume it was because I was on guard duty. But Marigold snuck around with Jasper for weeks before they admitted their relationship to us. I’m screwed .

“Okay, let’s deal with this,” Slate says. His exhale is heavy.

Jasper sighs too, the half-brothers looking more alike in that moment. “So things aren’t looking great in Granite Ridge,” he begins. “Sienna has been ruling alone for the last year, and their pack is largely male.”

“She hasn’t taken a new mate and doesn’t intend to,” Marigold amends. “I think she really loved Ferris.”

Jasper’s jaw clenches. “Well, the talks among the pack members are starting to turn ugly. She’s had to squash a few rebellious discussions already, but it’s only a matter of time until someone challenges her.”

Hawthorne’s hand rubs his jaw thoughtfully. “And do we think she can win a challenge?”

“Against those fuckers they’ve got in that pack?” Slate says, his tone harsh.

“This is the consequence of building up a pack of brutish men, training them like a militia, and then telling them they are the superior pack. For years,” Hazel says, emphasizing her words. “Sienna can’t control them without Ferris.”

“So what if she loses her pack? Who is likely to challenge her?” Hawthorne presses.

Jasper runs hand through his hair, already tousled from his anxious habit. “It’ll probably be Orion or maybe Aries. And they’re bloodthirsty. They won’t hold our alliance. They’d probably attack Raven pack first, especially if they could get Zephyr to turn on Nyx. Then we would be next.”

“We should prepare for a fight, then,” my father says. Beside him, Hawthorne raises a pacifying hand .

“It would be best if Sienna wasn’t ousted,” Hazel says, shaking her head like she can’t believe she is supporting her mate’s mother who hates her.

“Well, what can we do?” Slate asks Jasper.

Jasper rubs his hand down his face. “I don’t know.”

“If we send any sort of support, it’ll just make her look weaker. Short of going in and assassinating a third of her pack, I don’t see anything we can do,” Marigold says.

This is going from bad to worse, and I can’t sit silently.

“What about Ember?” I blurt.

“She’s staying here,” Hazel says. “At least we can keep her out of whatever carnage is about to happen.”

“Who is telling her what’s happening?”

Slate’s eyes bore into mine, his dominance pressing down until I drop my gaze. “We aren’t going to tell her.”

“Why?” I ask as respectfully as I can manage.

“What do you think she’d do if she knew?” Marigold asks softly.

Fear and anger swirl together, making me sick. “She’d want to go home and do something to help. But that’s her decision to make. She’s an adult and Heir of Granite Ridge.”

“She’s my sister, and I won’t get her thrown back into that pack as it self-destructs.” Jasper’s words cut into me. “I know you don’t care if she lives or dies, but I won’t see her torn apart. ”

“Of course I want her safe,” I snap. “But she has rights. I’m sure if we talk to her about the situation-”

“Have you ever talked with Ember?” Jasper interrupts me, his sky blue eyes blazing bright cyan. Marigold grips his arm, and I have no doubt she’s feeding calming emotions through their mate bond. The rush of his anger lessens.

“I’ve talked with her a lot this week,” I say, unable to stay quiet. “She’s gotten a shit deal, but she’s trying to do the right thing. And everyone is holding her pack’s mistakes over her head.”

“Onyx, I know this isn’t fair to her. But we can’t risk her running home and getting herself killed. If she’s safe here, Sienna can focus on dealing with her pack. It’s the only thing we can do to help. So you can’t tell her anything.” Hazel’s dominance feels different than Slate’s. Slate’s is like a physical force pressing down on my shoulders. Hazel is like a warm blanket wrapping around me, drawing me toward what she wants and coaxing me to cooperate. I know if she wanted to, she could push harder, but she’s gentle.

“Yes, Alpha,” I say. The soft pressure releases me and the wolves around me relax in unison.

Ember is going to be furious when she finds out they kept this from her, but I’m powerless to help the situation.

“Please be extra vigilant. Whenever you aren’t with her, make sure someone else is. Jasper and Marigold will take her whenever they can,” Hazel says .

“Clove and I can take some of that responsibility on as well,” my father adds. Hazel nods, looking between us.

“I’m staying in contact with my mother, so I’ll provide whatever updates as soon as I have them.” Jasper grips his mate’s hand.

“Hopefully this resolves soon and she can go home,” Marigold adds sweetly. Her words churn in my stomach. I want Ember to be safe and have everything she wants in this world, but I also want her with me. And staying here in Bracken Creek accomplishes several of those goals, though it denies her position as Heir. Somehow I know she would trade her safety and happiness if it meant taking up the mantle of Alpha in her pack.

Slate dismisses us and I head back to my cabin, leaving my father and brother behind to talk with Jasper. Not caring about etiquette, I head straight to Briar’s room.

Ember sits up on her bed, her expression open and vulnerable. It almost breaks me. I open my mouth and then close it, unsure of what I can say.

Gracefully, she rises and approaches me. Her hands rest against my stomach. I’d love to bypass our discussion and push her back onto the bed and kiss her until neither of us know which direction is up. But she is expecting an explanation.

“Jasper and Marigold were sharing about their visit, but they didn’t say much.” It’s the truth.

Her brows furrow as she looks up at me, but she’s patient for more of an answer .

“I guess your mom wants you to stay with us. Well, Jasper was the one who wanted it. Honestly, I don’t know.”

“Nothing else was discussed in the meeting?” she asks, gently requesting more information.

I drag my hand through my hair. “There were a few things the Alphas ordered us to keep quiet about. I’m sorry.”

Understanding washes over her face. Her lips part for a moment, forming an “o” shape. I pull her to me, hands on the small of her back, but she leans away.

“I’d like some space. I thought I’d get some answers, but you can’t, and it just confirms they’re keeping something from me.” Her tone is even, but it feels like the quiet before a storm.

My hold loosens and she pulls away. “Please don’t push me away,” I plead.

“It’s been an emotional day,” she says. “I think I need some actual rest. Can you close the door on your way out?”

“Ember,” I say, wanting nothing more than to touch her. Her eyebrows shoot up, and I know she’s made her decision. “Talk to Jasper or Hazel.” It’s the only thing I can say to help.

“I will.” Her arms cross, and she watches me with a focused calm that scares me more than her anger ever has. Each step away from her feels like needles stabbing my skin, but I make it to the door and give her one last pleading look. Her gaze is distant, lost in thought.

Hating everything about the situation, I close the door, turn my back to it, and sink to the ground. My forehead rests on my forearm across my knees. She’s hurting behind this door, so I sit outside and wait until she’s ready to let me back in.