My eyes darted around to see the alarming faces of my brothers. Another long sigh left my body and relief washed over me. They were in the meeting hall.
"Please, let us know next time." Laura said as she tugged my sister with her.
Everly would trust me even if I was lying to her. The first boy I met today was scaring me and the second one, I couldn't resist the pull toward him. The unseen pull would give them whatever scent was in the air.
Ash stared at me. "Was he handsome?" A big tug made her lips curl up.
I didn't see his face, but I saw his body structure and his dark long hair. He must be handsome. I nodded my head blushing.
She linked her arm with me and we strode in. It felt void. He didn't answer me, didn't stop when I called him.
"Dance with us." Everly asked over her shoulder.
"No, I'd like to drink something." I told her, pulling my arm away.
"Please, don't disappear this time." She said walking away.
"I won't." I took my steps to the counter and took my seat. I kept my eyes low, I wouldn't repeat that mistake again. Don't look into a stranger's eyes for now.
I gestured at the bartender. He nodded at me, holding no expression. My eyes drifted around to find him. First one. My eyes rested on the cameras. I couldn't access them until one of the Alphas allowed it.
My head turned hearing a loud slap against the wood. I spun. He shoved my drink toward me.
I grasped it, muttering thanks. The soft nod of his head told me that he had heard me. My eyes kept roaming around after knowing that he had gone and that bad person was still out there to bewitch me.
"You look disturbed," Luke said, studying my face.
"It could be someone else," I suggested as I shrugged my shoulders.
"There is only one person who doesn't know how to hide her emotional side. " His index finger turned to me.
I sighed softly, not arguing with him. All are wolves here. I was drained. The thought of a crawling sensation frightened me. "I don't know what you're saying." I tried to shrug off the dread feeling.
"You're scared too." He grabbed the glass from me and gulped from it.
"Why are you here, Luke? You should be next to your Alpha.'' My irritation would be better than my fear.
" I'm doing what our Alpha told me to do." He looked annoyed.
"I'm no wolf. He's our brother or a member of our family. This does not apply to me." I told him, clearly. Sometimes, I felt he doesn't want me in the family.
"This rule no longer exists. You heard the queen.'' His lips flattened in aggravation.
" Not live." I tried to grab my glass but he pulled his hand away.
"Rules are rules, kiddo." He smirked down at me. His anger was gone, suddenly
"Brother, what are you trying to warn me about?" He doesn't hate me.
He breathed out sharply. "I was happy the day you were born. You and Everly." His eyes swiped on the crowd and halted over her. A smile curled on his face. "Everything changed when you grew." His lips flattened, and anger flashed in his eyes. "Particularly you."
"I don't understand. I didn't do anything to you." I gulped, he never expressed his expression before.
He drew his face closer. "You shouldn't hear us or." He paused looking into my eyes. They flashed his wolf. My heart picked the race. "You should die the day you were born." His voice was so low but I understood him clearly.
Tears stung in my eyes. He hated me. I was wrong. Sadness washed over me. "Why? I didn't do anything wrong to you." I muttered in my heavy voice with emotions.
"You have. By being born in. My family." In a blink, he got on his feet and was gone.
I blinked, and tears trailed down my eyes. I felt other eyes on me. I pushed myself onto my feet and forwarded my steps to the door.
What did I do to earn his hatred? He expressed it openly today. Perhaps, he got less attention than me from everyone. Even Everly, Jasper, and Jace too, but they didn't hate me. They cared for me. I got whatever the youngest kid got from the family.
I wiped my eyes feeling the guard's eyes on me. His brows were crushed together. He opened his mouth but I cut him off.
"Can you call Jasper and Jace? I wanna go home." I asked, hoping he would inform my brothers. This place seems weird now.
"Are you alright, madam?" He ignored my demand completely.
I parted my lips to tell a lie. "Kiddo, why are you upset?" I felt Jace's hand landing on my shoulder.
"I think clubs are not my thing." I forced a smile.
His eyes flashed as they raked over my face. After being in the dark alone with the crawling sensation, it had done a number on me. And Luke's hatred, that was next level.
"You're despondent." His crude tone reached my ears. I felt an arm enveloping around my shoulder. He looked down at me blankly. His eyes flashed and quickly they were gone.
"I don't have a friend." I lowered my chin, looking at my sneakers.
"That's it." Jace snorted, trying to hide his anger. "You'll make a lot of friends in your new school." He pinched the bridge of my nose softly.
I nodded my head, but I wasn't good at making friends like Everly and my elder sisters do. They were mated and were happy in their life.
"Let's dance." Jasper tugged me toward the dance floor. "Aunt wouldn't allow you to go if she's going to see you like this."
It was always me who insisted on dancing. They never said no to me. "Really?" A smile appeared on my face.
"That, " Jace gestured with his eyes to my face. "Anything for this, kiddo." He chuckled.
I saw a video on my fifth birthday. Jace was singing a song while holding a guitar. He's good at this. And Jasper was sitting on the couch. I was holding his index finger in my small fist as he spun me. I wasn't certain he would do this in public. He was a powerful, strict Alpha.
"You will be there.'' I looked at them. I didn't want to live in the academy, which is full of powerful creatures when I was nothing more than a vulnerable person.
I giggled as I took a firm step toward the stairs. Jasper was already gone to his office.
"See you in the morning, Ember." He waved his hand over his shoulder without looking at me.
It was nine o'clock. Everly was still in the club with her friends and Luke also was there. They would return home together.
I twisted the knob and pushed it open. My eyes slightly widened seeing my mother sitting on the edge of the mattress. I gulped but managed a smile. "You did not sleep, Mom." I stepped into the room.
"I packed you things." Her eyes darted on the bags.
I followed her gaze and nodded, smiling at her. The awkward tension from before was gone when she returned the smile. "Thank you, Mom." Forwarding, I took her in a tight embrace.
Her shoulders were hunched and she patted my arm. "You're staying with your brothers at the villa. And weekends with Lance and Kat. No dormitory. No outing after sunset. You're calling me every evening before going to bed. Are we clear, young lady?" She asked, flattening her lips.
My laughter filled the room and she smiled, looking at me. "I'll call you daily. I promise."
"I don't want you to change a bit." Her smile dropped.
My laughter also died. "Is it related to her? You never tell me a single thing about her, not even have shown her picture to me." I complained.
Her expression saddened as she breathed out slowly. "I made mistakes that I shouldn't have made. I should understand things which I don't want to." Tears shone in her eyes.
"How would I know if you wouldn't tell me anything?" I gazed at her, resting my chin on her shoulder.
She caressed my cheek. Her head shook. "I know. You always wanted to go to the same school, wanted to train like your brothers and sister. You will understand the day you will be a mother. I love you, my baby. I didn't want to smash your dreams. My decisions were always good for you."
"I'm not judging you, Mom. I understand. You don't wanna lose me. I'm not a wolf. You must have expected a lot of things. I'm..." I hesitated. I wasn't questioning her love.
"Don't even think about this, Sweetie. I love you with or without your wolf."
I was feeling a rock settle in the pit of my stomach. "I know. You don't need to use words." I squeezed her in the ring of my arms.
"Go to sleep. You have an early flight in the morning." She managed a smile.
"I love you, Mom." I kissed her cheek and withdrew my arms.
She patted my cheek and got on her feet. I could see tears in her eyes which were grasping unconditional love for me in her eyes, she stared at me for a while and closed the door behind her.
I plopped back down onto the bed and stared at the ceiling. My legs were still swinging over the side of the bed. What was she scared of? She never talked about her. I should say she would never talk about her to me. What did I do to earn this distrust? Sleep wasn't going to be my companion for tonight. I left the book in Jace's car. He would never tell me the reasons. Mother would have told everyone. I would get to the bottom of it. One day, I would find out about my half-sister and the reasons why I was kept away from her and everything that belonged to her. Perhaps, my family didn't want me to end before my twenty-first birthday.