It was hard to leave the confines of my home, the territory. I slung the backpack over my shoulder and looked at my sister. Sadness could be noticed in her eyes. But she smiled at me and took me in a bear hug.
"My little bear is going out of the territory, leaving the home behind. You always have my back, Em." She pulled back and I saw tears rolling down her eyes. She wiped them immediately and smiled at me.
"I'm not going to die there. Brothers will be there." My lips pursed to hide the gloominess that was raising inside me.
"Ha! I can scent your sadness. But I appreciate it. No matter, we're staying at different places. I will know if you'll be in trouble." She patted her fingers over my shoulder.
I embraced her. "Take care of Mom. She doesn't want this. I can see this."
"I know." She muttered. "Well, keep your phone with you. And if you have a crush or any trouble, someone disturbing you, bully you. You're telling me. I'll take..." Her voice was cut off.
"That won't be needed. She'll be safe, kiddo." Jace smirked, looking at Everly. He was going to ruffle her hair. She pulled her head back.
I giggled. She hated it when he called her Kiddo. She always said.
"She's the youngest one, the real kid of the family." She said with a roll of her eyes. She turned her sharp gaze at me.
Jace forwarded and curled his arm around my shoulder. His eyes narrowed on her. She couldn't disobey him. The flash of amber in his eyes warned her.
"I'll miss you, little bear. I can't see you going away. I won't be in the hall. My friends are here." She left the room.
I stared at my brother. This Alpha and Werewolf thing wasn't going to work on me.
"That was so rude," I told him.
He guided me toward the door. "They can't treat you like this. Luke may be the Beta of the pack. If he doesn't stop, I'm gonna challenge him." He said, confidently.
My feet halted, and dread gripped me. My big eyes turned to him. He must have heard my beating heart. His eyes softened on me. "I won't kill him."
"But ain't it the rule?" I asked, knowing the answer.
"He can step down without any complaint." He shrugged his shoulders, not caring much.
"No,'' I shook my head. " Mommy, think about her." It would shatter her.
"Only her thought is deterring me from taking such a step." His jaw clenched.
"You can't win, younger brother." Luke looked at us smirking, but his eyes were full of wrath.
His arm tightened around my shoulder. One corner of his lips lifted up.
Luke's face contorted in anger, and his hands fisted.
My eyes landed on the hallway and I relaxed breathing out. "Keep it out of the house. Or I'll rip your heads off. '' Jasper glared at them.
My body shuddered in fear. I haven't heard him threatening anyone before. My shocked filled big eyed jerked over him.
Their eyes dropped to the floor and they nodded. "No one is going to harm you. it's normal for us to hear such words when we do this." Jace explained.
I wasn't certain. I just stared at him. He wasn't lying.
"Emersyn," Jasper said in his usual tone. "They are waiting."
I walked over to him. I wasn't certain. I was even imagining him ripping off their heads. I shook my head.
"It's just a joke, kiddo. Stop scaring. Uncle and Dad would rip our heads off without giving us a warning." I heard Luke behind me.
"Smash your fear, Little sister." He smiled at me. When I didn't smile back. "I'm thinking of ousting them." He whispered.
"What?" We squealed in unison.
"Yes, until they learn their manners and responsibilities." Jasper shot them a look.
"Cheer up, Ember. He's not going to rip our heads off." Jace threw his arm around me and smirked down at me.
"That's not funny." I whispered.
"It's Alpha's way to keep his pack in line, particularly them. They have earned their position, Em. They didn't get it because they are Quarles." He said.
"We are billionaires." I blinked my eyes, looking at Jasper.
"We're not chosen by the mountains of wealth. We are chosen by the strength of our wolf." Jasper said.
"Believe me, Ember. Only Jasper has all the qualities to be our Alpha. If it would me or Luke, we would have disappeared." He chuckled.
My eyes darted on Luke. He smirked and didn't object.
"Don't take their argument seriously. They can't help their bad habits. Particularly Luke." Jasper said.
"Alright" I nodded my head but I wasn't convinced. They also felt it but nobody questioned me. Luke hates me. He cleared it today.
This was the hardest part. I wanted to skip it. But I also wanted it. My mother smiled at me down from the hall, looking up at me. Daddy C was curling his arm around her shoulder, flashing his perfect smile. They made a beautiful pair. I love them.
I was in a choking hug the moment my feet touched the hall. I looked at my father. His smile didn't drop. Jasper strode out.
"Mom, I can come home on weekends," I said, hoping it would lessen her worries. "I'll be fine out there. Aunt will be there."
Her shoulders shook as she sobbed. My eyes swam with tears. My beseeching eyes turned to my father. I couldn't go if she would cry like this.
"Carla, mi bella. She's going to learn a lot of things there. She wouldn't be alone there." Daddy C gripped her shoulders, trying to tug her back.
My mother sniffled and took a small step back. Her tearful eyes were fixed on me and then drifted over my shoulder. "Nothing should happen to my daughter, Jasper."
"She'll be safe, Mom. Don't shackle her. She wants to spread her wings and conquer the sky." Jace said, mocking, smirking. He wiped her eyes.
"NineA are there. Nothing could happen to her. You trust them." Luke said.
She nodded, I saw doubt in her eyes. her eyes didn't peel off me. I was enchanting only one thing in my head that I wasn't going to cry. It would just push me to change my mind. I didn't want that. I also want to go to the academy like my siblings.
"Katherine and Lancelot would visit you there every weekend. You can tell your daddy L anything if your brothers are busy." She gave a pointed look to Luke and Jace.
"We heard you arguing boys." Dad said strictly to them.
I giggled. Before they glared at me, I cleared my throat. Daddy Lance was my mother's friend, a good friend. They were mated once to bring peace between two packs. It was before the establishment of sevenA which has turned into NineA. They had three children. Drake, Emersyn, and Avelyn. Her middle child was cursed and died. She was the Queen. That's all I know.
"Jasper and Drake will be there. I shouldn't disturb Daddy L." I told her.
"They're members of NineA. They have a lot of things, duties, and much more to do. Lance will protect you, no matter what." She said.
Okay, my mother is scaring me. She needs to stop acting like this as I am going to the front line.
"You're scaring her, darling." Daddy C whispered to her.
I told them to talk in front of me instead of talking in their heads. It made things easy.
Mom slipped her fingers on her cheeks. Her face emanated affection, kindness, and worry. Her smile showed off her pearly white teeth. Leaning forward, she kissed my head. "If you don't like your new school, you can come back home. All you have to do is give me a call."
"I promise." I embraced her quickly, fighting my tears to not show up. I flashed my full smile.
Daddy tapped on my mother's shoulder. They were talking in their heads. I rolled my eyes. "Gosh! Telepathy." I muttered under my breath.
My mother giggled and caressed my cheek. Her smile was gone immediately as her hand rested on my shoulder. She just stared at me longer. With a shuddering breath, she nodded.
"Mom, I'm not going to die there. I'm just... " (going to study there.) The words stuck in my throat when her soft hand hit me hard against my cheek. The voice rang in my ears.
"Don't you dare to say that again." She yelled at me.
I felt sudden anger. My hands fisted at my sides. My lips tightened in annoyance. I fought against the stinging on my cheek and in my eyes. No one has ever raised their hand on me.
"Carla," Father yelled in anger as he scowled at her. They just glared at each other, talking in their heads.
I couldn't yell, couldn't express my anger. My body was tense, I was feeling out of place. I wanted to escape. I trotted toward the door without looking back.
"Emma," Her voice cracked as she called me by her name.
I turned sharply. "I'm not Emma. She died. I'm still alive. With your over-possessiveness, you're pushing me to loneliness. Nobody wants to be my friend. I wanted to put the steps in my brother's shoes but you always forced your decision on me. I'm glad Queen Reina changed the rules and I'm getting rid of your bossy attitude." I cry-shouted. I was looking everywhere, but her.
"Emersyn, you can't talk to your mother like this. Apology to her." Daddy glared at me.
"No!" It was hurting like hell that she hit me. Complaining wasn't part of my routine. "You can hit me again but I will never apologize," I shouted at him in anger.
"Emersyn!" He warned me again.
"Where were you when she was forcing her decisions on me." I wanted to study in the same school my brothers and sisters went to. But she always controlled my life, considering me a heartless, brainless body.
Mom forwarded her feet, her eyes flashed as her wolf pushed forward. I tensed, and dread fisted my stomach. I shuddered. She raised her hand to hit me again. Fear took control of my body. I lifted my hands to block her slap and squeezed my eyes shut. I was stupid. She's a wolf. I will definitely die today. The difference would be that she was my protector and now would be the cause of my death.
I heard the solid noise of slapping but I did not feel the pain. I cracked my eyes open. I grasped seeing blood dripping from the scratches of her nails on his cheek. My heart slammed into my ribs.
My pupils dilated as horror grasped me. "Brother," I squealed with fear. My trembling hand lifted before I could do anything. His wolf healed his wounds.
"It's okay, kiddo." Jace smiled down at me. The scowl over his forehead looked permanent. He was fighting against his wolf to take control.
Tears ran down my cheeks. What did I do?
"I'm sorry," Mother forwarded her steps.
A deep loud growl echoed in the hall, filling the disturbing silence. Jasper's eyes turned amber. My feet moved getting close to Jasper.
Fear flickered through my eyes as they turned to him.
"Come, little sister." His deep gravel voice sent shivers of fear down my spine. His glare never moved away from them. I never saw this side of his Alpha-wolf.
Striding forward, he wrapped his arm around my shoulder. We walked out of the house. Luke opened the back seat door.