Page 21 of When Embers Become Ashes

“It doesn’t matter. They’ve been contacted before. They don’t want a broken thing like me. That’s why they threw me away in the first place.” Gio makes a strangled choking noise as Xander asks,

“How many times has your DNA been run, Glowbug?” his finger poised over his tablet, and wide eyes looking at me.

“Six, to my knowledge, always the same response.” I shrug.

Gio finally looks at my sketch properly and frowns.

“Erm, where have you seen them, Ember? I can’t see you meeting Mika’s boys and still living under Jameson’s rule!”

“Oh, erm.” I look at Xander. He knows a little about my dreams and sight. He nods and focuses on his tablet again.

“I saw the image when I passed out from the Lennox attack.” I don’t say more as Xander swears and holds the tablet out to Gio. He looks at me with fury but not directed at me.

“There is no way your family was contacted when your DNA was run, as they have been looking for you all your life.” I stare open-mouthed at Xander before looking back at Gio, who has tears running down his face,

“He’s right. Your dad is one of my best friends.”

There’s a knock on the door. Instead of calling them in, Xander peeks out at the door. Gio walks into the bathroom, and I hear the water run and a splash noise. I guess he’s washing his face,

“Dad’s here and wants to talk to Gio and the girl.” There is something about the voice, but I can’t place it. Gio moves close to me and tells me everything will be okay, calling to the voice that he will be right out:

“Where were you left? You said a firehouse, but where?”

I give him the info.

When I was at the group home nearby, I asked if anyone who still worked there was there when I was left. James, the cleaner’s son, said he remembered his mom talking about it. A few days later, he dropped some photos of me wrapped in a sweater, asleep in an upturned helmet.

I tell Gio where they are in my bag. He leaves as Xander says bye to someone and walks in with Trent, who hands over a brown paper fast-food bag, chicken burger, chips, chocolate milkshake and a bottle of water, a massive smile on my face and a thank you. I nearly burrow into the bag he leaves, muttering about how I’m just like Declan. I frown and look at Xander, who points at the Vampire in my sketch, kisses my head, and leaves.

If the man in my drawing is Declan, who called meDeirfiur,he called me sister! Does that mean Dex, Levi, and the huge bear are also my brothers?

I fall asleep with tears running down my face, the realization that I may have brothers, a dad, and a family that actually wants me—or so Xander and Gio claim. Do I dare to hope?

I wake up to Xander and Gio talking.

“I didn’t have a chance to tell Mika about Ember as Brayden collapsed. He and Dec rushed home when Nic called.” Gio explains, and Xander sounds worried,

“I hope he’s okay. I wonder if it’s related to Em. He had that scare just before Jay came, and she was in the cage with him. I wonder if she was hurt like Jenson was.” I answer his not-asked question,

“Vampires fed on me, and it took a week to get back to normal. They nearly took too much.” I move to be more comfortable with how I’m slumped, wincing as the stitches pull; I get a frown from Xander, who helps, then takes his seat again.

“Who’s Brayden?” Xander smiles.

"Your twin, Jay and Ren, will kick themselves when they notice the link between him and your dream wolves.” Gio looks confused but doesn’t ask.

One morning, Xander and Trent walk in with balloons and a teddy, I frown, confused.

Trent plonks the teddy on the end of my bed, returns to the still-open door, and returns with four gift bags and a cake. I’m still frowning in confusion at what’s going on. Trent looks worried, so he looks at Xander, who shakes his head at me,

“Happy birthday, glow bug.” My mouth drops open as I do the math. Happy seventeenth to me, I guess.

We have a day of playing games and eating cake. I told them off for buying me stuff, but it was all practical stuff, like clothes, shoes, and some art supplies. Chloe nipped in quickly before her shift and drops off some underwear—boys never remember things like that—and some decent wash stuff. Trent quickly left the room before his replacement turns up, just as Xander’s phone rings,

“Hey, bro, I was starting to forget what you looked like. You hardly come home, got yourself a sugar daddy?” It's Ren’s voice, and I can tell it’s him. The difference from when we were six years old is profound, but he still sounds like a grumpy Alpha,

“Oooo, who’s that? He looks like our older brother. What’s his name again?” Jenson chirps.

Xander has a smile on his face. He looks at me off the camera as I hear Ren and Jay grumble about his attention not even being on them. I give him a nod and shuffle over slightly on the bed so he can sit next to me,

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