Page 39 of When Embers Become Ashes

"I have ten mate marks. Can you explain to Mi... Dad, Uncle Nic, and Luc? Probably Grandpa and my brothers, Ren as well, About beingMater Aeterna, to the litter, but not today since we have a pack meet tonight.” Bas informs her that they call Nikoli Grumps, Pops is still Pops, and Trunk is Gramps or the Cherokee word for Grandpa, which isAgiduda. Ember smiles her thanks

Pops gazes keeps darting between Ren and Ember and then he speaks to her in Latin, I don’t fully understand but I get the jist of the question

“It was Ren’s hoody you wanted the scent saving on the hoody? It was his Alpha and Enforcers blood you was covered in when you arrived at our?” she gives him a nod, then he rubs his face,

“explains why the litter always listen to Ren” again she gives him another nod and then turns to Brayden.

“I bet you a slice of cake that Ryland, Ren and Miles are trying to listen through the door.” He raises an eyebrow.

“Deal.” He flings the door open with a smug smile at his sister. Which drops when Miles, Ryland, and Jenson fall to the floor while Ren, Alma, Cin, and Ajax look sheepishly at the now-open door.

I burst out laughing as Brayden starts to whine at Ember, who sticks her tongue out at him.

She then disappears over the snoop pile, telling Alma she’s getting all of Brayden’s cake this week.

“I take it back; I don’t want a baby sister anymore,” Bray mumbles, then looks at Ren.

“I now understand your annoyance with J sooooo much more.” I chuckle looking around the room at our family, I actually think I would have had to retire years ago to help keep Nic sane if Ember had grown up here.

Ember

"I never connected your looks to Bunica's. I feel silly for not realizing it, especially so Nikoli could be warned," Alma says sadly.

"You have memories of her from when she was older, so those images are fresher in your mind than just photographs. It makes sense," I say while serving three bowls of Nonna’s Gumbo and fresh cheesy cornbread muffins. Alma hums as Timber sticks his head in the window.

"The oldies are going to chat while announcements are made. They asked if they could have drinks, please, Alma. They need you on the platform,baby bear."I raise an eyebrow, but he smiles and leaves.

"I’ll take this to the oldies. Are you okay with sorting drinks?" I ask Alma with a chuckle, and she gives me a nod.

I place the tray on the table before them, giving them each a kiss on the cheek, but Pops get some words too

“Just like she taught me to make” he blinks away the tears and pats my cheek before I move away from them.

I pass the front of the platform, heading for the steps.

"Lily is stuck in traffic; she says to start without them." I hear Mika say to Luc, I probably should start calling him Dad, even if it's just in my head. As I step up, I can hear mutters of,

"Who am I?" I move so I’m standing next to Miles, who’s behind Brayden and Ren. I don’t know if it's on purpose, but he has a solid wall at his back and a wall of muscle in front of him; he’s safe and protected. I smile and link my pinky with his.

"Thanks again for my bracelet, sweets; it’s made moments like this so much easier." I squeeze his pinky and give him another smile, turning my eyes to Alpha Dominic as he steps forward and starts the pack meeting. He covers the basics: training, rogue sightings, events, visitors, nothing exciting. I watch the crowd, speaking quietly so only those closest to me can hear.

"Saint, there are seven more with concealment charms."

I’m barely moving my lips, but I know he and Declan hear me. Brayden, Bas, and Ren probably hear too. I feel Saint's shadow brush over my ear, sitting like a hearing aid would. I whisper"see"in Latin so Saint can understand what I do. I focus on the individuals I notice. Miles squeaks and I realize it’s because I’m still touching him, so he's seeing what I see. He squeezes my pinky too. Miles mutters,

“One of Trinity’s followers,” and the next person I focus on is an older lady.

“Trinity’s mom,” Miles states, but he doesn’t know her name. Meh, moving on. The next is a male Fox shifter who looks like he stepped off a Teen Heartthrob magazine.

“That’s Fox. He’s been trying to replace Creed on the school team for years,” Miles informs me.

“A fox shifter called Fox? How inventive,” I mutter, moving on as my eyes drift to the girl hanging off him.

“Maria, she keeps getting in trouble for giving hand jobs in class,” Miles informs me with a slight shudder. She looks more like a size 10 than the 2 or 4 that Trinity and Nikki are. If it weren’t for the sneer, she would be cute.

“Using guys to feed, low-level succubus like Trinity, she needs to have contact with cum, like on her skin or in her mouth to feed.” I inform Miles,

“yuck too much info, sweets, yuck.” He gives another shudder, and I just chuckle.

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