Page 45 of When Embers Become Ashes

“Alpha, there has been some interference with the wards. I’ve marked the patrol map with each place.” He looks so proud of himself, and he holds out the map

“That’s Alpha Maykal, not Alpha Dominic. Might want to give it to the correct Alpha.” Laughter is clear in my voice as more chuckles sprout up around the table. Calloway blinks at him, stumbles over his words, drops the paper on Declan’s lap and storms out of the room.

“Never liked that slimy brown noser; was the same at school,” Declan grumbles.

Paxton, Saint, Xander, and Marcus agree. Trent and Calum say his younger brother is just as slimy, a year younger than Bas. Dad seems to perk up at the mention of school.

“Ember, we need to sort out your schooling, so you don’t get behind.” I look at him, completely confused,

“Now don’t look at me like that Monday you are starting school. No amount of pouting will get you out of it.” He sounds like he’s trying to pull off a dad voice. I look at Lily, who has a smile on her face, while shaking her head as she goes to speak. Nate and Liam nearly fall off their chairs, laughing. Declan, Bas, and Bray aren’t far off. Uncle Luc is choking on his waffles. Apparently, he also has a sweet tooth, so waffles are a breakfast and evening dessert thing here.

Uncle Nic manages to scoff.

“You’re joking,brother,”heasks Dad, who looks around.

Then I see the General step up to the plate.

“No, I am not joking. She HAS to go to school.” I can see he is getting pissed; luckily, we have Lily to the rescue ‘Woman power mentally flash the peace sign asthe spice girls do.’

Lily places a hand on Dad's arm.

“Oh Mika,” she sighs, taking a sip of her wine.

"My lovely, lovely sweetheart, Ember graduated high school at 15 and then took a college course; she now just needs to get a job.” Lily beams at me. Nikoli and the other Oldies walk in as Dad lost it, and now Grumps expresses his views.

“must get her brains from her grandmother. At least they weren’t lost; they just skipped a generation,”Grumps states as he kisses my head.

“probably a defect with the men in the family that affects the women," Lily states smugly, then smiles at Dad. Dad turns back to me.

“I remember you telling me about school at the hospital. Sorry that I forgot, babygirl.”he gives me a shy smile.

“It's ok Papa. I forgot not everyone knows.” I smile, then hug him when I notice he’s tearing up and realise it’s the first time I’ve addressed him as Papa or Dad out loud.

After dinner, we head outside. Just as I sit down, I hear a car grind to a halt and then backfire.

I freeze, then start to shake.

Knowing what that means. Ren, Trick, and Bram are next to me in seconds. Trick has a crushing grip on my hand and a slight tremor in his body. Bram stands between me and the door, his dragon so close to the surface that his scales keep rippling across his skin. Ren has one hand on his twin’s shoulder and the other cuffing my throat. I feel his Alpha command brush against my skin.

“This is YOUR home. He won’t take you again! I WILL kill him first!” At Ren’s words, everyone else is on high alert.

Miles goes and sits with Lily and the Oldies, Creed moves to Trick’s side, and Brayden and Kodi move to Bram’s sides.

Dad stands.

“Explain.” It's a single command as Trick, Ren, Bram, Saint, and I say,

“Jameson.” Some growl; mine is barely a whisper as I look at Maykal, feeling tears fill my eyes.

“Listen to your Alphababy girl, but he’s wrong. If he tries to take you, it WILL.BE.ME who kills him for keeping you hidden all these years,” he states as he kisses my crown, just as Calloway appears, cocky as fuck.

“There’s a Samual Jameson here to see the Alpha about Emily Ashleys.” By the time he’s finished talking, I’ve pulled myself together.

“Show him to my office!” Grumps says.

“Why he call you wrong name,Sweetie?”Calloway has already swaggered away.

“He rarely uses my real name. It makes it harder for people to find me after I’ve been moved.” When I finish, there are quite a few annoyed expressions, but Saint arriving with Giovanni helps defuse the tension. Saint has an arm full of clothes, and Gio is standing in Spider-Man pyjamas, wearing a Thor bathrobe and Iron Man slippers and holding a Hulk coffee mug.

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