Chapter 15: Chapter Fifteen

Caroline Ryder

“Trip, what the hell?”

I was left speechless as a large, pale man stormed out of the enforcer’s tent, marching toward us with a look of fiery anger I’d seen before on two different faces.

The man was impressive: tall and wide with pale skin and a shock of white hair that almost glowed silver in the light of the rising sun.

I recognized him instantly.

“Apologies, Grant,” Trip said, laughing and extending his hand. “Just a misunderstanding.” Trip’s voice sent my mind into a whirl. How did they know each other? Was the world really that small?

Grant grumbled under his breath. “You know, I’ve got my own problems, Trip,” he muttered, his voice a bit higher than I’d expected.

“You’d better have some solid proof that this guy is a Sun Warrior.”

As the sun rose over the trees, it illuminated the light scars that covered Grant’s exposed skin, forearms, and hands.

He was wearing a black t-shirt and jeans. In that outfit, he and Han could’ve been twins.

“How about a straight-up confession?” Trip asked, his voice gruff.

“That’ll do,” a woman chimed in.

I looked up as a couple stepped out of the tent. My eyes were immediately drawn to the woman. She was entirely white and silver, as if she were a living embodiment of moonlight.

She was short and curvy, with strong, powerful legs. Her long, straight hair was pulled back from her face and shoulders in a swinging ponytail.

Beside her was a boyishly handsome face I knew all too well. This was Keegan Stone.

Seeing him again sent a chill through me as I remembered the wartime propaganda, and the speech he’d given just a day before our pack was destroyed. They had been there; they had escaped.

“Thanks for coming,” Trip said, snapping me out of my thoughts. I caught Trip’s eye and quickly looked away, my stomach churning. “This is my luna, Caroline Ry—”

“Nice to meet you,” I cut in, my eyes darting to Grant and then quickly away.

Trip continued with the introductions, presenting his inner pack and then the guests. Everyone exchanged polite greetings and asked about the journey.

I stayed rigid and silent, my hands growing damp as I began to shake slightly.

“It’s nice to meet you. Keegan, my brother, and I now work…”

My mind went blank at the word ~brother.~ It suddenly hit me that this was Lux Freeman, the daughter of Stan Freeman and the woman my father had a child with before he met my mother.

This was Lux Freeman, whose father shot her on live television. Lux Freeman, whose story had stirred sympathy in millions and brought about the end of the Feral War.

Lux Freeman, sister to my half brother.

Looking between them was like a punch to the gut. Though their bodies were different, Grant and Lux looked like they belonged together. Both were elegant and exotic; neither was anywhere near ordinary.

I couldn’t have looked more different.

“We’re looking forward to working with you,” Keegan said, smiling.

I felt Grant’s gaze and Trip’s hand at the same time and pulled away from both, clutching my stomach as it twisted and turned.

My brother was here, in my territory. And not only was Grant here, but Lux was too. The reason my father had been so distracted; why he’d lost his position and doomed the pack to a massacre.

“I didn’t know you had a new luna, Trip,” Grant mused, his eyes falling back on me. I felt as though his words had sent a jolt through my body.

“Caroline,” I snapped, my anxiety making me grit my teeth.

“Caroline,” Grant repeated, “you look familiar. Do you have any cousins?”

I met his eyes and realized that I was trapped. There was no fooling this White Wolf. “I have two brothers.”

I watched his eyes harden, and for a moment, it was Han standing before me, not Grant.

“Mick and Kyle,” he guessed, his voice tight with that familiar strain; the same tone I’d heard from my father and brother.

“Kyle goes by Han now,” I told him coldly.

Grant laughed and I closed my eyes, shivering. It was Han’s laugh, Han’s hollow, patronizing laugh that had always unnerved me. I understood now why my father always punished my brother.

The resemblance was uncanny.

“Another sister. Fucking bastard.”

Something we agreed on.

Lux had a deep frown etched into her porcelain features. “What’s happening?”

Grant grinned, looking like the wolf that lurked beneath his skin. “I’m Caroline’s brother.”

Silence.

Shock.

Surprise.

“From your father’s side?” Lux asked. “I thought you only had two brothers?”

Another punch to the gut. I felt Trip’s anxiety, saw him looking at me from the corner of my eye.

Grant rubbed his face. “Holy fucking…” He took a ragged breath. “This shit never ends.”

“Grant,” Lux called, touching his arm, “what’s happening?”

“Her last name is Ryder,” he explained, looking at me with a mix of curiosity and bitterness.

I understood. I understood that I was a reminder of his abandonment, that I was the cared-for child of a father who left him. I understood, but it still hurt.

“She’s Rick’s daughter.”

“The Ryders have another son?” Rowan murmured.

Grant glared. “Rick Ryder has another son.”

Another beat of silence.

“Grant and I are half-siblings,” Lux explained, her hand still on her brother. “We share the same mother. Grant’s father is…” Lux blinked at me. “Well, I guess Grant’s father is her father.”

“No fucking way—” Rowan’s exclamation was cut short by Trip’s quick growl.

“So, Caroline is related to Lux or…” Aaron asked.

“No,” Lux and I said simultaneously. We stared each other down.

Grant swallowed. “Caroline is my sister.” The way he said ~sister~ made it sound like a synonym for ~burden.~

I saw Trip’s jaw tighten. “Sarah, you have training to run. You need to start the recruitment phase for fall in a few weeks.

“Aaron, I want your lookouts back on the border now that we’ve established our guests are not threats.

“Rowan…, go and do something.”

The rest of the pack nodded in agreement and dispersed, casting lingering glances over their shoulders as they left.

Keegan shifted his weight. “Should we continue this conversation in private?”

Grant just shrugged. “There’s not much left to say.”

I held my head high, fighting the urge to look away. “I agree,” I said, my voice steady and strong. “There’s nothing more to discuss.”

Grant studied me with a new interest, a smirk playing on his lips. “I’m guessing the rest of the Ryders are somewhere on this godforsaken mountain?”

“Yes,” I replied, my voice rough, “they are.”

Grant paused, his silver eyes flickering with a range of emotions.

His eyes were the most foreign to me. They were nothing like Han’s dark ones. They were eerily similar to Lux’s, which meant it was a trait from their mother.

“Do Mick and Kyle know about me?” Grant asked cautiously.

“~Han~ knows,” I corrected him.

Grant snorted. “Han?”

“Kyle is a family name,” I explained vaguely. “You two have a lot in common.”

Grant leaned back slightly, trying to hide his emotions, but a hint of curiosity slipped through.

“I’m not here to reconnect with a family that never wanted me,” he said harshly. “I’m here to deal with a Sun Warrior, then I’m out.”

“We didn’t know you existed,” I retorted. ~We would’ve wanted you~. The words got stuck in my throat. ~We would’ve loved you.~

“That makes two of us,” he said, his eyes locked onto mine. I met his gaze, refusing to back down.

He wasn’t the only one who had been wronged in this situation; he wasn’t the only one who had been hurt.

Keegan cleared his throat, always the peacemaker. “Let’s head to the pack house. We can discuss strategy there.”

“Sounds good,” Grant grumbled before he turned abruptly and stalked off. Lux hesitated for a moment before hurrying after him, and Keegan followed closely behind.

I started to follow them, but Trip grabbed my hand, stopping me in my tracks. “Caroline—”

“Not now,” I snapped, my vision blurring as tears welled up.

“~Caroline~,” he insisted, forcing me to look at him. “Let me try to help.” I didn’t respond, so he took it as a sign to continue. “You knew,” he stated.

I nodded reluctantly.

I had to fight the urge to pull away, to shut him out, to shut everything down. I had to force myself to stay present, patient, calm.

I had to convince myself not to run away but to stay, listen to him, and give him the chance to be at least half of what Liam used to be.

“Grant is your father’s big secret,” he said. “The reason you two fought…” He paused, his brows furrowing.

“The reason he’s so hard on your brother… Why their relationship has always been strained.”

I nodded.

Trip squeezed my hand. “I’d like to say that I know Grant but I don’t. He’s been through…a lot. He’s a complicated guy, but from what I’ve seen, he’s a good one.

“He’ll come around, Caroline, he’s just shocked.”

“I don’t want him around,” I shot back. He was only going to cause chaos in my family. The mere thought of Han meeting him made my entire body go cold.

And my mother… My poor mother.

Trip flinched. “You have family, Caroline, a lot of it. You’re lucky. I’d give anything…” His voice broke. “You’re lucky.”

Trip didn’t say anything else. He just kissed my forehead and draped his arm over my shoulders as we walked up to the pack house.

We caught up with our guests shortly after, and I found myself watching Grant’s every move with interest.

He was about the same height as my brother, definitely wider. They wore their hair in the same way, a bit long and wild.

Grant walked with a confidence but also a wariness that told me Trip was right. He had been through a lot.

The house came into view and my stomach dropped.

Mick was sitting on the front porch, his red hair glowing in the morning sun. He stood and waved when he saw me, his smile fading when he noticed the three strangers.

“Alpha!” Mick called out. “I just wanted to let you know that I’m, um, heading out for border patrol now.”

Seeing Mick there as we approached with Grant, Lux, and Keegan was a shock. His words barely registered.

Trip was frozen. “Oh, um, okay, yeah.”

Mick greeted our guests with a bright smile and extended his hand to Keegan.

“Mick Ryder, human ambassador for the pack. Nice to meet you. Ah! Some familiar faces. Lux Freeman, Keegan Stone, and…?”

Grant’s expression was a mix of amusement and confusion. “Grant.”

“Grant!” Mick exclaimed with a cheerful smile. “Well, welcome to Mt. Timbre! I’m just off to do…border patrol.” I tried to catch my brother’s eye but he didn’t notice. “What brings you all here?”

“Uh, Mick—” Trip started.

Grant grinned and crossed his arms over his chest.

“We’re here to deal with the human problem on the other mountain,” he informed his unsuspecting half brother. “Apparently, they have a Sun Warrior for a mayor.”

Mick’s mouth fell open. “Is that so?”

Grant nodded. “Oh, yes. You’re the human ambassador, right?”

Mick nodded eagerly. “Yes. Newly appointed.”

Grant laughed. “Congratulations.” He looked at Trip. “He should be included in the meeting… Sorry, what was your name again?”

Mick was practically glowing. “Mick Ryder.”

Grant’s smile was deadly as he clapped a hand on Mick’s shoulder, a bit too hard. “Come on, Mick, you should have a seat at the table. Especially as the newly appointed human ambassador.”

“Grant—” Lux tried to intervene, frowning sternly.

Grant winked at Lux and then shot me a glare. “Shall we?”

“Mick,” I said tightly, “maybe you should be at home resting?”

“Resting?” Grant echoed, his smug grin still in place.

Trip’s face was serious. “Mick got jumped on his first visit to Mt. Oaks.”

Grant’s smile vanished. “What?”

“When they discovered he was a werewolf, they started a fight. He was outnumbered and got roughed up. He came back to us covered in blood and barely conscious,” I told Grant, my voice laced with bitterness.

The White Wolf wasn’t smiling anymore. He didn’t take the easy shot at Mick: the fact that he’d been beaten by humans.

“That’s not right,” Grant growled. “It breaks the peace treaty we agreed to.”

“Mayor Moray doesn’t see it that way,” Trip said, his voice flat.

Lux and Keegan exchanged a glance. “I’m glad you thought to call us,” Keegan told the alpha. “This could definitely escalate.”

Mick was now blushing a deep red. “I… There were so many of them and-and I-I was caught off guard and—”

“Humans are dangerous,” Grant said, his face devoid of humor. “The days when one wolf could take on many are over.”

I noticed the spark in Mick’s eyes. He had a new idol. Just great. “That’s what I always say!” Mick declared, grinning widely.

Grant’s ghost of a smile returned. “Funny,” he said, “how similar we are.”

Lux turned her laugh into a loud cough and Keegan patted her back, his smile strained.

We moved into the house, with Trip rushing ahead to pick up our sheets from the living room floor and stash them in a closet.

I led the group, becoming aware that this was ~my~ house, even though it still felt new to me.

The only room with enough furniture to accommodate us all was the kitchen, so we gathered around the table.

Grant declined to sit and instead leaned against the window, where the sunlight made his gray eyes almost transparent.

“Tell me,” Mick said, sipping the water I’d given him. He ignored the not-so-subtle kick I gave his chair. “What’s it like being a White Wolf?”

Grant raised his eyebrows. “Doesn’t mean much these days,” he said. “It’s not part of my job anymore. I was only in that pack for a short time.”

“Why did you leave?”

“Mick!” I scolded. Trip took my hand under the table.

Grant shrugged nonchalantly, but I could sense the raw pain beneath the question. “Reasons.”

“Did you meet your mate?” Mick asked, taking another sip. My stomach clenched and Trip let go of my hand.

Grant looked surprised. “I, uh, no, that’s not why I left.”

“And are you mated?” Mick asked.

Grant opened his mouth, then closed it quickly, looking to Trip for help.

“Mick, maybe that’s not an appropriate question for this kind of meeting,” Trip said gently.

My clumsy brother stumbled over his apologies. “Sorry, I was just curious why she wasn’t with you.”

I felt his gaze shift to me. “But of course, a lot of wolves lost their mates in the war…”

Grant’s smile was polite but stiff. “To answer your question…, my mate didn’t die in the war but our relationship is…unusual. We spend a lot of time apart.”

Mick gave a nervous laugh. “I’d hate to be away from my mate. She’s just too amazing.”

Grant’s smile disappeared completely. “So, about these humans.”

“I’d like to meet the mayor,” Keegan said. “To gauge the threat level we’re dealing with.”

Lux nodded. “We’ll need to spend some time with your head enforcer and brief her on the tactics we usually see from rogue Sun Warrior groups. And your lookouts and—”

“Wait!” Mick interrupted. “My dad will be reinstated as a lookout soon and he’s the best this pack has ever had!”

There was an awkward pause before Mick corrected himself. “Of course, it’s been a few years since—”

“Mick, that’s enough,” I said sharply.

“But once he gets back into the swing of things—”

“I said ~enough~,” I insisted. I could feel Grant’s probing gaze but I only had eyes for my older brother.

Mick wasn’t always the sharpest or the most socially aware but he got it now. Even he could see how upset I was.

I took a moment to steady my voice. “Can we talk outside?”

Mick swallowed and then nodded, flashing a smile at the guests before following me out of the house. I walked around to the side of the forest, where the kitchen windows couldn’t see us.

Mick had his hands in front of him, fiddling with his fingers nervously.

He was shifting from foot to foot, watching me with furrowed brows. He looked like a kid expecting a scolding.

“Caroline—”

“How can you not get it?” I burst out. I looked at my brother and saw so much of myself.

The same red hair, the same smattering of freckles, the same skin that burned easily in the sun. But when I looked deeper, we were nothing alike.

He blinked. “Did I say something—?”

“Everything you say is…is…” I made a sound of frustration.

Mick flinched. “I know that sometimes…sometimes I-I don’t phrase things—”

“No, Mick, you just don’t think! You don’t take a moment to consider what’s happening around you. I swear, it’s like you just blurt out whatever pops into your head!”

I tugged at my hair. “How can you sit there and talk about Dad like he’s some kind of hero!”

Mick frowned. “Dad was a great lookout, Caroline—”

“He got Vex killed!” I yelled, my voice echoing off the trees. “He’s a disgrace!”

Mick rolled his eyes. “That’s just what you and Han think, but Mom and I remember when he was a hero in the pack!

“When he was the alpha’s right-hand man and everyone respected him!”

“Those days are over!” I shouted, trying to make him understand. “They ended the day he messed up and people lost their lives!”

“It was an error, Caroline,” Mick argued, his chin lifted high.

I folded my arms. “Really? So he told you what happened?”

“Well, no.” Mick paused. “But he said it was an error. People mess up, Care. Some mistakes are bigger than others, but he’s paid for what happened. He’s our dad, I love him.”

“It wasn’t a damn mistake,” I spat. “He left his post on purpose!”

“That’s not true!” Mick yelled back, catching me off guard. “Dad wouldn’t!”

I shook my head. “You ~embarrass~ me, Mick.”

He winced.

~Winced.~

I held out my hands. “Mick, I didn’t mean that.”

He put his hands on his hips and lowered his head.

“I know I’m not as smart as Han or as brave as you, Caroline. I know I don’t always say the right things or understand everything immediately.

“But I’ve always tried to support you and Han, even when it felt like you guys were making fun of me behind my back.”

“Micky,” I pleaded, “I didn’t mean to say that. I’m just angry.”

“I understand I’m not the big brother you wanted, Caroline. The one you needed when Liam died, but I can only give what I have,” he said, his eyes downcast and filled with sadness.

“And maybe I am dumb and maybe I am blind to what Dad’s done but I give all of my love away, freely, and without asking for anything in return.

“Is that so bad? Would you be less embarrassed if I were more like you? If I only gave my love after intense scrutiny? Is it so bad to try to see life in the best light?”

I closed my eyes and swallowed. “Mick—”

“I’ll leave, Care,” Mick said, his voice thick. “I don’t belong here anyway. It just felt nice to be included in the important conversation for once.”

“Mick,” I called as he started to walk away, “you do belong! You’re my brother!” I pressed my hands to my eyes as tears began to sting them.

I took quick, shallow breaths through my teeth as I cursed myself for always messing up with the people who cared, despite getting nothing from me in return.

“He’ll forgive you.” I turned to see Grant leaning against the porch post, his hands tucked into his jean pockets as he squinted after Mick, who was well on his way down the mountain.

“You’ve known him for five minutes,” I grumbled, wiping my eyes.

Grant shrugged. “Long enough to know that he must take after your mother. That kid has none of Rick Ryder in him. Your mother must be a saint to win out that genetic battle in Mick.”

I sighed. “I always say the dumbest shit.”

Grant wore a wry smile. “Runs in the family.”

I laughed a little, using the back of my hand to wipe my cheek. “Wait until you meet Han.”

Grant pressed his lips together. “I knew the names of your brothers but I never knew yours. I’m sorry.”

I shrugged. “It’s not your fault.”

Grant sighed. “I’ve spent my whole life picturing Mick as being this huge jerk. It helped me sleep at night to think that Rick had messed up his kids more than he did me.

“It caught me off guard to meet him just now, he’s a nice guy.”

“It’s unbearable, isn’t it?”

Grant chuckled. “He’s right.”

“About?”

“The love crap,” Grant said. “I’ve spent a lot of time with bitterness as my only companion and it did me no good.”

I rolled my eyes. “You’ve only known ~me~ for five minutes too.”

Grant smiled. “But he’s known you your entire life.”

I nodded. “It makes what I said even worse.”

“It’s almost scary how willing nice people are to forgive jerks,” Grant mused. “They’ll always come back to people like us, sister. It makes you question their sanity.”

“Or my morality,” I shot back.

He tapped his finger on his temple. “Sorry for the earlier hostility,” Grant mumbled. “It’s my default setting.”

I shrugged. “Runs in the family.”

Our eyes met as we smiled at each other, and it was then that I saw myself reflected.

We may not have looked alike but we were made of a similar substance. We both had guarded hearts, a sharp tongue, and a facade that shielded us from exposing our real selves.

Grant was my brother.

My smile faded as I remembered that he was Han’s brother too. Grant had served as Han’s invisible enemy for years; as the benchmark that he could never achieve.

The thought of their inevitable clash made my stomach churn.

And even more, Grant was my father’s son.

The front door opened, and Trip appeared. His eyes narrowed as he looked at Grant and me and noticed Mick was missing. “Come back inside,” he said, “we need to have a pack meeting.”