The Mute Wolf

Chapter 5

Embers POV

Logging off my fathers computer, he jumped into his chair as soon as I got up and instructed me to close the door behind me. As I reached the front porch of our house, I caught my fathers beta, James, almost sneaking into his office, followed by Zak. I began to wonder what their business was with him so late in the evening and why it appeared like they didn't want to be seen.
Moving across the porch, I saw both James and Zak through the window sitting down in front of my fathers desk, each taking turns to speak. I couldn't make out what they were saying from here but the conversation seemed to be a little heated. I was about to go over and see if I could make any of it out when my mother opened the front door and ushered me in for dinner.
I asked her what the meeting was about, but once again she gave me a squirrelly look and told me she didn't know. I could tell she was lying. She had a tell. Her nose always twitched when she lied.
I asked if she thought it had anything to do with Eric from the wolf council paying us a visit. She shook her head and told me she doubted it. Another lie. I was going to make it my mission to find out whatever they were hiding. But for now, I scoffed down my meal and said an early goodnight to my mother. I was going to wait until my father came back home to interrogate him about his meeting with James and Zak and why it all appeared so hush hush but I soon fell asleep not even hearing him come home and up to bed. What a brilliant night-guard I'd be.

                                      ***

My father had already finished his breakfast and was back in his office by the time I woke and came downstairs. He was alone. Now was my chance. Grabbing myself a crumpet and stuffing my face with it, I confidently marched out of the house and across the grass. But who would suddenly appear with his shiny green seductive eyes and tall, looming, muscular frame? You guessed it. Zak attack.
"Good morning sweetheart." He smiled warmly as he crossed in front of me and then continued to walk on. Huh? I watched him look back in my direction as he walked, smiling a friendly and comforting smile, not the usual dirty smirk plastered across his face followed by wandering eyes. He looked sincere and almost charming. No dirty comments, no roaming hands. Just good morning... He'd been after me for so long I got used to his perverted, disgusting habits. To believe he could be in my presence and not try anything was hard to imagine. Something felt off.

The door to the office was open and inside my father was typing at his computer.
"What's wrong with Zak?" I asked my father as I stepped in and he just looked up with a raised eyebrow. I don't know why that question came out as I hadn't even intended to bring it up.
"I'm afraid I don't know what you mean." He replied bluntly putting his head back down to continue typing. "All set for your birthday tomorrow?" He asked, not taking his eyes away from his screen.
"Yes, sort of." I said shifting from one foot to the other. My older cousin sky was driving down tomorrow with her mate Clay and they were joining mother and I for my birthday day out. We had been pretty close before she met Clay. Now we hardly speak. I'd never met Clay but I've heard good things. I didn't know why she wanted to bring him but more the merrier. I guess it will give us a chance to finally meet.
"What was that meeting about last night with James and Zak?" I inquired, trying to sound casual.
"Oh just going over some stuff for when I'm away at the ceremony. You are the only one in the pack entering this year but as you're my daughter I'm still obliged to attend obviously. I wanted to make sure James had everything he needed. And Zak would be helping him, of course." He countered my question not taking his eyes away for a second. Although something about it seemed almost rehearsed. My father was a lot harder to read than my mother so I found it difficult to pry further. Perhaps I was overthinking it. But I knew well enough by now to trust my gut and I knew something was amiss.

As today was Tuesday, it meant my day to help out my mother with the young. We had a smallish daycare facility smack in the middle of our home in a modern looking cabin. All the young between the ages of 1 and 5 were looked after here where they could play and learn basic skills. My mother runs the daycare but she's also a qualified midwife and helps all the mothers to bring their pups into the world. On occasion it has even taken her into other villages to help out when help was short. She does it for free, of course. I didn't really like children all that much, but my father thought it would be useful for me to take part in something feminine and learn about children for when I have my own. Plus he pays me to do it which I can't complain. Most of the young here aren't too bad, apart from a couple of the older boys who like to cause trouble constantly by throwing things, fighting the younger kids and peeing everywhere they shouldn't! Males!
Thanks to my mother I learned a few tricks such as dealing with temper tantrums, how to stop babies from crying and I even learned a little about being a midwife. I instantly regretted that part. Cleaning nappies and having paint flicked at me from across the room did not put me in the best of moods. I checked the clock every few minutes waiting for 1pm to arrive so I could get the hell out of here, scrub every ounce of dry, crusty paint off my skin and get my ass down to meet little wolf. I hoped he would be there. I didn't have time to check my emails and my father was glued to his computer like a zombie. No getting in there any time soon.