Emberborn

Brother

"Specifically?" I asked through gritted teeth.

My fingers were starting to close their grip around my arms. It was all that I could do to keep my anxiety locked under my skin. My heart was drumming in my ears, my muscles itching with anticipation.

My brother.

My beast was howling in my mind at the very thought. We wanted to find him more than anything in this world. We had to find him. He is the key to everything. The longer we're separated, the more dangerous this situation becomes.

Uncle Cayden knew this all too well, and the look in his stormy eyes told me that this was it. It's time for the Orphic Twins to rise.

"Can you find him?" He asked sternly.

This was no time to play, not when the fate of our race rests on our shoulders. I narrowed my eyes, letting the fire in my veins burn. This was no easy feat and I would be lying if I said I wasn't worried. But my blood was humming, crackling wickedly with a determination that wouldn't be stopped.

Wait-

My blood.

My eyes widened as a thought came to mind. My spell casting is rusty to say the least and now is not the time to screw up. It would be tricky, but it just might work.

Suddenly, I was rummaging through Uncle Cayden's shelves and drawers, searching for the objects that I needed. Memories of my mother splayed in front of me, every lesson she had ever taught me, every spell, every ingredient, every word.

The three of them stood at a distance, watching with confusion and a little bit of shock as I worked with the objects in front of me.

A map of the pack regions across the country. I laid it flat on the coffee table near Uncle Cayden's desk. I had stolen the candles off of his shelf, positioning them around the map hastily.

The preparation was complete.

Now the real test begins.

I snapped my head towards the blonde haired man who nodded encouragingly. Steadying my nerve, I closed my eyes and let out a hot breath. I felt my nail start to elongate, sharpening to a harsh point. I opened my other hand out in front of me, allowing my focus to drift towards the wicks of the candles. Under closed lids, I saw the area in front of me spark to live.

With the ring of fire now burning around the map, it was time to rely on my sheer nerve.

I lifted my claw to the palm of my hand, tearing deeply as a puddle of red began to form. I was too deep in concentration to even flinch. I closed my fist slowly, letting the deep crimson flow onto the paper below it.

Without a moment of hesitation, I raised my hands out in front of me, hovering over the bloody map and took a deep breath.

"Bedel le ferya experdia," I whispered softly.

With closed eyes, I searched for him. I searched for the wavelength of his soul, reaching for the cold, calm tranquility of his heart. Blood calling out to blood, begging for an answer.

"Where are you, Becks?" I whispered to myself.

My veins were burning with energy, my brain threatening to break through my skull. There was no way in hell that I was going to lose him. I was pouring my very soul into this spell, giving everything that I could to reach out to my other half. The energy flowing through me was almost too much to bare, but my focus was too deep to back out.

I saw him in my mind. His shaggy blonde hair, his goofy evergreen eyes, the dimple in the crook of his smile when he laughs. But, it wasn't until that moment that I felt him again.

I could feel the warmth of his body as if he were right next to me. I could hear his dumb jokes and idiotic banter flow through my ears. I felt the way my nerves pulsate whenever he's near, jumping with adoration and annoyance.

I found him.

There was a long moment of silence before Cayden began to stir behind me. His rough hand rested on my shoulder, drawing my eyes open.

"You did it," he breathed out.

The puddle of blood had relocated, morphing it's shape into a circle encompassing one word. My eyes began to widen in disbelief as I stared at the pack region.

"That can't be right..." I whispered.

I took a step back and wrapped my arms around myself instinctively. Too many emotions racked my body at the very thought.

How could that be?

There was no way that he was there.

It's all ashes...

But my eyes wouldn't dare to look away from that blood circle.

"Why? What's wrong?" I heard Zack ask as he walked up to see for himself.

"What?" He breathed out.

His dark brows furrowed in confusion before he looked up at me as if I had an explanation. But I didn't. Uncle Cayden and Aunt Arden didn't say a word, but their minds were heavy with thought.

Was it really that simple?

"Akrasia," I read the name within the circle out loud.

So many emotions flooded over me: Joy, relief, pain, fear. You name it, I felt it.

So, no.

This wasn't at all that simple.

A place that was once my sanctuary is now the source of my nightmares, and in order to get to my brother, I have to face my greatest fear.

"Our home."

Just the thought had my voice cracking and uneven, but my beast was ravaging my mind. She didn't give a damn what stood in our path. We're a fucking Whelan.

We swore an oath to fight for our family until our last breath.

My eyes snapped up to Uncle Cayden with a determination he knew all too well. I didn't have to speak, he knew exactly what I was going to say. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"Before you go, Seraphina, there's some things we need to catch you up on."

My brow arched in confusion, arms crossing over my chest. Aunt Arden gazed knowingly at the map before pointing to the region north of Akrasia.

"Meraki, the pack that lies on your northern boarder. Your father wasn't too fond of the old alpha, so that's why the ties between packs have been purely professional. But after the attack, Akrasia was shattered. Their Alpha was gone and no one could take his place. Your father's beta couldn't handle it on his own, so Meraki offered a hand. The new alpha stepped in and agreed to watch over the pack with Beta Asher until a Whelan returned."

My eyes lingered on the pack region as I processed the information. It made sense, but I couldn't help but notice the itch in my back of my mind. Before the question even came to mind, it spilled from my mouth like poison.

"Who is the new alpha?"

Aunt Arden glanced away in thought, her head tilting to the side. A moment passed before her eyes lit up with realization.

"Greyson Huntington, Conrad's oldest son," she stated as a matter-of-fact.

"Oh- Wait, did you say Greyson?"

My sudden burst of emotion caught all of them off guard. They stared at me a little dumbfounded before Aunt Arden broke the silence.

"Yeah, why?"

I would've answered, but the gears in my head were already turning. Flashes of memories from my time in the in-between stole my thoughts until I saw it.

Chestnut hair falling messily over tan skin as he and Beckett gaped at the burning map between them.

The map that I had burned.

So, that was the guy I saw with Beckett. It was all falling into place now. A soft chuckle escaped my lips as I put it all together.

"So, that's why he did it," I thought out loud.