The Ember In The Dark novel Chapter 21

"I was beginning to think you had died on the way here." Ash joked as I took my seat next to him.

Toni had left to work on some beta training duties. I need to tell Charles that Toni is my mate, but I worry for Toni when I do. I honestly need to tell all my parents. I sighed thinking about how that conversation will go.

Ash and I finished breakfast together and then had private training with Charles. Charles had both of us train in wolf form. He's trying to build Talia and my stamina. It's harder for me to fight in wolf form. There's a disconnection between the way I want to fight and the way she fights. We're not used to one another still.

'You need to be in wolf form as often as possible. You need to get used to one another. You're fighting worse than the pups that just got their wolf.' Charles linked me.

It hurt to hear, but I knew he was right. Talia and I need to bond. We don't have the same bond as everyone else. She feels close to me since she could feel me over the years. I however feel very odd around her. I don't know how to be myself. I think my sense of self needs to change entirely.

Charles had me in wolf form for 8 hours before having me shift back. My body felt so exhausted and sore. My legs were hurting so bad they were shaking. Charles wasn't trying to be mean, but he was driving me hard. He wants Talia in better shape and quickly.

It was 4 now which gave me about 3 hours to get healed, talk to all my parents and get ready for the date. As excited as I am, I am feeling more and more nervous.

"Let me heal you." Ash said, as he watched me struggle to walk to the pack house.

"Yes, please." I leaned against him, feeling the warmth of his magic pass through me.

"He's being too harsh." Ash was mad.

"He's right though, Ash. I need to get better with Talia and the only way to do that is to be in wolf form for as long as I can." Ash sighed at my words.

"Still." He pouted.

"I'm fine, as long as you're here to heal me after." I smiled at him, patting his large shoulder. "Also I'm about to call a parent meeting and tell them all about Toni. Can you come and support me?" Ash gave me the biggest smile.

"About time! Yes I will totally be there." He sounded so excited.

"Great cause I have a date with Toni."

Ash wrapped his arms around mine, picking me up and squeezing me tight. He was so happy for me.

"This is great!"

I think it dawned on us both at the same moment, that this was it. This was the moment we would start seeing less of each other. A sad air fell about us as we walked arm in arm to the pack house. Ash has always been by my side. My great protector and best friend. I know he'll always be there for me, but knowing we won't be around each other as much is depressing.

"Enough of this sadness. You're going on your first real date. We should be happy right now." Ash shook my shoulders as if to shake the sadness out of me.

It made me smile for the most part. There was still a bittersweet feeling in my heart, but I pushed past it. I called everyone and asked them to meet in Charles' office now. They were all concerned and asked questions, but I told them all to wait till they got here.

"They'll be here soon." I told Ash.

"You can do this!" He encouraged me.

We headed to Charles' office and waited for everyone to show. Eryn was the last to come. He had some summit planning thing to take care of before he could come.

"We're all here now Tater Tot. Tell us what's going on." Dad started, a look of worry in his eyes.

"I found my mate." I told them all and they stared at me blankly. Utter silence for a few minutes. A few minutes that felt like an eternity… silence you could hear a pin drop in.

"Who?" Mom finally asked.

"His name is Antonio Torres." I answered, feeling small under their gazes. Dad was eerily silent.

"The siren?" Charles sounded mad.

"Siren?" Eryn's tone mirrored Charles'.

"Half siren, with no siren abilities." I interjected.

"So he says." Charles huffed.

"Why do you keep him here if you think he does have siren abilities?" Eryn asked Charles, slightly accusatory.

"He's my beta's kid, and I trust my beta." Charles defended. "You can't see the kid." He turned to me, arms crossed.

I felt the color drain from my face at his words. I expected Charles to be on my side, not be the one to say no. The room filled with smoke then, both from dad and Ash. This is the first time I've seen Ash blow smoke in anger.

"That's enough!" Dad yelled at them. "She just told you she found her mate. Instead of congratulating her you tell her she can't see the one made just for her because of what he is?"

"You can't keep her from her mate, Charles." Mom added.

"Do you know how long it took her to even open back up to someone? And you want to pull this crap." Ash grunted.

"For all we know he could have manipulated her into thinking that she's his mate. I don't like this." Charles shook his head.

"Her wolf only came out because she found her mate. He couldn't have manipulated that." Ash defended.

"Sweetheart, all the men are speaking for you. Is there something you want to say?" Mom's tone was deathly, a hidden message for her mates… shut up or face my wrath.

"Toni is a good guy. He's patient and kind. He's intelligent and strong. I am not jumping into bed with him. I'm taking things slow. I already have trust issues, but I know he hasn't manipulated me. I know that for a fact. We share a lot of the same pain. Ridiculed for what we are." Tears streamed down my face. "You two just broke my heart at the way you spoke about him, just because of what he is. I thought you guys were better than that."

Charles' face changed quickly, his arms falling by his side. Eryn hung his head a little. Dad was trying to reign in his anger to let me speak.

"Tater Tot, I know you and your sound judgment. If you say this boy is good then I believe you. I hope to meet him soon and get to know my future son in law." He came over to me and wiped my tears away. "Don't cry, litter fire starter. You have my blessing and I believe your mother's." Dad turned to look at mom who nodded her head in agreement.

"Bring him to the kingdom soon so we can meet him, Ember. Thank you for letting us know. You guys can go. I need to have a quick word with your dads." She smiled at me and I nodded.

Ash and I left the room together, his arm wrapped around my shoulder in support. I could hear mom yelling at Charles and Eryn with dad chiming in at times. Mom was a force to be reckoned with and all three of them know it. They'll probably apologize when she's done with them.