Violet Ashes: The Blood Ridge Alpha - Chapter 28: Chapter 28

Everything seems familiar, but even to my wolf, it's different. We've lived as rogues for so long that it's become a part of who I am. I'd forgotten how chaotic it is to run the pack. It was my eighteenth birthday when I left. I never expected what's happening to be what I would return to. But expecting a better outcome would be insane, given the state my family is in. With everything the way it is, my father, that son of bitch was right. Things are coming around full circle.
Vince and my dad are waiting for me, along with the others. I'm really glad I'm dressed for work because so are they. My brothers and father are all dressed formally. My sisters are a little more casual than I am, but only because I've worked hard to look this way. I didn't want to talk about personal things. It was supposed to be business.
"Are we having that talk? Right now?" I ask.
The real question is: can I hold my tongue long enough for me to tell them what I have to say without trying to kill him or vice versa?
"Good time as any" is what comes out of the man's mouth.
"Come over here," Vince pulls out the chair between him and Pepper. I go around the table and take a seat.
"May I address that table, Alpha?" I ask politely. My father's eyes slit but he gives me a tight nod. "Can we get the business out before we give this the first go?"
"I think breaking the ice is a good idea," Vince agrees instantly.
"Continue," Dad urges him.
"We don't have enough wolves to patrol to the bridge tonight," Vince starts.
I sit back and think about Dr. Noland's casualty report. He's right. We're low on betas. We can't ask Alpha Barnes for aid just yet, and with us at the meeting, offering to take up a shift is pointless at the moment.
"Lockdown," my father and I say at the same time. His eyes shoot to mine, and he urges me to continue.
"Set out a pack-wide curfew. Warn them about an extension. Spread the shadows a little wider. Run an incognito drill. We're going to have to use the trainees,"
"Yes," Dad agrees. Vince lets out a heavy sigh and takes my hand to squeeze it. The relief in his eyes hurts me. "Anything else?"
"Nothing immediate on my front," he shakes his head.
"Violetta,"
"Alpha Lockwood would like to meet with us. I'm waiting for confirmation. Has anything changed in Wolfe Tech?"
"Nothing she's felt the need to inform us," he growls.
"I think this might just be an official meet and greet. Who spilled?" I look over the pups.
"I may have told my friends I was moving in with you for school," Pepper raises her hand, guilty. "I'm so sorry, Daddy,"
"It can't be helped," I say before he can snap at us. My father's name is going to come up eventually. This aligns with the plans already in place.
"Can you handle that?" Dad asks me.
"Yes," I nod.
"Anything else?"
"Alpha meeting tonight,"
"Where?" he demands. I check my phone to see the text from Alpha Barnes. It's the address and a note advising me to leave my father at home.
"I think it's best if you let us go alone," I say, tucking it back into my jacket. His feral eyes zero in on me.
"Do you?"
"Yes. The other alphas will never take us seriously if you keep stepping in like this. Whatever the outcome, it'll be on us."
I meet his challenge. Vince looks between us as my father's eyes blaze red and his nostrils flare. My wolf hates him as much as I do. I don't want to start fighting already. Just agree you asshole. Don't make me say something stupid.
"Fine," he says, looking away first. My eyes snap to Vince briefly, and he looks back at me just as shocked. "You will keep me posted,"
"I can do that," I take the compromise.
"Anything else?" he growls. I want something else. I want more problems to present, and I have them. I'm just not quite ready to admit my stupidity yet.
"That's it," I clear my throat. My siblings all take a collective deep breath and shift in their seats to prepare themselves for this.
I take this moment to drink him in. He's changed so much since I was in his presence last. He's aged a lot more than I expected. However, he looks clean. Like he's taking good care of himself in the days leading up to this meeting. There's a coldness in his eyes that wasn't there before. His feral state is under control, and he just looks tired. It breaks my heart.
I used to worship the ground this man walked on. I wanted to be just like him. It's hard to see that there's no chance of trying to bring him back anymore. I'm a little relieved I didn't have to see his fall myself. If watching Perry deteriorate has taught me anything, it's that when it happens, I'm not going to want to accept it.
"You look amazing," he says quietly.
My siblings lower their gaze. A stray tear slips, and I reach to wipe it away because I want to say it back, but the way things ended the last time I stood in this house with him just won't let me show any kind of kindness. I shake with rage, and I hate both of us for it.
"You're sober," I acknowledge. He gives me a single nod.
"Six years now. What have you been doing?"
The question catches me off guard and a whole lot of shit I haven't given a second thought to floods my mind. I've been surviving. The shit I've had to do to get to where I am would either repulse you, old man. Or you'd be fucking proud to know how far I've gone to protect us.
"Working,"
"VP of Thorne Labs," he says, scratching his eyebrow to hide his stressed expression. "You've outdone yourself, kid."
"You have no idea," I grin, thinking about all the ways I want to skin Justin Thorne when I ruin him.
"I understand that you wanted to show me you could make it out on your own," he starts. I take a deep breath and nod. "We need you to come home, Violetta," he inhales sharply. "I need you to come home,"