Chapter 215
Ethan’s POV
“Uncle?” The word tasted foreign on my tongue, bitter and strange. My father had never once mentioned having a brother. I stared at the grainy photograph, studying somehow familiar angles of this stranger’s face.
“This can’t be right,” I muttered, more to myself than to David. “My father would have told me if he had a brother.”
David shifted uncomfortably, his usual stoic demeanor briefly cracking. The intelligence is preliminary, sir, but the some resemblance is… striking.”
I dropped the file onto the desk, running my hands through my hair as I paced the length of the command center. The implications were staggering. The man responsible for terrorizing our pack–for killing our warriors–might be my father’s own blood. My blood.
“What else do we know about him?” I demanded, forcing myself to focus on facts rather than the storm of emotions threatening to overwhelm me
David cleared his throat. “Victor Shadowclaw’s first mate died years ago, cause unknown. Recently, he’s reportedly taken a new mate–a woman described as beautiful, originally from a prominent pack.” He hesitated before adding, “Her identity is being kept secret, but rumors suggest she’s a high–ranking defector.”
Something cold slithered down my spine at this information. A high–ranking defector… I pushed the uncomfortable thought away, unwilling to entertain it Just yet.
can. Names,
“Investigate his mate, I ordered, my instincts screaming that this woman might be the key to understanding our enemy. “Get me everything you can. descriptions, sightings–anything.”
“Yes, Alpha,” David replied with a sharp nod.
I glanced again at the photograph, studying the harsh lines of Victor’s face. I needed truth.
“I need to speak with my grandmother,” I said suddenly, decision crystallizing in my mind. If anyone would know about my father’s secret brother, it would be her. “Continue the patrols and keep me updated on any developments. I want hourly reports.”
The drive to my grandmother’s sprawling residence in the heart of our territory gave me too much time to think. My knuckles turned white against the steering wheel as questions multiplied in my mind. Why would my father keep his brother’s existence a secret? How deep did this family rift run? And why target our pack now, when my father lay dying?
My grandmother’s house stood imposing and regal at the center of the pack. “Ethan.” Her commanding voice reached me before I’d even knocked, the heavy oak door swinging open to reveal her formidable presence. Though time had softened her frame, it had done nothing to diminish the authority she carried. Her silver hair was pulled back in a perfect bun, her spine straight despite her advancing years, and her piercing eyes missed nothing as they swept over me. “I knew you’d come today. There’s trouble written all over your face.”
I followed her inside. The warmth of multiple hearths enveloped me, a stark contrast to the emotional chill that had settled in my bones.
“Grandmother,” I began, accepting the steaming cup of tea she practically forced into my hands, Her remedies were legendary–and refusing them unthinkable. “I need to ask you about something important. About Father.”
“Is he worse?” For just a moment, worry softened her stern features.
“Yes,” I admitted, the word catching slightly. “But that’s not why I’m here.” I set the untouched tea on the side table and leaned forward. “Did Father have a brother?
Her expression hardened instantly, lips pressing into a thin line as she straightened in her chair. “What nonsense are you speaking?” she said sharply, reaching for her own tea with hands that betrayed the slightest tremor. “Where did you hear such a thing?”
“Grandmother, I insisted, unwilling to back down despite her obvious displeasure. “I’ve seen evidence. A man named Victor Shadowclaw is leading the rogues attacking nur borders. Intelligence suggests he might be related to us. I held her gaze steadily. “I need to know the truth. All of it.”
A heavy silence settled between us as she studied me, weighing something in her mind. Finally, she set down her cup with a decisive click against the sa
