“You can come out. We know you’re there,” I murmured, waiting for my twin brother to emerge from behind the tree.

His bright blue eyes twinkled teasingly at me. The straight, dark blond hair was a bit of a mess. And if you put the two of us next to each other, you probably wouldn’t guess that we had the same parents.

“Well, going solo again, I guess, sis?”

A grin played around the corners of his mouth.

“Dude, how did you hear him?” it came from Finn, who had snapped out of his shock stupor.

Before I could retort anything, Nash pointed his finger in the direction of our property.

“Father wants to talk to you.”

He looked at Finn with a serious expression.

“Very funny,” our little brother replied, but he settled for that and headed for the house. We all knew that Nash just wanted to play boss and was taking advantage of every opportunity to do so.

When Finn was out of hearing range, he took a step toward me.

Before he could say anything, I braced my arms on my hips.

“It’s not funny that you show yourself to people. You’re breaking the Code with that, damn it!”

I glared at Nash reproachfully, and he pressed his lips together.

“Who knew there would be people hanging around this abandoned fun fair...”

I sighed. “As long as father gives you your free pass...”

“Don’t think I enjoy the special status,” he laughed dryly.

“I certainly don’t enjoy any, Nash, because I have to take care of everything, including making sure my big brother doesn’t drag the pack into shit.”

I tried to get past Nash, but he stood in my way.

“Your brother didn’t ask you to do that.”

I took a deep breath before seeking his eye contact. “No one asks me to do the things I do, but I do them because they have to be done and because if I didn’t, the pack would go down the drain. Father can’t do it all alone.”

Nash looked like he wanted to say something more but just looked past me, sighing, shaking his head before looking at me as if he pitied me.

“So out with it. Why did you just eavesdrop on us?” I asked him examining, trying to change the subject.

“You were with the Bardots again,” he remarked harshly, his jaw noticeably tightening.

“And?” I asked. I wanted him to say it.

“You should finally leave Julian alone. Don’t get me wrong. I have nothing against him. He’s all right...” All right. I almost laughed out loud but held back. “But he’s chosen to go against the pack, and by doing so, he’s chosen to go against our family as well. And I can’t accept that.”

Unimpressed, I raised my brows.

“You’re not the Alpha yet. So, it shouldn’t bother you.” I scuffed my feet in the dirt. “And besides, Father really sent me this time.”

Nash just shook his head. “Even if he didn’t send you, you’d go.”

My jaw dropped. He was accusing me of the same thing Finn was. “Nash, that’s not fair. You both used to be friends!”

My twin brother walked past me, so I couldn’t see his face. He was fucking cowardly. Too cowardly to show his true feelings.

“And besides, he can still change his mind. You know what happened changed him.”

Nash knew Julian’s reasons.

“It changed you, too, Emy,” he sighed now. “I just don’t want you to worry so much about someone who doesn’t care about you entirely.”

“I don’t, okay?!” I snapped at him, and Nash paused. “Julian will make up his mind for us... Sooner or later.”

Hearing my own words, I realized how implausible it sounded. Like I was trying to convince myself of it.

Nash came back to me and stood in front of me. There was despair in his eyes...worry. And I wondered if this was all about me.

“He’s already made up his mind, Emely.”

No, that wasn’t true. I couldn’t give up on Julian. Not only would he need us sooner or later...he would come to us.

I shook my head slowly.

Nash was still looking deep into my eyes.

“That’s not true. All you care about is that...”

I broke off because I didn’t want to blame Nash now. He was my brother, and he cared about me.

His arms wrapped around my body, and I wrapped mine around his back in friendship.

Inside, I was grateful to him for this hug because I was close to tears.

But I had to pull myself together.

There were still a few songbirds chirping, and the fresh forest air invaded my nose, while a roll of thunder sounded in the distance.

I loved it here. And Julian had loved it, too, back then…

What had happened? What had it all made of us?

The wind brushed my hair, and I heard Nash whispering at my back.

“He’s decided against you, Emy.”