Page 159 of Endless Anger
But even if this is some big misunderstanding and he was framed somehow for Celeste’s death, I can’t find it in me to feel an ounce of sympathy.
45
ASHER
Waiting is fucking torture.
But when I tell Alistair about his missing daughter, he insists on coming to Fury Hill himself. Something about being a hunter and not trusting me to keep her safe anymore.
Which is fair, I guess. I certainly failed in that department. Ikeepfailing, it seems, and I’m starting to question my ability in the first place.
Alistair summons everyone—except Ariana and Cash, who never answer the phone at night—for a family meeting while he and Dad get ready. My aunt Violet sits on the dark blue sofa in the Wolfes’ living room, sobbing into her hands as Cora and Mom attempt to offer her comfort.
There’s none to be had though, really. Her son’s missing, and that’s my fault too.
Uncle Grayson won’t let me forget it either.
“You bring my son back to me in one piece, or I take something of equal value from you.”
I don’t know how to break it to him that the two most important things in my life aregone, but it doesn’t matter anyway. All I can focus on is Violet’s crying and Cora’s attempts to pretend she isn’t.
Grayson and Aurora’s dad, Jonas, drink whiskey straight from the bottle. Grayson’s green eyes stay on me through the whole video call, dark and unyielding.
“This is bloody ridiculous,” Jonas says, running a hand through his curly brown hair. “Let the kids go searching on their own, brother. It’s going to take a while for you to get up there, even with Kal’s jet. We could be losing precious time.”
Lenny, Aurora’s mom, comes behind her husband, flicking his nose. “Not sure that’s as encouraging as you think it is.”
“Well, I’m sorry, love. I just hate to think of my niece suffering because her father doesn’t trust the boy she loves.”
“I don’t trust him because ofthis fucking shit,” Alistair counters from somewhere off camera.
Shame burns my shoulders, and I run my fingers over Keats’s fur, letting the vibrations from his purring soothe me.
“They’ll get to them in time,” Grayson mutters around his bottle, cocking a dark brown eyebrow at me. “Isn’t that right, Asher?”
It sounds like a threat, and when I see Dad come into view to press a kiss to Mom’s lips, I wait for him to defend me.
He doesn’t.
Anger boils inside my chest even more than usual. My hands curl into fists, and I glance at Aurora, who’s sitting on my bed across the room, biting her nails.
Jonas is right. We are losing time here.
But Grayson isalsoright.
I will fucking find those two, and I’ll slaughter my way to them if I have to.
Motioning for Aurora to follow, I push Keats from my lap and slip on my shoes, ending the call before someone else tries to guilt-trip me.
I’m not going to sit around like a little kid and wait for my parents to intervene.
They’ve always beenbackup, not the initial solution.
That hasn’t changed just because of the magnitude of my mistake.
So instead of waiting for Alistair and Dad, I head straight for the dean’s office. Aurora trails close behind me, her arms crossed over her chest as the moon climbs to different heights in the sky.
The light beneath his office door is on, glowing bright. His secretary doesn’t seem to be in this late, so the fact that he is tells me everything I need to know.
