Shattered Ascension

Chapter Eleven

Quinn ran his fingers through his hair, gelling his brown locks back. A light knock sounded at his door and he moved to open it. Reece stood, grinning.

“Good. You’re up,” Reece said.

Quinn nodded. “Sawyer has practice today.” Reece narrowed his eyes for a second, his smile fading for only a moment before his forced joy returned. “Would you like to join?” Quinn and Reece had never been close, but it wasn’t for a lack of effort. Reece had no interest in spending time with Quinn.

“No, thanks.” His curt response was expected.

“Did you need something?” It wasn’t like Reece to knock on his door for the sake of brotherly time.

Reece shook his head. “Rain cooked breakfast for you.” Reece stepped back and said, “She wanted me to tell you.” He turned and headed down the hall, toward the stairs and disappeared down them.

Quinn waited a moment before following him. Everyone was behaving bizarrely. The pack spoke in a hushed tone and raced out of every room Quinn entered and now his brother came to talk to him. The joy in Reece’s tone and face was alarming and he was curious about what his brother was up to.

The smell of bacon and eggs filled his nose as he entered the kitchen. Rain’s dark hair whipped back and forth as she dashed around the kitchen. She wasn’t a talented chef. “Need help?” Quinn said.

The raven-haired girl paused and looked over at him. The frown on her lips turned into a smile. “Quinn, sure.” She stepped back and waved toward the bacon. “I hate cooking bacon.” It was the first time she’d ever tried to cook it.

Quinn chuckled and stepped forward to take over. “What made you want to cook?”

“I was inspired,” she said, her silver eyes on him. “I was dared. I can kick all my classmates butts when it comes to fighting or even academics, but I always fail in this area.” She motioned toward the bacon and burnt eggs. Quinn chuckled and nodded. Rain couldn’t back down from any challenge, which was an admirable quality, but it also got her in trouble.

“We can do it together, how about that?” Quinn looked at the young girl.

She raised her brow and smiled. “Sounds great.”

Quinn walked out of the kitchen. Everything was clean, but she’d burnt those eggs and he was certain the pan was beyond repair. Short coughs escaped him as he approached the front door. Sawyer would be here soon, and he wanted to change his clothes.

“Why do you smell like burnt food?” Sawyer asked scrunching up her nose as she stepped inside the house. “Not a cologne you should keep.” A small smile spread across her crimson lips before she pushed the door closed.

Quinn chuckled and shook his head. “Rain needed some rescuing in the kitchen. That girl has many talents, but cooking isn’t one of them.” The smile on her face fell and Quinn raised an eyebrow at her. “What’s that face for?” He asked.

“That girl hates me.” Sawyer pulled her red hair into a bun. “I have no idea what I did to her.”

“Rain is easily threatened by newcomers and she’s extremely protective, I wouldn’t take it personally.” Sawyer nodded. “Plus, she has a crush on Reece.” Everyone knew but Reece. His brother was blind by his obsession with the red head in front of him.

“That would do it,” Sawyer said with a laugh. “Teens are vicious.”

Quinn chuckled and said, “They are.” Rain, though only fifteen, certainly didn’t act that way. She had a sharp tongue and often behaved as though she were well in her twenties.

“Anyway. What’s on the agenda today?” Sawyer asked.

“Checking out the border today and then getting your name of the shift roster,” Quinn said. Sawyer nodded. “They’ll be a lot of walking.”

“The whole border?” She asked wide eyed.

“Yes” Quinn chuckled. “You’ll be working with others for a while before we’ll send you on your own.” He didn’t expect her to be able to navigate the land on her own and the trust between them wasn’t completely established.

“Quinn,” Reece called from down the hall.

Sawyer scoffed. “I’ll wait here,” she said.

Quinn nodded before turning and heading down the hall. The scent of blood filled the hallway, the pungent smell choked Quinn as he headed into his office. What was Reece doing in his office? Quinn stepped inside. The door slammed as Reece stood behind it.

Reece’s hands were scarlet as he approached Quinn. “Are you okay?” Quinn asked before Reece lunged, wiping his blood over his clothes. Quinn pushed him back. “Reece,” he growled.

“Help!” Reece screeched, howling through the house. “Help.” A grin spread across his face. “Why would you do such a thing, Quinn? Brom is-was our friend.” His bloody hand motioned toward the couch by his desk. Brom’s head slumped back.

“I-you,” Quinn growled. “You murdered him?”

Reece shook his head. “You did.” He moved toward the lifeless body before frowning.

The office door whipped open and Sawyer, along with several other pack members, stood in the doorway. They covered their mouths as their eyes scanned the office. Soft gasps sounded from them. Quinn’s stomach clenched and he understood Reece’s joy when his mother left. He’d planned this and took her absence as an opportunity to steal the pack from him. A chill ran up his spine. He needed to find his mother. His gaze flicked to Brom before looking at the pack members, their eyes wide and blazing.

The only person who would have known her whereabouts was dead, and he feared that the pack would see rage instead of handing justice.

“He murdered Brom,” Reece shouted, pointing at Quinn.

“I didn’t,” Quinn glared at his brother. “Reece is framing me.” He knew how pitiful he sounded.

“I tried to fend him off, but…” Reece’s blue eyes looked at the bloody body before him.

“He was with me,” Sawyer said. “Reece just called him. He’s been with me the whole time.” Her green eyes locked onto Quinn. The knot in his stomach tightened and the truth continued to disappear behind Reece’s deception.

“Lies! She’s in with him.” Reece howled.

The pack looked at Sawyer and then back at Quinn. They didn’t trust her, making her words fall on deaf ears. Sawyer was still the loner who had yet to establish trust or build relationships with them. Her attack on Riley didn’t inspire any confidence either.

Quinn stepped toward the pack members and they moved away from him. “I didn’t do this,” he said. They weren’t going to believe him. The way they responded sealed his fate. Quinn walked out of the office and they scattered, howling.

“Quinn,” Sawyer’s voice was small. “What’s going to happen?”

Quinn returned his attention to Reece. The grin on his face reminded him of a clown in a horror movie. This didn’t feel real.

“Yes, Quinn. What are you going to do?” Reece asked, his words echoing in his mind.

What was he going to do? Reece would be acting alpha and would be able to sentence how he saw fit. If his brother was capable of this, Quinn felt confident Reece wouldn’t hesitate to kill him. His brother’s blue eyes were dark, like his soul. He hadn’t realized his brother was devoid of a heart. Quinn didn’t pick up on the fact Reece’s jealousy had eaten brotherly love.

“I’m going to find mother,” Quinn said, and Reece chuckled.

“Good luck, no one knows where she went.” Reece looked over at Sawyer. “Sorry to rope you in with him.” He motioned toward Quinn. “If you stay here, we’ll rule together.”

Quinn growled. “You will see justice.” He dashed to the door. The sound of pack members barreling their way vibrated throughout his ears and hollowed out his chest. This wasn’t looking good. Quinn burst through the door and raced down the steps before a hand grabbed his arm.

“Get in,” Sawyer said as she unlocked her car. The car looked less like a rust bucket and more like a noble steed.

Quinn hopped into the passenger’s seat and Sawyer started the engine before racing down the driveway. Familiar faces flooded out of the mansion, some giving chase. His heart ached for Rain, she’d only lost her mother a few years ago and now her father.

“If you let me out now you won’t be associated with my guilt,” Quinn said. Guilt that didn’t belong to him, blood that wasn’t on his hands. He looked down at the red covering his arms and clothes. Though Brom’s blood was on his hands, it didn’t belong on them.

Sawyer rested her eyes on him for a moment. “I’m already an accomplice,” she said. “And you deserve justice. I can’t leave you; Reece might kill you.”

“That gate, the gate,” Quinn shouted as he placed his hands on the dash. The Pontiac jerked, sending him forward as he braced himself. The black gate slowly crept open, the sound of the engine buzzed, and the scent of burning rubber filled the car.

“I freaking hate this gate,” Sawyer growled, her hands tightening on the steering wheel. Her eyes flicked up as she gazed into the rear-view mirror. Slowly the car inched onward. The sound of wolves grew louder as they approached. Sawyer slammed her foot on the gas, the car lurched forward and rocketed out of driveway.

The pack members waited at the gate. It was pointless to follow. Quinn watched their angry faces shrink as they sped away. He has no idea where to begin but he knew it wasn’t out of state and he felt confident it wasn’t far. His mother wouldn’t leave the pack like that if she was traveling long distance.

He’d roped Sawyer into this mess. He balled his hands before looking over at Sawyer. Her eyes frequently checked in the rear-view mirrors, but her posture relaxed the further they drive away. Soon she tapped her fingers on the wheel, as if she’d forgotten what transpired.

“I’m sorry,” Quinn said.

“What for?” She asked glancing over at him.

“For getting you into this mess.” He leaned back in the seat and watched her. No anger flared through her and her voice was even, calm.

“You didn’t. Reece did.” She shrugged, returning her attention back to the road. “Plus, I’m your alibi.” The lightness in her tone frustrated him and he wished for a piece of her carefree attitude.

But her world wasn’t crumbling around her. She didn’t get stripped of everything she knew, and she wasn’t blamed for the death of a close friend. Quinn clenched his jaw and looked out the window. He didn’t know where to begin.