18. Family heritage

Ethan tugged on his favorite suit jacket.

Tyler had had to leave as reinforcement for the team assigned to the human government officials, and Vincent had spent his day trying to keep their new ambassador entertained.

"Her expression doesn't change at anything," He'd reported back half an hour ago "I have no idea what she thinks of us so far. You're on your own."

Ethan picked up the bottle of medicine he'd gotten from Korra, and took a shallow swing of the thick liquid. If he had to describe the taste, he'd say it tasted like death and decay.

The perfect words to describe his situation.

Putting the bottle back, Ethan caught sight of a familiar notebook. Habitually, he picked it up, running his thumb over the faded cover.

He sat down on his bed, and flipped open a random page.

'I crave a new wound.

A new pain, bad enough to distract me from this one. A new wound to tend to, because no matter how many times I stitch this one up, it always ends up bleeding again.

I cannot handle the sight of more blood.'

Ethan read the words again.

He wondered if his brother had felt this permanent anxiety settled across his bones, if their father had felt it.

A bitter smile curved at his lips. The only family heritage he seemed to have was the way they inevitably fell to their deaths.

His door knocked, and Vincent popped his head inside.

"You ready for your date?" He smirked

Ethan rolled his eyes and put the journal back "It's not a date. There will be two more people there."

"Double date."

"Vincent, if you had a love-life of your own, you wouldn't be so invested in mine." Ethan said, walking out

"Shuss," Vincent put an arm around his shoulders "Your love-life is my love-life. Now go make me proud."

The car was parked outside, and he could hear Victoria talking to their ambassador near the door.

Angelina's face was unreadable when she turned to him.

"My apologies," Ethan wore a practiced smile "Did I keep you waiting for long?"

"Not at all," She said calmly "We just came. Shall we go?"

Ethan only opened the door for her. Just as she was in, Victoria shot him a look that said 'Don't mess up', and he gave her a thumbs up.

He'd laughed and dined with enough people who wanted him six feet under to be confident he'd do just fine.

The drive to their destination was silent. The tension in the air between them so thick, Ethan could've cut through it.

"How do you like it so far?" He started nonchalantly

"Are you expecting a war?"

He almost hit the brakes. Ethan cast Angelina a questioning look. She looked entirely too comfortable, as if they were old friends talking about the weather.

"Everyone in your pack looks suspiciously alert," She continued, unfazed "And I don't see anyone incapable of fighting."

"What if we're all fitness conscious and preparing for the annual sports festival?" Ethan asked, his composure fixing itself

A sardonic smile crossed her face "Is it just me, or are you losing your edge at lying?"

Ethan returned a smile just as sharp "Ask me another question, and I won't disappoint you."

For a moment, he didn't think she'd say anything. She surprised him by actually asking another question.

"Why the walls?" Angelina asked, as they neared the towering borders

"The walls serve many purposes," Ethan shrugged "Marking my property, mysterious, increase general suspicion. It goes well with my reputation, don't you think?"

He nodded at the guards on duty as the opened the gates to let them pass. The car rolled over the earthen path outside, behind them, the gates to his pack fell close.

"Now it's my turn for a question," Ethan said "Why are you really here?"

Angelina looked at him, her green eyes were cold. Ethan could almost feel frost forming on the side of his face.

"Your pack showed up on the area between the Winter's territory and Alpha Texan's territory out of nowhere, five years ago. Your gamma and head healer showed up in your pack three years ago," She started "Rogues from another pack, now part of the Park's territory's inner circle."

Ethan's grip tightened on the steering wheel. He refused to give her the satisfaction of looking surprised. Many people knew about Vincent and Victoria not being originally from his pack, it wasn't news to him.

"And your beta is a rogue with flee-on-sight warrants all across Germany."

His eyes widened. Ethan whipped his head to look at her. Angelina was looking out of the window.

No one except his inner circle knew about Tyler's past. Not even his pack knew.

She turned to look at him coldly "None of you is particularly trustworthy. Is it that surprising that the council wants to spy on you? I just happened to be available for the job."

"Done your share of digging, have you?"

"I wouldn't want to be caught off-guard like last time."

"Why are you telling me all this?" Ethan asked, ignoring the bitterness of her tone, they moved onto the main road "Wouldn't you be better off holding this information over us?"

For a moment, tiredness crossed her face. There and gone so fast, he couldn't be sure if he'd imagined it.

"To remind you that you can't afford to lose credibility with the Supreme Council right now." Angelina said frostily "It's best if both of us stay out of each other's way."

'It's better for us both' The unspoken words hung between them. Ethan wondered what she'd done to be sent off to another pack like this. He couldn't imagine it was a choice.

The rest of the drive was silent.

Of course, the restaurant Penelope and Joseph had chosen was too lavish for Ethan's liking. He gave the car keys to the vault.

"You made it!" Penelope grinned at them once they reached their table "I was thinking you'd have found another excuse for this evening."

"Wouldn't dream of it," Ethan said "Allow me to introduce you to our emissary, Angelina Vandor."

"We know each other," Penelope told him, bumping shoulders with Angelina "Why do you think I asked you to bring her over?"

Ethan blinked. Both the women had conveniently failed to mention that piece of information.

"How do you like my old pack so far?" Penelope started asking Angelina a stream of questions about the pack

"It's very friendly, so far." Angelina told her with a smile that Ethan knew was practiced solely because he'd seen his own in mirrors so many times "I haven't missed home in the slightest."

"I heard Alpha Texan's daughter sent you an invitation too," Joseph raised a brow at Ethan

'It's a miracle I have any secrets at all', Ethan thought to himself as he nodded. Penelope pulled Angelina over to the buffet side of the hall.

"What happened to intercontinental delegation?" He asked Joseph

"They found whoever murdered their previous delegate," Joseph said, swirling his glass "The punishments were swift, but the situation is still shaky."

Ethan nodded, though he wouldn't be surprised if some poor soul had been sacrificed to pacify the delegations, and the real murderer was still roaming around.

"Alpha Supreme even agreed to the European Council's proposal," Joseph told him, then his lips quirked upwards "You'd probably be told about that soon though."

Foreboding dread crawled down Ethan's spine "Is it some event for match-making?"

Joseph laughed "Why don't you drop this pack running business and become a mind-reader?"

It wouldn't take a genius to guess, since if he was involved, it had to be something only an unmarried member of the council could participate in. Right now, he couldn't even deny the Alpha Supreme.

Ethan heaved a long, long sigh, shoulders dropping.

"It's not so dire a situation."

Both Ethan and Joseph turned their attention to the source of the comment.

The man that stood infront of them couldn't be older than twenty, with brown eyes so dark, they were almost black. He was dressed immaculately, in a waist coat over a creaseless dress shirt, a coat draped over his shoulders. His hair though, was a mess of dark curls, falling over his forehead in an unruly manner.

"Did I interrupt a conversation?" The question was directed at Joseph

"Of course not," Joseph said, his expression was guarded "Alpha Parks and I were just talking about the intercontinental delegation."

The man turned his attention to Ethan, and his focus was intense "Alpha Ethan Parks?"

Ethan raised his glass in greeting "My night keeps on getting better."

The new comer raised a brow in question.

"It's never a good thing when someone has heard of me." Ethan grinned

"I understand the sentiment." He gave a low chuckle "Allow my to introduce myself."

He held out a hand.

"Logan Thornwood, Delegate of the European Supreme Council."

Ethan caught his expression before it shifted.

"Pleased to make your acquaintance," He stood and shook hands with Thornwood "I regret not being able to meet at the Council meetings. I had to leave a bit urgently."

"It's regretful, indeed." Thornwood smiled, but there was no emotion in it "I was hoping to witness your methods of working. I've heard much about how... unconventional they are."

Ethan couldn't imagine them being good things, given how he'd left things.

"Then I hope we get a chance to talk in person," Ethan told him "It's not every day I meet someone close to my age in the Supreme councils."

"Likewise," Thornwood pulled a card out of his pocket, extending it towards him "You take care of matters with the government, no? If you don't mind, I'd like to ask you a favor."

Ethan took the card with a raised brow "I'd be happy to help."

"Excellent." The Alpha grinned sharply "I'll look forward to meeting you in my office tomorrow."

Another man walked over to them, and said something to Thornwood quietly. A shadow crossed the Alpha's face, but it was soon replaced by a fresh pleasant smile.

"If you'd excuse me," Thornwood said "There's something I must attend to."

He walked off, and Joseph shook his head.

"That was odd," He mused "He was rather angry about the fate of their previous delegate. I thought he didn't want anything to do with anybody here."

"I guess the Alpha Supreme's attempts to maintain peace paid off." Ethan said, though he had his own suspicions

He looked down at the card Thornwood had handed him.

The man hadn't given him a chance to change the timing of their meeting, so it seemed Ethan would have to humor him at his conditions.

The inkling of an idea started forming at the back of his mind.

"About this suggestion from the council," Ethan turned to Joseph "How long before it's put in action?"