Ties That Bind: a New Adult Fantasy Novel (The Spire Chronicles Book 2) Read Free Page B

in my father. As in fuck that.
    “He’s requested your help regarding an important matter,” said Rowan.
    My jaw clenched as I tried to push aside the tinge of relief that came over me to learn he hadn’t been hurt. This was a man I hadn’t spoken to since I was eight, when he told me he was sending me away. The man who could barely stand to greet me during Order meetings. That I had even the slightest bit of feeling towards him beside contemptuous indifference had me scowling. He lost the right to be my father when he gave me up eighteen years ago.
    “There are plenty of hunters in Dovesport,” I said, pressing my chin against my knee to hide the pout that was forming.
    “He asked for you by name.”
    “Well, he can go fuck himself.” Guess I wasn’t above petty bitterness yet – I’d have to keep working for contemptuous indifference.
    Alex’s eyebrows came together and he frowned. “Morgan.”
    “What?” I said petulantly. “The man hasn’t said more than a curt hello to me in eighteen years and now he asks for me ‘by name’?” I shook my head. “Screw that. He didn’t even bother calling me himself.”
    “He’s your father,” he said.
    “I don’t have a father.”
    Alex’s eyes widened. “Morgan!”
    “Enough,” Rowan interrupted in a clipped voice. “This is a serious matter.”
    “The last time Sullivan,” I spat the name out – he didn’t get to claim the title of Father, “asked to see me, it was to tell me to pack my things so he could ship me off to live here.”
    “Maybe he wants to make amends,” said Alex.
    My toes curled around the edge of the chair as my bitterness grew, creeping over me like strangling vines and leaving a horrible taste in my mouth. “Then, he’s eighteen years too late.”
    “Do either of you want to know what the actual problem is, or do you need to call Trish for some couple’s counseling?” Rowan snapped.
    “We’re not a–” I bit my lip. There was already enough going on without throwing relationship questions into the mix. “What is it?”
    Apparently, I didn’t cut off fast enough, because the room dropped about twenty degrees from Alex’s cold shoulder. My anger faded into guilt as I watched him purse his lips, his jaw doing that nutcracker impression, and look away. Great.
    It’s not that I didn’t like Alex. I did. I really did. But that didn’t mean it was smart to get involved with him. Well, more than I already had. My feelings didn’t change the reality of our lives, of our jobs. I knew he wanted us to become something more than a casual dalliance, though, and I knew my words had hurt him. What I didn’t know was how to fix things without committing to a relationship that could leave us both broken-hearted.
    “There’s a war brewing between the Garou and Protean that call Dovesport’s forest home,” said Rowan.
    That was…weird. Sure, Garou (werewolves) and Protean (shapeshifters) weren’t exactly on the best of terms. In general, the only thing they agreed on was that vampires and demons were abominations, which was balanced by the fact that demons and vampires thought they were little more than wild animals. So, at least it wasn’t a one-sided hate. Four-sided. Whatever.
    Still, for any of the tribes to actually declare war was unheard of these days, especially those who lived near Dovesport. In the past, plenty of wars were waged between the Garou and Protean over territory and hunting grounds, but they eventually learned to live in peace. If only to avoid extinction at the hands of mankind; their violent wars drew too much attention from outsiders who feared for their lives.
    The majority of both races shunned human society, preferring to keep to the wilds. I’d only ever met a handful of either race in cities, and from what I learned, they were completely different to their reclusive siblings. It was something about the culture the tribes passed on to their own. “Rogues” aren’t taught anything until they