(Posted 23 Dec) MERRY CHRISTMAS! Thank you for your support this year! To say thank you, enjoy 5 chapters tonight as my gift to you!

*****

ELRETH

Elreth wanted to growl.

"Is that what this is about? Sibling rivalry?

"

"No,

" Gar muttered.

"Whatever happened between you and Dad had nothing to do with me!

"

"Well, that's pure bull**.

"

Elreth's head jerked back.

"I wasn't even there when you guys fought most of the time.

"

"Not in person, maybe, but trust me, El, Dad's been proud of you since the minute you showed up. And I've been a disappointment to him for almost as long.

"

"That's not true! You idolized him when you were a kid and he loved it!

"

Gar snorted.

"Fat lot of good that did me.

" His sullen anger was returning and Elreth didn't like it. She didn't like that it was still there, and she didn't like thinking that she might have had anything to do with starting it in the first place. But then Gar sighed and dropped his hands to his sides.

"Look, it doesn't matter. Things are going to change now, clearly. At least some, and that's good. It feels good, so… just ignore me. Nevermind. It doesn't matter.

"

He started back down the trail, but Elreth caught his arm and made him turn around—realized just how much she had to look up to meet his eyes.

She'd always seen Gar as her little brother. But the truth was, he was far, far larger than her now. And there was a steely determination in his gaze that she'd always put down to him being determined to have his own way. But now… now she wondered how often she'd told herself he had motives that weren't real.

"I wasn't joking back there, Gar. I wasn't making noises to be nice. When I said you need to step up as Dominant if something happens to me, I meant it. And I'm pissed off with myself for not realizing what you were—what you really were—until now. I'm sorry, okay? I'm sorry I didn't see it. But you have to take some responsibility there. Because you've been hiding. Whatever the reason, you wanted me—and dad—to see you differently than you really are. So we were blind, sure, but part of that was because you hid.

"

Gar nodded tightly.

"You're right.

"

Elreth waited, but he didn't say more. Her instinct was to just say thank you, to walk on and leave it there. But Aaryn caught her eye and flashed the sign for 'give.' Elreth wanted to growl, but she knew he was right.

So she looked back up at Gar, her younger brother, her bigger brother, and the male who'd been saving lives at risk of his own for the past three years and humbled herself.

"I admire what you've been doing, Gar. For real. It took real courage—as well as discipline. I'm sorry I didn't see that you were capable of that. Okay? I'm sorry.

"

Gar stared at her a moment, then nodded.

"It's okay.

"

"No, it's not. But it is something I can correct. So… will you forgive me and can we walk out of here in a new place? Can we recognize that you're strong and dominant and a good leader, and I need you on my side?

"

Gar smirked.

"Sure we can.

"

"Gar,

" Aaryn snapped as Elreth bristled.

But then her brother kind of deflated. He threw up his hands.

"Okay, okay. I'm sorry too. I hid it all from you. But it was mainly because I wanted to prove to myself that I could do it. And… and I admire you too, El. I'm glad that you're dominant. I would have chosen you. You're better at this stuff than me.

"

"Only because I've had more practice.

"

Gar shrugged.

"Whatever the reason, the truth is I'd be scrambling if something happened to you and I was just left here…

" he trailed off.

"So, thanks. I hope I never have to take over. I hope it never comes to that. But I will lead the disformed, and I'll make you as safe as it's possible to do. I vow it.

"

Elreth bit her lip, touched.

"Thank you,

" she breathed.

They stared at each other a moment longer, then Gar stepped forward and wrapped her in a hug that surprised Elreth so that tears sprang into her eyes.

He hadn't hugged her like that in a long time. Just to be a brother and to be close. She closed her arms around his waist—she couldn't reach all the way around his shoulders—and let her head rest on his chest as they embraced.

She felt subconscious when they pulled apart because she had tears in her eyes. But Aaryn was watching them both, a warm smile on his face. And she felt… lighter somehow.

She patted his arm when they stepped apart.

"So… how does

"cohort

" sound to you?

"

"What?

" Gar said flatly.

"The people need to know, Gar. If something happens to me in this, they need to know who to turn to. I'm thinking I name you as a Cohort and we can make an official title—War Chief, or something—after we acknowledge the disformed as their own tribe.

Gar's mouth dropped open.

"You're actually going to do that? After all this?

"

"I don't see any choice,

" Elreth said honestly.

"I need the disformed focused on this entirely now. We need to put everything into strengthening ourselves, and finding how the human got here, what we can do to stop more. I'm going to need all of you on that. You're going to be a very, very busy Alpha,

" she said with a wink.

Gar shook his head.

"You can't make us a target right now, El. The people are going to have a lot of questions—

"

"Which is exactly why I need you and Aaryn and Dad and Tarkyn… everyone to help me see how we put this to the people. Because it's clear to me that we need to remove the secrecy from everything. Our way forward through this is to share everything. What we know. What we've done. What we hope for… we've got to bring it all together. All of Anima is going to need to come together if we want to beat this. And if you're Alpha, you're going to have a huge role in that, Gar. Good luck making your jokes, then. The elders will eat you alive.

"

Gar's face looked so pained, Aaryn laughed.