Free Luna Grey by Emily Fox

Chapter 1

    Eric sighed as
he fell onto the plush red couch at his family’s hunting cabin. He
ran an uneasy hand through his blond hair, his brown eyes sullen as
he heard his father and brothers in the kitchen discussing their
hunting trip.
    “So, where’d
you get this one?” he heard his brother Brent ask.
    “The usual,”
his father chuckled.
    “What’s she
look like?” his other brother Craig queried.
    “She’s a pretty
thing, fair skin, blue eyes and blonde hair. Her father sold her to
the market to cater for his drug addiction I heard,” his father
stated. “Now, when will Trevor and his boys arrive?”
    “They’ll be
here next Monday, it’s the soonest they could get away,” Brent gave
a frustrated sigh.
    “So be it,” his
father strode into the living room and turned to Eric.
    “Now, this’ll
be your first time partaking in our family hunt. You’re 18 now, and
it is tradition,” his father sat down on the armchair across from
him. He crossed one leg up on his knee as he tapped his fingers on
the arm of the brown leather armchair. His dark brown eyes were
fixed on Eric as scratched at the light dusting of stubble on his
jawline.
    The fire
crackled in the fireplace next to them, and Eric turned to look at
the dancing flames.
    “It’s very fun
bro, you’ll love it!” Brent came in and jumped onto the couch
beside him, sprawling out and forcing Eric to shuffle to the end to
avoid his brother’s legs.
    “Now, Eric,
since it’s your first hunt, I have chosen to have you take care of
her, feed her and such. Each year we rotate who winds up with the
responsibility,” his dad cocked his head. “This year it’s yours.
Craig will show you what to feed her and what you need to do.
Trevor and the boys won’t be here for a week so we’ll spend the
time wisely. Tomorrow I’ll be taking Brent into town to meet with
some business partners out this way. Chances are the next few days
we’ll be away while we get plans sorted and attend meetings. You
and Craig will stay here and keep an eye on everything, got it?”
his father clasped his hands together as he raised an eyebrow at
his youngest son.
    “Got it,” Eric
nodded as Craig joined them from the kitchen with a beer in hand.
He passed others around to everyone and gave Eric a displeased
look.
    “Alright Eric,
let’s get started. The sooner I show you everything, the sooner I
can head off,” Craig rolled his eyes as his father clucked at
him.
    “You’re staying
with Eric. He’ll need to stay supervised since it’s his first
time,” his father’s voice was wrought with authority, not a tone to
be taken lightly.
    Craig shrugged
though; he’d never held much respect for their father. Brent had
always been the favourite, whilst Craig had rebelled against his
wishes over the years. But he still partook in the family
gatherings and traditions despite never being quite close to their
father. He loved their mother dearly, and Eric had always despised
his high place in their mother’s eyes. He was the baby of the
family, but both his parents seemed to hold his siblings in higher
esteem despite his best efforts. Craig was the eldest and lived out
of home, whilst Brent had recently moved back in to help their
father run his real estate business. He was learning all he had to
know about the investors and how to play the game.
    Eric on the
other hand, cared little about the business. He loved to work with
cars, and had become an apprentice mechanic to his parents’
displeasure. They hated his ‘pathetic’ job, wanting all their
children to have some form of high paying career.
    Craig had
become a doctor, which had only pleased their mother more.
    “You coming?”
Craig called out from the kitchen.
    Eric groaned
but got up at the sharp look from his father as Brent smirked.
    “Alright,
breakfast she gets porridge, lunch, make her a sandwich of some
sort, and dinner, whatever you feel like making her, got it?” Craig
leant against the