Through The Fire: Origins (Book 1)

Chapter 2: MASTER OF DISRUPTION

The phone buzzed on the counter, the name flashing across the screen. Jaxon. Elias hesitated. His brother never called just to talk. He wiped his hands on a dish towel before picking up. “Hey, Jax.”

“Hey.” A pause. A deep breath. “I, uh… I need a place to crash for a bit.” Elias leaned against the counter, already reading between the lines.

“You and Katie?”

“Yeah.” Another pause. Jaxon never liked explaining himself. “We’re… figuring things out.” Elias exhaled, pressing a palm against his forehead. “You need a couple of days?”

“Maybe more. Just till I sort things out.”

There was something in Jaxon’s tone—controlled, but not steady.

Elias ran a hand through his hair. This wasn’t the first time his brother had needed space. But it felt… different.

“Alright,” Elias said finally. “I’ll make up the guest room.”

“Appreciate it.” Jaxon didn’t say much else. Just a quiet exhale before adding, “See you soon.”

The line went dead. Elara’s dishes clinked in the sink as he hung up.

Elias stood there for a moment, phone still in hand. He glanced toward the hallway, where the guest room sat untouched.

This was going to be interesting.

***

That evening, Elias couldn’t stop thinking about Jaxon’s call. Now, with Jaxon settling in for the night under his roof, the thought sat even heavier.

Would that ever be him? Calling in a favor, asking for a place to stay?

The idea unsettled him. He and Elara had their moments, sure, but could things ever get so bad that they couldn’t be in the same room?

No.

He let out a slow breath, pushing the thought away as he made his way down the hall toward Lena’s bedroom.

The door was cracked open, soft lamplight spilling out. Inside, Lena was already tucked under her blankets, waiting. “Dad?” she whispered as he stepped inside.

Elias pushed aside his thoughts and smiled. “Hey, baby girl. You still awake?”

“Mm-hmm,” she murmured, blinking sleepily.

Elias tucked the blanket around Lena, smoothing her hair as she snuggled deeper into the pillows.

The night-light cast a soft glow across the room, flickering faintly as she blinked up at him, curiosity sparking in her eyes. “Dad,” she said softly. “What were you and Uncle Jaxon like as kids? Did you get along like me and Hadley?”

Elias chuckled, shaking his head. “Not exactly.”

Lena’s brow furrowed. “Did you fight a lot?”

“No, no—nothing like that,” Elias assured her. “Jaxon and I were just… different. You and Hadley? You play together. You help each other. You take turns.” He smirked. “Jaxon and I had a different game.”

Lena’s eyes widened. “What game?”

Elias leaned in, his voice dropping conspiratorially.

“It was called… Press Jaxon’s Button.”

She gasped. “What kind of button?”

“Oh, it wasn’t a real button. It was… a big brother button. The kind that makes them sigh real loud and say your name in that ‘I’m trying to be patient, but I’m about to lose my mind’ kind of way.”

Lena giggled. “Like when I sing ‘Let It Go’ over and over and over again, and Hadley throws a pillow at me?”

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