36. Sloane

The line went dead after Malix hung up and I put the phone back in the desk in front of me.

"So she's at one of the safe houses?"

I looked over at Owen. He sat in his usual chair on the other side of the desk a glass of whiskey in his hand. He had a troubled expression on his face.

"Seems so."

His lips formed a frown making me wonder what he was thinking.

"Was I right in allowing him to monitor her?"

Owen shrugged leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees.

"He was quick to offer his help in tracking her but it did seem odd."

"In what way?"

"I'm not sure exactly but when I helped him get everything ready I asked if he was sure about going alone. I even offered to send Ty along with him but he refused...."

"I don't understand why would that be odd he's a Lycan he most likely just didn't want help from an outsider."

Owens brow creased in thought.

"That was my first thought as well but now I'm thinking it was because of something else."

He shook his head sitting back once more as if he was grasping at something that was just out of reach.

"I don't know maybe I'm over thinking it."

I stared at the phone I had just called Malix with our conversation didn't seem out of the ordinary. If there was something going on surely I would have noticed wouldn't I? I stood it was getting late and I'd promised Cora I would have dinner with her without the pack tonight.

"I don't know if your right about your suspicion and considering the Lycans have come here in a good will gesture to help with Driak I don't won't to jeopardise that without any clear evidence. However it won't hurt to send Ty anyway just as a back up in case. If either Malix or Raine spots him he can easy right it off as an extra pro caution in case Malix ran into trouble."

Owen stood nodding as he put his glass down.

"Very well I'll let Ty know."

I started for the door when Owen stopped me.

"Your doing a good job Sloane."

I turned back to face him. I know he was trying to make me feel better about running the pack while Vericus was gone but it didn't change the fact that I wasn't nearly as good at being alpha as he was.

"Thanks Owen. I just wish I knew whether he was alright."

I left the office to head for Cora's bedroom but before I even got two feet Roake turned the corner.

"Ah there you are Sloane I've been looking for you."

I groaned internally. How did Vericus do this? No wonder he was so angry all the time. No one left you alone. There was always something someone wanting for you. Turning I waited for the half shifted alpha to approach.

"What is it Roake?"

"One of my lycans ran into a lunar eclipse member north east of here she said she came with a message for Vericus."

I shook my head confused.

"Wait how did the lycans find her before we did?"

Roake winked knocking my shoulder.

"Because we're Lycans my boy, that's part of the reason you asked for our help isn't it?"

I rolled my eyes did I really expect a different answer. Sorry Cora but guess I won't be coming after all.

"Where is he?"

"She is in the cage downstairs."

My eyes widened in surprise.

"She?"

He nodded.

"Pretty little thing too guess that's to be expected considering what she is."

I paused midstep.

"What do you mean? What is she?"

"She's a siren."

I frowned.

"A siren? Why would a siren be part of the lunar eclipse pack, hell I didn't even know it was possible to brand non wolf sups."

Roake shrugged.

"After everything you've heard about Driak so far are you really surprised that he's found a way?"

I watched him as he walked passed me leading the way to the cages downstairs.

"I guess not."

I followed Roake downstairs and just as he said she was pretty. Her long golden hair reached to her knees even while tied back and braided into an intricate design. She wore a slim fitting dress that flowed from her hips into long slitted fabric of green with gold filigree. A lunar eclipsed moon branded on her chest just above the edge of her dress. She was beautiful but even so I knew better.

"Your not King Vericus!"

She turned on Roake her brows creased in anger.

"I said my message was for king Vericus not his brother."

I held a hand out in front of Roake to stop him from answering as I stepped closer, but not too close of course.

"Ver is indisposed at the moment so you'll pass your message to me."

She folded her arms making her Brest lift my attention unconsciously drawn to them.

"I'm not saying another word til I talk to King Vericus."

I rubbed my eyes annoyed with her already. I started to turn.

"Fine you can rot in there til you do talk and don't bother using your siren, it won't work while your in those bars."

"Who do you think Driak stole the power of a siren from?! Why would I come here baring the lunar brand knowing there was a chance you'd kill me on sight?"

I stopped my eyes glancing at Roake who looked just as doubtful as I did. I faced the siren again.

"Are you saying it was your power Driak inplanted into Raine?"

She grinned knowing that she had piqued my interests.

"Yes it was mine. He stole it from me to lure The king."

"To what end? He no longer has control over her even if she stole Ver's power she would never willingly hand it back to him."

Her chuckle was lyrical sound even without her siren call everything about her was destined to lure you in.

"Your all fools! You have no idea the extent of his plans."

"Then enlighten us."

She gritted her teeth her face stern.

"I told you what I have to say is for King Vericus!"

I shook my head this was pointless how could we even believe a word she said even if she did tell us anything.

"No offence but your in no position to be making demands. Even if you have any information how can we trust you at your word? Your with the lunar wolves we should just kill you now and be down with you."

Roake raised a clawed hand making her back up in fear.

"No please you don't understand I'm not with them, I never was. He took me from my kind just as he stole Raine. I will tell you everything but i will only trust the king."

Her vice was desperate she was loosing her false bravado with each step Roake took towards her.

"If that's true then how did you escape him? I doubt Driak would just let one of his experiments go without a fight especially if they had information on him."

To my surprise tears started to form in her eyes, hell i didn't even know sirens could shed tears. Roake looked just as perplexed as I did.

"Your right to be weary of me if I was in your position I would be too. I should have came forward four years ago but I was scared. You don't know what it was like for us in that place. All of us suffered the worst kind of pain. It was only because of her....because she saved me that I'm even alive today. But...but I just couldn't do it. I was scared that Driak would kill me, scared that he would come after me if I tried to warn the king. Then when Raine disappeared I figured what did it matter since his plans obviously wouldn't come to fruition without her."

Her teary eyes met mine. I had no idea what was going on but if she was faking all this it was dam convincing.

"For four years I've been hiding from Driak I couldn't leave otherwise he would be able to track me with the brand but when I heard that Raine was back I just couldn't stay hidden any longer. I had to do what she couldn't, what she sacrificed her own soul for. I have to let the king know that she's still alive that her soul is still intact."

I shook my head growing in frustration what the fuck was she talking about?

"Seriously siren you better start making sense right now who's soul are you talking about?"

Without hesitation she answered with the last thing I would have thought possible.

"Rixs! Rixs soul is inside Raine!"

I froze, I was speechless. Rixs soul was inside Raine? How was that even possible? What did that even mean? Not to mention if that was true did that mean that Raines other personality Kandra was really Rix all along? But why wouldn't she have said that to Cora when they spoke inside her mind? It was true in the supernatural world there was things that went beyond reasoning but this....

Roake was the first to react.

"Do you really expect us to believe this shit? It's not possible to harness ones soul inside another. The gods would never allow such a thing to happen. You lie siren and be thankful it was us you told and not Vericus himself or he would have had your head for it."

She flinched at his words and back up a few steps. Then she seemed to gain some of that bravado she had from earlier. Her fists clenched she stamped her foot like a small child who'd lost her toy.

"I'm not lying! The person you know as Kandra has been Rix all along. It happened when we escaped. I saw the whole thing. Raine had tracked us down and Rix was hit from behind. She told me to hide and like a coward I did. I watched Raine approach Rix. A knife was protruding from her back, there was so much blood. I watch her turn her over, but when she did she stumbled back in shock. I didn't understand why til I watched her take her mask off. She looked exactly like Rix, I had never known since Raine never took off her mask not for anyone. I watched from where I hid as she lifted Rix up there were tears in her eyes as she looked at Raine."

She was describing everything in vivid detail that it was impossible to think she was lying.

"I couldn't hear what was said as I was too far away but Rix touched Raines cheek and a light shone so bright I had to look away, but when I looked back Raine was gone and Rixs body was still, lifeless."

"If that's all you saw then how do you know Rix gave her soul to Raine?"

Roake question was reasonable. The siren however glared at him.

"Do you forget I'm a siren we eat souls to survive I know the light of a soul when I see it."

I had never known Roake to be speechless but like me there was something about the way she spoke that left no room for denying any of it. Could this have been why Ver was so drawn to Kandra? Was this why Driak needed this sirens power? He needed Rixs power of will inside Raine but for some reason he needed her trapped inside her mind. However because she was trapped within his mind the mated bond would not work so he used the sirens power instead. That way Raine would have Rixs power of will and yet still have the power to lure Vericus to her. But why? Why do any of it? To steal Vers power for sure but without control over her he would only make her stronger and since she wanted to kill him it would only make him vulnerable. It just didn't make sense. None of it made sense.

"Why?"

The siren looked at me confused.

"Why what?"

"Why do any of this? What does he hope to accomplish?"

"To make her an immortal just like him."

All three of us turned towards the door as Ver made his way down the stairs. I could only stare as my brother casually walked up to the cage. Not even Roake moved both of stunned by Vers sudden appearance. We watched silently as he opened the cage with a wave of his hand. My eyes widened. He can use magic? What the fuck is going on around here?

"My king, please forgive me for not coming to you sooner. For Rixs sake I'm am sorry for that."

Ver smiled.....he smiled? I'd never seen a true smile on him in over ten years. He put his hand to her brand, her face winced in pain. When his hand pulled back the brand started to disappear.

"Your free to go silan."

Her eyes widened.

"How did you.....?"

He touched her face in a gentle way.

"Don't worry you are free now. Go back to your mother she is probably worried."

She nodded then slipped passed him and up the stairs. I couldn't believe my eyes or what had just happened. Roake however had a huge smile on his face as he kneeled before Ver.

"You have awakened my king."

Ver placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Get up Roake there's no need for that I'm still me. Being humble does not suit you."

Vers red eyes turned towards me pulling me out of my stunned silence.

"Ver?"

There was something so very different about him. A calm warmth that surrounded him. Where once he seemed so tired drawn contantly fighting the pull of his power making him so close to loosing his temper. All of it was gone, disappeared leaving a confidence, an aura of pure power that only a true king of the supernatural world could have. He had changed so much even I was in awe of him. Where he had gone what ever he had been doing he had come back more king then ever before.