14. Sloane

By the time we got to the dining room most of the pack had already gone. The only ones left were Owen, Ver and Cora. And of course Ty once again in wolf form sulking in the corner. When Kan saw him she raised her eyebrow like it was a question. I chuckled leaning in to whisper.

"Most meals Ver makes him shift and eats last til he learns how to share. Which of course he never does."

Kans lips curved into a smile as she took in the wolf now laying with his snout on his paws. Kneeling down she spoke in a quiet voice.

"Don't worry I'll save you some of mine."

Ty's ears perked up as he continuously licked her face til a growl came from the table making him instantly sulk again. I wasn't surprised that she was being nice even after how Ty had treated her. Kan was like that. She never took anything personal as long as you were up front and honest with her. She scowled at Ver but stood back up and sat next to Owen when he pulled out a seat for her. While I went to my usual spot in between Ver and Cora.

Upon seeing Cora Kan smiled and extended her hand.

"Hello my names Kandra."

Cora eyed Kan who I suspected knew she was sizing her up but was ignoring it. Cora took her hand and shook it albeit reluctantly.

"Cora."

Kan sat back down her smile still curving her lips.

"Nice to meet you."

I reached under the table and squeezed Cora's hand making her stop inspecting Kan. She quickly went back to her food.

When we got back I had told Cora everything that had happened. Ever since I'd told her she had become unusually quiet. Some how quiet Cora was scarier then loud Cora. I wasn't sure what she was thinking but judging by how she was just looking at Kan I wasn't sure I wanted to know. I tried telling her that we were just friends she'd laughed it off like she didn't care but judging by her reaction just now clearly she did.

I don't know I just don't get females. I mean it's not like we were together which was partially my fault but still. Kan was just Kan. She was the first friend I'd ever had that I'd found by myself and wasn't red eye pack. I sighed I'll just let them sort it out between them, it's not like they both can't handle themselves.

The exchange between Kan and Cora kinda dampened the mood. So the rest of breakfast was spent mostly in silence. Once we were finished however Cora surprised us all.

"Ver is it alright if I take Kandra for a walk outside?"

Ver quickly glanced at me like I had something to do with this. I tried to put on my best no idea what's going face. Kan however seemed perfectly fine with it. Must be a female thing.

"Ty goes with you."

Something like a groan came from the wolf in the corner knowing now he'll have to wait even longer to get his food. I'm not going to lie, Inside I was laughing my arse off. I watched Kan and Cora leave Ty not far behind still in wolf form.

Cora seemed determined to get Kan away from everyone. It wasn't like Cora to do something without a purpose. She was like Ver in that sense. Which was why I wondered about the DNA test Ver wanted from Kan. I saw the look Owen exchanged with Ver. There was something they were hiding. Kan was right unless they had a sample to compare with there would be no way of knowing her identity. If it was that simple hell I would've done it years ago.

"Who's DNA are you are you using to compare with Kans?"

Both Owen and my brother exchanged that same look back in Vers office. The same look that told me they weren't going to tell me anything.

"Sloane-"

I growled.

"What are you hiding?"

It was Owen who spoke first his eyes on Ver.

"Maybe it's time he does know."

My eyes shot daggers at my brother after everything our family has been through he was still hiding secrets.

"Ver what's he talking about?"

I was so close to being furious when the look on Vers face stopped my anger in its tracks. I had never seen my brother look so sad, so full of anguish. Sighing he stood up.

"Your right Owen but not here."

Without a word Ver lead us back to his office were the walls were sound proof even to any sups high frequency hearing. The way Ver and Owen were acting was starting to scare me. What the hell were they hiding that would make them look so upset. Owen and I sat in front of Ver desk. I had expected Ver to sit in his usual spot behind the desk. Instead he went to a small painting that to be honest I'd never even noticed before. It was a painting of a white wolf howling before a moon. Taking the painting down he revealed a small safe which sprang open after he punched a few buttons.

"Ver what...."

He closed the safe and when he turned he held a picture? Without looking at me Ver finally spoke.

"What do you remember about before?"

I shook my head confused.

"Before?"

"Before the war between our pack and the lunar eclipse pack. Before they attacked the silver moon pack?"

I looked towards Owen but his face revealed nothing. I decided it was better just to answer.

"Not much really I mean I was only five at the time."

Ver nodded as he stepped closer once he was in front of me he lifted his hand. I Took what was in his hand my eyes widening at what I saw. It was a photo....of Kan! ....at least it looked like Kan. This girl was younger but she had the same platinum blonde hair and those eyes. The eyes were exactly the same as Kans. Looking into my brothers face I was so confused.

"I don't get it how do you have a picture of Kan?"

Ver took the picture back and stepping around the desk he slumped into his chair. He stared down at the picture like the person in it was the most precious thing in the world to him. After what felt like forever of silence he finally explained.

"Her name was Anorix but I just called her Rix."

He looked up to look me in the eyes.

"She was my mate."

What the fuck! I stared at him my mouth agape. I was speechless. How did I not know this? What's more why would he keep it from me? Then it dawned on me.

"Does....does that mean that Kan-"

"Don't get the wrong idea Sloane. Kan is not my mate."

"Vericus-"

Owen interjected but Ver silenced him with one look. His focus returned to me as he continued.

"As you know when i was born and and my red eyes became common knowledge the silver moon pack started working closely with ours. The year before I turned eighteen I spent most of my time with the silver moon pack to choose who would be my beta when I turned eighteen and took over the pack."

Ver paused as I took in what he was saying. It was good to finally get the full story of what happened back then and it was nice that Ver was actually sharing some of his life with me but why was it relevant?

"It was during one of my visits that I meet Rix. She was perfect in every way. She was the alphas daughter who'd just come home from boarding school in London. I knew instantly who she was and that she was my mate. You see when a king is born the power that they hold comes with a price. A darkness if you will, one that can only be fully suppressed when bound to their destined mate."

I looked to Owen who nodded confirmation to everything Ver was telling me. So with Vers mate he can be saved? I smiled but that means Vers power won't take over. At least that's what I thought until Vers next words reminded me that it would never happen.

"We we're going to complete the mate bond the night I stepped up as alpha but the night before...."

Ver's face dropped as did my hope.

"The lunar eclipse pack attacked."

Ver nodded his fist clenching.

"They didn't just wipe the silver moon pack from existence. They took her, they stole my mate and killed the rest."

"But I don't understand why did they take her? What happened to her?"

Ver held up his hand to stop my rapid fire of questions.

"I'm getting to that just let me finish."

I nodded letting him know I'd stop interrupting.

"I don't know why they took her but the fact that they did is why I launcher an immediate counter attack. Dad warned me not to but what could I do? She was my mate I couldn't not get her back she was the only one that could stop my power. Of course you know what happened after that. While we were attacking them they attacked us. Likely they wanted to do to us what they had done to the silver moon pack. If they had succeeded in taking us out there would have been no one to left to take her back."

Ver sighed I could tell this recount of his story was taking its toll.

"Six years I searched for her, six years she was their prisoner. Then one day we had reports of sightings just north of here. A female matching Rixs description had been spotted. I couldn't believe my luck. I'd hoped that she had somehow escaped them."

He returned his stare to the photo in his hands.

"What I found I'll never forget. It was her alright but I was too late she was dead."

Vers hand swept across the table papers scattered across the floor. His breathing became laboured as he tried to reel in his wolf. Owen moved to calm him but Ver growled.

"Don't!"

Ver took a couple deep breaths then settled back into his seat. Owen remained standing ready to pounce just in case.

I couldn't believe this. All this time Ver had been suffering and I knew nothing about any of this. All those times I complained about how he was too over protective. Considering everything he's told me it's no wonder why he did the things he did. All the times he lost it when it came to the lunar wolves. They had gotten worse four years ago. Four years ago when he lost his mate. Lost his only chance at being happy. His one chance at controlling his power. He'd been carrying this great burden and I'll I did was give him shit for it.

"Ver I'm....im sorry. I wish you'd told me. I could have been there for you. Done something anything to help you."

Ver shook his head sighing.

"What could you have done Sloane? You were too young too innocent in all this. No this was my burden to bare not yours. She was my mate I should have protected her kept her with me the second I found her. No all this is on me."

As much as I was glad Ver had finally told me everything it still didn't tell me what it had to do with Kan. Seeming to read my mind Owen was the one to answer since Ver seemed to have had his fill of talking.

"You've seen the photo Sloane we can't deny that Kandra has an uncanny resemblance to Rix. We've asked for a DNA sample not only so we can possibly match her to any samples that might be on record but also to rule out the possibility that she could in any way be Rix even though we know it's impossible."

Running my hands through my hair I huffed out a deep breath. this was a lot to take in. However it still didn't explain how they were going to test Kan.

"So does this mean you have Rixs DNA to compare with?"

Owen nodded.

"Yes we do we have her DNA results on record when we performed the autopsy. We're also going to compare hers to mine. You see Rix was my niece. If it turns out that she isn't Rix which is definitely possible. It could be that the Body that we found was not Rix in the first place. So we will test her DNA against mine and that will at least tell us if we are blood related. At the very least we will be able to tell if she is silver moon wolf."

Wow this was unbelievable now I understand why Ver didn't trust her. Imagine seeing the face of your mate who you know is dead. Hell I wouldn't trust her either but at the same time it's not like she can change what she looks like.

"What will you do if the test indicates she is related to Owen?"

My question was aimed at Ver since at the end of the day he makes the final decision. Ver glanced briefly at Owen before answering.

"If she is closely related or even a silver moon wolf...."

He paused. I watched as his face changed the normal Vericus coming back.

"It changes nothing. All the test will tell us is that she is silver moon wolf we still don't know her true identity or if she's an enemy. Without that she still can't be trusted."

His stubbornness was really starting to get on my nerves. I growled low in my chest.

"How can you say that?! If she is silver moon wolf she's not our enemy."

Vers hand came down hard on the desk as he stood his anger back.

"Being silver moon wolf does not prove her innocence. It maybe that she turned traitor and could have been the reason the lunar eclipse wolves were able to defeat the silver moon wolves so easily. Knowing who or what she is changes nothing without knowing her story."

I stood as well my anger matching Vers. How could he be so heartless.

"Even if she was helping them in the past she doesn't remember any of it! They could have been manipulating her or they could have threatened her into helping them. Just look at what the alpha did to her. He obviously wasn't treating her like she was a friend."

Vers eyes glowed as he stared at me his fists clenched and he spoke through gritted teeth.

"That whole thing could have been staged Sloane. Stop being so naive. They obviously have powerful allies otherwise how could he mask his smell like that without some sort of witches spell? If they have a powerful witch helping them it would be simple enough for them to change the she wolfs features to look like Rix. They work in shadows this is exactly something they would concoct as a way to throw me off balance. I can not let my guard down no matter how convincing her memory loss is."

I shook my head knowing there was no convincing him. Once Ver made up his mind that was it. I mean I couldn't blame him for not trusting anyone after what he's told me but still he could at least trust me.

"I don't know what's the truth Ver but I know Kan she one of the most caring souls I've ever met. If she is silver moon wolf I'd bet my life that she was most likely taken just like Rix. Even without her memory if she was a bad person she wouldn't be able to hide it."

Ver sighed his anger slipping away leaving an exasperated emotion knowing that I was just as stubborn as he was.

"That's not true Sloane it's our experiences that shape us. Just because she is caring now doesn't mean that she was caring in the past. Who she is now could just be who she would have been if she hadn't joined the lunar wolves."

I groaned he had an answer for everything it was so frustrating. How could I make him see she was not our enemy. I sighed knowing there was no way. They say that loosing your mate changed you in more ways then one. When Rix died he also lost his ability to trust anyone.

"On this we will never agree but I get why it's so hard for you to trust Ver. You should have told me all of this long before now. Im your brother Ver I wish you would at least trust me."

I started towards the door.

"Sloane wait-"

I spun back cutting him off.

"No Ver I get it alright i knew the night she died. I may not have known what really happened but I knew it was something horrible."

Ver searched my eyes for what I was talking about but I turned away from him not wanting him to see what I was feeling as I explained.

"It was four years ago when you told me you were leaving to investigate another sighting. I waited up for you to see if you were alright but when you came back you were different, distant. You were angrier I knew something had happened something bad. You were so angry. the last time I saw you like that was the night our parents died. You think I didn't notice the pain you were in but I did. I wanted to help you tried to be there for you but the brother I knew was gone. It was that night that I knew I'd lost my brother for good."

Me eyes finally met Vers the hurt in them as he stared back almost broke me. I turned and left the office running. I ran straight for the back door shifting the second I hit the grass not even caring that I ripped my clothes. I headed straight for the trees. I knew I'd hurt him but it was all true. Ever since that night it was like my brother had died with the last beat of Rixs heart. What was left behind was a mean uncontrollable alpha King of werewolves that thought of nothing but revenge. Too busy chasing his prey to realise I needed him. That he was the last family a had left and that I wanted to be there for him just as much as I wanted him to be there for me.