Lucen's POV
"Brother, what's the plan?" Draven asked the moment we got inside Kael's room.
Restless, he paced, tapping his fingers on the curve of his folded arms.
"Stay calm Draven." Kael cautioned, sitting on the bed.
I stood at the side with my back resting on the wall.
My wolf stirred in my head, its restless energy matching that of my brother.
I could tell he was as shaken as I was after Soraya's story, but there was nothing we could do.
"How do you expect me to stay still brother?" Draven shot back, increasing his pacing. "This just confirms everything. That fire hadn't happened on its own, there was an agenda."
"Yes, and Soraya's parents were unfortunate victims." Kael recalled with a pointed look.
I didn't want to agree with Kael, but he made sense.
Back then we had refused to believe the fire just happened on its own, and it seemed we were right to believe it.
Tired of their back and forth, I closed my eyes, voicing out. "What's the way forward now?"
I felt my brother's eyes flicker to me, four gazes with varying expressions.
"What do you think should be the way forward?" I heard Kael ask.
I shrugged, opening my eyes slowly. "That's why I am asking, is it not?"
Our eyes locked with each other, me throwing me a cold glare still angry at him for what he had done at the meeting room.
Kael's lips moved to speak, but Draven beat him to it.
"Will you two quit it and shove those silent squabbles aside?" Draven snapped.
I watched Kael's lips press into a line— my brother's familiar expression of dissatisfaction waving out. "How well do we know Soraya's pack?"
"Our parents have known them for a long time, it's one of the reasons we allowed Faye to go there in the first place." Draven supplied. "Though our parents are dead and we have succeeded the throne, it doesn't exclude people from targeting Faye."
Kael's brows furrowed, a thoughtful look in his eyes. "What about the old alpha and Luna of the pack? Are they still alive?"
"No." Draven said, shaking his head. "They died very strangely, and funny enough there are no records of it in our files."
This time, I frowned. "How is that possible?"
As the head pack, every information on other packs had to be filed so we could know how to manage them.
This had been going on for years. Even our grandfather made it easier for us so they could never get lost by using mage magic to create the folders.
It updated automatically with our thoughts on the pack, so how come there wasn't any record?
"I don't know." Draven shrugged, his brows ticking. "All files at that time were updated by the council."
"Fuck." Kael and I cursed at once.
One word I could spell was negligence.
Those damn fucking council!
At times like this, my brothers and I were exceptionally irritated.
During Faye's accident, we were distracted, letting the council take over the reins.
Big mistake.
They might have wiped off all evidence.
"What are we going to do now? We know this happened in Soraya's pack, as well as the fact that something fishy is going on there. How do we go about it?" Draven laid out.
~One of us will have to check it out.
Kael says over the mindlink.
The three of us passed a silent look of understanding.
Despite how soundproof the walls were, the council were everywhere, and we still struggled in removing that.
"We need evidence first." I said, throwing out a decoy. "The only—"
"Brothers!"
Faye's excited yell cut me off mid-sentence, the sound of the door opening almost silenced with how loud she called.
Draven and Kael stood to their feet, watching as Faye ran into the room, face flushed, her pretty blue eyes shimmering with joy like a kid discovering candy for the first time.
"Faye, what are you doing here?" Kael scolded, narrowing his eyes sternly. "You are supposed to rest."
Like she realized what she had done, Faye slowed in her excited trot, standing away from us with her head lowered sadly. "I just wanted to tell you all something."
"Let her go brother." Draven— that absolute big sucker for our little sister— said, ruffling her hair fondly. "How are you kiddo?"
"I am not a kid!" She humphed, tried to at least, before throwing a tentative look at Kael.
Kael massaged his temples, a tired sigh leaving his lips. "Why did you come over?"
Faye instantly brightened, jumping at our brother like a puppy.
I almost chuckled at that.
Raising Faye hadn't been easy, but it's expressions like this that makes it worth it.
Seeing Draven and Kael look at her fondly, as she rambled made my heart swell.
"I heard you three talk about something before I barged in." Faye said, looking at the three of us. "What is it?"
"So you knew you barged in?" I snorted, watching her face burn furiously.
"That information isn't too good for you Faye, but we would like you to know that we've found the reason behind your condition and we most likely would find out who did it soon." Kael explained, and despite the dark look in his eyes, he fondly massaged my sister's hair.
Faye's face looked anything but pleased with the information, her beautiful face scrunched up. "That's good, I guess, but… what about your mate Soraya? How is she?"
We froze.
At once, the smiles on our face stiffening at the sudden question.
Of all things I expected her to ask, asking about our mate was not part of it.
Even before the inferno happened, Faye had never been a person of violence. It wasn't that we didn't train her or we shielded her so much, it's just who she was. Her nature, and we couldn't change that.
"Can I still see her?" Faye asked expectantly, not reading the emotions in the air.
Talking of seeing her…
"Why did you go see her in the first place without our permission?" Kael beat me to it, his stern frown returning.
Faye scratched the back of her palm, laughing. "Brother, I just wanted to see her. You guys have been keeping her holed up in that room for so long that I began to think she's a prisoner or some kind of treasure! Honestly, who treats their mate that way?"
The last part was grumbling, but we heard it loud and clear, cutting through my deepest part.
Guilt ate at my insides as I thought of my treatment towards Soraya.
However, that was justified… right?
If she hadn't hurt Faye in the first place, then she wouldn't have suffered that much.
"Faye." I called, turning serious.
My brothers and Faye snapped their attention to me, their confused laced brows meeting my gaze.
"What happened earlier in the room with Soraya?" I started watching her expression turn even more confused. "Did Soraya do anything to you? Is that why you collapsed?"
I asked further, wanting nothing more for her to confirm my guess so I could stop feeling guilty.
"Are you stupid?" Draven cut in coldly before Faye could say anything.
I scowled, glaring at him. "What's it to you? I am only asking Faye some questions."
"That's bullshit." He spat, folding his arms. "You and I both know that Soraya is innocent. Faye has a condition, it's natural for her to be triggered by things."
My glare turned even harsher. "You—"
"Brother, Draven is right." Faye hastily answers. "Soraya didn't do anything. She didn't even touch me. I only had an episode because I saw a faint fire scar on her leg— I don't even think she knows about it."
"She didn't touch you?" I repeated slowly, in a daze.
"She didn't." Faye confirmed. "I was just having some memories about the inferno that day, and I don't know what triggered it, but I saw some faces. I don't recognize them. However, Soraya could since you all mentioned it was her pack."
Faye had an avid talent in drawing.
It had always been her pastime and a go to activity before the fire accident, and after the incident, it was no surprise she took it as her therapeutic remedy.
"I can start drawing them now so you can give it to Soraya." Faye said, looking at all three of us for approval.
I could tell this was her own way of helping since she wasn't good at combat.
Still, something in me clenched painfully.
If Soraya had been innocent of hurting Faye, then why did we punish her in the first place?
My brothers and I all shared a look, the quiet approval rolling.
"You can do that Faye." Kael finally told, patting her gently. "We would be so happy if you did, but don't push yourself too hard because we still need to ask Soraya if she's okay with it."
Faye bids, balling her fist in excitement and running off.
Once gone, Kael looked at us, releasing a strained sigh."Soraya needs to come over."
Instantly, I felt dread creep in.
Moon goddess, how was I to face her?