Chapter 12

Octavia:

"My name is Siren."

The familiar voice echoed through my mind, over and over again. I could feel the blood in my veins run cold and my heart nearly stop. Siren? It couldn't be. Was my mind playing tricks on me again? Or maybe it was never really a trick...

What if I had truly seen her at the party? I must have considering that she is wearing a dress. I could feel my legs weaken as I drop to my knees in shock. The tears began to spill past my eyes silently. Ajax immediately reached for me pulling me back up.

"What's wrong? Are you okay?" He asked a hint of worry and concern lacing his angry tone. I look up at him and he wipes the falling tears from my cheeks, his hard blue eyes almost softening at my saddened state.

"Siren." I whisper out to myself. Ajax caught on quickly as realization hit him. He loosened his grip on me and I pulled away.

I kneel in front of my best friend and reach for her causing her to flinch and hide her face. More tears spilled at the action. My once bright and obnoxiously loud best friend was cowering in a corner, trying to avoid my touch.

"Siren, it's me. Octavia." I whimper out trying to hold back the sob that climbed my throat. Her head snapped over to me immediately, her big brown eyes taking in my face.

She reaches out to me and caresses my face, it seemed like she had to make sure I was real. Her eyes glossed over with tears as she threw her arms around me pulling me into a hug. I couldn't hold back the sob as the tears spilled faster.

"I thought I would never see you again." She says, giving me a tight squeeze. I sigh in relief at the sound of her voice. I had missed her so much, her and the rest of my family. Having her here in my arms gave me a dangerous feeling. A feeling of hope that I would see my family once more.

"Siren, what happened to you?" I pull back slightly and take in her dirty and distraught appearance. When I saw her at the party she look afraid. Had she been running from someone?

"It's a long story." She shivered as cool breeze swept through the room and it's then that I realized that I should allow her to get cleaned up.

"Okay, well let's get you cleaned up first." I give her a small smile and help her up from the floor. She wraps an arm around me and I could see the warning glare that Ajax had given me. He didn't trust her because he didn't know her, but I couldn't care less. I had my best friend back.

Just as we were about to exit the cell a guard blocked our path. "I'm sorry but she can't leave. She is a trespasser who needs to be questioned."

I was a bit shocked seeing as not even Ajax had made a move to stop me. The rest of the guards watch us curiously. I couldn't tell if they agreed with him or were surprised at his actions.

"I am your Luna and she is family. Not a trespasser. Therefore you will stand down." I say my voice clipped and my tone icy cold. How dare he try to deny my right to leave this cell? This is my pack and territory as much as it is Ajax's.

He glances over at Ajax as if expecting him to back him up on this, which enrages me even more. "Don't look to your Alpha, you fool. You take orders from me as well. Now get the hell out of my way." I spit out impatiently. He looks at me wearily before bowing his head in respect and moving aside.

I could hear Ajax trailing behind us as we climb the stairs and leave that horrid place. The sun was brighter than expected and I stopped so that Siren could take a moment to adjust to it.

Ajax somehow began leading the way and we followed him to his mansion.

"It's good to see you stick up for yourself." Siren smiles and I could practically feel my heart swell in my chest. I truly hadn't realized how much I missed her until now. Until I had her back by my side.

"Well, my best friend taught me. She did a good job huh?" I wink at her teasingly and she breaks out into a small laugh.

"Yeah she did. I actually heard that she's the best person ever." Siren says jokingly as we approach the large home. Ajax was unlocking the door and giving me space to catch up with Siren which was surprising to me. I'm surprised he even let me remove her from her cell.

"What?" I pretend to act shocked. "I thought that was me?" I try to hold back the giggle that dared to escape my lips as she smiled widely.

"You're totally right, tavia." She says, calling me the nickname she had come up with when were just kids. Ajax had left silently up the stairs, either to his bedroom or office. I wonder what he was thinking. Would he send Siren away? I felt my heart become heavy at the thought of losing her again. I don't think I could bear it. I hope he finds the good in him to let her stay.

I brought Siren to my room and she was surprised at the size and luxury of it. I guess most people back home probably thought that I was living in a disgusting room or maybe even in a cell. I never really thought to be grateful that I had such a space to live in. I had so many questions I wanted to ask her but I decided to hold off. She looked as though she had been through hell and the last thing I wanted to do was bombard her with questions before she even got the chance to clean herself up. I bring her over to the bathroom and instruct her to take a shower. I lay a clean pair of clothes and towel on the counter and inform her that I will be  just outside.

I take a seat on my bed and allow myself to lay down, my legs still dangling off the side. I stare up at the ceiling in wonder, what is Siren doing outside of pack territory at a party SnowMoon wasn't invited too? Why was she alone? Had she been taken from the pack? Does she have a mate? I hadn't really noticed any type of mark on her neck, although she was covered in dirt.

Siren had many suitors before I left—more like stolen—if she did have a mate it could be anyone. A short time passed before I could hear the opening of the bathroom door. I sit up immediately to find Siren cleaned up and wearing fresh clothes. She continued to towel dry her hair has she walked over to me.

"Tavy, this place is awesome." She says dropping the towel beside me on the bed and turning to look around the room. I give her a half smile, if only she knew the horror that I've had to endure since I got here.

"Yeah, it sure does seem that way." I say softly. My eyes never left her face, I was scared that if I even looked away for a moment that she would disappear. She looks over at me with a sad smile before making her way to sit down next to me.

She grabs a hold of my hand and rests her head on my shoulder. "How have things been? Has he hurt you? Physically?"

I take in a deep breath has the memory of my first day here floods through my brain. He hurt me physically without out even so much as a blink of an eye, it's like he didn't even care. He seems a bit different now, like he has more tolerance for me. The mate bond is getting stronger.

There was a knock at the door just as I was about to answer Siren's question. I give her hand a light squeeze and offer her a small smile. "Speak of the devil and he shall appear." I whisper to her teasingly.

She laughs a bit before I get up to open the door. Ajax stood there  with his arms crossed against his chest. "Let's get this over with, shall we?" His eyes roam over my face carefully before he turns and begins to walk away.

I motion for Siren to follow me and we exit my bedroom. We fall in step together as we trail behind Ajax. "We have to question you, but I will be by your side the whole time okay?" I say grabbing a hold of her slightly shaky hand.

"I understand." She nods her head as we begin to climb up the stairs to the  third story of the mansion. I'm assuming he's taking us to his office. I've never really been in there before, making me slightly nervous as well.

There were two guards posted at the end of the hallway, watching us curiously as we followed behind their Alpha and into his working space.

The theme of the office was one very similar to his bedroom. Clean cut and modern. The walls were a bright white and lined with white book shelves. Behind his large glass desk sat a window, allowing the bright autumn sun to shine into the room. There were two white chairs placed in front of his desk and a sitting area to the right that consisted of two arm chairs and a coffee table.

"Take a seat," Ajax says as he himself sits down on the chair behind his desk. He gathers a few lingering papers and puts them off to the side, clasping his hands together and placing them on the desk in front of him. He looked gorgeous, his dark hair sat on top of his head messily and his jaw line was sharper than usual, due to his clenching jaw. He seemed angry or conflicted. It was hard to tell, he keeps his emotions hidden so well sometimes. Unless it's pure anger, that's the only emotion he doesn't hide from me.

We take a seat in the chairs and I could feel his cold blue orbs on my face once more. What the hell is he looking at? I met his gaze and yet he doesn't look away. There were mixed emotions flowing through those blue oceans of his and I couldn't figure out any of them. They roamed over my face once more, searching for something. For what? I don't know.

"How did you come upon our pack lands?" Ajax asks smoothly, his hard cold stare landing upon my best friend. She didn't dare look him in the eyes as she squeezed my hand a bit tighter. Was he trying to seem more intimidating on purpose? Because if so it's working.

"I-I was running from someone. I promise you it was a mistake. I didn't know where your territory lines started." Her voice was shaky and I could feel a bit of fear radiate off of her.

"Who were you running from?" Ajax leans forward in his chair, seeming almost intrigued. He barely even gave her time to think, it's like he didn't care what state she was in. He wanted answers.

"He said he will kill me if I— If I tell anyone." She looks over to me, her eyes almost pleading. My eyebrows furrow in concern. Who will kill her? So she was kidnapped? What the actual hell is going on?

"Siren, you're safe here I promise." I say running my thumb over the back of her hand, encouraging her to speak.

"I'm scared, Octavia. He threatened my life. He threatened your life and our families." Tears began to form in her eyes as she began to shake her head in disappointment. I could feel my blood run cold as her words began to register in my head.

"Who threatened you and Octavia?" Ajax seemed more determined now than before to squeeze the answers out of her. His hands were clenched tightly as his eyes begin to darken.

"Siren, you need to tell me. You are under the protection of my men. No one can get to you here, I assure you of that. If you cooperate I will have a team escort you back to your pack." His tone was harsh and strict but his words rang true. He seemed impatient as he stood from his chair and began to pace behind his desk.

The promise of him returning her home made my heart constrict in my chest. It was kind of him, yes, but it also broke my heart. I was desperate to see my family and he would probably never allow it.

"Was it a man name Brandon?" I ask Siren softly, recalling the creepy man and his attendance to the same party.

Her eyes widen a bit as she looks up at me. "You know Brandon?" She asks a bit surprised. Ajax stopped pacing his eyes now trained on us.

"Um, yeah we visited his pack." I was beginning to feel a bit uneasy about this entire situation. Something wasn't sitting right and I could practically feel the air thicken with tension and anticipation.

"Octavia, he was the one who attacked the pack the night you were... taken." She steps around her words carefully as she searches my face for my reaction. I could feel my shoulders stiffen as the anger builds in the pit of my stomach. "He was coming to take you." She whispers out the last part.

I couldn't believe this is all happening. How? Why? Why me? I just don't understand how all of these unfortunate things could happen to just one person.

"Why?" Ajax asks, beginning to pace once more. His eyes were sharp as he calculated many thoughts in his head.

"The alliance between SnowMoon and FireMoon was dwindling down and he wanted to salvage it by mating with Octavia. Octavius turned down his offer and so Brandon planned on kidnapping her."

"Who is the man you are running from? If it's not Brandon?" Ajax stops his pacing and turns to Siren, giving her yet another hard cold stare. I could feel her squeeze my hand again, but I was completely out of it.

I couldn't believe that Brandon attacked my pack. It's his fault. It's all his fault. I wouldn't be in this mess if it weren't for him. Stupid bastard.

"H-His name is J-Jalex. He wants to take his revenge out on Octavia in front of you."

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