The Alpha & Beta's Regret
The Alpha & Beta’s Regret – Chapter 104

Addison POV

Addi put a call into Orien while Luci was upstairs in the shower. “Hi Addi, how are you doing sweetheart?” his voice came down the line.

“Better, there is a witch here that could ease my pain.” She told him honestly “you?”

“It still hurts.’ He sighed heavily “Is everything alright?”

“Rafe and Jack have pulled some really strong allies into the pack. Royals at that.” She told him “Orien…” she sighed, didn’t even know if he would tell her about Victors pack.

“Anything at all, Addi.” He stated softly “What do you need?”

“Victor’s pack, we need more information.”

“Alright…tell me what you need and I’ll give you the answers if I know them.”

“Warrior numbers and rogue numbers? Where he keeps his rogues?” she didn’t beat round the bush.

“About 500 dedicated and trained warriors. I don’t know the rogue count, to be honest. He never speaks of them. As for where he houses them, he’s never even acknowledged having them. But…I do believe he is watching a band of them for the council. I overheard him on the phone just once a few months back. Pled ignorance as though I’d not heard him. He seemed to buy it. The council might be able to tell Rafe and Jack.”

“Alright.” She nodded “I have a question. How many packs do you think are like you? Under threat from Victor if you sever ties?”

“A lot, I imagine, any pack with fewer numbers than ours.”

“How many of them do you know? Do you think they would go up against Victor with us?”

“I could put in a few calls, but if he gets wind of it, Addi?”

“I understand, they’ll tell him it was you calling, He’ll come to s*******r you and likely them.” she sighed, and she did understand that, but there really wasn’t much else they could do, but try.

“Addi, Victor’s pack is full of half-breeds. I don’t know if any of them have powers or what they would be.”

“Do you have any info on those half-breeds?” she asked hopefully.

“Not really, most are likely to be half wolf…I’ve been thinking about that man a lot today, Addi…”

“And?” she prompted him.

“I always found something odd, with his pack. Well, the packhouse. It has an underground pool. Part of it comes out of the western end of the packhouse. I recall looking at it when it first went in about 18 years ago. He told me he likes to swim in private is all.”

“That’s odd.”

“It’s very odd, it only protrudes about five metres or so. I never really believed that was what it was for, but I also never saw anyone use it either.”

Addi stood and thought about it. “Is it large?”

“Yes, I wouldn’t call it a lap lane, that is for sure.”

“Hmm, for Luci maybe?” she asked thoughtfully.

“He didn’t know about her, I didn’t, so how could he?” he was frowning now she could hear it.

“Maybe he always knew, or suspected. He does like half-breeds and he knew she wasn’t yours. Her laugh, her eyes, Kali’s howl even, they all have a melodic note of a Siren. Perhaps he just understood what she was.” Addi sighed now, it was highly likely “Maybe he built that pool or tank perhaps, in advance to put her in.”

“Could well be, he always liked Luci. I noticed him watching her long before he stated he was interested in her.” Heard him sigh “I really am a terrible father, aren’t I? I was always terrible to her.”

“I won’t argue with you about that, Orien. But you weren’t always. You and Luci had a really good family bond till she was a teenager.”

“You should have lashed me more.” He muttered.

She smiled just a little. “Luci would have stopped me. Like she did that one time.” Sighed to herself “Even when she was so very mad at you, she still worked to try and keep us together.”

“That was for you, not me.”

“I know, but still she would go out of her way to spend time with you, smile and get along with you. To show me you two were all good.”

“Even when we really weren’t…She’s got a big heart…Like you, Addi.” He murmured softly.

“Yes she does.” Addi agreed, wondering if she should tell him about all that was going on here with Luci, then thought better of it. He still had to build trust with her. She also knew that Luci wouldn’t want it. She did not think Rafe and Jack would take kindly to it either.

“The Luna is back.” She muttered.

“Trouble?”

“She tried to burn us alive.”

“What?” she could hear the shock and anger.

“We weren’t there, had moved out into a house further away from the packhouse. We’re safe, we have constant roaming patrols around the place we’re in. Melissa, as far as I know, doesn’t know where we are, believes we’re inside the packhouse.”

“Addi, maybe it’s not actually safe there…perhaps you Luci and the boys need to go to another pack. Maybe those royals will house you.”

“Maybe. I’m going to go and look at another pack soon.”

“Why?” he asked right away, seemed to understand it wasn’t just to provide safety.

“I need to is all.”

“Addi?”

“Don’t concern yourself with it. One of the royals will be taking me, or that’s what Hannah stated.”

“I don’t like it, Addison.” He muttered instantly.

She smiled to herself now, could actually hear the jealousy in his voice. “He’s mated, don’t concern yourself.”

“I don’t want you going anywhere near the kingdom, Addison.”

“I won’t be.”

“Where, I want to know where?”

“It’s for me alone to do, Orien. I need this, so let it go.”

There was silence for a long minute and then he just sighed “Luci’s father’s home pack.”

She blinked at his correct guess. “Yes.”

“Is it safe there?” he sighed “You fled war.”

“Likely so.”

“Is Luci going with you? Is that why? You’re taking her to her Siren’s Lake.”

“Just me for now. If it is safe, I’ll have Luci brought in.”

Again he was quiet. “Please be careful Addi, trust no one.”

“I will be…How’s Thatcher?”

“I’m sending him back to Alpha College first thing in the morning. I don’t want him here, and there, he’s protected by the Wolfen Council, so safe from Victor. Cathy’s home pack is not that far from the college so she’s already gone on ahead of him.”

She sighed heavily now, but knew it was for the best.

“Regardless of what happens to me, he’s our son and the heir to Nightfall. If Victor comes and destroys everything. I gave Thatcher access to all the pack funds and businesses and told him to head for you and Luci or go to Cathy’s pack and just stay there. I don’t want to risk our boy.”

“A good plan. He might need a full escort.”

“He’s getting one. His unit are all going with him, the council approve them all staying at the college for now. Till the war is sorted out and either I or one of my units, or you, call the college to let them know what happened.”

“Alright.” She nodded “Better send them the long way.”

“They are due to leave at 7am, but in reality, are leaving much earlier than that. Like midnight tonight. Just in case Victor gets wind of it and they’ll not be driving out of the pack, going on foot, and meeting up with a member of our pack who’s in the cloudy moon pack. They are not in any way affiliated with Victor. But are allied to us.”

“That’s good, I feel a little better knowing that.” And she did. It seemed Orien was actually putting not only the pack members first but thinking about those who might still be loyal to Victor as well, was actually acting like an Alpha, it seemed, not putting himself first.

“I should go, before Luci comes down and hears us.”

“Didn’t you tell her? Why not?”

“She’s got a lot going on already and I don’t want her worrying about Thatcher or thinking Victor will get his hands on him. She might take matters into her own hands and that will bring her right to Victor, likely just what he wants.”

“Alright, but please, once Thatcher is safe. Tell her that I am doing everything I can to try and help protect her from Victor. I’ve a lot to make up for and I’d like her to see that I am trying.”

“You have to apologise.” She told him, knew he was a man who hated to do that, even when he knew he was in the wrong. Especially to Luci of all people.

“I will Addi, I promise.”

She ended the call and sighed, it was going to be a long few days or weeks. On the bright side, she would have that time to go and visit Lucian’s Lake, spend some time talking to him, go for a swim in it, even visit her old house. The very place he’d told her he loved her, wanted her as his Mate, the very place she’d said yes and then scented him out just a few moments later.

She had not gotten to say goodbye to him, would get to go and do that now. She looked out into the darkness of the forest around her, could see the roaming patrols, noted they had been doubled up already. More security around Luci and the boys had been put in place.

Those two were not going to allow anyone to get close to their future Luna. She smiled to herself at that thought. Her daughter, so beautiful and strong, finally was going to be a Luna to this pack, as she’d always thought she would be. Had let her come here thinking that she’d become the Luna to the Black Forest Pack way back then. Now it was finally going to happen.

Luci was already mated to them, and when the truth came out, she knew that Luci would understand and forgive them, allow that bond to flourish and once again be happy. Sighed softly, she really hoped that Luci would scent them just moments after they told her not only did they love her, but wanted her to be their Mates.

Luci now understood how a Siren got their Mates gifted to them. If she scented them out, not only would Luci know they loved her, truly loved her, so would Kali and, most importantly, Alari would understand.

It would be good for Rafe and Jack as well. For them to actually scent her out as well. All three of them knowing it wasn’t just any old chosen Mate Bond. But actual love, that a true bond could only be granted by the Goddess if they truly loved her, and she loved them back.

It would be a perfect moment. She hadn’t told Rafe and Jack yet how it was done. A gift granted to a Siren, she wanted to but wondered if she should just leave it alone, let it surprise them completely. Perhaps that was for the best.

Addi headed inside only to be mind-linked by Rafe ‘Addi, just a heads up, I’ve severed ties with Melissa and Maria’s pack.’

‘Alright Rafe. I’ve spoken to Orien, I got some information on Victor. We should talk in the morning. It’s been a long day and I’m tired.”

‘Off to bed then. Is Luci alright?’

‘Yes, seems it.’

‘I’m sorting it out Addi.’

‘I know, don’t rush it Rafe. Get all the facts.’ The mind-link was released and she headed upstairs, smiled at the boys all in Luci’s bed, she was reading to them, wondered how that was going to go. Those boys of hers always slept in bed with their mother. It was what they were used to.

But once Rafe and Jack understood all that had happened and came and told Luci, those two men would also be in that bed, wanting to have Luci all the time. She strolled into Luci’s room and climbed into the bed herself. It was such a natural thing for Sirens to all sleep in a big pile on their lake or sea floor.

Rafe and Jack were going to have to replace time to spend with Luci. Once she was their Luna, which was not at night, when the boys were sleeping, though she did also wonder if the boys would understand and just go and sleep in their own room.

They would likely always sleep in the same room, in the same bed. It was not odd to them, never would be either. They were closely bonded and it was likely they’d have one mate between them as well. Keeping them in the same bed all their lives.