Page 20 of Forever My Siren Luna (The Hidden Cove #2)

Elelira

“Are you sure you’re ready for this, lass?” Cherum asked me, leaving a hand on my back as he guided me to the great hall.

Am I ready to meet my father?

“ I am,” Val hissed in my head. “ I’d like to tear the gills right off his body.”

“ We can’t go in there ready for a fight,” I tell her, even though I’m a little ticked off as well with the man we have never met.

If he didn’t prevent Lachlan from doing so, Lachlan could have told me freely about how I got this second chance at life and I might not feel so betrayed right now.

Or, I could fully blame Lachlan for not telling me instead of feeling conflicted like I do.

Either way, all my doubts stem from this man and the contract he entered with my mate. I think I have the right to feel a bit disgruntled.

“I’m as ready as I can be,” I murmured back to Cherum, letting him use his soothing energy to relieve some of my anxieties.

When we got to the great doors leading to the hall, I was surprised to see Jack there waiting. His expression looks pensive, until he notices me and then a smile quickly lifts the corners of his lips.

“There you are, my Ela. I was wondering when you were going to show up.”

More of my anxieties faded from seeing my friend. “What are you doing here?” I rushed over to him, happy to have another person I trust by my side right now.

“You weren’t in your cabin so I came to find you to make sure you had not fallen prey to that arrogant mate of yours.”

My face was heated at his implication, since I did end up in the same bed as Lachlan, but it was my fault, so I can’t put the blame on anyone else.

“How did you fare getting back? Beretta snuck her herbal concoction into my drinks. Did she do it to you as well?”

At the mention of Beretta, his face flushed. I guess that answers my question, making me laugh. “She got you too, huh? I guess even the captain isn’t above her antics.”

“I guess not,” he murmured, then slid an arm around my shoulders, slipping back into his easy smirk. “So, the guard who led me here said you would be meeting with someone soon? He advised me to wait until after to find you.”

“So you didn’t take his advice?” Cherum voiced with mild irritation.

“Oh, it made me even more desperate to find you. Who is it we’re meeting with?”

Cherum huffed and dramatically rolled his eyes when Jack said ‘we’, which made Jack smile more.

“My father,” I told him, causing that smile to drop from his face.

“Oh,” he squeezed my shoulder. I can practically taste the awkwardness around us. This isn’t a meeting I am very much looking forward to, and he probably knows it. “Do you want me to be there with you?”

I shrugged. “Do you want to be? You will be meeting the Siren King and the one that rules over the oceans we live and pillage on.”

Jack turned up his nose. “Do you think the man will punish me for such an offense?”

“If he tries, I think me and Val can protect you,” I grinned.

“Ah, that’s right. I have his own daughter as a member of my crew. He can’t punish me without punishing you.”

“Yeah, and he has punished me enough for two lifetimes,” I huffed. He didn’t mean to, but his blood contract with Lachlan led to a lot of misunderstandings and hurt feelings on my part.

“That’s right, lass. Let's face the man together. I’ll be your shield, and you can be mine.”

“I think I’m enough of a shield for her,” Cherum commented, picking up Jack’s hand by the sleeve and dropping it from my shoulders.

He then pulled me back against him, tucking me into his side.

“This isn’t some pissing contest or a battle of wills like on the docks yesterday between you and our Alpha.

This will be Ela’s first time meeting her father.

Not a game. If you can’t be serious, I suggest you wait out here. ”

“Cherum,” resting my hand on his arm, urging him to be less defensive. “He didn’t mean any harm. We were just joking.”

“Ela,” Cherum looked at me with his familiar brotherly expression. “Just moments ago you were stressing about this. If you go in there looking for a fight, that is what you will find.”

“What if I do want a fight?” I stubbornly asked, even though I just told Val we weren't looking for a fight.

“You don’t,” Cherum’s tone was firm, “He may have made a bad choice, but I know you better than that. You don’t want a fight. You want answers. If you go in there guns blazing, it could cause more miscommunication.”

He’s right. I let my emotions get the better of me several times in my past, but that never ended pleasantly.

“You’re right,” I sighed. “I’m sorry, Jack. It may not be a good idea after all for you to-”

“I’ll behave, Ela,” Jack interjected anxiously. “I agree with your red-headed friend. I’ll keep calm and only be there to support you.”

I smiled warmly, thankful for his offer. “Thanks, Jack.”

“Anytime, Ela.”

Cherum watched us with an irritated expression, but I know with time that will get better.

He will see that Jack may be a pirate, but he is trustworthy and dependable, and just a slight drunk in the evenings.

Jack has helped me so much over the past several months, and I would love for Jack and Cherum to get along.

We all have the same enemy, and it is not each other.

Cherum sniffed the air a few times, giving Jack a questioning stare. I started to do the same, just smelling the usual rum scent of Jack, but before I can let Val get a lung full of what has Cherum intrigued, we are interrupted.

Just then, the door to the great hall opened, and there stood Nilo with a solemn expression. Cherum must have mind linked him or Lachlan to let them know we were here.

This is my first time seeing him since I left, and as he looked at me, I can tell he is wary of how I will react.

He knows now, about my first life. It seems everyone does.

He is Lachlan’s Beta, and his best friend.

I wonder if he knows even more than Cherum and the others.

The apologetic expression on his face, like he feels so guilty it hurts him, causes me to take pity on the man.

I smiled warmly. “Hello again, Beta Nilo.”

His lips quiver a bit, but then he bites them, swallowing a lump in his throat. “Luna,” he nodded his head respectfully. “Welcome home.”

His voice as he says ‘welcome home’ is so full of hope that I hide the conflicting thoughts the sentiment brings. Is this still my home? I’m not sure. I don’t even know how welcome I should feel.

“Thank you,” I bowed my head back, not voicing my inner conflict at his choice of words.

“Is everyone here?” I asked, trying to look around his frame to see if I could get a glimpse of the man I had never met, but searched endlessly for in my first life, up until my Uncle captured me.

I couldn’t see anything around Nilo’s broad shoulders blocking my view.

“Yes, Luna. Come in.” He moved to the side, and there, sitting at a long table arranged in the middle of the room, is Lachlan, Cedric, Meldec and several others that I sense are sirens, as I have never seen them before.

Right beside Lachlan is a man with long hair, almost the same shade as mine, with a crown sitting on top of his head.

The man’s eyes were on me, the corners crinkling softly and his lips pressed together, making me grimace at the tension I saw in him. His chest is bare, and slightly luminescent as his powerful magic shines on the surface of his skin.

Lachlan gets up, coming towards us, and when he stops in front of me, that's when I tear my eyes away from the man to look up at him.

“Lira,” he whisperd. I think he likes just being able to say it again. It almost sounds like a prayer every time the name falls from his lips. “If being here makes you uncomfortable at any time, Cherum will take you out.”

“I can take myself out,” I snapped at him, then felt guilty when I saw pain from my response taint his features. “I mean, I’ll be fine. I can handle this, Lachlan. You don’t need to worry. If I didn’t want to be here, I wouldn’t be.”

He stared down at me for several seconds, and the sincerity and concern I see on his face makes my heart beat rapidly inside my chest.

“I’ll be fine,” I reiterated, softening my words so I didn’t sound so harsh this time.

“And if she’s not, I’ll be here to help her through it,” Jack stated, taking a step forward to stand beside me.

Nilo whispered something in Cherum’s ear, making Cherum nod and Nilo gape in Jack’s direction. I can only imagine what kind of question the boisterous Beta asked about a pirate being there. I’ll ask Cherum later.

Lachlan stared at Jack, looking displeased. “That’s big talk for a man with the scent of a woman still clinging to his body, along with the usual smell of rum.”

Scent of a woman? I peeked at him from the corner of my eye with a teasing grin. Seems he found something else he liked at the brothel last night. I’m not surprised. The girls there are all sweet, and they kept asking me questions about the captain. I wonder who it was.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Jack looked angry, like Lachlan crossed a line by saying that.

“Here we go again,” Cherum muttered under his breath.

I looked back at him and Nilo, and though Cherum looked annoyed, Nilo had an amused grin on his face, looking between Jack and Lachlan like he was ready for a fight.

“Alpha, I think we have more pressing business to get through before you two shift and start sniffing each other’s butts.

” Cherum's eyes moved down to me repeatedly, then toward the table with the others quietly watching.

The man who I know has to be my father is staring still, watching the interaction with mild irritation.

What he has to be irritated about, I have no idea.

He knew where I was the entire time I lived here before running away the second time.

If his impatience is what is causing his irritation, he could have met me then.

He was the one who chose to stay away for my safety .

Val pressed forward, letting out an irritated growl of her own.

Lachlan must mistake it for exasperation towards him, because he drops the dominant Alpha act with Jack and an apologetic look crosses his face. Val almost whimpers seeing the expression.

The man, King Brennus, knows the growl was meant for him. He looks sheepishly away, like he is anxious now.

“I’m sorry. Lira.” Lachlan timidly held his hand out for mine to guide me, and after giving his hand a wary look, I chose to play nice and take it for the time being.

It made some of the worry leave Lachlan's face, and the sparks from his touch helped to soothe some of the raging emotions inside me. It works so much more than the feeling I get from Cherum. All the tension leaves me almost at once. I’m glad I didn’t refuse this small touch at a time like this. “Are you ready, Lira?”

He is still excessively using that nickname….

I just can’t hate hearing it, though, with the sparks making the bond flare to life again.

“I’m ready,” I nodded at him, letting him guide me to the spot at the head of the table, the spot usually meant for the Alpha.

The King stood at my approach, “Elelira,” he whispered roughly, “It is so good to finally meet you.”