Sour Souls The Morningstar Series Book 6
Sour Souls Chapter 17

The moment Ares was out of Granny's house, I started to feel uncomfortable. It's not that I don't feel safe here. I know that no one in this house would hurt me. Ares seemed confident in Karla's strength, which made me feel better, but.. Why? I asked her.

We are anxious. Honi said.

Honi whimpered. You think that he won't come back for you. She said.

I frowned.

Do I think that? I mean, my mom always left me alone. Then she died. I was always alone if I wasn't with Noah after that. Even then I felt alone. Then I was taken from all of that, only to be alone again.

Ares wouldn't just leave me though right? That would be silly, right? I mean, we are mates. He wants me.. Right?

He does. Honi said.

I took a deep breath.

You're right. He won't leave me here. Besides, he'll be back soon. I said.

Yes. Honi said proudly.

"So, what have you been up to the last three days?" Talia asked. "I don't see a mark on you." She said.

My face heated.

"I just slept the whole time." I said as I cut into my cobblar.

"You slept for three days?" Talia asked surprised.

I nodded. "I didn't sleep much in the dungeon. Everytime I did, Frederick would send someone into my cell to try to r**e me." I said.

Silence followed.

I looked up to see everyone staring at me.

"Uhm, n-no one ever did." I said awkwardly. "I killed them all before they could." I said.

"Every night?" Talia asked.

"When they would catch me asleep." I said with a shrug. "It was easier to sleep in wolf form, but Honi was too weak to keep up the form for more than a couple hours." I said. "Didn't think I would sleep for three days though." I added. Everyone continued to stare at me with mixes of sadness, anger, and shock.

"It's alright guys. I'm okay now." I said.

"Oh child." Granny mumbled with tears in her eyes.

"You killed them all?" Noah asked.

I nodded.

"That explains why our warriors kept disappearing." Derek said.

"How?" Noah asked as he leaned over the table. "Was it like what you did to my dad?" He asked.

I finished chewing the food in my mouth.

"Yeah." I said with a nod. "Frederick told me that if I could control it he would let me live. They tried all kinds of things to evoke that power, it always worked, but I still can't really control it." I told them honestly. "The secret weapon.." Derek trailed off.

"It was you." Talia finished softly.

I nodded. "I would have never been a secret weapon for this pack though. If I could have figured out how to control it before now, I would have killed that sorry excuse for an Alpha myself." I stated. Talia smirked at me.

"That's my girl." She said.

"You're so.. different now." Noah said.

Talia shook her head. "I told you, she's always been this way."

"I've never heard her like this." Noah mumbled.

"I never could say anything before Noah. I would have gotten beat, or taken away from you." I said. "After that happened.. I had no reason to play nice anymore." I said.

"I guess that makes sense." Noah said.

"So, what is this power you have? Noah told us what happened, but.." Talia trailed off.

I shrugged. "I have no idea. When I meditate I see a white flame that I think is the power, but I don't know what it is, or where it came from. All I know, is that I scream, and people explode from the inside." I said. "Maybe now that you met your mate, he can help you with control." Derek offered.

I furrowed my brow.

"How would Ares help me with that?" I asked.

"Well, he is part Witch. Maybe that's what you are." Talia said.

That's not what we are. Honi said.

How do you know? I asked.

Because we would have more magic than just screaming, and exploding people. She said.

"Honi says that we aren't a Witch." I said.

"Honi?" Talia asked.

"Oh, that's my wolf's name." I said.

"You got your wolf while you were in there?" Talia asked softly.

I nodded.

"You had your first shift in a dungeon?" Noah asked angrily.

Again, I nodded.

"Well, maybe now that you are out, your mate will take you for a run." Talia said.

Honi purred at the thought.

"That would be nice." I said, although, the thought excites me a lot.

I wonder what Ares wolf looks like.

Just then the front door opened. The smokey calming scent of my mate hit my nose. I sighed... out loud. Shit.

"I see you missed me mate." Ares teased from behind me.

"Don't flatter yourself." I lied.

I felt Ares hot breath fan my neck.

"How many times do I have to tell you that you are a bad liar before you stop trying?" He teased.

An involuntary shiver ran through my body.

Ares stood back up. "Ready?" He asked.

I looked at all of my friends.

"Can't we stay for one more day?" I asked.

Ares face softened, but he shook his head.

"Not only do I not want to spend another second in this fucked up pack, but I am due back. I did come here on a job Emilia." He told me.

Oh yeah, the investigation. I completely forgot that Ares was here for that. I've been too consumed with my freedom, and my mate.

"Okay." I said softly.

I got up to give Granny a big hug.

"You call me anytime you need to dear. And remember to have fun." She whispered in my ear.

"Thank you for taking care of my brother." I whispered back.

After Granny hugged me, the others offered to walk with us back to the cars. There are two big black vehicles parked in front of the pack house. Kee is here waiting, along with two other people I haven't seen.

A small cute girl with short brown hair, and kind eyes. And a tall man next to her with dark hair, and dark eyes. Both of them smiled warmly at me.

"Karla, you and Kee are driving us. Melia and Marco can take the other car." Ares said.

I turned to look at my friends, and my brother. Noah shifted on his feet. I pulled him into a tight hug.

"Are you sure you don't want to come?" I asked

"Are you sure you don't want to stay?" Noah asked.

"Oh, I am sure. Maybe when you turn this pack around I can come back to visit." I told him.

"I don't want you to go. I just got you back." He said sadly.

"I know, but I can't stay here any longer Noah." I said.

"Because your mate won't let you." Noah grumbled.

"Because I don't belong here." I corrected.

I am confident that if I fought hard enough, Ares would let me stay. He would stay here with me. At least, I hope that he would, but that isn't what I want anyways. All I wanted since coming here, was to get out. Now I'm getting that chance. "But..." Noah trailed off. "I've already lost my parents Emi, I can't lose you too." He said.

Guilt choked at me. Not one time over these last five years did I think about the fact that I had killed Noah's father. He already lost his mother before he even got to meet her. Then I took his father from him. Now he's losing me too. Should I just stay? At least until Noah is old enough to take over as Beta. Maybe I should stick it out just a bit longer for him. I've been through worse.

"I will bring her back whenever you both want." Ares chimed in.

I turned to look at him.

"Weekends, holidays, vacations." He said as he stared into my eyes.

"That's a long way to travel." Noah said to him.

"I can teleport." Ares stated shocking me.

"You can teleport?" I asked.

Ares nodded. "When we are marked, you will be able to as well. The two of you can see each other whenever you want." He said.

"You'd let her come here by herself?" Noah asked skeptical.

"No, I'll come with her." Ares said.

"Because you want to control her." Noah accused.

"Because I want to be around my mate all the time, and I doubt that will ever change." Ares corrected making me blush.

"Well, looks like you aren't losing me as much as you think you are." I said to Noah.

Noah is still looking at Ares skeptically.

"We'll see." Noah said.

Ares eyes bore into me. I swear that look has me under the impression that he knew I was considering staying. That look is so deep, so daring. Like Ares is daring me to say what I was thinking.

Now, I don't have a reason to. If I can easily pop in whenever I want... As long as Ares keeps his word, I can still keep an eye on my brother. Well, my mate better keep his word.

I looked up at my best friend, and her mate. They both look so sad. I'm not sure why Derek does, maybe because of his mate. Talia looks like she's ready to scoop me up, and run away before Ares can take me out of here.

I feel so guilty. I don't want to leave them. But I have to. I don't want to stay here, and it's time for me to get out.

I guess this is it." I said.

"Fuck this!" Talia shouted shocking me.

"Uh?" I said.

"We're coming with you." Talia stated.

My eyebrows shot up.

"What?" I asked.

"Derek, and I are coming with you." She stated again. "I can't let you go out into the world without me. And I hate it here too! They don't even take our training seriously. And I want to be there for you. I'm an adult now, I have no ties here except for Granny. Let's go see the world together." Talia rushed out.

Then she looked at my mate.

"I don't even know you. I can't let my best friend go off with you. Mate or not, you could be dangerous. You could be just like the people here, or worse. No offense." She said.

Ares raised a brow at her.

"Please. We want to join the BOC. We want to actually help people. We don't want to defend this stupid back." Derek added.

What is a BOC? I asked Honi, hoping she would know.

I have no clue. Honi said.

I feel like I've heard of that before.. I told my wolf.

Honi just shrugged inside my head.

Derek wrapped his arms around his mate from behind. He kissed her cheek, and Talia relaxed slightly. Then Derek look at Ares.

"We are the best fighters in this pack Mr. Morningstar. We would be great assets to the BOC. Please, let us come." He said.

I looked at Ares. His face is expressionless, cold. I have no idea what he's thinking.

Is he trying to think of a way to get them to stay here? Does Ares not want my friends to come? Did what Talia say hold some kind of truth? Will he hurt me?

No he will not. Honi stated.

We don't know that. I replied.

Yes we do. The Goddess would not deem us another evil card. Honi said confidently.

We can only hope. I said.

You just want your friends to come. She replied.

Well, duh. I want Granny, and Noah to come too. They are all too good for this place. I said.

Honi whined. They will be fine now that the Alpha is dead. The Lycan King will keep a close eye on this place.

I sighed at her.

I looked back at my best friend, and her mate.

"I don't even know where we're going." I said.

"You're going to the Anderson School right?" Talia asked Ares.

I looked to Ares. He nodded his head in response.

Anderson School? Didn't we learn about that place in class? The place where supernaturals go when they don't have a home.. I used to day dream about leaving this place, and going there.

"Why would we be going to the Anderson School? You look a little old for school." I said.

Talia snorted, and Ares looked down at me.

"You don't know very much about my family do you?" Ares asked.

I frowned. "I know you're a Morningstar, and-"

"No." Ares said interrupting me. "The other side of my family. My mothers side." He said.

I raised a brow at him. "Your mothers side?" I asked.

"My mother is an Anderson, Emilia. Her mother, my grandmother, was the one to open the Anderson school, and start the BOC program." Ares told me.

My eyebrows shot up. Of course we learned about the Anderson's in school too. They played a huge part in supernatural history, especially being the first Tribrids. I didn't.. I had no idea that one of them married a Morningstar, and had kids together. They had to of created the most powerful creatures in the entire world. With power unlike anything anyone has ever seen. And one of them is my mate.

"Y-y-you?" Was all I could manage.

Talia snorted. "You are so lame." She said.

My face heated as I looked back to her.

"He's.." I swallowed hard. "I'm mated to.."

Gods, I can't even finish it.

Noah snorted. "You deserve a mate that powerful. No one will ever touch you again."

"Exactly." Ares said. "Now, let's go." He said as he opened the back door of one of the cars for me.

I looked at it, then back to my friends.

"We are coming with you." Talia more of stated.

I looked up at my mate again. Ares look at me, then to my friends. Then he gave a single nod before turning around to this team.

"They will ride with Marco and Melia." He said.

"We have to go pack our stuff." Talia said.

"No need." Marco said with a smirk. "Ares had me pack for you already. The only thing we need is to go grab your bags." He said.

I looked up at my mate.

"You did?" I asked.

Ares just stared at me.

"You knew they were going to want to come?" I asked.

Ares shrugged. He put his hand on the small of my back, and ushered me to the open back door of the car.

"Come, we can head out. They will be right behind us." Ares said.

I hopped into the car, and slid to the other side. Ares got in after me. Dude takes up almost half the back seat.

Ares wrapped an arm around my waist, and pulled me into his lap. I let out a surprised yelp, and my face heated. Then the two women got in the front seats.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" I asked Ares. "I can sit next to you."

"I like you better here." Ares said.

I rolled my eyes, and crossed my arms.

"Wow, well, when I care, you'll be the first to know." I said as I slid off of his lap.

Karla snorted, and Ares let out a low growl. His deep blue eyes bore into me, but I didn't shrink back. Ares look is challenging.

"You don't scare me Mr. Moringstar." I said with a mocking tone. "I sure hope you don't expect my friends to call you that when we get to where ever we're going either. It's ridiculous." I said.

Ares leaned his head back, and closed his eyes. The two women in the front seats are snickering at us. Is he trying to ignore me?

You made him angry. Honi said amused.

He doesn't look angry. I said.

Honi shrugged.

He looks annoyed. I said.

"Am I annoying you?" I asked Ares.

My mates eyes snapped open, and he turned to me.

"Yes." He stated.

I frowned.

"Good." I said back.

Ares took a breath, ready to reply. I turned my head away from him, and sat up in my seat to address the two women.

"So, now that Ares is going to shut up for the rest of the trip, why don't you guys tell me a bit about yourselves." I said ignoring my mate.

Karla snorted out laughter.

"Oh Gods, this is going to be so fun. I cannot wait for Bexley to get her hands on you." She said.

Ares growled.

We ignored him.

"Well, I'm a bit younger than Ares." Karla told me. "I'm 21, been at Anderson my whole life. I'm an orphan that was found in the system when I was 7. Axton, their little brother, is my best friend. We are both part of the BOC. You'll see me around a lot as long as I'm not out on a mission." She said.

"Wow, that's cool." I said.

"I'm 23, and the problem child of the family." Kee told me.

"You are not a problem child Akeehla, stop it." Ares argued.

Kee sighed. "Well, I am not offically part of the BOC, but I was lucky enough to be part of this mission. You already know a bit about me Emi, I'm not sure what else you want to know." She said.

"Well, what was it like growing up at the Anderson School?" I asked them.

"Fun. Better than foster care ever was." Karla muttered. "They taught me how to defend myself, and always believed in me. owe the school a great deal." She said.

"Awh, that's sweet." I said. "What about you Kee?"

Kee squeezed the steering wheel tighter.

"Maybe you should just sit back, and relax." Ares suggested as he pulled me back to rest, tucked in his arm. "It's a long drive."

I looked up at him, but he didn't meet my eyes.

"Where is the Anderson School?" I asked.

"Gerogia." Ares stated.

I opened my mouth, but Ares looked down at me with a cold stare.

"You can ask one more question, and then you need to shut up." He said.

I frowned. "Two." I countered.

"Fine." Ares growled out.

"What is a BOC?" I asked.

"Black Operations Corporation. It is the part of the school that gets sent out on missions. We do all kinds of things. I guess you could say we are like assassins, or like a CIA for the supernatural." Ares told me.

"Oh." Was all I said.

They are all part of that? It sounds kind of dangerous.

Our mate is strong. Honi purred.

I looked up at Ares.

He is, isn't he?

"One more question." Ares said.

I thought about it for a moment. Should I ask him why he's such an ass? I would love to see his angry reaction to that. Although, there is something else that everyone keeps mentioning that I want to know. And I really, really want to know this. "Who is Bexley?"