Adriel stared up at Kendrick. "You would not be sharing this for no reason. What has changed that prompted you divulge this information?"
Kendrick's eyes flicked to Micah. Serenity was shocked when he rose to his feet beside her.
"Because I told him who I am and why I'm here," Micah started.
Adriel's face became unreadable. "Go on."
"What Kendrick said is true. Five thousand years ago the witch council rose to power almost overnight and no one questioned it. I know, because my family was amongst those murdered that night. Only my gran survived. Since then she and others have been gathering evidence trying to ascertain how so many people could be manipulated at once."
"So you came to the city of the vampires to investigate our powers?" Magnus asked quietly.
Micah simply nodded. "I did everything I could to be assigned here. It was my mission to learn all there was to know about the vampire's abilities to control the mind."
Adriel's jaw clenched. "Was any of what you have said and done real over the centuries? Or were you just using us to learn what you could?" he asked coldly.
Etain faced his unit leader. "Do not let your
emotions say what you do not mean. Micah has given of himself many times over since being assigned to Eta. He guarded your mate, kept Declan alive after he was attacked and saved my daughter. He may have been trying to investigate the vampires, but he was a unit warrior as he was doing it."
Beside her Micah's eyes were bright. "Thank you, Etain."
Rex looked around. "I don't see what the problem is. We all have things we cannot share because of split loyalties. I am first and foremost a Lionhart, I protect my family and the shifters that look to us. My second loyalty is to Queen Aleksandra, as she opened up Eiré Danu to the lions. My personal position as Elder comes third. But that doesn't mean I don't care for the people of Noctem Falls."
Magnus nodded. "Well said." He turned to Adriel. "I know you are feeling hurt, but remember, that you are feeling hurt because you care so much for this young man."
"Of course I do!" Adriel exploded in a rare display of emotion. "He is not only a fellow warrior, but my unit brother. What I am most angry about is that he did not come to us for help." He crossed his arms over his chest and sat back.
Eva's mouth twitched. "Are you pouting? Because if you are, it's adorable."
"I am not pouting!" Adriel argued, not realizing he made the perfect picture of a petulant child.
Declan turned to him. "You said your family was murdered, why them?"
Micah smiled looking proud. "My family is descended from the druidic line of Darwid, meaning oak and to know. The more commonly used name is Whiteoak."
Gavriel sat up and leaned forward. "The Whiteoaks. The family that dedicated its entire line to intelligence gathering?" he asked looking excited. Micah nodded. Gavriel shook his head. "What in the hell are we facing that so many threads are being woven together?"
"There's more," Kendrick said rubbing the back of his neck.
Magnus chuckled. "What more could you possibly say? Tonight has given us back a prestigious family that we thought was lost."
Kendrick chuckled. "Yeah, about that."
Micah threaded his hands behind his head. "Go on," he urged.
Kendrick's eyes flicked to Serenity then back to Micah. Micah laughed. "Stop being a big baby, she won't kill you."
Serenity scowled up at Kendrick. "What is he talking about? Why would I kill you?"
Kendrick straightened, and Serenity saw a visible change come over him. He no longer slouched, and his power crackled around him. "The reason we shared with you Micah's true purpose and name, is because I will be calling him to service in the not to distant future and he will need to be released from his unit duties."
Adriel bristled, and he looked from Aiden to Kendrick and back. "Aiden is our Unit Commander, only he can change our orders. What are you planning on doing with Micah," he demanded.
"Aww you do care," Micah teased.
Serenity swatted him. "Micah hush."
"Yes, my one and only," he responded looking pleased.