The truth was a bitter thing, especially when it came to Lyra. The kings that sat in front of me wouldn't be able to hear it entirely, that much I knew. I looked down at the carpet as I began the horror story that Lyra's mates wanted to hear.

It was 13 years ago that we found Lyra, or she found us. I was in South Carolina with Esme, we had been thinking of moving there temporarily and were brushing up on the details of our new home. It was late at night when we heard our new neighbours leaving their house. I heard her then. There were faint whimpers and cries coming from the house.

All through that night those voices haunted me, but Esme and I knew we couldn't risk trying to find out who it was. We were meant to leave the following morning but we stayed, I wasn't sure why but we did. Our neighbour came back in the late afternoon when it was around 5pm. We could smell the alcohol that stained whoever it was' clothes. We could hear the cries getting louder, multiple objects crashed. I decided to get up and see what was happening, but that was when we heard the voice.

Esme cringed. I fell to the ground as the voice got louder in my head. It wasn't saying anything decipherable, rather screaming help, stop and please. The voices quietened down after a few more minutes. I looked up to see a pale Esme looking over at me. Rather than saying anything we both nodded, exiting the house we were in. The smell of blood hit us as soon as we stepped up to the doorstep of the house next door. Without thinking I snapped the door handle and opened the door.

The house was in a state of severe disarray, the smell of alcohol lingering with the blood. I ran into the room where I could smell the blood, that's when I saw her. There was a little girl, the source of the blood, cowering into the corner. There was another person in the room, a man, sprawled out on the floor. The girl noticed me and pushed herself deeper into the wall.

"Hello," I whispered but in the dead of the room, I might as well have been shouting. The girl began crying. I walked over to her. "I hurt daddy," she sobbed. "Shh bunny you're going to be okay," I gently picked her up but she still winced. Esme had been watching from the doorway, a look of pure horror on her face. I looked into the girl's eyes and felt something shift. A soul bond formed. Esme felt it as well, as venom tears formed in her eyes.

The kings all looked shaken. "We took her in and from then on she's been with us. What you saw today was her mind-link. She has the ability to create these monstrous voices when she's scared, it's similar to Jane's gift, only it works more with fear than it does with pain." Aro nodded at me. "Lyra herself doesn't remember much of her past, but get's these flashbacks - as you saw the other day - once in a while." It was then I decided the Elephant in the room had to be addressed.

"I need for all three of you to know that I am regretful for what happened today. As kings it is your decision what you want to do with Edward, my family will not get in your way."

What Carlisle had told us was definitely not the whole story, but that was probably for the best. I blinked away venom and nodded at what Carlisle said next.

"As much as I would love to rip your son-" I began, "is no son of mine" Carlisle growled. "Well as much as I'd love to rip the vermin into a million pieces and then spread them throughout this world, my brothers and I have decided that we will not do anything of the sort." Carlisle looked surprised at this. "Although, it will be for the best if you oust him from your coven Carlisle,"

"Consider it done." Carlisle hesitated, "there is one more thing I'd like to speak to you about".

"Go on".

"You should take Lyra with you to Volterra, tomorrow morning. Before you question my motives, it is only because I want her to be safe and she'll be safest with you and the guard. After what happened today with Edward I don't think she is safe here. It will be best if you leave before the boy repeats any of his foolish mistakes."

All three of us must've looked either confused or suspecting, because Carlisle was quick to defend himself. "Will Lyra agree? I'm sorry Carlisle but we will not ask our mate to do anything she is not prepared for." Though the thought of Lyra moving in with us did excite me, these things took time and Lyra had already been through enough.

"I will speak to her in the morning, I'm sure she will understand," Carlisle's tone was firm. "In that case I'll go prepare the guard," there was a hint of delight in Marcus' voice. I desperately wanted to ask Carlisle if I could use my tactile telepathy, but I knew that it would be best if the rest of the story came from Lyra herself.

Both me and Caius stepped up to help Marcus prepare when I remembered something. "Carlisle, you wouldn't perhaps know what Lyra's favourite colour is would you?" Carlisle smirked and raised his eyebrow, "red". I grinned in delight as Caius scowled, "red it is then".