Rowan lifted his hand and ced it upon the top of his head, sliding the hood backwards over his hair as the light from the office windows brought his face into sharp relief. Isabe fell backwards against the desk as his face became visible, her hands grabbing behind her to steady herself as her eyes, wide with surprise, darted over the warrior''s face. ''Rowan?'' she whispered in shock, ''Rowan!'' she repeated louder as she stared at him.


    ''Um, you two know each other?'' Vaughn asked in surprise.


    Ignoring the young Vampire, Isabe took a tentative step forward, ''how? What? When?'' she muttered, gazing at him as she tried to pull herself together, ''where have you been?'' she demanded suddenly, ''I thought you were dead! How in the Goddess'' name are you still in your mid twenties''.


    As the shock wore off, the Alpha''s anger started to rise as she stormed over to the werewolf and grabbed him by the shirt.


    ''Hey Be'' Rowan replied softly, ''long time no see'' he chuckled humourlessly.


    ''Long time no see?'' Isabe yelled back, ''it''s been twenty five years, thest time I saw you, you were being dragged back to the Council! And all you have to say is long time no see? Where the f**k have you been?! What the hell happened to you?'' she demanded. Rowan waved his hand dismissively, ''oh usual stuff, taken back to the Council, instead of being killed, forced into working for them, always an adventure when ites to being around me babe, you know that'' he replied airily.


    ''Don''t call me babe'' Isabe growled, ''how the f**k are you in your twenties, you should be around fifty by now, and why don''t you have a scent'' she added, ring at him, sniffing around him as if she was determined to hunt out his smell.


    Sighing heavily, Rowan shook his head, ''long story Be, lets just say the Council made me into a one of a kind Werewolf, I''m special.''


    Crossing her arms stubbornly, Isabe red at the Rogue until he dropped his gaze, ''I have time'' she growled, indicating to the chairs across from her desk before sweeping around to her own side and taking her seat.


    Reluctantly, the Werewolf took the seat he had been issued, Vaughn sitting down next to him, his gaze bouncing between the two as if unsure who he should be focusing on.


    Leaning back in her chair, Isabe fixed Rowan with an impatient stare, ''I''m waiting Rowan, I think you owe me'' she growled warningly.


    Sighing heavily, the Werewolf shifted in his seat before starting, ''when I was taken from Oak Ridge by Sebastian, he took me back to the council just as he said he would and he asked for his freedom in payment for capturing me'' he started hollowly. ''I don''t really have a lot of memory of what happened after that, I know I was taken to a room and I remember pain so much pain I thought I was going to die but it seems it had the opposite affect'' he added bitterly.


    ''What do you mean by that?'' Isabe asked, her gaze not leaving Rowan''s face.


    ''I''m immortal Be, Well I assume I am as nothing has killed me, no silver de, no bullet or bar fight has taken my life'' Rowan replied keeping his gaze down. ''Nothing can hurt you?'' Isabe asked, her voice disbelieving.


    ''Oh no, it can and it does hurt'' Rowan replied as he took off his robe and dropped it over the back of the chair before lifting his shirt to reveal a torso covered in scars from de cuts. Some were rtively fresh others had obviously been on his body for years. Meeting the Alpha''s gaze finally, Rowan said, ''It hurts when it happens, but it just doesn''t seem to be able to kill me, and I can''t age, I have been twenty six years old for thest twenty five years and I don''t know why. After a while I started to provoke people jut to see what would happen, I think I''ve had every bone in my body broken, including my spine and they just heal right up so I finally epted that I most likely cannot be killed'' he finished with a shrug.


    Be took a deep breath, her face a mixture of emotions, ''that still doesn''t exin where you have been Rowan, you could havee back, let people know that you were OK, let me know!'' she growled in frustration.


    ''I''m sorry Be, I don''t know what to say to you, my life is..plicated'' Rowan replied sadly, averting his gaze from the Alpha''s frustrated look.


    ''I get the feeling that this is as far as you will go with your story'' Isabe huffed, her demeanour letting the room know that she was not satisfied.


    Rowan nodded silently, staring at the floor, Vaughn took the break in the conversation to steer it away from the painful confrontation.


    ''Alpha Isabe, I know you are angry with Rowan, but please he is here to help me and keep me safe'' he said quickly as the Alpha''s eyes flickered to him.


    Nodding, Isabe removed her attention from the warrior and sat forward, resting her elbows onto the desk, ''what can I do for you Prince Vaughn, it is unusual to see you this far from the castle with only one protector'' she said, giving a dirty look toward Rowan who immediately dropped his gaze again.


    Vaughn smiled, ''as you know, my father is not keen on letting me out unsupervised, but this particr matter required me to leave the castle and both my fathers felt that I would be safer if I travelled incognito. I rarely get seen outside of our walls so I''m not really recognisable ept those who are known and trusted by my parents, I am under strict instructions to keep who I am on a need to know basis, and not to bring unwanted attention to myself from strangers'' the Vampire exined quickly. ''Vance''s rule I am going to guess?'' Isabe replied with an eye roll and chuckle.


    ''You would be correct Alpha'' Vaughn replied, joining in with herughter.


    ''OK Vaughn, what is it that the Silver Cross pack has or can offer to you that would bring you all this way?'' Isabe asked, watching the young Prince closely.


    ''I uh, I''m looking for my mate Alpha'' Vaughn replied with a shrug, ''we don''t know if I will have a mate for my werewolf side or my vampire side but we don''t want to wait two hundred years to find that my mate was actually a werewolf and I was supposed to find her


    now.


    Isabe mulled over his words for a moment, ''yes, you are going to be a bit tricky'' she mused, ''either a mate now for your wolf or a mate in one hundred and eighty years for your Vampire, or possibly even both'' she added as Vaughn looked at her surprised. ''Both?'' he asked in worry.


    Isabe smiled, ''you are the first of your kind Vaughn, never has an Alpha wolf and a Vampire King produced an heir, you are unique and we, the friends of Jason, in the werewolf world and I would assume, all of the Vampires as well have done all that we can to keep you away from parties that may want to find out your true potential'' she said. ''It is very possible for you to end up with a mate for each of your supernatural sides and I fully understand your parents desire to keep your search low key. I suggest that you stay with us for a couple of days, walk around the pack and see if your mate is here but do not tell anyone about your reason to visit. If anyone asks, and my nosy daughter will of course want to know, you are here on an official visit to strengthen our ties with your father as the sister pack to Oak Ridge.''


    Vaughn nodded his understanding, ''thank you Alpha Isabe, I appreciate your discretion'' he replied.


    As he stood to take his leave, Rowan cleared his voice hesitantly, ''umm Alpha'' he started respectfully, ''may I ask your permission to keep my hood up whilst on your territory, I do not want to draw attention to myself just in case we do not find Prince Vaughn''s mate here, the less people who can identify me as His Highness'' protector the safer I feel that he will be'' he said, keeping his head bowed in submission.


    Isabe watched the warrior silently for a few minutes before snapping, ''fine, you may remain concealed for the protection of Prince Vaughn with everyone but me'' she replied evenly.


    ''Thank you Alpha'' Rowan replied as he stood from his chair and pulled his cloak back around his shoulders, lifting the hood to conceal his face.


    As he made to follow Vaughn to the door, Isabe stopped them suddenly, ''Rowan'' she called softly


    Turning back, Rowan lifted his head to meet her gaze, ''yes Isabe?'' he asked.


    ''I''m d you are OK'' she replied with a small smile before picking up her pen and starting to write on the paperwork still piled up in front of her, effectively dismissing them from her office.