Carter POV.Watching Asteria assert her dominance is always fun to watch. He did deserve it and she is right. Even I didn’t like the way he was looking at Ione. If Asteria hadn’t stepped in to protect her when she did, I would have killed him. Lykos was on the verge of shifting when she put him and the others in their place.The bedroom we are in is nice. The wealth of the Lycans is evident. However, it is pretentious. Yes, I have mansions and top of the line supercars, but this. There is too much gold and reds. I get it furnishings fit for a king and his queen, but this is not what I’m comfortable with and, by the looks of it, neither is Asteria.I understand the palace is filled with history but I would like to make some adjustments, but I doubt the elders will be too pleased with that. Don’t get me wrong, it’s nice, but it’s too much.Asteria is standing on the balcony that looks out over the kingdom and beyond that, the ocean. Ione is having a nap and so it is just the two of us f
Asteria POV.The elders have been on my ass today, and I’m ready to flip out. According to them, it is not traditional for the luna queen to not wear a ballgown! I laughed at the dress.Even Artemis and my mother laughed as I stood there is this dress that looks all puffy and it’s tight around my chest and neck. Gaia counted the layers to this cloud like dress and counted twenty. I look like a fairy. It’s red and gold and really puffy, as Gaia said. I don’t like it.It weighs a tonne too. When I told the elders, I don’t like it that it wasn’t comfortable; they sneered at me, muttering I was a savage, so I did the only thing I could. I tore it to shreds. I couldn’t breathe, I couldn’t sit down, and I couldn’t fit through the damn door. Being called a savage was the final straw. So I showed them how savage I could be.So here I am with my females around me as they get me ready. My long, wavy raven hair is down flowing against my lower back. I have my coral crown on my head adorned with
Asteria POV.It has been a few days since the wedding and the crowning ceremony. The celebration ended yesterday and I’m glad it did.There are only so many times you can shake hands and give kisses before you become tired of it.Selene and Lycaon congratulated us both, and I decided it was high time we drew a line in the sand and move forward without the hostility. Grated the hostility came from me, but still it was time to move forward.Zeus was still a prick and that will never change. Even though it has been just over a week since I gave birth to Ione, she is a lot bigger now and crawling. I wasn’t kidding when I said sirens grow quicker.We think once she hits a few years old in siren time that she will slow her growth down. Last thing we want to come back from her training and her being an adult.Today we start her training, and Fenrir will be in charge alongside Lycaon. Carter enters the bedroom carrying an excited Ione. She has been swimming in her siren form in the bath. We a
Asteria POV.“Swim Carter, she is right on your tail.” I shout from the top of the abyss as the meg gains on him. It has been two months since Carter’s and Ione’s training began.I watch as the meg slams her jaws shut as he picks up speed. That was close. The rest of us move along the top, watching the test play out.Carter swims and stops turning. What is he doing? I look at Artemis and she looks at me. When I see him throw the trident towards the meg. She rolls to the side, avoiding it. She gains speed and my eyes widen. When she slams into him and I go to stop it when Artemis holds me back.“Look!” she says and I wait for the sand and debris to settle when I slowly smile, seeing Carter has his hands on her snout. She is wiggling her fin to move forward, but he isn’t budging.Carter has grown in size, strength, and speed. He is a great hunter and fighter.He shoves hard, and she flies back, shaking her head. He moves like a bullet and lands blows to her gills and she roars. Swimming
Carter POV.18 Months later.Coming back to the surface after being in my siren form for a few months was strange. Not much had changed, but still it was weird.“It would be the same if you were stuck in Lycan form for that amount of time.” Lykos had said to me when it was taking me a little bit longer to adjust to being back on two legs. But here we are sitting watching the two most important women in our lives.“Lykos, we are truly blessed. Look at them both.” I say with a big smile on my face as we watch Asteria chase after Ione in the palace gardens. Both are wearing matching outfits. Lykos purrs watching our mate and daughter playing.When we came back, everyone was shocked to see not only how much Ione had grew and changed but also the change in myself. I have bulked up in the water. But not overly bulky.I watch as Asteria runs away from Ione, and she chases her mom. With Set beside her, the second we got home, Set pounced on them both. Ione has said she remembers him and so
Asteria POV.I’m laying on my favourite rock, the sun is high in the clear blue sky. The water laps gently against the shore. The ocean is calm. The sun’s rays warm my cold scales as I flick my fin lazily in the water. The ocean, my home, how I miss it. For I know this is just a dream. A drug induced sedation to make me compliant.“Wakey, wakey little mermaid.” A vibration through the water and a voice I have come to hate. I open my eyes and move my large black fin away from my muzzled face. Looking into the cold and cruel green eyes of the man I made a deal with nine years, three hundred and fifty-one days ago. General Andrew Patterson.The man who caught me alongside the military and threatened every shifter with death if I didn’t agree to be a lab rat for two years and the remaining eight I was to become an attraction in an aquarium, lovingly called Poseidon’s Underwater Kingdom. I complied and I regret it. The shifters turned their backs on me for my stupidity. They will pay with
Carter POV.“Carty, what’s wrong?” Beth asks me as I watch the woman with violet eyes swimming towards the top of the tank. No doubt to rest and get some air.“Carter!” I blink and take a breath. I look at Beth and smile. Who is the woman in the tank? I have been having dreams of a woman with raven hair and violet eyes, and now I’ve found her. Is this destiny? Fate? I’m not sure all I know is I need to get close to her.“Sorry, baby, what did you say?” I smile softly at Beth as she snuggles into my side, but it doesn’t feel right having her in my arms. So I move back and stand beside her instead.“I was saying this room is the perfect backdrop for the engagement party tonight. After all, you are one of the biggest benefactors of the institute.” I grimaced at that. It’s hypercritical that I Carter Montgomery, who is the CEO of Montgomery Fishing Corp, is a benefactor to protect endangered species of marine life.“Yeah, sure. Beth, who is the woman in the tank?” I ask as I jut my chin f
Asteria POV.What the fuck was Fenrir doing there? I shriek as I run fast. Everything moves in a blur as I smell the salt in the ocean’s air. My home, I whimper as I push on harder, faster as I turn and run towards the beach. Gun’s fire behind me, I turn my head and see military vehicles in pursuit. I smirk. The power I lost is slowly returning. I need the water.The waves crash and a rumble of thunder moves across the sky. I smile as my chest heaves. I jump over the barricade and land in the sand. Tears leave my eyes as I run towards the water. More gun fire, I scream as I’m hit but I growl and keep moving. The humans didn’t learn.I run into the water and wade as far as I can. A helicopter hovers overhead and I dive. I keep swimming as the vibration from above moves closer. Divers enter the water. Firing towards me.I shriek as the shift takes over. My legs fuse together, my talons erupt and webbing forms. My gills split across my neck. I dive further down.“I, queen Asteria, the fi