Asteria POV.I wake up with a groan as my eyes adjust to my surroundings and I am in a hut. I move my arms and look down to see shackles around my wrists. I move to sit up and look around.The walls are made with logs, there are woven tapestries hanging in places and a fire crackles in the hearth. I look down and see I am wearing a long shirt and I’m on a bed. The door to the room opens and I hiss at whoever it is that has entered the hut.I don’t take my eyes from the person as snarl and move my arms to break the restraints. They groan under the force when the man tilts his head to the side.“Enough Asteria. You need to rest and regain your strength.” I stop moving and blink to clear my vision and see Lycaon. I growl louder at him as he walks closer to me with a bowl in his hand.“Stay still. You aren’t healing.” He lifts the shirt and I kick my legs to get him away when he straddles my legs and I shriek loudly. I arch my back to get him off me. When he pushes down on my chest to kee
Carter POV.Seeing Asteria so weak and powerless is heartbreaking. I know what role I played in this and I want to make it right, but I don’t know how to.“You don’t. She rejected us Carter. This is what she deserves.” Lykos grumbles in my head. It was his idea to join forces with Andrew and Bethany. I knew it was wrong, but I went along with it.“No, she doesn’t deserve this. Can’t you feel it? The pull towards her?” I ask, and he grumbles in my head. Fucking stupid Lycan.“Yes, but it will be the lingering effects of the bond. Nothing more, besides that Bethany can really ride cock.” He licks his lips and I shiver with disgust. He may have enjoyed it, but I didn’t. The only one I want is Asteria.While I’m lost in my thoughts, she stands up, the chains broken, and she snarls as she stalks out of the hut. She stops and looks around before she falls to her knees and shrieks and cries. Tears stream down her face.“Asteria.” I move closer to her. I try to touch her when she turns her fa
Asteria POV.I walk towards a hill and stand on top of it. My trident in my hand as I look around for this facility. When all I see is what looks like a door and nothing else.I close my eyes and squat down and place my hand on the sand and reach down for the vibrations of my people. I feel them. They are underground. I open my eyes and focus on the pull of the link and open it to everyone of my people in the underground facility.“My people, here me. I am here to save you all. I will get you all to safety. No one will be left behind. We will bury our dead together. Please hold on, I am here.” I say when I hear groans and whimpers, some shrieks, and hisses through the link. I search for Artemis’s link and find it, but it’s weak. No, she is dying. I push to feel Perla and hers is the same.I stand, and the door isn’t guarded. I feel a portal open up behind me and I turn to see Fenrir, Lycaon, Odessa, Carter, and Javier all walkthrough with his warriors. I look to the other side and see
Carter POV.I watch as the tank is lifted higher as the ceiling opens up and see a helicopter hovering above; the chains attached to the tank and the helicopter. I run and leap, my claws digging into the concrete to pull myself up again.“ASTERIA!” I scream as I reach the opening and the ceiling starts to close. I climb faster to get to her, my claws digging into the concrete with each movement. When I hear her shriek just as the ceiling closes, I scream and punch it. I was too late. I need to get her. She will die otherwise.I hear a laugh and turn with a growl, seeing Bethany lying there laughing like a sick fuck. I leap down and stalk towards her just as the others enter the lab.“Where did they take her?” I ask her when she shakes her head.“Fuck you, Carter, you are a traitor to your own kind.” She spits as her blood hits me and I snarl at her and grab her by her throat. Squeezing as her face turns red, then purple.“Carter, let her go,” Lycaon says from the side, and I ignore hi
Asteria POV.I don’t know how long I have been in this tank or where I am. All I know is the room is dark and I’m back wearing a fucking muzzle like a rabid dog. The only people I see don’t look at me and wear ear defenders. They come in to feed me on a long pole. Not that I can leap out of the tank when my wrists are shackled to the bottom of the damn thing. I tried to use my tail against the glass, but it didn’t work. The shackles are made from something that I can’t break.They haven’t used the little sonic device which sits at the bottom of the tank next to me. I look down and see my scales are losing their shine, and are peeling like the skin on a snake when it sheds. I know one thing, though I haven’t shifted into my human form since the day I saved my people from the facility. The days blur together. I’m slowly losing my damn mind.I bang the glass to get someone’s attention, but no one is there. I keep banging and banging for what feels like hours when I give up and give in to
Carter POV.“Where is your father keeping Asteria?” I look at Bethany, who is tied to a chair, blood trickling down her face as she looks at me. Her gaze is hard as she smirks at me, spitting her blood onto my face.The door to the hut opens and in steps a woman with blonde hair. Her eyes are red and I nod at her as she saunters towards us in her black high heels, wearing black leather pants.“Give it up Carter, I won’t say a damn word, you fucking traitor. But know this when my daddy is finished with her you will never find her corpse.” She chuckles when the blonde moves at lightening speed and grabs Bethany by her hair and growl in her face.“Is that so? Well then, I guess we have no use for you then. What do you say, Carter? Shall we just kill this bitch now?” She says with a smirk on her face as she looks at me over her shoulder.“No, we need her alive to get Asteria back.” The blonde clicks her tongue and rolls her eyes.“You are no fun at all.” She says as she sits on Bethany’s
Asteria POV.“You want to know why I killed your wife?” I ask him and he nods his head. He was never told why, only that she got too close to the tank and I killed her. That is not the whole truth.“Why now Andrew?” I ask him and he leans forward, his elbows resting on his knees.“Please Asteria. I have to know why,” he says, his voice laced with hurt. I look away and close my eyes.“You wife was a lovely woman. She was kind to me. She would come and see me nearly daily. We would talk about what life was like under the water. How I have seen the world change over the years. She told me about her life growing up and that it was difficult for her. Then one day, she came when you were away.” I open my eyes and turn to look at him. His eyes watching me.“She didn’t look the same. She was different, frail. She came closer and opened the lid of the tank and, like always, I swam up to greet her. I looked at her and her face was thinner and grey. Her eyes were dull, and I knew she was in pain
Asteria POV.Today is the day. I will save my people from all of this. The ultimate sacrifice is to save every last siren on land and in the sea.“Asteria, so do we have to move you by force, or will you go willingly?” One of the soldiers asks as he points a harpoon gun at me.“What time is it?” I ask him, and he looks at the desk, at the clock, and back at me.“Seven pm. Why?” He asks and I smirk before I click my tongue.“What time will the moon be at its highest?” I ask, and he looks at me in confusion.“Tell me or I won’t move.” I say, and he rolls his eyes and grabs his phone and types away.“It says in an hour. Why?” I smile at him and shake my head.“Nothing. Can I have a few more minutes? It has been so long since I have been in a bed. Just a few more minutes, that is all I ask.” I say to him as my eyes flash and he nods his head.“Ok, but you have to promise me you will go back in the tank without a fuss. Deal?” I smile and nod my head at him when he leaves the room, and I sm
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.“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
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.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
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.Walking the path towards the Lycan Palace. It hits me that the palace is shielded from the world using an illusion spell. But this is the royal pack.The palace sits in the middle with houses surrounding it, similar to a packhouse. Wolves and Lycans leave their homes to see what is happening as Carter and I, plus our entourage, walk towards the palace.I keep my head high as Carter carries Ione. The wolves and Lycans bow as we pass, showing their respect to us. My eyes connect with a few and they bow lower. We walk up the steps to the palace and come face to face with what I can only assume are the elders.They bow in respect as Fenrir moves closer to us.“Welcome home your majesty, we’re thrilled that you are here.” One of the dusty old men says not acknowledging me. I ignore the disrespect because if I was to act on it, then he would die.I ignore their conversation as I look around, surveying everything when Carter takes my hand, pulling me out of what I’m doing.“Plea
Asteria POV.There hasn’t been a day of peace since before Ione has been born. Now don’t get me wrong, I love seeing everyone, but is it too much to ask for us just to have time together with just the three of us? The only time we get to ourselves is when it’s bedtime.“Fen, just the man I wanted to see,” Carter says as the wolves take their seats and coo over Ione.“Oh-oh, that sounds ominous. What can I do for you both?” Fen asks with a chuckle and I roll my eyes as I lay Ione on my legs. Her feet against my tummy, as I gently sway my knees from side to side as I make silly faces at her, earning me big giggles from her.“We need your help with running the kingdom, well, looking after the kingdom for a couple of months. Ione will begin her training before the end of next week, and I need to be with both her and Asteria. So, would be the interim ruler while we are away?” Carter asks, and I look up at Fen and smile at him.“I will only do it if I get Ione cuddles.” He says as he stands
Carter POV.Words can’t describe what I had witnessed. The birth of my daughter Ione. Asteria handled it like a pro and I now have more respect for the females in the world. It was scary when she started to death roll, but then she pulled Ione free.I saw her tail before Asteria did; I know she was panicked that Ione may not shift. So she didn’t notice that little detail before she took off like a bat out of hell to get to the surface.But here we are in the living room with a sleeping Ione in my arms. Asteria is back to normal. She appears to be stronger than before. She is breastfeeding her but also supplementing her with blended fish. Gross, I know, but sirens feed their children differently. Hence why they are born with teeth and talons.We have had so many visitors over the past few days and Ione has taken it all in her stride. She is a dream, though. She never cries and Asteria said it’s because siren babies don’t cry. She is content and happy. Lykos is in love with her the same
Asteria POV.I wake up in the night wincing in pain. Trying to get comfortable is a nightmare. Odessa has told me she is low in my pelvis, but I knew that already she has been for a while now.I pull myself up and shuffle to the end of the bed and place my feet on the ground and stand. I’m exhausted, but nature calls. I hold my bump with one hand and the wall with the other as I make my way to the bathroom.I’m out of breath and I feel like I’ve run a damn marathon in flip-flops. I move to the toilet and do my business and wash my hands.A low pain spreads across my belly and I brace my hands on the vanity, my chin tucked as I breathe in through my nose and slowly out of my mouth until it passes. Once it does, I stand up straight. I look at the bath in the mirror.I turn slowly and move towards it and turn the water on. Placing the plug in. I strip down. And climb in as the bath fills.Leaning my head back, I place my hands on my bump that pokes out of the water and I hum, the song wa