Carter POV.“What the fuck Dani? Why did you tell her you are my girlfriend?” Dani rolls her eyes and folds her arms over her chest. She is in no way shape or form my girlfriend. She is a girl who is my friend, not the other kind.“Oh please Carter, you know what I meant. Didn’t you want to see how she felt about you, well I think it is safe to say you have your answer. Besides, Jerome told me she is a nice person.” I groan and pinch the bridge of my nose.Jerome and Danielle are engaged, and he has told her about Asteria, well not everything about her but the basics. Dani doesn’t know that Asteria is or was a siren. The less she knows, the better, especially when it was Asteria who nearly killed Jerome.“No, you have just made it worse. She was finally coming out of her shell and you have to pull a dumb stunt like that.” She rolls her eye again and I swear to all that is good if she was a man, I would knock her ass out.“Carter, it worked. Yes, I shouldn’t have sat on your lap, but y
Asteria POV.Walking along the path to the settlement. I stop and turn to look at the glistening waters across from me. The sun is high in the sky. I lower my head in defeat and turn to continue my journey towards the settlement.I follow the path around and the cabins come into view. The only sounds are the birds in the surrounding trees, no sound of the children playing or the residents chatting or doing their daily routines. The place is abandoned.I walk into the middle of the settlement and it looks how it always has, yet I know I’m here on my own. I sigh and walk towards the cabin of the chief. My feet ache as I walk up the wooden steps and open the door.I step inside and look around and everything is in its place; I walk to the windows and open them. Dust lines the surfaces. I run my finger over the window-sill and fight the need to cry. The sting in my nose tells me I am fighting a losing battle.I blink rapidly and take a few breaths to stop the tears from falling as I move
Carter POV.I pace in the office. I have not been able to relax, and I didn’t sleep well last night knowing how badly I fucked up. I don’t know where she went or if she is ok. I only hope I will see her soon. I tried getting in touch with Gaia last night, but I couldn’t reach her. Even her mate Calista couldn’t tell me where she was. So now I have to wait and hope Asteria comes to me.The office door opens and I turn with a smile, thinking it’s Asteria, but my smile slips off my face when I see Jerome standing there looking at me with an eyebrow raised.“Well, I heard you fucked up. What were you thinking? Dani told me everything and let me tell you, I gave her up and down the banks. You are both like children.” He says and I growl at his tone with me. And he just tilts his head and points a finger at me.“You can stop that shit, right now Carter. Or is it Lykos? You are both to blame for her leaving you,” he says, and I sit in my chair.Everyone in the company knows I am a Lycan, no
Asteria POV.It has been a few weeks since I moved to the settlement, and it has been what I needed. Being out in nature has helped me to stay calm. Gaia has been training me. I’m happy to know that I still have some of my strength and I never lost the ability to fight. It just had to be slightly modified. Considering I don’t have talons and fangs, so I have adapted like all humans do.As far as the people in the company are aware, I am nothing to Carter, just another worker who is helping make more profits and so far it is working. I get the stares of the workers and I don’t flinch when they say hurtful comments that try to rile me up. I just take it.They know who I am and make no attempts to hide their hatred towards me. In a way, they are playing at their own game. It doesn’t bother me in the slightest. I can handle them and they know it. One look from me has them cowering until they realise I am just like them in a sense, but so far, no one has tried to openly attack me. I know i
Carter POV.Fucking hell. It was a good thing Dani called me telling me she saw Asteria in the store. If I didn’t arrive when I did, she would no doubt be dead. When I ripped Lacey away from her. The others scattered, but Dani came running and pounced on Lacey and held her to the ground.“Someone call 911!” Dani screams as she holds a thrashing Lacey to the ground. I lift Asteria in my arms and I growl at the state of her. Her eye is swollen shut and her nose is bleeding. She is out cold as I hold her to my chest when I can hear sirens of the police and no doubt an ambulance.“Asteria, wake up. Come on, wake up, please.” I shake her gently, but nothing. The police arrive and grab Lacey, who is screaming that Asteria deserved the beating. I growl at her and she stops her protests as the police cuff her and place her in the back of the car.The paramedics come over and look at Asteria. I hand her to them and they do their jobs. Lykos is pacing, wanting to kill Lacey and hunt down the ot
Asteria POV.The sound of beeping wakes me up. But it’s the warmth against my face that relaxes me further. I open my eyes and look around the dimly lit room. This isn’t my bedroom. I move to sit up and wince in pain, clutching my ribs. I can see out of one eye and my face hurts.I look around when hands move up my arms, and I jump slightly.“Asteria, you are ok. You’re in the hospital.” I look down and see Carter beneath me and I look at the wall a head of me and try to remember what happened. When I shake my head slowly.“They attacked me.” I say, and he shifts and pulls me gently back down onto his chest. His arms wrap around me as he kisses my head.“I’m sorry my love. Yes, they did. Lacey has been arrested, but the others got away. Are you sore anywhere?” he asks me and I nod my head. There is no point in lying because if he can feel the bond, then he will know I’m in pain.“Ok, I will call the nurse to get you some pain meds. Are you hungry? Thirsty?” he asks, and my stomach gru
Asteria POV.It has been a week since the attack and I’m now back in the settlement. Gaia still comes to see me, but I refuse to see Carter. The sooner he realises I’m no good for him, the better.I haven’t returned to the company and I won’t be anytime soon. I need to be alone with my thoughts. But I need to get Bethany to come for me. Gaia told me Lacey was released from the police and nothing was done about the attack. I knew nothing would happen.I sit on the porch holding my cup as I look at the treeline. I don’t know what I’m waiting for or why I do this every day, but I know I need to be ready. My injuries are still healing, but it is bearable.I sit out all day just feeling the sun on my skin when I hear it. Rustling from the side of the cabin. I turn my head and wait to see what or who it is. But nothing.I sigh and lean back against the cushions and finish drinking my drink. I wrap the blanket around my shoulders and think about moving. But I can’t. It is too much effort.Th
Carter POV.After leaving Asteria, I can’t focus on anything as I sit wide awake in my bed. I get out and move to the balcony and look out over the water, then shift my gaze to the forest. Knowing that is where she is. She doesn’t want us. But I know somewhere deep down she does. She is just being stubborn. I will give her more time and space if she needs it.“Mate will come around. You’re right, she needs time and space. But I don’t like it. She should be here with us,” Lykos grumbles. He has been a major pain in my ass since she kicked us out of her hospital room that night. Even yesterday, she seemed more determined to let us go.I’m shocked the rejection didn’t work, but it is another reminder of the mate bond that she doesn’t feel. Maybe she is right that this is my punishment for marking her by force. Either way, we will give her space and when she is ready, she will come to us. I don’t care how long it takes. I will be ready and waiting for her. I will welcome her back with ope
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