Carter POV.My company has been taken over by the damn military. I am waiting outside my conference room because the MPs won’t let me enter.I hear a crash and barge inside. The MPs try to grab me but I move away from them to see Asteria has split the table in half.“Asteria, what’s going on?” I rush to her and she turns to me with a hiss and I stop as she partially shifts.“We have been played, that’s what. That damn bitch has played us.” I look at her in confusion. She groans and rolls her eyes at me like I’m thick.“Who?” I ask her when she grabs a chair and throws it at the wall.“That bitch Triston. She isn’t military. Well, not from here anyway. Where is she?” She screams as her chest rises and falls rapidly before she starts laughing.“I’m such a fucking idiot. She came to you knowing you would somehow be able to contact me. She set this up. She fucking played with me. Oh well, she is going to know what it is to be fucking played when I get a hold of her.” There is no speaking
Asteria POV.Walking back into Montgomery Fishing Corp. Carter beside me and the rest are as well.I stop at the conference room and look at the two guards at the door.“Tell General Collins that Queen Asteria is here to speak to him.” I say, looking at them both, but they both look down. I fight the smirk on my face. They know not to look me in the eye.One of the men knocks on the door and disappears inside. I wait, knowing what I have to do. I can’t trust the military to not let me take what is mine without a fight.“He will see you now.” I smile as I walk inside the room and see him sitting at the head of the table.“Queen Asteria, is this the woman who approached you?” he points to the PowerPoint behind him and I move closer, not taking my eyes off the image and I nod at him.“Yes, it is. Who is she?” he groans and I look away from the woman on the screen and to him.“Her name is Maria Kostov. She is part of the Russian rebels. They are against the Russian government and it is he
Asteria POV.This was a bad idea. The last time I was at Carter’s home was when I found him fucking both Sephone and Bethany. I stop at the front door as the rest pile inside. Carter looks at me from the door and comes closer to me.“I know this is difficult for you after the last time you were here. I understand why you don’t want to come inside. The interior is no longer the same. I had everything remodelled. I had everything removed from what happened that night. If you want, we can go to my other house, but it isn’t finished yet.” He says and I take a deep breath and walk forward and through the door. I can’t let what happened in this very house affect me anymore.I walk inside and I’m shocked to see the changes. The only things that are the same are the floor to ceiling windows facing the ocean. Everything else has been changed. The living room has a huge built in fish tank and the room is painted in delicate colours of soft greys. Originally it was white, sterile. The art work l
Asteria POV.Jerome and Dani left a couple of hours ago. It is nearly time to go. I am standing on the balcony overlooking the calm waters of Moonlight Cove.“You ok?” I nod my head as I watch the water. The moon reflecting off the surface of the water.“Yeah, we need to get ready.” I tell him as he stands next to me. We both stand in silence for a while. He leans on the railing, matching my stance.“Everything will be ok. We get in and out. We will get what we are there for and then we can put this behind us.” He says and I just nod my head with a small pout on my lips, deep in thought. I stand up straight and close my eyes, and take a few deep breaths to calm myself down.“Let’s get this over with.” I say as I turn and walk back inside the mansion, seeing the wolves ready to leave.“Does everyone remember the plan?” I say and all eyes turn to me and they nod their heads. I look at Artemis and she nods once. I smirk at her.“Fenrir will open the portal for Artemis and I first, not fa
Asteria POV.I chuckle to myself, seeing him standing beside her. I look at him, then to her, and smile.“Well, isn’t this cosy? I’m sure General Collins will love this. So tell me. Sorry I didn’t get your name the last time I saw you.” I say as I move further into the room, my siren senses picking up on more movement, but I don’t take my eyes off him.“Whatever your name is, it is not relevant. You can betray your commanders and your country, but that is what humans do, yes? They always betray their own.” I say as I stop with my feet apart and my trident at my side. The wolves and my people slowly fan out, surrounding them.“You will pay for what you did.” He points at me, raising his gun and I tilt my head to the side.“What I did? I don’t even know who you are to even offend you. But no matter.” I shrug and he becomes twitchy when Maria holds her hand up and he relaxes.“You killed her!” he shouts at me and I sigh loudly, like this is boring me, but all it does is make him angry, w
Asteria POV.Walking through the headquarters of the Supernatural Council, I head to the prison under the building. This place would usually hold the most dangerous of shifter criminals. I should have been here, but the Supernatural Council never caught me.I walk with confidence as I unlock the door using my retina scan and hand print. The door unlocks and I walk inside.The glass cells line both sides of the room. The room is white, clean and sterile. These cells are strong enough to hold a dragon. So two weak humans won’t be able to break free. Each cell is enchanted with magic and the glass is unbreakable. The only way in or out is if a member of the Supernatural Council opens them. Each cell has hidden cameras. Plus the cameras in the hallway. This place has been dubbed the Eerie. Completely impregnable.I walk past cell after cell and stop as I look to the right and see Maria, then to the left and see the soldier in the one opposite hers. However, Maria is next to a rogue werewo
Asteria POV.I swim for hours to clear my head, but I can still hear the screams of the dead. The wails of their children. I can’t keep running. I need to face my crimes. Being made a human was not enough. They need their justice. They need their retribution for what I have done.I find myself in the water outside Carter’s mansion. I look up and the mansion is dark. I move to the beach and drag myself up and allow the shift to take hold. I sit in the sand and look out over the horizon as the sun begins to rise. I bring my knees to my chest and hug myself.I sigh, not knowing what to do with this. Am I justified in what I have done? I always thought I was, but now I don’t think I was.“Hey, how long have you been out here?” I turn and see Carter approach from the balcony and I offer him a small smile as I turn and face the rising sun again.“Not long. I hope I didn’t disturb you?” I say as I watch the sky change colour from black, dark blue to pale sky blue with reds, oranges, and pink
Carter POV.I can hear and feel the pain Asteria is in as she talks about what has happened to the sirens over the years. It is heartbreaking that all this started because she helped the humans, but they were greedy and wanted more.She looks at me and I move towards her and pull her into a kiss, cradling her head to my chest as she sobs. Asteria holds the weight of the world on her shoulders and is filled with guilt for what has happened, not just to the sirens, but to the humans.“You did what you thought was right. You saved your people, and you have been at war for a long time. There will always be casualties in war. You can’t blame yourself for all of it. The massacre wasn’t your fault. That was on Sephone.” I say to her and she pulls away and looks up at me.“But Shanti’s death is on me and every siren that has died is on me. Even the sirens that were massacred. I am the queen. It falls on my shoulders. Going to war with the humans has done nothing but cause more death and more