Bailey POV
We're standing at the lake. I'm not sure this is a good idea. Tiana is behind me and Riley is in front of me, while her brother Damien is on the other side, both of them standing in the shallow end of the water, eyeing each other carefully. I want to groan out loud at the fierce expressions on their faces. I'm positive that this is not going to end well. Riley is the first to move, sending a large water ball directly toward a startled Damien. He throws up a hand and just manages to prevent it hitting him, pausing it in mid-air and sending it flying back towards Riley who sends it straight back into the lake with a whoosh.
"Amazing" whispers Tiana gleefully.
I don't answer. Riley is busy creating a large tornado from the water, it spiraling bigger and bigger while Damien's smile slips from his face. He doesn't look so cocky now. I wonder if this is partly Riley's way of taking revenge or if this is merely to judge his abilities as they claimed they wanted to do.
"Ah Riley, you want to make it that big?" Damien calls out and I see my mate's wicked grin before she sends it right at him, causing him to get sucked into it. He goes flying through the air and hits the lake with a large splash as Tiana laughs and Riley giggles, wiping back her hair with her hands.
"Ouch," Damien complains good humoredly.
"You could have prevented it" Riley pointed out.
Damien poked his tongue out at her.
They were like siblings already, I marveled. Damien splashed her and Riley giggled, sending a wave at him which sent him sprawling backward. Tiana howled with laughter.
"I think it's blatantly obvious that Riley has the superior powers," Tiana said solemnly as Damien scowled at her "bit yours are effective too Damien."
She was trying to appease him. He growled at her. Riley snorted. "Be thankful I'm not singing you to the edge of a cliff" she boasted and Damien shivered dramatically.
"Fine, you win" he grumbled, heading out of the lake, dusting himself off, and reluctantly shaking his sister's hand "you're the stronger of the two of us, but I'm not going to lie" his eyes twinkle "it's pretty cool to have these powers."
"So long as you use them for good" I snarl and he turns to me his eyes wide as he nods quickly.
"Of course, I wouldn't think of anything else to do with them. I only want to help" Damien said quietly.
I stiffened as a smell drifted over me. I sniffed and tensed. It wasn't a rogue, for there was not the smell of rotten meat or eggs, but there were unfamiliar shifters on my territory. They didn't appear to be hostile, but that didn't necessarily mean they weren't dangerous. I let out a long ferocious growl as Riley turned in their direction, her own nose raised in the air as she sniffed.
"Somebody is there. At least two of them" she informed me.
I nodded in agreement. Damien had his hand up, ready to fling water at them but I shook my head subtly at him.
"Wait. They aren't attacking."
"Whoever is out there, come out before I'm forced to attack" I growl, my voice thundering across the clearing "You are trespassing on my territory and I have no desire to fight you unless I'm forced to. Come out and show your faces."
Reluctantly, two shifters peeled out from behind the trees. They looked as though they had seen better days. Their hair was straggly, their bodies were covered in bruises and they looked as though they had been running for the majority of the time. I frowned. These men looked familiar. I glanced at Riley who had sucked in a deep breath and looked as though she was about to faint. I could see her hand coming up prepared to defend herself.
"It's Alpha Jaxon's Beta and Gamma, Callum and Cody" she whispered, her voice shaking "what are they doing here? Have they come to try and bring me back?"
I could see water forming in her hand. The men paused. "We mean no harm" one of the men called out, peering at us closely "we just, need somewhere to find sanctuary."
"Lies" Riley shouted "you work for him, don't deny it. Whatever order's he's given you, you can forget about it. I'm not going back to him" she screamed, a high pressured stream of water flying directly at the men and sending them flying backwards.
"Riley" I snarled and she stopped, her eyes wide in panic "stop. They weren't fighting or attacking. Let them speak" I demanded. fuming at her.
I understood her fear, but still. She needed to reign it in. If only for Tiana's sake. The little girl was watching everything with wide eyes.
The men struggled back to their feet. "We didn't come on his orders" shouted one, his voice carrying across the wind "we came because we had to. Alpha Jaxon has gone mad" he insisted, his voice rising "he and his Luna. They want to find you Riley and they want to bring you back to the pack. He wants to keep all sirens, so that he can take over all the packs" he yelled "and he was willing to kill anyone not willing to go along with what he wanted. If Callum and I hadn't left when we did, we both would be dead right now."
His voice was sincere, pleading. I glanced at Riley who had a mutinous expression on her face. This all sounded unbelievable but in a way it made sense. Riley had said it herself, her previous mate had been a right tool who had cared nothing for her but cared greatly about the abilities she was bound to possess. If he was determined to get Riley back there was no telling just how far he was willing to go.
"Riley, please. Calm yourself" I said, reaching out and grabbing her hand.
I could feel how cold she was. Damien was frowning as he watched the men draw nearer "we dont' want to hurt you" the other man repeated, as they stopped in front of us "we want to keep you safe. Jaxon is not right in the head" he said grimly "and his Luna is even worse. God knows what he was thinking. I bet it's not long until they kill one another. Riley, he wants you" he told her as Riley stared at them both with wide eyes "I'm sorry we didn't help you before but we're helping you now. You have to keep an eye out for him. He's not going to stop. Nor is his Luna. They are both as crazy as each other" he insisted.
"You said you needed sanctuary?" I said quietly.
"We are no longer welcome back at that pack. We were meant to be killed and we ran" the man's voice was rueful "if we try to go back we'll be executed. It was worth the risk."
Riley was frowning "why is he so obsessed with having me? Even when he didn't want me, he still wanted to keep me."
"It's the siren thing. You could lure pack members to their deaths. He could take over several packs and become the strongest in the country. Stronger than even lycan packs" the man blurted out, glancing at me apologetically.
I almost snorted at that. Ha. As if that could happen. But Riley was nodding slowly. Damien scowled "well it doesn't matter. Nobody's getting hands on my sister" he declared heatedly.
The men frowned at him, taking in Damien's appearance. Damien frowned at them. Riley just smiled at Damien and then took Tiana's hand.
"We need to get to that beach and find the um, well you know" she coughs as I silently agree "what are we going to do about Callum and Cody?"
I glance at the men who are slowly following behind us. "There's no guarantee they aren't spies for Alpha Jaxon. Until we know for certain, they stay in the pack house, heavily supervised and under guard" I told her quietly as she nodded in approval "as much as I'd like to trust they are telling the truth, I just am skeptical that they were able to outrun their Alpha that easily. There's something fishy about it."
"I agree" she breathed nodding as Tiana clutched her hand and skipped slightly ahead "but the full moon is going to be here soon and we need to head to that shore."
"I'm on it" I said lightly "I haven't forgotten. We just might be taking the trip in secret. After all, the only other person who knows about it is Tiana here" I nodded at the little girl "and I haven't mentioned it to anyone else. It's safest if only us three go."
She looks at me for a moment and then nods, a glint in her eyes.