Riley POV
Gone. A tear slips down my cheek, my rage almost palpable. I knew Bailey had been keeping secrets from me, but I hadn't thought it would be anything this serious. We were meant to be partners, equals and instead, he'd kept the one thing from me that had resulted in this increasing anger that was rising by the second. I needed to get out of the pack house and away from him. I needed water, the sanctuary it provided, and the haven it brought me. Even my wolf could understand my agitation as I swiftly changed into wolf form just outside the grounds, my paws thudding across the ground, my chest heaving as I headed in the direction of the lake, unable to concentrate on anything else but the solace and the silence that would await me.
How could he have kept this from me? He knows how much I loved Tiana. I had a right to know damnit I growled, the trees shuddering beneath the impact of my feet as they thudded along the ground.
Men are such simple creatures, wanting only what is best for us. He didn't want to stress you out, not while you're pregnant Riley, is that such a bad thing?
It insults me. I am capable of much more than what he sees. We are never going to be true equals if he can't see me for who I am and what I can do I told my wolf and the siren part of me and sometimes I wonder if he's ashamed of me.
Silence. Even my wolf could offer no words of support for that. It was something I wrestled with continuously, wondering if Bailey had wanted a normal mate, a Luna Queen who could be accepted without question among her peers. It would have made life so much simpler for him, but instead, he'd gotten stuck with me. At least, that's how I was beginning to feel.
We reached the lake. I skidded to a halt. For once, I was grateful to find that Damien wasn't there. I didn't need an interfering older brother trying to stick up for me or getting into my business. I shifted, panting, and frantically dove into the water, submerging my naked body completely, feeling the coolness of the water as it enveloped me and enclosed me. Safety. Heaven. Caressing waves of gentle water, my head flinging above the surface, droplets shimmering as they dropped back into the lake. I could breathe again, even as water began to rise, slowly, bubbles floating above my head. I touched one, causing it to burst, a small smile curving on my lips. At least my magic hadn't been affected by the pregnancy, at least as far as I could tell. I could still control the element of water with relative ease. My hair drifted into the water, shining silver and blue, and I floated, closing my eyes and allowing everything to fade away.
Feel the strength of the water as it gently embraces your body my siren encourages give voice to everything that you are feeling, everything that you have repressed. Let your anger speak, let your grief be known. Allow yourself to become the siren that you are, instead of hiding behind the mask.
Hiding behind the mask? I frowned but the siren continued, our people continue to suffer, and our kind will never be accepted until things begin to change. For too long have we hidden in the shadows, fearful of what is to become of us. You were chosen to be the Lycan King's mate for a reason she told me as my wolf silently agreed and that reason is just beginning. Our people need a champion, a warrior willing to fight for them. Somebody they can depend on to save them. They need a Luna Queen who will accept what they are and go to battle to rescue them from those who would kill them simply based on their race.
I had told Bailey that I was tired of the sirens being hunted and that shifters had declared war on sirens first. Part of me hadn't been lying, in fact, I had been speaking words from the heart. I was tired of being looked down upon because of who I was. I was tired of reading about sirens being hunted down and killed. The only other thing hunted with as much enthusiasm was feral wolves and that didn't occur nearly as much as one would think. Why should sirens continue to suffer at the shifter's hands? Why had we allowed them to hunt us and kill us without fighting back for our rights? Didn't we have the right to live in peace? Didn't we have the right to exist? Who had decided we were dangerous? Who had made the rules that sirens should be killed?
You're beginning to question everything the siren was pleased I can feel the anger building in your breast. Your entire childhood was filled with abuse because your own father feared what you might be capable of. A small child, helpless and beaten, simply for something she could not help. How many siren children have been treated with the same contempt, the same disgust, the same revulsion? How many have been killed at birth because they had the blue and silver hair that indicated they were of siren lineage? How many innocent Sirens have had to die, been raped or murdered?
Too many I answered fiercely, my eyes shooting open as I stared at the sky, my mind whirling and in turmoil. Bailey had said he didn't want a war to start, but the truth was, there already was one. There would always be one so long as sirens were continued to be hunted and it was accepted as normal practice. That changed, here and now, I vowed, rage beginning to overwhelm me. No more would another siren suffer at the hands of a shifter. No more would a siren child be beaten into submission or forced into slavery and killed. No more would we live in the shadows or caves, fearful of when our days might be numbered.
Sing. Give voice to the feeling stirring within you. Speak with the voice you have been granted and the powers you possess my siren urged, her voice rising with encouragement let the rage out and all that drives you within!
My mouth opened of its own accord and the song began. Unlike others, this wasn't fueled by sadness but by anger, rage, the desire for revenge, and resentment for what had been. It was ear-piercing, Haunting. Loud. My voice grew louder, and the trees began to shake. The water began to spread out from my body, causing me to stand up, before the trees slowly began to topple, one by one, over and over, crashing into each other, while water began to rain down upon us, hail, wind, thunder. It was like the perfect storm and my voice never let up. I could hear the sounds of panicked shouting behind me. My voice rose higher. I let out an agonized final note, my voice petering out. The rain slowly began to cease. The thunder stopped. Sunlight came back out from behind the clouds. The wind died down. I looked at the chaos and devastation in front of me.
Everywhere, there were trees uprooted and fallen over. Earth was uprooted. Bird's homes had been destroyed. It was like a tornado had come and gone as I looked at how far the chaos went, almost half the forest was destroyed within minutes with just a single song. I felt dazed. My anger was still there, stirring in my breast as I put a hand to my chest. I began to walk, away from the lake, the water dropping back down with a giant splash. I climbed over trees, my gait stiff and automatic. I saw the look of panic on my mate's face as I headed back onto the grounds.
"Riley, what happened?" he asked, trying to rush over to me.
I put a hand out to stop him. He was looking at the forest, his eyes narrowed. I saw the other men look at me and for the first time, I saw something akin to fear in their eyes. Never before had they experienced my anger like they had just now.
"Riley" Bailey's voice was low as I looked him right in the eyes. "What's happened? Did you lose control? Did something happen?" he pressed, looking frustrated as I kept him at arm's reach.
"No" my voice was sharp, my eyes never wavering from his "I didn't lose control," I told him "I'm showing exactly what a siren is capable of when they are angry"
He hesitated "Riley, we can talk about this."
"No," I told him shaking my head "Tomorrow at the mating ball you have a decision to make. Back me in calling for a cease in hunting down sirens or reject me as your mate. It's one or the other Bailey. I won't be mates with a man who is afraid of me or my kind" I told him raising my chin as he looked at me flabbergasted "And my pregnancy does not restrict me from rejecting you either" I said as he gaped at me.
I began to walk past him, feeling strangely relaxed. I had made my decision. I had made my choice. I was going to help my people and I was going to get Tiana and the others back, even if I had to go pack to pack to do it.
"Riley" Bailey shouted.
I didn't turn my head to look at him. My eyes narrowed as I walked past the men, Damien's eyes on me, and a small smile curved on his lips as he gave me a subtle nod.
"I await your decision King Bailey" my voice was cold as I entered the pack house "You have until the ball to make your decision. I have already made mine" I informed him.
I walked up the stairs feeling a new sense of determination. I had thrown down the gloves, but would Bailey pick up the gauntlet? Was my mate about to betray me in the worst possible way or was he going to surprise me and show just how far he was willing to go in order to keep me by his side, regardless of what it might cost him? Time will tell. I, on the other hand, began to make my own preparations. I didn't intend to go into the ball without considering all the angles and I was certainly not about to be lax in my own security. I placed a hand on my stomach "I'm doing this for us" I whispered to my unborn child "so that you can live in a world without fear and hate."