by May Dawson
"Because that's easy to do," Finn muttered. He stepped past me to hold out his hand to Kai. "Hey, I'm Finn."
Kai's lips tightened as he recognized the name, but he extended his hand anyway. "Kai."
"I've heard all about you," Finn said brightly.
Please don't help, Finn.
"I'm sure," Kai said thinly. "Well, we'll go down to the dock with you. It'll be a relief to see the rest of the pack safe.”
"We'd like to hear about what happened," Finn said, then glanced at Maddie as if he didn't want to talk in front of her.
Finn flashed her one of those winning, ten-kilowatt Finn smiles and introduced himself, before making small talk with Maddie. She stared at him for a second, cold and questioning, but he quickly won her over.
Kai said to me, "I don't know why you're all so reluctant to talk around her. After all, she already lived it."
"I'd really like to hear about all the ways I've pissed you off lately," I said, "because there definitely seems to be more going on than just..."
"The way you've made yourself at home here?" Kai filled in for me. "No, that's it, Piper. That's enough."
Maddie and Finn were deep in conversation now, so I made my way over to Kai.
Despite himself, when I rested my hand on his shoulder so I could lean toward his ear, his muscles contracted beneath my touch.
"That's not enough to justify using my sister against me," I whispered hotly.
His eyes widened. "That's not what that was."
"You said I abandoned you in front of Maddie!"
"Because that's how she feels!" His whisper carried just as much anger as mine.
I would never abandon her, and she should know that. He knew that damn well. "I love her!"
"I know." His words were low. "And yet you have a funny way of loving people sometimes."
Oh, that wasn't about Maddie at all.
He was so maddening that I could have slapped him. Instead, I spun on my heel to walk away.
He grabbed my arm and reeled me back toward him. As I turned into his arms, I was really ready to slap him. Grabbing me--when I didn't want to be grabbed--deserved retribution.
Then I was up against his hard chest, and his arm settled across my lower back, pinning my body against his. All the breath left my lungs as Kai held me. He felt like home. His nose nuzzled into my hair, as if he was breathing me in.
"I'm glad you're in one piece," he whispered.
That time, his words weren’t angry. They were fond. I took a second to breathe, trying to catch up.
"I'm glad you're alive too."
It was the smallest thing to admit to. Being glad someone wasn't dead was a far cry from being glad to see them again or wanting to have a relationship with them.
And yet, my chest shuddered against his as I tried to catch my breath. His heart was beating fast too, rocketing against my shoulder.
Finn glanced away from Maddie and then did a double take as he took us in. As Finn straightened, he asked, his voice deceptively soft, "Everyone having fun yet?"
"So much I can't stand it." I took a step back. As I separated myself from Kai, a physical ache rose in my chest. I was so furious at him, and at the same time, I wanted things to be back to normal. A restlessness crawled through my bones, like I had to make things right with him.
"Come on, let's go down to the dock." Finn held his hand out to me.
"Callum and Josh and Nick are all right," Kai told Maddie. "We'll both breathe a little easier when we see them, huh?"
She nodded.
As the four of us headed out the back door to the porch, Maddie's knuckles brushed mine. Before she could change her mind, I grabbed her hand.
I wished our reunion wasn't like this. I wanted her to feel safe with me, but I couldn't focus on her feelings right now. My first priority was to keep her safe, even if that left her angry. Even if that left her hurt. I could make it right later. She had to survive.
That reminded me of Arthur saying he would protect me, not make me happy. I'd been furious at him and his pig-headed certainty he knew what was best.
Was this how the alphas felt while they were bossing the rest of us around?
I didn't like that idea one bit.
Chapter 4
Arthur stood at the edge of his docks. He cast me a quick, irritated glance.
"I wanted you to stay in the house," he said.
"But your last order was that you wanted me to stay with you," I said, widening my eyes at him, as if I was innocent.
He grunted, clearly not finding my ploy remotely convincing.
"I bet you'll be glad to see your pack again," he said, his voice coming out flat.
I was tempted to issue an all-hands announcement that there was no time for masculine jealousy. Hold, please. We'll sort out all your feelings later.
Kai's jaw was tight as he stared out at the horizon. He had his usual cold mask on, but I could tell he was worried for his pack. It made me long to go to him and take his hand. But I could easily imagine him pulling away from me with disgust written across his face. I wasn't brave enough to risk it.
Of course, maybe he wouldn’t react that way. He had pulled me against his body as if he wanted me, even while we were fighting in whispers.
The confusion I felt for him was an ache in my chest, and I tossed my head, looking back out at the bright horizon.
When Arthur rested his hand lightly on my back, I glanced up at him, surprised by the affection. I had thought he would be too busy for a distraction like me.
"This worries me," he admitted. "Remember the witch attacking us on the water?"
"I'll never forget it.” As much as I might want to forget what it had been like to fall ever-deeper under the dark waves.
But I wouldn’t want to forget what came after, how Arthur had towed me through the waves and then made love to me for the first time in the moonlit sand.
The first boat crested the horizon. Arthur wrapped his hand around my waist. Behind that boat came a dozen other boats, rising in a spray of white foam.
"They're coming in fast." Arthur raised his radio to his mouth just as a crackle came through.
"We've got trouble," said a low, husky voice. Logan. My Logan was out there to bring in the other pack.
Logan went on, "I could smell dark magic from the time we reached the shore. They're on our trail, I'm sure of it. We loaded everyone up as fast as we could--"
"Just get back here," Arthur said. "We're ready for--"
The sound of the explosion hit us first, a boom that rattled my heart in my chest.
A plume of water and fire jetted the boat high into the air. Black and silver magic crackled around the boat, visible just for a second before it dissipated. I cried out as the boat slammed down into the waves.
"That was Mack's boat," Arthur said. He was already on the radio. "What can you see out there?"
"I don't see anything." Logan's voice came back. "That came out of nowhere. But—”
He broke off, and there were chaotic noises in the background. “Fuck! Abandon ship!" There was a sound like he'd thrown the radio to one side followed by distant splashes and thumps.
The last boat to the left blew skyward. The explosion hummed in my ears like I'd never hear anything else.
This time, Arthur didn't tell me it was someone else's boat. He was back on the radio. "Do we have any survivors in the water?"
"Can't see." The distant voice sounded frantic. This time the black crackle of magic seemed to linger, growing into an ever-expanding fog. I couldn't see the most-distant boats anymore.
Maddie was absolutely silent, staring at the boats. Kai paced back and forth to the edge of the dock, his restless energy building as if he would jump in and swim to the boats.
I grabbed Finn's shoulder and pulled him close to me, keeping my voice low. "Take Maddie and hide. As far as you can get from here."
"You should go with us," he muttered, his eyes worried.
I shook my he
ad. "He'll never give up on finding me. But Maddie, he might not care about as much. Please keep my sister safe." I tried to manage a smile, but my eyes were hot and the effort made me feel more desperate. “No one else knows how to get themselves out of trouble like you do. Please, help me."
"Of course." He grabbed my face with both hands and pressed a quick kiss to my forehead. "Piper, it's all going to be all right in the end."
His optimistic perspective reminded me of when he and Sebastian had found themselves trapped in my room.
"Seb says that attitude is going to get you killed." It was the wrong time to say it, but I laughed shakily anyway. Finn drove Sebastian so crazy.
"Nah." He winked at me. "Trouble never dies. Stay safe, princess."
"I'll do my best." I pushed Maddie gently toward Finn. "Finn is going to take you to see some of the island while we get everyone in safe. It's going to be all right, but it's scary right now and you shouldn't see this."
Maddie leveled me a look. "It's not less scary because I don't see it, Piper."
Nine going on nineteen, right there. No wonder she told me I wasn't that much more grown-up than she was.
I leaned down and whispered in her ear. "I need you to go with Finn. He'll keep you safe, and we'll be back together before you know it."
She gave me a long look, her eyes narrowing. And then, as if she knew she had no choice, she turned and trudged toward Finn.
"Maddie," I said, wanting to hug her goodbye.
But she kept walking.
Finn flashed me an apologetic look and then hurried to catch up to her. I could hear him talking cheerful nonsense as they headed up the sandy path. Even though I knew she’d be more comfortable with Kai, there was no one who could look after my little sister better than Finn. He knew every bit of this island, and he could keep her safe and hidden as long as we needed to.
As soon as she had disappeared toward safety, I could focus on the battle unfolding on the water. The ships were lost in the dark, unnatural fog that spread across the horizon despite the brightness of the day.
And then suddenly, one of the boats burst out of the fog. It skimmed the waves, and a second boat flew out behind it.
I strained my eyes to see the faces in the boats. My vision was sharp, clearer than any human's, but I still couldn't make out familiar features in the vague blurs of faces. The boats were packed.
Arthur raked his hand through his hair. His every muscle was tense. If Logan hadn’t made it, what would he do without him? They might have fought desperately just this morning, but those two half-brothers were closer than any other brothers I'd ever seen.
Then he muttered, "I see men and women. But no children.”
"Maybe they were in one of the other boats." My voice came out dull. Could there possibly be survivors from those two boats that had been blown into the sky?
"Maybe," he said, but there was a dark note in his voice. He mused aloud, "Still, if they were working with the coven, why would the coven attack them?"
He was back on the radio, demanding a casualty count, before I could respond.
As the boats neared the shore, I felt Kai slip next to me.
"Are you all right?" he muttered.
"No," I said. "But I don't exactly have time to fall apart right now."
He looked at me like he wanted to say something, his eyes full of feeling no matter how set and angry his jaw was. He wasn’t all right either. He wouldn’t be until he was reunited with his pack.
When his lips parted, I held my hand up to stop him. "I don't think so."
"You don't know what I was about to say." He frowned.
"I know that we're just going to fight, and I'd rather save all my fight for them." I pointed out to the horizon. "Our shit doesn't matter right now, Kai."
"I know that," he said. "Damn it, Piper. I was trying to make you feel better..."
"I don't need to feel better." I flashed him a smile, knowing it didn't reach my eyes. "I need to kill some witches."
"That's my girl," Arthur said without looking toward me.
"She's not your girl," Kai said, his voice fierce.
Arthur raised an eyebrow at him. Even though Kai was tall and built, Arthur's massive 6-foot-6 of sheer muscle made Kai look boyish in comparison.
"I'm betting Piper would say she's her own person," Arthur said.
That was unexpectedly sweet. "Look at you, you do listen."
Arthur rolled his eyes as he slung his rifle off his shoulder and pushed it into my hands. As I wrapped my hands around the cool wooden stock automatically, I stared up at him in confusion.
"Back up," he told me. "Up onto the ridge. You'll be able to see, and I'll be able to reach you if you need help. Things go south, you head for the cove. You know the one."
I nodded.
Arthur grabbed Kai's shoulder, and Kai jerked back, frowning at him.
"I don't know whose girl she is until she tells us," Arthur told him, "but you keep her alive so we can finish this conversation."
Kai yanked away from him, glowering. But he said, "That's the plan."
Arthur and Kai exchanged a look that was full of not just challenge, but understanding. They both loved the same woman—in their own damaged, imperfect ways—and no matter what a mess that might be, I was glad I had their love.
“Good,” Arthur said, turning his attention back to the battle unfolding on the water. He muttered, “Here we go.”
Chapter 5
From my spot at the top of the ridge, I could see the boats reach the docks although I couldn't hear what was said as Arthur greeted the other pack's alpha. The wind whipped their voices away from me as they shook hands and thumped each other on the shoulders, almost familiarly. Maybe they did know each other. I wondered what their history was with this pack.
"He's intense," Kai muttered.
Had Kai met himself?
"Yeah, intense men seem to be a thing for me," I said.
Kai's eyebrows rose, but I put my hand up before he could press. "Didn't we agree to shelve all this for now?"
"All I thought about while I was running, besides keeping Maddie safe and calm, was how I couldn't die without resolving all this," he said, forming air quotes with his fingers. "But okay. Whatever. Not important."
That was unexpected...and touching. "Kai."
"You're right." He threw himself to the grass and as his knees fell apart, he touched the inside of his calves, as if he was checking for the shape of his knife handles tucked into the tops of his boots. "We'll pick this up later if we survive."
I stared out at the wreckage of the boats drifting on the far horizon. The fog was clearing away but it still obscured the horizon; it was drifting up in the sky, as if it might blot away the sun before it was done.
"I'll bet you wish you'd never met me," I muttered. They'd searched for me, never knowing how much trouble they'd find.
He snorted in response.
I'd expected sarcasm from him, but the way he was shaking his head now, staring out at the waves with the faintest, disbelieving grin on his face, made me furious.
"What?" I demanded.
"You want me to comfort you right now?" he demanded. "You don't want to hear how I've felt, you just want me to tell you, it's all right, Piper, I love you and I missed you and we can work everything out?"
"Wow," I said. "I can't imagine what you were planning to say to me that couldn't wait, then. That was so important you were obsessing over it while you ran from the coven..."
"This is coming out all wrong," he said, his voice irritated. As if it was my fault that I didn't understand what he was saying.
"Yeah, it is."
There was something moving in the wreckage.
I was on my feet in a second, my eyes straining for whatever it was. Whoever.
"What is it?" Kai asked, jumping up too. His arm brushed mine in his eagerness to follow my gaze.
"Survivors." I pointed toward the spot where I had seen the swimmer. More movement
caught my eye—an arm, a head, a wild commotion in the water. There were at least two swimmers.
"Is that Josh?" Kai said. "I swear, I'd know that blond boy-band hair anywhere."
The relief in his voice was unmistakable, and it made me soften toward him.
"We've got to get a boat back there to pick them up," I said. "Come on."
The two of us took off down the sandy trail as fast as we could.
Arthur was striding up the hill toward us with the other alpha. When he saw us sliding down the trail, his eyes widened in exasperation. "Stay with me," he hissed, jerking his head up the hill toward the house. "We've got plans to make to defend the island."
"They're out there," I said, catching his arm. "I saw Josh, and I think Logan too. They survived the blast. We've got to get back out there to them."
He met my gaze, and I could see pity in his eyes--the first time I'd seen it. “I want them to be alive too. But I think you’re imagining things, Piper. Because you want it so badly. There’s no way anyone survived.”
“I saw it,” I said. “I promise you.”
“The magic is only getting worse on the water. If we send another boat out, we’ll lose more people,” he said firmly.
I stared at him. “You have to listen to me.”
“I am listening.” He gently took his arm away from me. "My first priority is to protect the packs here on the island. I've got work to do, Piper. Come with me or find Seb and stay out of the way."
I let my hands fall to my sides. "I'll stay out of the way."
"Stay close," he said, his voice affectionate.
He nodded to the other alpha, an older, grizzled man, and the two of them resumed their climb to the house, followed by a mix of our shifters and theirs.
"What are we doing?" Kai asked, leaning in close to me as we stepped to one side of the trail to let them pass.
I waited until the last one had gone past us toward the house. They glanced back at us. A small superstitious part of me thought that they knew we were up to something, but then they went on.
"We're going after them."
Chapter 6
