Recovering the Siren Read online

  “Ambassador, let me be crystal fucking clear so you understand the bottom line here,” I said as I moved back in front of the webcam. “Your people didn’t kill me. They were your people, German intelligence that took me from emergency services. You are not understanding the problem of them harvesting a paranormal because you apparently don’t see us as people.

  “So as you sit here and pump my doctor for more data instead of sounding repentant as to what I went through, understand that if I find out there is any more of this harvesting happening, I will burn it all to the ground.” I smiled at the web cam as power flashed in my eyes. “You get me? I will sneak past your check points and whatever else you have and burn it to the ground and everyone involved if you’re abusing paranormals. Is that in any way unclear?”

  “Yes, Chief Thomas, and I will make sure your threat is clear to the chancellor.”

  “Oh, that’s not a threat, that’s a promise,” I purred as I smirked at him. “A threat is saying I’m sure I can find some rogue anyone to come when you’re being stupid and not guarded as you should and take you out of your country and live harvest you. That’s a threat. If you don’t get on the right side of this, I’m sure there will be a line of people wanting to show you what it’s like to endure that because according to you it would be your fault you let it happen.”

  “You really don’t have the patience for politics,” Alena sighed.

  “Nope, and this is personal where he’s talking about it like it was a dog that was let out of the yard and accidentally caught and euthanized. But it was me. And I didn’t run away or I’m not a fucking dog. So I suggest that attitude at least change and the correct vernacular start being used or you could easily become one of us and then we’ll see whose bitch you are.” I smiled widely. “Because I’m Alpha. I’d remember that.”

  “You’re leaving?” Galvin asked after I said goodbye to everyone.

  “Do you still want me on this call?” I drawled, smiling when several people shook their heads. “Then I’m going to stop enduring this as my doctor said to limit the stress. Oh, and he’s done answering questions. He has lives to save, not get grilled about all of us like we’re test subjects. So I’m going to take the next step to getting better.” I smirked at the ambassador. “Maybe plan a trip back to Germany soon if it’s needed.”

  Apollo burst out laughing as I headed to the door, making a comment that they hadn’t broken me, just seriously pissed me off which was stupid.

  Yeah, it was, and it also made me feel better that he was right. I’d broken, but I wasn’t broken and could be repaired.

  The doc took the chance and hurried to leave. Alok and Tasar seemed conflicted, wanting a seat at the table since Laila wasn’t on the call but I was sneaking out.

  “She’s not even the biggest scare you have, Mr. Ambassador,” Councilwoman Haton warned him. “There are several suitors who are looking for someone to claw up for taking the woman they love.”

  As if on cue, Eugene showed up since I’d invited him to work out. I grabbed my work tablet that someone had charged and slipped my phone in my pocket. I tossed my keys over to Monroe, asking him to leave them at the front desk after he locked up.

  “You’re really just leaving?” he checked, still a bit stumped with Galvin.

  I nodded. “I want my life back, and the doc gave me the next step on how to heal. Much more of this conversation and all I’ll be full of is hate and rage. This is above my paygrade anyways, and I can’t keep calm.”

  “What’s going on in there?” Eugene asked, his eyes flashing shock when he saw who was on the TV for the call. “Wait, is one of them who is trying to ignore what happened to you?” He stormed into the apartment and snarled loudly. “Which one of you is fucking fine with dissecting people? I’d like to have a meeting with you and hear it personally how you’re not denouncing they were cutting her up instead of here with me.”

  “That’s a threat, Ambassador,” Haton chuckled. “And one none I know have survived. He’s centuries old, a rare born dire wolf, and the last of probably one of the deadliest bloodlines ever known. You were saying this wasn’t a big deal?”

  I watched the bully turn to prey, Eugene and I willing to fight in a way the others couldn’t, and the ambassador finally got it. When Eugene’s eyes, mouth, and claws shifted, I thought the man might pass out.

  “Eugene, I’ve been cleared to work out, and I want to get sweaty. You want to yell at him or help me get sweaty?” I called over.

  He glanced at me and changed back before looking at the TV and pointing at the ambassador. “Fix this and protect the people who live there no matter what species, or I will eat you and your family.”

  “Eugene,” Haton sighed, knowing that was over the line.

  “You didn’t see her when she came off the plane,” he snapped. “She was dying, and they did that. She’s mine, and they did that.” He huffed when I cleared my throat. “Fine, I’m hers. Same thing.” He looked over at me with pain in his eyes. “I’m yours, and they almost took you from us who need you. I want justice for that, or I will come for vengeance!”

  “He certainly is hers,” Apollo muttered.

  “We’ve started enough trouble, and I’m getting tired standing instead of walking,” I said to Eugene, agreeing with Apollo and touched the wolf before me felt that way.

  He nodded to Monroe and Galvin, giving one to the webcam and who he should before heading for the door. “Did you eat? You’re still on hourly eating, right?”

  “Yeah, I can do protein shakes now. I can get one and drink it while walking.”

  “Fine, I’ve got a protection detail to come with us.”

  “Thank you.” I pursed my lips at him when we were alone in the hallway.

  He eased down as he leaned over, brushing his lips over mine. “Sorry. You—I’m sorry. I could feel how that conversation hurt you on top of all they did, and I can’t take you hurting anymore.”

  “You are so intense, and honestly, it’s fucking hot,” I admitted, kissing him again.

  As if to prove my point, he slid his arm around me and pulled me closer, cupping my ass with his large hand. “I’m scared to hurt you.”

  “That’s why you haven’t been napping with me or stopping in,” I surmised, smiling at him. “I think you’ve got a soft and fluffy side too since you’ve never pushed me either.”

  “Maybe with you,” he confessed. “I’m so fucking glad you’re safe and getting better, and I barely know you, and that scares me.”

  I actually felt worlds better knowing that because sometimes intense could fizzle out, and I wanted to make sure his feelings were real, not just on the surface. But Alena would know that, and it was probably why she’d told me they approved of him.

  “Well, maybe I should be less scary for you then,” I teased him, glad when he smiled. “Wanna have a very calm date of getting a protein shake and hitting the gym?”

  “I’d love to.” One more kiss and he let me go, taking my hand as we walked to the elevator.

  And that tired me out. I admitted as much and was up in his arms. “I need to workout and get my strength back.”

  “By pacing yourself,” he lectured, shaking his head when I opened my mouth to argue. “I’ve studied medicine and healing, sports medicine it’s now called. It’s helpful for shifters to have someone around who knows this stuff, as our bodies heal from a lot but also take a beating when we shift, especially when new to it. I know what I’m talking about.”

  “I know,” I confessed, giving him a gentle kiss. “Cory told me you helped him and how to deal with the aches the rabbits still had from shifting and trying to shift longer. Thank you for helping my little brothers.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  “You did a lot to help my pack and those I love while I was gone. It meant a lot to me,” I added as he carried me out into the garage, nodding to the ancients who made it clear they were going to be on my detail for a while, as I’d been taken on my way to meet
some of them and that upset them.

  “I wanted to help and not let all you worked for fall apart while you were gone.”

  “I know.” I pressed my lips to his ear. “And I plan on showing exactly how grateful I am when I get cleared for naked fun. If you still want me, that is.”

  “I do,” he growled, hearing the insecurity in my voice I hadn’t meant to show. “I still want you, Sera. You’re injured and recovering. You’ll get all your strength and power back.”

  “Will you still carry me around when I want then?” I teased him, wanting the mood lighter.

  “Try and stop me, woman,” he murmured as he kissed along my neck. “This is a great first date.”

  “Great, now I’m nervous,” I grumbled as he set me on my feet by an SUV. “I’ve only had a few first dates.”

  “Me too,” he admitted, shrugging when I shot him a look I wouldn’t buy that. “I’ve had a lot of one night stands or hookups. I’ve had a lot of fixups because I’m a dire wolf and my bloodline. I’ve only had a couple of dates where it wasn’t about that, and you’re the first who hasn’t asked.”

  It was my turn to shrug. “You’ll tell me when I’m ready.” I cleared my throat. “You know I’m infertile, right? I mean, someone must have mentioned it to you once you really became a mating candidate or whatever, right?”

  He nodded. “I don’t know I’ll ever want kids to be the last like I’ve been. It’s hard to live with that. But I also don’t want to be the last. Being Alpha and pregnant is dangerous, and few do it because of that, and you don’t want kids. If I do ever decide one way or the other, I would find a surrogate.”

  I nodded, remembering he had said something about not wanting to have kids with the way things were now for shifters. “Sorry, that’s really not first date talk. I just… People were talking about you being the last and whatever, and I didn’t want to falsely advertise.”

  “I like that you’re blunt,” he told me when I winced at how bad that sounded. He leaned in and gave me another kiss. “Let’s go get that protein shake to put in you before I put what I want in you.”

  Well, that was one way to change the topic and mood. Damn. I was almost vibrating, relieved I could react like that after what I’d been through.

  Which was probably why he did it from the glance he shot me when we pulled out.

  “That is the going rate of payment for saving an Alpha’s pack from being invaded,” I teased him, smirking as I felt his hormones shoot up. “I believe it’s a naked carpet picnic, blow job, and getting to fuck the woman however you want.”

  “Shit, Sera,” he groaned, gripping the steering wheel hard enough I thought it might break off. “I was going to ask to see you in one of the costumes you sell at the club. That wasn’t why I did it, but I heard from your guys that you like to give ‘rewards’ when they spoil you like that day they pampered you after the club opened.”

  “Which one?” I asked, happy to see this side of him.

  “The naughty school girl one,” he mumbled, clearing his throat. “I don’t have a thing with younger girls, but there wasn’t a high school like that when I was younger. I mean, not like now or this century, and when I met you and realized how much younger you were than me, I kept thinking of you wearing one of those uniforms and boys seeing you like that.”

  I covered my face when I flushed red before actually giggling. “I did go to a private high school. I did it in two years, but yeah, I actually still have the uniform. Brian made a joke once when he saw that in my file that he wanted to see it. I couldn’t ever do it. I wasn’t as… I’d never played dress up besides going undercover. It’s in storage at the house.”

  “I’m going to walk into the restaurant sporting wood,” he grumbled, turning at the light.

  I noted the ancients behind us in two vehicles and sighed without meaning to. He noted it, so I decided to take the chance to talk with someone who might understand. “This wasn’t the life I wanted, needing to be protected. I signed up to protect others.”

  “And you will,” he comforted. “I know the feeling.” He nodded when I glanced at him. “It’s not about me, and I don’t want to get into my past, but everyone wanted to put me in bubble wrap or mate me off. You’re young, Sera. You are powerful, but you’re new. It won’t always be like this, and someone got you; that’s when you have to step up everything so no one tries again.”

  I nodded. Right, Alena and Zeno didn’t always travel with guards. I knew that. There were times they needed to, but I was also inexperienced. I hadn’t felt the magic to be wary. “But someone will always be more powerful or able to get me. He knocked out the ancients and made me disappear.”

  “Yeah, which just proves that it’s not only you that needs protecting, but everyone should be more careful and buddy up. And not just us. The world is scary.”

  “Fair enough,” I agreed after a moment. I did like feeling safe, and I had a feeling I would need that for a while.

  I didn’t think there was anyone who could pick on me for that, but undoubtedly someone would.

  We stopped at a trendy and popular place that seemed to be popping up all over Chicago. I checked out the menu and ordered, grabbing an extra sports drink too. I winced when Eugene finished ordering.

  “Sorry, I’m out of sorts still,” I muttered. “I didn’t bring my wallet or like—”

  “I got it,” Eugene muttered, seeing I was upset. “And everything was recovered. The councilman found it and Dain, Brian, and your team was checking your accounts to make sure no one was using your cards or hoping they would to track you.”

  “Okay, thanks,” I whispered, rubbing my hand over my short hair and wanting to cry as it wasn’t my normal mane. Wow, my emotions were totally swinging wildly and faster than “normal” since I’d become a wolf. Which was saying not normal at all, but I had been trying hard to adjust to that instead of pushing it all down.

  “So you like peanut butter, chocolate, and banana?” he asked while we waited, moving closer and rubbing his hand over my arm in a comforting gesture that helped.

  “Doesn’t everyone? Is there some crazy person who wouldn’t like that?”

  He snorted. “No one I know. Marshmallow would make it perfect, but that’s not healthy at all.”

  “I do like marshmallow too.” I was just starting to calm down when I saw the ancients and sighed. “Sorry, do you guys want something too? I’m sorry, what were you guys doing today?”

  Nikos gave me a soft smile. “Sera, you’re not making us go to the dentist or something. Yeah, we can grab a treat and hit the gym too. Nowhere you go is a chore to go to. I’ve never seen you shop.”

  “If you do, can we buy lingerie?” one of the others joked, giving me a wink.

  Well, that helped. Fine, so they didn’t mind. It was still a lot and hard to get used to. And I still had to get back into my life and add the new problems.

  How long until the doctor cleared me to drink?

  Fuck a duck.

  5

  “I’m shocked this is the first place you want to go when you just got home,” Eugene admitted as we found parking at the new eco friendly gym the coven now had.

  I shrugged. “It was my idea.”

  He sighed. “And you know Vlad peed all over it and it’s a vampire being nice to humans thing instead of community like you wanted.”

  “Yes, he’s dividing us and it ends,” I said quietly before taking another sip of my protein shake. “This is fucking awesome. Can we just make it a standing rule people pick these up?”

  He leaned over and stole a sip of mine since he didn’t want one before a workout and had just gotten a sports drink. “That is good. Shit, yeah, we’ll get another one after we’re done since you’re supposed to keep eating.”

  “You don’t work out in under an hour,” I argued.

  “No, but you have a nice gym in the building I hit in the morning,” he told me. “The building is swank and totally ridiculous on price.”

 
; “You should get an apartment then,” I muttered, glad there was an easy lead in to what I’d been wanting to bring up. “You and your team.” I smiled at the front desk when I reached them. “Hi, we’d like—”

  “You’re already a member, Alpha Sera,” the vampire told me with a smile. “Welcome home.”

  “Thanks. Do I sign something?”

  “No, your Betas made sure to come on the grand opening to show support and sign their families up. I just need your thumb print, as that’s how the machines total everyone’s energy output.”

  “Awesome. One of my wolves wants to join as well,” I said as she moved a scanner over to me. I gestured to Eugene before putting my thumb where she told me.

  “It’s our policy that only Chicago residents or paranormals from Chicago groups be allowed membership.”

  Which was one of the reasons I had made this my first stop. That was a shitty rule when Melicent was setting this all up and it had been my idea… And it excluded my coven. Vlad was being a shitty baby while I had been gone, and it ended.

  “I’m telling you he’s my wolf and my coven is here to get membership too, and if there’s a problem with that, Vlad can call me, but I believe we’ve more than made such allowances and niceties for him and his, even visitors of his he’s had as guests.”

  “Of course, Alpha,” she agreed, trying not to smile. She gave Eugene a tablet to fill in the online form and explained what she needed, handing more tablets to my group. She looked down at the desk like she was doing something but glanced at me from under her lashes. “I’m so glad you’re back, Alpha.”

  I gave the slightest wink but didn’t react otherwise since she’d spoken under her breath at a level the cameras probably wouldn’t catch. I could only imagine the shit Vlad would give his vampire if they sided with me.

  Well, at least getting caught doing it.