Chapter 29

Viviane’s POV

Spending most of my childhood with a tail instead of legs, dancing always seemed like a skill beyond my reach. I’ve tried a few times and even explored different genres, but it’s always been an utter embarrassment. It turns out all I was missing is my mate.

Caspian spins me around the ballroom so effortlessly I feel like I’m floating, though that might just be the effect of being near him. We’re alone on the dancefloor, and the attention from the surrounding pack is palpable, but it’s impossible to feel uneasy in my mate’s arms. Under any other circumstances I would have passed out from stage fright before taking a single step, instead I’m smiling up at the future Alpha without a care in the world.

This is the exact problem I shared with Kiera. Everything is easy when we’re together – but is that worth it if everything is a nightmare when we’re apart? If I could only figure out how to be around him without feeling drunk on love, then I might be able to sort… My thoughts stutter to a halt as I register my own words.

I can’t be in love. It’s too soon, even if we are mates. Of course, a little voice says in the back of my mind. Kiera’s already tragically head over heels for Chase and they’ve never so much as kissed. You’ve done a lot more than kiss Caspian. Have you ever felt anything more right than being with him?

I’ve never felt much of anything with anyone. I reply to the voice, I’ve never had the chance.

When the song ends I excuse myself to the restroom, promising Caspian a quick return. When I’m finally ensconced in the decked out washroom, complete with couches and vanities, I take a minute to catch my breath.

Closing my eyes, I try to remember what my dreams were when we first escaped the pearl farms. I was very young, and hadn’t known anything other than pain. I didn’t allow myself to hope for anything different so I would never be disappointed.

I managed to keep it up for a few years, the worst years, but after a while I did start to dream of the future, no matter how foolish I knew it was. I wanted to make the most of my freedom. I wanted to get Mom healthy and go to school. I wanted to travel and discover for myself what the world had to offer.

I never dreamed of a man – I never dreamed I’d be able to trust anyone. After all, very few mermen live long enough to escape the farms, and that left only shifters. I never imagined I would have a family – even if I did find a merman to love, I would never bring a child into a world determined to enslave it.

All my dreams were for myself, for mom; for the kind of security shifters enjoy which makes them feel safe to hope.

Just because you didn’t dream of Caspian doesn’t mean being with him is a bad thing. The little voice pipes up again. It doesn’t mean you have to give up your other dreams.

It does if being with him means becoming Luna. I argue, slumping down on one of the sofas, More than anything I dreamed of having choices and being free enough to make them without fear. If I –

Before I finish the thought, the restroom door swings open, and the click of high heels sounds on the marble floors. Nerissa appears entirely unsurprised to see me, “Hello Stepsister.” She smirks, “I thought I might find you here.”

Oh Gods, the last time I saw her my mate was publicly scolding her on my account, and then I got her father thrown in jail. “How many times do I have to remind you we aren’t sisters?” I ask with false bravado.

She ignores my rebuttal, hips swaying as she glides inside and props her clutch open on the counter. “You made quite an entrance tonight.” She says, digging through the small bag and pulling out a tube of lipstick.

“Then you should enjoy my exit,” I retort, moving for the door.

“Ah, ah, ah.” She wags her finger. “Not so fast, bottom feeder.”

“What do you want?” I inquire through clenched teeth.

“Well I have good news and bad news.” She announces, pausing to apply a fresh coat of lipstick. “The good news is that I owe you one for getting Daddy out of the way.” Nerissa smirks at my surprised countenance, “He wasn’t going to give me my trust fund until I turned 25. But as long as he’s locked up I get to control his entire estate.”

I shift restlessly, “Well I can’t blame you for caring so little about him – given what he is.”

A cruel sneer erases her smug grin. “Given what you are, you should feel honored he ever wanted to touch you in the first place.” I stumble backwards as if I’ve been slapped, but she continues, “I never knew you were such an ungrateful little mutant.”

I stare mutely as she caps the lipstick tube and returns it to her bag, “Which brings me to the bad news. I’m afraid I can’t allow you to date Caspian.” Her lips form a mock pout. “It’s a fucking travesty that you’re letting him debase himself with you. He’s the future Alpha, the Gods only know what diseases you’ve given him.”

“You’ve threatened me with this already, Nerissa.” I croak, stung by her horrible words, but unafraid of her threats. “Things didn’t turn out so well for you.”

“Caspian may think the mermaid rumors are just that,” She argues. “But we both know there’s proof. If you don’t leave him, I will make sure he finds it.”

I open my mouth to fight back, then close it. Caspian already knows what I am, and he’d kill to protect my secret. If Nerissa goes back to him with more claims regarding my secret identity, she’s the one who will lose, not me. I straighten my spine, leveling her with my gaze. “Go right ahead.”

Nerissa takes a step back, genuine shock dominating her expression. After a moment she narrows her eyes, “You don’t think I will? You think I’m too afraid of him to try again?”

“If you aren’t afraid you’re a fool.” I tell her, “and unless you have any more insults or threats, I really should get back.”

“I will do it!” She insists. “Maybe not tonight, but just you wait, Viviane.”

I stalk out the door without a backward glance, feeling a foreign rush of pride. I’ve never been able to stand up for myself before. My heart was pounding the entire time, but at least I’m not ashamed of my response, like I normally am.

I’m smiling again by the time get back to the ballroom, though it quickly wavers when I realize Caspian isn’t where I left him. I scan the room, finally finding him on the opposite side of the room, huddled with a group of men I don’t recognize.

I start to move towards him, and his sharp eyes immediately laser in on me. Before I can make it halfway across the room, Chase intercepts me. “May I have this dance?”

I accept, suspicion churning in my belly. “What’s going on Chase?”

He begins to lead me through the steps, nowhere near as graceful or comforting as Caspian. “What do you mean?”

I cut my eyes to the tall wolf. “Why does Caspian want you to distract me?”

“You need to work on your self esteem.” He tsks, “Do you really think that’s the only reason I would want to dance with you?”

“No.” I reply, “But it’s the reason you are.”

His lip quirks, “I think maybe our Alpha has been rubbing off on you, that sounded almost stern.”

“Then maybe we can give my self-esteem isn’t in danger after all.” I say, digging in my heels so that he’ll have to forcibly lift me if he wants me to move further. “And anyway, you should dance with Kiera instead of me.” I suggest nodding to my friend, “She’s a much better dancer.”

Chase follows my line of sight until his attention lands on Kiera. My friend, beautifully decked out in a sleek, forest colored gown, stands up a little straighter. She unabashedly meets his gaze, and to my surprise and delight, the shifter’s hands loosen on me reflexively. “She’s even smarter than she is pretty,” I say quietly, “in case you hadn’t noticed.”

Smiling at his slack jaw and dumbstruck expression, I take the opportunity to slip out of his grasp completely. Crossing the dancefloor without further diversions, I accept Caspian’s outstretched hand when I’m within reach, letting him tug me into his side and tuck me under his arm. “What’s going on?”

The men around us, who I now recognize as enforcers, exchange agitated glances, their mouths in identical hard lines. The contours of Caspian’s hard body are rigid against my side, and his jaw is clenched so tightly I’m genuinely worried he might break a fang. Rage filters through our bond in bits and pieces, as if he’s trying to withhold the emotions but cannot contain them completely.

When his ferocious eyes land on my upturned face, I brace myself for the imminent blow, but nothing could prepare me for the words he actually speaks.

“Mordred escaped.”