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eighteen

TRITON

“These shells have been driving me insane all day,” Aria whispered, scratching beneath a strip of them as we walked to the final, adult-only party to end the Tide Change celebration.

We were on our own in the hallway, having stayed behind to finish up a game we’d started to occupy a bunch of kids an hour earlier.

Their parents took them back to their rooms when it was over, leaving us alone.

According to my mate, we all sounded like windchimes as we walked thanks to the decorative strands of shells that were sewn into everyone’s holiday clothing.

I eyed the spot she was itching.

I had my mate’s body memorized thoroughly enough to recognize that she was scratching one of her scales.

And usually, a female merrae’s scales only itched for one reason.

Her whole body could itch if she hadn’t been in water for a day or two, but we’d showered together after we woke up.

“You’re looking at me weird. What am I missing?” she asked.

I lifted my gaze back to the hallway.

She wasn’t going to like what I had to tell her, which was why I hadn’t brought it up.

We hadn’t had sex that day, so there was no real reason she’d needed to know earlier.

I knew she’d discussed breeding and babies with the other turned humans repeatedly, so I thought she would put the signs together.

She hadn’t, so I was going to have to break the news.

“You never told me what the tattoo on your side says,” I said instead.

“We sealed the bond without me knocking you up, and I remember that being your condition.”

“If I tell you, are you going to tell me why you’re looking at me weird?”

“Yes.”

I would’ve told her anyway.

I was just hoping a conversation about her tattoo would cheer her up before I did.

She loved talking about her tattoos, and I did want to know.

She gave me a small smile.

“It’s a tribute to my mom. It says, ‘I love you most . It’s a silly, sweet thing that some people say with their family on Earth. When I was a teenager my mom would tell me she loved me, and I’d always say sarcastically that I loved her more. She would counter that she loved me most. I got the tattoo after she died, and I guess it made me feel like she would always be with me.”

“Did it work?”

She nodded, emotion in her eyes as she looked away.

“Yeah. It did.”

I stopped walking, pulling her into my arms and holding her tightly.

She hugged me hard, and I kissed her lightly on the cheek.

“You told me not to say it yesterday, Sweetheart, but I don’t want to wait anymore. I love your independence, your determination, and your personality. I love the way your eyes light up when you use your magic, and I love the way you talk to me without reservation or fear. You’re so much more than I could have ever imagined, and you’ve become my whole world. I love you.”

The salt of her tears burned my nose.

I lowered my lips closer to her ear.

“Also, you’re going into your fertile period. Your scales will likely fall off tonight.”

There was a moment of silence before she jerked away from me, eyes wide and panicked as she looked down at her scales.

“Wait, what?!”

“They’re bothering you, and I can see that the colors have started to lighten. It’ll start tonight or tomorrow morning.”

“Holy shit. Holy shit ,” she repeated, shoving a hand through her hair to drag it out of her face.

Her gaze lifted back to mine, edging on worried.

“What do you think?”

“What do you mean, what do I think?”

“Do you think we should try to have a baby?”

“I helped you find a birth control plant, remember? We still have its dried carcass hanging in the grotto, waiting.”

She shoved her hand through her hair again.

It was done in soft waves, styled carefully for the holiday.

“Right. But that was before.”

“Before what?”

“Before I realized I liked babies.”

“Everyone likes babies, Sweetheart.”

“Joa doesn’t,” she pointed out.

“Okay, almost everyone likes babies.”

Aria nodded, shoving her hand through her hair again.

I studied her.

She looked…

excited.

And nervous.

Mostly nervous, but there was definitely an undercurrent of excitement.

“Aria, do you actually want me to breed you tonight?” I asked.

I hadn’t considered her changing her mind so soon, and the idea made every ounce of blood in my body surge into my cock.

“I think so.” She bit her lip.

My hands were on her hips in a heartbeat, and I walked her backward until her ass met the wall.

She tipped her head back and met my gaze.

“This isn’t a think so situation. You need to be damn sure, because I won’t even think about doing it if you aren’t. Regret has no place in our relationship.”

“Well, I thought I would have more time to work through my thoughts,” she admitted, lowering her chin and looking at my chest.

“I’ve been imagining what it would be like if we had a baby, and I want it. I do. I’m just scared, you know? It’s a lot to commit to. And if we did it, I would be your breeder or your womb , which just sounds disturbing, and?—”

I put my hand on her cheek and tipped her head back again, so she was looking at me.

“Everyone in the castle knows damn well at this point that you’re the queen. Having a baby would make you look stronger, not weaker, so get that out of your head. Our decision to have a child or not will be based on whether we want to grow our family right now.”

“It would be insane to do it this quickly, right?” she asked, searching my gaze.

I lifted a shoulder.

“Perhaps. But everyone is trying to repopulate right now, so there’s plenty of support.”

“And a kingdom’s leaders should do their part in repopulation, right?”

“If their leaders want a baby, they should.”

Her lips curved, and she slid her hands over my chest.

“I’m terrified that I’ll be a shitty mom, but I still do want to be one. Eloise was right about the freaking fever.”

“It does seem to catch quickly.” I lowered my lips to hers and kissed her lightly.

“You have a few more hours to make up your mind. When the first one of your scales falls, you’ll feel it, and we’ll make a decision.”

“If I decide I want one…” she trailed off.

“You know I love children. I would enjoy nothing more than to raise one with you, whenever you’re ready.”

Her face warmed, and she nodded.

“I’ll tell you when I decide. And when the scale falls.”

“I’ll definitely know when your fertility begins, Sweetheart.”

Her forehead creased.

“How?”

“I thought you’ve spoken with the other women about having children.”

“Well, yeah, but not about the actual breeding part. I told them I didn’t want a baby yet.”

I kissed her lips lightly.

“There’s a reason people use the birth control plant rather than abstaining when they don’t want kids. At the party, ask them.”

Her face reddened.

“It seems weird that you’re not just going to tell me.”

“You’ll believe it more easily if you talk to them first.”

“Well, that sounds ominous.”

“Good thing you have time to change your mind.” I kissed her again, and she kissed back for a moment before I pulled away.

As much as I would’ve enjoyed making out with her there all night, she needed time to think, and we would be missed if we didn’t get to the party.

So, we headed down the hall.

When we reached the massive ballroom the party was being hosted in, Aria kissed me one more time before slipping away.

I poured us both glasses of wine, and found her in a conversation between a few ex-human females I vaguely recognized.

I was fairly confident they were some of the newer women who had been claimed after I brought Aria home.

After I gave her a glass, I found Rayna off to the side of the room, leaning heavily against Wesson.

She was injured, but recovering just fine.

“How are you feeling?” I asked my sister, stepping up beside them.

“Exhausted. And a little ashamed that a human had to save me from a selkie, but I suppose there’s nothing to be done about it now.”

Wesson grunted.

“Eila was fighting to save her children. You shouldn’t feel ashamed for losing to someone that determined.”

“And clearly, Aria is far from human at this point.” My gaze followed my mate as she sipped her drink, her hips swaying lightly to the music playing in the background as she chatted.

“Your mate is impressive,” Rayna admitted.

“I still can’t believe she controlled the beach for as long as she did with only a few months of training. I’m not sure I want to know what her power will be like in a few years.”

“Or a few decades,” Wesson rumbled.

“She’ll be stronger than I am far sooner than that.” There was no suppressing the pride in my voice—and I didn’t try to.

“Joa asked a question the other day that I haven’t been able to get out of my mind,” Rayna remarked.

“How did we even end up voting about whether or not you would take a mate? Us traditionalists should’ve known it wouldn’t go in our favor. Not with how many turned humans we have happily pregnant right now. Someone mentioned it out of the blue, and we voted merely a few days afterward. None of us even considered the fact that she’d have the same power level as you.”

My lips curved.

“Perhaps you all should’ve considered more deeply the consequences of determining my fate for me.”

No one had come out and asked me if I’d played a role in the vote, but I’d heard the same questions floating around that my sister had.

They’d started fairly soon after I announced Aria as my queen, not just my breeder .

“Do you think she’ll change the abstinence law before one of your children takes the throne?” Rayna asked.

She didn’t seem upset by the thought.

Though she was firmly traditionalist, she was one of the few people who had actually seen evidence of the loneliness that had consumed me before.

“I think she’ll change a lot of things,” I said.

“And I look forward to every single one.”

Wesson sighed.

“This place isn’t what it used to be.”

We all knew he was talking about the way it had been before the Dragons’ War.

“And it never will be again,” I affirmed.

“But it’s much better than it was ten years ago. We’re developing a new normal.”

“I suppose.” Rayna closed her eyes and let out a long breath.

“We’re all aware she snuck that damn plant in a few months ago, so let me know when your mate finally decides to have a child. I’m itching to watch our family grow again almost as badly as she’s itching those scales.”

“I’m sure the gossip will keep you posted better than I will,” I said, watching Aria dance lightly as she laughed, still holding her drink.

“There are plenty of others repopulating our castle right now.”

She was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen.

“I suppose.” My sister nudged her mate.

“Let’s go back to our room. I need to sleep so I can wrap my mind around my little brother manipulating all of us to get himself a mate.”

I laughed.

“I would never.”

“I didn’t used to think so.” She swatted my arm, then gave me a quick, tight hug.

“Enjoy the holiday with Aria. You both deserve it.”

“Thanks.”

She and Wesson slipped away.

Aria saw them leaving, and abandoned her group of ex-humans long enough to give Rayna a hug of her own.

I couldn’t hear what she said, but I assumed it had to do with what happened on the beach.

They were both smiling when they parted.

Aria waved me over before rejoining her group of ex-humans.

I made my way through the crowd.

They moved for me, so it wasn’t a big deal to go through.

I took her empty glass and set both of ours on a tray nearby.

“What are we doing?” I called out, raising my voice a little so she could hear me over the music.

“Dancing! Come on!” Aria swayed her hips, dragging me into a crowd of couples with her.

No one bumped us, but I eyed everyone around us anyway.

If any of the men touched my mate…

“Loosen up,” she teased me, speaking into my mind.

“It’s a holiday. You’re supposed to enjoy it.”

“I’d prefer to enjoy it without anyone else brushing up against my female.”

She rolled her eyes at me, turning around so we could dance like humans, with her ass against my cock.

I couldn’t stop my erection from reacting to her.

“No one’s going to touch me if you hold on to me. They don’t have a death wish. You’re the scariest thing in the ocean, remember?”

“Don’t say it like it’s a joke.” I nipped at her throat playfully while we swayed together.

“Just because it’s true doesn’t mean I can’t tease you about it.”

“Fair enough. Though I suppose by next year, you might be the scariest thing in the ocean.”

“Yes, me and my blue hair will terrify all of the sharks, kelpies, and selkies. Watch out, world.”

“I’ll send out warnings for you.”

“Someone has to.”

I chuckled, holding her close while we continued to move.

Whatever decision she made about that night, I was already the luckiest bastard in Alterrae.