Word Count: 4355

"Hey Cel!" Harper shouted up from the side of the aquarium where Eden, Porter, Jenny, and Celie were all in the water taking turns holding Levi. "It's almost ten o'clock, everyone should be here soon."

"Ok, thanks!" Celie shouted back from where she stood in the water on a ledge.

"We gotta go get ready, we have guests coming at ten, you need to get ready too, Sweetie." Celie turned to Jenny. "They are going to want to ask you questions about your friend Cole."

Jenny's eyes widened a look of fear entered her eyes.

"It's going to be ok, Jenny," Eden told her. "They mean you no harm, we just need to know about him, we will explain many things to you today."

"We're going to be here with you, Jen," Porter said.

After everyone was dressed, they led Jenny into the rec room where a whole crowd of people waited. Harper, Matt, and all of the sirens except Sana were present, plus Luna Diana, Alpha Michael, Reese, Adam, Callum, and Alpha Lucas. They'd brought chairs into the room from the dining room so everyone would have a place to sit, though there were a couple of empty spots in the center of the couch for Eden, Celie, and Jenny. Faru ran to Celie the moment she sat down and climbed in her lap, and Eden casually looped his arm around her shoulders.

"Let us introduce our new guests," Matt said, then started gesturing toward the new comers. He introduced the elders first, then the warriors one by one. The warriors were all close to Matt's size, at least 6'4, with broad muscular bodies, many were marked with scars from their battles with tritons.

"This is Eva." An incredibly tall, handsome woman with long white hair nodded her head. She looked like a very old version of Ara, and Celie wondered if they were related.

"This is Charo, her mate." His hair was also white, and his face deeply lined, but his body was still strong and proud.

"This is Daven." He had short black hair and blue eyes.

"This is Mica." He was blonde with grey eyes.

"This is Neval." He was blonde with blue eyes.

"This is Silva." He had brown hair and green eyes.

"This is Tene." He had brown hair and brown eyes.

"This is Benis." He had sandy hair and green eyes.

"And this is Winter." He had white blonde hair, and startling blue eyes.

"Everyone, this is Jenny, she is Levi's mother, and is the one familiar with the triton we have been discussing." Matt said, then motioned to Eva, who smiled kindly at Jenny.

"Hello Jenny," Eva said in a soft melodic voice that seemed to put Jenny instantly at ease. "I am very happy to meet you, I have heard many things about you. You were very brave to bring your child here for help, we are impressed with your courage."

Jenny smiled and sat up a little straighter at the praise.

"We think we need to explain a little about our kind, and about the man you know as Cole," Charo said. "Jenny, I know to you he seems like a nice man, one you care about and love. But he is not, his kind are very dangerous beings, you are lucky to be alive after encountering one."

Jenny's face was one of denial, and she even shook her head a little, but she didn't say anything.

"I know it seems strange to you," Eva said gently. "But we are similar creatures to your friend, but the difference between us is that our kind have a civilization, laws, and rules we live by. We can also change our bodies to human bodies at any time for as long as we wish, we can even live on land as long as we want. Your friend Matt here, has lived on land most of his life, and plans to remain on land to be with his wife."

Jenny's eyes were large as she considered this information.

"They tell us you taught Cole to speak?" Winter asked.

"Yes, he couldn't understand me or talk when he first woke up," Jenny nodded.

"When he woke up, was he not aggressive toward you?" Charo asked.

"He was, a bit," Jenny admitted, hesitantly. "But when he realized I had food he accepted it and stopped trying to grab me and claw me."

"How did you start communicating with him?" Eva asked.

"Mostly gestures, he would gesture toward the fish and I would tell him the name, and things like that," Jenny said.

"And did he tell you his name or did you give him one?" Daven asked.

"I named him, he didn't have a name before that," Jenny smiled.

"Has he ever spoken to you of others like him?" Eva asked.

"No, he's never talked about his people." Jenny said. "When I asked he would just say they are nothing like us."

"Did he ever mention friends?" Charo asked.

"No, he never even talked about family." Jenny said.

"Jenny, we want you to understand about Cole," Eva said. "His species, they are wild creatures, they have no society or laws, they are considered to be animals. They hunt and eat all other species, humans and dolphins are among their favorite prey, but they even eat each other regularly. We hunt them, to keep them from killing humans and dolphins."

"So you are trying to kill him?" Jenny accused. "He said you were."

"Yes, we are," Eva confirmed.

Jenny gasped and put a hand on her chest, not expecting such a blunt answer.

"Jenny, Sweetie, I know you don't understand, and it's hard to believe someone who's close to you is a bad person," Celie started. "But Cole is not the man you think he is, he's been organizing those of his kind and attacking people, he's even attacked this house. They killed a man on that beach right down there just a week ago, and they were trying to drag two other women out into the water when we got there to help them."

"If he were a good man, wouldn't have been concerned about his baby? Wouldn't he have tried to help you save Levi's life?" Matt asked her.

Jenny looked at them helplessly, her chin quivered.

"I didn't want to believe it, but I kinda knew," Jenny said, her voice choked. "He's said some things...that didn't sound right. He said those people on the beach the other night were going to kill him, but they were nice people, they just told us it was dangerous to swim at night and asked us not to go in the water. I thought it was weird that he would just jump to that conclusion, then he told me about you, and where you were, and he said you were trying to kill him, but he was going to kill you first."

Eden snorted.

"He may try," Ara said, "but he will not succeed."

"He's been trying to kill us," Harper said to Jenny. "He's sent people to attack us three times already, seven came to shore on the beach down there, five attacked our boat when we were out fishing, and nine more attacked the house on the night the hurricane hit."

"This worries us, because his kind have never worked together like this in the past," Eva explained to Jenny. "They have been as hostile to each other as they have been to every other species they encounter. He took what he learned from you, and taught others like him, now they are banding together to attack us."

"But you're attacking him first!" Jenny said.

"We protect humans from his kind," Matt said. "If a shark started talking to you and told you he was nice would you believe him? That is an apt comparison, they kill and eat indiscriminately."

"It's something of a miracle he was able to keep his fellow tritons from killing him long enough to teach them how to communicate and talk them into banding together," Charo told her.

"We think they must be evolving because their population is dwindling," Eden said.

"Or it could simply be he's the first one to learn of civilization and try uniting them," Eva said, with a quirk of a brow and a shoulder shrug.

The other sirens nodded; they hadn't considered that.

"Did he tell you what his plans were to attack us?" Porter asked. "Did he say anything about how or when he was going to come here?"

"No, he didn't tell me anything, just that this is where you were, and that he was going to come here and kill all of you you before you could kill him."

"We're worried about you, Jenny," Celie said. "What will he do when he finds out your brought Levi here? Will he hurt you?"

A scared look passed over Jenny's features and she bit her lip before nodding slowly.

"Yes," Jenny said, tears in her eyes. "I think he will hurt me if he finds out I've been here with you, and he'll really be mad I brought Levi here, even though he was dying with me."

"Is there anywhere safe you can go?" Harper asked her.

"I was supposed to go to college in Colorado," Jenny said, her eyes tearing up again. "I got a scholarship for my tuition to the veterinarian program, but it doesn't cover my dorm or living expenses, and my parents don't have the money to pay for it, so they said I can't go."

"When does school start?" Celie asked, exchanging a glance with Harper.

"Two weeks," Jenny answered, wiping her cheek.

"Are you still enrolled or eligible to enroll, or have you notified them you won't be coming?" Harper asked.

"No, I haven't notified them, I just never enrolled in my classes or made arrangements with the dorms, they're probably full now, not that I can afford them anyway." Jenny said.

"I'll pay for your college expenses, and if the dorms are full we'll get you an apartment off campus. You can head out there early and get settled before school starts. You'll be safe there, he would never be able to get you that far away from the ocean, even if he knew where you were." Celie offered and Jenny's head snapped up to stare at her.

"But...but that's thousands of dollars!" Jenny said, shocked.

"Do I look like I'm hurting for money?" Celie smiled, gesturing around. "Sweetie, I own an art gallery in downtown Coconut Grove, my paintings and photographs sell for thousands of dollars each. Artists pay me a lot of money to display their work in my store. I have plenty of money."

Jenny's eyes had grown wider and wider as Celie spoke.

"And if Celie runs out of money, I don't mind helping her out," Harper smiled. "I'm a pediatric surgeon and own half of a clinic. My husband also happens to be rich." Harper whispered the last part as if it were a secret.

"Why would you help me?" Jenny asked.

"Because you need help," Celie answered simply. "And because you don't need to be in the middle of this, you're innocent, and shit is about to hit the fan around here."

"Big time," Porter agreed.

"What about Levi?" Jenny asked, glancing toward the tank room. "What will happen to my baby?"

"He'll have to stay here, he can't live outside the tank, Jenny," Harper said gently.

Jenny nodded slowly, tears running from her eyes again.

"I know," she said softly. "I can't take care of him; he'll die if I try to keep him with me."

"He will be in good hands here, child," Ara spoke up. "This is the only place I would leave my young one and know he is safe and loved. There are no others I would trust with his life as I would trust those in this house."

Celie smiled at Ara, and hugged Faru, who giggled and hugged her back.

"Will your parents let you go to Colorado?" Porter asked.

"What can they do?" Jenny lifted a shoulder. "I'm eighteen. But, the answer is most likely yes, I'll just tell them I was notified that the scholarship will cover my dorm costs after all, they'll never know the difference. They don't pay much attention to me or what I do, they'll probably be glad they have one less mouth to feed."

"Then why don't you call the school and find out if they have any dorms left, if they do, you can go ahead reserve one. When you need the money to pay for it, I'll get on the phone with my card number, ok?" Celie said. "Ask them the earliest you can move in and we'll start making arrangements for flights and hotels if you need one. Then you can start getting packed and ready to go. You can use Matt's office to look up the numbers and make the calls you need to make, if you want."

"I can call from home, that's where all my school paperwork is. I need to get back anyway, I'm supposed to babysit for our neighbor this afternoon, so I have to go soon. I just wanted to see how Levi was as soon as I could, so I came early." Jenny said.

"Are you sure you'll be safe at your house?" Porter asked. "No chance Cole could show up there?"

"He doesn't know where I live, and I live like twenty five miles from the closest beach, so I don't think he could get all the way over there, even if he knew my address, which he doesn't." Jenny said. "Is it ok if I see Levi before I go?"

"Of course, it is!" Celie stood and led Jenny back to the tank room.

Celie put all their cell numbers into Jenny's phone while she held Levi one last time before leaving.

"Our numbers are in there, call any one of us if you feel like you're in danger and we will come and get you or send someone to your location to help you. And when you're setting up your dorm be sure to call me and give me the information or if we can pay online we can login together when you come back over, and I'll put my information in for your billing information." Celie told her, handing her phone back, and walking her out the door.

"You have someone tailing her?" Celie asked Porter when she came back into the rec room, and he just gave her a look. "Just making sure, I only trust her so far, she is/was in love with the dude. Teenage girls will do just about anything for a guy when they think they're in love with him, and Eden was right, they could have formed something like a mate bond while they were together."

Adam just stared at the floor, a frown on his face when she said girls would do anything when they're in love. She'd been a teenage girl in love with him, but she would never be in love with him again. Harper had told them what happened with Sana last night, it was a knife in his chest to hear that Eden had been able to calm Sira when she was in a rage. Only a mate could calm a wolf, so Sira must have accepted Eden. There was nothing left for Adam to hope for now.

"I think it is time to speak to the female," Eva said.

Mena nodded silently and went upstairs to get Sana, they'd said last night they were going to send her away first thing this morning, but when they'd found out the others were already on their way, they just commanded her to stay in her room until they got there. Surprisingly Sana had just nodded her head and not argued or tried to leave.

A few minutes later a subdued Sana entered, her eyes were on the floor and she didn't look up until she was called.

"Sana, raise your eyes," Charo said, causing Sana to look up.

"We've been told that last night you attempted to harm the triton child, is this true?" Eva asked.

Sana's chin quivered and tears filled her eyes.

"Yes," Sana whispered.

Everyone glanced around surprised, they weren't expecting her to admit to the crime.

"Why would you do such a thing?" Winter asked her, clearly shocked.

"It is a triton, we kill tritons," Sana said, tonelessly.

"We do not kill infants, even triton infants," Charo said, frowning at her.

"Why would you believe such a course of action was right?" Eva asked her, confusion on her face. "The child is not only triton, but also human."

Sana remained silent and stared at the floor without looking up.

"Were you not also informed of our arrival?" Charo asked. "If you felt the child was a danger, or if something needed to be done, could you not have waited for us to come here to determine the best course of action?"

Still Sana remained silent.

"We need to know your reasoning behind such an action," Winter prompted.

"She believed it would win the heart of the mate she desired," Hera stepped forward, causing Sana's head to snap up as she glared at Hera. "She wished to mate Eden, but he has declared his intention to mate Celie and rebuffed Sana's attention, she thought since he is a triton hunter, killing the child would endear him to her."

Eden's head whipped around, and he looked at her in horror.

"What have I ever said that would make you think I would sanction the murder of a child?" He shouted, angrily, he started to get up but Celie's hand on his thigh stopped him.

"Nothing," Sana responded through clenched teeth.

"If you had succeeded the fault would have been mine, the child's blood would be on my hands!" Eden said, furiously. Again, Celie's hand on his thigh prevented him from standing and going after Sana. "Know this, there is nothing, NOTHING you could ever do that would make me mate you, even before this, you would not have been my choice. With or without the presence of my chosen, nothing would have changed it. Do you think I have never been approached by females before? I have been unmated because I had not met my chosen. All my life I have searched, not for just any mate, but only for her."

There were several gasps at his revelation, and half the room turned to stare at him.

Eden glared at Sana for another few seconds before he turned to Celie who was staring at him in shock.

"I've dreamed of you," Eden said, some of the heat leaving him. "For seven years, I have seen you in my dreams, it was you I was looking for."

Celie gaped, unable to speak for several seconds.

"Why didn't you tell me that?" Celie finally asked.

"Because I wanted you to choose me on your own," Eden smirked, then shrugged one shoulder. "And I knew you would."

Porter gave a snort of laughter, shaking his head.

"There's that confidence, folks," Porter laughed.

Eden shrugged.

"We're going to discuss this later," Celie eyed him, suppressing a smirk.

Everyone turned their attention back to Sana, who was staring at the floor, clearly struggling to contain her tears.

"This is a serious crime, Sana," Eva said solemnly. "Who among you votes for banishment?"

All the sirens in the room except Eden raised their hands.

"And you, Eden?" Charo asked, noting Eden's lack of assent. "What would you propose?"

"I think the punishment for attempting to kill an infant should be death." Eden stated, prompting gasps among Sana's pod. "It is in my name she was going to kill him; I do not take that kindly."

All the wolves in the room nodded, causing the sirens to exchange a look.

"This is how your kind would punish this female?" Winter asked.

"Oh, in a heartbeat," Porter said. "It wouldn't even be a discussion for us, we don't allow shit like that and we don't believe in...gentle punishments for such crimes."

Luna Diana and Alpha Michael nodded their heads in agreement.

"It would be the punishment in my pack too," Alpha Michael said. "We would never allow such behavior. The punishment would be carried out in front of all so that anyone thinking to commit such a crime in the future would know what they'd face if caught."

"We are barbarians, though," Luna Diana chuckled in Ara's direction. "According to some..."

"In many ways, I think that may be a good thing," Ara replied, then glared at Sana. "I didn't think death for the crime would be an option, or I would not have voted for banishment."

Unnoticed by the group Harper had slipped out of the room, she quickly went to the tank room and carefully lifted Levi out of the tank and wrapped him in a beach towel and went back to the rec room, holding him carefully in her arms.