Word Count: 5663

"I'd give just about anything to stay here and continue this group hug," Celie sniffed. "But I have to catch up with Jenny since she already left to go shower, get Cole dinner, and head over to the beach, so you guys need to get to the boats and get the siren warriors in place."

Everyone chuckled and backed off, nearly all of them wiping happy tears from their cheeks as they made their way back downstairs to share the news with anyone not in the hallway listening. Ara seemed especially emotional when they walked out the door and she put her arm around Celie's shoulders and leaned her forehead against Celie's temple.

"You are a good sister, little one," Ara said. "I have often wished to have a sister, and if I did, I would want her to be just like you."

"It's never too late to get one," Celie hugged Ara as Sagan joined them with a smile. "Just because you don't have the same parents doesn't mean you're not really family. You, Sagan, and Faru should move back with us. There are others who can stay at the keys pack and send out calls and meet new warriors, so you can come home."

"Home," Ara said somewhat wistfully. "That is something sirens rarely find."

"Well, you found one, so you should come back," Celie said.

"You would not mind if we returned?" Sagan asked.

"Of course not!" Celie answered, surprised. "We didn't want you to leave at all, but there were no others here at the time and we needed to draw new sirens to a different location. We don't have a full house anymore either, so there's definitely room for you to come home if you want. I'm a little annoyed that Luna Diana tried to steal you, if you want to know the truth. She and I will have a conversation about that when this is all over with." Celie winked. "AND I miss playing with my little boy! So you need to just move home so I can play with him all the time!"

"He will love that," Sagan smiled. "He asks for you many times a day, you have him spoiled."

"It does not bother you to have so many living in your home?" Ara asked, eyebrows drawn together in confusion. "I thought you would enjoy having your house to yourselves again."

"Ha! We're pack animals, remember?" Celie laughed. "We prefer having our families and loved ones living with us, it's our nature to live together. Porter and Lorelai informed us they're moving in. Yep, informed us. Didn't ask, just brought their stuff with them and said, 'hey we're moving in'."

"Why would he move here when his pack is far away? Is he not soon to be the pack leader?" Sagan asked.

"Since he found his mate, he's not taking over anytime soon, Luna Penny and Alpha Alexander want to give him and Lorelai time to be together without the responsibility of running the whole pack on top of them," Celie explained. "And Porter is going to college in Miami, so it's closer for him to attend classes if he lives here. I think Matt will have to get used to it, but he's pretty easy going, all he cares about is Harper, if she's happy, he's happy. And Harper actually likes you guys, so you're good, she doesn't like many people, she's more closed off than most wolves because of the things that happened to her, but she loves you three."

"We are fond of her as well," Ara smiled. "But your mate desires your attention before we leave, so we will leave you to him, as he seems to be impatient of waiting."

"You weren't going to leave without spending a moment with me, were you, mate?" Eden asked playfully as Celie turned to him with a smile.

"Of course not!" Celie said, sliding her arms around his waist.

"Good, I have not had enough time with you, and I worry for you tonight, little one," Eden said, hugging her tightly. "You don't have to go, Celie, there will be many people around the beach to look after Jenny."

"No one she trusts besides, Harper, Matt, and us," Celie said. "Harper can't be there, and you and Matt will be in the water. I just can't send her out there to face him feeling alone."

"Why did you not tell me Harper was with young?" Eden asked, frowning at Celie.

"I didn't have confirmation that she was," Celie explained. "As far as we know, it should be nearly impossible for her to get pregnant with Matt, it's hard for two wolves to have pups if they are not fated mates, it's hard for fated human/wolf mates to have pups. We never imagined a wolf would be able to have young with a siren, they've been talking for a while about adopting to have children. I didn't want to say something if she wasn't and get her hopes up. But I couldn't let her go out there and fight if there was even a chance, so I had to stop her."

"I understand, but you could have told me," Eden bumped his forehead on Celie's with a slight admonishment.

"I'm still getting used to having an intended mate," Celie smiled and kissed him. "Which, if all goes well tonight, will be an official mate tomorrow night."

"Tomorrow night?" Eden's eyebrows shot up and a smile lit his face.

"Yep," Celie grinned. "Sira and I have decided we've waited long enough, and we want to claim our mate. So, barring any serious catastrophes or life endangering injuries, we're sealing the deal tomorrow night."

"I will make absolutely certain neither of us are injured and that there are no impending catastrophes after tonight," Eden chuckled, but his eyes were fierce as he said it.

"Make sure that you do, because I'm ready to get on with marking you as mine and having wild and crazy sex," Celie snorted.

"I am well and truly ready for that as well," Eden said before kissing her deeply.

**

"Hi Jen," Celie said after pressing the button on the steering wheel for hands free. "Where are you?"

"I'm about five miles from the beach," Jenny answered, her voice seemed upbeat and happy.

"Awesome," Celie answered, carefully remembering her instructions to be vague. "I'll see you later after you get finished seeing your friend, okay? Just shoot me a text when you're leaving, and I'll meet up with you."

"Ok, thanks Cel," Jenny answered.

"You're welcome, see you later," Celie answered before pressing the end button.

Celie sent out a mind link.

Porter answered.

Eden responded.

Matt said.

Celie asked.

Lorelai answered.

Celie asked.

Lorelai said.

Celie told them, putting her SUV in drive, and carefully pulling out from behind the store.

Porter answered.

Eden mind linked Celie.

Celie paused for a second, taking a nervous breath.

Eden answered, and Celie felt a pulse of emotion with his answer causing her to release a relieved breath. She'd never told him she loved him before, so she'd been nervous, even though she knew she had no reason to be.

"Call Harper," Celie pressed the call button on her steering wheel and listened to the phone dial. Harper picked up on the first ring.

"Cel, you ok?" Harper asked anxiously.

"Yeah, fine," Celie answered, driving slowly toward the beach access road. "Jenny just passed me and she's at the beach, I'll be in the parking lot in a minute. Everyone's confirmed they're in place, Lorelai said there's nobody on the beach, and no one has spotted anything suspicious."

"Ok," Harper blew out a breath. "Be careful, Cel. I mean it, if anything happens to you, I'll never forgive you."

"Don't worry about me, Harp," Celie said. "I've got absolutely no desire to fight another triton, I'm only here for moral support and to whisk Jenny away if worse comes to worst. Otherwise, I'm hiding my cowardly ass behind a sand dune and not coming out."

"Right, whatever, cowardly ass," Harper gave a little snort. "If you were cowardly, I wouldn't have had to sew you up. Just be careful and call me like the SECOND you get out of there. Don't keep a pregnant lady in suspense, too much anxiety can harm a fetus."

"I know, babe," Celie chuckled, pulling into the parking lot. "You're on speed dial. Keep an eye on the spring pool, my Spidey sense is tingling, and I'm worried about Bo and Vall."

"Cameras are on, and we're all watching," Harper confirmed. "Love you."

"Love you," Celie cut the call as she pulled into a spot at the opposite end of the lot from where Jenny parked.

*

Celie complained as she peeked around a dune and saw Jenny still just sitting on a beach towel near the surf.

Porter snorted.

Matt said.

Celie asked.

Eden replied.

Lorelai asked.

Eden answered.

Celie said.

Porter grouched.

Matt said urgently.

Celie stayed still as a statue, not even breathing for a second before she peeked around the dune again. She saw that Jenny was no longer lounging casually but had pulled her ear buds out of her ears and was getting to her feet. She picked up a beach towel and approached the water as a dark figure rose from the calm surf.

Celie's voice whispered through the link.

Lorelai confirmed.

Porter said.

Matt said.

Celie crouched on her hands and knees watching through the gently swaying saw grass, she couldn't hear what they were saying, but Jenny appeared to be totally relaxed. She'd brought a beach towel to Cole, and he'd wrapped it around his waist and sat down with her on her blanket as she chatted eagerly with him. He glanced suspiciously down the beach where Lorelai and her companion lounged on their blanket but made no move toward them.

Suddenly Jenny tensed and brought her hands to her face in obvious emotion, then began gesturing toward the ocean, and they began to argue, their voices starting to rise.

Celie crawled cautiously forward, trying to get close enough to hear when she caught the word 'baby'.

Celie linked.

Cole reached out suddenly and grabbed Jenny by the arm, yanking her toward him, as one hand gripped her face and brought it close to his, he shook her roughly, and started shouting at her as she began crying.

Lorelai was off her blanket, charging at them in her human form in less than a heartbeat.

"Hey!" Lorelai shouted. "Get off her, you dickhead!"

Porter ordered his warriors.

Celie started crawling forward, ready to run to Jenny.

"Go now!" Cole shouted at Lorelai, as he jumped to his feet, dragging Jenny up with him.

"Fuck you!" Lorelai shouted back.

Eden roared through the link.

Porter shouted to his wolves.

So many things happened at once that Celie was honestly stunned for several minutes, just watching, unable to process what was going on in front of her.

Lorelai reached Jenny and Cole and swung a vicious punch at his face, she moved so fast there was no way for him to avoid the blow. She hit him so hard he staggered back several feet and to his knees, Jenny was knocked out of his hold, and she fell to the ground screaming.

Dark shapes surged out of the water, running through the surf, as wolves charged out of the woods and from behind the dunes.

Siren calls and shrills could be heard echoing from all around, as the water began churning and splashing in the bay beyond the beach.

The line of wolves crashed into the line of tritons reaching the beach and the screams and growls became so loud they nearly deafened Celie and startled her out of her shock. She jumped to her feet and ran toward Jenny, intent on grabbing her and heading toward the parking lot, but before she could reach her, a female triton appeared and yanked Jenny to her feet, savagely slapping her to quiet her.

All thought left Celie's mind as she saw Jenny's head snap back from the blow. Sira surged forward in her, but she didn't shift, just gave Celie her strength as Celie reached Jenny who was struggling futilely against the creature dragging her toward the water.

"Get off her!" Celie screamed as she tackled the triton, knocking Jenny out of her grasp. "Run Jenny! Run!"

Celie and the triton tumbled and rolled across the sand, grappling with each other. Celie felt claws rip through her side, but she just roared with fury as she managed to gain the advantage, rolling the triton beneath her. Celie straddled the triton, pinning its arms with her thighs as she rained blows down on its unprotected face.

"DON'T. EVER. TOUCH. MY. FRIEND. YOU. STANK. ASS. BITCH!" Celie shouted between blows as she pounded the triton into the sand. Sira surged again and Celie's fingernails turned to claws and she ripped the triton's throat out.

Sira wanted to find another opponent and fight, but Celie reined her in enough to keep from shifting and reminded her of Jenny. Celie looked around frantically to find Jenny on her knees not far away, her eyes wide and mouth open as she stared around in shock at the wolves and tritons ripping each other apart all over the beach.

Celie lunged toward her and pulled her arms and tried to get her to her feet but she was as limp as a wet rag, so Celie just grabbed Jenny and slung her over her shoulders in a fireman's carry and bolted for the parking lot. She'd only gone forty feet when she was tackled and knocked to the sand. She tried getting back to her feet, but Jenny's weight pressed her face into the sand and she couldn't breathe.

Celie screamed through the mind link, struggling to get out from under the weight of Jenny and a triton on her back.

Celie managed to turn her head enough to suck in a breath of sand and air and saw an explosion of water from the surf as she coughed and gagged.

The explosion was Eden, whose massive tail had propelled him so forcefully out of the water that he erupted like a geyser, shifting in midair with a roar of fury as he landed a few feet away. He ripped the triton off Celie's back and tore it to pieces in rage, then turned and ripped the head off another with one swipe of his clawed hand.

"RUN CELIE! GET JENNY OUT OF HERE!" Eden screamed, turning back to the fight.

Celie struggled to her feet again, and grabbed Jenny, whose survival instinct had finally kicked in, and together they ran through the dunes away from the battle. Celie happened to turn and look back just as they neared the parking lot and saw something that caused her to stumble and nearly stop. Cole was battling what looked like a solid white lycan from the movie 'Underworld' and she realized that it was Lorelai, half shifted and ripping Cole to shreds.

"Oh my fucking god!" Celie stuttered as she was pulled along by Jenny, who was now in the lead to get them out of there.

Celie turned and together she and Jenny made it to the Tahoe and Celie started the engine and squealed out of the parking lot.

"Oh my fucking god!" Celie repeated as they made it to the main road, and she calmed enough to slow down. She didn't want to get pulled over with a nearly hysterical Jenny sobbing in the passenger seat.

Celie shouted through the mind link.

Eden shouted back.

"It's ok, it's ok, it's ok," Celie chanted, reaching over to pull Jenny into a half hug. "We're ok, Jenny, we're ok."

"Call Harper!" Celie said, and listened as her call dialed over the hands free.

"Celie!" Harper answered on the first ring.

"I have Jenny, we're on our way back!" Celie said at once. "They attacked! Harper, they attacked, there were dozens of them!"

"Oh my god!" Harper cried. "Is Matt ok? Is he out of there?"

"I don't know, I was barely able to get Jenny out, but we're on our way back now, we're on the road," Celie said. "Check the cameras Harp! Check Bo and Vall, they are in danger! I know it! Go get them! Go bring them in! This isn't over! Get them to the house and barricade the doors! NOW!"

"What?" Harper said, so caught up in her worry for Matt she didn't comprehend what Celie was saying.

"GO GET BO AND VALL, HARPER!" Celie shouted. "Go get them and get them into the house! They're in danger! Get everyone in the damn house and barricade the doors!"

"Ok, ok, ok!" Harper said. "Ok, we'll get them! Going now! Be careful, Celie."

"I'm fine, Harp," Celie assured her. "I'm driving through the city, I'm the safest one of us right now. Get everyone in the damn house! Don't worry about me. Go!"

**

"Warriors! With me! We need to get Bo and Vall!" Harper shouted, running toward the patio doors. "Hurry! We have to get them and get everyone in the house!"

Harper bolted out the door and down the pathway to the pool with a dozen warriors behind her, half of them shifting to their wolves as they ran.

"BO! BO!" Harper screamed as they neared the pool and she saw a dark shape shoot up to the surface. "Get your mate! Get your mate! Hurry! We have to get into the house!! Hurry Bo!"

The triton didn't hesitate, he disappeared for only a second before surfacing again with the smaller figure of the female.