Rowan's first thought wasn't that he was now next in line to be the god of the sea; his first thought was how did Wez's soulmate die, when, and why?

"We all woke up this morning, and she was there, lifeless. She has no visible wounds or anything to say that she was the cause of her death. I fear it was Wez. Either way, they're both dead now," Laiken said, his mouth curled with sadness behind his grey beard.

Kaerius repeated his words to his soulmate, and Rowan looked to his mother, who had just lost her brother.

Mandy soon realised that everyone was watching her and tried to act strong. "I was hoping that after this is all over, we could all reconnect as a family. I wasted that chance."

Michael wrapped arms around her, feeling guilt like he was the one to kill Wez. Everything circled back to his parents. Michael couldn't help but feel responsible. "We need justice," he said in English so Rowan could understand. "We're not running from this. Wez deserved so much better."

Mandy slowly nodded to agree. Her brother had lived on land for twelve years to look after her, despite Mandy being cursed to become an awful person. "I didn't think they would go this far."

"They cursed you for twelve years," Rowan said, trying not to sound too angry. "They showed what they were capable of when they shot me in the back. We need to stop them. We need to do it now." The more he thought about poor Wez, the more the rage started to simmer. Soon it would boil, and Rowan wasn't sure he would hold himself back if he came face to face with any more hunters.

"Yes," Laiken said. "Stop hunters."

"Yes," Kaerius agreed. Swimming away was easy when nobody had died. Wez was a lovely guy and had looked after Mandy and her family for years instead of starting one of his own. He deserved justice.

Everyone soon decided that they had to go to the werewolves and tell Braiken if he didn't already know. Getting there was tricky because nobody had clothes, so they had to sneak back into Mandy's house by the beach.

Michael went first because of his experience with hunters. After a week in the ocean, the hunters had moved onto other things, and the house was empty.

Mandy's weapons that she threw out were still in the bins outside, so Laiken and Jaiker brought them all back into the house.

Kaerius and Rowan hurried to his bedroom to get changed.

"You feel nervous," Rowan said, watching Kaerius struggle to get jeans on. He kept putting his foot through the holes on the knee. "I think I'm nervous too."

"It would be weird if you were excited. At least we have werewolves and vampires on our side," Kaerius thought. After he dressed, he sat next to Rowan on the bed to put socks on.

Rowan watched him, fidgeting with his bracelet. Rowan wanted time to love Kaerius and explore their completed bond. Rowan was miserable before he met Kaerius, but he used to have all the time in the world back then.

Rowan rested a hand on Kaerius's knee before he got up to find shoes. They looked at each other, cherishing what little time they did have before they ventured to the werewolves.

"Stay by my side through everything, okay?"

Kaerius nodded, watching Rowan's brave little smile. "I'm sorry about Wez," he thought.

"Me too. Wez was a really good guy."

The boys then embraced. They squeezed each other tight and buried their heads into each other's shoulders.

"We'll honour his memory," Kaerius thought, concentrating on Rowan's hand that rubbed his back. He never really noticed how intense Rowan's scent was until now. In the water, nothing had much of a smell, but on land, Kaerius just wanted to bury his head into all Rowan's clothes.

"Let's go before the hunters charge in on us for the hundredth time," Rowan said, though Kaerius wouldn't let him pull away without a kiss.

Now that stage three of their bond was done, and their souls were happy and complete, kissing felt different. The boys were hyper-aware of their lips touching and the affection it brought. Rowan wanted to pull Kaerius back against the bed, kiss him some more, and lie next to him all day.

"Are you ready?" Michael shouted from the bottom of the stairs.

"Coming," Rowan replied and reluctantly pulled himself out of Kaerius's arms.

Everyone was by the back door and dressed and armed. Kaerius was given a short pocket-knife which he was pleased about but had no idea how to use.

They made a quick exit through the garden and over the fence. They walked through alleyways and over fields. They even trespassed on a golf course, so they could reach town without being exposed to the public.

Rowan texted Jenya to let her know that they were coming. She had responded with a 'Thank goodness you're okay!'

Michael, Mandy, Rowan, Kaerius, Laiken and Jaiker reached the abandoned shop with ease. A few werewolves waited for them outside and quickly ushered them inside.

Jack, Braiken and his soulmate were waiting beyond the storeroom in the abandoned shop. The aisles and tills were pushed aside, and beds were laid out on the floors. The windows had been covered in newspapers and sheets, though big lights on the ceiling brightened up the room.

"Did you hear?" Braiken said, running to Mandy and gripping her shoulders. "About our brother?"

"We were with his soulmate when she died." Mandy looked down sadly. She had tried to be strong and put on a brave face, but she was gutted. Mandy felt like she had no time to mourn him. "How did he die?"

"Hunters," a man said, sitting on the pushed aside conveyor belt. "We have a vampire on the inside." The man jumped down and started shaking everyone's hands. "I'm Volher, leader of the vampire clang. It's an honour." When Volher shook Rowan's hand, he asked, "Is this him, next in line to be the god of the sea?"

Rowan's heart jumped in his chest. He had forgotten how much he hoped that Wez would take the position. "I don't know if I'm taking it," Rowan mumbled quickly. "It's nice to meet you, Volher."

Rowan felt Kaerius's gaze on him and did his best to look the other way.

Mandy changed the subject when Braiken tried desperately to blink tears from his eyes. "Have you found Michael's parents?"

"Yes, we've had a look at the boat. It's docked up a few towns over from here. It's pretty remote, and hunters live all around it, which is why we asked the vampires to help." Jenya turned to Jaiker with a thoughtful frown. "Is it possible to get in touch with other Thalassic Mortals? We could use their help in the water."

"They went south," Jaiker said.

"I could send some fish to them with a message asking for help," Mandy suggested, and Rowan looked at her like she had suddenly sprouted another head.

"Wait, you can do that?"

"Royals are very in tune with the sea and all who live there."

Kaerius thought back to when the water had seeped around Rowan on the rocks. Had Rowan done that or was the sea looking out for him? Maybe Rowan could manipulate the water around the boat.

"You should send out a message as soon as possible. Hopefully, you'll get a response." Jenya then turned to Rowan. "We're unsure if we should attack day or night. What do you think?"

"Um..." Rowan looked around at the faces, unsure why he was getting asked big decisions like that. "I think we should hint that some supernatural creatures are snooping around the area, so they'll make themselves sleep-deprived. If we wait until they get too exhausted that they have to sleep, we should attack then. That gives us time to hear back from the Thalassic Mortals, train some people here who need a little help, and really think about what we're doing."

Michael and Mandy beamed with pride.

"Prey on their weaknesses, I like it." Jenya then slipped through the other door to discuss options with her pack.

"You sound like a leader," Kaerius thought when Rowan turned to him. "When this all blows over, we should talk about your, um- godly duties and the pros and cons."

Rowan didn't want to talk about it. He was too angry about the hunters to think rationally. He wanted peace and his life back and time to be with his soulmate while everything was still new and exciting.

"Wez didn't deserve to die," Jack said, and Rowan then noticed him standing there. "I'm so angry, Solar. They have no right to do this to us."

"They don't," Rowan said and left the room abruptly. He needed air. Rowan wanted fresh countryside air and silence, but all he got was an alleyway and the noise of shoppers. He crouched and leaned his back against the brick wall, allowing in the cold.

Rowan stopped thinking for just a moment. He stopped feeling worried and sad and stressed. He tried to feel nothing and empty his mind until he felt the presence of Kaerius. Rowan didn't know how he knew Kaerius was near, but when he opened his eyes, concerned purple ones stared back.

"Rowan," Kaerius said in his deep voice. He poked Rowan between his eyebrows and rubbed his skin, trying to remove his frown. "It ok. Stop taking all on your shoulders." Kaerius heavily patted Rowan's shoulders. "You share load. We work as team."

Rowan softened his features. "I just needed air," he said and breathed in and out slowly. "Kaerius, I don't think I can live in the sea permanently. I get that I'm like the sovereign or whatever, but I don't think I can give up the land."

"It ok," Kaerius said again, sitting next to him. "We share land and water."

"But-"

"We share." Kaerius patted his knee. "Asking you to stay in the ocean was selfish. I don't think I would be able to stay on land."

"It's fine; you were only worried."

Kaerius then settled his head on Rowan's shoulder, and they sat in the alleyway until they got bored. Braiken and Mandy were the first to find them sitting peacefully. They were going back to the ocean to send out a distress call for the other Thalassic Mortals.

"You know what? You're cuter that Jack and Jenya. Two males embracing, there's nothing purer," Braiken said and continued his journey down the alleyway. Mandy hurried after him with a small smile.

Kaerius and Rowan looked at each other. "Jack and Jenya?" they said in unison.

The boys scrambled to their feet and jogged inside. They hurried through the dull room where the werewolves had their meetings and into the enormous main hall, where the floor was swamped with beds. Jack and Jenya stood together with another werewolf and the leader of the Vampires. Rowan wanted to be discreet, but with Kaerius with him, that was near impossible. Kaerius stormed over to their group chat and asked Jack and Jenya if they were soulmates.

Rowan had to laugh. Kaerius's boldness was often entertaining.

Jack turned beetroot, and Jenya smiled with a single nod. Jack removed himself from the situation, and Volher and Jenya's Beta wolf left them to talk.

"When and where did this happen?" Rowan asked, glad to have something to talk about that didn't include fighting and big decisions.

"When I rescued your parents and Jack and his parents from the hunters, he was all bloody and bruised. I knew he was my mate when I met him for the first time the other day. I could sense it. Seeing him in that state was awful, so I connected the bond to heal him. I was going to wait until everything had calmed down, but I just couldn't wait. Jack's been flustered about it ever since. He's so awkward; it's cute."

They turned to look at Jack, who kept glancing their way. When he was caught sneaking a glance at Jenya, he scurried out of the room.

"He thought he wasn't going to get one because of the curse," Rowan said.

"I know. Poor thing. I think that's why he's so embarrassed. Jack just didn't expect it."

"Well, I'm glad. He deserves a bond. Jack saved us all from that curse." Rowan's eyes then dimmed. "Wez might still be alive if we were more careful," he thought.

Kaerius squeezed his hand. "We go for food," he said to Jenya before pulling Rowan away.

Rowan didn't want to get sad in front of everyone, not when they were looking at him as a leader.

Kaerius thought that it was okay for him to show emotion, it meant that he was still a person with feelings. Rowan was a person who cared. Wez would get justice, and the hunters would soon get what they deserved. Kaerius had learnt that Rowan was passionate about the ones who meant a lot to him. He had no doubt that Rowan would send the hunters to hell.