"You are something, boy, you made her your girlfriend and didn’t bring her back home when you knew your mother was looking forward to seeing you mated. As the only son in the family, you should know better."
Gilbert had been adopted by the Rodrigos without any hesitation because they had only daughters, and when they found a helpless five-year-old after the flood, they took him in without a second thought and made him their own. Though the Elder was scolding him, it wasn’t because she saw him as someone who had been adopted, but as a boy they had raised as their own and who needed to always remember his responsibilities.
"Make sure you give your all in finding your girlfriend and protecting her. There have been suspicions that she might have gone to see that no-good Nick. The Beta is going to take this upon himself and go there himself. Be there as her man, and don’t let another person play the hero for your woman. The Rodrigos are possessive of their women," she reminded him, giving him an even look.
"Yes, ma’am. I’ll do my best," Gilbert replied, even though he had already made his decision that, after this, he would announce his real mate.
"I’ll go check on the progress of the search. Luna..." The Elder turned to Viola after finishing her scolding of her nephew, whose relationship with Zoe she had only just learned about.
"I hope you know that you carry the future of our pack and of this world. Your life matters more than anyone’s right now." She reminded Viola of her responsibility, just as she had reminded the doctor of his. Then the Elder turned and left the room as there was so much to do in so little time.
Viola couldn’t help but feel burdened by so many things, especially now that Zoe was missing on top of everything else. Realizing she couldn’t just sit still and do nothing, not after the dream she’d just had of her locked wolf chained beneath the sea, Viola typed something on the screen and showed it to Gilbert.
"I need to use the restroom."
"Oh, sure." He came around and helped her up from the bed, and Viola gave him a faint smile before walking the rest of the way to the bathroom, locking the door behind her.
Once inside, she turned on the water in the bathtub and watched it fill to the brim before dipping her hand in and swirling it in circles, like how she was taught by the mermaids. In no time, a black hole began to form in the middle of it, and Viola glanced back over her shoulder toward the door before slipping into the hole, disappearing from the tub.
Back in the room, however, Gilbert reached for his tablet to look something up and noticed there was another line written below the note where she’d asked to use the bathroom.
"Don’t let them know, Gilbert. I have gone to the sea to find answers. I need my wolf to fight for my husband and family..."
•••
Viola had no idea where the portal Wave had opened for her would take her, but she appeared somewhere with her Tidekin swirling around her, the motion of the portal delivering her there only making her neck ache worse. She bit back the discomfort to look towards the creature.
"Mermaidia, I have waited for you to call! Welcome home!" Came Wave’s excited voice as he stared at her, but the creature’s excitement faded when he saw her neck and red eyes. "You’re hurt."
She gave it a nod and Wave looked displeased before he declared. "Let me heal you."
Saying that, Wave came forward and wrapped himself around her neck, and immediately Viola felt relief wash over her like a balm on a burn, her neck righted itself, along with her bloodshot eyes, and her breath came easier.
She reached up and removed the cast, then asked hoarsely, "Where is my sister, and the others?" She looked around at the expanse of water. "I need to see Natasha right now."
"I’ll take you to her." Saying that, the creature took her hand and began pulling her deeper down, and as they descended, Wave said, "The mermaids have been talking about how to bring you back to them. They say you carry the Child of the Sea’s powers of healing for the merfolk, and that you belong here, Mermaidia. Have you come to stay?" He asked, sounding hopeful at the thought.
"No. I am not staying. I will return soon, I just need to speak with Natasha." Viola said, but Wave’s voice turned grave as he turned to her. "Then you shouldn’t have come right now, Mermaidia. They won’t let you leave again, something is happening to the sea that is connected to you and—"
Wave’s voice trailed off before he could explain further, because light surrounded them as they reached the bottom of the sea, where mermaid homes were scattered around in different shapes and sizes, decorated with sea ornaments that would have fascinated Viola if she weren’t here on a mission.
"What is happening to the sea?" Viola asked curiously but Wave didn’t continue speaking about that topic.
"And here comes Finn," Wave whispered, as the guardian of the sea swam toward them, his mighty build and a trident clutched in his hand, with two other mermen trailing behind him.
"Welcome to Aquaville, Mermaidia. We have been expecting your arrival, please swim with us." Came the words of her cousin-in-law, his face hard as stone and intimidating.
Aquaville, Viola thought to herself, so that was the name of their world. "Why are you expecting me? Where is Natasha, and my sister?" She asked, swimming with them since she had no other choice right now, taking in her surroundings as mermaids peeked out from their colorful shell-like homes, some pointing at her legs and looking disgusted.
"Come with me, I’ll take you to them." He reached out and held her elbow, and in a flash, they teleported away from the middle of the mermaid town, appearing in a more deserted area where a large decorative cave stood, one she recalled seeing in Yasmin’s memories.
They swam into the open cave and entered the brighter inner chamber, where Viola quickly realized Natasha and the rest were having dinner, and the little mermaid, Pearl, was playing with the Tidekins. But everything stopped the moment she entered.
"Serena," came Ivy’s relief filled voice, she had been picking at her food, but upon seeing her twin, she swam forward, hugging her tightly. "What brings you here? You shouldn’t have come here right now." She whispered, looking worried rather than glad, and Viola realized Wave had said the same thing and asked,
"Why?"
"Ivy, don’t scare your sister, let her come in and join us. It’s good she’s here, we can sit as a family and eat." Said Yasmin, coming forward to pull Viola in. But Viola said,
"I didn’t come here to stay nor eat." Her eyes turned to the elder mermaid, Natasha, who sat silently, and she said, "I came here to see you. I need to know how to get rid of my suppressant and free my wolf. What did you give me to suppress my powers?"
Natasha, who had been sitting there with her tail stretched out silently, finally straightened at her niece’s question. "Would you mind taking a swim with me, outside?" She asked, and Viola, who was here on borrowed time, looked frustrated but nodded, turning to her twin, who said,
"I’ll come with you."
As the three of them swam out of the cave, Yasmin looked at her mate and said, "I hope Mother convinces her to stay and save the mermaids, rather than those creatures. Our root are dying. Do you think she’ll stay?"
"I don’t know. But Aquaville certainly needs someone with her powers to bring more life back to it. She belongs here more than she does there."
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