Hook, Line & Sinking (Completed)

33. History Lesson

Hey guys,

My past week/weekend has been suuuuuuper busy finishing my manuscript for the paperback version of my newly published book Beast Unburdened. And it's out now! Yay!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09PZ7RN1B

My apologies if this chapter feels more rushed than usual as I didn't have as much time to refine it as I normally do. I hope you all like it!

Much love,

Robin

*

History Lesson

Curled up against Matt's chest we lay in his bed in his room above the Stonefish. "So," I started softly, "None of your navy buddies could make it here in time? That's why you called Noah?" Matt nodded, his chin brushing against the top of my head. "Fletcher, the guy who made your knife. He'll try to get here but he was in Melbourne and probably unable to get a flight out yet. The others weren't in the country or on a mission and unreachable."

No wonder he'd been getting more and more agitated as he'd made his round of calls. I should have paid more attention to him while I'd been trying to sort my own thoughts and feelings. "Do all of them know about what you are? Or would you have told them when they got here?" I remember him specifically saying Thorne discovering his fish genes but he'd never mentioned the others and neither had Thorne.

"I would have told them if they got here," Matt confirmed, "But Noah's a good choice. I'm glad he's back here, having him on our side is probably a better asset right now." I had to chuckle at the phrasing, thinking that his training was showing through. "I bet, a guy who can make people spill their guts is handy."

Noah had come across as extremely friendly and trustworthy, then again it was entirely possible that that magical voice of his was enhancing that impression. He'd admitted himself that as a Siren his gift was in his voice, he could sweet-talk anyone. Thorne had known better what a Siren was than Noah had expected though. Rather rudely describing him as an emotional vampire.

I remembered how Noah's face had shuttered for a moment before he'd nodded, "That's fair to say." Though neither man had elaborated much on what it did mean. To Matt Noah had firmly said, "I'll have your back. I can have people keep an eye out for both the boat, and the Corenths in question. When it comes down to a fight you can count me in too."

When the cop had left Thorne and Matt had shared a brief look and then Thorne had shrugged out of his tank top, opened his pants (thankfully not actually dropping them) and shifted in a flash of rust red light. I'd never seen him shift, had never seen him changed into his other form or even known he could do that on a whim.

As the light faded away a big red wolf remained, shaking out his fur with a thumping sound of his tail as it hit the nearest table. Matt grabbed a black collar from the top edge above the door and clipped that around Thorne's neck and then opened the door for the huge animal. "I'll leave your shorts on the deck."

So, despite the two of them deciding to trust Noah with this, they weren't taking any risks. Thorne as a wolf, poorly camouflaged as a dog, set out to follow the cop from a distance, just to make sure. I was still in aw at remembering the huge beast he'd turned into. Wolves were not native to Australia obviously so it was a doubly strange thing to see.

"So who is Beryl?" I asked, finally able to ask it now that everything had at least calmed down. Matt's dark brows lowered over his face, making it clear he was unhappy when thinking of this woman. "You've got every right to know. I wish I could tell you exactly but I don't know everything either, just what we were told growing up."