Chapter Two
Belle swam slowly in the healing waters, and it was glorious to feel the energy seeping into her bones and muscles. She had been born on the islands, and her brother was a mainland boy. It was funny and something she could lord over her brother.
She swam slowly across the pool and back again, pulling energy in slowly.
She heard the hovercraft arrive and turned to see Dorian and Ambermarle approaching.
Belle slicked back her white hair and swam to speak to them. “Hello.”
Dorian looked at her with concern. “You are absorbing a lot of healing.”
“I needed it. Can you recharge it?”
He smiled and nodded. “I will do it when we finish our climb to the top. Serin wants footage that she can use.”
Amby grinned. “And I want to try again when I can actually pull up my own body weight.”
Dorian chuckled. “And I can be a lot more touchy on the climb.”
“Perv.” She snorted.
He grinned. “Let’s go, Amby.”
“Fine, but you are carrying the battery packs.”
“Done, as long as I get to kiss you at the head of the falls.”
“As long as it is only a kiss.”
Belle watched the smirk on his face as he said, “Of course.”
Belle laughed as they walked to the ropes that descended from the top of the falls and the harnesses were put in place.
She continued to watch them climb the cliff, and when they got to the top, there was a strange pause, and then, a hefty surge of energy wrapped around her. Ah, they had taken a break. The water was super-charged, and her body was making use of the extra energy.
Her scalp tingled, and she felt some growth in her hair. Figured.
She continued to swim, but since her body was drinking in everything, she began to smile and plan. Belle had been asked to do a test run of the possible Alphas versus Betas run through the islands.
The sacred pool of the island had done its job, Amby and Dorian descended in a rapid flight, and Dorian braked for them with Amby facing him.
The affection between them matched the adrenalin they had just brought to the fore in the drop. Belle felt a little pervy, but then, she had seen worse. Long hospital stays showed a whole lot of inappropriate frisky behaviour on the wards overnight.
She kept her swim back and forth slow until she was ready to get out. She reached for the robe she had brought and smirked as she had trouble getting it closed. She was back. Two years of cancer care had taken her body down to nothing, but now, she was home, and she was back. Her muscles, her curves, and her balance were now right.
Dorian stared as she stepped off the rocks. “Holy shit.”
Belle grinned. “I always get what I need from the water. It is just faster to get it from this pool because you dump so much energy into it. So, now, I can get back to work. My second life starts now.”
Amby blinked. “Second life?”
“Yeah. I was down in hospital, and my heart stopped a few times during treatment. So, now, I am on to my second life.” She slipped on her sandals and gathered her clothing. “Step one, new wardrobe.”
Belle walked over to her single electric scooter and headed back to the village. She left the lovers to their recharging of the pool.
Her robe flapped around her legs, and as she got into town, she started drawing attention. Belle snorted. She was thirty, and her body had been invaded by nearly every medical tool known to man. If they wanted to look, they could look. Her body had survived and earned the right to be appreciated.
She parked her scooter where she had borrowed it and walked the six minutes to the commercial shopping area.
She opened the door and saw the proprietor fussing over her beta. The beta was blushing. “Ahheel, cool it. You have a customer.”
“Don’t mind me. I just regained twenty-five pounds of fat and muscle. Nothing I packed fits.”
“Mini, nothing is more important than you are.”
“Right, well, I need to work. So, shoo.” The beta smiled and waved off her alpha. “Or I will work in the café in the square.”
Ahheel sighed, kissed her mate, and straightened. “Right, well, what level of modesty are we dealing with?”
Belle shrugged and pulled off the robe. “What do you have that fits this?”
Mini’s eyes went wide, and she started scribbling in her notebook.
Ahheel blinked, and colour stained her cheeks. “I have a few two-piece items that should fit. Are you looking for underwear?”
“If you have some in stock. I am not gagging for it.” Belle smiled.
They began shopping, and soon, Belle had a stack of clothes, and Ahheel was sweating. Mini grinned. “I thought she only got that flustered for me.”
Belle smiled. “Well, at least I am no longer shocking the wildlife.”
She watched Ahheel put the clothing in a bag.
Mini smiled. “What brings you to the islands?”
“Oh, I was born out here. Serin is embracing her role as Minister of Tourism and wants to hold the next Alphas verses Betas out here. I am going to do a trial run to find a safe route that is still exciting.” She smirked. “I would say that my brother and I were supposed to work on it, but if our link is anything to go by, he’s busy.”
Ahheel chuckled. “Twins?”
“Yeah.”
“Me, too, and the other alpha in our little group.” Ahheel smiled. “Exeter has his own twin. All fraternal.”
“Yeah. Let me tell you, that makes me nervous every time I have sex.” Belle smirked. “Good thing condoms work.”
Ahheel smiled. “With a female alpha, that wouldn’t be a problem.”
“Uh-huh. That would be too many breasts for me. I have enough trouble with these.” She cupped her breasts and dropped them. The dark, gauzy top was buttoned halfway, and her belly was exposed when the panels moved. Her skirt had slits up to midthigh on both legs, and the dark blue looked good with her frosty blue hair with green highlights.
“You know, it is odd. You don’t have any scent.”
Belle chuckled. “Chemo does that. It’s making its way out of my system, but the process is slow. Paddling around Dorian’s pool did me a world of good.”
Ahheel’s eyes widened. “Cancer?”
“Cancer. Cut out, burned, and poisoned, but it’s gone. Thanks to the pool, my weight and muscle are back, hence the shopping spree.” Belle grinned. “Now, time for lunch.”
Mini perked up. “I could do with some lunch. Can I join you?”
Ahheel snorted. “If you are looking for commonality, she doesn’t have a mark like you, Mini.”
“I just think she’s interesting and probably has had fun occupations.”
Belle grinned. “I used to be a stuntwoman.”
Mini was walking toward her. “If I buy lunch, can I pick your brain?”
“Sure. Let’s go. Are you coming, Ahheel?”
The shop owner sighed. “Mini, grab me something. I need to tidy up and set up an order list. Just as well you will be in the square.”
“Sure.”
Ahheel walked around and kissed her beta with a possessive stance.
Belle smiled. “I will leave you to say your farewells and bring her back after lunch.”
Ahheel said, “Leave your shopping here. It will be an added incentive to bring Mini back.”
Mini blushed and said, “I am coming.”
Belle left her bag, and they walked out together. She had a question. “What does she mean I am not your kind of beta?”
“You don’t have a mark on your back.”
Belle shrugged. “If she says so.”
Mini asked, “You mean you do?”
“Well, it isn’t visible in normal light, but yeah.”
“So, another kind of light?”
“Yup.”
“Why can’t she see it?”
“She’s not for me.” Belle chuckled. “I haven’t met an alpha yet that was. I mean, aside from entertainment, I don’t have much use for them.”
“So, how will your alpha find you?”
Belle chuckled. “Therein lies the mystery.”
Mini smiled, and they got a table at the café and used the digital menus in the table.
Mini began asking questions the moment that they finished ordering.
They chatted, laughed, and got along quite well as Belle recounted her scariest stunts, and Mini took notes.
One hour led to two, and they got a few smiles from some of the overpopulated alphas in the village. No one knew why the islands grew so many alphas, but the last two generations had a bumper crop.
Ahheel walked toward them, and Mini blinked. “Oops. Oh, I lost track of time.”
Ahheel had the bag and held up Belle’s phone. “Belle, your charter is ready.”
“Oh, shoot. Right. I forgot about that. Sorry, Mini. Another time?”
“Definitely.” Mini smiled and bowed slightly.
Belle gathered her things. “Thank you, Ahheel. See you soon, Mini.”
Mini beamed.
Belle slid her hand across the pay pad and took her stuff to the docks.
Orc and Thera were standing on the deck of the charter boat. “Sorry I am late; I got distracted by lunch.” She smiled. “Permission to come aboard?”
Thera reached down and took the bag, which freed her up to pull herself onto the ladder when Orc said, “Permission granted.”
Belle clambered up and grinned at Orc. “Hiya, Orc.”
He looked at her, and his eyes went wide. “Babybel.”
“Yup.”
“You... uh... grew up.”
Thera was standing with a quirked brow. “I am guessing you know each other?”
Orc blinked. “Yeah. When she was little, she would come on holiday with her family.”
Belle smiled. “My grandmother lived out here. I was born on the island, and we came back frequently until I was twelve. Orc babysat me when I was ten.”
“She kicked my ass at Scrabble.” Orc chuckled.
Belle smiled. “True.”
“How old was Orc at the time?”
“Sixteen.” Orc smiled. “So, where are we taking you today, Babybel?”
“The Denaki Strait.”
He blinked. “Why?”
“I will explain on the way.”
He hopped off, untied the charter, and they were underway in a few minutes.
They went over a map, and she explained the premise of the catamaran portion of the event.
“The waters around there are deep. There is a lot of whale activity.”
“If there isn’t some danger from below, then it won’t be worth watching. We will have rescue vessels nearby, and they will be as safe as we can make them. We will train them to be as safe as possible and keep an eye on them.”
Thera smiled. “We?”
“Deno and I are moving back to the islands. I mean, he has to get his citizenship, but I have mine.”
Orc snorted. “Yeah, that is a weird story.”
Thera looked at the map. “We have time.”
Belle smiled. “My parents were visiting my grandmother, and my mom was seven and a half months pregnant with twins. So, she thought she was safe. She had me in the village, and then an airlift got her, my dad, and me off to the mainland for surgery. Emerald was in the path of a storm, and we couldn’t go there. Deno wasn’t making any effort to arrive under his own steam, so he had to be surgically delivered. So, I have island citizenship, and he is a mainlander. Oh, and we have different birthdays.”
Thera blinked. “Right, because of the airlift.”
“Correct. Well, our mom decided two was enough, and then, she just rolled her eyes when we both became stunt people. All that effort and we jump off buildings and take punches for a living. Dad was so proud.”
Orc laughed. “Yeah, well, I would be proud as hell.”
Thera glared at him. “Shut up, and drive the boat. I am crossing my fingers for all girls.”
Belle chuckled. “Yes, by all means. Girls are great at it.”
Thera looked at her, blushed, and said, “That isn’t what I meant.”
Belle and Orc chuckled, and Thera huffed. It was the start of a fun and prolonged conversation.
The strait loomed as they angled toward the port, gliding into the narrow span and moving cautiously.
“So, on a catamaran, this is about six hours of travel. Do we have time to blaze through the passage and come around the other side of the island?”
Orc said, “There is a speed restriction in this passage. The inhabitant isn’t a fan of waves. He’s an enhanced alpha and spends a lot of time in the water.”
Belle looked around. “It’s gorgeous, but I don’t want to spend a lot of time in here.”
Thera asked, “Why not?”
“You can’t feel it? There’s electricity in the air.”
Orc muttered, “If you insist on speed, we are going to find out soon.”
Belle walked to the prow and watched the water. When something started to writhe and bubble in the distance, Belle focused.
Orc muttered, “Shit.”
He cut the engine, and they waited. Thera asked what was going on, but he held up a hand for silence.
Belle glanced back, and Orc put a finger to his lips.
The churning in the distance approached them, and a line of fins appeared on the surface. Belle whistled softly, and the line of fins shot toward them. She quickly stripped as it approached.
She heard Orc shouting, but she hadn’t had a good run in the water, and as the huge eel shot toward the boat, she climbed on the railing and jumped.
* * * *
Thera gasped. “Where is she?”
“I don’t know. I can’t see her. Shit, he’s here!” Orc braced for the impact of the blunt head, but it didn’t come.
A being made entirely of water rose from the surface with the eel in its grasp.
Thera gasped as the female continued to rise until she was nearly as tall as the mountains to either side. “Holy shit.”
Orc muttered, “She didn’t do that when she was ten.”
The woman was made of ocean water. Fish moved inside her, and the eel was in her grasp.
“Wow. What is she?”
Orc shook his head. “I have no idea, but Xo is thinking twice about being an ass.”
The eel was wrapping around Belle, and she wrestled him until he stopped thrashing and hung from her grasp. She dropped him into the water and turned to look at Orc and Thera. She sank low, and Thera felt the vessel speed up.
Orc muttered, “Hang on. I think she’s getting us clear.”
“Yeah. That’s what it feels like.” Thera grabbed Orc and held on.
They were pulled along like a tub toy until they were at the end of the straight. The boat went still, and suddenly, a very naked Belle crawled onto the deck. She flipped her blue and green hair back and huffed. “Anyone have a towel?”
Thera grinned. “Here you go. May I say you are tall.”
Belle dried her hair and ignored her body until her hair was sorted. When that was dry, she wrapped the towel around her. “So, how tall did I get?”
Thera looked at her curious expression and laughed. “About a hundred feet.”
Orc added. “Above the water. Half of you was below the surface.”
Belle smiled. “I thought so. I am one big bitch.”
Orc snorted. “Xo certainly thinks so.”
“Is that the eel?”
“Yeah.”
Belle smirked. “Home, Orc. That made me hungry.”
The engine revved, and they headed back to the village. Thera tried to ask Belle about her skill, but her answers were vague.
“Quite frankly, this is the first time that I have been able to do it. I knew I could, but this was proof of concept. I am surprised at my height, though. That’s unexpected.”
Thera stared. “You are kidding. You just jumped in front of him and had no idea what would happen?”
“No clue. Well, I knew I wouldn’t be injured. You can’t hurt water.”
Thera got Belle her clothing, and she dressed and was politely sitting when they got back to the dock.
Thera asked, “Can we join you for dinner? The other guys are just coming in.”
The second boat was gliding toward the dock with a bunch of giggling ladies on it.
The moment Skaay and Kayak had the ladies safely on dry land, they rushed toward Thera and took turns kissing her in front of the shocked betas.
Thera felt their desperation and held them in turn, stroking their cheeks and shoulders. “There, there. The horny ladies can’t come after you anymore.”
Skaay looked at her. “They were scary.”
Kayak nodded. “Well, except that one lady who kept them from molesting us, but they were biting us with their eyes.”
Thera looked at the woman who was so serene it wasn’t funny. She ushered her collection of drunk friends back to the village. The brunette with dark brown eyes looked toward her with a slight smile and nodded.
Belle chuckled. “She’s competent and good at dealing with drunks.”
Thera smiled and made the introductions, but Kayak grinned. “Ding-dong!”
He grabbed Belle and swung her around. He set her down. “Wow, you grew up. And out.”
“Thanks, Kayak. You look as dense as always.”
Thera grinned. “We are going for dinner. Are you two joining us?”
Skaay smiled. “Please. It wasn’t safe to let our guard down with those ladies.”
“Good, Belle’s hungry, and I am going to tell you the tale of how she earned it.” Thera grinned and hauled them over to the village to the quieter restaurant that the locals favoured. Time to eat.