9. Pedro
Pedro
“Can you hear me?” Alin asks, waving her hand in front of Bay’s face. Bay has been frozen in place for over ten minutes, completely unresponsive. Her amethyst-purple eyes, usually sparkling with a gemstone glow, have turned cold and dark.
“What’s happening?” I ask Alin, hoping she has some kind of answer.
The world of mermaids is still strange to me.
Maybe mermaids shed their skin like lizards?
Or maybe it’s just that time of the month.
.. I raise an eyebrow in frustrated confusion as Alin suddenly starts shaking Bay’s shoulders, her panic rising.
“Pedro, this isn’t a good sign. Something—or someone—is holding onto her consciousness,” Alin says as Bay remains unresponsive. “I don’t know exactly what’s happening, but what ever’s gripping her must be incredibly powerful to affect her like this without even being here.”
What the hell does that mean? Is Bay lost? I don’t understand a word of what she just said. Someone’s holding her consciousness? Is it like the effect their powers have on humans?
Before I can even process what’s happening, Bay’s mouth opens, and a sound rips from her—a raw, guttural screech that feels like it’s cutting through my very bones.
My skin crawls, my heartbeat stutters. Alin is on me in an instant, her hands slamming over my ears with a desperate force, trembling as if she’s trying to hold her own fear at bay.
The room pulses with the violent clash between Bay’s inhuman wail and Alin’s melodic hum, a sound so soft, so fragile, it’s barely a whisper—like a prayer meant to counter the chaos.
But the hum is desperate, and it only seems to make the screech more unbearable.
My fingers dig into Alin’s wrists, holding on tightly, trying to block out the insanity of this sound storm.
The noise vibrates through my chest like a sickening pulse, twisting in my stomach, something we can’t control or escape.
My entire body shudders from the intensity of it, as if the sound is pulling at the very fibers of my being.
Bay’s eyes are wide and empty, pools of nothingness that send a cold shiver up my spine.
Her body is taut, like a puppet caught in the hands of some unseen master, every twitch a silent scream of something too far gone for us to understand.
“Bay, are you okay?” Alin asks as the noise cuts off abruptly, releasing her grip on me.
“Alin? What are you doing here?” Bay’s voice sounds clear, and her familiar mischievous smile returns as she looks at us, her amethyst eyes sparkling again.
“Are you okay?” I ask, still shaken from everything that just happened. But she seems completely unaware of the chaos she just caused.
“What’s wrong with you two? Why wouldn’t I be okay?” Bay looks be tween us, baffled, but her voice sounds… distant.
“Bay, you were completely unresponsive—like you were possessed,” Alin tells her bluntly. Bay’s face pales.
“No, no, I’m fine. Don’t worry. Maybe I swam… I mean, sleepwalked…” Bay mutters something vague, clearly trying to brush off Alin’s concern, but her tone suggests she’s hiding something.
Alin notices it too. “Bay, you can’t—”
“Alin, I’m fine! Let it go. It’s over. Go live your fucking boring human life and leave me alone,” Bay snaps defensively, cutting her off brutally. “Just go already, fuck!”
What’s happening? Bay would never talk like that, especially not to Alin.
I glance at Alin, whose eyes widen, hurt by Bay’s behavior. This isn’t like her at all.
“Bay, what’s going on with you? Since when do you act like this?” I ask cautiously, but Alin grabs my hand, giving me a nod that signals I shouldn’t press further.
“You too now? Get out, both of you!” Bay suddenly shouts, waving her hand in a dismissive gesture.
I look at Alin, confused, and she motions for me to leave my room with her.
“What’s with all the secret glances? Now you want Pedro too?” Bay snarls, her voice razor-sharp as she shoves Alin back with a venomous glare. This is definitely not Bay.
I move toward her, ready to intervene, but Alin stops me, raising her hand. Her power flares, and I watch in horror as a choking force grips Bay’s throat, silencing her. A strangled sound escapes, and the look of pure fear on Bay’s face twists my gut.
“What are you doing?” My voice rises, raw with anger as I grasp what Alin’s doing. I try to grab Alin’s hands, but I’m suddenly thrown backward, slamming into the door. Pain shoots up from my tailbone, and a few curses slip out under my breath.
“You’re going to kill her! This pregnancy has driven you mad!” I shout, struggling against the force holding me in place.
Bay collapses, unconscious, and Alin finally releases her grip. She lets out a heavy sigh as if releasing the burden, but the chill between us lingers, thick and suffocating.
I rush to her side, panic seizing me. I lean close, desperately checking her breathing. My breath finally escapes in relief—she’s still alive. “What the hell?” My voice shakes as I spin to face Alin, fury boiling beneath my skin. I grab her collar, yanking her up.
“Pedro, take your hand off her now if you want to keep it,” Luca’s threatening voice comes from the doorway. Alin and I both turn, surprised to see him there.
How can he defend her when Bay is lying here unconscious? Has my brother really become this blinded by his wife?
I reluctantly release Alin’s collar and turn to Luca. “She knocked Bay out! You need to rein in your wife—pregnancy hormones are making her lose it!” I spit, fury boiling over. Luca’s glare cuts into me.
“Are you done with your childish theatrics?” Alin interrupts, pulling her gaze from Luca back to me. “That wasn’t Bay; something is controlling her. Until it lets go, we can’t keep her conscious.”
Luca wraps his arms around her, but I can barely register it. Alin’s words repeat in my mind: something is controlling her. Did she just say someone has control over Bay?
“I don’t understand. How is that possible? There’s no one here but us,” I ask, forcing myself to calm down. Now isn’t the time to push Luca any further; he could decide to send Bay away for good.
“I don’t know what it is either,” Alin says, visibly tense. “Bay was with the Hunters’ pod for months. Maybe she made some enemies along the way?”
“So what do we do now?” I ask, focusing on the most urgent question.
“Until this influence wears off, we won’t get anything out of Bay. She needs to be left alone for the night.” Alin’s calm suggestion sends an unfamiliar chill through me. Leave her alone like this? Am I the only one thinking straight?
“Pedro, I know you care about her, but it’s too risky if she wakes up in this state. She could hurt you, too,” Alin adds, like she’s reading my thoughts.
I give Bay’s unconscious body one last look before following Luca and Alin out. Luca locks the door and hands Alin the key.
“If you ever threaten my wife again,” he warns, “Bay will be the least of your worries.” I sigh. There’s no reasoning with him when it comes to Alin—he’s not thinking logically. But then again, nothing about the world they come from has ever made sense.
“Now, are you ready to explain why you did that?” I avoid looking at my brother and aim my question directly at Alin.
“Pedro,” Luca starts, his tone hardening with another threat, but I refuse to back down. My eyes stay locked onto Alin’s.
“As I said, something is controlling her. She wasn’t speaking logically, and whatever it is, it’s only affecting her—I didn’t hear a thing.
Whoever’s doing it has her entirely under their influence right now,” Alin explains, her voice suddenly cracking.
Her gaze darts to the locked door, eyes widening as if searching for an answer she knows she won’t find.
Her chest rises and falls with uneven breaths, but she quickly forces herself to stand taller.
I feel a wave of anger surge through me. Who the hell dares to hurt her?
But then the truth hits me: It’s not my job to care anymore.
“So I’m supposed to just accept this and leave her unconscious in a locked room?” I ask, fists clenched tight. My voice comes out harsher than intended, betraying the anger rising within me.
“Pedro, Bay is my family too. I wouldn’t have done this if I had a choice.
I’ll do whatever it takes to find answers,” Alin replies, placing a hand on my shoulder, though her eyes look distant.
“But there’s nothing you can do here. If you get too close, she might take control of you. Even I struggled to resist her voice.”
Her attempt at reassurance only makes my frustration simmer hotter. I sigh, knowing this is a battle I’m losing for now. At least she’s locked in my apartment, and I’ll be here when she wakes up.
“You’re sleeping with us tonight,” Alin declares, her tone leaving no room for argument.
“Now you’re kicking me out of my own apartment? Brother, control your wife!” I snap without a second thought. I need to be here, to watch over her.
Luca’s hand grabs my collar, his grip tight, and for a moment, I choke slightly. But I hold my gaze steady, refusing to back down.
“She’s unconscious. What could possibly happen to me?” I plead.
“You heard my wife loud and clear. You’ll do as she says,” he commands, releasing my collar with a frustrated shove that nearly makes me lose my balance. He’s the capo, and I have to keep my anger in check. I force myself to nod, biting back the words I want to say.
“Pedro,” Alin’s tone softens as she tries to reach me, “if she wakes up in this state and starts using her voice, you’ll be trapped in a dangerous loop, unable to break free until… whoever’s controlling her lets you go.”
I let out a heavy breath, every instinct fighting this decision. “Fine. I’ll come back tomorrow.”