Chapter 24

Twenty-Four

We were once again almost late to the train, but made it in time, earning a side eye from the man who checked our tickets.

The train ride was only a few hours, so we sat in the glass car to watch the scenery.

Lily watched with wide eyes, pointing at things and making Ezio look for them. He got her to play I-spy and she had so much fun that we had to stop the game to get her to eat lunch.

Two mammoth-sized men with identical faces and long beards met us at the train station, bowing to us as we walked.

"Hello, I'm Stan," the one on the left said, his voice the deepest I had ever heard a human speak.

"I'm Clark," the other said, his voice just as deep as his twin's. "We will drive you to the boat, which we will be taking and we will operate the vessel as well."

"It's nice to meet you," I greeted.

"Good to see you two again," Ezio said and held out his fist so they could bump theirs against it.

"You look well," Stan said.

"Thanks for your assistance today," Caleb said and hugged each of them.

"Of course, Caleb. You know you can always call on us," Clark said and patted his back. He looked over at me and said, "I hope he's not giving you too much trouble as a mate."

"I'm a perfect mate," Caleb said and scoffed.

"Ha! I could smell that lie in a manure factory," Stan said and ruffled Caleb's hair.

"Everyone, put the luggage in the back and get into the SUV or we'll be here all day," Ezio ordered. "These two love teasing Caleb."

"He's got such a teasable face," Clark said and pinched Caleb's cheek.

Caleb growled and said, "You're lucky we've got places to be or I'd shift and show you who's alpha here."

"I'm shaking in my fur," Clark said mockingly.

Once buckled, we headed away from the city and towards the ocean. We rolled down the windows, letting the salty air fill our nostrils.

"What's that smell?" Lily asked, wrinkling her nose.

Stan looked at us in the rearview mirror. "She's never seen the ocean?"

I shook my head.

"Can she swim?" Clark asked.

We all looked at Lily who nodded. "I love water and it's very easy to swim in animal form."

Oh, right. Snakes were excellent swimmers.

"What animal is she?" Clark asked, turning from the passenger seat to look at us.

"Can't tell you," Lily whispered and ducked her head down.

"You don't have to hide your animal form anymore," I told her. "Remember, you aren't hiding anymore."

Her eyes widened and she looked up at Clark. "Snake."

Now his eyes widened. "Snake?"

"Yes, she's a snake," I answered. "Apparently, there was only one snake before her in all of elven history."

"Interesting," Clark said. He looked at Branson. "What are you?"

"Bear," Branson replied while still looking out the window of the SUV.

"You?" Clark asked Triston.

"Tiger."

"Bear, tiger, cheetah, snake … what about you?" he asked me.

"Rabbit," I replied with a wide smile.

"Well, that's quite a combination," Stan said and chuckled.

"Do you get to choose your form?" Clark asked.

We all shook our heads.

"Hm, I think I'd want to be a hippo," Clark said as he turned around.

Lily laughed. "A hippo?"

"They're dangerous animals. They can run fast on land and are quick in the water. They may look big and slow, but they are not!" he shuddered, making it clear he had had a run in with a hippo at some point in his life. "Do you know of any hippo shifters?" he asked, looking back at me.

I shook my head. "None of our members are hippos that I know of."

"Stop pestering my mate with questions," Caleb said from the backseat where he was laying back with his eyes closed. "She's not your personal encyclopedia of hybrids."

"Well, you never answer any questions we ask," Stan said. "So, we have to ask someone else."

"Maybe it's because he doesn't know," Clark said. "Maybe she's the one who knows and he's embarrassed that he doesn't know the answers."

"Believe what you want, but stop pestering her," Caleb said and lifted his lip in a snarl.

"Papa's grumpy," Lily whispered.

"Do you have anyone who can take multiple forms, like Caleb?" Clark asked me, clearly ignoring Caleb's order.

"I can take all of my mates' forms," I said, "but I don't know of an unmated person who can take multiple forms aside from Caleb. I think it's because he was magically created to be the perfect hybrid."

"See, she thinks I'm perfect," Caleb said.

Rolling my eyes, I continued, "To be honest, we're still learning a lot about hybrids ourselves since we've been scattered and remained hidden for so long. I didn't even know I was a hybrid until I met Caleb."

"What?" Stan and Clark asked simultaneously.

"I had never shifted into an animal form and thought I was just a mage," I explained. "Caleb sensed I was a hybrid though when we met and that's how I found out."

"So, you think it's possible there are others like you out there?" Stan asked.

"There's no one else like her out there," Caleb said, leaned forward, and kissed my cheek. "She's one of a kind."

"I love you, too," I said and turned to kiss him on the lips.

"Ew!" Lily yelled and covered her eyes.

That made everyone laugh.

They asked me a few more questions as we drove, the drive was over two hours long, so it did help pass the time. Eventually, Caleb started answering some questions I didn't know the answers to.

When the ocean finally came into view, Lily sat up straighter and gasped, "Look at all the water!"

"How long will the boat ride take?" I asked. I had never been on a boat and I wasn't really looking forward to being on the ocean. I had basic knowledge about the types of creatures that lived in the water and a rabbit was not meant for swimming in the ocean.

"An hour and a half," Stan answered.

"Oof," I whispered and felt my heart start to beat faster.

Caleb set his hand on my shoulder and squeezed. "Don't worry, you'll be safe. You can always use my dragon side to give yourself wings, remember?"

Right, I could give myself wings. I kept forgetting about doing that.

"Lily can swim Mama to safety," she said and set her hand on top of mine on my leg. "You be okay."

Now I felt bad for being scared and being reassured by my five-year-old daughter.

"Thanks, Lily," I said and squeezed her against my side.

"Pretty sure you could just shift into rabbit form and sit atop Branson's head while he swims and the extra weight wouldn't bother him," Triston said with a chuckle.

"He's not wrong," Branson mumbled, his eyes were closed and he was relaxed in the seat, looking like he was trying to nap.

"Good to know," I said.

We made it to the dock where a ship awaited us. The men took the luggage, so I carried Lily and followed Clark onto the ship.

When I set Lily on her feet on the ship, she spread her legs wide and gripped me tightly. "Whoa," she whispered.

Yeah, I wasn't really liking the wobbly way the boat moved atop the water either.

"Here, you can sit on the bench here," Clark said and waved us towards a bench in front of the cabin where the wheel was to steer the ship.

Lily and I sat down and waited for everyone to get on and for them to steer the ship out to sea.

Branson sat next to Lily, and she immediately shifted into snake form and curled around his arm.

Triston sat beside me and I leaned against him, resisting the urge to do the same as Lily, shift and be held by them.

Being surrounded by nothing, but water that had creatures capable of eating me was terrifying.

Caleb stood at the front of the ship, breathing the sea air deeply, and looked more at peace than I had ever seen him before.

The guys seemed to sense my unease, so they did not try to talk and we stayed silent the entire trip.

A few sharks approached the ship, but one look from Caleb and they dove back beneath the water without getting too close.

We arrived to the island without issue, but found the dock there in such a terrible state that we knew we couldn't use it.

Clark steered the ship as close as he could and anchored it. Caleb flew to the beach and they started throwing the luggage to him.

Once all luggage was on the beach, Caleb returned to carry a few of us at a time to the beach next.

Turning my back to the sea, I looked at the jungle of trees before us. It was thick, lush, and full of animals calling to each other.

"You sure about this?" Clark asked as he eyed the jungle. "We have no idea what's in there."

"I'm here, so it'll be okay," Caleb said confidently. "Let's make a temporary shelter to store the luggage, ensuring it's safe from waves or creatures nearby, and then we'll head in."

They used vines and tree branches to make a platform that hung from one of the trees and put all of our luggage inside. I put my backpack with healing and medical supplies on and Branson put on his pack that had food and water. Triston and Ezio also had water and food rations in their bags and Ezio had emergency clothing for Lily.

Caleb turned to me. "Ember, you walk behind me. Ezio, you and Lily stay in the center of us. The rest of you, make a protective circle around the girls."

Everyone nodded and we headed into the jungle.

Lily stayed in her snake form, but coiled up around his neck, raising up to look around as we walked. She was clearly more comfortable in this environment than most of us, except for Triston.

"I feel … at home," he whispered and shook his head. "This place really calls to my beast side."

"Not mine," I whispered.

"Well, since most things here could kill a rabbit, that makes sense," Riddick said behind me.

I spun to glare at him. "Not helping."

Caleb held up his hand and everyone froze. Tilting his head back, he sniffed the air. "Show yourself," he called out. "We mean you no harm."

Stepping from the trees before us was a huge black panther and just behind the panther slithered an at least twenty-foot-long green python. I felt the pull towards them … hybrids.

Lily perked up more, but Ezio shook his head and she stilled.

"I am Caleb, King of Hybrids. Who are you?" He spoke politely and I could tell was holding back his aura.

The panther shifted into a male warrior form, a combination of man and panther, with beautiful dark skin and hair in thick, braided rows. "King? You do not seem strong enough to be king."

Caleb smiled. "I didn't want to let my aura out to ensure you didn't view me as menacing. I am here as a friend, not enemy."

"Prove your status as king," the python said as she shifted into a snake-woman form. Her green scales still covered most of her body and she kept a few feet of tail behind her.

Caleb inhaled and as he exhaled, his aura pressed down upon us all.

Thankfully, as part of the clan and his pack, it didn't affect us much, but I saw Clark and Stan flinch a step away and their shoulders hunch a bit.

The panther and python dropped to a knee and bowed. "Your Majesty," they both gasped.

"Please, stand," Caleb said as he subdued his aura again. "We weren't certain who or what we might find here. I'm excited to find more hybrids. How many of you are there?"

"Twenty," the panther answered.

My eyes widened. Twenty hybrids lived here?

He stood and held out his hand. "I am Paul. This is my mate, Mercy."

She dipped her head to us. "It is a pleasure to meet more hybrids."

"This is my mate and queen, Ember," Caleb introduced and held his hand back for me.

I stepped forward and smile. "Hello."

"Please, follow us and we will take you to our pack," Mercy said and started leading the way.

Paul waited for Caleb and asked, "What is the status of things over there? Are we still persecuted?"

"Things have changed recently," Caleb said with a smile. "We are accepted by most now and we have our own lands, including this island."

Paul frowned. "Someone owned this island?"

Caleb nodded. "My grandfather, King of Werewolves."

Paul's eyes widened. "You are the perfect hybrid?"

Caleb nodded again.

Glancing at me, Paul asked, "And the rest of our pack?"

"We're hybrids as well, except for the three werewolves who accompanied us as additional guards," I answered.

Mercy glanced over her shoulder at Lily. "How old is that one?"

"Five," I answered.

"She is not yours biologically," she said as a statement.

"No, she is our adopted daughter," Caleb answered.

Mercy nodded. "We have many orphans as well in our pack. We raise them as a unit instead of assigning individual families. It makes things easier on the island."

"Are there a lot of dangers here?" I asked. Sure, predators were an issue, but they weren't just animals, so they could create defenses to help keep them at bay. Couldn't they?"

"We will talk more when we are at our village," Paul said and Mercy turned back around, her lips in a thin line.

What had them both so scared?