Page 52 of Welcome to Seaman’s Cove: Part Two

“Hunt, hi. What’s wrong?”

“You weren’t there when we woke up. I thought maybe you…” Hunter’s voice is muffled against her skin.

Her face softens in understanding. “I’m here. I waited for you, for our pack.”

Calling us a pack drives the two of us to push closer, making a cuddle puddle right there on the deck. Evan clears his throat, and one glance at the beta shows he feels awkward just standing there. Poor kid.

Hunter takes one last inhale, nuzzles her neck, then stands up with more confidence. “Right. Let’s get fueled up, and then we can get the rundown on how these fancy suits work.”

He grabs Madi’s hand and turns to walk to the galley, but our omega plants her feet.

She glares at Hunter. “We need to go now. Why are we wasting time?”

My best friend faces our omega, his professor countenance flying full mast. “Omega. You need to eat. We all need sustenance if we’re going to swim gods know how deep and face an entire fleet of merfolk. Maybe…” He trails off and looks at the beta crewmember expectantly.

“Oh! Uh, Evan, sir.”

“Maybe Evan can accompany us and explain the suits while we eat.”

Madi looks at Evan who nods quickly, unwilling to test Hunter’s patience right now. A look of fond resignation crosses her face, and she follows Hunt when he starts toward the galley again.

Once we’re seated with several protein-rich foods piled in front of us, Evan rolls in one of the suits on a fancy stand. They are similar to a standard wetsuit, but the material is clearly thicker than normal neoprene. There aren’t any openings where skin could touch the water, and the helmet is fully enclosed, almost reminiscent of the vintage dive suits from the 1800’s. Unlike those models, though, we won’t be connected to the surface with air tubes. We’ll be on our own.

He explains the new technology that I only sort of understand, then shows us the dive gauges and how to use the helium attached. Apparently you have to use helium when you get that deep for health reasons, but all I can imagine is Hunter’s voice going all squeaky when he’s trying to be stern. I bite back a laugh because now is not the time, and I can read the room. Sometimes.

During the entire explanation, Hunter insists on hand-feeding Madi bites of oatmeal and fruit. She lets him, seemingly able to tell he’s on edge. Alpha and omega instincts are wild sometimes.

“I want to ensure you’re aware these suits have not been tested at the depths you’re attempting today,” Evan warns. “If they were to fail, you wouldn’t be able to get to the surface before you drown or the pressure of the ocean crushes your body.”

“Well that’s morbid,” I say. Sometimes the inside thoughts slip out. I can’t help it.

Sebastian gives me an exasperated look. It’s okay, though, I know he loves me. And now I can feel it as clear as day through our connection. Fuck, I love being bonded to him.

“We understand the risks,” Madi pipes up. “We’re willing to go through with it anyway. We have to.”

Evan goes a little rigid, a frown on his face, and I realize he has some more bad news to deliver. “We, uh, there aren’t…well…”

“Spit it out, kid!” Hunter nearly barks at the poor beta. Rude. I kick him under the table, and he glares at me.

“We only have three of these prototypes,” Evan gets out in a rush.

Well, fuck. There are four of us.

“How many of the water-scooter things do you have?” Madison asks.

“Oh, we have six of those. But the suits…” Evan trails off.

“That doesn’t matter,” Madi says matter-of-factly before turning to me. “Remember those little harmonica-like things we found in Ocearus. You took some, right? Did you bring them with you?”

“Yeah, why?” I ask cautiously.

“They make it so you can breathe underwater.”

“You’re not suggesting what I think you’re suggesting, are you, Madi?” Hunter crosses his arms over his wide chest.

“If you think I’m suggesting I go without a suit, then yep.” She pops the p, and a storm of protests rises up from all of us. She holds up a palm to cut us off. “My body has been changing since I mated with Caspian. I swam at that depth the first time I tried to reach the city. I’ll be fine.”

Hunter looks as skeptical as I feel, but after he fucked up last night by telling Madi he wouldn’t allow her to go, I’m hoping he’s smart enough not to trip over that particular log again. I hate the idea of my omega being down there unprotected just as much as he does, but if Madi says she was fine before, I believe her. She’s not gonna let anyone stop her from getting to Caspian, and I love that fire.