Raff

Raff stared at the pub across the street. The lights were beginning to grow brighter as night descended over the town, and customers were beginning to trickle in through the old wooden door. For many years, Joe's had been a place where he could escape from the duties of being the Alpha's son. Meghan and Mariah never let his strength and destiny go to his head, and Joe had shown him the kindness Raff's own father believed he couldn't afford to display.

And then there was Vivian. She'd started working there shortly after Joe's wife died, and she looked after the girls and Raff when he was there- which was quite often. A witch who would never say what Circle she belonged to but would spend hours spinning spells to entertain three lonely children. He'd lost everyone after the death of his wife and son, and it hadn't really hit him until they'd started to creep back into his life over the last three months.

Now, he prayed that he was wrong. Very wrong.

"Whatcha doing there?" Thorne asked. She had her arm hooked through Lincoln's and both wore very satisfied grins on their faces. He now knew where Lincoln had rushed off to after getting back from their surveillance mission.

"He's a man of deep thought, love," his Beta whispered.

"One of you has to use your brain," she responded. He nodded until he registered what she said, and he snagged her around the waist and twirled, her giggles echoing down the near empty street.

"Thorne, don't ever leave this man. You're good for his pride," Raff laughed. From her good mood, he doubted she'd been pressed to give up details about the witches she knew, and he hoped for Lincoln's sake, it didn't upset her.

"It's a struggle, but I think I wanna keep him," she said, squirming free. "Where's B?"

Raff jerked his chin down the side road that led to the beach. "Went for a swim and catch up time with her mom." He glanced at his watch. A frown tugged the edges of his lips, but he managed to smooth it out. Not giving in to his dominant nature was a struggle, but he didn't want to drive Meribella away by suffocating her.

"Oh lord, that should be interesting. She never talks much about her family, but from the little she's said, they don't get along all that well." The water witch's statement reminded him that she hadn't known Meribella any longer than he had, not really. His little selkie hadn't told him much either, but he'd drawn the same conclusion as Thorne.

"You think we should check on them?" His voice took on a hopeful, slightly begging quality. He

had no desire to question Vivian right now, despite the urgency of the matter, and he really wanted to make sure Meribella was okay. To hold her in his arms and let her know he thought she was amazing, strong, and all the things her mother had made her believe she wasn't growing up.

Thorne shrugged, her doe eyes thoughtful. "It can go one of two ways. One, she's ecstatic that you've rescued her from her mother."

"And the second?"

"She's pissed you intruded. That temper of hers is mercurial. Like the sea."

Raff scrubbed his hand across his face. If anyone knew about Meribella's temper, it was him. A wicked grin spread across his face. Sometimes that sass and fire played to his advantage. "Let's go check on her."

"On your head so it-"

A boom sounded from the beach, and the ground rumbled beneath his feet. Lincoln caught Thorne as she stumbled back, but he almost dropped her when he turned his gaze towards the ocean.

"What the hell?" Raff shouted. He took off down the pathway to the shore not caring if Thorne and Lincoln followed. All he could think about was not getting the chance to look into her turquoise eyes one last time.

"Raff, stop!" Thorne yelled. He looked over his shoulder and saw her racing after him. Even with her long legs and athletic frame, she couldn't keep up with him. But Lincoln could, and he snagged him by the arm while she panted, "Raff, you will drown. Get back."

"Dude, listen to her," Lincoln growled.

"Meribella was out here."

"And she can swim like a damn fish," Thorne insisted.

"Do you see that?" Raff pulled away and pointed at the dark shape in the water. From the way it moved, he knew it was human.

"It's almost dark; I can't see anything but the giant wave that's about to kill us," Thorne snapped.

"Superior DNA hon," Lincoln joked but the tension in his voice made it fall flat. "But he's right. There's someone trying to swim towards the shore."

"Shit, shit, shit. Get back," the witch shouted, throwing her hands up in the air as they began to glow.

Raff had descended from men who had once studied nature magic before their greed turned them into animals, and while witches could harness magic outside of the element they had an affinity for, the power Thorne drew on was purely associated with her water element. The scent of it filled his nose, like the air after a heavy rain, clean and pure.

A blue light rippled out from her raised hands, and it fanned out, forming a shield between them and the ocean. The sharp scent of metal and salt tingled in his nose as a fine sheen of sweat broke out over her skin, but she carried on, dragging her hands apart, her thumbs and pointer fingers forming a triangle. As the shape snapped into place, the shield pulsed and expanded, the edges moving in front of the town and heading towards the boat dock.

The wave was close enough that water was beginning to splatter into the barrier, each strike creating a bell-like tone. Thorne wobbled, dropping to one knee and drawing a curse from Lincoln.

"Can we help her?" he demanded. His whiskey colored eyes were wide with fear, and Raff knew if he had a mirror, he'd see the same emotion lining his own face. Another man, another beast, he could fight, but against the raw strength of nature, they were powerless. It would be up to Thorne to save them and the town.

"Just stay behind me," she grit out in response to Lincoln's question. The top of the wave began to fold over, and Thorne and Raff came to the same conclusion at the same time. Hands shaking, she extended the shield up and drew it over their heads. "Brace yourselves."

Lincoln scrambled to her side and wrapped his arms around her back as the full force of the tidal wave dropped down on them. Screams from the town erupted as the threat finally appeared to human eyes, and he prayed that Thorne could hold on long enough to give them a chance to run. Because that's all this was: a chance. He let his eyes wander into the darkness, searching for any glimmer that would let him know she had made it.

The blue membrane flexed beneath the surge, and areas began to sag. And then they began to burst. The beach, which had been dry from the water being pulled out to feed the wave, now filled with streams of salty water. It gushed and guzzled over the black stone, filling crevices and rising above his shoes.

"I c-can't keep it up," Thorne shuddered.

"It's okay baby. It's okay," Lincoln whispered, pressing soft kisses into the exposed portion of her back. "You tried."

"I'm s-so sorry," she whimpered and dropped her arms. She sagged into Lincoln, and the barrier over their heads flashed and wavered, and then it disappeared.

Raff prepared for the weight of water to beat him down and drag him under. He filled his lungs with sweet oxygen and closed his eyes, but it never came. A bright glow pierced his lids, and he opened his eyes slowly, squinting at the star afire before him.

"Meribella!"

Wearing only her underwear, with crimson streaks running down her arms and legs, she stood before the wave, one hand held out, palm flat and fingers pointed towards the sky. And ever so slowly, the ocean retreated, the crest reversing and dropping back into the sea far from where it could do harm.

Raff didn't waste another moment. He dragged her to him, capturing her mouth against his. There was nothing sexual about the kiss, not at first. Just flesh against flesh as they sought to prove the other was okay. A connection of souls through lips. But as she sighed against him, her arms reached up and tangled into his hair, her fingers curling at his nape in the way he loved, the emotion changed. He parted her mouth with his tongue, the desire to taste her taking hold of him like a fever. At his side, her knee hitched up, and he slipped his hand behind her leg and hoisted her around his waist.

"Ahem."

They broke apart, chests heaving and eyes sparkling with laughter and fire as they stared at one another. He let her legs drop to the ground slowly, every inch of her damp skin scraping against his as she returned to her feet and pulled away.

"Not that I don't understand some good old fashion adrenaline sex, but what the hell was that?" Dorea demanded. She walked out of the ocean and stared at her daughter with something like awe on her face.

Raff tucked Meribella beneath his arm and winked at her mother. "I told you so."