I laughed, relieved that the drama was over. "Some douchebag eagle shifter named Alexei showed up, claiming that you were his mate. Except I taught him a lesson he won't soon forget," I added, puffing out my chest. "You don't have to worry about him coming back."
"Alexei," Weston muttered, then sighed. He shook his head. "He was the last alpha I met before giving up on alphas forever. And then I met you, my love." Weston smiled and stroked my cheek, making my heart feel warm and full. "But... the pond. Did you do that?"
We stared at it together. The water-claw had almost entirely dissipated back into the pond. There was only a ripple of waves that indicated it had ever moved on its own.
"I guess I did," I murmured. "Although I didn't know I could do that."
"Perhaps it has something to do with Nautilus being your father?" Weston suggested. "If he blessed Zakariel with the ability to breathe underwater, it doesn't seem farfetched that you inherited some of his blessings, too."
That hadn't occurred to me before. Unlike Nero's shark form, a koi didn't really have any innate strengths. Had Father given me a mild ability to control water to compensate for that?
I glanced down at my palms. "You may be right. It happened when I got enraged at Alexei for claiming you as his own."
A soft expression came over Weston's face. He kissed me on the cheek. "Thank you, Nishiki. For protecting me." He grinned. "And not being an alphahole about it."
I laughed and kissed him back. "Anything for you."
