Their Siren

Chapter Eight

Alexander

It was like I had stepped into some alternative reality, one where I could see the future. Leaning heavily on the door frame I took it all in.

The bright sun shining off of Hannah’s red locks as she worked with her paints in the sun. Specks of paint decorating her hands. My brother, the one I was used to seeing alienating people was sat close by, head phones over his ears as he worked on the laptop resting on his crossed legs. I watched as he eyes darted towards her when he thought she wasn’t looking.

“Hello Alexander” As always, my brother knew I was there without even looking. We were more than just brothers; we were a bonded alpha pair. He would have felt my presence as soon as I pulled up to the house.

“Missed me?” I gave him a bear hug, we were close. Signs of affection were as normal as breathing to us. Or swimming in our case.

“How is Lyla? Did you two have a good time on the Boat?”

Boat? What the hell was he talking about. Then I caught sight of Hannah and understood, going out on a boat was the story he had told her. It hadn’t been far from the truth, I had been on the ocean, there just wasn’t any boat.

“Yes, it’s always good to get out on the ocean, Hannah, how are you?”

She wasn’t doing such a good job pretending not to be interested in our conversation, but she took her sweet time in meeting my eyes. And when she did there was a look on her face that I didn’t quite understand. Half defiance, half pain.

But her voice was normal, happy even. “I’m very well, Julian has been taking very good care of me”

I shot a look at my brother, and he shook his head.

He hadn’t taken her to bed then.

“I’m glad you two have had time to get to know each other” and it was the truth, my brother wasn’t the easiest person to live with, If Hannah was still smiling after being left alone with him for two days then there was hope.

“Yes, strange isn’t it? How your first impressions of someone can change the more you get to know them” She smiled at Julian. “I’m going to take a shower”

I watched her go, confusion clouding my face. I hadn’t expected a particularly warm welcome, but she was acting as if nothing had happened between us at all.

“What’s going on?” I couldn’t help asking as my brother erupted into laughter,

“Oh brother, you really don’t understand women do you” He slapped my back. “She’s punishing you, in her own small way” He was laughing hard at my confused expression. “Think about it Alex, she shared a really intimate moment with you and the next morning you were gone, with another woman”

“Lyla is a friend”

“Would that excuse wash with you if your roles were reversed?”

I paused, no definitely not. I would be going out of my head. “Is she really that mad?”

“No, she’s still here but you may have some groveling to do” Julian paused. “You didn’t sleep with Lyla out, there did you?”

What the actual hell? Had I slept with Lyla when my mate was at home with my brother? I didn’t think, I threw a punch, one he ducked easily rolling to his feet. Stance low, his warrior stance. “Did I sleep with Lyla? What do you think I am? Did you sleep with Hannah, did you sleep with my mate Julian?”

“Our mate brother and no. The answer to that is no I actually started to get to know her whilst you were away with another woman” He held up a warning hand as we continued to circle each other. “Don’t huff at me, clearing your head be damned if your time with Lyla has cost us Hannah, I will never forgive you”

I stopped short. Could my time with the only siren apart from my brother in a five-hundred-mile radius really cost me the love of a woman? Of my mate? “Nothing happened with Lyla Julian, can you say the same?”

“Did I want to take Hannah to bed? The answer is yes but I didn’t. she is meant for both of us”

“And what if she chooses you, just you?”

“Then I will let her go, there is no me Alex, there is only us. The three of us, now stop throwing punches at me and make this right... you’re lucky you are my brother I wouldn’t put up with this s**t from anyone else”

He was right, I knew it. The sight of them so comfortable in each other’s company out in the late afternoon sunlight had sent me slightly crazy. Because what if she chose him? Could I deny my brother the chance to be happy? Even if it cost me mine.

“Hannah” I knew I couldn’t be a creeper any more, although I had enjoyed watching her as she ran the dust cloth over the already spotless surfaces in the hallway. “What are you doing?”

“Dusting” she didn’t even bother to turn to me, just gave the sight of her back and those crazy round hips in her low-slung denim shorts.

“You don’t have to do that you know” stalking towards her, I covered the ground between us with my long legs.

“Alex” Finally she turned around, giving a little shriek to find me so close.

“I wanted to apologize to you” It was the truth but as I crowded her against the closed front door, her red hair in sharp contrast to that milky wood there was so many other things I wanted to do as well. “I shouldn’t have left without talking to you first”

“You don’t need to explain to me Alex, Julian has been a great host”

“But I want to explain” My voice was cut off as she slid her small finger over my lips.

“There is nothing to explain, nothing at all. Like Julian pointed out it was just a little fooling around, you heading off for days with another woman is …” I couldn’t let he continue, even though I was pretty sure my brother hadn’t described what had gone on between us as “fooling around” I grabbed at her, capturing her face between my hands. “There is no other woman, just you, I think you need to let me prove that to you!”

“I think you’re crazy” But her eyes were smiling at me. She might not be taking me seriously, or Julian for that matter but she was here. Time would make her realize that we were pretty serious about keeping her with us.

I lowered my head.

“No, you don’t” she scooted away her red hair flying. The light that streamed through the stained glass on the door making her face blaze. “You don’t get to waltz back here and kiss me like that”

Hannah

Oh hell no.

Did he really think he could come back after days spent with another woman, corner me and try to kiss me. Not once during the time he had been gone had Julian more than brushed his lips against my cheek, though I knew he wanted more. What gave Alex the right?

I’d been totally mixed up as to the personalities. Where I had thought Julian was harsh, he had been nothing but an absolute sweetheart, Alex on the other hand had started as a total love and was turning more and more into his brother.

“I didn’t mean...”

I stopped him. “Yes, you did, and its fine honestly. I’m flattered”

And I was, who wouldn’t be but that didn’t mean I was quite ready to kiss and make us. Maybe I was being irrational, acting like a jilted girlfriend when I wasn’t even sure what to call our relationship. Or even if we had one.

I was one confused cookie.

The fact that I had let my hormones rule my head was still an embarrassment. I knew Julian a little from the time I had spent with him the last few days but I barely knew his brother. In fact I knew next to nothing.

My confusion must of showed on my face.

“What are you thinking about?”

“Nothing important” But that was a lie. My brain was going a million miles an hour. “Just going over the last few days in my head”

“The days you spent with my brother?” His voice was matter of fact. “You like him”

I shrugged. Of course I liked Julian, he had made the last few days so relaxed it felt like I was at home. He was always there, doting on me like I was some princess but without being to over bearing. He was sweet and funny, not to mention so handsome that sometimes I couldn’t even stand to look at him for too long. Like looking straight into the sun. Hi beauty was blinding.

Their beauty, I reminded myself.

Alexander was just as hot, but I didn’t know him as a person. I hadn’t even tried to before I had let him into my pants.

“He is very sweet”

“And me, am I sweet Hannah?” He was crowding me again.

“I don’t know” I had to answer truthfully. They always seemed to pick up instantly if I lied. Like they had some unnatural sixth sense.

“Would you like to? I mean Julian has had you all to himself for two whole days, can I just have evening?” There was a begging note to his usually deep voice. “What is it called” He looked confused for a second. Rubbing his chin absently. “A date? That’s the word isn’t it? Our schedules are a bit chaotic, so could I take you on a DATE?” He said the word like it was foreign to him and I had to hide my smile. It was like he had never been on a date before.

“That would be nice” I threw over my shoulder as I stalked past him, heading towards my room and the shower I had said I was going to take.