The Ocean's Song (pt.2)

~2~

"Mako is not a monster!" Shark burst out defensively. "He didn't choose to be created a siren, and we're still not entirely sure why he was created a siren when you did nothing wrong, but that didn't stop him from treating you like any merman would. He showed incredible self-restraint and kindness towards the very person he was supposed to hate, so I'd cut him a little slack."

"Cut him some slack? He tried to kill me!" Naida shot back and the three brothers flinched.

"Mako..." Lionfish groaned quietly to himself.

"We assumed he had used his curse on you, how could he not what with the moon and how long he had gone without using it, but we didn't think his instincts would overcome him." Lionfish whined, scratched the back of his head.

Naida noticed that each brother had their eyes locked on the hickey Mako had given her and she self consciously moved her hand over it. "You guys knew Mako could lose control tonight, and you let him? You didn't care to warn me, or keep an eye on him? What about you guys? Are you going to take advantage of me too? How do I know I can trust you anymore?" Naida huffed.

"W-" Lionfish started but was immediately cut off.

"No, let me answer for you, I can't." Naida threw her hands down, slapping them on the surface of the water. There was still a single dolphin at her side helping her stay afloat.

"Well then, what are you going to do? You can't go back underwater without our gifts, you can't survive on land, and I doubt you can get anywhere by yourself in the state you're in." Shark asked, gesturing to the seemingly infinite horizon around them with no land in sight.

Naida was truly stuck between a rock and a hard place. Does she go back to the people who have been hiding a dangerous truth from her without any shame, or could she try to get Betta to use her gift on her again?

Maybe... maybe she was just looking at this whole ordeal the wrong way. These brothers would lay down their life for her, sure, but also for each other. Mako went through great lengths to please his brothers by not killing her and doing his best to appear to be a merman. They didn't want to be split up, but they also didn't want to lose Naida, so they did their best to have the best of both worlds; they should've known it wouldn't end well.