Beachside Pacts and Unwanted Fame

The morning sun cast long shadows across the sand as we left the beach house. I adjusted my sunglasses nervously, still processing the emotional aftermath of saying goodbye to my mother.

"Here," Silas said, handing out identical dark-framed glasses to Rhys and Jaxon. "Everyone needs to wear these. They'll prevent any accidental power flares from showing."

Jaxon took the glasses with a scowl but put them on without argument. "How long are we staying in this realm?"

"Just long enough to make sure Clara is settled," Silas replied.

The walk to the beach was short. We stopped at a small shop where Rhys insisted on buying snacks and newspapers.

"When in Rome," he grinned, loading up on chocolate bars and candy. His enthusiasm for human junk food was almost childlike.

We found a spot on the beach with a clear view of my mother's cottage. I could just make out the back deck where she would likely sit later. For now, the house remained still, my mother presumably sleeping under the effects of Kaelen's intervention.

Jaxon positioned himself slightly apart from our group, his body tense as he scanned our surroundings. After several minutes of silence, he abruptly dropped down beside me, close enough that our shoulders nearly touched.

"Your father," he said, his voice low and rough. "You said something about getting justice for him before."

I nodded, surprised by his sudden interest. "He was murdered. The police called it a mugging gone wrong, but I never believed that."

Jaxon's jaw tightened. "And now you think the Greys were involved?"

"I think Magnus Sterling was involved," I clarified. "And I'm going to find out how and why."

He stared at the ocean, his profile rigid with barely contained emotion. "My father is alive, unfortunately. And I'm going to find him and make him pay for what he did."

The raw hatred in his voice sent a chill down my spine. There was history there - deep, painful history.

"Victor," I said softly, recalling the name I'd heard.

Jaxon flinched slightly at the name but nodded.

"What did he do to you?" I asked.

His laugh was bitter. "What didn't he do? The question is what he did to my mother." His fists clenched in the sand. "She didn't survive it."

My heart ached for him. Despite our complicated relationship, in that moment I saw clearly what lay beneath his hostility - pain that mirrored my own.

I reached out, hesitating before placing my hand over his clenched fist. "I'll help you," I said firmly. "And you'll help me. We'll get justice for both of them."

His eyes, hidden behind dark glasses, turned toward me. "No limits?" he asked, his voice barely audible.

"No limits," I agreed, understanding the gravity of what we were promising each other.

Something shifted between us in that moment - a pact sealed without magic or ceremony, but binding nonetheless.

Rhys, who had been giving us space, finally approached with a chocolate bar extended toward me. "Everything okay?"

I nodded, removing my hand from Jaxon's. "Yeah, we're good."

The sandy footsteps behind us announced another arrival. I looked up to see Kaelen approaching, his tall frame seeming out of place in casual clothes - dark jeans and a fitted black t-shirt instead of his usual suit.

"Your mother is doing well," he reported, settling beside us. "Mr. Sterling is with her now, explaining her new living arrangements. She's responding positively."

I exhaled slowly. "Thank you."

Kaelen nodded, though I noticed he couldn't quite meet my eyes. I understood his discomfort - he'd essentially rewritten my mother's memories, altered her mind. Though it was for her protection, the ethics of it were complicated.

"She'll be coming out to the deck soon," he said. "You might want to be careful about being spotted."

I grabbed a newspaper Rhys had bought, opening it to hide my face if necessary. "I just want to see her one more time. Make sure she looks... happy."

We sat in companionable silence for a while. Silas moved closer, his arm pressed against mine in silent comfort. Rhys chatted quietly with Kaelen about the differences between human and Grey beach culture, while Jaxon remained watchful and silent.

A slight movement from the cottage caught my attention. The door to the deck slid open, and my mother emerged. She wore a flowing sundress and had a book tucked under her arm. Her face was tilted toward the sun, peaceful and relaxed. She looked... normal. Happy, even.

I quickly raised the newspaper to shield my face, but I couldn't tear my eyes away from her. This was how she should have always been - free from fear and paranoia.

As I lowered my gaze to the newspaper I was holding, a headline caught my attention:

TWELVE TEENS MISSING ACROSS THREE COUNTIES: CULT ACTIVITY SUSPECTED

My blood ran cold. I frantically scanned the article, and there it was - a list of names, and mine was among them. Worse, there was a photo of me from my university ID.

"Guys," I gasped, my voice tight with panic. "We have a serious problem."

I showed them the paper, pointing to the article. "I'm listed as a missing person. They think I've been taken by a cult."

Kaelen snatched the paper from my hands, his eyes narrowing as he read quickly. "Twelve teens, all with blue eyes. All disappeared within the last three weeks." He looked up sharply. "This isn't random."

Silas leaned in, studying the article. "Someone is connecting the dots. They've realized multiple teens with the same feature have disappeared."

"Magnus Sterling," Jaxon growled. "He's using the human media."

My mind was racing. "But why would he want attention drawn to missing teens? Wouldn't that make it harder for him to operate?"

"Not if he's playing both sides," Kaelen said grimly. "Create a panic about missing teens, then step in as the hero who finds them."

Rhys shifted nervously beside me. "So what do we do now? Hazel can't exactly walk around freely if she's a known missing person."

"There's more," I said, flipping through the paper. "Look at this." I pointed to another article detailing "concerned citizen groups" forming to search for the missing teens. "People are actively looking."

Kaelen's posture suddenly stiffened. His eyes scanned our surroundings with new intensity. "We need to leave. Now."

"What is it?" I asked, alarmed by his change in demeanor.

"We're being watched," he replied quietly. "Two men at the shop we passed. They've been observing us since we arrived, and they just made a call."

My heart raced as I fought the urge to look over my shoulder. "Police?"

"Or Magnus's people. Either way, we can't be found here." He stood slowly, careful not to appear alarmed. "Everyone gather your things casually. Act normal."

Jaxon's hand moved to his waistband where I knew he concealed a knife. Silas shifted closer to me protectively.

"We can't just disappear in front of everyone," I whispered urgently.

"No," Kaelen agreed. "We'll need to move somewhere private first."

The danger of our situation crashed over me. I wasn't just any missing teen - I was a Grey with valuable powers who had been publicly identified. If I were discovered, questions would be asked that couldn't be answered. And my mother's peaceful new start would be ruined.

"Okay, here's what we are going to do," Kaelen said, his voice low and commanding, eyes fixed on something in the distance.