Page 14

Jealousy.

How quickly this human woman has upended centuries of carefully maintained indifference.

I sink beneath the surface, letting the cool darkness soothe my frayed nerves.

Logically, I understand there’s no formal claim on her. She’s not a territory to be marked, not property to be owned. She’s human—intelligent, autonomous, and temporary.

Yet the primal part of me—the ancient kraken instincts that lurk beneath my more civilized facade—roars with possessive fury.

When I resurface, she’s standing on the shore, gazing out over the water. Her fingers touch her lips unconsciously, and I know with sudden, devastating certainty what transpired in the forest.

He kissed her.

Perhaps more.

The thought makes my skin flush hot despite the cool water.

I could retreat to my underwater dwelling and surround myself with my collection of treasures—the books, the salvaged artifacts, the small, beautiful things I’ve gathered over centuries to combat the loneliness. I could pretend this human doesn’t matter, that her choice of the forest troll over me is inconsequential.

Instead, I glide toward shore, my approach deliberately creating ripples that catch her attention.

Her eyes—those fascinating green eyes that remind me of the deepest parts of my lake in summer—widen when she spots me. There’s a flush on her cheeks that wasn’t there this morning, a new awareness in her gaze.

“Caspian,” she says, and my name on her lips warms me. “I was just—”

“Visiting Oren,” I finish for her, not bothering to hide my knowledge. I emerge from the water, allowing my form to shift slightly more human, with fewer visible tentacles, though still present. A calculated move to seem less monstrous. “I can smell him all over you.”

Her blush deepens, but she lifts her chin defiantly. “Didn’t realize I needed permission to walk in the woods.”

“You don’t.” I move closer, letting my tentacles drift behind me in what I hope appears casual rather than predatory. “The forest is his domain, as the lake is mine. You’re free to go where you please.”

“But?” she prompts, hearing the unspoken qualification in my tone.

“But I find myself displeased that you sought him out first.”

She crosses her arms. “I didn’t ‘seek him out.’ I went for a walk. He happened to be there.”

“And then he happened to kiss you?” The words escape before I can stop them, sharper than intended.

Her eyes widen. “How did you—.” She stops, realization dawning. “Right. Monster senses. You can probably smell that, too.”

“Among other things.” I’m close enough now to catch every nuance of her scent—the base notes that are uniquely Lily, the lingering traces of Oren, and her arousal. The knowledge sends heat through my core. “You enjoyed it.”

“That’s none of your business,” she says, but her words have no real heat. If anything, she sounds curious about my reaction.

A growl from the treeline draws both our attention. Kaelen emerges, his massive form even more wolf-like than usual, hackles raised and amber eyes burning.

Stalking toward us. “The Troll touched what’s ours,” he snarls.

“Not yours,” I correct, emphasizing the singular deliberately.

Lily throws up her hands. “Okay, seriously? I’m standing right here. And I’m not a chew toy for you three to fight over.”

Kaelen circles closer, his movements predatory. “She chose him first,” he growls, clearly speaking to me rather than Lily.

“I didn’t choose anyone,” Lily interjects. “It was just a kiss. One kiss that I’m apparently never going to live down because you all have sniffing abilities.”

One kiss. Just one.