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Orion didn't waste his breath responding. With his Luna unconscious in his arms, this was not the moment for confrontation.

He cut sharply down an alley, hearing the man curse as he tried to follow. Orion's supernatural speed gave him the advantage, his powerful legs eating up the ground as he navigated Miami's maze-like streets. Left, right, another right—he zigzagged through the city, letting instinct guide him.

Seraphina stirred in his arms, a small whimper escaping her lips.

"I've got you now," Orion murmured, adjusting his hold to cradle her head more securely against his shoulder. "No one's going to hurt you."

Her proximity was intoxicating. Every point where her body touched his sent tremors of recognition through him. How was this possible? Her lack of shifter scent defied everything he knewabout mate bonds, yet the connection between them vibrated with undeniable truth.

A human Luna. The concept would upend centuries of pack tradition.

And he didn't care. Not when holding her felt like finding a piece of himself he hadn't known was missing.

Orion glanced over his shoulder, pleased to see no sign of pursuit any longer. He must've lost the stranger several blocks back. Good. His wolf settled slightly, satisfied they had protected what was theirs.

The scent of the ocean grew stronger as he approached the marina. The dock came into view, and relief washed through him. The Moonchaser bobbed on the swells of the vast ocean.

He slowed his pace as he approached, not wanting to jostle Seraphina unnecessarily. Her eyelids fluttered, but she remained unconscious. What had caused this? Was it related to her awakening Luna powers?

The gangplank welcomed him home, the familiar creak of the boat a comfort after the chaos of the last few minutes. Orion carried Seraphina below deck to the master cabin, gently laying her on the queen-sized bed. He allowed himself one moment to stroke her cheek, marveling at the softness of her skin.

"Who are you exactly?" he whispered, tucking a strand of black hair behind her ear.

Her brow furrowed in unconsciousness as though she could hear his question.

Orion straightened, forcing himself to step back. There would be time for answers once they were safely away from Miami and whoever had been after her today.

Orion bounded up the stairs to the helm, his wolf still prowling beneath the surface of his skin, hyperaware that his mate lay unconscious below. He fired up the engines with practiced efficiency, the Moonchaser's powerful motorsrumbling to life. As he steered away from the marina, Miami's skyline receded behind him, the distance easing some primal part of him that demanded he put space between his Luna and danger.

With one hand on the wheel, he pulled out his phone and called Chance.

"Orion? You headed back already?" Chance asked, his voice tinged with surprise.

"Change of plans." Orion kept his eyes fixed on the horizon, navigating the boat through the choppy Atlantic waters. "She's with me now."

"Your Luna? You kidnapped her?"

Orion bristled at the accusation. "I protected her. She collapsed outside her home right after some intruder broke in. Then another man approached—clearly threatening. I didn't have a choice."

"So, you're telling me she's unconscious on your boat, and you're bringing her to a remote island full of wolf shifters she knows nothing about." Chance's voice held a hint of amusement despite the seriousness. "Solid plan, My King."

"What would you have done?" Orion growled, the wheel creaking under his grip. "Let her be taken by whoever was after her?"

"Hey, I'm not judging. Much." A low chuckle filtered through the phone. "Macie's going to have a field day with this."

The mention of Chance's wife brought a practical thought to Orion's mind. "Tell Macie to prepare the east suite for our guest. Something comfortable. She'll need clothes, toiletries, things of that nature."

"Macie will handle it. She'll be thrilled to finally meet the woman who's captured our fearsome alpha's attention after centuries of determined bachelorhood."

Orion increased the throttle, the boat cutting through the waves with sleek precision. "I don't know what's happening, Chance. She's clearly human, but the bond is undeniable. When I touched her, it was like—" He paused, searching for words. "Like touching a live wire. Everything in me recognizes her."

"The pack elders will have opinions about a human Luna." Chance replied, his voice heavy with implication.

"The elders can keep their opinions to themselves," Orion snapped, his wolf pushing forward at the mere suggestion of resistance. "She's mine."

The island appeared on the horizon, its lush greenery a welcome sight. The castle, constructed of ancient stone brought over from Europe centuries ago, crowned the highest point of the land, its turrets reaching skyward like fingers grasping for the stars.

"We'll be ready for your arrival," Chance assured him.