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"Safe?" Seraphina's voice rose, tinged with hysteria. "You've taken me to some private island without my consent, and you expect me to feel safe?"

Orion folded his arms across his chest, the muscles of his forearms flexing unconsciously. The woman before him—his supposed Luna—clearly knew nothing about shifters. His pack had survived for centuries on this island by keeping their existence hidden from humans. Why break that secrecy for someone who might simply be triggering a false mate bond?

"I expect you to be grateful I didn't leave you unconscious on the street for that stranger to grab you," he replied, his tone sharper than intended. His wolf didn't appreciate his tone with their mate, but the man overruled the beast. "I think there are wolves after you, Seraphina."

"Wolves? Actual wolves? In Miami?" She looked at him like he had lost his mind.

He almost smiled. If only she knew just how accurate his statement was.

"You'll understand more after you speak with Bertram," he said, deliberately withholding further explanation. The fewer complications now, the better. "He's very knowledgeable about... your situation."

"My situation?" Seraphina's grip tightened on the candlestick again. "I don't have a 'situation' except being kidnapped by a man who thinks he's part wolf!"

"I don'tthinkI am part wolf," Orion corrected, a hint of amusement darkening his gray eyes. "I am wolf. There's a difference."

Her eyes flashed with emerald fire. "This is insane. I demand you take me home immediately."

The commanding tone in her voice stirred something primal in him. His Luna was finding her voice, whether she realized it or not. But being alpha meant no one—not even his mate—gave him orders.

"You're free to leave whenever you wish," he said, gesturing toward the observatory door with mock graciousness.

Her expression faltered as reality sank in. "But... we're on an island."

"Indeed."

Orion moved closer, close enough to catch her subtle scent—jasmine and something that reminded him of starlight. His wolf reveled in it.

"Take me home," she demanded, her voice lower but no less forceful.

"I will not," he replied simply. "Not until I have my answers."

"Answers to what?"

"To why my Luna appears to be completely human, for starters." He circled her slowly, admiring the way she pivoted to keep him in sight. His wolf approved of her vigilance. "And why she manifested powers on her thirtieth birthday."

Seraphina froze. "How do you know about that?"

"I know many things about you now, Seraphina Lucero. Astronomer. Thirty years old as of yesterday. Recently experiencing... visions." He stopped directly in front of her, close enough to see the faint dusting of freckles across her nose. "What I don't know is why you're triggering a mate bond when you're clearly human."

"A what bond?"

"Answers for answers, Seraphina." His voice dropped to a rumble. "You can leave after we're both satisfied."

The double meaning wasn't lost on either of them. A faint blush colored her cheeks, and Orion felt a surge of satisfaction. She might not recognize him as her mate yet, but her body responded to him, nonetheless.

The intercom on the wall buzzed with an unwelcome interruption. Orion turned, lifting his chin impatiently as a voice crackled through the system.

"Excuse me sir. But Elder Bertram sends his regrets. He's detained in a meeting. He says it will be at least another hour before he can join you."

Orion's muscles tensed. Another hour meant another hour of uncertainty—another hour of his wolf prowling beneath his skin, demanding answers about this woman who smelled like his mate yet appeared entirely human. He resisted the urge to snarl.

"Fine," he growled into the intercom, not bothering to mask his irritation. Patience in matters of the heart had never been his strong suit.

When he turned back to Seraphina, her face had hardened with determination. The candlestick remained clutched in her hand like a talisman against him.

"Well, if you're not going to help me, I'll find someone else on this island who will take me home," she announced, her green eyes flashing with defiance.

Something primal and possessive surged through Orion's blood. His wolf howled in protest at the mere thought of her seeking assistance from anyone else. The idea of her leaving the island—leaving him—before he'd even figured out what she was to him sent panic clawing through his chest. It was an unfamiliar sensation for a king who had spent centuries in perfect control.