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She laughed softly, the sound like a balm to his soul. "You're impossible."

"And you're perfect," he replied, his voice fierce with conviction.

He kissed her again, this time with a tenderness that belied the intensity of their coupling. When he pulled away, they stood there for a while, wrapped in each other's arms. For Orion, there was no one else, and no other place he would rather be.

SEVENTEEN

SERAPHINA

Early the following morning, Seraphina smoothed the silken fabric of the blue-green sundress against her thighs, admiring how the color reminded her of the ocean surrounding the island. The dress was one of many exquisite pieces Orion had provided for her, each seeming to complement her form perfectly. She turned in front of the mirror feeling sexier and more confident after her night of passion with Orion. The memory of his hands on her naked body made her blood heat with fresh desire.

A knock at the door interrupted her thoughts.

"Come in," she called, expecting Verna.

Instead, Orion's imposing figure filled the doorframe. His eyes immediately locked with hers, possessive and magnetic. The tailored black shirt he wore strained against his muscular chest as he moved toward her.

"You look beautiful," Orion said, his voice low and intimate.

Something in her chest tightened. "Thank you for all the lovely clothes."

"They pale in comparison to you." Orion closed the distance between them, his hands finding her waist. "Please don't go."

Seraphina's heart skipped. "Orion?—"

"I'll handle Iverson myself." His jaw tightened, that alpha dominance radiating from him. "This whole thing feels wrong. Let me protect you."

She pulled back, though every cell in her body protested the separation. "I need to do this. I can explain everything to the senator and clear your name."

"You don't understand human politics?—"

"And you do?" she challenged.

His mouth curved into a reluctant smile. "Enough, but fair point. I do fully understand danger though, and something about York feels... calculated."

Seraphina reached for the sapphire necklace he'd given her, unclasping it from around her neck. "Here. Hold onto this for me." She pressed it into his palm, curling his fingers around it. "A promise that I'll return."

Pain flashed across his features, quickly masked by cautious hope. "You swear it?"

"I do." She meant it despite the uncertainty churning in her stomach. The intensity of her feelings for this man—this wolf king—terrified and thrilled her simultaneously.

He bent down, claiming her lips in a kiss that started tender but quickly blazed into something fierce. Seraphina melted against him, her hands pressing against his chest as he tightened his arms around her waist. The kiss promised reunions and possibilities that made her head spin.

When they pulled apart, Orion pressed his forehead against hers. "Let me at least escort you to the plane."

The small island airstrip felt impossibly final as they approached. Chance stood beside the small aircraft, his tall frame relaxed but vigilant. York paced nearby, checking his watch repeatedly.

"Finally," York muttered when he spotted them. "The weather window is closing."

"The next storm's moving faster than predicted," Chance explained, offering Seraphina a friendly smile. "Better get going."

Seraphina turned to Orion one last time. "I'll be back before you know it."

He didn't respond. He just stood there frozen, his broad shoulders tensed, and a stoic expression plastered on his face. But his eyes burned with emotion.

She fought back tears as she climbed the steps into the aircraft. York followed closely behind her, his expression unreadable as he directed her to a seat.

Through the small window, she could see Orion still standing like a statue, his powerful presence commanding even from a distance. As she buckled her seat belt, an unwelcome vision flashed—darkness, confinement, fear—but it vanished before she could grasp it fully.