Page 15

TWELVE

NEREUS

S weat trickled down Nereus's bare torso as he centered himself.

The combat facility's polished floors reflected the morning light streaming through high windows, illuminating the array of weapons lining the walls.

His muscles ached pleasantly from exertion—a welcome distraction from the hurricane of emotions Isolde had stirred in him.

"I'm trying to protect her. She has no idea what she's capable of."

"Speaking of your temperamental mate," Xavier's lips quirked. "She's just returned to the castle."

Nereus's head snapped up, his wolf instantly alert. "She left?"

"In the Aston Martin. Seems she took a drive after your... disagreement."

Relief flooded through him so intensely, it nearly buckled his knees. She hadn't left him. Not yet. "Where is she now?"

"Asking directions to find you," Xavier smirked. "Try not to scare this one away. Luna candidates don't exactly grow on trees."

After Xavier departed, Nereus activated the combat simulation program again. Three holographic warriors materialized, circling him with weapons drawn. He needed to burn off this restless energy before facing her again.

The first attacker lunged. Nereus parried, his muscles flowing with well-practiced precision. The second came from behind—he dropped and swept his leg in a wide arc, disrupting the hologram's balance. The third received a direct thrust to the chest.

His wolf senses prickled just as he dispatched the final opponent. Her scent—ocean spray mixed with something uniquely Isolde—reached him before she did. His body responded instantly, every cell attuned to her presence.

He didn't turn immediately. Let her watch. Let her see exactly what kind of male fate had bound her to.

He pushed his damp hair back from his forehead, standing to his full height as the simulation ended. Sweat glistened on his shoulders and chest, highlighting centuries of disciplined training. The wooden staff hung loosely from one hand as he finally turned, meeting her gaze across the room.

The hunger in her eyes was unmistakable, mirroring what his wolf had recognized from the first moment—they belonged to each other. Her scent shifted subtly, the sweet tang of arousal impossible for his heightened senses to miss.

Still, he remained where he stood, refusing to approach her first. She had questioned his intentions. Let her come to him.

He reactivated the simulation without breaking eye contact. Three new opponents materialized, and he engaged them with deliberate, powerful movements. The staff became an extension of his body, weaving patterns in the air as he danced between attackers.

"Is this supposed to impress me?" Her voice floated across the room, but the uptick in her pulse gave her away.

He didn’t break his stride, taking out another holographic warrior with a decisive blow. His body moved with fluid grace, each strike demonstrating control and power.

The last opponent fell, and Nereus stood victorious. He knew exactly how he looked—centuries of female attention had taught him the effect of his physical form. But never had he cared about impressing someone like he did now.

He turned and marched from the combat facility, his muscles still burning from exertion.

The cool air hit his bare chest as he stepped outside and strode down the path behind his castle, not bothering to grab a shirt on his way out.

He sensed her behind him—her scent carried on the breeze, that intoxicating blend of saltwater and citrus that made his wolf pace restlessly beneath his skin.

He didn't slow down. Didn't acknowledge her presence. His pride wouldn't allow it quite yet.

The well-worn path beneath his feet had been traveled by his ancestors for generations, cutting straight through the dense woods that separated his castle from their true domain.

As the trees thinned and the sound of waves grew louder, Nereus felt his tension begin to ebb.

The ocean had always been his sanctuary.

Without hesitation, he shed his remaining clothing at the edge of the sand, leaving himself completely bare.

The breeze caressed his naked form, and he welcomed it, striding purposefully into the welcoming embrace of the water.

His body sliced through the cool surf with practiced ease, each powerful stroke carrying him deeper until the water lapped at his chest.

Only then did he turn.

She stood frozen at the shoreline, her blonde hair floating around her face, her eyes fixed on the rolling waves with unmistakable apprehension. Something was wrong. His Luna, who lived on water and dedicated her life to studying it, looked at the ocean as if it might attack her.

"What's wrong?" he called, his voice carrying across the water.

The wind carried her sigh to him. "I went to the research station site. They wouldn't let me in."

He watched her face harden with the memory.

"I got angry. The ocean reacted again—waves started building." She hugged herself, looking out at the horizon. "It's ironic. I always thought I had this special connection with the water. Now it turns against me like some kind of weapon. It hates me."

He shook his head, droplets of water flying from his dark hair. "That's not true. The ocean doesn't hate you, Isolde. It responds to you because it recognizes what you are."

"And what am I exactly?"

"My Luna. The ocean's daughter." He spread his arms wide, encompassing the vastness around them. "Think about it. You dedicated your career to marine biology. You chose to live on a houseboat. The water has always been a part of you. Did you ever wonder why you felt such a pull toward it?"

Her eyes widened slightly, and he knew his words were finding their mark.

"The ocean isn't turning against you, Isolde. It's answering you now. For your entire life, it's been trying to tell you who you truly are. You just didn't understand the message." He lowered his voice, letting the authority of centuries color his tone. "But you can learn. If you want to."

Something shifted in her expression—acceptance mixed with curiosity. Without breaking eye contact, Isolde reached for the hem of her shirt and pulled it over her head. Her fingers worked at the clasp of her bra, then her jeans and panties, until she stood gloriously naked on the shore.

He drew a sharp breath. His Luna was magnificent.

Her curves caught the late morning light, her golden skin glowing against the backdrop of sand and sky.

Her full breasts swayed gently as she took her first tentative steps into the surf, and his mouth went dry at the sight of her rounded hips and the soft swell of her ass.

His wolf howled with approval. This was their mate—all curves and strength and beauty.

Slowly, she waded deeper, her eyes never leaving his as the water rose to her thighs, then her waist. He remained perfectly still, fighting every instinct that demanded he claim her, mark her, and make her undeniably his. The water lapped at her breasts, and his hands fisted beneath the surface.

Not yet.

When she was finally before him, water swirling between their naked bodies, he could hear both their heartbeats racing in perfect synchrony. The ocean seemed to hold its breath, waves gentling around them as if acknowledging the power of the moment.

Her lips parted slightly, but no words came.

None were needed. The water connected them more intimately than any touch could have, currents swirling between them like invisible caresses.

Her blonde hair floated like seaweed around her shoulders, and the ocean breeze brushed across her skin, causing goose bumps to rise on her exposed flesh.

His wolf urged him to close the distance between them and claim what was rightfully his.

"I didn't mean to call you creepy and controlling earlier," she said softly, her sea-blue eyes holding his gaze with surprising steadiness. "I was just overwhelmed."

Her lips suddenly curved into a playful smile that made his blood run hot. "And I'm sorry for suggesting people would think rebuilding the research station was a deal for your benefit. Though if we form a relationship, people will definitely think you did it for me."

"I am doing it for you," he replied without hesitation, his voice a deep rumble that floated over the gentle lapping of waves.

He watched understanding dawn in her eyes—the realization that this wasn't a casual flirtation or temporary arrangement. His wolf purred with satisfaction as her scent changed, tinged now with excitement and trepidation in equal measure.

"Oh," she whispered, blinking rapidly. "So this is... you're really... I mean, I'll be dating the local billionaire."

He suppressed a smile at her human perception of his wealth. If only she knew the true extent of his power and influence accumulated over centuries rather than decades.

"I'll be in magazines," she continued, her voice rising slightly. "Tabloids. There'll be speculation about me. I hate being the center of attention."

The water around them stirred more forcefully, responding to her agitation. He reached out, his large hands cupping her face, forcing her to focus solely on him.

"I don't want you to think about all that right now," he said firmly, his thumbs brushing across her cheekbones. "What matters is you feeling comfortable and safe here with me."

His wolf prowled beneath his skin, demanding he pull her closer. For once, he didn't fight his instincts. His arms encircled her waist, drawing her naked body against his. The sensation of her soft curves pressing against his hard planes sent electric pulses through his entire being.

The ocean seemed to respond, warm currents swirling around them like invisible hands pushing them together. His Luna's powers were already working in harmony with the water and his powers, even if she didn't realize it yet.

"I'm going to kiss you now," he stated rather than asked, because alphas didn't ask permission—they took what belonged to them. Yet something in her gaze made him pause, waiting for the subtle nod of consent that came a heartbeat later.

When his mouth claimed hers, he felt the centuries of longing dissolve in an instant. Her lips were soft and yielding beneath his, opening with a sigh that he swallowed hungrily. The taste of her—salt and sweetness combined—was more intoxicating than any wine he'd sampled over his long existence.

His hands slid down her back, memorizing the curve of her spine, the dip of her waist, before settling possessively on the swell of her hips.

The water buoyed her against him, creating a weightless sensation as if they were suspended between worlds—neither fully human nor supernatural, but somewhere gloriously in between.

"Mine," he growled against her lips, unable to contain the primal claim any longer.

He felt her shiver in response, her fingers threading through his wet hair, nails scraping lightly against his scalp in a way that made his wolf keen with pleasure. She might be human, but her body recognized what her mind was still processing—they belonged to each other.

"This is surreal," she whispered as she pressed herself more firmly against him. "I just met you."

He laughed, a deep sound that rumbled from his chest. "Time is measured differently for my kind. What humans might take months to decipher, we experience in moments of clarity."

His hands cupped her face again, forcing her to meet his gaze. "Tell me you don't feel it—the pull between us that defies explanation. Tell me, and I'll let you go."

The words cost him, but he meant them. Alpha he might be, but he would not trap an unwilling Luna by his side.

Her lips parted, but instead of denial, she surged forward and kissed him with such unexpected ferocity that even he—with all his supernatural strength—was momentarily caught off guard.