Page 19

SIXTEEN

NEREUS

N ereus watched Isolde emerge from the hot spring. Water cascaded down her bare curves, every droplet accentuating her beautiful body. He fought the urge to pull her back into his arms, knowing they needed to leave soon.

As they dressed in silence, Nereus sensed the tension building between them. He had known all week something was bothering Isolde, her frustration growing palpable with each passing day. It's why he had brought her here today - hoping to ease whatever troubled her.

Isolde turned to face him, her sea-blue eyes stormy. "Nereus, we need to talk."

He nodded, bracing himself. "What's on your mind?"

"Why haven't you made the formal announcement to the pack that I'm the Luna?" she asked, her voice steady but tinged with hurt. "Or claimed me properly as your mate?"

He inhaled sharply, caught off guard by her directness. His wolf howled inside, eager to claim what was rightfully theirs. But the man in him knew better than to rush.

"I was waiting for you to fully understand and accept your role as Luna," he explained, his tone gentle yet firm. "And to learn to control your powers before thrusting you into pack politics."

Her brow furrowed. "And the mating ritual?"

He stepped closer, cupping her face in his hands. "It's not some barbaric ritual done solely for my benefit, Isolde. It's a mutual bonding, one that should only happen when both parties feel the mate bond."

He paused, struggling to find the right words. "But you're human. I... I'm not sure if you'll ever feel it the way my shifter nature does."

His heart clenched at the thought. The mate bond sang in his veins from the moment he had first laid eyes on her. But could a human truly comprehend the depth of that connection?

His thumbs stroked her cheeks softly. "I don't want to rush you, even though my wolf aches for it. You deserve to come into this on your own terms."

He searched her eyes, hoping she understood. He had already waited so long for her to come into his life; he could wait a little longer for the claiming if it meant doing this right.

Her blue eyes bore into his, and for a moment, he thought he saw a flicker of uncertainty. But then her chin lifted, and her lips curved into a small, defiant smile.

"You think you know what I feel, don't you?" Her voice was soft but firm, and it sent a jolt through him. "Because I'm human, you assume I don't understand this… this pull between us. That I can't feel it the way you do."

His brow furrowed. "Isolde?—"

"No," she interrupted, her hands coming up to cover his where they still cupped her face.

"You don't get to decide what I feel or what I know.

Just because I don't have a wolf inside me doesn't mean I'm blind to this.

I feel it, Nereus. Every time you're near me, it's like something is pulling me toward you.

I don't need a fancy name for it to know it's real. "

His breath caught in his chest. Her words were like a balm to the restless ache in his soul, and he felt the weight of his own doubts lift. She felt it. She understood. His wolf howled in triumph, and he couldn't stop the grin that spread across his face.

"You're right," he said, his voice rough with emotion. "I underestimated you. I thought I had to explain it, to guide you, but you've been feeling it all along, haven't you?"

She nodded, her eyes shining with a mix of determination and vulnerability. "I don’t know everything about your world or your pack, but I know this. I know us ."

Pride surged through him, fierce and unrelenting. This woman, his Luna, was everything he had ever hoped for and more. She was strong, intelligent, and unafraid to challenge him. She was his equal in every way.

"You're magnificent," he murmured, his hands sliding to her shoulders, pulling her closer. "You have no idea how much I've needed someone like you. Someone who isn’t afraid to stand up to me, to tell me when I’m wrong or when I'm not seeing things clearly."

She smiled, her fingers tracing the line of his jaw. "Well, get used to it because I want to be with you."

His wolf growled with approval, and he couldn't resist the urge to kiss her. His lips crashed against hers, claiming her with a hunger that had only grown stronger since the moment they met. She responded with equal fervor, her hands tangling in his hair as she pressed herself against him.

When they finally broke apart, he rested his forehead against hers, his heart pounding in his chest. "You're mine, Isolde," he growled softly. "And I'm yours. No matter what happens, we're in this together."

She smiled again, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Good. Because I'm not letting you off the hook that easily. You've still got a lot to teach me, and I'm not going to let you slack off any time soon."

He chuckled, the sound deep and rich. "Oh, I'll teach you, Luna. But don’t think for a second that you won't be teaching me a thing or two as well."

Her laughter echoed through the cave, and after so many centuries, Nereus felt a sense of peace settle over him. He had found his mate, his equal, and together, they would face whatever challenges lay ahead.

He wrapped his arms tighter around her, her skin warm against his. The steam from the hot spring curled around them like a private cocoon. His chest swelled with pride and contentment, his wolf humming in agreement. Isolde was everything he had been waiting for, and more.

Suddenly, the faintest shift in the air caught his attention. A low growl rumbled in his chest, his instincts screaming danger. Isolde tensed in his arms, her eyes widening as she sensed it too.

"Nereus, what?—"

He didn't let her finish. "Get behind me," he ordered, his voice a sharp command as he stepped in front of her, shielding her body with his own.

The cave darkened as two wolf shifters prowled in, their eyes glowing with malice. Nereus didn't recognize them.

"So, the rumors are true," one of them sneered, his gaze flicking to Isolde. "The Alpha Prince has found his Luna. And she's… human." He laughed, a cruel, mocking sound. "How pathetic."

Nereus's blood boiled, but he kept his focus, his muscles coiled and ready. "You think attacking an alpha in his own territory is a good idea? You're clearly idiots."

The second shifter lunged first, his movements quick but predictable. Nereus shifted mid-step, his body erupting into his massive wolf form, fur bristling and teeth bared. He met the attacker head-on, their bodies colliding with a bone-jarring crash.

Nereus's teeth sank into the rogue's shoulder, the metallic tang of blood filling his mouth. The shifter yelped, his claws scrabbling against Nereus's sides, but he held firm, shaking his head violently until the rogue was thrown to the ground.

Out of the corner of his eye, Nereus saw the first shifter darting toward Isolde.

His wolf howled in fury, but before he could intervene, Isolde raised her hands.

The water from the hot spring surged upward, a crystalline whip that lashed out and struck the shifter square in the chest. He stumbled back, his expression a mix of shock and rage.

"Didn't see that coming, did you?" Isolde taunted, her voice steady despite the intense situation. She flicked her wrist, and the water coiled around the shifter's legs, yanking him off balance.

Pride surged through Nereus, fierce and unrelenting.

His Luna was proving herself, and it was the hottest and most invigorating thing he had ever seen.

He turned his attention back to the injured shifter at his paws, who was trying to crawl away.

With a snarl, Nereus pounced, pinning him down with one massive paw.

"You should've stayed away," Nereus growled telepathically. He leaned in, his teeth inches from the shifter's throat. "Now, get out of my sight before I change my mind about ending you. But be sure, if I catch you near my territory again, I'll rip your throat out."

The shifter whimpered, scrambling to his feet and limping toward the cave's entrance. His companion, still tangled in Isolde’s water bonds, managed to break free and bolted after the injured shifter before Nereus could attack him too.

Nereus shifted back into his human form, breathing heavily as he turned to Isolde. She stood tall, her hands still glowing faintly with the residual energy of her magic. Her hair was wild, her eyes blazing with a mix of fear and triumph.

"That was incredible," he said, his deep voice rough as he closed the distance between them. He cupped her face in his hands. "You fought like a true warrior."

She smirked, though her hands trembled slightly as she rested them on his chest. "You're not the only one with tricks up your sleeve."

He laughed, capturing her hands in his. "I think you just officially earned your place as my Luna."

Her smile softened. "I fought for you," she whispered. "For us ."

His chest tightened, his wolf howling with delight. He pulled her closer, his lips brushing against her soft ones. "And I'll fight for you always, Isolde. My Luna. My true mate."

Her breath hitched, and then she kissed him, her lips fierce and demanding.

He responded in kind, his large hands sliding down to her waist, pulling her even closer until there was no space between them.

The adrenaline from the fight morphed into something hotter, something primal, and he knew that everything between them had shifted.

She wasn't just his mate—she was his future.

Before long, Nereus draped his arm protectively around Isolde's shoulders as they left the cave.

The memory of her wielding the water with such precision and power still burned brightly in his mind.

She had fought like a warrior, like his warrior, and the sense of pride mingled with something deeper—something that made his wolf growl with approval.

She wasn't just his mate, she was his true equal, and the thought of her standing by his side as Luna filled him with a fierce, unrelenting satisfaction.

The forest path back to the castle was quiet, the only sounds the crunch of their footsteps on the fallen leaves and the distant crash of waves against the shore.

His thoughts, however, were anything but quiet.

The attack in the cave had shaken him, and not just because it had been unexpected.

Whoever those shifters were, they spoke about a rumor about his Luna.

"You're quiet," she said, her voice cutting through his thoughts. She glanced up at him, her eyes glinting with curiosity. "Already plotting how to protect me from the next ambush?"

He couldn't help the smirk that tugged at his lips. "Always. But I'm more impressed you didn't scream and run the first chance you got. Most humans would've bolted at the sight of my wolf tearing into someone like that."

She rolled her eyes, but there was a playful spark in her expression. "Please. I've seen worse in documentaries about great white sharks. Besides, you're kind of hot when you go all alpha on someone."

A low chuckle rumbled from his chest. "Kind of hot, huh?"

"Don't let it go to your head," she teased, nudging him with her elbow.

He laughed outright at that, the sound echoing through the trees. "I won't as long as you promise to keep fighting by my side like you did back there."

Her expression softened, and she leaned into him, her warmth seeping into his side. "I wasn't going to let them hurt you. Or me. I'm not just some damsel in distress, you know."

"I know," he said, his voice turning serious. He stopped walking, turning to face her fully. "That's what makes you so incredible. You're strong, Isolde. But I need to figure out who those shifters were and why they came after us. I can't promise they’ll be the last ones to try something."

Her brow furrowed, but she didn't pull away. "You think this is bigger than just a random attack?"

"I don’t know yet," he said, his jaw tightening. "They knew about you. They called you human like it was an insult. And they were bold enough to come onto my territory."

She nodded slowly, her expression thoughtful. "So, what's the plan? I’m guessing you're not just going to sit around and wait for them to come back."

He smirked, the alpha in him relishing her sharp mind. "No, I'm not. I need to find Damien. He's got connections and resources I don't. If anyone can figure out who's behind this, it's him. But first…" He leaned in and kissed her gently. "First, I need to make sure you're safe."

She pulled back slightly, her eyes narrowing in a mock glare. "I thought we already established I can take care of myself."

"You can," he agreed, his voice low and heated. "But that doesn't mean I'm not going to do everything in my power to protect you. You're my Luna, Isolde. And I'll fight for you until my last breath."

Her breath hitched, and she rested her hands on his chest.

"But we need to move fast," he continued firmly. "The longer we wait to officially mark you as my Luna, the more vulnerable you are. And the weaker I become."

She nodded, her expression resolute. "Then you better talk to Damien."

"I will. You're everything I've ever wanted, Isolde. And I'm not letting anyone take you from me."

He took her hand, intertwining their fingers as they continued down the path toward the castle.

His mind started racing as he tried to piece together the puzzle of the attack.

His protective nature flared as he thought about the threats they were now facing.

He needed to get to the bottom of this before it was too late.