Page 5

FOUR

ZEV

Z ev rushed away from the Orchid Villa with the controlled precision of a man who was one heartbeat away from losing control. Each step felt like fighting against a magnetic pull drawing him back toward Chrissy. His body moved forward while everything inside him screamed to return to her.

Once safely hidden behind a cluster of palm trees, he braced one arm against the rough trunk and drew a ragged breath. His heart pounded inside his chest like a wild animal trying to escape its cage.

"Shit," he growled under his breath. "She's definitely my mate."

The truth of it resonated through every cell in his body.

His wolf was now fully awake and practically howling for him to go back to her immediately.

The intensity of it was staggering. One definitive touch of her hand against his a moment ago had nearly brought the Alpha of Isle Luna straight to his knees.

Her scent still clung to him—jasmine and honeysuckle with an undercurrent of something uniquely hers that made his mouth water and his muscles tighten with primal need. He loosened another button on his linen shirt, suddenly feeling as though he couldn't breathe.

"What the hell were you thinking, Gerri?" he muttered, though deep down he already knew.

The matchmaker had outmaneuvered him completely.

When Gerri called last night with that cryptic message about finding his mate, he'd assumed she meant he'd meet his mate in the distant future on his terms, not that she'd be delivering her to his island within twelve hours.

If Gerri had been more direct about her plans, he likely would have found a reason to delay, to question, and to doubt.

Smart woman. She knew him all too well.

His phone buzzed in his pocket. As if summoned by his thoughts, Gerri's name flashed on the screen.

"You could have warned me," he growled instead of hello.

Gerri's laugh tinkled through the speaker. "And have you find some noble reason to refuse meeting her? I believe in the direct approach when dealing with stubborn Alphas."

"She's human, Gerri." His voice dropped lower, more primal. "And not just any human. She's Chrissy Rivera."

"And she's your mate." Gerri's tone left no room for debate. "You felt it the moment you saw her."

Zev closed his eyes, remembering the exact second Chrissy had stepped off the helicopter.

The world had narrowed to a single point centered on her face.

The sun had caught perfectly in her dark brown hair, making it shine almost blue-black against the pristine white of her sundress.

The delicate curve of her neck and the full swell of her breasts above that sweetly modest neckline—his wolf had nearly forced a shift right there on the helipad.

"Mine," he admitted, the word coming out as a growl that made no attempt to hide his nature.

"Then why are you hiding behind palm trees instead of getting to know her?" Gerri challenged.

Zev straightened, scanning the area with narrowed eyes. "How did you?—"

"Call it intuition," she interrupted. "Or perhaps I'm just familiar with the pattern of an alpha wolf running from what he fears most."

"I don't fear her," he snapped, then immediately recognized the lie. He feared himself around her—feared the intensity of what he felt and the rawness of his need.

"She needs protection, Zev. She's running from people who see her as property, not a person. Sound familiar to what your pack escaped generations ago?"

Zev's jaw tightened. His ancestors had founded Isle Luna as a sanctuary from those who would use wolf shifters as weapons or trophies.

"You should have told me who she was last night." His voice was quieter now, tinged with a dangerous edge as he thought of someone hurting her.

"Would it have mattered? She's your fated mate, Zev. Nothing else will ever matter the same way again."

And there it was—the simple, stark truth. Nothing else mattered. Not her fame, not her humanity, not even his own reservations.

"She's everything," he whispered, more to himself than to Gerri. The realization settled into his bones with the weight of absolute certainty.

"Then be worthy of her." Gerri paused for a moment. "Meet me at your office. I have something for you."

Zev ended the call and headed straight to his office. His entire existence had been rewritten in the span of thirty minutes. From this moment forward, protecting Chrissy Rivera was his purpose—not from a sense of duty, but from the deepest, most primal part of himself.

"Nothing will harm her ever again," he vowed to the island breeze.

Zev strode across the private resort grounds toward the main lodge, the tropical breeze ruffling his rolled-up sleeves and tousling his thick brown hair.

His unbuttoned linen shirt revealed a tantalizing glimpse of his tanned muscular chest, but he was unbothered by his disheveled appearance right now.

His mind was consumed by one thought—Chrissy.

Her scent still lingered in his nostrils, making his wolf restless under his skin.

He pushed open the door to his office with more force than necessary, the wood creaking in protest. The spacious room with its floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the turquoise waters normally calmed him, but not today.

His territorial instincts were in full swing, heightened by the knowledge that his fated mate was finally on his island.

Gerri sat perched on the edge of his desk, her petite frame somehow commanding the space. Her lavender pantsuit was immaculate despite the island humidity, not a single white hair out of place in her perfect bob.

"You certainly took your time getting here," she remarked, her blue eyes sparkling.

Zev's jaw tightened. "I needed an extra moment."

"To pull yourself together?" Gerri's lips curved into a knowing smile. "Fated mates tend to have that effect."

He crossed his arms over his chest. "I still think you should've warned me, Gerri."

"And miss seeing the mighty Alpha Zev Landon struck speechless by a slip of a human woman?" She chuckled. "Some things are still worth witnessing firsthand."

Zev growled low in his throat, but there was no real threat behind it. They both knew he respected her too much for that.

"Unfortunately, I can't stay to watch this delightful courtship unfold." Gerri stood, smoothing her already-perfect pantsuit. "I have another urgent appointment. Love never seems to wait for the ideal moment."

"You're leaving? Already?" Zev frowned. He'd expected Gerri to at least stay the night.

She waved a dismissive hand. "Don't look so worried. I've done my part by bringing your fated mate to you. The rest is up to you." She reached into her designer handbag and pulled out a sealed manila envelope. "Before I go, this is for you."

Zev took it, feeling the substantial weight. "What is it?"

"Information on Marty Shriner—Chrissy's manager." Gerri's playful demeanor shifted into something more serious. "I've given Ewan a copy as well. He's already working on it."

Zev's fingers tightened around the envelope, crinkling the paper. "Tell me."

"He's powerful, connected, and furious that his star performer has vanished." Gerri's eyes flashed golden for a brief moment. "And he's a wolf without a pack, which makes him dangerous."

A primal rage surged through Zev's body. His eyes darkened to midnight blue, almost black at the edges. The wolf inside him clawed to the surface, demanding retribution against anyone who would dare threaten what was his.

"Only a fool would make a move against my mate now," he growled, his voice dropping to a dangerous octave that made even the air in the room seem to still. "If he comes near her, I'll tear out his throat."

Gerri nodded, seemingly satisfied with his response. "Good. Channel that protective instinct, but don't let it control you. Chrissy needs safety, but she also needs space to heal."

She patted his arm as she walked past him toward the door. "Good luck, Alpha. Your mate needs you, whether she knows it yet or not."

"Gerri," Zev called after her. "Thank you."

She smiled over her shoulder. "Just name your firstborn after me," she winked, then disappeared through the doorway, leaving Zev alone with the weight of his newfound responsibility.

The door had barely closed behind Gerri when Ewan strode in, his navy resort polo stretching across his broad shoulders and his cargo shorts revealing legs honed by years of military service. His purposeful gait and tense jaw told Zev everything before he even opened his mouth.

"So, your fated mate is the Chrissy Rivera." Ewan dropped his own manila envelope on the desk with a weighted thud. "Gerri doesn't mess around, does she?"

Zev's fingers tightened around his copy of the envelope. The paper crackled beneath his grip as the memory of Chrissy's delicate hand brushing against his sent another wave of possessive heat through his body.

"My mate," Zev affirmed, the two words carrying the weight of ancient shifter law. His chest expanded with primal satisfaction as he said it aloud.

Ewan leaned against the desk, crossing his muscular arms. "I've done some preliminary digging on this Marty character. He's not just any wolf—he's a rogue shifter hiding in plain sight in the entertainment industry. Preys mostly on humans but has a few shifters in his stable too."

"Gerri mentioned he's a wolf without a pack." Zev's jaw tightened, his blue eyes darkening at the thought. "Makes him unpredictable."

"That's putting it mildly." Ewan's expression grew grim. "He's built a business empire by turning talented humans into commodities. His contracts are practically ownership documents, and he's got connections we haven't even begun to map."

Zev paced to the window, the muscles in his back rippling beneath his half-unbuttoned white linen shirt. The island sprawled before him—his domain and his responsibility. Now Chrissy's sanctuary.