Page 11 of Seas the Day
The word settled in his chest like a key finding its lock. Control was what he understood. Control was what had kept the pack stable through five years of questions about his legitimacy, five years of proving he was worthy of Roman’s choice. Control was what would make this mating successful.
He paused his pacing, straightening his shoulders and adjusting the crisp white shirt he’d chosen for their meeting. Professional but approachable. Authoritative without being intimidating. The image of a perfect Alpha mate.
Roman would have handled this differently,the traitorous thought whispered through his mind.Roman would have been himself.
But Roman had been born to leadership, blood-blessed and unquestioned. Roman had never needed to prove his worth or justify his position. Roman had possessed a natural certainty that Thalric could only approximate through careful construction of the right image, the right words, the right?—
His wolf’s sudden alertness slammed into him like a blow, driving every other thought from his mind.
Mate.
The word reverberated through every cell in his body, a recognition so profound it left him momentarily breathless. She was here. On Nova Aurora. The mate bond stretched between them like a golden thread, tugging at something deep in his chest with insistent demand.
Thalric moved to the nearest window, his enhanced senses reaching out desperately for any trace of her presence. There—carried on the warm breeze flowing through the estate’s open windows—the faintest whisper of scent. Citrus bright and clean, vanilla warm and sweet, and something uniquely hers that made his wolf whine with need.
The reaction was so immediate, so overwhelming, that his hands gripped the window frame hard enough to crack the wood. His carefully constructed composure cracked around the edges as primitive instincts roared to life.
Shift. Run. Find her. Claim her.
“No,” he growled, forcing his breathing back under control. “Not like this.”
But his wolf had no interest in strategic thinking or proper protocols. The beast wanted to burst from his skin, to race across the estate grounds until he found her, to?—
“What exactly?” Thalric demanded of himself, appalled by the intensity of his own reaction. “Pin her against the nearest wall and mark her throat before she’s even learned your name?”
This was not the controlled, manageable meeting he’d envisioned. This was chaos. This was exactly the kind of complication he’d spent years learning to avoid.
He forced himself away from the window, running both hands through his dark brown hair in a gesture that would have horrified him if anyone had witnessed it. Alphas didn’t show agitation. Alphas didn’t lose control over their wolves. Alphas certainly didn’t crack window frames because they could smell their mate’s approach.
Get it together,he commanded himself.You sent Alira to meet them. She’ll bring them here in an orderly fashion. You’ll greet Gerri professionally, be introduced to your mate politely, and handle this like the leader you are.
But even as he formed the plan, his wolf snarled in protest. The beast didn’t want politeness or strategy. It wanted to claim what was theirs with primitive certainty, to make absolutely sure she understood exactly who and what she belonged to.
The contradiction between what he needed to do and what every instinct screamed to do created a tension that made his muscles coil like springs. He’d never experienced anything like this—this loss of emotional control that had become his trademark.
This is a political necessity,he reminded himself firmly, striding toward his office with determined steps.A strategic alliance. You’ll be the Alpha she needs, not some wild animal ruled by instinct.
But his wolf’s rumbling disagreement followed him down the hallway, a constant reminder that some things couldn’t be controlled, couldn’t be managed, couldn’t be reduced to strategy and careful planning.
He reached his office door and paused, one hand on the polished handle. Inside waited the desk where he conducted pack business, the chairs where he met with other leaders, the carefully arranged space that projected competence and authority. Everything designed to remind visitors—and himself—exactly who he was and what he represented.
Just be yourself,Gerri had said, but the advice felt impossible now.
He’d spent five years building walls around anything that might be considered weakness, anything that might suggest he was less than perfectly suited for leadership. The idea of lettingthose defenses down, even for his mate, felt like standing on the edge of a cliff.
She’ll expect strength,he reasoned.She’ll want to know she’s mated to an Alpha who can protect her, provide for her, lead her.
But underneath that rational thought, a smaller voice whispered doubts. What if strength wasn’t enough? What if she wanted something he’d forgotten how to give? What if the mate bond demanded the very authenticity he’d learned to bury?
His wolf’s restless energy pushed against his skin, demanding action, demandingher. The need was becoming physical now, a hunger that clawed at his insides and made standing still feel like torture.
They’ll be here soon,he told himself, finally pushing open the office door.Alira will bring them here, you’ll meet her properly, and everything will proceed according to plan.
He settled behind his desk, straightening papers that didn’t need straightening and adjusting his posture into the commanding presence his pack expected. But even as Thalric tried to prepare for their arrival, his wolf paced in increasingly agitated circles, whining for the mate whose scent still lingered in his senses like a promise.
This was supposed to be simple,he thought grimly.Strategic. Manageable.
Instead, it felt like drowning, knowing that one wrong move would send everything he’d built spiraling around him.
