Page 17 of Seas the Day
The reminder of their confrontation should have brought back her anger, but instead she found herself appreciating his diplomatic way of acknowledging the awkwardness without dwelling on it. She didn’t feel guilty for her earlier reaction—being blindsided about the whole mate situation had been legitimately upsetting—but now that she’d had time to process, she could see that he was trying to be reasonable about an impossible situation.
“Tell me about your Olympic career,” he said, clearly steering the conversation toward safer ground. “Gerri mentioned you were quite accomplished.”
Something in his tone—genuine interest rather than polite small talk—made her relax despite herself. “I won multiple medals across different events,” she found herself saying, surprised by how easy it was to talk to him. “Gold in the 200 freestyle and 100 butterfly, silver in the 400 individual medley, bronze in a couple relay events. Those were... incredible days. Full of excitement and dedication and this sense of purpose I’ve never quite found again.”
The words came easier than they had in years, maybe because he was listening with such focused attention. His eyes never left her face as she spoke, and she felt seen in a way that was both thrilling and terrifying.
“Why don’t you compete anymore?” he asked gently.
The question she’d been dreading hit with the familiar punch to the chest, but somehow his presence made it easier to answer honestly. “Shoulder injury during an Olympic warm-up. Tore my rotator cuff pushing myself too hard, which seems to be a pattern for me.” She managed a rueful smile. “It shattered my confidence. I haven’t been able to find that joy again, eventhough coaching gives me some happiness. It’s just... not the same.”
“Maybe you can find some joy here,” Thalric said, his voice holding a warmth that made her chest tight with unexpected emotion. “Training my pack will be different from anything you’ve known back on Earth. Maybe the challenge will be invigorating.”
“I hope so,” she admitted, meeting his eyes directly. “I’m up for any challenge.”
The promise in those words seemed to resonate between them, and she saw something flicker in his expression—approval, maybe, or anticipation. She tried to turn the conversation toward him, asking about his background and his role as Alpha, but he deflected her questions with the skill of someone who’d spent years avoiding personal revelations. Every inquiry was met with diplomatic non-answers or redirections back to safer topics, and she found herself wishing he wouldn’t be so guarded.
He’ll open up eventually,she told herself.Some people just need time.
Then his expression shifted, becoming serious in a way that made her stomach clench with sudden apprehension.
“There’s something you should know,” Thalric said, his voice taking on the authoritative tone she’d heard in his office. “I don’t want to hide anything else from you after today’s... misunderstanding.”
She set down her fork, giving him her full attention. “What is it?”
“Our territory is facing a crisis right now. The ocean isn’t safe for swimming alone, and you absolutely cannot go in the water without supervision.”
The words hit her like a blow. She’d been looking forward to diving into that pink ocean since the moment she’d arrived, andhad been planning to spend the afternoon exploring its depths and reconnecting with the water.
“What kind of crisis?” she asked, trying to keep the disappointment out of her voice.
“Pirates have been attacking our ships along the trade routes,” he explained, his jaw tightening with controlled anger. “The man behind it is unpredictable and dangerous. I can’t risk you going anywhere alone, especially not into the ocean.”
The protective note in his voice should have annoyed her—she was perfectly capable of taking care of herself—but instead it sent a warm flutter through her chest.
“I understand,” she said, though her heart sank at the restriction. The ocean had been calling to her since she’d arrived, promising the kind of freedom and peace she hadn’t felt in years.
They finished the meal in relative silence, the easy conversation from before dampened by her obvious disappointment. She could feel him watching her, probably sensing her mood even though she tried to hide it.
“If you want to test the water before tomorrow’s training session,” he said suddenly, “I could take you out there this afternoon.”
The offer sparked immediate excitement in her chest, so intense it was almost painful. The thought of finally getting into that gorgeous pink ocean, of feeling the water against her skin and the familiar embrace of liquid freedom, made her pulse race with anticipation.
You should keep your distance from him,her rational mind warned.
But the pull of the ocean was stronger than her common sense, and she found herself nodding before she could think better of it.
“That sounds perfect,” she said, her voice bright with genuine enthusiasm.
His answering smile was devastating—warm and pleased and just a little predatory in a way that made her stomach flip.
“Go get changed,” he said, rising from his chair with that fluid grace she was beginning to recognize as distinctly his. “I’ll come by your suite in a few minutes.”
She practically flew from the dining room, her heart hammering with anticipation as she hurried through the corridors toward her guest suite. The prospect of finally experiencing Nova Aurora’s ocean, of feeling that pink water surround her body and wash away five years of restless dissatisfaction, made her feel more alive than she had since stepping through Gerri’s portal.
And the fact that she’d be sharing that experience with Thalric—with his intense presence and those storm-grey eyes that seemed to see straight through her—only added another layer of electric anticipation to the mix.
ELEVEN
