Page 29 of Seas the Day
Silence greeted him. The suite was empty, her black dress draped over a chair. But no Navira.
A tremor of panic—not entirely his own—shot through the bond. His wolf surged to attention, every instinct screaming danger. She’d said she was going to rest. Where could she possibly be?
The answer hit Thalric like a battering ram.
The ocean.
“Damn it,” he growled, already turning and heading toward the back terrace.
He’d warned her about going alone, especially at night. With Graven’s forces prowling the waters, it was beyond dangerous—it was suicidal. But in her current emotional state, rattled and seeking comfort, she wouldn’t have thought about consequences.
He burst through the terrace doors and sprinted toward the shoreline, his enhanced hearing picking up the sound of splashing water. Then, cutting through the night like a blade, came a sound that stopped his heart.
A scream. Terrified, desperate, and unmistakably Navira’s.
Thalric’s world narrowed to a single, burning purpose. He stripped out of his clothes with violent efficiency, not caring where they landed, and let the shift take him. Bones cracked and reformed, muscles expanded, and within seconds his sea wolf form bounded across the sand and plunged into the pink waters.
His enhanced vision cut through the moonlit depths, and what he saw sent rage roaring through his veins. Navira thrashed in the water, trying desperately to swim toward shore while something dark and sinuous pursued her. Tentacles—thick, muscular, and moving with predatory intelligence.
Luthira.
Graven’s devoted illusionist, in her octopus form.
The creature’s pale, iridescent skin shifted colors as she closed in on Navira, tentacles reaching out to ensnare his mate. One wrapped around Navira’s ankle, dragging her back into deeper water despite her frantic struggles.
Thalric’s wolf unleashed an underwater growl that sent vibrations through the water. He launched himself forward like a living torpedo, putting every ounce of his Alpha strength into the attack. His powerful jaws clamped down on one of Luthira’stentacles just as it reached for Navira’s throat, his teeth sinking deep into the rubbery flesh.
The octopus shifter reeled back, releasing Navira with a cloud of dark ink that billowed through the water like smoke. Thalric used the distraction to position himself between the two females, his massive wolf form a living barrier.
“Swim!” he wanted to roar, but his wolf form couldn’t speak. Instead, he thrashed his head toward shore, hoping Navira would understand.
She did. With Olympic-trained efficiency, she stroked toward safety while Thalric faced down Graven’s lieutenant. Luthira’s remaining tentacles lashed out at him, seeking to entangle and crush. He dodged the first two, caught the third in his jaws, and raked his claws down the fourth and fifth. The taste of her blood filled his mouth—bitter and metallic.
The octopus shifter recoiled, her form already beginning to fade as she retreated into the depths. But her violet-blue eyes fixed on him with promise of retribution before she disappeared entirely into the dark water.
Thalric didn’t pursue. His mate’s safety took precedence over everything else, even ending a threat. He swam toward shore, shifting back to human form as his feet touched the sandy bottom. The cold air hit his naked skin as he emerged from the water, but all his attention focused on the figure standing on the beach.
Navira stood in the moonlight, water streaming from her hair and bikini, her arms wrapped around herself. She was shaking—from cold or adrenaline or both—but her eyes were fixed on him with an expression he couldn’t quite read. Concern. Relief. And something that looked dangerously like adNaviration.
“Are you hurt?” Thalric asked, his voice coming out rough despite his efforts to stay calm.
“No, I—” She shook her head, then stepped closer, her gaze sweeping over him as if checking for injuries. “Are you okay? She had those tentacles coming after you, and I thought?—”
The fact that she’d been worried about his safety, even after being attacked herself, sent warmth flooding through his chest.
“We need to get inside now,” he said, already moving toward her. “Where it’s safe.”
She nodded without argument, which told him how rattled she truly was. As they walked toward the estate, he caught her sneaking glances at his naked form, her cheeks flushing even in the moonlight. Despite everything—the attack, the danger, the emotional minefield they were navigating—desire sparked between them like electricity.
TWENTY
THALRIC
They reached the terrace, and Thalric grabbed one of the towels he always kept there for his evening swims. He wrapped it around his waist, but not before catching the way Navira’s eyes lingered on the water droplets trailing down his chest and abs.
“Can I...” She cleared her throat, vulnerability creeping into her voice. “Can I stay with you tonight? I’m too shaken up to be alone.”
The request hit him unexpectedly hard. After everything—the disastrous dinner, her panic attack, the attack in the water—she was asking to stay with him.
