Page 51 of Seas the Day
Focus. Deal with the mate issues later. Right now, you have a territory to protect.
“We can’t afford to wait any longer,” he announced, his voice carrying across the dock with decisive finality. “I can’t miss this meeting with Graven, or the war will escalate beyond anything we can handle.”
The twenty enforcers moved with practiced efficiency toward the sleek vessel moored at the end of the pier. Thalric’s boots echoed against the wooden planks as he strode toward the ship, Navira and Kaelen flanking him.
Within minutes, the ship cut through the pink waters with deadly silence, its engines barely a whisper beneath the hull.
Navira settled into a seat near the bow, her posture rigid with contained tension. “I don’t like this,” she said, her voice carrying clearly over the gentle hum of the motor.
Frustration flared hot in Thalric’s chest—at the situation, at Sylar’s absence, at his own inability to ease his mate’s concerns without compromising his Alpha authority. “You need to follow my lead right now and trust me,” he said, his tone sharper than intended. “Trust that I know what I’m doing and will handle everything accordingly.”
Her blue eyes flashed with hurt before she turned away, staring out at the horizon with stubborn silence. The bond between them thrummed with her wounded feelings, and Thalric had to physically restrain himself from going to her, from abandoning this entire mission to make things right between them.
Not now. Alpha first, mate second. That’s how this has to work.
But even as Thalric told himself that, his wolf snarled, demanding he comfort his mate.
No. I can’t right now.
Fifteen minutes later, Rocky Point Island emerged from the pink waters like a jagged tooth, all weathered stone and dense vegetation. Relief flooded through Thalric as he spotted a familiar figure standing on the narrow beach—Sylar’s imposing frame silhouetted against the pale sand.
“See?” he said, though the word came out more defensive than victorious. “He was just ahead of the game.”
Kaelen guided the ship close to shore, the hull scraping softly against the sandy bottom. Thalric stepped off first, his boots sinking slightly into the wet sand as he approached his head enforcer. Navira followed, and he didn’t tell her to stay back—she was already frustrated with him, and he couldn’t afford to upset her further when he needed to maintain full Alpha focus.
“Why didn’t you wait for us at the docks?” Thalric asked, his voice carrying across the beach.
Sylar looked flustered, his usual composed demeanor cracking slightly around the edges. “I got anxious about this whole meeting. Wanted to make sure some of the enforcers were positioned early.”
The explanation made perfect sense—the kind of strategic thinking that had made Sylar invaluable for three decades. Thiswas the man who’d won countless territorial disputes, who’d protected their pack through every crisis.
“That’s very smart,” Thalric said, and meant it.
Sylar glanced at his watch, the gesture sharp with urgency. “Graven will be here soon. We really need to get into our positions.”
Beside him, Navira’s unease spiked through their bond like a warning bell, but Thalric forced himself to stay focused on the tactical necessities. This meeting could end the war, could protect his pack and territory from further bloodshed.
THIRTY-SIX
THALRIC
He turned to face his mate, taking in her worried expression. “Everything will be fine. I’ll have a reasonable discussion with Graven, and we’ll find a way to end this war. Just have faith in me to do my Alpha job.”
She didn’t speak, but she nodded, and through their connection he felt her trust in him warring with her deep-seated worry. The combination made his chest tight with conflicting emotions—pride that she believed in him, guilt that he was asking her to ignore her instincts.
“Go with Sylar to a hidden location on the island,” he instructed, his Alpha voice brooking no argument. “Not too far. Position yourselves in case I need backup.”
Navira’s expression tightened with displeasure. “I’d rather go with Kaelen.”
“No.” The word came out harder than he intended. “I need you on this island so I can get to you quicker if necessary. Kaelen needs to take the ship away with the other enforcers so Graven doesn’t see them.”
She looked like she wanted to argue further but finally nodded with reluctant agreement. “Fine.”
As they began to separate, his wolf howled with the wrongness of letting his mate walk away with someone else, of not keeping her close and protected. But his Alpha mind overruled the instinct—this was strategy, this was necessary.
The beach fell quiet except for the gentle lap of waves against stone, and Thalric stood alone, waiting for a monster to emerge from the depths.
The silence stretched across Rocky Point Island like a held breath, broken only by the rhythmic lap of waves against the shore.
