Page 41 of Ocean's Whisper

"But we need to move fast," he continued firmly. "The longer we wait to officially mark you as my Luna, the more vulnerable you are. And the weaker I become."

She nodded, her expression resolute. "Then you better talk to Damien."

"I will. You're everything I've ever wanted, Isolde. And I'm not letting anyone take you from me."

He took her hand, intertwining their fingers as they continued down the path toward the castle. His mind started racing as he tried to piece together the puzzle of the attack. His protective nature flared as he thought about the threats they were now facing. He needed to get to the bottom of this before it was too late.

SEVENTEEN

ISOLDE

Isolde paced the length of her suite in Nereus's castle. Without consciously thinking, she began combing her fingers through her blonde hair in agitation. The stone walls that had seemed grand and romantic just days ago now felt like the confines of a gilded cage. Through the ornate windows, she could see the ocean glittering beyond the castle grounds, calling to her with a familiar song that now carried new meaning.

"I don't even know what I'm doing here exactly. I feel like I'm under some kind of spell whenever Nereus is around," she murmured to her reflection in a massive antique mirror.

For the past week, she had been at Nereus's beck and call—training her newfound powers, learning pack customs and traditions, and trying to win over wolf shifters who looked at her with thinly veiled disdain. She'd barely had time to breathe, let alone think about what this all meant for her life.

She soon flopped onto her four-poster bed, staring at the canopy above. She hadn't been back to her houseboat once. Hadn't called her work colleagues to check in. Hadn't even thought about what would become of her career as a marine biologist after she becomes Luna of the Seafang pack. The tidal wave she had unwittingly caused had destroyed her workplace,but Nereus was rebuilding it with a wave of his financial power—just another example of how swiftly he took control of every situation.

"Damn it." She sat up and grabbed a decorative pillow, hugging it to her chest. "When did I become this person who just... follows along with everything?"

Before meeting Nereus, she had been fiercely independent. Sure, she struggled with standing up for herself sometimes, but she had built her life around her own passions and choices. Now she was letting Nereus dictate her schedule, her training, even where she lived.

The memory of their encounter in the cave flushed her skin with heat. The sex was mind-blowing, but those attackers... they weren't random. Someone in the pack wanted her gone.

"Because I'm human," she whispered, the revelation settling like ice in her stomach.

She had overheard the whispers when Nereus wasn't around or paying attention. A human Luna? Unprecedented. Unacceptable. A threat to their bloodlines. No wonder someone had tried to eliminate her today.

She stood and walked to the window, pressing her palm against the cool glass. The ocean responded to her emotions, waves rising slightly in the distance.

"I need to get back to my life," she decided. "At least part of it."

A knock at the door interrupted her thoughts.

"Enter," she called, surprised by the authority in her own voice.

A young woman—Mira, one of the few staff members who treated her with some respect—stepped into the room with fresh towels.

"Is there anything you need, Miss Isolde?"

Isolde studied the woman, noting how carefully she avoided using the title "Luna."

"Actually, yes. Has His Royal Highness mentioned when he'll return from his meeting with Damien?"

Mira's eyes flickered nervously. "I believe they'll be discussing security matters for some time. The alpha was... quite angry about the attack."

"I bet he was," Isolde muttered. Nereus's grave concern for her safety after the fight had been evident. He had practically vibrated with protective fury. "Tell me, Mira, do many in the pack share the opinion that I don't belong here?"

The towels in Mira's hands wrinkled under her tightening grip. "It's not my place to?—"

"Please. I need to know what I'm up against."

Mira sighed. "There are... traditions. Expectations. A human Luna is difficult for some to accept."

"Even though I have magical water powers?"

"Some believe those powers would be better served by a true wolf shifter."

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