“I believe that might be an invasion of privacy.”

“But she is your mate?” he inquired.

I chuckled. “She is, but she does not know.”

We both stared at her, watching, and my stomach churned in knots. “Then keep her asleep, Master. Just like when you saved her.”

Hmm, I suppose I could do that.

I nodded to Silas, and his fanged smile widened. He was more than happy to help, and I’d always be forever grateful to him.

One day, I would have to force him to go. I told him as soon as he knew he would receive a mate himself one day, he could leave. But he refused when he realized I was hunting for mine as well.

When I crawled through the window, the temperature inside the house was warmer than outside. I changed the current of the ocean, the wind following with it and filtering in the fresh, cooler sea air.

I turned into my true form in the blink of an eye. I wanted to feel my mate’s skin on mine instead of foreign, tanned skin and dark hair. To feel her against my true form.

I never wanted her to feel sad. I wanted her to feel the happiness that she brought me. To make her happy would bring me the greatest joy, if only I could do that with her awake. When she looked at me, she thought I could take away all her fears. She looked up to me like no one else has ever done. I couldn’t bear to be a disappointment, what if I failed her?

But right now, I felt like a giant. I was going to hold her, keep her close and keep her safe. I always would, even if she rejected me.

I crawled into bed, the room cooling as soon as I laid next to her. Lani automatically rolled and turned to me, nuzzling her face into my chest. I felt my muscles loosen and my body melt into the bed as I lay next to her.

Fates, I was going to crawl into her bed from this night forward. I couldn’t be without her any longer.

Her eyes dried, and her whimpers ceased.

This is okay,I told myself.Everything is fine.

But then she opened her eyes and fluttered her lashes sleepily.

“Hello, King Trident,” she said in a husky, sleepy voice.

We both stayed perfectly still. I waited for her to scream, but she buried her face back into my chest. Her arm went around my waist, and my fingers ran through her hair.

She was so soft.

I could smell the chamomile and jasmine. It made my heart race with desire as I breathed in her scent. Did she not realize what she was doing? Was she still asleep?

“Thank you for saving me,” she muttered, and soft snores soon followed.

Did she…remember?

My heart swelled. She remembered my face? Who really met her in the ocean and not in this thin, human form?

Silas nudged the crab sentinels to return to their places, and he waved a goodbye. The night was then blanketed with thick clouds, and a gentle rain pattered against the roof.

I had my mate in my arms, in my true form. I was not frightened, and I was not worried in this moment. Right now, I was the happiest I’d ever been, and I hoped to the Fates I wouldn’t screw it all up.

Chapter Nineteen

Lani

Ipickedupapackage of crack seed, handing over a few dollars to the seller. When I woke up this morning, I realized I was really low on food, and I was tired of the cheap sandwiches I’d been making. Cy was here on the island, not for the ocean, but for a vacation, and I was hoping to grab a few island favorites he could try when we snacked on the beach.

It was still early; the sun had barely risen over the horizon when I woke. I was amazingly refreshed, not even tired in the least. In fact, it was one of the best nights I’d had in a while, especially since Koma left.

God, I missed him.