Page 44 of Siren's Kiss & Feral Beasts
KAI
Jonathan arrives less than an hour later, clutching a steaming cup of coffee in his hand. His steps are slow and hesitant. The weight of my gaze is enough to make most wolves falter—and he does, right inside the threshold of my office. It takes a few seconds for him to right himself, to check that nothing was spilled, before he stops and waits for me to address him.
There’s one thing missing, though. No mate.
She’s nowhere to be seen, and I lean back in my chair, raising a brow at the man. “Where is she?”
“She’s with your mother, Alpha. The old luna said she was too thin and looked too tired, and took it upon herself to cure both ailments,” Torren answers for him, stepping inside with a quiet arrogance only my third can pull off. Veris has a bit of that in him, too.
It’s part of the hierarchy. If I die, Veris would take over as I have no heirs, and Torren would have first rights to claim the beta position.
“Who’s with them?” He’s as protective of her as I am, having grown up with her as the mother of the pack. Lunas are important for more than being the alpha’s mate and moralcompass. She’s a maternal figure to all, young and old, and brings comfort in times of unrest. She’s unity personified, and not one member of this pack would ever put her life at risk.
“Your father took over watch duty, said he wanted to show the new member around. Show the pack they are welcome here.”
A faint smirk tugs at my lips. Typical. My parents are social and very much involved—retirement has softened him—yet neither oversteps. My word is law, even with them.
“Fine.” I shift my attention back to Jonathan, letting the silence stretch between us until he shifts. Only then do I wave to the chair across from me. “Sit. We have a lot to discuss.”
Jonathan sets his coffee down carefully at the edge of my desk, hands trembling. “Alpha.”
“Please sit.” The words come out sharp, the command rolling from my chest. He obeys immediately, lowering himself into the chair opposite mine. A few times his eyes flicker to the only exit, but he only finds Torren.
My gamma stands with his arms crossed, large body leaning against the wall to the left of the closed door. He doesn’t call him out on it, but rather tilts his head in my direction.
“I’m not a liar, Jonathan. If I said you’re safe, then that’s what you are.”
At my words, he nods. Becomes a little less rigid, even. “Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me yet. How this ends depends solely on you.”
“Okay.”
“Tell me everything. Leave nothing out,” I tell him, voice calm, yet the wolf comes through in the command, dangerous and unyielding. “From the beginning, what led you to Isle San Tico the night of the challenges? What were you after?”
“We didn’t plan on it, Alpha Kai. Not at first.” Jonathan swallows hard, throat bobbing, and he takes a hearty sip from his mug. He doesn’t set it down this time, but rather clutches itlike a lifeline. “This all started about a month ago, when Brina ran away with me. We’re from neighboring small islands on the southern edge of the northern sea, near the capital city of Bazra.”
“Are you from Liora or Selvora?”
“I’m from Selvora. It’s definitely colder than Liora; nobody uses the beaches there.”
“And you ran away because…” I had an idea, but I wanted to test just how honest he’d be. Mar de Marea Plateadas, orSea of Silver Tides,is known for its archaic traditions. Some places, like its capital city of Bazra, have taken on a more modern approach to civilization, but it’s the city of Morvane that controls its waters.
Morvane is a gothic port city on the northernmost point of Mar de Marea Plateadas. It’s controlled by vampires, an older-than-dirt coven with money and a penchant to play with mated pairs. None of the members have found their beloved, and to them, a soulmate is nothing more than entertainment. They have a lot in common with King Atlas in that perspective; neither the vampires nor sirens in power think past political advancement or money.
“Because our parents had plans for us.”
“Go on.”
“Arranged marriages.” Jonathan inhales deeply and then lets it out slowly. His shoulders also sag a bit. “Hers to a territory leader, while I was to step in and take care of my sister-in-law and nephews. My brother passed away last year during a herding run for the vampires. He’d collect the donors, make sure they were fed and clean, then transport them back to the harem’s private sanctuary not far from Selvora. A quick trip, what should’ve taken a day at most, but the boat capsized, and we have no idea why.”
“Survivors?”
“None.”
My fingers drum once against the desk. “So you ran?”
“Yes.” Jonathan glances down at his hand, knuckles white. A small crack appears on the cup, linear and doesn’t spill its contents. “We ended up in Avaria after a friend gave me safe passage on his ship. He’s a transporter and was already on his way to drop off shipping supplies at the port.” Another pause, and this time he smiles a bit. “Avaria is amazing. Tropical and warm, different from what we’re used to, and the locals treated us kindly. It’s also where we met Spiro…literally ran into him.”
