Page 19 of Ocean's Whisper

Nereus nodded. "Thank you. Make sure she has a new phone waiting for her when she wakes."

"Of course." The housekeeper hesitated. "May I ask—is she..."

"She's my Luna." The words sent a thrill through him, possessive and primal.

Mrs. Carlisle's eyes widened. "After all this time..."

"After all this time," he echoed. "And I have to move carefully, or I'll frighten her away."

"The ocean responded somewhat to her arrival."

Nereus's laugh was sharp. "That's putting it mildly. She demolished the marine research station with her first surge of power. She's stronger than any Luna I've encountered."

The wolf in him preened with pride at his mate's strength, even as the prince calculated the challenges ahead. Training her. Protecting her. Integrating her into pack life. And all while battling the mating heat that threatened to consume them both.

Several minutes after Edith left him with his thoughts, he heard the familiar cadence of footsteps approaching his study. The heavy oak door swung open without a knock—the only two men in the territory who dared enter his space without announcement.

"This better be apocalyptically important," Xavier growled, his dark hair disheveled, eyes alert despite being pulled from sleep. As beta, he was accustomed to crises, but rarely at this hour.

Damien followed, immaculately dressed despite the ungodly hour, his silver-streaked beard neatly trimmed. As Royal Advisor, he maintained appearances no matter the circumstance.

"I found my Luna," Nereus announced without preamble, watching their reactions with hawkish intensity.

Xavier's eyes widened while Damien raised a single eyebrow. They waited for more—they knew him well enough to sense there was a complication.

"She awakened tonight. Created a tidal wave that destroyed the marine research station on the north point," Nereus continued, tapping his fingers on his desk. "I had to save five human scientists from drowning."

Xavier whistled low. "That's quite an entrance."

"She must be powerful," Damien mused, settling into a leather armchair. "Our pack hasn't seen water control that strong since?—"

"She's human," Nereus cut in, the words hanging in the pre-dawn air like a challenge.

Both men froze. Xavier recovered first, his laugh sharp. "You're joking, right?"

"Do I look like I'm in a fucking joking mood?" Nereus's voice dropped dangerously low, his wolf pressing against his skin.

Damien leaned forward, fingers steepled. "Not impossible, Your Highness, but definitely not traditional."

"How is this possible then?" Nereus demanded, slamming his fist on his desk. The ancient wood trembled but held firm. "Three centuries I've waited, preparing for a Luna from one of the six territories, and the Moon Goddess sends me a human marine biologist?"

"Marine biologist," Damien repeated thoughtfully. "Interesting choice. She already devoted her life to the ocean before knowing her connection to it."

Xavier paced the room, his energy too feral to be contained. "We need her, that's non-negotiable. Without a Luna?—"

"I know what happens without a Luna," Nereus growled. The pack's power would fade without her balancing influence. Hispower would diminish. The Seafang sovereignty would weaken, leaving them vulnerable to rivals. "But how do I integrate a human who thought shifters were fairy tales until tonight?"

"Perhaps..." Xavier hesitated, then plunged ahead. "What if you ignored this particular call? Waited for a proper waterwolf shifter Luna to awaken?"

The suggestion sent a bolt of white-hot rage through Nereus's body. His eyes flashed turquoise, a warning growl building in his chest. The mere thought of rejecting Isolde, of sending her away, ignited primal panic within him. His wolf clawed at his insides, desperate to race to her room, to guard her door and ensure no one took her from him.

"I'd sooner cut out my own heart," Nereus snarled, surprised by the raw emotion in his voice. "She's mine. I've barely known her for hours, and already I can't imagine existence without her."

Xavier raised his hands in surrender. "Just testing the mate bond. You clearly passed."

"The Moon Goddess doesn't make mistakes," Damien said quietly. "If she chose a human for our alpha, there's purpose behind it. We are all pawns of fate, Your Highness. Sometimes we must wait to understand why things are as they are."

Nereus stilled, his gaze drawn to the ocean visible through his windows. Out there somewhere was the answer to why Isolde had been chosen for him—why after centuries of waiting, his mate was a woman who had no knowledge of his world.

---