Page 53 of Ocean's Whisper

"Keep moving forward!" Nereus shouted, pushing his boat's engines to their limit. "Don't let them isolate any vessels!"

A wraith rose directly in their path, its gaping maw large enough to swallow their boat whole. Nereus didn't flinch. He reached for the controls of the mounted harpoon gun and fired three rounds in rapid succession, striking the creature's core. It dissolved into luminescent foam with an otherworldly wail.

"Behind you!" Xavier warned.

Nereus spun the wheel hard, narrowly avoiding another tentacle. "These are just her foot soldiers," he snarled. "She's trying to wear us down before we reach her."

The mate bond pulsed again, stronger this time. Isolde was fighting back in her own way. Pride swelled within him. His Luna was no helpless damsel, even drugged and captive.

"Alpha, port side!" came a shout over the radio.

A dozen sleek forms cut through the water alongside their boats—humanoid but with seal-like features and razor-sharp claws. Bound selkies, forced into service by the siren's magic.

"Don't kill them if you can avoid it," Nereus ordered. "They're slaves to her will."

One of the selkies launched itself onto their deck, water streaming from its glistening skin. Nereus met it head-on, catching its wrists before its claws could find purchase. The creature was strong, but no match for an alpha waterwolf. He threw it back into the ocean with enough force to stun but not kill.

"Xavier, take the wheel!" Nereus stripped off his jacket, his muscles rippling beneath his tight black T-shirt. "I need to clear a path."

Without waiting for a response, he vaulted over the side of the boat, hitting the water with barely a splash. The ocean welcomed him like an old friend, its currents adjusting to his presence. He let his wolf partially emerge—not a full shift, but enough to enhance his strength and speed in the water.

Swimming beneath the surface, Nereus tore through the selkie ranks with brutal efficiency. His clawed hands disabled rather than killed, breaking the siren's hold on the creatures one by one. They retreated in confusion once freed from her control.

A massive wraith descended toward him, its body rippling with malevolent energy. Nereus bared his fangs in a feral grin. He had been fighting creatures like this for centuries. The wraith was powerful but predictable, lunging forward with its tentacles extended. Nereus twisted between them, diving straight for itspulsing core. His claws ripped through the ethereal flesh, and the creature dissolved around him.

Breaking the surface, Nereus saw that his pack was holding their own. Half the wraiths had been dispatched, and the selkies were scattering, many freed from the witch's control. His boats had advanced significantly, now less than half a mile from the yacht.

He pulled himself back onto his vessel with inhuman grace, water sluicing off his body. "Status report," he demanded, shaking his wet hair from his eyes.

Xavier handed him back the wheel. "Three boats with minor damage. No serious injuries. We're making progress."

"Good." Nereus fixed his gaze on the yacht. "Signal the flanking teams. It's time for the next phase."

Two boats peeled away from their formation, circling wide to approach the yacht from different angles. Nereus kept his vessel on a direct course, drawing the main force of the siren's defenses.

A new wave of wraiths rose to meet them, larger than before. Nereus felt the ocean respond to his will, his ancestral connection to the water pushing back against the siren's corruption.

"She's desperate," he noted with savage satisfaction. "She feels us coming for her."

The mate bond flared with renewed strength, almost like Isolde was reaching for him. The sensation was so powerful, it momentarily took his breath away.

"Hold on, sweetheart," he whispered. "I'm coming to get you."

The final line of defense erupted from the depths—a massive kraken-like entity composed of multiple wraiths fused together by the siren's magic. Its tentacles whipped through the air, smashing one boat's railing and nearly capsizing another.

"All units, concentrated fire!" Nereus roared.

A volley of silver harpoons struck the creature from all directions. It writhed in agony but held together.

Nereus felt a cold fury settle over him. No more games. He reached deep inside himself, drawing on the power that had been passed down through his bloodline for millennia. The ocean responded, currents swirling around their boats, forming a protective barrier.

"Everyone hold position," he commanded. Then, focusing all his energy, he thrust his hands forward.

A massive wave rose at his command, lifting their boats safely while slamming into the kraken entity with devastating force. The creature's unnatural bonds couldn't withstand the pure elemental power of a water prince. It shattered into dozens of smaller wraiths, which quickly dissipated into the night.

The path to the yacht lay open.

"Prepare to board," Nereus ordered, his voice deadly calm. "The witch is mine. And if you find Isolde before I do, get her to safety."

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