My pulse quickens as her scent floods my senses—sweet, intoxicating, igniting a surge of desire that courses through my body.

She’s close.

The urge to claim her, to make her mine, nearly overwhelms me.

I increase my pace, my gaze locked on her trail. The swamp teems with life around me, but it fades into the background. My world narrows to Mia, to finding her, to ensuring her safety.

A sudden commotion to my right snaps my attention. I whirl, ready to face any threat, only to be struck by a sight that sends a jolt through my chest.

It’s Mia battling furiously against a tangle of aggressive vines. Her brown eyes blaze bravely, even as fear etches her features. She wields a crude weapon, her movements desperate but resolute.

A true warrior.

I step forward, instinct demanding I protect her, but I hesitate. I watch, transfixed, as she fights her way free. Her strength, her resilience—it’s breathtaking.

She’s everything I could desire in a mate.

With a final, triumphant swing, Mia breaks free from the vines’ grasp. She pauses, chest heaving, then sets off again, her gaze fixed ahead. She hasn’t noticed me yet, but it’s only a matter of time.

I shadow her at a distance, content for now to observe. Her strength impresses me, but the harsh reality remains—she can’t survive this hostile world alone. She needs me, even if she doesn’t know it yet.

And I’ll be there, ready to claim her when the time comes.

I break a branch with deliberate force, the sharp crack echoing through the dense foliage. It’s a calculated move, designed to alert Mia to my presence and gauge her reaction.

As expected, the sound ignites her survival instincts. She bolts, her fear propelling her forward with renewed vigor. But in these alien woods, I am the apex predator, and she has yet to learn the intricacies of this hazardous terrain.

I move with fluid grace, each step silent and precise. In an instant, I materialize before her, emerging from the underbrush like a specter. Mia skids to a halt, her eyes widening.

For a moment, I allow myself to admire her indomitable spirit, but I wonder at her refusal to accept my aid, given my obvious physical advantages.

“You are mine to protect, little one,” I rumble, my voice a blend of authority and gentleness. The intoxicating scent of her fear fills my gills, and I yearn to calm her, to show her that I am an ally, yet I know I must tread carefully. Her independence is clearly as vital to her as water is to my kind, and I will not be the one to strip it away.

Mia’s gaze darts between me and the path behind her, assessing her options. Her full lips press into a hard line. “I don’t need your protection,” she asserts, her voice steady despite the subtle tremor in her hands.

I incline my head, acknowledging her words without yielding ground. “Whether you accept it or not, it is my duty—and my desire—to ensure your safety. The perils of this world are beyond your comprehension.”

She crosses her arms, a defiant gesture that inadvertently draws my attention to her mammalian attributes. I’m captivated by the soft curves, so different from my own physiology…

A pointed throat-clearing snaps my focus back to her face as she says, “I didn’t ask to be abducted, or to be hunted like some trophy. And if you think I’m going to fall in line just because you say so… Well, you clearly don’t know me at all.”

Her words pierce me, instilling me with guilt for my role as her pursuer. I wrestle with the weight of my people’s survival against her individual rights. The justification I’ve clung to suddenly feels hollow in the face of her raw anger and fear.

“I offer you a partnership, Mia,” I say, taking a measured step toward her. “Together, we can navigate these trials. Together, we can forge a path back to my kingdom.”

She regards me warily. “Do you honestly believe I’d be happy with that? I had a life back on Earth, you know. I was finally getting my act together. And now you expect me to willingly follow you to some alien planet and what?” Her eyes glisten with unshed tears as she spits out, “Be your… your broodmare?”

I jerk back at her wording. “You would be far more than that,” I insist. “You would stand as my equal, my confidant, my queen.”

Mia scoffs, but there’s a slight consideration in her expression. It’s a small opening, a hint that she might be starting to believe my words.

But then her grip tightens on the branch she’s wielding, her knuckles turning white. Her spirit is admirable, if not a touch foolish.

“Do you truly believe that branch will be enough to subdue me?” I ask, my lips curving into an intrigued smile. There’s no mockery in my tone, only genuine curiosity about her next move.

She shifts her weight, her gaze locked onto mine with unwavering intensity. “I’m not trying to ‘subdue’ you, fish-man. I just want to get past you. Take the hint and back off.”

Her words are a brazen challenge, but rather than feeling affronted, I find myself oddly charmed. She doesn’t grovel or beg; instead, she stands her ground, fighting tooth and claw for her freedom. It’s impossible not to admire such tenacity.

“Very well,” I concede, taking a step back. “If you insist on this course of action, I’ll keep watch from a distance. But wouldn’t it be wiser to allow me to remain by your side?”

“I’ve got this handled,” she retorts, though the slight waver in her voice betrays a hint of uncertainty beneath her bravado.

As I observe her, a question nags at me: What experiences have led this remarkable creature to reject my aid so vehemently? What makes her so distrusting of a helping hand?

Regardless, I step aside.

She edges past me, her movements hurried as she navigates the uneven ground. As she passes, her scent fills the air—an intoxicating blend that sets my senses alight. Unable to resist, I turn to follow her retreating form, maintaining a respectful distance while every instinct growls at me to close the gap between us.

Her distrust is clear, etched into every hurried step she takes. What wounds has she suffered to make her so wary?

The thought of anyone mistreating her makes my gills flare and my webbed hands clench. I’ve offered her my sincere protection, but it’s obvious now that mere promises won’t suffice. I must prove my intentions through action.

Silently, I glide through the undergrowth, my sleek form barely disturbing the foliage. I maintain the distance between us, but I never lose sight of her. Every rustle, every snap of a twig beneath her feet, draws my attention. My senses are on high alert, not just for her safety, but for the looming threat I know isn’t far behind.

Vornas is out there, waiting. And I’ll be damned if I let that feline predator get anywhere near her.

Chapter 5

Mia

I push through the dense foliage, my mind a whirlwind of conflicting thoughts. Krakenos’s face haunts me—along with those pitch-black eyes that seem endless in their depths. Our encounter repeats in my mind, each detail more vivid than the last.

The question nags at me: Why did he let me go?

He’s a warrior, a hunter. He could’ve easily overpowered me. But he didn’t.

What was going on in that alien head of his?

Is this just about saving his race, or is there more to it?

I try to shove these thoughts aside, focusing on the dangerous terrain beneath my feet. The damp earth squishes with each step, threatening to swallow my feet whole. Moss-covered rocks lurk like traps, waiting for a misstep.

But even as I navigate this alien landscape—all bizarre hues and unfamiliar flora—my thoughts keep circling back to Krakenos. I keep replaying our encounter, scrutinizing every word, every gesture, every little detail…

That blue, sleek body, so utterly foreign yet oddly captivating. The fluid grace of his movements. The intensity burning in his gaze as he vowed to keep me safe, as he pleaded for me to trust him…