Magnetism
1942 Words
Ethan
Isaac and his future Beta, Katherine, join me and my future Beta, Cameron, for a meeting the next morning.
Isaac lays out a map on the conference room table. “Most of our trouble is from the north. But they do have a tendency to sneak around the east side and try to breach the guard line there. It’s never been a huge battle, but all these little skirmishes are wearing a hole in our defenses. We need to put a stop to it.”
I nod. “Well, we’ll give them the show of force they’re looking for,” I say. “I have enough warriors to reinforce both sides.”
“Last night, I caught a whiff of rogue scent on the western flank.”
I look up. It’s the first time Katherine has said a word, but until now, she hasn’t needed to, I suppose. It’s good intel, and I appreciate it. I nod toward her. “Then we’ll need a full perimeter, at least until we get enough intel to break past our territory and get them where they’re hiding.”
The scent of chocolate mint wafts by me, and I forget my next sentence and pause for a second. Cameron looks at me with a raised brow, but I get my bearings quickly.
“Let’s break into teams for the day and send some scouts out,” I say.
“Good thing the Alpha Kings’ men have come to save us.” The tone is sarcastic, but the voice sounds like the finest violin, its music warm and deep, penetrating my soul.
I look up to see the raven-haired beauty I’d seen yesterday, her silver flecked eyes glaring straight at me.
Kathleen speaks up. “Alpha King Heir, please forgive my sister, Rylee. She’s a bit sour about all things royal.”
Instantly, I know that Rylee’s smirk will haunt my dreams tonight.
***
*Trisha*
I’ve been on the ship for over three weeks now, and I’m starting to get used to the food, which is bland but fills me up at least. I’m also starting to get the hang of the way the waves have me constantly moving. It wasn’t something I’d considered before I hopped aboard, but if it’s part of the journey I have to take, I’ll deal with it.
I’m not the only woman on board, but I might as well be to all these sailors since the nice blonde named Hilda is mated to Carlile, one of the biggest and scariest guys on the ship. I like Hilda, and we’ve been having fun talking a lot. It’s sort of like having a sister on the ship. But since she’s off-limits to the crew, all the other guys spend way too much time staring at me, sometimes directly and other times trying to sneak a look while I’m walking past. I always catch them at it.
None have been worse than Randy, who was fairly aptly named, apparently, being an awfully randy guy. He’s taken it on himself to escort me everywhere I need to go, which I suppose could be considered polite, but the way I catch him ogling me constantly gives me the creeps. I’ve just been ignoring him and spending most of my time with Hilda when I can.
Tonight, I’m lying on my cot, all settled in to re-read one of the two books I packed. I hadn’t exactly been planning for downtime, but luckily, they’re good books. I’m just getting to the good part as the gentle rocking of the ship starts to lull me to sleep.
But then my door rattles, and I come to attention. Randy opens the door, which I know I’ve locked, with a sick grin on his face. I pull my sheet up over me and scoot back toward the wall.
“Oh, now, is that any way to greet me?” he asks, his grin widening and causing a chill in me. “I’ve seen the way you’ve been lookin’ at me, lass. Let’s stop playing here.”
I sit up straight and frown, answering in my harshest voice. “What are you doing in here? I locked the door for a reason.”
“Ah, lassie, now we both know that ain’t true,” he says. “You knew I had the key.”
“I did not!” I glance sideways, but my bag is on the other side of the cabin so I can’t grab my knife, the only weapon I have with me. Goddess, I wish I could shift already.
“Just relax,” he says. “Whoever y’had before, he won’t stand up to my skills.” He eyes me carefully, and I feel like I want to throw up. “Ah, so y’haven’t had a man before. This will be more fun than I thought.”
“Nothing’s going to be any fun,” I say firmly. “Get out of my room!”
He just laughs and takes a step toward me. The last thing I want is for him to tackle me in bed, so I stand up and instantly regret it, my pajama shorts set revealing a bit more than I want to without a bra.
He practically drools, and I feel like throwing up again.
“Get out,” I repeat.
“Not till I’m finished,” he says. “And this will take a while. I’m well known for being very good at this. Don’t worry, though, lassie. You’ll like it soon. I won’t be rough… or at least, not too rough.”
“I said get out.” Having two brothers and living in the castle with top warrior self-defense training has its advantages. The guy is old enough to shift, so I know I’m in trouble if he tries that, but I’m a pretty good fighter regardless. I move into my fighting stance, one that always manages to take down my brothers.
He just laughs again and steps closer. “Come on, now. I’ll have you purring like a kitten in no time. You’ll be my little kitten for the rest o’ the trip.”
“I’ll be nothing of the sort,” I said. “Get out. I’m warning you.”
“You’re warning me? Oh, that’s a laugh.” He closes the distance between us and reaches out to slap me, but I duck quickly and spin around.
In an instant he grabs for my neck and whirls around me till he has me in a chokehold. I smile. This is one of my best moves. I grab his hand and duck under his arm, slipping out of his hold and twisting his arm in the process, but I don’t finish the move because he kicks backward at me and trips me. I fall down on the floor.
He smiles down at me in a disgusting way, and I reach up to kick him in another good move just as the door flies off its hinges and sails across the room.
In an instant, Randy’s off his feet, slammed up against the wall by a big, muscular arm. It’s an outside wall, so I look at it, worried whoever it is might ram Randy straight through it and sink the whole ship.
“She said get out,” says a low, gravelly voice.
Randy has his arms up in surrender, and I’m afraid he’s going to pee right on my floor. Between that and no door, I’m definitely going to need to change rooms.
“I’m going, I’m going,” he says.
Muscle man lets go of him, and Randy runs faster than I ever thought he was capable of. I’m still standing here with my mouth half open in shock about whatever that was, and I turn to face the new man in my room.
Looking at the guy full-on, I have to force myself to close my mouth and not just sit there and drool. He’s tall, blond, and every inch of the man is just as muscular as his arm. I have to blink twice because I’m sure I’m seeing things, but his eyes are actually silver.
“Are you okay?” he asks.
I stand here for a minute trying to figure out how to answer that. I look down at my pajamas, which are still intact but strewn a little sideways and way more revealing than they’re supposed to be. I look back up at the man as I feel heat rising in my cheeks, and in other places, throwing me off-kilter a bit. I’ve almost forgotten who I am and how much I hate being treated like a damsel in distress. If this were anyone else, I would yell at the guy. But somehow, I’m barely capable of saying anything.
“I’m fine,” I say finally. “I had that handled.”
“I’m sure you did,” he says. “Still, Randy needs to be shown who’s boss once in a while.”
“And I suppose you’re the boss?” I don’t know why I said that or what that even means. I can’t even talk straight around this guy.
He chuckles, and it sounds like music. “Only when the right people need a proper lesson. Roland and I go way back. I’m just trying to pay him back for a favor. Didn’t mean to step on toes.”
“I—” I have no idea how to respond to that, then I remember who I’m supposed to be—Daphne, Roland’s daughter. That’s right. “Well, thanks then. You can consider him repaid, um—”
“Alessandro.” He holds out his hand, and I just stare at it. Goddess, even the man’s name is sexy. I shake my head to snap out of it and take his hand.
“Good to meet you, Alessandro,” I say, giving him a firm handshake and not letting go quite soon enough. I blush again and look over at my empty doorway.
“Oh, sorry for that,” he says. “I’ll switch rooms with you. I’m down at the other end of the hall. I don’t need a door.”
I wonder for a moment why this guy has his own room, but then I look at him and lose track of all my thoughts.
What’s wrong with me?
“I guess I’ll take you up on that, then,” I say. “I could use some sleep.”
“Randy definitely doesn’t have a key to my door, so he won’t be bothering you again,” he says.
I nod, realizing I’ve been staring at his bicep. “Oh, good. Well, I’ll just… get my bag here. Are you sure taking your room is okay?”
“Of course it is,” he insists. “I broke your door, after all.”
I nod, timidly walking by him to grab my bag and leave, catching my breath as I head down to the other room. I don’t even care that I’m walking down the hall in my skimpy pajamas. I normally like to take care of problems myself, but I can’t say I’m going to argue if this man breaks down my door and rescues me again.
Trisha, what are you saying?
After I finally get settled in the room that smells amazingly like Alessandro, it takes a long time to get to sleep.
I don’t think I’m out for a whole hour when I hear hollering on the ship and open my eyes to see that it’s dawn. “Land ho!”
- Writer
