"Gonna try to drown me again?" Zak asked, his voice thick with a wolf's growl.
I playfully cuffed his ears with my large black fin. "Not this time."
I sped off, using my powerful tail to propel me away from the shore. My initial burst of speed sent me into deeper, colder waters. Salt prickled my skin. I relaxed knowing I wouldn't become sick from the water quality this time. I wondered if Nautilus knew I needed a swim and adjusted it accordingly.
Zak caught up with me. His speed never ceased to amaze me. He wasn't just a wolf shifter--he truly was something special.
Every time I looked at him, I was hit with a jolt of emotion that got stronger each time. It was like Zak's fangs had a hold on my heart, squeezing deeper and deeper.
Zak swam close enough to brush his pelt against my skin. "What's up? You've got this moony look on your face."
"I'm thinking about how much I like you."
Zak's ears flicked back in an embarrassed gesture. I figured he wasn't expecting such a blunt, affectionate reply. "Well, I like you, too."
"I hope so. Considering you're my fated mate." It was getting easier to say the words. They almost felt natural at this point.
The joy on Zak's face was brighter than the sun shining on the water. He nuzzled his snout against my cheek. He was so much smaller than me in this form. I thought about Craig and how different Zak was than him.
It wasn't like this with Craig. When he was in wolf form, I was relieved knowing I was stronger than him. I outclassed him in every physical aspect and that was comforting.
But with Zak, the opposite was true. Knowing I could protect him was deeply satisfying. If anything or anyone tried to harm him, I would stop it. That knowledge no longer frightened me. I wasn't startled by the force of my emotions towards Zak anymore. They had become part of me.
I felt... whole.
* * *
Back on the shore,we both shifted to dry off. We hadn't seen or heard any sign of the two spirits. I took that as a good sign. There was no emergency yet and hopefully there wouldn't be. But how long would this fragile peace last? I had no doubt Animus would return to try and hurt Nautilus again. He reminded me of a vindictive, abusive alpha. Never satisfied until he got his way.
On principle alone, I didn't want to let Animus win. My feelings were intensified because of what he'd done to the ecosystem. He'd thrown so many innocent lives into chaos, and for what? Just for power? To feed his ego?
"Kamari, you've got that murderous look on your face again," Zak remarked. "Just so you know, there's no shovels around."
"I want to start a family with you."
The humor drained from Zak's face, replaced by a serious expression. "Kamari..."
"Not just because of what the spirits said. Forget all of that." I stepped closer to him until I felt the heat of his body. "I want this. I don't want a future without you in it."
Zak's gaze softened. He reached out to touch my face. I leaned into the softness of his palm. The place where his skin made contact with mine was so warm.
"You're not just saying it because of what's going on?" Zak asked quietly.
"No."
"Are you sure? Because I don't want you to--"
I rolled my eyes then crushed my mouth against his. Whatever complaints he had died on his tongue as mine wrestled with it. I kissed Zak hard until he was moaning, then I pulled away, leaving him wanting more.
My voice came out in a husky, commanding growl. "You asked me what I wanted. Now I'm telling you. I want you. And I want to have a baby with you. I'm ready."
Zak visibly shuddered. "Okay." His hand stroked my cheek, my jawline, then cupped my chin to solidify our eye contact. "Then let me give you what you want."
I smirked. If it was a game he wanted, I'd give him one.
Without warning, I grabbed Zak's shoulders and pinned him to the black sand. A startled little sound came out of him before I kissed him, stealing his breath. He had enough air in his lungs to groan in pleasure. He arched his back and wrapped his arms around my neck, pulling me tighter and raking his nails down my back. I growled and bit his lower lip, making him hiss.
Fuck, it felt amazing to be rough with him, especially since I knew he liked it as much as I did.
