#4 Moonlight on the Water

Navy

Knox. My mate’s name made my head spin. His eyes piercing into mine made my brain foggy. His closeness made my knees weak. His words spoke directly to my heart and it was beating just for him.

I couldn’t argue with anything he was saying. Cameron was my best friend and I loved him, there was no question about that. But, I didn’t feel wanted or needed by him, I didn’t feel desire for him, I didn’t feel captivated by him, like I did by Knox. I hated to compare them. It was like comparing apples to oranges. I wanted them both in my life. I was happy with Cameron as my friend, but I knew I would never be happy with Knox as just my friend.

Oh, so much about this was a mistake. I should have stayed under the water. I should have stayed far away. I should have listened to my mother. I was in so much trouble.

I couldn’t breathe or speak or even think as Knox held my elbows and demanded my attention. All I could do was stand there and stare like an idiot school girl. And, to be fair, compared to him, I was just a school girl. How embarrassing was that?

“Little mate?” Knox’s eyebrows turned up in question.

“What?” It was the only word I could manage to speak.

“What do you want?”

“I don’t know.” It was the truth. I had no idea what I wanted.

“Well that sounds like the beginning of our story, Navy, not the end.” Knox smiled and moved away from me.

“I have no idea how this is going to work.” I sighed, finally able to think straight.

“One day at a time, little mate.” He shrugged, never taking his eyes off of me,

“All you have to do is give me a chance, give us a chance. You’ve had 18 years living in the ocean with the sirens and your….Cameron,” I could tell that it pained him to say his name and that little flash of jealousy actually excited me,

“Now you have to give the surface and me a chance to impress.”

Knox had a point. I had lived my entire life under the sea with the expectation of being mated to Cameron. If I really wanted to make the best decision for myself, I had to give living on the surface a chance. But, I couldn’t help but think back to the story of my grandmother.

“I hear what you’re saying, and you have a point, but, the thing is, I have proof that this doesn’t work, Knox, and it’s hard for me to ignore that.” I explained, unable to look into the eyes of my mate as I expressed my insecurities.

“What do you mean, little mate?” Knox’s voice was soft and sweet, it pulled my eyes back towards him.

“My grandmother mated with a werewolf. She tried to live on the surface with him, but it didn’t work. She missed home too much.”

“That was her story, not ours.” Knox shrugged, seeming unbothered by my confession. I smirked at his confidence and wished that I could share it.

“What do you suggest?” I finally asked.

“It’s up to you, obviously, but, I’m offering you a room at my packhouse so you can stay for as long as you’d like. I’d like for you to stay for a couple of days, or weeks even, at a time. Give us a true chance. Then, you can go back home and visit for a while before coming back.” Knox explained his plan.

It terrified and thrilled me at the same time. The idea of living in a werewolf packhouse on the surface for weeks was an adventure like I’d never had before. My father’s words echoed in my head. I took a deep breath and a leap of faith,

“Okay.” I think my response startled Knox because his green eyes widened and he looked like he might faint,

“I’ll need to go home for a few days to make arrangements.” I added.

“Of course. I’ll try to manage without you.” He smirked. I attempted to control my breathing as he stepped closer to me again,

“Before you go, can I hug my little mate?” He asked, his tone huskier than before. I couldn’t deny him, I only nodded.

His warm arms encircled my entire body and I was acutely aware of how tiny I was compared to him. His scent filled my senses, making me woozy as it consumed me. I relaxed against him, all of my worries temporarily vanished as I focused on nothing more than my mate.

After a minute, he broke the connection and I nearly whined at his absence.

“I’ll see you soon, Navy.” His smile was perfect and I couldn’t help but feel like it was made just for me. He stepped away and eyed the water.

“Do you want to see?” I asked, sheepishly.

“May I?” He asked.

“Sure, but turn around first. I have to uhm….get undressed.” I blushed deeply, looking down at my clothes. Knox grinned wickedly and I could tell that his mind was wandering to inappropriate places.

I waited for him to turn around and retrieved my bag from the tree. I quickly undressed and stuffed my clothes back inside the backpack. I checked to see that his back was still turned before tip toeing to the water. Once I was waist deep, I called for him to turn around.