What stopped me in my tracks was the eyes.

  "let him look." Echoed through my mind repeating Hemming's words.

  They were the same eyes as the one staring at me last night. A shiver ran down my spine as a flush crept up my neck. Wait a second, why the fuck am I walking away? I tried to kill myself the other day. Technically speaking, drowning is a hell of a lot less painful than dying by a crazed animal. However, doesn't it really matter anymore? I mean, my ex-boyfriend cheats on me with my ex-best friend, and layoffs are happening at work, so I might not have a job when I get back from "vacation". Maybe I should let something else kill me since I did such a bang-up job the last time.

  With newfound enthusiasm, I walked intently toward the eyes still staring at me, but what was interesting was they never moved and didn't look scared. If anything, they were more curious. So it either knew I wasn't a threat, or it was too trusting. I walked slower as I approached, but it still didn't move.

  The second I arrived, it stopped hiding. Standing on its hind legs, it reached at least 8 feet tall. It was like one of those werewolves you would see in old horror movies. The ones the werewolf was furry, standing on their back legs with fangs, claws, and long wolven faces. My eyes trail down its body, taking in the massive biceps, pecks, and cut stomach. It is definitely not a wolf if it was walking on two legs. On top of that, no canine can be cut like a human. My eyes went further down, noticing a massive cock that was in a furry sheath.

  The huff the creature let out made my eyes snap directly back up to it its face; the flush that was creeping up my neck definitely reached my face because I could feel my cheeks burning now. It was bizarre seeing a wolflike face grinning, knowing exactly what I was looking at and why.

  "Hi." He said. His voice deep and husky.

  "H-hello?" I gripped the edge of my shirt tightly so that my knuckles hurt.

  "You're not supposed to be here. Not yet." He said with a chuckle at the end of his sentence.

  "What do you mean? Why aren't I allowed to be anywhere I want to be?" I asked indignantly. "Wait a second; I should be asking you the questions!" I paused before asking, "Is it rude to ask what you are?"

  "From you? No, that isn't rude. We were going to have this conversation anyways. It's just happening sooner than I thought." He looked down in thought before snapping up to look me back in the eye. "Come with me. We shouldn't be having this conversation in public."

  "Public? We're on a dirt path in the middle of fucking nowhere." I complained without a thought. The second I registered what I said, my mouth shut closed. "I'm sorry. Just been a rough few days. Where should we go?"

  He chuckled. "There's a clearing not too far from here. It should be far enough so no wandering individuals will hear our conversation." He looked down at my feet before shaking his head slightly. "I can't have you walking with no shoes on. Not here. Come here." He opened up his claws and extended his arm to bring me into his embrace.

  I shouldn't be as surprised by how effortlessly he picks me up, but I am. I squeaked as he lifted me and then cradled me and his arms. He chuckled before resting his head on top of mine, nuzzling slightly.

  The clearing he brought me to was overrun by thriving vegetation and wildflowers. I watched a bee fly past us without a hurry and then land on a bright yellow flower. The beast carried us to the middle of the clearing so we could still be and the direct sunlight and soak up the sun's rays. He carefully rested me on the warm grass as he took his position before me, sitting as a dog would.

  "We weren't supposed to do the introductions just yet, but since you are already here, I'm sure it wouldn't hurt." He started by saying, his eyes never left my face as if he was trying to soak up every expression I could give him. "My name is Ulf, and I am a protector here on this island."

  "A protector?" I blushed when I realized my thoughts interrupted him out loud, but he just smiled.

  "Yes, a protector. Every land and body of water on this planet has a protector. We come in all different forms. Mine just so happens to be this." He said, nodding his head up and down slowly at an angle, referencing his form. "Most of us are born for this position, like I am. "

  "What do you protect?"

  "I protect the island here, not the inhabitants. Anything growing from the soil here is mine. No creature or person can harm what is mine without dealing with me. I always get what is owed." The kind of smile he had given me just moments ago turned bloodthirsty.

  "What do you mean owed?" My back straightened, and I placed my hands on my lap.

  "They are dealt with, and what they harmed is healed with their blood." An involuntary shiver shook my spine. I know I should be afraid of that, but why did I find that so attractive?

  "From that, it sounds like you don't show yourself to the other people here. So why did you show yourself to me?" I tried to take a subtle deep inhale to right my quickened breath.

  "You're different. And I wanna get to know you." His head tilted to the side and smile softened again.

  "Well Ulf, it's nice to meet you. My name is Liliana."

  -

  Dinner tonight consisted of rice, and cod with a bed of greens. The cod is delicate, and the rice had a hint of coconut that was so fucking good. But Hemmings's voice kept replaying in my head, making the dinner have a thick tension.

  Let him look.

  Finally, midway through, I couldn't take it anymore.

  "Are you a protector?"

  Humming paused mid-bite, then softly put his fork down on the table. He looked at me for a solid minute trying to gather his thoughts before he gave a slight nod.

  "Yes. I am." He supplied. "I'm assuming you meant Ulf?"

  I nodded. "What's your form, if you don't mind me asking?"

  "I'm a Kraken. Ulf was born, but I was made." He started, sitting back in his chair to get a little bit more comfortable, and placed one of his arms over the back of the chair in a very open position.

  "I lived here, on this island, with my mother and father. My mother was a medicine woman, and my father was a fisherman. One day my father took me on his boat with him so I could learn the trade." He paused to look to the side, his eyebrows furrowed and lips turned downward. "However, on the trip, our ship was sunk by a fucking Turk. As I drowned, my plea for vengeance was answered."

  He turned his attention back to me with an expression that was still hardened. "I never learned the beings that heard my prayers, but they took pity on me and allowed me to come back as this. It is also why I have a human form, and Ulf does not."

  "Thank you for telling me. I am so sorry to hear about your father."

  "Thank you, lily pad. But you don't need to be worried about me. The ones who did it got what they deserved."

  His expression was malicious, and I couldn't help but wonder if this was how he would look if anybody hurt me.

  seven

  I woke with a moan on my lips as I writhed in my bed. I could still feel the impressions of the tentacles holding me down, fucking me within an inch of my life. Once my overheated body calmed down enough, my brain started to pick up the context clues.

  That dream felt so real… almost too real.

  I was already fucked by tentacles?

  …Hemming?

  The rage burned bright in me as I threw the covers off to get dressed and find that son-of-a-bitch.

  I found him leaning against a rock while his lower body was under the water. His hair was slick, so he was swimming at one point. He must've known I had arrived because his head tilted towards the sun slightly with a subtle smirk. The sun streaked through his hair, highlighting his cheekbones and making him look unearthly.

  "Are you going to watch me all day Liliana?" He turned his head towards me, opening only one eye. "I don't mind." He said before closing it and resuming his position to soak up the heat of the sun's rays.

  I slightly pinch myself to ground myself against wanting to just fuck him silly.

  "Was it real? You said that you…" I took in a shaky breath. "Saved me. But I can remember some things now. Of course, you did more than save me, didn't you?"

  He turned to look at me fully now. His eyes were intense. "Yes. I did more than save you."

  "Why? The rage I felt after waking up grew tenfold now that he had confirmed it. "Why!" My feet shortened the distance between us in long strides. "Why would you fuck me while I was trying to kill myself? While I was drowning. That isn't something you do. That's something a sick fuck would do."

  "Then I must be a sick fuck, my darling. Because, in that moment, all I could think about was having you in my arms and being mine forever."

  As I was never looking away from his eyes, one of his tentacles grabbed my ankle and pulled me, forcing a surprised squeak out of me, but before I could hit the ground, another shot up out of the water to grab my waist to keep me suspended mid-air.

  I tried to pry the tentacle off my waist, but it was like an unmoving force. He gently rested me on the rock he was resting against and spread my legs open so he could rest in between them. Placing the palms of his hands on the rock at either side of my hips, he raised himself out of the water just barely. From there, I could see that his lower body was entirely tentacles in this form. My eyes traveled back up to meet his, and he couldn't hide the amusement while I couldn't stop the blush.

  Using another one of his tentacles, he gripped my chin to hold me in place. "Water lily, did you not like my touch? Because I can remember, you coming apart so easily from the moment I started touching you. And I was not nearly as attractive as this form."

  "I was out of my mind! I was quite literally drowning. I thought I was hallucinating." I exclaimed, my words coming out so fast, I nearly started stuttering.

  "You weren't out of your mind, Liliana. Don't lie. Your body didn't." His voice was like steel. "You may have thought you were drowning, but I would've never had let that happen."

  "How was I supposed to know that? Even then, I couldn't move; you were holding me in place under the water." I can feel the upper part of my lip starting to snarl.

  He kissed me hard without mercy. I was so angry I kissed back just as hard. He tasted like salt. I couldn't get enough, and when I tried to push him away this time, he let me but just away from his lips.

  You're always taking away my ability to choose. If he really wanted me to be his mate, don't I have the right to make that choice?

  His eyes softened, "of course, you do, sweet girl. Of course, you have that decision. You may not be aware, but you've always answered yes every time I've asked. When you look into my eyes, you answer me with your thoughts, and not just your thoughts, your body answers as well. I have always asked for consent for your decision. You may not be aware, but you've always agreed."

  "W-what?" I stuttered out.

  You can read my thoughts?

  I can feel my face burning even more. All of the things that I have thought about him, he has heard?

  You can hear me right now?!

  He chuckled slightly, "I can hear you right now, yes; however, I can only see what you think when I look into your eyes. You are safe from all the other thoughts you had about me. I didn't hear a single one, it comes from trade. It helps me recognize the good from the bad apples. It is one of the only good things from this fucking curse. If there is something you don't want me to know, you can hide it from me, and I will never cross that boundary." He paused, stroking my cheek with his thumb. "I promise never to lie to you. All you have to do is ask me, and I will tell you everything.”

  He ran his nose along my cheekbone before pulling back once more, "how does that sound, Liliana?"

  I answered him by crushing my lips to his. That was what I needed to hear, all I needed to hear. He pulled me closer to him, grinding himself against my core while devouring my mouth. The salt from the salt water on his lips started to fade while his unique taste started to peek back through, enticing me to run my tongue along his to get as much as I could.

  "I love the way you taste everywhere, sweet girl." He ground against my lips before diving in for more. The sounds coming from my throat were feral. I grasped at slick shoulders, trying to find purchase as he continued to grind into me. A tentacle was quick to rid me of my clothing, making sure not to rip them off me this time. When I was entirely bare for him, one of his fingers found immediate purchase against my clit.

  "Fuck!" I pulled away to exclaim at the sudden pressure. It only increased as he growled.

  "We went over this, Liliana. My name only." He said before setting a brutal pace. Tentacles wrapped around my legs and pulled me more apart, and went around my waist to push me closer to him. Another tentacle stole my hands, moving them to taunt behind me so my chest was forced to arch against him. I had nowhere to go. I could only endure.

  "H-Hem-ming!" I stuttered out. My thighs were starting to shake, and I knew I would come soon.

  "Good girl." Hemming purred. "You're always so ready for me." He ran the tip of his nose against my cheekbone lovingly. "Are you going to be a good girl and come for me? I need you to come. I need to feel you fall apart." He said as his fingers danced faster on me, and he started to pant between each word.

  "Come on, lily pad, give me what I want." He growled, using his free hand to pinch my nipples and then bit harshly into my neck. Then, as I exploded, he thrust his cock inside of me.

  "That's it, good girl. Good fucking girl. Come on, this cock. Fuck!" I can hear him mumble over the roaring in my ears, and the tentacles relax enough to buck my hips into his as I go from clenching around nothing to his thick cock.

  He didn't even stop or wait for me to finish coming before thrusting wildly inside of me. The finger still rubbing my clit and even though I was so sensitive, I could feel desire pooling in the pit of my stomach again.

  He inched us off the rock, letting us fall into the water. The water was cool, lapping at my naked skin, and did nothing about holding back my orgasm. He captured my lips, kissing me fiercely as I gasped at a particularly hard thrust.

  Right before I was about to come again, he stopped and stared deeply into my eyes. I couldn't stop myself from whining and grinding my hips into his to try to get more friction. He let out a chuckle before using a tentacle to still my hips.

  "Do you trust me?" His voice was deep and smooth.

  In truth, I don't know the answer to this question. On the one hand, he did save me; however, he is a fucking Kraken. He used my body without my verbal consent while I was drowning; forcing me to become wild wolf, then fucked me while I was unconscious. But for fucks sake, I have never felt safer than in his and Ulf's arms. He saved me from me in my lowest moment. He saved me from a life I tried to kill myself to escape; he also offered me a better life.

  But did I trust him?

  "No," I answer truthfully.

  He grinned mysteriously at me. The whiteness of his pointed teeth made his grin slightly more dangerous.

  "Hold your breath." He said before submerging us under the water, barely giving me enough time to do what he asked me. The second we were underwater, he started thrusting in me and rubbing my clit furiously. His tentacles still bound me, so I couldn't move an inch, only endure. I couldn't even make a sound for fear of letting go of the precious air I had left in my lungs—all the sounds I wanted to make instead vibrated my chest.

  "I want to see you fall apart in my domain again, sweet girl. I want to unravel you. I want to make you mine in every way possible." He groaned against my ear, and then I felt a tentacle the size of his finger stroke my ass.

  Was he really going to fuck me in the ass under the water while I couldn't even breathe? He pulled his face back to look into my eyes, assumedly to read my thoughts, and I made sure to push that sentence at him immediately. Unfortunately, his dangerous grin was back.

  "If I want you to breathe, Liliana, I would let you breathe." He said before letting the tentacle inch its way up my ass, the water and the flexibility of the appendage letting it enter me effortlessly. "You're so fu-ucking tight." He said as his fingers on my clit picked up the pace to a speed I didn't think was possible.

  My lungs were starting to burn, and the desperation they had to draw in air grew by the second. I tried to grasp at the tentacles holding my hands back, giving them panicked taps, but he was either ignoring my movements or too into what he was doing. I started getting a little more delirious and lightheaded.