My head throbbed from crying, and I wasn't sure if I had twisted my ankle or torn a muscle. Every step felt like my bones were humming. I limped toward the lagoon, slipping between curtains of hanging sea moss, desperate to avoid Theo at all costs. If he saw me like this—limping, swollen-eyed, barely holding it together—he would panic, and chaos would follow. I couldn't handle any more chaos… not today.
Why me?
Why this world?
Out of all the billions of strong, beautiful, adventurous, cosmic-fated women on Earth, why was I the one thrown into a land of beasts and kings and magic?
All I wanted was to run a stupid triathlon.
I missed my family. My friends. My job. I missed going on dates, drinking overpriced lattes, and reading in peace. And now here I was—crying under a sea moss canopy in a mystical world because a king with a jawline sculpted by Poseidon was being mean to me. Wonderful.
I hugged my knees to my chest and buried my face. If I cried hard enough, maybe the universe would pity me and send me home.
A shadow blocked the soft glow filtering through the moss.
I didn't lift my head. I didn't have to. I knew that silhouette too well.
Rocco crouched down slowly in front of me, his presence cold like the ocean but strangely comforting. He tried to catch my eyes, tilting his head like he was studying a wounded sea creature.
"What do you want?" I choked out, words breaking between sobs. "You won't get me. I give up. I failed the kids. I put them in danger. I don't want that—I don't want any of this."
He exhaled a long, heavy breath and gently reached for my arms, trying to pull them away from my face.
"Sienna," he murmured. "Look at me."
I refused.
"Sienna," he said again—voice low, raw, almost trembling. "This is the first—and maybe the last—time I will ever say this. I have never apologized or bent a knee to anyone. But for you… I will."
My breath caught.
Slowly, I lifted my face.
Rocco's ocean-gray eyes were soft. Vulnerable. The cold-hearted sea king wasn't cold at all—not now. He looked human. Real. Regretful.
"I am sorry," he said. "For treating you the way I did."
I froze.
A king… apologizing?
His voice cracked—not much, just enough that it tugged at something deep inside me.
"I don't know what it is about you," he continued, "but I want—no, I need—to make you feel satisfied and happy. I thought treasure was enough. I thought offering you everything in my kingdom would impress you. But… I can't shake the feeling that even all of this—" he gestured vaguely around us "—still wouldn't be enough for you."
My heart melted. Completely.
Without thinking, I leaned forward and hugged him. "Rocco… this is enough. Hearing you say all that… owning up to your mistakes… realizing that some things are more valuable than treasure—that's the best gift you could give."
He hugged me back, arms strong and trembling. And then his hands began rubbing slow circles into my back.
I gasped—a small, embarrassed moan slipping out. My muscles were sore from swimming and fighting currents earlier. Every touch sent warm, tingling waves along my spine.
Rocco paused, listening to the sound I accidentally made… and a low rumble of satisfaction escaped his chest.
He pulled back and gently lifted my leg.
"Did you hurt yourself earlier?" he asked softly.
"I think I pulled it… or twisted my ankle," I whispered, wincing.
He began massaging it firmly. The pressure sent sharp bursts of pain shooting up my leg, making me yelp with every stroke. And each noise I made only seemed to encourage him—his eyes darkened, fascinated, as if my pain and relief were a song he didn't know he loved.
My breath hitched. My skin flushed.
His cold, smooth hands trailed from my ankle to my calf… to my thigh… to the small of my back. Every movement was both soothing and electrifying.
I felt myself unraveling.
The lagoon shimmered beside us, glowing like melted sapphire. The water beckoned.
Rocco held out a hand. "Come."
And for some reason—maybe exhaustion, maybe emotion, maybe the need for comfort—I didn't hesitate. I removed my clothes and slipped into the cool water with him. The moment my skin met his cold chest, I felt the world tilt.
His hands moved reverently along my body—slow, deliberate, exploring every curve, every inch. I let myself relax, melt, breathe. My fingers trailed up his neck, brushing against the delicate fins behind his ears. I felt so wonderfully uninhibited that I rubbed my flushed skin against his slippery, cool form. Every minute was exhilarating and intensely stimulating. His low moans vibrated through the water, through me.
The moment felt… intimate. Electric. Like I was singing without sound—just my breath, my heartbeat, my trembling. I lost control from overflowing gratification.
I exhaled, closed my eyes and let everything consumes me.
The world faded into blue and warmth and quiet.
⸻
I woke beneath the hanging sea moss, wrapped in Rocco's arms. He slept peacefully, a soft glow casting gentle shadows across his face. I studied him—his sharp jaw, his long dark blue hair damp against his cheek, the serenity softening every line of his expression.
Something in my chest ached.
Carefully, I slipped out of his arms and stood. My ankle no longer hurt. When I looked down, I gasped.
A wave symbol was etched onto my skin.
Another mark.
Another power.
Another piece of this world binding itself to me.
Rocco stirred, then woke with a slow, satisfied stretch. He reached for me, pulling me into his chest.
"What a nice morning," he murmured, rubbing his cheek against mine. "My treasure… you sang beautifully. Like a siren."
My heart flipped.
He rose to his feet, confidence restored. "As my gift, I will have the parents return home. All of them." He paused. "You were right. There are things more valuable than treasure."
He left to carry out the order.
I sat frozen, staring at nothing.
Did… did I mate with him?
Does the wave mark mean our bond is sealed?
Did something magical just imprint us?
And then—pain.
A sting, sharp and unexpected, straight through my chest.
Gideon's face flashed in my mind—his golden eyes, the way he held me, the instinct that pulled him toward me like gravity.
Guilt washed over me.
Do I even deserve to be his mate anymore?
Did I betray him?
Why… why does thinking of him hurt?
I wrapped my arms around myself as the lagoon shimmered behind me.
I didn't know which world I belonged to anymore.
Or which king held my heart.