Chapter 23 23.Warm Up
Tabitha’s POV
The Aldair estate is a palace of luxury and boredom, that’s why I find myself sneaking out of the huge mansion once again—leaving my mom to talk with her wedding organizers—while I pedal my way around the island. The bike rumbles lightly beneath me as I coast down the paved hillside path, weaving past overgrown vines and palm-lined turns. I let the wind rush against my face, salty and clean, my legs working just enough to keep a steady glide going as I steer around the island roads heading westward.
The only things that I probably miss in this place is the delicious scent of salty water and the fresh air that circulates in every narrow corner. This is a far contrast to the car-smoked filled air back in the city. Only the city has better shopping corners. Though I have to appreciate that Kaelara island has also come a long way in terms of its bustling market. I passed by a couple of fancy stores the other day that didn’t use to be here five years ago. My mom’s going to love that.
I reach the Kaleigh Pier, where a cluster of stilted cottages lines the edge of the water. Their posts dig deep into the shoreline, weather-worn but sturdy, built to withstand salt and storm. These houses have always belonged to local fishermen, passed down through generations. Some are patched with metal sheets, others covered in flaking paint, but they all carry that same quiet charm of island life.
I pedal past them, slowing as I near a familiar one-story cottage. Its once-faded gray exterior has been repainted to a soft cream with brick-brown trims. But the porch, the crooked fence, and the windows still look the same. Five years ago, we sold this place to a human family before Mom and I left the island. I stop by the gate and just sit there, staring. I remember the nights I used to sit on the steps, waiting for the smell of grilled fish or the sound of my father’s boots hitting the porch. It feels both distant and painfully close.
Kaelara island is big, but this is really the only part of the island that I’m most attached to. But now it is no longer mine. Ironically, I now live in a house where I will never feel at home.
I let myself bask in the stream of memories as I quietly stare at our old house. Once I’m done drowning in the bitter nostalgia, I turn the bike around and head toward the dock. Kaleigh Pier is smaller than Hakai Pier, the main commercial port of the island where I met Arthur the other day. It’s quieter here, used mostly by locals who still mend their boats by hand and know everyone’s last name.
Near the end of the dock, I spot a group of middle-aged men scraping barnacles off the hull of a small trawler. One of them glances up and does a double take.
“Tabitha?” he calls out.
I recognize him before he even straightens up. Mario. One of my father’s old friends. He’s still wearing the same worn-out cap, but his face looks more sunburnt, more lined. Time is catching up on him.
“Hey, Mario,” I say, hopping off the bike.
“Damn, kid. Look at you. Last time I saw you, you barely came up to my waist. What are you now, twenty?”
“Twenty-one,” I correct him with a small grin.
“You’re kidding. Your dad would’ve gone nuts seeing you like this. Can’t believe it’s been that long.”
I nod, unsure what to say. Mario’s the kind of man who always talks like he’s known you since birth, even if you’ve only met twice.
“So is it true?” he asks, lowering his voice a little as if we’re trading secrets.
“What is?” I raise my brow.
“I heard some rumors that your mom’s marrying Emery Aldair? Is that true? I mean, at first I thought it was just one of those crazy rumors. I didn’t even know you and your mom have come back to the island after you sold your house. But it’s practically the talk of the town lately. I just have to confirm it myself.”
Oh great. First the werewolves, now the humans too. My mom and I are practically gossip magnets.
“Yeah,” I rub my nape, feeling a bit awkward. “They’re engaged. They are set to get married soon.”
“Well I’ll be damned.” Mario huffs under his breath, stroking his thick beard in disbelief.
The other men glance over from the boat but keep working, listening quietly. The name Aldair isn’t something you toss around casually, even if you're human and unaware of the existence of werewolves and other supernaturals. Emery’s reputation goes far beyond the werewolf world. He’s the commander of the island’s navy force, after all. The Aldairs also have a long-standing history of being the oldest and wealthiest family in the island.
Well slap me with a fish and toss me overboard.” He chuckles. “Your mom really reeled in the big one, huh? No offense, but your dad wasn’t exactly bringing in gold with that fishing boat of his.”
I offer him a tight smile. “None taken.”
It’s not a lie. He’s right in a way. My father’s job barely kept the lights on. But that doesn’t mean I want him spoken about like he was just dead weight.
“I should head back,” I say, getting back on the bike.
“Yeah, yeah, don’t let an old man stop you. Just tell your mom I said congrats.”
I nod and ride off, keeping my expression neutral. I respect my mom’s choice to remarry, no matter how much that decision made my life complicated now. Mario was right. Alpha Emery is a big catch. He offers comfort, safety, wealth, maybe even love. But none of that gives anyone the right to dismiss my dad’s memory like it didn’t matter.
I spend the rest of the afternoon circling the backroads of the island, cruising past cane fields, low hills, and dirt paths that snake toward the beach. The wind starts to pick up and the clouds roll in darker and heavier. I glance up. It’s about to pour. Oh no.
I pedal faster, trying to beat the rain back to the estate. But the first drop hits my shoulder before I even make it halfway back. Within seconds, the sky opens up and blasts a heavy downpour of rain. The road turns slick and my tires skid slightly as I push forward.
“Shit…” I hiss under my breath when I almost lose my balance. My clothes are getting soaked through. My shirt clings to my skin and my fingers tighten around the handlebars in my desperate attempt to get through the muddy road while the rain whip against my face.
I can’t do this. I need to find a temporary shelter and wait until this pesky rain stops.
Up ahead, I catch sight of an old wooden shed near the edge of the shore. Lucky! I steer toward it despite my burning legs and my lungs tight from the cold air. By the time I reach it, rain is hammering down hard and my hair’s stuck to my face. l I jump off the bike and rush under the overhang, breathing hard as water is still dripping off me. I look like I just stepped out of a shower.
It takes me a while to get a better look inside the shed when I realize that there is a man sitting on a wooden crate. I almost jump in surprise. I didn’t notice him there!
His legs are spread as his arms rest over his knees while reclining slightly. The man’s face is covered with a straw hat, so I assume he is sleeping. Is he a fisherman? A farmer? My eyes trail along the evident muscles on his arms. I’ve seen some fishermen who sport some pretty decent bodies too. But this one looks seriously jacked, I start to wonder if he’s one of the navy soldiers instead.
The creak of the door catches his attention. He lifts the hat, revealing familiar hazel eyes.
“Luca?” My eyes bulge in surprise. “W-What are you doing here?”
He blinks a few times as if he’s still waking up from his short-lived nap.
“I should be the one asking you that.” He looks at me from head to toe which makes me feel self-conscious. “You’re soaking wet.”
Yeah, genius. “It’s raining hard as you can see.” I gesture at the brutal rain that is now assaulting the poor plyboard roof of this small shed. I push my wet hair out of my face and give him a flat look. “I was on my way back from our old house when the wind picked up and the sky just let loose. I didn’t even know this shed was here. It was a miracle I found this place just in time.”
“Old house?” His brow rises. He surveys the surroundings through the haze of heavy rains. “The closest community here is the Kaleigh Pier.”
“Yes, exactly. My mom and I used to live in the fishermen village near Kaleigh. My dad was a fisherman, you know.”
“Hm. I didn’t know you used to live there.”
“It’s not like you and your brothers ever cared about where I lived. Or how I lived. Especially back in high school.” I shrug and lean against the wooden wall, still dripping.
“Well, you’re more interesting now than you were back then.” I see a slight curve of his lips.
“Is that supposed to be a compliment or an insult?” I squint at him.
He shrugs. “You decide.”
“Then I’m calling it a compliment. I need one today.” I snort under my breath.
He leans his head back against the wall. The rain hammers the roof like it’s trying to beat its way in. I expect him to say something smug, but he doesn’t. He just watches the rain for a while for a while, and I don’t know why I suddenly have the urge to break the silence.
“So,” I say, dragging the word out. “Why were you napping in here anyway?”
“I’m on patrol duty today. This section of the island’s mine for the week.” Luca scratches the side of his neck, his hair slightly tousled from sleep.
“You patrol alone?” I ask.
“Usually. This side of the island’s been quiet for weeks. Nothing worth sending two people for.”
I nod at that. This part of the island is actually a bit isolated compared to the main town, the market square, and the Aldair estate. It’s smaller compared to other communities here in Kaelara, but it’s good to know that the fishermen and some of the other humans here are still receiving protection from the packs.
He leans his head back against the wall and lets out a long breath, like he’s trying to get comfortable again. For a moment, we just listen to the rain rattle against the roof.
“Lucky me, then,” I say. “Caught you during your lazy shift.”
He glances over at me, not smiling exactly, but something about his expression softens. “Yeah. Lucky.”
His eyes drift to my neck slick with rain water and some hair strands sticking to my skin, then his eyes go lower. Heat floods my cheeks. Is he staring at my boobs? My shirt is sticking to my skin and the fabric clings to my white bra, making it fully visible. I quickly fold my arms over my chest but Luca doesn’t look away.
“What are you—” the sound of thunder swallows my words, “—staring at?”
“You’re not covering anything with that slender arm.” Luca shakes his head and shrugs off his jacket. He hands it to me. “Take this.”
“No thanks,” I say defiantly. I don’t know why it’s become my second nature to go against what he and his brothers want.
A gust of wind sweeps through the shed and brushes to my skin, making me shiver. I clench my jaw in my desperate attempt to keep my teeth from chattering. Luca grows impatient. He throws his jacket on me and gives me a look of restrained irritation.
“Take the damn jacket, Tabitha. You’re gonna freeze to death before this rain stops if you keep that useless shirt on.” My skin grows hot as his heavy gaze falls on my chest again. “That fabric is not doing anything for you right now.”
Jerk.
I begrudgingly start unbuttoning my wet shirt so I can change into the dry jacket. And I almost forget how cold it is when Luca’s heated gaze never leaves me even as I strip my top off.