Chapter 2: Break of Dawn

Serena's pov

I ​slept incredibly well in my mate's arms, both of us completely spent after our lovemaking. We had originally drifted off to sleep right there on the sand, with the gentle waves of the tide engulfing us.

But at some point in the night, he had briefly woken up. Lifting me into his strong arms as if I were nothing more than a fragile doll, he had carried me into the safe perimeter of the forest, away from the exposed beach and the rising tide.

​Now, the sun was breaking beautifully through the morning clouds at sunrise.

​I turned toward my mate. In the daylight, he looked more handsome than ever. He had warm, tanned skin, a strong, chiseled face, and those shocking blond curls falling softly across his forehead. To me, he looked like a sculpted son Goddess. His body was a masterpiece, looking as though someone had carved it out of solid stone-strong, defined, and powerful.

​I gently placed my hand against my neck, feeling the mark he had left there. It was still a little sore. It had hurt a bit when his teeth first pierced my skin, but I had been too distracted to care. A warm blush rose to my cheeks at the memory. Yes, I was distracted alright, I thought shyly, a fresh wave of heat flushing across my face.

​High above us, a bird chirped softly on a tree branch, pecking around in its nest. I looked up at it for a moment, and when I looked back down at my mate, my heart skipped a beat.

​He was already awake, looking up at me in absolute awe.

​I got to my feet, using my fingers to comb out the leaves and twigs that were stuck in my hair. He stood directly in front of me, his eyes already clouded over with a fresh wave of passion.

​"I can't keep my hands or eyes off you," he admitted, his voice rough.

​I stepped closer and wrapped my arms around his neck. "The feeling is mutual," I said shyly.

​He leaned back against the sturdy tree trunk and pulled me flush against him. He kissed me deeply, his lips parting mine as I gave him my tongue. He took it eagerly, consuming me. Lifting me by my hips, he hoisted me up to his waist, and I wrapped my legs securely around his torso.

Holding me firmly at my waist, he hauled me higher and then slammed me back down onto his shaft. He slid his manhood completely into me, my wet walls clenching tightly around him. I could feel him throbbing deep inside me. He lifted me again, pulling me down harder onto him with a desperate hunger.

​We rode each other rhythmically against the tree. I came first, completely collapsing against his shoulder in a whimpering fit of pure pleasure.

He watched my face intently as he continued to slide in and out of me, his grip tightening at my waist. The tempo grew faster, his breath stuttering as the tension broke. He shook and vibrated as he let out a primal roar from the depths of his chest.

I quickly put my mouth over his, feeling his tremors pulse straight through me.

​"Baby, you make me feel so good," he breathed against my skin as he finally put me down reluctantly.

​Once the heat subsided and we were fully clothed, the reality of the morning returned. He looked at me and asked softly. "What's your name?"

​"I— my name is Serena."

​"I'm Cole Sterling, from the Sea Wolf Pack," he introduced himself, extending the invitation. "Come," he whispered, reaching out for me. "Come with me."

​He had that magnetic pull—the kind that drew me in without any resistance at all.

​I froze for a moment.

​Okay, Serena, calm down. Relax yourself, you're fine, I coached myself internally.

I forced a soft smile to my lips, but my mind was completely clouded with raw emotion. What if he rejects me because of my special abilities? What if he misunderstands me, just like everyone else always has?

Okay calm down I told myself again he has only asked you your name nothing else. Stop letting your thoughts run wild.

​Cole watched the emotions flicker across my face with deep curiosity.

​"I—I can't... um..." I stuttered.

​He stepped forward, gently stopping my panicked words by placing his finger firmly against my lips.

​"Shhh," he hushed me softly. "Don't... don't explain anything right now. Let's just take this one day at a time. You are my mate, and I want you. Allow me to bring you into my world."

​I was still incredibly hesitant. But then, a sudden wave of defiance washed over me. To hell with everything, I thought. Why not? I am the only one putting restrictions on myself.

​"Okay. I'll come with you," I said, finally letting go of my fear as I slipped my hand securely into his.

​We walked through the forest toward the far west side of the beach. As we walked, Cole couldn’t resist glancing down at me every now and then, his expression a mix of absolute pleasure and awe.

I had never really felt cherished like this by a man before. With Malcolm, I was always just a trophy to show off. And the women in my old pack had hated me; I'd never had any real, genuine friendships.

​When we reached the west beach, we came to a lane that led toward a rocky, hilly area. A wide, winding road cut through the terrain, leading up to a glorious mansion. It was breathtaking. The design perfectly blended traditional structures with sleek, modern architecture, standing proudly in the hills high above the shore. The morning light bounced brilliantly off its crisp white exterior.

​Parked at the bottom of the incline was a sleek, shiny, cobalt blue Porsche.

​"Jump in," Cole said, a warm smile on his face.

​I looked at the luxury car warily, hesitating. ​"It's fine," he reassured me gently, stepping forward to open the passenger door for me. He waited patiently until I was safely inside before walking around to the driver's side.

​I wasn't used to this level of luxury. Even though my ex, Malcolm, wasn't poor and we could afford nice things, this was on a totally different level... the mansion, the car, everything.

​Still shirtless, Cole slipped into the driver's seat and pulled a pair of sunglasses out of the dashboard compartment. He drove smoothly up the winding road, bypassing the main entrance to park the car in an underground garage that already housed two other high-end luxury vehicles.

As we got out of the car, a pack member came striding over. He immediately nodded at me in polite acknowledgement, showing no judgment regarding our slightly disheveled, beach-worn appearance.

​"Alpha, will you be at the office today?" he asked.

​"Yes, Henry, I will be. Much later, though," Cole replied smoothly. He turned toward me, gesturing between us. "This is Serena. Serena, this is Henry, my Beta."

​I offered a polite smile, trying to swallow down my nerves. "Hello, Henry."

Henry kept his expression perfectly professional, but as we turned to walk into the house, I noticed his gaze lingered a second longer on the two of us—and then right over at my neck. He didn't say a word, but the subtle shift in his eyes told me he knew exactly what that fresh mark meant.

​Cole led me through the secure door of the garage and straight up into the main house.

​A man who had been stooped down looking into a low cupboard stood up and looked over at us as we walked in.

​"This is Joshua," Cole introduced. "He's the main chef. We also have Maisey, but she's not supposed to be here today—she normally works weekends."

​Joshua walked over and gave me a genuinely warm smile. "Hello, I'm Joshua. Nice to meet you." He extended his hand to shake mine. ​I shook it politely. "Hello, I'm Serena," I said simply, offering a small smile.

​"Please fix something for Serena," Cole ordered, looking at me before turning back to the chef. "Fix her a full breakfast platter, including everything."

​I raised my hand in polite refusal. "No, please, that's really not necessary. A coffee and a croissant will be sufficient."

​Cole gave me a thorough once-over, his eyes lingering protectively on my waist. "It's no trouble, Serena. I want you well looked after here," he insisted.

​"Honestly, I'm just not a big eater, and definitely not in the mornings," I replied gently but firmly. "A coffee and a croissant will be plenty for me."

​Seeing that I wasn't about to budge, Cole relented with a soft chuckle. "Very well. Just a coffee and a croissant for Serena, please."

​Just as we were about to leave the kitchen, Maisey came breezing through the door. "Hello, Alpha! Hello..." She faltered, her eyes dropping to me, her words cutting short.

​"Serena," Cole finished the sentence for her.

​"Serena," Maisey echoed. There was a sharp, subtle edge to her tone, and the smile she forced onto her face didn't quite reach her eyes.

​"Hello, Maisey," I said, keeping my voice neutral.

​"I thought you weren't coming in today?" Cole mentioned, sounding a bit distracted as his phone suddenly began to vibrate in his hand. He glanced down at the screen. "I have to take this call."

​He walked over to the far end of the kitchen, standing by the large windows as he answered the phone.

​The moment his back was turned, Maisey gave me a blatant once-over. She looked me up and down from head to toe, slightly wrinkling her nose in disapproval. Suddenly feeling incredibly self-conscious in my wrinkled beach clothes, I subtly smoothed down the leg of my shorts.

​Completely dismissing my presence, Maisey turned her back to me and began talking to Joshua.

​A moment later, Cole hung up and walked back over to us. "Serena, come with me. Joshua, have Serena's breakfast taken upstairs to the west wing. We'll be in the lounge up there."

​"Yes, sure thing, boss," Joshua replied cheerfully.

​As we walked away, I glanced back over my shoulder just in time to catch Maisey off guard. Her features had turned completely cold, a hostile glare directed straight at my back.

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