Chapter 3

By the evening of the third day, the storm's prelude sent gales howling through the forest.

The skin on the inner sides of my legs had begun to fuse, silver scales packed densely below my knees, and translucent fin membranes had fully formed at my ankles.

The door was pushed open again. Alpha Lucas strode in, gathered my feet in his broad, warm palms, and held them.

For seventeen years, my aversion to cold had been warmed away by his body heat, bit by bit.

"Why are your feet still so cold?"

Lucas looked up at me, his handsome, hard features carrying the same steady indulgence as always.

"Evelyn, be good. Stop putting on that panicked look."

"I am the Alpha of Silverwood. On land, my will is the pack law."

"The old gods of the deep sea have no hold over my territory. I say you are my Luna, and so you shall remain on land."

Listening to his devoted yet arrogant words, not a ripple stirred in my heart.

Even now, he still believed that losing all three Tide Pearls was a trivial matter.

But he had forgotten that the one who snuffed out my last chance to stay on land was none other than himself.

Right after the second pearl was lost, Chloe collapsed pale-faced in the main hall.

After examining her, Aiden panicked, saying that Chloe's grief over Leo's burns had triggered an old heart-meridian ailment from being eroded by wolf poison years ago.

Without a Tide Pearl to save her, she would likely die that very night.

Chloe leaned against the headboard, clutching the hem of Lucas's shirt, sobbing uncontrollably.

She claimed her own death didn't matter—she only begged Lucas to take in Leo after she was gone.

The last Tide Pearl was in Lucas's pocket. It was my final hope of staying on land.

I knelt on the floor, clutching Lucas's battle cloak, crying and begging him:

"Lucas, don't give her the last pearl!"

"My coming-of-age day is almost here. Without this pearl, I really will turn into a tail and return to the sea—I really will leave you!"

But Lucas looked at the blood froth on Chloe's lips and wrenched his cloak free.

He looked at me, his tone frantic:

"Evelyn! Chloe is dying. A life is at stake—how can you be so selfish?!"

"That deep-sea rule about 'eating the pearl and turning into a tail'—how can it be that sinister?"

"You've lived on land for seventeen years. How could a living, breathing person turn back into a fish?"

"Saving our savior's life comes first. Once Leo's mother is out of danger, I'll spend the rest of my life making it up to you!"

Amid my despairing cries, Lucas fed the last pearl into Chloe's mouth without hesitation.

The three Tide Pearls my mother left behind had now vanished entirely from this world.

And in that moment, every shred of attachment and love I held for those three men died completely.

"Alpha Lucas!"

A guard's urgent knock came from outside:

"Chloe's palpitations have flared up again, and Leo is crying for you!"

Lucas's movement paused.

He looked at the door, then down at my frail form, and reached out to gently stroke my hair:

"Today is the anniversary of Leo's father's death. Chloe is emotionally unstable."

"Evelyn, sleep for a while. Once I've coaxed Leo to sleep, I'll be back before midnight to cross the coming-of-age ceremony with you."

"Remember, wait for me obediently."

Lucas stood and, without a trace of reluctance, pushed the door open and walked quickly toward Chloe's quarters.

Cold wind rushed into the room, scattering the last trace of warmth.

I propped myself against the bedpost and watched the empty doorway with indifference.

I will not wait for him.

The sound of the tide had already risen. The call of the sea had come.