I check our course, adjusting for the current trying to push us off the channel. Pinecrest appears in the distance, buildings tiny along the shoreline. Still fifteen minutes out, maybe more with these waves.
A soft sound draws my attention, and when I risk another look, Mia is almost panting now, her cheeks flushed pink and her fingers gripping the edge of her seat. Her eyes meet mine before darting away.
Seasickness, I decide. The chop is getting worse, and not everyone has sea legs.
“We have motion sickness tablets in the first aid kit,” I offer. “And water bottles under your seats.”
Mia shakes her head, shrinking into Derek’s side as he tightens his arm around her shoulders.The gesture does nothing to soothe her. If anything, the trembling in her hands worsens.
“She’s fine,” Derek snaps. “She’s just tired from the hike.”
“Sure that’s what’s going on?” James asks with an undertone to the question I don’t understand.
The boat rises and falls in a stomach-dropping swoop, and I grab the wheel tighter. I hope she doesn’t puke. I don’t want to be left to clean it up.
“Man, is it me, or is there some heat out here?” The hiker in the baseball cap wipes his brow, though the wind off the water stays cool.
His companion drags in a deep breath, a smile spreading across his face. “I’m definitely smelling something interesting.”
The comments are strange and disjointed, but Mia reacts at once. She edges toward the hull, drawing in on herself, trying to stay as far from the men as the cramped space allows. Her throat tightens around a hard swallow, her breathing quickening.
So it’s anxiety about the building argument. Not seasickness.
“How about we enjoy the view?” I suggest, trying to defuse the situation by gesturing to the horizon where sunlight sparkles on the waves. “Looks like we’ll get rain tonight.”
My attempt at distraction falls flat. The air grows heavy, tension building, though I can’t identify the cause. Without pheromones to guide me, I’m missing crucial information, like watching a movie with the volume too low to catch important dialogue.
“You should have stayed on your own trail,” Derek growls. “You could see she’s uncomfortable.”
“We’re not doing anything.” Amusement fills the words. “Maybe she’s uncomfortable withyou.”
A faint whimper escapes Mia’s throat, sweat gathering at her hairline despite the cool air. Whatever’s happening to her runs deeper than anxiety or motion sickness. The flush on her skin has deepened, spreading down her neck.
“Hey,” I call back, trying to inject authority. “Everyone, stay seated, please. We’ve got some rough water ahead.”
I’m not lying as a larger swell approaches, visible in the rhythm of the waves. I grip the wheel tighter, preparing to navigate through it.
“Why don’t you mind your own business?” Todd says, and for a confused moment, I think he’s talking to me before I realize he’s addressing Derek. “She might prefer different company with more options.”
The boat dips as we hit the swell, and I focus on keeping us steady. When I look back again, Derek’s posture has changed, his muscles coiled tight and ready to spring. “You need to back off. Now.”
Todd stands despite the rocking boat. “Or what? She’s not Marked. I don’t see your claim.”
Everything happens at once.
Derek lunges across the space between them, fist raised. The boat pitches toward the starboard on a wave. Mia cries out, the sound of distress cutting through the wind and engine noise.
I abandon the wheel, moving on instinct to separate them before someone goes overboard. Three steps bring me into the middle of chaos, where Derek grapples with Todd, James rising to join the fray, and Mia pinned to the side of the boat, her face twisted in pain.
“Stop!” I grab Derek’s shoulder to pull him back. “This is dangerous!”
The unmanned boat slews sideways, throwing us all off balance. Mia stumbles, about to fall, and I reach for her arm to steady her.
Her skin burns my palm, fever-hot and slick with sweat. Panic flashes across her face, her pupils blown wide until only a thin ring of color remains.
“Don’t touch her!” Derek roars, and before I can explain, his fist connects with my face.
Pain explodes across my cheekbone and nose. I stagger backward, tasting copper as blood fills my mouth. Through watering eyes, I see everyone freeze, their faces transformed with identical expressions of shock.