Chapter 8

Chapter

Eight

JAY

I can feel Zora’s anxiety rolling off her in waves as we drive along the coastal road. Her scent, usually a calming mix of jasmine and vanilla, is tinged with a sharp note of worry that makes my tentacles twitch under my skin.

“Babe, relax,” I say, reaching over to squeeze her hand. Her skin is clammy against mine, betraying her nerves. “They’re gonna love you.”

Zora gives me a weak smile, her usual warm brown eyes clouded. “Easy for you to say. You’re not the human crashing into a family of kraken-shifters.”

My family’s estate comes into view. A big mansion facing the ocean. The crash of waves against the rocky shore below fills the air, a soothing rhythm that calls to my kraken nature.

Despite her nerves, Zora gasps in awe, her eyes widening. “Holy shit, Jay,” she breathes, the salty breeze whipping her dark curls around her face. “You grew up here?”

I grin. “That’s home sweet home, baby. And wait till you see what’s underwater.”

We pull up to the ornate iron gates, and I punch in the code. As we drive through the property, the scent of salt and seaweed intensifies. I can already feel the pull of the ocean, my skin tingling with the need to shift. My tentacles itch to break free, responding to the proximity of my ancestral waters.

“So,” Zora says as we park, her voice small, “any last-minute advice before I meet the Lafayette clan?”

I turn to her, taking in her nervous smile, the way she’s playing with the hem of her dress.

“Just be yourself,” I say, cupping her face gently. Her skin is soft under my calloused palms, and I can feel her pulse racing. “You’re amazing, Zora.”

She smiles softly, some of the tension leaving her body. “My hero.”

We’re barely out of the car when the front door bursts open. A blur of movement comes running towards us, the air filled with the scent of excitement and youth.

“Jay-Jay!”

I brace myself as my little sister, Jade, launches herself at me. I catch her easily, spin her around, her giggles mixing with the cries of seagulls overhead.

“Hey, kid,” I grin, setting her down on the gravel driveway. “Miss me?”

Jade rolls her eyes. “As if. Oh, is this Zora?

I pull my mate close, my arm wrapping possessively around her waist. I can feel the tightness in her body, and my tentacles instinctively emerge and cocoon her. “J., meet Zora. My mate.”

Jade’s eyes widen, then she breaks into a wide grin. “Finally! I was starting to think Jay-Jay would never find anyone who could put up with his big head.”

“Hey!” I protest through a chuckle.

Zora laughs, the sound a bit shaky but genuine. She relaxes against me, her warmth seeping through my clothes. “Gotta admit, it is pretty big.”

“Oh, I like her,” Jade declares. She grabs Zora’s hand. “Come on, I’ll give you the tour. And tell you all of Jay’s embarrassing stories.”

As Jade drags Zora away, chatting a mile a minute, I feel a presence behind me. The air shifts, carrying the scent of deep-sea currents.

“She seems lovely, son.”

I turn to see my dad, looking as imposing as ever in his human form. His eyes, the same deep blue as mine.

“She is,” I say simply, my chest swelling with pride.

Dad claps me on the shoulder, his grip firm. “Your mother can’t wait to meet her. And your grandmother…” he trails off, a mischievous glint in his eye.

I groan, the sound rumbling deep in my chest. “Please tell me Gran will behave.”

Dad just laughs, the sound booming across the driveway. “Now, where would be the fun in that?”

We head inside, following the sound of Jade’s excited chatter. We find them in the living room, where my mom is fussing over Zora.

“Oh, honey, you’re too thin,” Mom says, her tentacles already reaching for a plate of cookies. “Here, eat something. Jay, why haven’t you been feeding her properly?”

I roll my eyes. “Mom, I feed her fine. Zora, tell her.”

Zora, looking a bit overwhelmed but pleased, accepts a cookie. “Mrs. Lafayette, really, Jay takes great care of me.”

“Call me Maria, baby,” Mom insists.

Then we hear her…

“Where’s this human girl who’s stolen my grandson’s heart?” My grandmother’s booming voice precedes her as she enters the room. “Bring her here so I can inspect her!”

Zora straightens in her chair, then she stands as Gran approaches. I move to come beside her, my hand on her lower back.

Gran circles Zora, her tentacles swaying thoughtfully. “Hmm. Bit scrawny, isn’t she? But good hips. Should be able to bear strong babies.”

“Gran,” I chuckle as Zora’s eyes grow wide. But then she smiles big and rests a hand on my chest. “I can’t wait.”

Gran throws her head back and laughs. “Oh, I like this one, Jay! She’s got spirit!”

Just like that, the tension breaks. Dad starts telling Zora stories of my childhood mess-ups, while Mom keeps trying to feed her. Jade is showing off her latest shell collection, and even Gran is warming up to my girl.

As I watch Zora laugh at one of Dad’s terrible jokes, her eyes bright and her smile wide, I feel a warmth spread through my chest. She fits here, with my crazy, loving family, like she was always meant to be a part of it.

Later, as we’re all sprawled in the living room, full of Mom’s cooking and Dad’s bad puns, I pull my mate close.

“See?” I murmur in her ear. “Told you they’d love you.”

She smiles up at me, her earlier nervousness gone. “They’re amazing, Jay. Thank you for sharing them with me.”

I kiss her forehead, my tentacles wrapping around her waist. “Thank you for being part of my family.”

“Ugh, get a room, you two!” Jade groans, throwing a pillow at us.

As everyone laughs, I can’t help but think: yeah, this is perfect. This is home.