My Destiny Mate by ARIE78 (Completed)

Chapter 1 Beam

 “First time out here?” the shaggy fisherman asked. It was clear from the way I jumped at each unexpected bump that I hadn’t been feeling very comfortable in the boat ever since we left the shore far behind.

“Yeah,” I admitted quietly, trying to mentally curb the violent bouts of nausea that rocked my body.The speedboat tore through the dark, calm waters off the coast of Langkawi and sent sprays of white foam flying left and right like sheets of eerie mist. I could see nothing but

darkness straight ahead and the only sign that sea met sky somewhere in front of us was the sprinkling of bright stars dotting the black canvas above. Even the moon didn’t provide much relief from the all-enveloping night as it was only a sliver that shone weakly

at our backs.The rough roar of the motor and the fisherman’s casual whistling were the only sounds I could hear and both made me feel restless and impatient to reach my destination. To someone like me, unaccustomed to traveling on water, it seemed like we’d been out here for hours, though I doubted more than half an hour had passed.

“How much longer till we get there?” I asked to distract myself, clutching the edge of the small bench I was sitting on, my knuckles growing white with tension.

“Not long. We’ll start seeing the island in a few minutes,” he said. The man didn’t seem groggy at all, though I’d woken him up unexpectedly in the middle of the night. I guessed the thick wad of cash was all the convincing he had needed to abandon his cozy bed and agree to take me to Pulau Singa Besar Island. 

“What’s taking you there?” The man was probably simply passing the time, asking me this, but I bristled with defensiveness. It was probably common knowledge among the fishermen and people who lived on the coast that there was nothing on Pulau Singa Besar Island. The small island was uninhabited and isolated with little to offer more than mangrove forest, steep hills, a unique rock formations and tranquil

beaches. 

“Research,” I lied. “I’m a biologist.” 

“Ha!” the man snorted. “Last time I went there, I was a little boy and unless you’re interested in getting your ass bitten by wolves, I doubt there’s much more to see.”

“Wolves?” I asked as nonchalantly as I could manage.

“Yeah, it’s weird. I don’t know how they got there, but that’s one of the reasons people stay away from that rock. Not exactly your perfect camping spot. I’d say, keep to the beaches and always have a gun handy.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” I said politely.I patted the small leather satchel that hung across my chest. There wasn’t a gun there, but it was nevertheless packed with the only thing I needed to get by safely on the island. My fake papers.

I noticed the man was looking at me with a little amused smile and hoped that he had bought my story. It wasn’t in my plans to have to explain myself to strangers.

“You, scientist people, are odd,” he said finally and let out a hearty laugh. Another invisible wave sent the tip of the boat up in the air and me sliding down the length of the already wet bench. I could feel the blood drain from my face, but I managed to steady myself and wipe the salty drops that had landed on my nose and forehead. I

hated water. I couldn’t wait to get my feet over firm ground already. I’d been traveling for days and this was just the final stretch, so I’d have to toughen up for another few minutes. The truth was, this was the easy part. Once I got to the island, the real danger would

begin. I was a wolf shifter on a mission and though I’d only be among fellow wolves, there would be nothing easy or safe about my arrival to Pulau Singa Besar