Fake Mating To My Ex's Powerful Enemy

Chapter 291: Chapter 291 Stranded

Christina’s POV

I whipped my head around, scanning the horizon. Nothing but endless water stretched in every direction. No sign of the small boat we’d rented. No sign of the cruise ship. Nothing but ocean as far as I could see.

"Well, that’s just perfect," I muttered, exhaustion already seeping into my muscles. "Any other good news you want to share? Maybe there are sharks circling below? Or a hurricane heading our way to complete the set?"

"Are you finished?" Hudson asked, his voice somehow maintaining that infuriatingly calm Alpha tone.

"Not even close," I replied, treading water while trying to keep my breathing steady. "But I’ll pause my sarcasm tour if you have a brilliant plan for getting us out of this mess."

Hudson scanned the horizon, his eyes gleaming slightly. "There’s land about two miles in that direction," he said, pointing southeast.

"Two miles?" I repeated incredulously. "In case you haven’t noticed, we just got tossed around like laundry in a spin cycle. I’m not exactly feeling like an Olympic swimmer right now."

"I’m not suggesting we swim the whole way," Hudson replied, removing his oxygen tank and other heavy gear. "We need to conserve energy and float. The current will help carry us."

"Oh great, more quality time together," I groaned, but followed his lead in shedding the heavier equipment. "This singles cruise just keeps getting better and better."

"We need to stay together," Hudson said firmly. "Body heat will be essential if we’re in the water for long."

Great. I was really living out Titanic now. Not the romantic bow scene, but the part where we’re floating on a piece of wreckage in freezing water.

"Don’t worry," Akira chimed in smugly. "I’m sure he’ll keep you very warm."

"Nobody asked you," I thought back irritably.

As we began our slow journey toward the distant shore, one thought kept circling in my mind: How did a perfect diving trip turn into a tsunami and being stranded in the Mediterranean with my estranged husband?

The universe really had a sick sense of humor sometimes.

I scrambled onto the sand, ripping off the flippers, throwing them aside as I stumbled along the beach.

My heart was racing faster than when I ran during a full moon hunt.

"Where the hell is it?" I muttered, scanning the shoreline.

Hudson reached the shore moments later, his powerful legs closing the distance between us in seconds. He grabbed my arm, his grip firm but not painful.

"Christina, stop. You need to calm down."

I didn’t even look at him. With a quick twist, I yanked free and continued forward, eyes desperately searching the beach.

Hudson moved with Alpha speed, his arm wrapping around my waist, pulling me firmly against his chest before I could take another step.

"Let me go, Hudson!" I struggled against his hold, but it was like trying to move a mountain with a toothpick.

His grip only tightened. "Not until you tell me what you’re looking for."

I clawed at his arm. "I said let go!"

I stomped on his foot hard enough that any normal person would’ve howled in pain.

Hudson didn’t even flinch. "I won’t release you until you stop acting crazy. What are you looking for?"

A cold gust of sea wind whipped past, sending my wet hair slapping against my face and a violent shiver down my spine.

Before the next gust hit, Hudson shifted his position, turning his broad back to block the wind and shield me completely. freewёbn૦νeɭ.com

"My phone," I finally admitted, my teeth starting to chatter. "I need to find my phone."

Hudson sighed, his breath warm against my ear. "Your phone is at the bottom of the Mediterranean. Even if it washed up somewhere, it wouldn’t work."

"You don’t understand," I insisted, though my struggle was weakening. "All my contacts, my work files..."

"Whatever you need, we’ll figure it out tomorrow in daylight," he said, his voice surprisingly gentle. "Right now, we need to focus on survival. I’m with you, Christina. You’re not alone."

His words pierced through my panic.

I exhaled slowly. "Fine."

Hudson released me and immediately began gathering fallen branches and large palm fronds that the tsunami had scattered across the beach. He laid them out methodically, creating a makeshift sleeping area that looked about as comfortable as a bed of rocks.

While he worked, I stood there hugging myself, teeth chattering as the evening air chilled my wet suit.

"Take off your clothes," Hudson said without looking up, already unzipping his own wetsuit.

He had already tugged down his own zip. As the fabric slid open, moonlight fell across the ridges of his tanned, sculpted abdomen.

"Enjoying the view?" Akira teased.

"Shut up," I thought back irritably.

I hesitated, fingers on my zipper. Hudson looked up with a frown.

"That wetsuit will give you hypothermia before morning," he stated flatly. "There’s no hospital here, no doctor. Take it off."

His tone was pure Alpha, commanding, no-nonsense, the same tone he used in board meetings when someone questioned his authority. It made me bristle instantly.

"Don’t Alpha-voice me," I snapped. "I’m not one of your pack subordinates."

"Then stop acting like a stubborn pup and use common sense," he countered.

Damn him for being right. Under my wetsuit I wore only a bikini.

"Fine," I muttered, peeling off the wetsuit with as much dignity as possible. "Not like you haven’t seen it all before anyway."

When I glanced up, Hudson had turned away, giving me privacy. Instead, a large palm frond lay folded neatly on the sand.

I spotted his tall figure near the edge of the tree line, gathering more materials.

"Hudson?" I called.

"Wrap yourself in that leaf," he replied without turning around. "The night wind is picking up."

I snatched the makeshift covering and wrapped it around my body. It wasn’t exactly Versace, but it covered me from chest to knees. I secured it with a torn strip at the side, keeping it firmly in place.

"Jungle fashion. Not your worst look," Akira commented.

"At least I’m not naked," I muttered.

"Where did you go?" I asked when Hudson returned, arms full of dry twigs and branches.

"Finding fuel for a fire." He knelt with his back to me, arranging the sticks in a careful pile. "You should rest. I’ll keep watch."

Of course he would. Hudson Laurent, Alpha of the Sabreridge pack, always had to be in control.

I dropped down beside him, irritation spiking through me. "No. You don’t get to make all the decisions. I can help too."

Hudson didn’t respond, just continued working with the twigs. His silence felt like a dismissal, like he thought I was useless.

"Did you hear me?" I pressed.

"I heard you," he replied evenly. "But right now I need to focus on getting this fire started before the temperature drops further." frёewebnoѵēl.com

Anger twisted in my gut. Why was I so furious? Was it his control-freak tendencies? Or was I just looking for someone to blame for our situation?

Because deep down, I knew the truth. If not for me, he wouldn’t be here at all.