Another day wasted. I concentrate until I feel like I’m all concentrated out. I can’t even get my eyes to focus when I finally give up. But I can’t find it in me to give up, so I’m back at the topof the tower the next day, the day after that, and a week later, I’m still trying.
“Wait, I sense something,” I say. “No, this isn’t my ability. It’s the pack bond. Storm’s hurt!”
I open my eyes, groaning as I try to get up holding my belly. Lucifer rushes over to help.
“Where?” he asks.
“Close. Not far from the castle gates. That’s all I can sense.” I say hurriedly, tears dampening my lashes.
“I’ll find him,” Lucifer says, then he takes to the air and swoops right out the window.
Lucifer doesn’t need wings to fly. Not visible ones, at least. He streaks across the sky, looking similar to the falling star I thought he was before he landed in front of us to save us from the Crimson Templars.
I hurry downstairs, the best I can with a baby just weeks away. When I get to the living room, I see Daisy making a drink, and she notices my distress.
“What’s wrong? Is it the baby? Come sit down,” she says, abandoning her drink and rushing to my side.
“I can’t sit. Storm’s hurt,” I rush my words out. “Lucifer went to check on him. Can you help me get outside?”
“Okay, easy,” she says, taking my arm. “You seriously still want to get pregnant again after this? You look like a balloon.”
“Therewillbe more children,” I say with certainty. “Hayden says a she-wolf in her prime goes into heat every few months. Iassume it’ll be similar for me, since I went into heat during the mating ritual.”
Daisy helps me outside and we wait. As soon as I sense the pack approaching, I get her to help me down the steps. To my surprise, I see all five of them in their true Human Forms, and my father is walking behind them.
“Is everything okay? I sensed that Storm was hurt,” I holler, noticing some blood on his torso, though I don’t see a visible wound.
“I’m fine!” Storm calls out. “We got a little rough out there, but Lucifer patched me up.”
“Got a little rough? Doing what?” I realize I’m almost shrieking. “I thought you just went for a run!”
“Well, yeah,” Jaxton chuckles. “We go for a run. We spar. We have to stay in shape, you know. You may wear us out at night, but we still need to be ready for a fight if there ever is one.”
“If you can’t spar without bleeding, then maybe take a break from that for a while,” I reprimand my mates, putting my hands on my hips. “We have a baby on the way.”
Hayden walks up to me with a gentle smile on his face. He takes my hands, pulls me into an embrace, and rubs my back.
“We’re okay, mate,” he says soothingly. “Storm was never in any danger. Even if you hadn’t sensed he was hurt, we would have made it back in time to treat his wound.”
“And nobody is dying on my watch,” Lucifer says as he gets closer.
I’m sure my concern is overinflated due to pregnancy hormones, but I still can’t stand the thought of something happening to one of my mates.
After we get inside, I check Storm over myself and wash away the blood. He should be fine, but I’m still worried.
“Let me find some clothes,” Storm sighs.
“Everything okay in here?” Lucifer asks, walking to the door.
“Yes, he’s fine. Just getting dressed,” I answer.
“Your pack never learned how to shift without destroying what you’re wearing, hmm?” Lucifer asks, stepping into the room.
“No, we don’t use illusions like the vampires,” Storm growls, sliding on his pants. “It’s just us. Our skin and fur. I got backpacks for everyone, so we can carry stuff. But now that we’re bigger, I’ll have to get new ones made.”
“Backpacks are unnecessary. Shifting, like the rest of your abilities, is possible because you’re descended from angels. You just have to learn to absorb what you’re wearing like you absorb your fur,” Lucifer says. “It’s fairly easy, once you know how to do it.”
“Is that what you do when you switch between Mr. Lumen and… the big giant angel? Shifting, like they do?” I question.
