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“Tomorrow, at midnight, the first wave arrives.”
He nodded. “Good, that’s good. We have time to prepare.”
Ephyx crossed his arms over his broad, heavily muscled chest. All the shifters were built like they could wrestle bears. “First and foremost, we need to protect the communities.”
Cohoet narrowed his gaze as he scanned the map. “We should each take a gorge.”
Both Alophi and Valgus chimed in. “Agreed.”
Seth knew that this part of the plan was solid because it kept the packs separate, allowing each alpha to direct a completely different part of the defensive action.
Once more, he slid his arm around Lorelei’s waist. Thank you.
* * * * * * * * *
Lorelei had never had this experience in her life being part of a group with a mission, especially one designed to save hundreds of realm-lives. Even with Quinlan and Batya, she’d been the outsider, the one they’d been working to save.
But here, today, she’d had her first fae vision ever and was making a contribution in a way that helped her feel like she was doing something important. The resulting happiness surprised her, though she was pretty sure it had something to do with the shifter part of her nature, a need to belong to the pack and to find a way to serve the community.
As the shifters started brainstorming how to go about protecting the various gorge populations, she leaned into Seth and pathed, I’m so grateful for this.
For what, exactly?
I know this is going to sound odd, but for getting to help out.
I think I know what you mean. It’s hard to stand on the sidelines when you want to be doing and contributing.
Painful at times, especially when the source of all the trouble is related to you.
Don’t go there. But he smiled and squeezed her waist.
I won’t. I don’t intend to, but it will still always be a factor.
Over the next two hours, the alphas discussed a wide variety of tools for bringing down an in-flight enemy, including lures and nets, bows and arrows, and dagger-throwing, all of which most shifters excelled at and which they often used in battle against wraith-pairs.
She made a pot of black coffee. The shifters drank deeply and the energy ramped up another notch. She sipped a cup herself. Seth refused anything, but more than once his gaze fell to her throat and each time her heart started to labor, getting that heavy, blood rose feeling again.
Of course, knowing that Seth would need to feed again soon triggered other sensations. When he looked at her once more, and his nostrils flared, a blush once more crept up her cheeks. She didn’t like having her sexual desires understood so readily, but between her strong shifter DNA and Seth’s overdeveloped vampire abilities to smell blood and other things, she could hardly pretend not to feel what she was feeling.
I’ll need to feed soon.
I know. Cramping?
Not anymore, but what I don’t get is why so soon? I just fed.
Making up for lost time, maybe? She couldn’t help but smile.
He chuckled and the alphas glanced at him. He shook his head. “Sorry, men. Just having a private conversation with Lorelei.”
Each acknowledged his statement with an almost dismissive grunt, which meant they understood his attentiveness to his woman. They went back to studying the map and conversing with each other. Occasionally, they used their phones to contact their lieutenants and discuss details of their plans.
After another ten minutes, Valgus lifted his head. “We need to start running drills right now and keep them going through the day.”
Ephyx added, “Mastyr Seth, the entire Shifter Brigade has reassembled at Big Timber and we’re ready to go.”
Lorelei was so impressed.
Seth’s phone rang and he stepped away to answer it. He was gone only half-a-minute, but when he returned he looked deeply worried, his brows drawn together tightly.
