Page 32 of Sinful Shifters

I'm satisfied and full by the time Rina and Everett come out, which is just as well, because she smells strongly of him. She's still unmarked and unclaimed; we would all have his head, and knot her thoroughly, if that weren't the case. But they've definitely been doing some of his signature Everett extended meditation fucking.

I'd be jealous, if it weren't for the fact that she's begged for my knot. And, most importantly, I know that she needs all four of us. I feel a kind of contentment in that. At least if I'm not on my best or being all that she needs, she has three other mates to rely on.

Everett can be her steady, calm ocean, while Adar is the fire that can't be put out. Thale is the leader among us, the clear-eyed man with a steady heart. Me? I'm more flighty than the rest, but I know how to have a good time without getting all wound up about it. Maybe I can be the mate Caterina needs—I just hope that I'm able to win her trust again, after deceiving her.

Based on the way she looks over at me and smiles softly as she enters the living room, I have a chance. All I have to do is not screw it up.

Once we're all settled in the living room together, Rhea clears her throat. "So, as I told Lucian, I have urgent news. It concerns the Sky Pack—one of our sibling packs. They reside nearby in the mountaintops, and take their name from the sky itself."

I feel my chest tighten. "We've heard of them, yes."

"Good, that's one less thing to explain. Though—of course you would know. How silly of me to..." She shakes her head. "I'll just get it out: they're suffering. Their alpha recently died of natural causes. Now, the wild witches who live in the foothills of their mountains are reporting vampire and human army sightings."

Licking my lips, I ask her, "You trust these witches?"

"With my life. We frequently trade with them. Not just spells, but news and gossip, and bits of folklore. The covens in this area are very well-connected, even with witches who aren't as organized as we are."

"Is it the army?" Thale asks, getting straight to it. "Has Teller been spotted? Or one of his alpha wolves?"

"We thinks so, though we haven't received confirmation. One of the more established witches reported the army presence to a contact she has in the military. Higher ups deny they're even here. Word of the attack on us hasn't spread at all—as far as anyone outside the region is concerned, it's just a wild tale."

Rhea shakes her head. "As far as I can tell, either no one knows General Teller has taken an army to invade our lands, oreveryoneknows yet denies it. There could be some kind of spell involved. Given his magic, he'd be able to squash a rumor or wipe collective memory, at least for a short period of time. Either way, we won't be getting reinforcements."

That isn't a surprise. As long as there have been organized humans, they've objected to the presence of supernatural creatures in their midst. We may no longer be hunted through the streets with pitchforks and flaming torches, but that doesn't mean I expect humanity to lend a helping hand when we're in trouble.

Someone is going to have to help the Sky Pack fend off Teller and his army, and that someone is going to have to be me.

Chapter25

Rina

Ifeel an ache between my thighs, an emptiness where there should be fullness. Even as much as Everett satisfied me last night, my body still trembles with need. The desire to have a knot in me is so all-consuming that I barely taste the food in my mouth.

I'm afraid that my heat will come any moment, and I don't know how to prepare myself. The urge to grab everything in the house and drag it to my room is overpowering. When I showered this morning, even the lightest soap smelled too fragrant, and afterwards I wrapped three towels around myself before it felt "right."

It doesn't help that we received terrible news first thing. Rhea is in the living room, discussing the details with Lucian and Thale, while I try to get ready. The outfits I try on all feel scratchy and strange—too hot, too cold, or worse, too scented with laundry detergent and fabric softener."

"I can't get comfortable." I whine, and Everett pulls me up against him, purring against me until I'm soothed. "All I want is to curl up in the bed and cover myself with blankets. Which is ridiculous, because we have to go help the Sky Pack! What's going on? What's wrong with me?"

He laughs as he explains, "You're nesting."

"What-ing?"

"Nesting, remember?" I shake my head. "Maybe we got so caught up in explaining our knots that we skimmed over the rest. Nesting is an omega impulse that crops up right before you go into heat."

"What is it—like what humans do? Because the urge to remodel a nursery hasn't struck me yet. I haven't made one single Target run."

Again he chuckles, even as he wraps me up in his arms and rubs his smell against me. "Going into heat is a vulnerable time for an omega. From everything I know, it makes all your senses heighten, and the hormonal desire to mate and become pregnant is strong. The nest is a way to soothe yourself as your body goes through sharp changes. It helps omegas feel comfortable—and it's very, very cute."

Scowling, I stick my tongue out at him, and he just chuckles. I don't think it's so funny, but he offers me fresh blankets from the linen closet to pile onto the bed. That helps—I like sitting in the middle of them, cocooned in softness. But it doesn't really feel complete.

"Can I have one of your shirts?"

"This one?"

He starts to strip, and I shake my head, blushing. "A dirty one. That smells more like you."

Everett gets one off the floor, and its salt and rosemary scent is overpowering. With it snuggled inside the blankets and pillows, the nest fills with the scent of his alpha pheromones.

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