Page 31 of Sinful Shifters

Lucian

At some point, before the sun rises, I feel a strange sensation in my chest. So I reach out to Thale, who's on watch, standing on the roof of the house. Thankfully its position in the center of the pack territory, high up near the Mating Circle, makes it a perfect vantage point.

Do you feel that?

Feel what?His voice rumbles in my head.Pull-out sofa more uncomfortable than you thought it would be?

No, asshole. Do you feel something...off?

No,he says, taking careful scan of the territory.Wards are up. Warriors are on patrol. No vamps around, no sign of Teller or the others... nothing of note.

I feel like something is off.

Thale chuckles.Maybe you're just upset that Everett is with Caterina. He could be forcing her heat even now, you know.

He has the self-control not to.I growl and lift a lip at the thought.She deserves a natural heat, one that feels soft and sweet. Besides, I would smell it, and I don't.

Well, I don't know then. Maybe you should take your own watch. You can see further than I can, even though you're not the pack's alpha.

He's right. Even if he weren't, I won't be able to sleep like this. My instincts are going wild. Restless, I take to the air and survey the whole Mountain Pack territory.

The borders are firm. Warriors patrol for stray vampires. There are no signs of Teller and his army, who vanished in a wave of powerful magic. Everything is as it should be.

Yet when I go back to the pull-out sofa and try to sleep, I toss and turn instead. Dawn soon crests, and I've barely slept at all. The feeling only seems to grow.

So it only makes sense when there's a knock at the door. I open it to find Rhea the coven leader, a worried expression on her face.

"I have some urgent news. Can I come in?"

"It's not really our house to say no, so..." I open up the door and usher her in. "I'll get Thale to come in. I'm not sure if the others are awake yet, but I'll check."

Tapping into our bond, I get Thale's attention. He doesn't have to be told—he just responds. Moments later, he's striding into the house through the back entrance.

The others are more distant because they were just asleep. I sense Adar first.You up?

Is this a booty call? If so, you should know that I require gentle warmup prior to anal activity.

I barely resist rolling my eyes at him.Rhea is here. Something urgent came up.

Be right there.

It's only Everett who's left, but I prepare myself before I reach out to him. The last thing I want is to interrupt his time with Caterina. He may be the calmest of us all, but he's still a possessive alpha at heart.

Ev?

He grumbles at me, stretching in bed, sending feelings of contentment and hunger through the bond.I hate when you use nicknames.

Rhea is here. Do you think you and Rina could...?

Got it. We'll be right there.A moment passes; I can sense that he's speaking to her in the real world now, and hear rumbles of their voices from down the hallway.Give us a few minutes, actually.

"How urgent is this urgent news?" I ask Rhea, as Adar strolls into the room, his hair still tousled.

"It's pretty damned urgent, but nothing new will happen in the next fifteen minutes."

"Good, because we need a few to get ready, and I'd rather you not have to repeat yourself."

I spend those few minutes getting snacks out for Rhea and the others. As it turns out, others includes myself, because the unease in my chest has turned into a hungry feeling in my stomach. All the not-sleeping I did last night has left my middle empty.

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