“You make it sound easy, like taking a corporate job at a firm. It’s not going to be that smooth and you know it.” I leaned up to nip his chin. “You’re just trying to make sure I don’t implode or have some serious PTSD once things get rolling.”
“There might be some of that,” he admitted, “but I don’t think it’s going to be harder than what we’ve gone through thus far. Think of it like this. You’ve been in a Coalition boot camp, so to speak, and once you take your official seat, you’ll be ready. We’ll look at this like a new job. We’ll be together, you’ll have your friends and family around you, and each step will bring us closer to our main goal—”
“Which is peace, I hope?” I asked. “That’s what I want. I want the supernatural race to take a few minutes and breathe.” I knew there would be trouble at the start with supernatural challenges to the new reign of power, but after a few years I was hoping that the Coalition would use their power to quell the unrest and create some kind of peaceful state—at least for a while.
“I think that’s an achievable goal,” he said. “Once the dust settles, I’m hoping, like you, that there will be a period of calm for us.”
“I’ll do whatever it takes to keep that peace once we have it,” I said. “I can almost taste the victory, and it’s delicious.” I snuggled into his chest.
“You have to remember, it’s in the nature of supernaturals to fight.” His chest rumbled in his low bass. “I’m certain it won’t be calm forever, but my guess is this new Coalition will be the most powerful one to date. That will give us a decided advantage and likely buy us big chunks of peace.”
“Why do you think it will be the most powerful?” I asked, bringing my hand up to stroke his face, loving the feel of stubble under my fingertips.
“Because you’re on it,” he said simply. “I can feel the swell of magic inside you. You have tremendous power. Not to mention Eudoxia, who is not only a powerful vampire, but also fae. I see the Coalition members coming in with their root abilities and having a mix of power—almost like hybrids. And once you all share your magic, you will be unstoppable.”
“Do you think I have more power than you now?” I teased.
“Much more. And it’s raw. Jessica, you vibrate with strength. It’s amazing. It’s unbelievable to me that you have no idea how strong you are.” He grinned as he slanted his lips over mine.
I took his kiss greedily.
I broke from him, panting lightly. He tasted wonderful. “I know I have power, I can feel the concentrated magic in my body, but my wolf is in control of it. Now that I know she’s her own being, I trust her to deal with it, and because of that—and that alone—it allows me to feel more normal. Even after all of this. Without her, I don’t think I could do this. I really don’t.”
Rourke lay back and brought me with him, rolling me on top of him, his arms crushing me in their grasp. “You are perfect, you know that? You are handling this,” he murmured, “with your wolf. You’re a team, like we’re a team. I’ve never heard of a shifter and their beast being separate, sharing one body. Mine is very much a part of me—an extension of myself. I have feelings and lots of animal instincts that rear up inside me without warning, but it’s still just me. It makes us decidedly different, but I like that. I think having your wolf separate will keep you levelheaded and able to make good, solid decisions in a stressful time. That’s an asset.”
“It’s strange, because I don’t feel separate from her. I still consider her ‘my wolf.’ But having the knowledge that we’re different, each with our own soul, makes it easier moving forward. I felt that immediately. It lessens any competition for control on my end when it comes to supernatural issues. I can trust her to think for herself, and she knows a lot more than I do, and there’s no way to put a price on that. But we still don’t agree when it comes to my human issues. Her tendencies are decidedly supernatural, mine are not, and I’m not willing to give up my control on that. I will keep my humanness, whatever happens.”
“It makes sense you’d push back on that and hold your ground, and, Jess, your humanness is what makes you who you are. Your wolf will come to see that. And even though she might be irritated with you, she will respect you for it in the end.”
“She might, grudgingly.” I laughed. “I already feel like we understand each other better and it’s only been a handful of hours since it happened—”
“Ma Reine.” Naomi’s voice was quiet in the darkness but I jumped nonetheless. “We are sorry to bother you, but we must have a word.”
19
“Well, we’re not exactly sorry to interrupt you, per se,” Danny added as I scrambled to stand, Rourke right behind me, a very low chuckle rumbling under his breath, “but I am, however, apologetic it’s the middle of the night. See, we heard you chatting, even though you were doing your best to be quiet, and my girl and I”—his face broke into a huge grin as he beamed at Naomi—“would like your permission to get the hell out of here.”
“But only if that’s okay,” Naomi added hastily. “We know you will need us, but in light of what happened, we were hoping—”
“—with me almost losing my life and such,” Danny interjected smoothly, “we decided we have some catching up to do. And here”—he glanced around the planking and the trees—“is not the bloody place to do it.” He cleared his throat. “The kind of catching up we need to do is of a delicate nature.” Then he winked.
Rourke started to laugh openly and Naomi stiffened.
She blushed so hard, it resonated in the moonlight. I slapped Rourke on the chest with the back of my hand and inclined my head. “I hope Naomi is well aware that she’s going to have her hands full with you, Daniel Walker. And of course you can leave. You have my permission to get out of here ASAP. We’re going to be heading back at first light, and we’ll meet you at home.”
Danny replied, “Oh, Naomi knows what she’s in for, and she’s told me herself she’s in.”
“He speaks frankly,” Naomi said. “I am definitely… invested. But our duty to you comes first. We would not leave you knowingly in danger, but if you feel you are safe for a time, we would appreciate a few days away.”
“Well, let’s not be hasty. It could take weeks to complete the—” Danny said.
Naomi elbowed him in the ribs and he smiled like he’d just won the lottery.
“Of course, take your time. You two deserve it,” I said. “We’ll rendezvous at home. If anything happens, I’ll get word to you. Check the Pack phones daily.”
“We will, Ma Reine.” Naomi’s face broke into a wide grin. “I swear to it.”
Danny moved forward and took my hand, surprising me. “There’s just one more thing I must do before I leave.” He knelt down on one knee in front of me. “You are blood-bonded to my mate already, and we were bonded as well, until my untimely semi-death wiped the troth away. I would swear another one to you right now before we leave. Before all gathered here, I choose you, Jessica McClain, to be my Alpha. I was meant to serve you, and you alone, and I will continue to do so until I take my last dying breath.” He put his other hand over his heart.