by JK Cooper
Shelby soothed his fears and bolstered his confidence, dissolving her gauntlet to place a hand on his arm. “You’re the son of both courts. You won’t do it alone. We’re here to help.”
Theo looked at her and then Kale. Something clicked behind his eyes. He bowed toward them.
Shelby almost fell over as he and the rest of the Fae linked with her, connecting to her Omega powers in the strange, intimate way she still hadn’t become accustomed to. Kale staggered next to her too as hundreds of Fae joined the pack. His pack.
The races of the Goddess are binding together under the Alpha Prime of Alsvoira, as they once did, Eira said within Shelby. I pray we are not too late to resist the Advent.
Isn’t this the Advent? Shelby asked. The union of the five races?
No, Thyra. The Advent is not a prophecy that belongs to the Lycans, or any of the five races, but to the Goddess’s brother, Tarloch.
Shelby felt bits of understanding begin to meld together in her mind. She again took in the sight of the expanded pack. “Sadie, you did all this?”
“What?” Sadie chuckled. “Did you think I was copulating sitting on my glutei like a flaming sack of feculence for the six weeks you were running around Alsvoira? Thanks for the invite, by the way. I didn’t need to see another world or anything. I’m fine. So fine.”
Shelby shrugged. “Sorry, I would have liked you there.” She paused and stared hard at Sadie. “Wait? Did you say six weeks?”
Kale had told the pack they would stay in Seely Court that night since the pack had taken up residence there. Some of the Fae didn’t love the intrusion of outsiders in their ranks. Shelby heard their mutters that their royal court had been turned into a dog pound, but she’d laughed. Kale, however, could not let resentment spread among such a mixed pack.
I prefer Lycan lair to dog pound, Kale had said, sending his words through the pack link. Though Shelby knew his words were playful, his tone was not, and all felt the command of their Alpha. The mutterings stopped after that.
Much had happened over the past six weeks, and Shelby did her best to pay attention as Gennesaret, Sadie, Chenoa, and Bryanne caught them up on recent history, but weariness pulled at her. Kale told the pack that tomorrow they would begin planning to take the fight to Mareus as well as the demons slicing up the world above. Underhill was at least safe for the time being, but being reactive to the Advent pack’s advances apparently was at an end. But for now, Shelby wanted nothing more than to sleep.
She had been granted a room of her own as the pack’s Omega. Naturally, that made her uncomfortable, as any special treatment always had, but the pack—even Sadie—had insisted. At least the Seely Court had hot showers. She felt Kale falling asleep in another room. He thought it would be good to sleep in the presence of the rest of the pack. Probably some macho Alpha thing she didn’t completely understand . . . but she did, really. As much as she as the Omega could bring completeness to a pack, an Alpha gave confidence and direction, and they had lived without his focusing effect too long. He was right to be among them.
Good night, Wife, he said through the bond as she slipped into cool sheets. The Fae really knew how to live in comfort. The thread count on these sheets had to be like a thousand.
I thought I said to stop saying that.
You did. But I won’t.
Shelby smiled into her pillow. Okay then, Husband, good night.
She slept fitfully, dreams assaulting her harrowed mind, dreams of losing those she loved.
“Dad?” she said in her dream. She saw him holding a sword, heard the flutter of large wings. That was odd. Shouldn’t he have an M4 carbine rifle? Then, fire engulfed him, turning him to a pillar of cinders.
“No!” Shelby cried. “No! No!” Tears stung her eyes as she wailed. “Dad!” But she couldn’t reach him, couldn’t save him. Something held her back. A breeze took up the ashes of her father, cruelly ferrying them from her. And then she was there, no longer held back, trying to capture the embers of his body, futilely reaching for them as the wind intensified. She raged, swiping, clawing at the air. Then, another force restrained her, holding her down.
“Shelby.”
A single ember landed on her tear stained cheek, burning through skin. She caught fire, screaming.
“Shelby!”
She thrashed, rolling to extinguish the flames but something held her down as the fire sunk deeper into her. She kicked and clawed, arched her back, and howled in abject pain.
She woke, Kale above her with a gash healing on his cheek, holding her down on torn sheets. Her heart raced. It was far into the night, and her fingers had claws sprouting from their tips. She had partial-shifted.
“Shhh,” Kale whispered. “You’re okay. I’m here.” He slowly let go of her arms, his palms toward her in a placating gesture. “It’s okay. It was just a dream. A really horrifying dream.”
Shelby wiped at a tear. “It was my dad. There was fire and a sword and I think . . . I think something terrible is going to happen.”
“I know. I saw it too.”
“You did?”
“Bonded, remember? You sent your dream to me.”
“That’s kind of terrible. I’m sorry.”
“And really rude.”
“I said I’m sorry.”
She felt Kale’s mind working. He laid down beside her. “Nothing’s going to happen. I promise.”
She smiled a sad smile, turning on her side to face him and cupping his cheek with her hand. “You can’t promise that.”
“I do anyway. You might want to reassure the pack. You were projecting quite a bit. The Fae are twitching.”
“Twitching?”
“Theo’s pacing outside the door, Chelsea woke up weaving a spell that set a Feral’s tail on fire—Sean put it out, don’t worry—and Sadie’s scratching like she has fleas.”
“Oh. Does she?”
He gave her a look.
“What?” Shelby asked with mock innocence. “She was practically a Feral for a while.”
His look turned sterner.
“Fine.” Shelby calmed the pack, and she saw Kale deflate a bit.
“Thanks,” he said. “They love you. All of them.”
“Even the finnicky Fae?”
“It’s an acquired kind of love.”
Shelby punched his arm. “Are you saying I’m an acquired taste?”
Kale just smiled the goofy grin that still melted her.
“And you?” she asked. “Do you love me?”
“Do I have to say it for you to know it?”
The bond thrummed with his love for her. “You don’t,” she whispered.
“I’ll stay with you until you fall asleep,” Kale said.
Yeah, like she was going to be able to sleep with his dreamy voice echoing in her head.
“Kale?”
“Yeah, Shel?”
She bit her lip. “I don’t want to sleep.” She stared into those emerald eyes that had captured her from the first time she saw him and made her his.
He pushed a lock of her blonde-streaked hair behind her ear, then ran a finger over her lips. “Are you sure?”
“We’re married, aren’t we?”
“In a Fae ceremony on an abandoned world six weeks ago. Or yesterday. Man, that’s going to play havoc with anniversaries. Think it counts?”
In response, Shelby took his hand, kissed his palm, then his lips. Tenderly at first, but then hungrily.
Kale pulled back. “Hey, make sure you’re—”
“I’m not projecting . . . to the pack, at least.” She hit Kale with a powerful projection of her desire, of her wants. He pulled off his shirt, and Shelby’s mouth went dry. He put his strong hand behind her neck, pulling her closer. She lifted her bare leg and wrapped it around his waist, pulling his pelvis to hers and digging into his chest with her nails. She found his lips again, those full lips that tasted of him. Her mate. Her Alpha. My love. She growled in pleasure as he deepened the kiss, and he ran his hand
along her leg, sending electricity through her. Good thing she had shaved while showering. That could have been embarrassing.
But then his hand didn’t stop. Slowly, it moved up the back of her thigh to the edge of her underwear. Through the bond, she felt Kale’s burning desire for her but also his question, his hesitancy. And she loved him for it.
“Yes,” she said, nodding. “I want you to.” She traced her fingers down his chest, over his rippled abs, and then lower.
After their lovemaking, Shelby lay on her side, her back cuddled into Kale’s hard body with his arm around her. His breathing came with the steady rhythm of sleep. A warmth she had never known played within her, a tingling, comforting fire. This was what it meant to have a mate, to truly be bonded, to be at peace despite a raging hurricane approaching.
Thyra?
Shelby smiled at the sound of her wolf’s voice in her mind. Yes, Eira.
I do not wish to interrupt, but you should know.
Know what? Shelby asked. Then, she shot up, breathing deeply through her mouth, eyes wide. Bewilderment, utterly exquisite, terrifying, joyful, bewilderment ran through her. She brought a hand to her abdomen, protectively.
Yes, Thyra, Eira said. Grant is going to be a grandfather.
THE END OF ADVENT
BOOK 3 OF THE SUMMER OMEGA SERIES
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
JK Cooper is a husband and wife writing team. They write paranormal romance and romantic urban fantasy. After nearly two decades of marriage and four children, they have plenty to write about. When not writing about werewolves and the end of the world, they enjoy spending time with their family, traveling, reading, making fun of social media, and outdoor power sports (and watching Glimore Girls reruns … well, K does). They live in Utah with their four daughters and two massive Akitas.
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Shelby Brooks @SummerOmega
Sadie Chandler @redhairbites
Bubba @Bubba_Tubba
