Chapter Twenty-Five
~~Nina's Point Of View~~
I laid draped over Daemon's chest. My hand tracing the small delicate swirls through his thick, dark chest hair. Feeling the way his chest expanded and contracted with each of his breaths as he breathed in and out. A steady rhythm keeping me from thinking about anything beyond this moment.
Beyond the sated and glorious feeling that always followed our marital bliss.
And I wasn't the only one trancing swirls on the other person's body. Daemon was doing the same thing to my bare shoulder with the lightest touch of his index finger. His eyes closed and his other arm behind his head. The picture of content.
He would be the full picture of being perfectly content besides the rigidity of his shoulder muscles. Even in the aftermath of our rampant night of love making we'd finished after the umpteenth time together, he was still tense with what was coming once dawn broke free from the horizon in the east. The most deadly and future defining moment in all our lives. The moment when all our future will be either crushed forever or brighter than ever before.
Daemon exhaled a long breath. "I wish we could stop time and just stay right here." His finger stopped trancing my skin and then his palm was heating my chilled shoulder that he'd been drawing swirls on.
I lifted my head and rested my chin against his hard chest. His eyes remained closed as I stared up at him for a few breathes. "I feel the same way. Anything could happen out there on the battlefield."
His brows furled together before he opened his eyes to look at me. The coloring to his eyes shifting to his more regal wolf side that he had now. He wasn't fully the full sapphire wolf eyes that I had as the born royal, but it was still amazing to see the bright blue centers around his irises. "All I want to do is throw you over my shoulder and carry you far, far away from all this. Hide you away in a cave somewhere and just forget about the whole world."
Lifting up my hand, I moved up his chest till I stared down into his eyes with my hand resting against his cheek. Our breathes mingled softly together as we were so close to each other. The light of his regal wolf losing some of its light. A dazed sort of look slipped into its place. The power that I had over him when we were so close to each other.
Not saying I wasn't feeling a little hooked and intoxicated by being so close to him. Of course I just wanted to just stay right here and be completely lost in his gaze as he seemed to me with mine. But that wasn't part of our grave time that was approaching on us.
"If only we could." A part of me longing to hide away till the world becomes right again, but that couldn't be. "When it's all over with. When this damn war is finally over, I'll let you do just that if you wish."
He sighed heavily and closed his eyes. His hands moving till he held me against his chest in a loving embrace. His strong arms encircling me. "I want to be greedy and selfish. I want to steal you away and make love to you till you carry my child." His arms tightened. "This waiting is so hard."
I laid my cheek on his shoulder. "It's always fun practicing, but I want to not practice anymore. I want to be able to give you a little prince or princess running around."
"We could end up with both." I felt his smile as he kissed my hair. "Multiples happen in both our families."
Now the sigh came from me. Daemon kissed my hair again, this time to ease me. "Just too many responsibilities and too many people depending on us to end this war. The whole world needs this war to be over."
His sigh was just as deep and powerful. "And I wouldn't ask that of either of us as our honor wouldn't let us run away from this fight." I nodded to him because he was right. A royal's honor was very important to every wolf out there. To lead, they must trust and respect you. Without honor, no wolf could trust their leader completely. It was what I had to maintain to keep everyone following me to the end of this war. So much and so many people are riding on our honor.
We fell silent as we just took this one moment for us. The minutes ticked away as we just were with each other. Each night before a battle we'd do this, but this time we needed it the most. This time the battle was going to test us and would possibly be the most trying of all as both sides want an end to this war.
"The idea of stealing you to a cave and making it our little wolf den is still something we could do in the future." I laughed and he chuckled with me draped over his chest. The laughter relaxing and easy the tension that had started forming in my body again.
I looked at him and he smiled that soothing, secret smile of him that was only for me. Leaning forward, I placed a kiss on his lips. "Thank you my mate. You always know what I need."
He caressed the side of my face. "And always will because we were always meant to be together. No matter what happened in our lives, we would have gotten together in the end."
"Fate just wanted to make it sooner."
Daemon nodded. "So Destiny could start her course."
I nodded too though begrudgingly. "Destiny that turned the whole world upside down."
He turned us so now I was under him with his body lifted slightly off mine. "But just think of what the future means for all our kind. We won't have to hide in secret any longer. We can truly be what we were born to be. Wolves."
"We just don't know the ramifications of the normal people knowing about us. Our kind could become hunted after all is said and done."
But Daemon shook his head. "Not with how you've been handling things with the governments around the world. Even they aren't naive enough to try and eliminate our kind. They wouldn't know how to start looking for us. Right now, lets just finish this war and deal with what happens afterwards."
"Even after this war, we've got a long road ahead of us."
He smiled and pecked my lips. "And I will stay standing by your side through it all."
"And I'll need you there to keep me strong." I looked into his eyes and knew what he saw. The only time I am vulnerable is when I am with him like this. The only time I will let my guard down and just be a scared woman. He's seen this side before and has never shied away from it. In fact, he's help coax it out of me and eased my heart and soul each time.
"Every time my love. Every single time till the world is perfect for you and our hope for the future." His next smile down at me said more than words ever could. That he only sees me and dreamt deeply of what our future looked like.
Then his smile turned a bit cocky as he shifted a bit over top of me and I couldn't stop from gasping. "What do you say my love? One more round before we think of sleeping the last few hours of the night?"
My cheeks brightened with a blush as my smile turned cocky too. "Are you sure you are up for another round? I could have sworn I managed to get you quite well before our heavy conversation."
His eyes started glowing as he shifted his hips. "As you can feel my Mate, I'm quite up to it." With his honed skill, he effectively sent himself home in one movement. "Now how should I send you over the edge this time?" His looked turned thoughtful as he made me grip the side of our cot and moan.
For the next better part of an hour, Daemon made it so I couldn't really think of anything but what pleasure he was giving me. By the time we were both spent yet again, neither of us could keep our eyes open. A purely sated feeling that took all the stress away of what was to come. All the things I had to think about were chased away. Now I was left with just being with my mate and falling into a blissful sleep with him.
~~~
"Here..." I turned my head to Daemon as he came up behind me and tugged firmly on one of the straps to my holster. "I'm going to see about getting you a new one made after this battle. This one is starting to fall apart." He gently turned me and then started checking ever inch of my holsters that held my blades.
I frowned at him. "You're fretting."
His eyes came to mine for a second before he looked back to what he was doing with a nod. "I will admit that I am."
Cupping his cheek, I got him to look at me again. "We'll be fine."
Worry now filled his eyes fully. "But you can't be too certain about that. Not when all of the whole other side will be gunning for you." His eyes brightened with his wolf. "And with one of our own still among us that is a traitor."
Nodding, I could only feel the knot tightening again at the thought of someone else in the camp that was out to get me just for being born and coming forward. But I wasn't too worried about it as Deena was on it along with Shane and the other Rogue pack. The rest of their pack may not know what they are really looking for, just that they had to report anything suspicious to Deena or Shane.
My thoughts halted as I looked down at Daemon who was knelt before me and tugging on my jeans and the holsters there. "Daemon, you're starting to go past fretting."
His lips twisted as his amber ringed blue eyes looked up at me. "Will you just let me be picky right now Mate? I'm trying to keep myself from binding you up in here and keep you far away from the battle field with the whole opposition going to be there."
I smiled down at him and pulled him up a little as I bent down. I gave him a soft kiss. "With you and Ian by my side and everyone else ringing us, no harm will ever come to me."
His body relaxed from some of the tension that was built up. His hand coming to cup my cheek. "This battle is just scaring me thinking about it. I fear you'll be taken from me."
Cupping both his cheeks, I kissed him good and hard. "Then turn that fear into determination to keep me safe the whole time." I lifted my head a little and kissed his forehead as he took a deep breathe. "Because Love, when you're determined, nothing can stop you."
He chuckled as his hands gripped my hips. A glimmer of something in his eyes that stirred my insides. "Hmm." His chest hummed as he stood up. "Now I'm more determined to tie you up and hide you away."
I frowned. "Daemon..."
He did his sexy smirk. "Yes my beloved Nina." He slanted his head and started to lightly kiss my neck. His hands going around my petite form causing me to press into his front.
"We really should be getting outside and to the ceremony."
"Umm-hmm. I know." He nipped my neck as one of his hands started to descend down my back and cup my right rear cheek.
I sucked in a breathe and he laughed. He was doing all this on purpose. He was making me yearn and hoping to delay our departure. A move that started to work till I figured out his tactic.
Thankfully, it wasn't me who had to break up his little (ah-heem) fun. Ian opened the cloth door and came in. Like other times, Ian had learned not to pay attention to us as he's come in many times to similar positions.
"Everyone is starting to gather." Ian picking up all my daggers from where they rested on the "war table" in the center of the room.
Daemon humphing as he released me. I smiled as I walked around him and slapped his rear. He gave me a playful aroused growl before adjusting himself and following me out with Ian behind him. I wasn't the only one that was getting worked up by what Daemon had started to do.
Outside, Derek greeted me with a smile and then a half bow from his waist. The he stood straight up and opened his arms for me. Of course I went to him and gave him a tight hug as we all were trying not to think about what was to come. What deadly battle fate had planned for us to walk toward.
Releasing him, I looked around at everyone as I always tend to do. Seeing everyone that were emerging from tents all around the camp. Seeing just how overwhelmingly more of us there were here in this one camp sight. Tents all around with people mingling as far as I could see.
But it was the ones I could see that made me smile. Particularly, Lane and Faith. He was knelt before her with his cheek against her barely showing belly. Just a few months ago we found out she was pregnant and Lane confessed to loving her starting their relationship. And how she's really come out of her shell even more with his help. If anyone would see them now, they'd have thought Lane and faith were married and expecting their first child. No one would have known that it was his brother's baby growing in her womb.
The thought of that child always made me smile. It was proof that there was light within these dark times. Life that will grow and give us what we needed to continue fighting. To show us all the true purpose and reason behind out fight in a dark and bloody war. That child was just one of many that would come into this world that we are creating. Hope that we are the victorious in this war and they are given the best possible future ever.
Lane looked up at Faith with a smile that made my heart awe. The look of love and devotion. One that she returned to him most happily. It was she who bent down and kissed him in front of everyone. His hands keeping her up even if it didn't look like she needed help.
When they stopped, she giggled and looked to the man behind them who was just smiling as he had something in his hand working on it. His eyes flickered the both of them and then he shook his head at them saying something that just made Faith giggle more.
Oh, how the three of them have formed their own smaller family unity away from the rest of us. I've come to realize that when this war is over, our big family will have to be that way. No longer living under the same roof. Each of us taking on new roles from now on. Each with new responsibilities.
But no matter what, we all were still part of that huge family that formed when Claw and I started living with the Mooneys. We would always find time to all come together as a huge family that was ever expanding. Proof just looking at Faith that we will continue to grow.
Faith turned to the man and said something as Lane stood up and wrapped his arms around her from behind. The three just talked like that before starting out together and still talking among themselves toward the area for the pre-battle ritual of ours. The man walking beside Lane and Faith as it has become more than normal for the three to be seen together.
Looking away from the three, my eyes land on Shane and Deena with their pack. Deena leaning against Shane who was leaning against a tree. Their pack just talking among themselves as they were spread out across a good size area. I wasn't sure if Deena realized that her hands where on Shane's and their fingers threaded together. It's becoming easier for them to be a couple now I think as she's been letting herself just be with Shane.
Looking to the rest of their rag-tag pack, I could only smile knowing how they all respected Deena as if she were an Alpha herself and just just because she was with Shane. Shane and Deena held equal "power" among their pack, though I think she held more as the other wolves in their pack tend to side with her is she and Shane argued. Shane would always be smiling when I see it happen and concede to the will of the "rogue" pack as they were called.
Thinking about other rogues that weren't alone or rogue anymore, I turned to see Franklin and Taylor with their own pack. Franklin and Taylor sitting on a fallen tree off to one edge of the tents with their "wolf stuck" brethren round them. Some of the wolves still a bit asleep or just groggy as they wake up. Others were either stretching or rough housing with each other. The picture of what we were like on hunting trips when it was just us in the Mooney household. How amazing they all look and the bond they had as a pack was palatable.
A bit shocking was when one of the wolves shifted back to human. He looked to be a guy in his early twenties with reddish brown hair. It wasn't his shift that shocked me, but the fact that Taylor just tossed him a pair of shorts like he did it every day. There was even something that went between them that made the guy laugh.
A few more shifted and I realized that Franklin and Taylor had been helping them to be human again. That they could without any help from me. It gave me hope for all wolves out there that they no longer need to be frightened and scared, to hide in their wolves, but to come out and be a part of the world instead of alone like they had been left to be. Not any more as we were all united in one way or another.
I softly yelped when a few young wolves bumped into me. They looked back a little frightened till I smiled down at them and chuckled. They were so young and I had gotten to know some of them well. They were among Nick and Nat's charges. Oh how those to brothers had grown into fine, strong wolf leaders themselves. It did take two of them after all to guide and watch over all the young orphaned children of this world.
Nat laughed as he jogged up beside me. "Sorry Nina. They were just have a race as Clare there just shifted for the first time yesterday and now is full of energy." He smiled with pride down at the copper and light grey looking wolf who tilted her head and you could almost tell she was now blushing at his praise.
"Come on you two, lets go join back with the others and get something to eat before watching the big ceremony!" Nat leaned over and kissed my cheek before he took off into a run with the two little wolves taking a delightful chase after them. Many laughing and smiling at the play of the three as they raced through the camp.
Daemon's arm came around my waist as he stood beside me. "Things certainly have changed over the course of this war."
I nodded. "Who would have thought that all our brothers would find a cause and grow so much during this awful war? They seem to be shining so brightly in all this dark time."
"That's because they have something to fight for like everyone else around here and have been trained by my dad for so long." Daemon kissed my hair.
"Yeah. Your dad is amazing." Looking over to him, I found him conversing with several of the other Alphas looking very steady and confident just like he help each of us to be. He nodded and spoke with confidence gaining nods from the others that were with him.
"It's time to get to the ceremony ourselves. Everyone is gathering." I gave a solemn nod.
Moving through the camp, I'd smile at everyone that I could. All giving their head a bow of respect toward me and returning my smile for one of their own. Some who were still newer to knowing me would do more a formal bow and not lift their head up as I passed. It was something that I was used to knowing that some were raised to do in the presence of a royal. The royals may have been thought to have been annihilated, but they were still taught just in case.
Upon walking into the gathering place picked for just this ceremony, my breath is taken away a little bit by what greats me and all that will come here in a moment. Twelves long black flags that bore the symbol of our beloved goddess the moon stood in a semi-circle around twelves chests placed in a circle like a clock.
With so many groups of my followers in one place, they each brought their own chest. Only the one made for my camp stood out with the words carved around the lid. It was placed so it was the first one all saw as they came into this now sacred area.
I walked up to the center flag and touched Louis' wooden tag that remained on the bottom peak of the flag. Golden threads made a star burst from the point it was attached at. He was given an honor as part of my family.
Looking up farther on the flag, a few others dotted throughout the flag. But it was the same one that pulls me to it every time. Deena's brother. The first that lost his life in this awful war that was bound to happen at some time. His talisman was the only one that was more prominent than even the ones with golden star bursts. Faith had done it on her own as she believe he deserved more honor than any other.
Daemon's hand came to rest upon my lower back as he reached over to touch Louis' tag. "It still doesn't seem real that he's gone." I looked to my husband and mate, and he was lost again that he was missing one of his little brothers.
"I know. I still remember that first night at the house when he and Lane woke me up only to get shoved off my bed."
Daemon pulled me to him and kissed my hair. "Or how they ganged up on me after I pulled you off your bike at the motor park." I looked up at him and he shook his head. "Even though all the guys were ganging up on me, both sets of twins seemed overly protective of you." He looked at me. "I hadn't understood how you could have had them all on your side so passionately and so quickly."
He turned me to him and cupped my cheeks. "Every day since then, I've been seeing just how it was possible. Every moment has shown me how amazing of a woman and now a Queen you are." Daemon knelt down in front of me. "A Queen I'm moe than happy to be anything for that she needs."
"All I need is my King by my side and equal to me." I leaned down and gave him a quick kiss before standing straight up again. "That's all I'd need from my mate."
He smiled. "That you will always get from me."
Daemon stood up and we took our positions for the ceremony. A ceremony that could be the last one we ever have if this next battle is the defining battle of all. If Fate was with us, I pray to her that it was.