Page 15 of Fire and Fate
Alessia laughs, her hand coming to cup my cheek, her thumb stroking across my cheekbone. "My queen, our Omega will be strong and fierce and so terrifyingly beautiful. The Shadowlands will not phase her. She travels there by choice, not by accident. She is not some delicate flower that needs protection from every breeze. She is fire and will and purpose."
I want to believe her. Gods, I want to believe her so desperately that it physically hurts. But I have been disappointed too many times. "I want to hope like you do, but I do not want to be disappointed again. I cannot take another failure, another year of watching our people lose faith while we remain incomplete."
"Then let me hope for the both of us." Alessia leans down, her lips meeting mine in a claiming kiss filled with all the love and conviction she carries in her heart. When she pulls back, her eyes are bright with unshed tears. "Let me carry this hope until you are ready to share it. I am strong enough for both of us, my love."
I stay there for a moment longer, letting her ghost her lips over mine until I have had my fill. It is not nearly enough but it will do for the moment.
"Let us go watch the rest of the ceremony and usher in this new pairing," she muses, standing and pulling me up with her. "Soon it will be our time. Soon we will stand where they stand,completing our own bond with the one who was meant for us all along."
"Just as soon as we ward off the next wave of Alphas trying to run off with our heads," I mutter, unable to keep the bitterness from my voice. The constant attacks from Valoria have worn on me. I am tired of defending our borders, tired of sending young dragons to intercept foolish warriors who think glory can be won by violence.
Alessia just laughs, playfully nudging my shoulder. "You are always the optimist."
I cannot help but smile at that. She is right. I am the pessimist in our relationship, the one who sees obstacles and dangers. She is the dreamer, the believer, the one who maintains faith even in the darkest moments. We balance each other in this, as in all things.
"Come," she says, her hand squeezing mine. "I will let you make love to me after the ceremony is finished."
I raise an eyebrow, pulling her closer so I can speak directly into her ear. "Did you not have enough earlier? I kept you in bed for hours, made you scream my name until your voice went hoarse. I would think you would need time to recover."
"It is never enough, Zara." Her voice drops lower, taking on that particular husky quality that makes heat pool in my belly. "With you, it is never enough. I could spend every moment of every day in your arms and still want more."
Alessia doesn’t give me time to respond as she pulls me toward the courtyard, eventually giving in as I guide her the rest of the way. People make way for us automatically, the crowd parting as they offer us respect as their queens.
The courtyard has been transformed for the ceremony, a massive bed sitting at the center, piled high with cushions and draped in silks of red and gold. Torches ring the space, theirflames dancing in the evening breeze, the crowd forming a loose circle around the bed.
The Alpha stands at the foot of the structure, her Omega before her. They are both still clothed, waiting for us to give the final blessing that will allow them to proceed. I catch the Alpha's eye and nod, silently letting the warrior know.Permission granted. Proceed with your claiming.
The Alpha steps up to her Omega on the bed, her hands coming up to the Omega's shoulders as her fingers hook beneath the sheer drapery of the Omega’s silk clothing. Then the Alpha pulls the fabric down and off, letting it fall to the ground, her Omega standing naked before her mate, the crowd, and our entire people. There is no shame in her bearing, only pride and desire and trust.
The crowd hushes, even the most lively observers falling silent as magic begins to swirl around the couple. I can see it clearly, those golden threads from earlier now joined by silver and blue, weaving together in patterns that speak of fate and destiny.
I reach out to hold Alessia's hand, needing that connection to ground me. She responds immediately, her fingers lacing with mine as I then pull our joined hands to my lips. I press a kiss to her knuckles, tasting her skin, and breathing in her scent. The hope that fills every fiber of her being pulses through our connection, a renewed sense of excitement that wasn’t there even just yesterday.
Maybe the next mating ceremony will truly be ours. Maybe Alessia's certainty will prove justified. Maybe our Omega is out there in the Shadowlands right now, traveling toward us with the same determination I see in this newly mated pair.
Or maybe I am setting myself up for another crushing disappointment.
I glance at Alessia and find her watching the ceremony with that same soft expression she always gets during matings. There is longing there, yes, but also joy for the couple before us.
"They are beautiful together," she murmurs, leaning her head against my shoulder. "I love watching new bonds form. It never gets old, the magic of it. The rightness of two souls finding each other and choosing to become one."
"They are fortunate," I agree quietly. "Not everyone finds their mate so easily. Some search for lifetimes and never encounter the one meant for them."
"But when they do find them, it is worth every moment of waiting." Alessia turns her face up to mine, and there is such love in her eyes that it takes my breath away. "You were worth waiting for, Zara. Even if we never complete our triad, even if it is only ever the two of us, you were worth every moment."
My throat tightens with emotion I usually try to hide. "You are everything to me. You know that."
"I do. Just as you are everything to me." She pauses, then adds with that mischievous glint I know so well, "Which is why I intend to thoroughly exhaust you once we return to our chambers. You will not be able to walk straight for days."
I laugh quietly, mindful of the ceremony still in progress before us. "Bold claims from someone who could barely stand after this morning's activities."
"This morning was just a warm-up." Her hand slides around my waist, the possessiveness in her voice a surprise. "Tonight, I plan to show you exactly how much stamina this Alpha possesses."
Kaia
The stars above are brighter than I have ever seen them. Without the torches and lanterns of the castle, without the glow from the city that always creates a haze over Valoria, the night sky is a vast sparkling canvas of light. Thousands upon thousands of stars pierce the darkness, so many that I cannot begin to count them. Even the moon seems brighter, casting silver light across our small camp and making everything seem almost magical.
After we finally took off, I wasn’t truly sure how everything would work out. I hadn’t really planned as well as I thought. It quickly became obvious that we’d need more than food, clothing, and our wits.
